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BOOK 6: BASIC DOCTRINES, 3rd EditionCopyright © 2017 by Global Leadership Center

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other, without the prior permission of GLC.

3Book 6: BASIC DOCTRINES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction page 5

How to Use this Workbook page 6

Session 1: The Doctrine of God page 9

His Nature and Attributes

Session 2: The Doctrine of the Bible page 23

Inspired, Inerrant, and Infallible

Session 3: The Doctrine of Jesus Christ page 43

His Deity and Humanity

Session 4: The Doctrine of Jesus Christ page 55

His Life and His Works

Session 5: The Doctrine of Salvation page 67

Saved from Sin’s Penalty, Power,and Presence

Session 6: The Doctrine of Salvation page 85

Saved for Good Works and Witness

Session 7: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit page 99

His Deity and Personhood

Session 8: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit page 115

His Work and our Filling

What’s Next? page 129

Appendix A: The CCF Statement of Faith page 131

Appendix B: Personal Agreement to the CCF Statement of Faith page 135

Appendix C: Answer Key to Session 1: GodEXPLORE Doctrinal Survey page 139

Appendix D: Answer Key to Session 2: The Bible EXPLORE Activity page 143

Appendix E: Answer Key to Session 2: The Bible EXPRESS Activity page 147

Appendix F: One-Year Bible Reading Plans page 151

Appendix G: Answer Key to Session 3: The Doctrine of Jesus Christ EXPLORE Activity page 157

Appendix H: Answer Key to Session 4: The Doctrine Jesus Christ EXPLORE Activity page 159

Appendix I: Answer Key to Session 8:Holy Spirit EXPLORE Activity page 161

Appendix J: Spiritual Gifts Inventory page 163

Appendix K: The Spirit-Filled Life Presentation page 179

Appendix L: Answer Key page 189

5

Strengthen your convictions on the basic doctrines of the Christian faith.

For the purpose of this module, the biblical doctrines that we will examine

are the basis for CCF’s Statement of Faith.

What we grew up believing in is something that we usually take for granted,

but it is important that each Christ-committed follower closely examines

the source for his or her beliefs especially in relation to spiritual matters.

This module will help you discover the biblical basis for all that we do and

teach as a church. You will gain a greater appreciation of God, whose

unchanging, infallible and eternal Word is our only source and final authority

for our doctrines. Additionally, this study will equip us to discern if a doctrinal

teaching that we receive is truly biblical or a distortion of God’s truth.

As you go through this study in your small group, remember that our aim is

not to accumulate knowledge but to apply God’s Word in our daily living;

growing in maturity towards Christ-likeness.

Ephesians 4:13-15

Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son

of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of

Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the

waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by

craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are

to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.

INTRODUCTION

6

HOW TO USETHIS WORKBOOK

This workbook is for the GLC Essentials Book 6: Basic Doctrines Bible

study for small groups. It can be used as a stand-alone Bible study guide

for small groups. There is also a video teaching resource that you can

access for free. Visit glc.ccf.org.ph, then click “RESOURCES” to access

the videos.

Please note that this workbook is the most updated version of Book 6: Basic

Doctrines lessons and the video may not show a perfect correspondence

when it comes to the fill-ins (answers for the blank spaces). However,

the main thoughts are the same. Remember that the learning process is

much more than just knowing the right answers to the blank spaces in

this workbook. Obedience to God’s truth through life application is more

important. As we apply the lessons from Book 6: Basic Doctrines, we will

experience greater intimacy with Jesus and more fruitfulness for His glory.

If you are a small group servant/facilitator, all you have to do is make sure

that you do a personal Bible study using this workbook and the video

ahead of your small group meeting. Encourage your group members to

have their own workbooks and to watch the video either before your

meeting, or at your meeting. Do not divert the teaching topic – stick to

what is in the workbook. The workbook includes the Bible lesson and

individual and small group learning activities to help you get the most out

of your meetings. There are five parts in some sessions: Explore, Examine,

Express, Experience and Equip as other sessions will not include the Equip

portion.

• Explore — contains individual and small group activities that help

prepare you for the Bible study.

• Examine — this is where you go through the Bible lesson with

your group.

• Express — this is where the members of the group get a chance to

express more of their insights, questions and thoughts about the


Bible lesson. They can do it in writing, doodling or drawing, and

sharing to the rest of the group.

• Experience — this section is accomplished outside the group

meeting time. There are suggested individual or group Life Apps

that will hopefully help you experience life transformation as you

apply God’s truth in practical ways.

• Equip – this section is to be accomplished by your small group

or Dgroup member with your coaching and mentoring. This is the

“on-the-job” training for every member of a Dgroup to become a

discipler (someone who is a Christ-committed follower and helps

others become Christ-committed followers also).

As you begin, please remember that this workbook is just a tool designed

for us to make disciples. We need to depend on the Holy Spirit to teach us

God’s truth and transform our hearts and those of our disciples as we go

through the module.

9

SESSION 1

THE DOCTRINE OF GOD

His Natureand Attributes

10

Give yourselves about 5 minutes to accomplish this challenging but fun

activity.

Doctrinal Survey

The following is a series of questions designed to bring out your views on

Biblical doctrines that will be studied in this module.

This is not a graded exercise. It is simply a diagnostic tool so that you will

know where you stand on important doctrines of the Christian faith. This

will also help prepare you for the lessons in Book 6: Basic Doctrines.

Simply encircle the numbers corresponding to the statements you

agree with:

1. Jesus Christ is God.

2. Salvation includes being free from the penalty of sin.

3. The Trinity means that there are three (3) Persons in one God, all of

these Persons having equal rank and are of the same nature.

4. Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and men.

5. The Bible is the final authority in matters of faith, doctrine, and

conduct.

6. Salvation requires water baptism.

7. The Holy Spirit is a Divine Force.

8. I will go to heaven if I believe in Jesus even if I do not repent from

my sins.

9. Jesus Christ is half-God and half-man.

10. When a man dies, he will first stay in purgatory before going to

heaven.

11. The Trinity means that there is only one God who exists in three (3)

forms: as Father, who became the Son when He became man, and

who became the Holy Spirit after the resurrection.

12. The Holy Spirit is God, equal with the Father and the Son.

EXPLORE


13. Jesus Christ was just a man, a created being who was sinless.

14. I will go to heaven if my good deeds outnumber by bad deeds.

15. The Trinity means that there are three (3) Gods of equal rank and of

the same nature.

16. Jesus Christ died on the cross and resurrected on the third day.

17. Salvation involves repentance.

18. The Bible is reliable in spiritual matters but not in historical matters.

19. I will go to heaven if I do good works like going to church, giving to

the poor, etc.

20. Jesus Christ is the only Savior of man.

21. The Holy Spirit is Jesus Christ in spirit form.

22. Jesus Christ is God who became man and ceased to be God.

23. Salvation means that the believer will no longer commit any sin.

24. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but lesser in rank than the Father.

25. Salvation includes having a sure place in heaven.

26. Salvation includes a changed life.

27. True saving faith will result in good works such as obedience to the

commands of God.

28. The church is primarily the building where Christians gather to

worship.

29. We need to do good works in order to be saved.

30. Salvation requires membership in a church.

(See Appendix C for the answer key).

12

1 Timothy 4:16

In the New Testament, doctrine always comes before duty. Your position

in Christ must be understood in order for your daily practice to be right. In

short, right doctrine leads to right practice.

• If you do not know who Jesus is, why would you follow Him?

• If you do not know what Jesus is like how can you ever seek to be

like Him?

• If you do not understand what Jesus has done for you why would

you ever serve Him?

DOCTRINE AND APPLICATION

Romans 1–11 (Doctrine) Romans 12–16 (Application)

Ephesians 1–3 (Doctrine) Ephesians 4–6 (Application)

Colossians 1–2 (Doctrine) Colossians 3–4 (Application)

Hebrews 1–11 (Doctrine) Hebrews 12–13 (Application)

John 8: 31-32

EXAMINE

The Doctrine of God: His Nature and Attributes

Our Statement of Faith – God

We believe that there is only one sovereign God, eternally existent in three

Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is the independent Creator of

the heavens and the universe; He is all-knowing, all-powerful, just, loving,

completely truthful, and holy.

Cf. Genesis 1:1, 26, 27; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter

1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Isaiah 6:3; Titus 1:2; John 3:16;

1 Chronicles 29:11–12.

I. Arguments for God’s Existence

The Bible makes no attempt to defend God’s existence. It simply

declares that He exists and proceeds to tell us who He is, what He

is like and all that He has done. In fact the Bible says that only a fool

would deny the existence of God.


Psalm 14:1

However there are a number of good strong rational arguments for

the existence of God that we can use when talking to people that do

not respect God’s Word.

Chart 1.1: Summary for Arguments for the existence of God

DEFENSE DEFINITION

The

____________

argument

This is an argument

based on cause and

effect.

a. Everything that has a

beginning has a cause.

b. The universe had a

beginning so it had a

cause.

c. God is the causeless

one who had no

beginning.

d. Therefore God is the

one who created the

universe.

The

____________

argument

From the Greek

word “telos” which

means design.

This argues that the

universe is evidence

of a great designer.

(Intelligent Design)

a. If something has been

clearly designed to

perform a specific

function it must have a

designer.

b. The universe clearly

shows marks of design.

Therefore it was created.

c. God exists and He

designed/created the

universe.

The

____________

argument

The universal existence

of moral standards

would be impossible

without an absolute

moral Governor.

a. People everywhere

recognize a moral code.

b. Right and wrong imply a

standard or law.

c. To have a law you must

have a lawgiver.

d. This lawgiver is God.

14

II. The Nature of God

A. God is __________ (John 4:24)

Jesus Himself has told us that God is spirit. While He can certainly

indwell a body He does not have or regularly inhabit a body as

we do. The Bible does however use anthropomorphisms. This is

when it attributes human characteristics to God in an effort to help

us understand Him better.

B. God is a __________.

a. The Bible teaches us that there is only _____________,

eternally existent as _______________; the Father, Son,

and Holy Spirit.

While this doctrine may be difficult to understand it cannot be

denied. The whole Bible teaches us that our God is a tri-unity

of three distinct persons.

God has revealed many things to us through His Word but His

revelation is not exhaustive, many things remain hidden from us.

“Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man,and then I will show you a man

that can comprehend the triune God.”J O H N W E S L E Y

Deuteronomy 29:29

b. The Bible shows us that these three persons

are _____________

1. The Father

IS NOT the Son.

2. The Son IS NOT

the Holy Spirit.

3. The Holy Spirit

IS NOT the Father.

THEFATHER

THESON

THEHOLY SPIRIT

GOD

IS NOT

ISIS

IS IS N

OT

IS N

OT


c. Each of these three persons

is _____________

1. The Father IS God.

2. The Son IS God.

3. The Holy Spirit IS God.

Chart 1.2: Biblical References for the Trinity

OLD TESTAMENT NEW TESTAMENT

One God “Hear, O Israel! The

Lord is our God, the

Lord is one!”

(Deuteronomy 6:4)

Cf. Isaiah 43:10, 46:9

“yet for us there is but one

God, the Father, from whom are

all things and we exist for Him;

and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by

whom are all things, and we

exist through Him.”

(1 Corinthians 8:6)

Cf. Ephesians 4:4–6,

1 Timothy 2:5, James 2:19

Three

Persons

Then God said, “Let

Us make man in Our

image, according to

Our likeness”

(Genesis 1:26a)

Cf. Isaiah 6:8, Psalm

110:1, Hosea 1:7

“Go therefore and make

disciples of all the nations,

baptizing them in the name of

the Father and the Son and the

Holy Spirit,

(Matthew 28:19–20)

Cf. Matthew 3:16–17,

Titus 3:4–6

16

Chart 1.3: Biblical References for the Deity of all Three Persons

of the Trinity

THE DEITY OF ALL THREE PERSONS

Father one God and Father of all who is over all and

through all and in all.

(Ephesians 4:6)

Cf. John 6:27, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Galatians 1:1

Son But of the Son He says,

“YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND

EVER,

AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE

SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.

(Hebrews 1:8)

Cf. John 1:1–17, John 17:5, Colossians 1:16, Titus

2:13

Holy Spirit Do you not know that you are a temple of God

and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

(1 Corinthians 3:16)

Cf. John 3:5–8, Acts 5:3–4, 1 Corinthians 6:19

“There is only one God,but in the unity of the Godhead

there are three eternal and coequal Persons;the same in substance or essence

but distinct in subsistence or existence.”D R . A . F R U C H T E N B A U M


See also:

John 3:34–35; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:13–15; Romans

14:17–18; Romans 15:13–17; Romans 15:30; 1 Corinthians 6:11, 17–19;

1 Corinthians 12:4–6; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22; 2 Corinthians 3:4–6;

Galatians 2:21–3:2; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:11–

17; Ephesians 5:18–20; Colossians 1:6–8; 1 Thessalonians 1:1–15; 1

Thessalonians 4:2,8; 1 Thessalonians 5:18–19; 2 Thessalonians 3:5;

Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 John 3:23–24; 1 John 4:13–14; Jude 20–21.

III. The Attributes of God

God is the greatest thought the mind can entertain and what we think

of God is the most important thing about us. The gospel is all about

who Jesus Christ is and what He has done for us. A wrong view of God

totally destroys the message of salvation. Having a right view of God

is essential for Christian living.

“An attribute of God is whatever God has in any way revealed as being true about Himself.”

A . W . T OZ E R

A. The attributes of God are truths that God Himself has revealed

to us so that we may know and love Him.

The human heart is filled with questions. What is God like? What

kind of God is He? How can we expect Him to act towards us?

The answers to these questions affect our lives, character and our

ultimate destiny. God has provided answers in three ways:

a. In His Creation. (Romans 1:20)

b. In His Word. (Isaiah 40:1–31)

c. In His Son. (Hebrews 1:1–3)

18

“The heaviest obligation lying upon the Christian Church today is to purify and elevate her concept of God

until it is once more worthy of Him.”A . W . T OZ E R

B. There is no contradiction between God’s attributes.

He does not need to stop one in order to operate another like we

do. They all work together in perfect harmony. Our love may grow,

diminish, run hot or cold and at times cease all together. God’s

love does not work this way, when He loves He is simply being

who He is, who He has always been and who He always will be.

1. God is ______________ (Psalm 90:1–2, 1 Timothy 6:16)

God has no beginning and no end. He is not bound by time,

He created it.

He is everlasting.

2. God is _____________ (1 John 3:19-20, 1 Corinthians 2:10)

God is all-knowing. Nothing in the past, present or future is

hidden from Him.

He knows everything.

3. God is _____________ (Jeremiah 32:17, Revelation 1:8)

God is all-powerful. He has unlimited power and all power that

exists comes from Him.

He can do anything.

4. God is _____________ (Malachi 3:6)

God does not change. Change moves in three directions:

a. From better to worse.

b. From worse to better.

c. From one order of being to another.

God is perfect. His perfections forever rule out any change.


5. God is _____________ (Deuteronomy 32:3–4)

God always acts righteously. He does not just act justly, He is

just. His love for you will never change - He is Immutable. God

will always do what is right.

6. God is _____________ (1 John 4:8–10)

Love is an essential attribute of God. God does not exercise

His love independently of His other attributes. In fact they

enhance each other.

• His love has no end – He is Eternal.

• His love for you remains with you – He is Omnipresent

• His love for you has no limit – He is Infinite

• His love for you is pure – He is Holy

• His love for you is always right – He is Just

His love for you will never change - He is Immutable

In God we see unconditional, self-sacrificing, everlasting love.

7. God is _____________ (John 14:6, Titus 1:2, Psalm 31:5)

Truthfulness is another essential attribute of God. God cannot

lie and never breaks His word. Everything He has promised

has, or will, come to pass. He is completely truthful.

8. God is _______ (Exodus 15:11, 1 Samuel 2:2, Isaiah 6:3–5)

God’s holiness is difficult to define because it encompasses

all of His attributes. He is separate, distinct and in a class of

His own. He is morally pure and never does anything wrong

or contrary to His being.

“We cannot grasp the true meaning of the divine holiness by thinking of someone or something very pure and then raising the

concept to the highest degree we are capable of. God’s holiness is not simply the best we know infinitely bettered. We know nothing like the divine holiness. It stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable. The natural man is blind to it.

He may fear God’s power and admire God’s wisdom, but His holiness he cannot even imagine.”

A . W . T OZ E R

20

“Wrath, unlike love, is not one of the intrinsic perfections of God. Rather, it is a function of God’s holiness against

sin. Where there is no sin, there is no wrath-but there will always be love in God. Where God in His holiness confronts

His image-bearers in their rebellion, there must be wrath, or God is not the jealous God He claims to be, and His

holiness is impugned. The price of diluting God’s wrath is diminishing God’s holiness.”

D . A . C A R S O N


CCF Statement of Faith (30 minutes)

The first session today was on what we believe about God. We will

continue to learn more about our basic doctrines as a church in the next

few meetings. To help prepare us for what we will study in the coming

weeks, let’s familiarize ourselves with the CCF Statement of Faith.

Turn to Appendix A: “Statement of Faith” section of your workbook. Read

through the statement of faith as a group. Depending on your group size,

assign one or two small group member/s to look up the verses listed down

under each of the six (6) statements. Share your thoughts on the following

points after everyone is done reading through the verses:

1. Why do you think it’s important that we as a local church (CCF

churches) have a common Statement of Faith?

2. How aligned is your own belief system to our Statement of Faith?

For example you wholeheartedly agree with 4 out of 6 of the items

in the Statement of Faith, or 2 out of 6, etc.

3. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart and your mind to know and

embrace the truth about what the Bible teaches on God, the Bible,

Jesus Christ, salvation, the Holy Spirit and the church.

4. Individually make a commitment to align your belief system

according to what God’s Word, the Bible, says and not based on

what you think is right or what other people tell you is right.

EXPRESS

Read and sign the pledge below:

My Commitment to God

“I, ________________________,

commit myself to study the truth about God,

Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Bible,

salvation and the church as revealed in God’s Word.

I ask the Holy Spirit to open my heart and mind to know,

understand and apply the truth I will discover

as I closely examine the CCF Statement of Faith.”

DATE TODAY

WITNESSES

SMALL GROUP LEADER

OTHER SMALL

GROUP MEMBERS

EXPERIENCE

23

SESSION 2

THE DOCTRINE OF THE BIBLE

Inspired, Inerrant,and Infallible

24

Discover the WORD

In a group with 3-4 members each, discover the names of the Bible books

in the puzzle sheet below.

HIDDEN BIBLE BOOK NAMES:

Can you find 56 books of the Bible in this paragraph? Circle the word,

like the sample given –“luke” in the 3rd sentence of the first paragraph.

The following article contains the names of all the books of the

Bible hidden within the words. See if you can find them all! I once

made a remark about the hidden books of the Bible. It was a

lulu, kept some people looking so hard for facts. And for others it

was revelation. Some were in a jam. Especially since the names of

the books were not capitalized. But the truth finally struck home

to numbers of readers. To others, it was a real job. We want it

to be a most fascinating few moments to you. Do these while

you’re watching TV, sitting on the john, eating tuna, humming your

favorite reggae tune--- a song of Sol, “O Mon, I believe you!”

Yes, there will be some really easy ones to spot. Others may

require judges to help them. I will quickly admit it usually takes a

minister to find one of them, and there will be loud lamentations

when it is found. A little lady says she brews a cup of tea so she

can concentrate better. There are those among us who might

need music – a banjo, electric guitar, or drums! See how well you

can compete. Relax now, listen to Genesis on the radio, or play

your banjo! Nah, just concentrate on the task at hand. Find them

all and be a pro! Verbs and subjects don’t always agree in this

article, but don’t let that stand in your way!

I even asked for help from my ex. “O, Du!” she said. I replied,

“Corinth, I answer your questions,” but she said, “Come back at

Ramadan.” I eloquently thanked her. Frustrated, she said, “The

puzzle is a … I ... ah.. I don’t find these EZ. Ek! I elect not to do

EXPLORE


them!” I thought about offering her a juju decoration or perhaps

alms, but decided not to pursue it. This just about chronicles our

relationship.

Some of the hardest books to hide were Leviticus, Deuteronomy,

Joshua, Samuel, Nehemiah, Ecclesiastes, Jeremiah, Obadiah,

Micah, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi,

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Timothy, and

Philemon. Remember that ten of the names are duplicated like

First and Second Thessalonians, so you will only find fifty-six

distinct names.

This puzzle is not EZ – rather, it is quite difficult. It would be simpler

if the books were in a list that you could pick from. Answer can be

anywhere in this article, so that makes this format the worst! Do

your best and God bless!

LEARNING NUGGET

The Bible has 66 books — 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New

Testament. How well do you know what is taught in these books? We may

have our “favorite” books and some we overlook because they are harder

to understand and apply. However, if we truly believe that the Bible is

God’s Word to us, then we will diligently read, study, memorize and apply

all that the Bible teaches us to do and avoid what it tells us not to do. As we

do, we will know Jesus more and we will be transformed into His likeness

more and more.

(See Appendix D for the solution sheet).

26

I. Sola ScripturaThe foundation for everything we believe is the Scripture. The Bible

alone, as the very words of God, is our ultimate authority in everything.

God has given us His entire message in the Bible and it is our only

standard for faith and life.

Jeremiah 8:9

Our Statement of Faith: The Bible

We believe that the Bible (66 books: 39 Old Testament books and 27

New Testament books) is the Word of God — supernaturally inspired,

inerrant, and infallible. It is our supreme authority in all matters of

faith, doctrine, and conduct. We also affirm its sufficiency, clarity, and

necessity for genuine Christian living.

Cf. 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20–21; Psalms 119:105;

Psalms 19:7–11; Proverbs 30:5.

II. The Nature of the ScripturesA. The Bible _______ the Word of God.

This belief is based on the many claims throughout the Bible that

it is in fact God’s Word. The Bible declares that it is the Word of

God over 4000 times.

EXAMINE

Soli Deo Gloria

Sola Gratia

Sola Christus

Sola Fide

Sola Scriptura

Glory to God Alone

By Grace Alone

In Christ Alone

Through Faith Alone

By Scripture Alone


For this reason we also constantly thank God that when

you received the word of God which you heard from us,

you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it

really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in

you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13

B. The Bible is the _______________ word of God.

The Old Testament records a number of instances where God’s

words was written down. (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 31:9–13).

In the New Testament, Jesus promises His disciples that

the Holy Spirit would bring to their remembrance the words

which He, Jesus, had spoken. They would then testify and

write down the things He said for other generations to follow

(John 14:26; 17:20).

C. Jesus is the living Word of God or the ____________.

The Bible tells us that long ago God spoke to the Fathers and the

Prophets in many portions and many ways and these make up

the Old Testament that promised His coming. (Hebrews 1:1-2)

• Then when the time was right God spoke by sending the

living Word of God, His Son Jesus Christ. (John 1:1, 14)

• Jesus put God’s nature and character on display for all to

witness.

• The New Testament records what Jesus said and did.

D. CCF rejects any deficient understanding of the Bible.

The Bible only contains the words of God.

The Bible becomes the word of God when the reader has some

kind of spiritual encounter with God.

Approaching the Word of God like this shows only a partial belief

in the inspiration of the Scriptures.

2 Timothy 3:16–17

28

V. Canon of the Scripture

A. The Canonical Books

The Church affirms the ______ Old Testament books and _______

New Testament books as the composition of the canonical books.

The Greek word “kanon” means reed or measuring stick and later

came to mean the rule of standard by which the ancient writings

were determined as sacred Scripture. The canon of Scripture is

the list of all the books that belong in the Bible.

Tests Applied to Determine Canonicity1

“Which writings should be considered canonical and how did the

church come to that position? Historically, the church since the

fourth century has accepted the sixty-six books of the Old and

New Testaments as the authoritative canonical books.2”

While the Apostles would have told the early church which

writings were inspired, things got a little confused during the

200+ years of persecution that followed. God saw to it that His

Word was preserved during this difficult period and the leaders of

the Church came together in Carthage in 397 AD and all 66 books

in our current Bible were agreed upon.

Various tests or criteria applied to determine canonicity:

1. _______________ authorship

2. Christ-centered _______________

3. _______________

4. Acceptance by the ____________

• The 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament

books were finally recognized by the Church during

the Council of Carthage (397 AD) as part of the

biblical canon.

• The word testament simply means _____________.

1 Paul P. Enns, MOODY HANDBOOK OF THEOLOGY MOODY PRESS Chicago, Illinois2 https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/asbury-bible-commentary/Canon-Scripture


The Old Testament refers to the Old Covenant which God gave to

Israel. It was preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ, a shadow of

the awesome things to come in the New Covenant.

(Hebrews 9 – 10:1)

The New Testament refers to the New Covenant which was the

fulfillment of the Old. Jesus Christ would come fulfilling the promises

of the Old rendering it obsolete and establishing a New and better

Covenant through His death. (Hebrews 8:13, 9:15)

IV. The Truthfulness of the Scripture

A. The Bible is ________________ Inspired, Inerrant,

and Infallible.

“The Bible in its entirety isGod’s written word to man,

free of error in its original autographs,wholly reliable in history and doctrine.

Its divine ‘inspiration’ has rendered the Book‘infallible’ (incapable of teaching deception) and ‘inerrant’

(not liable to prove false or mistaken).”C H A R L E S H . P I N N O K

“For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets,

though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the

Holy Spirit.”

2 Peter 1:21

“[Inspiration is] God superintending human authors so that using their own individual personalities, experiences, thought processes and vocabulary they composed and

recorded without error His revelation in theoriginal copies of Scripture.”

D R . J O H N M A C A R T H U R

30

B. The Bible is ______________.

1. The Bible says there are “many ways” in which the actual

words of the Bible were written. (Hebrews 1:1)

a. Sometimes God spoke directly to the author, who simply

recorded what he heard.

Exodus 20:1–17

b. Other times, the author based much of his writings on

interviews and research.

Luke 1:1–3

c. And at other times, the Holy Spirit brought to mind and

commentated on things that Jesus taught.

John 14:26

Regardless of the way the words came to the authors, the

words they put down were an extension of them – their

personalities, skills, backgrounds and training. But they were

also the exact words God wanted them to write. The very

words that God claims to be His own.

2. The Church affirms that the whole Bible is inspired, and this

inspiration extends to every word in the original manuscripts.

a. Inspiration is plenary = all parts

b. Inspiration is verbal = all words

• At CCF we believe in “full verbal plenary inspiration.”

This means that the inspiration extends to the very

words themselves (verbal) not just concepts or

ideas, and that the inspiration extends to all parts of

Scripture. (plenary)

Psalm 138:2


C. The Bible is ______________.

The Bible claims to be inerrant or incapable of being wrong about

anything it says. The Bible in its original manuscripts and correctly

interpreted is completely free from error.

This includes all doctrine, history, ethics and the social, physical

or life sciences.

God ensured that the truths He wanted written down by the

various human authors of the Bible, were truthfully communicated.

Nothing the human authors wrote was false or mistaken.

John 17:17

However, inerrancy is primarily concerned with the words

themselves not the content. Inerrancy declares that the document,

written by the inspired writer, was without error.

These scrolls were then copied by scribes.

The word scribe (sopherim) means counter, they were named

this way because they would count the letters and words of each

manuscript to make sure they did not miss anything. Mistakes

meant destroying the papyrus and starting again.

After the exile in Babylon they formed communities of scribes to

preserve and circulate the Scriptures.

32

The Dead Sea Scrolls3

One of these communities lived in Qumran, a village located

about twenty miles east of Jerusalem. In 1947, a young

Bedouin shepherd discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls.

These were leather and papyrus scrolls that were later determined

to be nearly twenty centuries old. There were tens of thousands

of scroll fragments dating from the third century B.C. to A.D. 68.

Photo: A portion of the Isaiah scroll, one of the Dead Sea

Scrolls discovered in the Qumran caves in 1947.

3 Paul E. Little, KNOW WHY YOU BELIEVE Scripture Press Publications, Inc. 19994 Ibid.

This vast collection of manuscripts included portions from every

single book in the Old Testament except Esther and included a

complete scroll of Isaiah.

They confirmed the accuracy of one thousand years of both

the record and the history of the Hebrews—that is, from 200

B.C. to A.D. 916. The extensive evidence found strengthens our

confidence in the histories previously uncovered.4


D. The Bible is ______________.

While inerrancy focuses on the words themselves, infallibility

is primarily concerned with the content of Scripture. Infallibility

teaches us that the Bible is incapable of making mistakes or being

wrong. While the Bible does not give us an exhaustive opinion

on every subject there is, when God chooses to speak about

anything, what He says is absolutely true.

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.8The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Psalm 19:7–8

1. The ___________ Infallibility of the Bible

a. It is only recently that modern science has discovered that

circumcision of an infant is best performed on the 8th day

due to the chemical prothrombin peaking on that day.

• This chemical causes blood clotting making the 8th

day the safest day to do it.

• God knew this already and ordered His people to do it

on this day thousands of years ago; cf. Genesis 17:12.

b. Ship builders today know that maximum stability in the water

requires that a ship be six times longer than the width.

• God told Noah to build the ark according to these

dimensions 4,500 years ago.

“This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark

three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its

height thirty cubits.” Genesis 6:15

34

c. Other examples of scientific facts that are recorded in the Bible

• The earth is a sphere. (Isaiah 40:12, Job 26:10,

Luke 17:34—36)

• The earth floats in space. (Job 26:7)

• The earth rotates on an axis. (Job 38:12-14)

• The continents used to be joined. (Genesis 1:9)

• The stars are uncountable. (Jeremiah 33:22)

• A water canopy surrounded the earth prior to the

flood. (Genesis 1:6)

• The Bible says the life is in the blood. (Leviticus 17:11)

• The ocean is fed by springs on the sea floor.

(Job 38:16)

• There are mountains on the ocean floor.

(Jonah 2:5—6)

• The Bible solved the chicken or egg dilemma.

(Genesis 1:20—22)

• Light can be divided. (Job 38:24)

• All human beings came from one man. (Acts 17:26)

• The sun moves in a circuit. (Psalm 19:6)

• Air has weight. (Job 28:25)

• Jet stream explained. (Ecclesiastes 1:6)

• Electromagnetic waves identified. (Job 38:35)

• The Pleiades star cluster is gravitationally

bound, while the Orion star cluster is loose and

disintegrating because the gravity of the cluster is

not enough to bind the group together. (Job 38:31)


2. The ___________ Infallibility of the Bible

a. Prophecy is another wonderful proof of the Bible’s

infallibility. The Bible made hundreds of prophecies about

people and events some thousands of years before those

people were born.

b. There are at least 353 distinct prophecies that were

fulfilled by Jesus Christ and they were all written hundreds

of years (and, in some cases, thousands of years) before

His birth. Here are just a few for you to consider:

Chart 2.1: Summary of how Jesus fulfilled prophecy

about the Messiah

PROPHECY DESCRIPTION FULFILLMENT

Isaiah 7:14 Born of a virgin Luke 1:34–35

Micah 5:2 Born in Bethlehem Luke 2:1–6

Jeremiah

31:15

Babies massacred Matthew

2:16–18

Hosea 11:1 Flee into Egypt Matthew 2:13

Judges 13:5 Be called a Nazarene Matthew 2:23

Psalm 41:9 Betrayed by a friend Luke 22:48

Zechariah

11:12–13

Sold for 30 silver Matthew 26:15

Psalm 27:12 Falsely accused Matthew

26:59

Isaiah

53:4–5

Smitten and spat on Matthew 27

Isaiah 53:7 Silent when accused Matthew

26:63

Isaiah 53:3 Rejected by the Jews Matthew 27:22

Psalm 69:4 Hated without cause Matthew 27:23

Psalm 22:16 Hands & feet pierced John 19:18

36

PROPHECY DESCRIPTION FULFILLMENT

Psalm 22:18 Gambled clothing Matthew 27:35

Isaiah 53:12 Die with the wicked Matthew 27:38

Psalm

22:6–8

Mocked and insulted Matthew

27:39–44

Isaiah 53:9 Buried with the rich Matthew

27:57–61

Psalm 16:10 Rise again Matthew 28

3. Not a single prophecy from the Bible has ever been disproven.

A vivid example of the accuracy of Biblical prophecy would be the

prophecies regarding the Phoenician capital, Tyre.

Tyre was the capital city of the ancient Phoenician Empire and

the most powerful city they had. They had great wealth, power

and many allies. They also had a huge navy and an impregnable

fortress on an island about half a mile off the coast of the city.

The Bible often associates a nation with its greatest city. When

Babylon fell so did the Babylonian Empire. When Nineveh fell

so did the Assyrian Empire and when Tyre fell, the Phoenician

Empire ceased to exist.

In the 26th chapter of Ezekiel (592-570 BC) seven things are

predicted to happen to the city of Tyre:

PROPHECY VERSES

Nebuchadnezzar will destroy

the mainland city.

Ezekiel 26:8

Many nations would come against Tyre. Ezekiel 26:3

Tyre would be bare and flat like the top of a rock. Ezekiel 26:4

Fishermen will spread their nets

out on the site.

Ezekiel 26:5

The debris would be thrown into the water. Ezekiel 26:12

The ancient city would never be rebuilt. Ezekiel 26:14

The ancient city would never be found again. Ezekiel 26:21


When Alexander the Great conquered the island of Tyre he

brought an end to the Phoenician Empire.

Tyre later fell under the rule of others. But the Phoenicians never

rose to power again and their city was never heard of again.

“Alexander the Great reduced Tyre to ruins...The larger part of the site of the once great city

is now bare as the top of a rock – a place where fishermen now spread their nets to dry.”

S E C U L A R H I S T O R I A N P H I L L I P M Y E R S

G e n e r a l H i s t o r y f o r C o l l e g e s a n d H i g h S c h o o l s

V. The ____________ of the Scripture

We have learned that the Bible is inspired, inerrant, and infallible. These

things clearly show its supreme authority in matters of faith and practice.

• Our doctrine and conduct must be governed by the Scriptures.

God’s Word should determine what we believe and how we

respond in Christian living.

• We believe in its sufficiency, clarity, and necessity for genuine

Christian living.

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for

teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training

in righteousness; 17so that the man of God may be

adequate, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16–17

1. The Bible is ______________.

The Bible is able to accomplish all of God’s purposes here upon

the earth. It is all we need for salvation and spiritual growth.

• Powerful to convict. (John 16:5–14)

• Powerful to convert. (1 Peter 1:23)

• Powerful to conform. (1 Timothy 6:3)

• Powerful to console. (Psalm 119:49–52)

• Powerful to correct. (2 Timothy 3:16)

38

So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not

return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and

without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:11

2. The Bible is ______________.

This does not mean that interpretation or good Bible teachers are

unnecessary. It means that the central message of the Bible can

be understood by all who read it with God’s help. Even a child can

understand who Jesus is and what He has done for them at the cross

with the Holy Spirit’s help.

...and that from childhood you have known the sacred writing

which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation

through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:15

3. The Bible is ______________.

At CCF we believe that the Word of God is necessary for knowing

the gospel, for maintaining spiritual life and for knowing God’s will.

God has given us His Word; it is complete and perfect in every

way. All you need to know to enter into a personal relationship

with Jesus Christ and live a life that is pleasing to God is found

within its pages.

for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but

imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Peter 1:23

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE

ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS

OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’ Matthew 4:4


VI. The __________________ of Scripture5

The Holy Spirit will enlighten all true believers and help them

understand the Word of God.

• Without Him you can never truly understand the truths revealed in

God’s Word because they are God’s thoughts. (1 Corinthians 2:11)

• He is our helper and will not only help us understand these truths

but apply them as well. (John 14:16-17, Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 5:18)

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God,

for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them,

because they are spiritually appraised. 1 Corinthians 2:14

VII. ________________ in Scripture!

How to abide in God’s Word:

1. Hear the Word to Be Equipped

Ephesians 4:11–12

2. Read the Word to Be Healthy

Psalm 1:1–3

3. Study the Word to Be Wise

Psalm 119:97–104

4. Memorize the Word to Be Skilled

Matthew 4:1–11

5. Meditate on the Word to Be Fruitful

Joshua 1:8

6. Apply the Word to be Obedient

James 1:22–25

7. Proclaim the Word to be Reproductive

Colossians 1:28

5 Paul P. Enns, Moody Handbook of Theology

40

In your small group, assign to each member at least two items from the

following statements. For the statements assigned to you, decide whether

it is TRUE or FALSE based on what you learned from the session today. If

there are statements left after assigning two to each member, everyone

will answer the unassigned statements. Defend your position as you

discuss the answers as a group.

1. The inspiration of the Scripture means “heightening of the normal

powers” of the biblical writers.

2. Inspiration does not refer to the high degree of insight of biblical

writers.

3. The inspiration of the Scriptures covers all portions of the Bible,

not just the ones with gospel relevance.

4. In the process of inspiration, God actually dictated the words to

the biblical writers.

5. The authority of the Bible is equal to the authority of the leader of

the church.

6. The 66 books of the Bible are a closed canon. The church could

not add another book, chapter or verse to it any more.

7. The Scriptures is not reliable in some historical references.

8. Although the Bible is necessary for salvation, it is not sufficient for

the believer’s spiritual growth.

9. Since the Bible is clear, we do not need proper interpretation or

good Bible teachers.

10. Modern English translations of the Bible are inspired.

(See Appendix E for the Answer Key).

EXPRESS

Commit to read, study and teach God’s Word regularly beginning today! If

you are already doing so, then simply affirm your commitment to the Lord.

“I commit to...

1. Read the Bible every day at (time)

_______________.

2. Study God’s Word on a regular basis. I plan to have a

weekly bi-monthly monthly

time of personal Bible study.

3. Share one thing I learned from my personal reading and study of the

Bible within the week to [person/s name/s]:

See Appendix F for a light Bible reading plan on the New Testament

and the Psalms.

For free One-Year Bible reading plans visit the following websites:

• 52-Week Bible Reading Plan (each day will have passages from

different sections of the Bible):

http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

• Reading through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation:

http://www.heartlight.org/devotionals/reading_plans/

straightthrough.pdf

• Reading through the Bible in chronological order:

http://www.heartlight.org/devotionals/reading_plans/biblestory.pdf

• Read through the New Testament and Old Testament each day:

http://www.heartlight.org/devotionals/readingplans/otandnt.pdf

EXPERIENCE

43

SESSION 3

THE DOCTRINE OF JESUS CHRIST

His Deity andPersonhood

44

Individually, guess the right answer to the following trivia questions then

compare your answers with your group members.

1. You can find the tallest building in the world in which country?

a. China

b. Dubai

c. Germany

2. In which place will you find the smallest dog in the world (as of February 2013)?

a. Kentucky, USA

b. Hokkaido, Japan

c. Dorado, Puerto Rico

3. Which is the most-populated city in the world?

a. Tokyo, Japan

b. Mumbai, India

c. Shanghai, China

LEARNING NUGGET

It’s quite interesting to find out about the most unique characteristics of

people, things and places in our world. To be unique is to be one-of-a-

kind; to stand out or to surpass others in the same category in quality or

quantity. In our lesson today, we will learn about the uniqueness of Jesus

Christ. Truly, He is one-of-a-kind in His person and in His work — eternally

unsurpassed by anyone or anything in heaven, earth or anywhere else in

all creation.

(Turn to Appendix G for the Answer Key)

EXPLORE


I. Sola ChristusThe heart and soul of the gospel message is the person and work

of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our salvation is accomplished through His

mediatorial work. He and He alone can mediate between God and man.

(1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Peter 3:18)

Our Statement of Faith: JESUS CHRIST

We believe that Jesus Christ in the flesh was both God and man, was

conceived by the Holy Spirit, and was born of a virgin. He lived a

sinless life. He was crucified and died to pay the penalty for our sins.

By His blood, the Lord Jesus Christ made a perfect sacrifice for sin

once and for all time.

He was raised from the dead on the third day. Later, He ascended to

the Father’s right hand where He reigns as the Head of the Church

and intercedes for believers. We believe He is coming again, bodily

and visibly, to the earth to set up His Kingdom.

Cf. Matthew 1:22–23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1–5,14; Hebrews 4:14–15;

1 Corinthians 15:3–4; Romans 1:3–4; Acts 1:9–11; 1 Timothy 6:14–15;

Titus 2:13; Ephesians 1:22; Hebrews 7:25.

EXAMINE

Soli Deo Gloria

Sola Gratia

Sola Christus

Sola Fide

Sola Scriptura

Glory to God Alone

By Grace Alone

In Christ Alone

Through Faith Alone

By Scripture Alone

46

II. The Person of Jesus Christ There is no other personality in the history of the world that has the

same influence as Jesus had.

“Christ is the great central fact in world’s history.To Him everything looks forward or backward.

All the lines of history converge upon Him.All the great purposes of God culminate in Him.

The greatest and most momentous fact which the historyof the world records is the fact of His birth.”

C H A R L E S S P U R G E O N 6

A. Jesus Christ is _________________

The Bible states very clearly over and over again that Jesus Christ

is God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and

the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things

came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came

into being that has come into being. John 1:1–3

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw

His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of

grace and truth. 15John testified about Him and cried out, saying,

“This was He of whom I said ‘He who comes after me has a

higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” John 1:14–15

For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were

realized through Jesus Christ. 18No one has seen God at any

time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He

has explained Him. John 1:16–18

6 Sherwood Wirt and Kersten Beckstrom, Living Quotations for Christian (New York: Harper and Row

Publications)


These verses clearly teach us that Jesus Christ is God Himself...

• The Word was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1–2)

• The Word was God. (John 1:1)

• He created all things. (John 1:3)

• Nothing was created apart from Him. (John 1:3)

• The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14)

• He was born after John but existed before him. (John 1:15)

• His name is Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)

• He is God. (John 1:18)

“I and the Father are one.” 31The Jews picked up stones again

to stone Him. 32Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good

works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You,

but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself

out to be God.” John 10:30–33

1. He is the image of the invisible God.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Colossians 1:15

1. The invisible God has been made visible in Jesus Christ.

2. He is the “eikon” of God.

3. In New Testament Greek “eikon” means an exact replica,

a precise copy, a representation.

2. He is the firstborn of all creation.

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the

beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself

will come to have first place in everything.

Colossians 1:17–18

48

a. This does not mean first in time it means first in position.

b. The word “prototokos” (firstborn) means the right to rule,

the heir, the ranking one, the one in authority, the chief one.

3. He is the form of God.

The word ‘form’ (morfee) literally means “the outward

expression of the inward nature.

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ

Jesus, 6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not

regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied

Himself, taking the form of a bond servant, and being made

in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:5–7

4. He is the fullness of deity.

…rather than according to Christ. 9for in Him all the fullness

of Deity dwells in bodily form Colossians 2:8–9

• The word ‘fullness’ (pleroma) means “the sum total of all

that God is, all of His being and attributes.”

B. The Necessity of Jesus’ Full Deity7

1. Only someone who is infinite God could bear the full penalty

for all the sins of all those who would believe in him—any finite

creature would have been incapable of bearing that penalty

2. Salvation is from the Lord (Jonah 2:9 NASB), and the whole

message of Scripture is designed to show that no human

being, no creature, could ever save man—only God himself

could.

3. Only someone who was truly and fully God could be the

one mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), both to

bring us back to God and also to reveal God most fully to us

(John 14:9).

7 Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology


C. Jesus Christ is ____________.

The Bible teaches clearly about the humanity of Christ.

It is an essential doctrine and equally important as His deity

for us.

Chart 3.1: Biblical Proof of Jesus’ Humanity

Proofs of Jesus’ Humanity

Jesus’ BIRTH Isaiah 7:14; Luke 2:7

Jesus’ CIRCUMCISION Luke 2:21

Jesus’ CHILDHOOD Luke 2:40, 52

Jesus WEPT John 11:35

Jesus grew HUNGRY Matthew 4:2, 21:18

Jesus grew TIRED John 4:6, Matthew 8:24

Jesus’ SUFFERING and DEATH John 19:30

Chart 3.2: New Testament Summary of Jesus’ Deity

and Humanity

He is 100% God He is 100% man

He is worshiped (Matthew 2:11)He worshiped the Father

(John 17)

He was called God (Hebrews 1:8)

He was called man (Mark 15:39)

He was called Son of God (Mark 1:1)

He was called Son of Man (John 9:35)

He is prayed to (Acts 7:59)He prayed to the Father

(John 17)

He is sinless (Hebrews 4:15) He was tempted (Matthew 4:1)

He knows all things (John 21:17) He grew in wisdom (Luke 2:52)

He gives eternal life (John 10:28)

He died (Romans 5:8)

All the fullness of deity dwells in Him (Colossians 2:9)

He has a body of flesh and bones (Luke 24:39)

50

The Necessity of Jesus’ Full Humanity

• For representative obedience.

(Romans 5:19, 2 Corinthians 5:21)

• To be our substitute sacrifice.

(Hebrews 2:16-17, 1 Peter 3:18)

• To be the one Mediator between God and men.

(1 Timothy 2:5-6)

• To be our example and pattern in life.

(1 John 2:6; Romans 8:29, 1 Peter 2:21)

• To be the pattern for our redeemed bodies.

(1 Corinthians 15:42, 49)

• To sympathize with us.

(Hebrews 4:15)


1. Divide your group into two. Assign one group the word “deity” and

to the other group, assign the word “human”. Have the sub-groups

describe the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ using the word

assigned to them as an acronym. Allow 15 minutes for this activity.

An example is provided below.

D - ied and rose again H - oly and sinless

E - U -

I - M -

T - A -

Y - N -

2. For the next 15 minutes, have every member in the group share one

example of how Jesus has transformed his or her life in a specific area.

See example below:

“I experienced transformation in the area of my temper—knowing

how Jesus, who is perfect in every way, has shown infinite grace in

my weaknesses and shortcomings has caused me to extend grace to

other people in their weaknesses as well. I am more patient now and

accepting of others and I do not lose my temper as much anymore.”

EXPRESS

52

EXPERIENCEShow your appreciation for who Jesus is and gratitude for what he has

done for you on the cross. Plan to do this within the next 24 hours. Share

what you did to your group next week.

Sample application point:

Appreciation:

“During my quiet time tomorrow morning, I will sing a worship song to

the Lord that tells of how awesome Jesus is.”

Gratitude:

“On Sunday, I will invest a special amount to support a missionary or a

ministry so that through our partnership, more people can know about

Jesus Christ and his love for them, and become his follower.”


EQUIPGo through this Bible study with your discipler. The following discussion

questions are designed to prepare you to explain to others that Jesus

made clear claims about who He was, and what those claims were.

Jesus Claims Concerning Who He Is8

1. In your own words, write the claims Christ made concerning Himself in

the following verses:

Mark 14:61–62, John 6:38, John 8:42, John 5:17–18, John 10:30

2. What did those who heard what Jesus said think He meant?

John 14:7, John 14:8–9

3. What did Jesus claim to do in the following verses?

John 5:22, Matthew 9:6, John 6:45–47

4. What did Jesus predict in the following verses?

Mark 9:31, Luke 18:31–33, John 14:1–3

5. What characteristics of Jesus are attributes of an omnipotent God?

John 2:24, Matthew 8:26–27, John 11:43–45

According to the passages above, Jesus claimed to be God. He made

the kinds of claims that only a person who presumed he was God would

make. Both His friends and His enemies called Him God, and He never

attempted to deny it. He even commended His followers for believing He

was God.

8 For more of this Bible study, go to http://www.cru.org/train-and-grow/classics/10-basic-steps/intro-

the-uniqueness-of-jesus.html)

55

SESSION 4

THE DOCTRINE OF JESUS CHRIST

His Life and His Works

56

EXPLOREJESUS AS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE

Work together as a group and accomplish the exercise below. Simply

match the Bible books in column A with the titles of Jesus in column B.

Write down the corresponding letters from column B in the blank space

before the Bible books in column A. Your answers must show where a

specific title of Jesus was revealed in the Bible.

1. Genesis A. The Savior of the World

2. Exodus B. The Son of God

3. Judges C. The Servant

4. Ruth D. King of the Jews

5. Psalms E. Seed of the Woman

6. Matthew F. The Son of Man feeling what you feel

7. Mark G. The Passover Lamb

8. Luke H. Kinsman-redeemer

9. John I. Judge and Lawgiver

10. Acts J. Our Shepherd

LEARNING NUGGET

There is so much more to know about Jesus Christ from the Bible. Each

title that has been given to Him gives us a clue to who He truly is and His

work in God’s kingdom and in our lives. May we learn how to respond

appropriately to Jesus as we discover more about Him through God’s

written Word, the Bible.

(Turn to Appendix H for the Answer Key)


I. IntroductionA. Highlights of the Life of Christ

Jesus Christ’s identity and life is fascinating as it is very intriguing.

The gospel centers in Jesus Christ’s unique life as well. Christ is

the life of Christianity and its very heart. But what makes Jesus’ life

so unique? We cannot exhaust here all what Jesus did when He

was still on earth but in this session we will look at the highlights

of His life and works.

1. He was __________ of a virgin. (Luke 1:34–35, Isaiah 7:14)

a. Salvation is a supernatural work of God.

b. Christ’s true humanity without inherited sin.

c. Unity of Christ’s full deity and full humanity in one person.

2. He lived a _______________ life.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with

our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things

as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:15 (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21)

• Jesus was not tainted with sin

• He offered Himself without blemish.

• He kept God’s law perfectly

EXAMINE

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3. He _________________ miracles, wonders and signs.

Acts 2:22

4. His _____________death.

And He Himself is the propitiation (satisfaction) for our sins;

and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

1 John 2:2

• Perfect sacrifice. Paid for our sin

• He satisfies the just and holy demands of God.

• We can be reconciled with God (at – one – ment).

5. His __________________ from the dead.

and that He was raised on the third day

according to the Scriptures 1 Corinthians 15:4

• On the third day, Jesus rose from the grave

• It is the cornerstone of Christianity

Chart 4.1: Implications if there was no resurrection:

Preaching the gospel would be

pointless.

1 Corinthians 15:14

Our faith in Christ would be for nothing. 1 Corinthians 15:14

The Apostles would be liars. 1 Corinthians 15:15

Everyone would be lost in their sins. 1 Corinthians 15:17

All former believers would have gone

to hell.

1 Corinthians 15:18

Christians would be the world’s most

pitiful people.

1 Corinthians 15:19

You cannot be a Christian and deny

that Jesus rose from the grave!


a. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a __________ fact.

(1 Corinthians 15:5-8)

• Jesus burial clothes and wrappings were left in the tomb.

• Proud Roman soldiers guarding the tomb found no body.

• Multiple witnesses.

Chart 4.2: Resurrection Appearances of Jesus Christ

People Who Saw Jesus Alive Bible References

Two women outside of Jerusalem Matthew 28:9–10

Mary Magdalene John 20:15–18

Two travelers on the road to

Emmaus

Luke 24:13–32

Peter in Jerusalem Luke 24:34

Ten disciples in the upper room John 20:19–25

Eleven disciples in the upper room John 20:26–31

Seven disciples fishing John 21:1–23

Eleven disciples on the mountain in

Galilee

Matthew 28:

16–20

More than five hundred people 1 Corinthians 15:5

James 1 Corinthians 15:7

Disciples who watched Jesus

ascending into heaven

Luke 24:44–49;

Acts 1:3–8

b. The significance of Christ’s resurrection9:

• Ensures our regeneration (new spiritual birth).

1 Peter 1:3

• Ensures our justification (made righteous).

Romans 4:25; Philippians 2:8-9; Ephesians 2:6

• Ensures that we will receive perfect resurrection bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 15:20

9 Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology

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6. His __________________into heaven.

While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up

into heaven. Luke 24:51

• Heaven does exist in the space-time universe.

• Jesus received glory, honor, and authority as one who

was both God and man.

After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and

a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently

up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men

dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they

said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same

Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come

back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:9–11

7. His ________________ at God’s right hand.

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up

into heaven and He sat at the right hand of God.

Mark 16:19

1. Completion of Christ’s work of redemption.

Hebrews 1:3

2. Jesus received authority over the universe.

1 Peter 3:22; Ephesians 1:20–21

3. Jesus received authority to pour out the Spirit

on the Church.

Acts 2:33


B. The Offices of Christ

1. The ____________. (Deuteronomy 18:15; 18:18; John 6:14)

• He reveals God to us and speaks God’s words to us.

• Jesus is the prophet whom Moses predicted, but is far

greater than any prophet.

2. The ____________. (Hebrews 7:24–27; 10:11–12)

• He offers a sacrifice to God on our behalf.

• Is Himself the perfect sacrifice offered.

• He continually represents the believer.

• He completely saves the believer.

• He has no personal sins to impede His work as priest.

• Christ finished His priestly work by one offering.

3. The ____________.

Revelation 19:16; Ephesians 1:20-22

• The King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

• He rules over the church and the universe.

“In authority He was a king, though He never had a throne. In message He was a prophet.

In service to God He was every bit a priest.”D R . J O H N M A C A R T H U R

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“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing

that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a

great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That

is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man

and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral

teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man

who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of

Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the

Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut

him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you

can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come

with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human

teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”C . S . L E W I S , M e r e C h r i s t i a n i t y


In a group with 3-5 members, take turns and share what your birthday

month is. The person whose birthday month is farthest compared to the

rest of the group will be the first one to share his or her thoughts on the

following discussion points.

Take just 3 minutes each to share your thoughts, so that all of your group

members will have the opportunity to participate in the discussion.

1. What new information or insight about Jesus Christ did you learn from

the lesson today?

2. Since Christ is our Prophet, Priest and King, what do you believe would

be the proper response to Him and what He says in the Bible?

3. Why is Jesus the perfect mediator between a holy God and sinful

man? As a group, come up with at least three reasons why.

EXPRESS

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Jesus’ unique mission has to do with our salvation and our reconciliation

with our loving, holy God. The Lord in turn also gave His followers a unique

mission. We read in Matthew 28:19-20 that we are to “make disciples”

and we do this by going, baptizing and teaching them to obey everything

Jesus taught.

What will be your involvement in Christ’s commission given to all His

followers? Indicate with a plus sign (+) your commitment to the specific

action steps given below:

I will help fulfill the mission Jesus gave to all His followers. I will make

disciples as I…

By God’s grace…

____ Go and share the gospel to others as a lifestyle (through pray, care,

share).

____ Teach the Bible to others through small group discipleship.

____ Help my disciples follow Jesus through my example of moment-by-

moment obedience to His commands.

EXPERIENCE


EQUIPOn-the-Job Training: 30 minutes

Take time to study the diagram below. This represents the concept of the

“trilemma” as proposed by CS Lewis in his book Mere Christianity. Discuss

the questions that follow with your Dgroup leader. Practice drawing this

diagram from memory in the next 7 days.

The Trilemma

Jesus claimed to be God

Then Jesus is

LORD

Then Jesuswas a

LUNATIC Accept Him

Then Jesuswas a

LIAR Reject Him

If His claims were FALSE

If He knew His

claims were

FALSE...

If He did not

know His claims

were FALSE...

If His claims were TRUE

1. How would you respond to Jesus’ teachings (as recorded in the Bible)

if He was a liar? How about if He was a lunatic?

2. What are the possible responses a person can make if Jesus is indeed

who He says He is — Lord?

3. What is your response to Jesus Christ? Why did you choose to respond

that way?

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SESSION 5

THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION

Saved from Sin’s Penalty,Power, and Presence

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EXPLOREWhich item would you most likely line up for if it were given away for free?

1. Gift certificate for two in a Michelin Star restaurant that serves

your favorite dishes.

2. Family vacation in one of the top tourist attractions in the world.

3. Air fare to a travel destination of your choice.

4. Latest mobile phone or tablet.

5. Voucher for an Eat-All-You-Can buffet.

6. Spa and beauty treatment at a well-known salon in the city.

7. Grocery items in time for Noche Buena (Christmas Eve dinner),

New Year’s Eve, or other special celebration.

8. Latest book from your favorite Christian author.

9. Movie passes for two for the premier showing of the latest offering

of your favorite action/adventure trilogy.

10. Weekend stay at one of the highly-recognized hotels in the city.

LEARNING NUGGET

Most people will line up quickly ahead of the others for something that is

given away for free. But have you ever wondered why most people will not

line up for the gift of salvation that God offers to all of us for free? What

is it about the nature of salvation that we need to share so that people

will highly desire it? Today we will study CCF’s Statement of Faith on the

nature of salvation.


I. IntroductionA. Sola Gratia

Sola gratia, or “by grace alone”, means that salvation comes by

divine grace or “unmerited favor” only. It is not earned by the

sinner; it is a free gift from God.

B. Sola Fide

Sola fide, or “by faith alone”, means that we receive God’s

wonderful gift of salvation through faith and nothing else. We

place all our faith in who Jesus is and what He did for us at Calvary

and God declares us righteous or right with Him.

Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as

righteousness. Genesis 15:6

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of

yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no

one may boast. Ephesians 2:8–9

EXAMINE

Soli Deo Gloria

Sola Gratia

Sola Christus

Sola Fide

Sola Scriptura

Glory to God Alone

By Grace Alone

In Christ Alone

Through Faith Alone

By Scripture Alone

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II. Our Statement of Faith on Salvation

We believe that salvation – with its forgiveness of sins, impartation of

a new nature and eternal life – is a free gift from God.

This gift is received when a person trusts in Jesus Christ to be his only

Savior and Lord. It is given by God’s grace and cannot be earned by

man through good works, baptism, church membership or any other

means.

Cf. Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8–9; John 14:6; John 1:12; Titus 3:5;

Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1

A. We believe that Salvation is a free gift from God.

1. We did nothing to earn or deserve it; it is undeserved favor,

a gift of grace. Salvation has always been apart from human

works.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not

of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works,

so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8–9

2. Our God is a saving God and the Bible teaches us that He

does not want anyone to perish. 2 Peter 3:9

But God is righteous, holy, perfect in all His ways and He can

never have fellowship with sin.

For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; no

evil dwells with You. Psalm 5:4

3. The Bible describes man as unrighteous; a sinner and separated

from God because of his sin. Man is in need of salvation. “In the

book of Romans we are told that no man is good in God’s eyes,

not even one!”

Romans 3:10–12

a. By ____________

Psalm 51:5

b. By ____________

Ephesians 2:3


c. By ____________

Romans 3:12

d. By ____________

Romans 3:23

...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Romans 3:23

⊲ The most common New Testament word used for sin is hamartia. It

is used in various forms around 227 times. This word simply means

“to miss the mark”.

• In Biblical doctrine, God’s target for each of us is perfect

righteousness. However, because of our sinful nature we have

missed the target and are guilty before a holy and righteous

God.

• Just like an archer when we miss the target, we end up hitting

something else. We call this sin.

• Over and over again the Bible tells us that Jesus came to save

us from our sins.

⊲ The salvation that He has provided is so awesome and complete

that it spans our past, present and future.

• Justification - Saved from ______________.

• Sanctification - Saved from ______________.

• Glorification - Saved from ______________.

B. Saved from sin’s _____________.

The message of the gospel is simple. Once genuine repentance for

sin and faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ has

taken place, God freely forgives all sin.

1. We are then saved from sin’s penalty which is death or eternal

separation from Him in hell.

2. However God did not just forgive us our sin, He also declared

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us right with Him and proclaimed us righteous. We call this

“justification” and it was all prophesied over 700 years before

Jesus was born, by the prophet Isaiah.

“But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was

crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell

upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep

have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the

Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.” Isaiah 53:5–6

“As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied;

by His knowledge the Righteous One, My servant, will justify the

many, as He will bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53:11

So we see that God sent Jesus into the world to die for our sin.

3. He satisfied God’s just and holy penalty for sin and then declared

us righteous or right with Him.

“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust,

so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the

flesh, but made alive in the spirit;” 1 Peter 3:18

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we

might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21


4. If we come to God in genuine repentance, trusting only in the person

and work of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, God has guaranteed

us forgiveness for sin and the free gift of His righteousness.

“For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made

sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be

made righteous.” Romans 5:19

C. Saved from sin’s _____________.

However forgiveness for sin and the free gift of His perfect

righteousness is just the beginning of our incredible salvation. God

did not just save us and leave us at the mercy of this sinful world.

1. The Bible tells us that God is at work in us conforming us to the

image of His Son, the Lord Jesus.

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become

conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the

firstborn among many brethren;” Romans 8:29

While He accepts us the way we are, He certainly won’t leave

us that way.

2. The Bible makes a distinction between ______________

righteousness and ______________ righteousness.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a

good work in you will perfect it, until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1:6

We call this aspect of our salvation “__________” and it simply

means that we have been sanctified or “set apart” for God.

3. Over and over again we are reminded that even though we are

righteous in Christ, we need to learn to live like it, working it out

in our daily lives. Our practice needs to match our position.

“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as

in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work

out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is

at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

Philippians 1:12–13

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4. The unbeliever only has the capacity for sin, even the good

things he does are tainted by sin. But God has placed within the

believer a brand new nature with the desire to live righteously.

“We can still sin because we will not be totally free of our

sinful nature until we go to heaven. However, we now have

the God given ability to say no to sin and live godly lives.”

5. “We have been set free from sin’s power and have become

slaves to righteousness.”

Romans 6:18

a. Know

“...knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order

that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no

longer be slaves to sin...” Romans 6:6

b. Believe

“Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in

Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so

that you obey its lusts..” Romans 6:11–12

c. Yield

“And do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as

instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as

those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of

righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you

are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:13–14

“And having been freed from sin, you became slaves of

righteousness.” Romans 6:18


D. Saved from sin’s _____________.

Finally the Bible assures us that there is also a future element to our

salvation and one day we will also be saved from the presence of

sin. We will receive a new body, a glorified body and sin will have

been eliminated from our lives forever.

1. We call this doctrine ________ and it refers to the future glory

that we will enjoy as we spend the rest of eternity with Him.

“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be

with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You

have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the

world.” John 17:24

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become

conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be

the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He

predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He

also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

Romans 8:29–30

Our salvation is complete, God has thought of everything and

even speaks of the future elements of our salvation in a past tense

because they are certain.

2. Our sin has been dealt with past, present and future and the

Bible assures us that the moment our sin was dealt with we

received eternal life.

Chart 5.1: Our Complete Salvation

SALVATION

You have been saved from sin’s penalty Justification

You are being saved from sin’s power Sanctification

You will be saved from sin’s presence Glorification

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and

Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3

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3. Eternal life is not a quantity of time but rather a quality of living. It is

entering into a personal relationship with God.

4. Eternal life begins the moment we are saved from sin’s penalty and

continues into eternity.

5. Eternal life can never be lost, as that is a contradiction in terms.

Jesus is crystal clear that none that the Father has given Him will

ever be lost.

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I

lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.” John 6:39

E. Saved by ___________. (Ephesians 2:8–9)

The Bible is very clear about the basis of our salvation. We receive it

freely by Grace, it is a gift from God to us.

1. We see God’s grace clearly in the person and work of His Son the

Lord Jesus Christ. God reached out to man, He stepped out of

eternity, became one of us, so that He could take our place.

(Philippians 2:5–8)

2. He lived a righteous life for us, died for us and then rose again

providing salvation for all who believe. (John 3:16)

The term “grace” simply refers to God’s unmerited favor. It is not

earned or deserved, it is a gift.

3. We did not go looking for God, the Bible says He came looking for

us. Religion says man can reach God through works, but the Bible

says that God reached down to us by grace. Romans 3:11

G ___________

R ___________

A ___________

C ___________

E ___________


“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory,

glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

F. Saved through ___________.

While grace is the basis of our salvation faith is the means through

which we take possession of it.

⊲ True saving faith involves the whole person, our mind, our emotion

and our will. (James 2:14–26)

⊲ It involves repentance from our sin and complete trust in the person

and work of Jesus Christ to save us from sin and make us righteous.

Good works CANNOT save you.

Religious traditions CANNOT save you.

Baptism CANNOT save you.

Church membership CANNOT save you.

Other mediators CANNOT save you.

⊲ We are saved by grace, it is a gift from God. We receive this grace

by faith, which requires that we place all of our trust in who Jesus

claimed to be and what He did for us at the cross.

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The Bible does talk about different kinds of faith. There were times when

Jesus Himself did not accept people’s faith as genuine. So how do we know

our faith is real saving faith? (John 2:24, 8:31-44)

1. Saving faith is placed in ________________ alone.

(John 14:6, Acts 4:12)

2. Saving faith is based on the _______________. (2 Timothy 3:15)

3. Saving faith involves the __________________. (James 2:14-26)

4. Saving faith involves _____________________. (Luke 13:3,5)

5. Saving faith always leads to ____________. (John 10:27)

6. Saving faith produces __________. (Matthew 7:15-23)

7. Saving faith continues to __________ Him. (John 8:31, 1 John 2:19)

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through

our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our introduction

by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory

of God.” Romans 5:1–2

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under

heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:12


In your groups, discuss the following points and share your answers with

one another.

1. Read statement # 3 of our Statement of Faith carefully and thoughtfully:

“We believe that salvation, with its forgiveness of sins

and impartation of a new nature is a free gift from God.

Those who trust in Jesus Christ to be their only Savior

and Lord have eternal life. It is given by God’s grace and

cannot be earned through good works, baptism, church

membership or any other means.

We believe that it is God’s will and command for every

Christian to be actively engaged in telling others how to

establish a personal relationship with God, through faith

in Jesus Christ, and in discipling those who respond to the

good news of salvation.

We believe that good works are not the means to salvation

but the expected by-product in the life of a true believer

in Christ. The evidence of true salvation and true faith

is good works and changed lives. It is every believer’s

responsibility to pursue a life of good works through the

power of the Holy Spirit.”

2. Do you wholeheartedly agree with our Statement of Faith in relation to

the nature of our salvation? If you do, make a commitment to teach this

truth to others. Share the gospel so that others too may receive God’s

free gift salvation, pursue the mission He gave us and practice doing

good that show evidence of our salvation.

If not, what is your hesitation? What do you need to know so that you

can fully commit to this statement of faith? How can CCF further help

you to remove your hesitation?

EXPRESS

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3. Without looking at our Statement of Faith, fill-in the appropriate words

to complete the sentence:

a. “We believe that salvation, with its forgiveness of sins and

impartation of a __________________ is a free gift from God.”

b. “Those who trust in Jesus Christ to be their only Savior and

Lord have _________________ life.”

c. “It is given by God’s grace and cannot be earned through

good works, ___________________, church membership

or any other means.”

Review the Statement of Faith #3 and check your answers. Make it a

point to know by heart and live out the essence of this statement.


EXPERIENCE1. Meditate on the following passage this week and memorize it for

easy recall next time you need to be reminded of this important truth

regarding our salvation, or when you share to someone else what true

salvation really is.

Ephesians 2:8–10

2. Practice explaining the Trilemma leading to a gospel presentation (see

EQUIP portion for guidance).

Ask God for opportunities to interact with the people you are praying

for, and to be able to share the gospel with them in due time. Other

than a family member, it is best to share the gospel with someone of

the same gender to avoid misunderstood motives on your part.

Remember that we do good things to others because that is how

people will see Jesus in our lives and glorify our Father in heaven. No

matter the response of those we reach out to and whether or not they

accept or reject the message of the gospel, we will continue to do

good to them according to God’s will.

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Practice the following conversation on the Trilemma with your discipler who

will provide useful feedback and coaching to prepare you for your mission

in the coming weeks.

Your discipler will draw the diagram and explain the Trilemma using the

following conversation starters. For the purpose of this training, your

discipler will be the one referred to as “you” and you will be the “friend”

he or she are having a conversation with. Observe how or he or she does it.

You can begin the conversation with your friend by saying:

Have you ever heard of the concept of the Trilemma? This has to do with the

possibilities of who Jesus really is based on His claims in the Bible.

(Allow your friend to answer. Most people probably haven’t heard of the

Trilemma).

Would you allow me to show you a diagram that summarizes the Trilemma

and explain it to you?

(Wait for your friend’s reply… if he/she says “yes”, draw the Trilemma

diagram and explain it to your friend).

“Some people believe that Jesus Christ was a good teacher who gave us

beneficial guidelines for living a happy life. Some believe that He is on equal

footing with the other religious founders—claiming that all religions are the

same and all will lead to God eventually. How about you? Who do you say

Jesus Christ is?”

(Allow your friend to share his or her thoughts)

“Thank you for sharing your beliefs about who Jesus is. Have you had the

chance to consider what Jesus had to say about who He really is?”

(Allow your friend to answer. Most people, even Christians, most probably

have not seriously considered the claims of Jesus Christ).


“It was the same thing with me! I have not taken the time to look at and

understand what Jesus Christ claimed to be. Until I took this class on who

Jesus really is. I discovered that Jesus claimed to be God and that He is the

ONLY way to God.

In fact, what He said about Himself was used against Him by the religious

leaders of His time and He was accused of blasphemy—a mere mortal

who claimed to be God. This led to His crucifixion since blasphemy was

punishable by death in the religious culture and time in history that He lived

on earth.

However, I also learned that Jesus was able to prove His claim to be the

Son of God by His unique birth, life and miracles, death and finally, His

resurrection after three days in the tomb. Still, some people today do not

really believe that Jesus is the only true God. While others claim they believe

that Jesus is the Son of God, yet, do not treat Him as such in reality.

How about you? Who do you think Jesus is? Before you answer, I’d like

to show you what CS Lewis, an English writer and philosopher calls the

trilemma regarding who Jesus is based on His claims. Will that be alright

with you?

(At this point, allow your friend to give you permission to go ahead. Then

show him the trilemma chart. Better yet, memorize the chart and draw it

in front of your friend.)

Explain the chart to your friend. Do not add much details, stick to what is

written on the chart.

• Jesus Christ claimed to be the God

• There are two possible ways to look at this: either His claims were

true, or they were false.

• If Jesus knew that He was falsely claiming to be God, what does

that make Him? A liar.

• On the other hand, if Jesus did not know that His claims were false

and He made such bold claims, what does that make Him? A lunatic

or a looney!

• The third option regarding the claims of Jesus about Himself, is if

they were in fact, true.

• If His claim to be God is true, then He is Lord of all.

• If Jesus is God, then we have two options: to reject Him as Lord of

our lives OR to accept Him as our Lord and Savior and surrender

our lives to Him.

Ask your friend: “Does this make sense to you?”

(Wait for a response from your friend)

“If so, let me go back to my question earlier—who do you say Jesus Christ

really is? Is He a liar, a lunatic, or is He Lord?”

(Wait for a response)

“Thank you for sharing your personal belief about Jesus. May I share with

you my own story that led me to a personal decision to submit myself to the

Lordship of Christ?

(If your friend says “yes”, proceed to your One Minute Testimony)

“Would you like to know more about Jesus and His teachings? Perhaps you

would like to join me on a Bible study. We have a six-week Bible study series

called “One by One” that discusses more about who Jesus is and what He

has done for us.”

(Wait for a response)

If your friend answers, “yes”, then proceed to set a definite date, time and

place within the week to start Book 1: One by One with him or her. As much

as possible, set the meeting 48 hours after this conversation.

If your friend declines, simply thank him/her for the time you were given to

share about the topic. Ask him/her what concerns you can pray for. Take

time to pray with your friend right then if he has time to spare. You can

go back to him/her the next 7 days and follow up on the concerns that you

prayed for. Make sure you pray for your friend during the week!

Keep on doing “Pray-Care-Share” with your friend and others who still

do not know who Jesus really is.

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SESSION 6

THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION

Saved for Good Works and Witness

86

EXPLOREWork as a group and come up with as many words as you possibly can

from the word “MISSION”. Check your list against other groups’ lists and

see who has the most number of words.

LEARNING NUGGET

We may be able to form many words from “mission” but when it comes

to the real mission of Christ-committed followers, there is only one that

has been given by Jesus Christ. We will look into what every Christian’s

mission is as stated in the CCF Statement of Faith.

[Possible words from “MISSION”: miss, son, sons, on, is, ion, ions, no, non, sis, in, sin, sins, moss, miso]


I. IntroductionA. Soli Deo Gloria

Sola Deo Gloria means that our Christian lives should be

surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and lived for the glory

of God alone.

Our salvation is based on the teaching of the Scriptures, it

magnifies the person and work of Jesus Christ, it is received by

grace through faith and the only reasonable response on our part

is to live the rest of our lives for God’s glory.

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the

glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

B. CCF Statement of Faith on Good Works

We believe that good works are not the means to salvation but

the expected by-product in the life of a true believer in Christ.

The evidence of true salvation and true faith is repentance, good

works, and changed lives. It is every believer’s responsibility to

pursue a life of good works through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Cf. Ephesians 2:8–10; Galatians 6:9-10; Matthew 5:16; 1 Timothy 6:18

EXAMINE

Soli Deo Gloria

Sola Gratia

Sola Christus

Sola Fide

Sola Scriptura

Glory to God Alone

By Grace Alone

In Christ Alone

Through Faith Alone

By Scripture Alone

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For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of

yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no

one may boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ

Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that

we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:8–10

II. Works and Witness of a ChristianA. Saved from __________________

Salvation involves far more than just forgiveness for sins:

1. We have been __________________.

(1 Peter 1:3)

2. We have become _________________.


3. We have been given a ______________.

(Romans 6:6)

4. We have been ________________.


5. We have passed from darkness into the __________.

(Ephesians 5:8)

If these things are real in our lives they will lead to a changed life

of obedience.

“True faith will inevitably manifest itselfin the performance of works of obedience...

The performance of works are the result of faithand the fruit of justification.”

R . C . S P R O U L

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let

us press on maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance

from dead works and of faith toward God Hebrews 6:1


“The Bible refers to the works done prior to repentance and faith in

Jesus Christ as “dead works”.

They are referred to as dead because you were spiritually dead

when you performed them and because anything not done in faith

is sin and leads to death. (Romans 14:23)

Dead trees don’t produce living fruit and when we were separated

from God in sin, spiritually dead, even our best efforts were as filthy

rags to our holy God. (Isaiah 64:6)

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which

He loved us, 5even when we were dead in our transgressions,

made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)

Ephesians 2:4–5

B. Saved for __________________.

The Bible teaches us that we have been saved for a purpose. God

has already planned out works He wants you and I to do.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good

works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in

them. Ephesians 2:10 (Cf. James 2:17, 20,26)

The book of Romans tells us that the only reasonable response to

this awesome salvation we have received is to present ourselves

as living sacrifices to God. (Romans 12:1)

As we do this and learn to walk with the Lord our lives will be filled

with good works.

What are Good Works?

1. Working with all your ___________________.

Colossians 3:23

2. Obey God’s commands out of ____________.

John 14:15

90

3. Doing everything for the __________ of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

1 Peter 4:11

4. Serving with a ____________ heart.

Colossians 3:17

“Thankfulness to God is a recognition that Godin His goodness and faithfulness has provided for us and

cared for us, both physically and spiritually.It is a recognition that we are totally dependent

upon Him; that all that we are and havecomes from God.”

J E R R Y B R I D G E S

5. Do nothing out of __________________.

Philippians 2:3–5

C. Evidence of Our Salvation

In the Book of James, the brother of Jesus deals with this subject

of works in great detail. He points out three kinds of faith that

are possible and proves that only one kind saves and that is the

kind that works.

1. ______________ faith that cannot save.

James 2:14-17

This kind of person knows about the Bible and the doctrine

of salvation but has never humbled himself before God in

genuine repentance and trusted Christ for his salvation.

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

James 2:17

This person knows the right words to say but his words are

never proven by his works.

The Bible assures us that the moment we placed our faith in

Christ alone for salvation we were made alive and life demands

growth and fruit. James repeats three times that faith without

works is dead faith and dead faith cannot save you.


“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered

from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17“So every

good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18“A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree

produce good fruit. 19“Every tree that does not bear good fruit

is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20“So then, you will know

them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:16–20

2. ________________________ faith that cannot save.

James 2:18–19

James uses demons as an example of faith that cannot save.

He points out that they believe in God and they are lost.

A quick study through the gospels proves this. The demons

knew who Jesus was and were terrified of Him. (Luke 8:28-31)

So we see that a person can be intellectually enlightened

and even emotionally stirred up and still be dead and lost.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the

kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father

who is in heaven will enter. 22“Many will say to Me on that

day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in

Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many

miracles?’ 23“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;

DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

Matthew 7:21–23

3. _____________________ faith that saves.

James 2:20–26

We know that faith comes from hearing a message about

Jesus Christ. So if we hear the Gospel message, understand

it and believe it to be true the Bible says we are saved.

(Romans 10:17)

a. Saving faith involves the whole person:

• Intellect – understands the truth

92

• Emotions – experiences sorrow for sin, rejoices in

and desires the truth

• Will – acts upon the truth

b. True saving faith is dynamic because it leads to action

and that action produces good works and fruit in our

lives.

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed

Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly

disciples of Mine; 32and you will the know the truth, and

the truth will make you free.” John 8:31–32

“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit,

and so prove to be My disciples. John 15:8

c. Saving faith is demonstrated by God’s people through

personal acts of obedience.

Look up Hebrews 11: 1-31 and write down evidence of real

faith as demonstrated by the biblical characters identified

in the “Hall of Faith” passage. The first two are given as

examples.

• By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice (11:4)

• By faith Enoch pleased God (11:5)

• By faith Noah ___________________ (11:7)

• By faith Abraham ________________ (11:8)

• By faith Sarah __________________(11:11)

• By faith Abraham __________Isaac (11:17)

• By faith Isaac ________Jacob and Esau (11:20)

• By faith Jacob _______ Joseph’s sons (11:21)

• By faith Joseph __________the Exodus. (11:22)

• By faith Moses’ parents ________God not the king.

(11:23)


• By faith Moses chose ______rather than sin (11:25)

• By faith Moses _______Egypt, its _______(11:27)

• By faith Moses kept the________________(11:28)

• By faith Israel passed through the____________

(11:29)

• By faith Israel _______________Jericho (11:30)

• By faith Rahab _____________the spies and saved

her own life (11:31)

By Faith…

⊲ Conquered kingdoms.

⊲ Performed acts of righteousness.

⊲ Obtained promises.

⊲ Shut the mouths of lions.

⊲ Quenched the power of fire.

⊲ Escaped death by the sword.

⊲ Were made strong in weakness.

⊲ Became mighty in war.

⊲ Put foreign armies to flight.

⊲ Saw the dead raised to life.

⊲ Were mocked and whipped.

⊲ Were chained and put in prison.

⊲ Were stoned.

⊲ Were sawn in half.

⊲ Were tempted.

⊲ Were put to death by the sword.

⊲ Were forced to live in terrible poverty.

⊲ Were ill-treated.

⊲ Were forced to live in deserts, in caves

and in holes.

Hebrews 11:32-40

All these gained approval through their faith!

Their faith was clearly seen in the way they lived!

The world was not worthy of them!

94

III. Every Christian’s MissionThere is an important relationship between our works and our witness

in the Bible. Time and time again we are told to put Jesus Christ on

display in our lives so that people will see our good works and believe

our message.

“Urge bond slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything,

to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all

good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in

every respect”. Titus 2:9-10

CCF Statement of Faith on Every Christian’s Mission

We believe that it is God’s will and command for every Christian to

be actively engaged in telling others how to establish a personal

relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ and in discipling

those who respond to the good news of salvation.

Cf. 2 Timothy 1:7-8, 4:2; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20; Matthew 28:19-20

A. The Importance of Our _____________.

1. Saved to _____________.

Every Christian should be actively engaged in telling others

how to establish a personal relationship with God, through

faith in Jesus Christ.

Then discipling those that respond in genuine repentance

towards God and faith in Jesus Christ.

“How I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was

profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house,

solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance

toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:20–21

“And He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ would

suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that

repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in

His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You

are witnesses of these things.” Luke 24:46–48


a. The mission of the church is inseparably tied to the health

of the church. Jesus knew this, sadly many today don’t.

b. Doctrine and duty must go together if evangelism is

going to be effective.

People will not believe your message without evidence

and you are the evidence that God saves people from

their sin.

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they

may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is

in heaven. Matthew 5:16

“ For by grace you have been saved through faith; and

that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result

of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His

workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,

which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk

in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10

The credibility of the gospel message is inseparably tied

to the lives of the people that claim to believe it.

“Show me your redeemed lifeand I might be inclined to believe

in your redeemer.”H E I N R I C H H E I N E , a 1 9 t h c e n t u r y

G e r m a n p h i l o s o p h e r a n d p o e t

“It is faith alone that justifies,but faith that justifies can never be alone.”

J O H N C A LV I N ( A D 1 5 0 9 - 1 5 6 4 )

96

In your groups, discuss the following points and share your answers with

one another.

1. According to Matthew 28:19–20, what are we commanded by the Lord

to accomplish here on earth?

2. What have you done so far to accomplish this mission? You may

want to revisit the commitments you made in Session 4 EXPERIENCE

section. Check which faith steps you are currently engaged in:

I regularly pray for family members, friends, co-workers,

neighbors to come to know to a personal saving knowledge of

Jesus Christ.

I intentionally express tangible care to others as I become

aware of their concerns in the process of praying for them.

I intentionally share the gospel to others (I look for and create

opportunities to share the gospel).

I disciple new believers to grow in their relationship with Christ.

I mentor maturing believers on how to share the gospel to

others and how to grow in Christlikeness.

3. What changes do you need to make in your lifestyle so you can do

more good for others? Consider change in the following areas:

• My free time

• My God-given finances

• My spiritual gifts and natural abilities

• My network of relationships

• My skills and know-how connected to my profession/career

Make it your goal to implement change starting today.

EXPRESS


EXPERIENCEThe first step to making disciples or Christ-committed followers is to

introduce them to the Savior.

1. PRAY: Start praying for at least 10 persons in your family, workplace,

business, school, gym, etc. who you desire to come to a personal

relationship with Jesus.

2. CARE: Extend tangible care in any way possible, showing God’s love

for him or her, doing good for them in practical ways.

(Remember that we do good things to others because that is how

people will see Jesus in our lives and glorify our Father in heaven).

3. SHARE: When is your target date to share the gospel?

(Ask God for opportunities to interact with the people you are praying

for and to be able to share the gospel with them in due time. Other

than a family member, it is best to share the gospel with someone of

the same gender to avoid misunderstood motives on your part).

4. FOLLOW UP: Who will you invite to be part of your small group?

(Consider those you shared the gospel to and who made a positive

decision of accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord).

5. DISCIPLE: When do you plan to start the Book 1: One by One lessons

with your small group?

EQUIPIt is now your turn to practice explaining the Trilemma leading to a gospel

presentation to your discipler. For the purpose of this training, demonstrate

only the Trilemma part (no need to demo One-Minute Witness testimony

and God’s Way to Heaven gospel presentation).

Turn back to the EQUIP portion of Session 5 and use the suggested

conversation starters to explain the Trilemma to your discipler.

99

SESSION 7

THE DOCTRINE OF THE

HOLY SPIRITHis Deity and

Personhood

100

EXPLOREThe Bible identifies certain character traits that become evident in the life

of a Christ-committed follower as he or she experiences the Holy Spirit’s

work in him or her. Without opening the Bible, encircle the “fruit of the

Spirit” as enumerated in Galatians 5:22–23.

Diligence Humor Patience Forgiveness Tolerance

Friendliness Health Joy Smartness Niceness

Peace Faithfulness Love Kindness Wisdom

Happiness Tongues Goodness Hospitality Cheerfulness

Gentleness Zealousness Self-control Strength Prosperity

(Turn to Galatians 5:22-23 to check your answers after you complete the

activity.)

LEARNING NUGGET

One of the amazing works of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life is to produce

Christ-likeness in him or her. It might be a surprise to many of us to realize

that God never commanded us to produce the fruit of the Spirit — our

responsibility is to ABIDE in Christ. The Holy Spirit will produce the fruit of

Christ-likeness in us as we abide in Christ. In the next 2 lessons, we will

discover more not only about what the Holy Spirit’s role is in our growth

and maturity in Christ but also about who He truly is. (See Galatians 5:16,

22–23).


I. IntroductionA. Soli Deo Gloria

Galatians 5:16

Our salvation is based on the teaching of the Scriptures, it

magnifies the person and work of Jesus Christ, it is received by

grace through faith and the only reasonable response on our part

is to live the rest of our lives for God’s glory.

God knew that we could never glorify Him in our own strength, so

He gave us the indwelling Holy Spirit. He illuminates the Scriptures

for us and then empowers us to obey them as we walk with Him.

B. Our Statement of Faith on the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is God and possesses all divine

attributes. He indwells all believers and baptizes them into the

body of Christ at the moment they trust in Jesus Christ to be their

only Savior and Lord. He controls all true believers and empowers

them to live the Christian life in response to their obedience,

confession of sins, and submission to Him.

Cf. Romans 8:9–11; 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7–13; Acts 1:8; 1

Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians

5:25; Ephesians 5:18

II. The __________ About the Holy Spirit

In recent days a great deal of interest has been generated in the Holy

Spirit with great emphasis being placed on His ministries, works and gifts.

⊲ There is also great concern for world evangelization and the need

to be utterly dependent upon the power of the Holy Spirit in order

to accomplish this work.

⊲ All these things are wonderful but too often believers have drifted

away from the clear teaching of God’s Word when it comes to the

person and work of the Holy Spirit.

EXAMINE

102

⊲ Today many believers do not even understand the importance of

the Holy Spirit’s presence and work in their lives.

⊲ So it is vital that we go back to the Bible and learn together about

the person and the work of the Holy Spirit.

A. Knowing the Holy Spirit _________________

Simply put, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is God. The Bible

also tells us that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, with a mind,

emotions, and will just like the Father and the Son.

⊲ He is easily the most misunderstood member of the Trinity.

⊲ The ministry of the Holy Spirit is very personal and intimate.

He is the one who has poured out God’s love in our hearts and

become our comforter and helper. (Romans 5:5, John 16:7, Acts

9:31)

⊲ The promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit is an essential part of

the New Covenant.

⊲ “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My

statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”

Ezekiel 36:27

⊲ The early Church recognised the importance of the person

and work of the Holy Spirit and lived in complete dependence

upon Him for:

- Salvation.

- Spirit filled life.

- Service.

⊲ During the Dark Ages much of this was lost as the Word of God

was set aside in favor of tradition and false religion.

⊲ It was the reformation that brought the Church back to the clear

teaching of the Bible and a renewed interest in the ministry of

the Holy Spirit.

“The Holy Spirit is the bond by which Christ efficaciously unites us to Himself.”

J O H N C A LV I N

R e f o r m e r , 1 5 0 9 - 1 5 6 4 A D


“Without the Spirit of God we can do nothing. We are as ships without wind or chariots without

steeds. Like branches without sap, we are withered. Like coals without fire, we are useless. As an

offering without the sacrificial flame, we are unaccepted.”C H A R L E S S P U R G E O N

P r e a c h e r , 1 8 3 4 - 1 8 9 2 A D

B. The Holy Spirit is NOT ...

Today many people are confused about the Holy Spirit. There is

so much false teaching about Him that it is necessary to say a few

words about what He is not before we talk about who He is.

- Thoughts He never gave.

- Words He never spoke.

- Actions He never performed.

⊲ All these and more are attributed to the Holy Spirit everyday by

well-meaning Christians and strictly speaking are nothing short

of blasphemy.

1. A Mystical ___________.

The rise of the New Age Movement and a resurgence

of interest in mysticism and the occult has led many to

misunderstand the Holy Spirit.

⊲ Films like Star Wars made popular the idea of a mystical

force that we need to tap into in order to experience

spiritual power.

“Well, the Force is what gives a Jedi his power.It’s an energy field created by all living things.

It surrounds us and penetrates us;it binds the galaxy together.”

O B I - W A N K E N O B I , J E D I M A S T E R

( F I C T I O N )

104

⊲ It is not unusual for Christians that do not know their

Bible well to think of the Holy Spirit this way.

⊲ While He is certainly unseen and all-powerful He is

never described as a mystical force in the Bible.

2. An Impersonal ____________.

The idea that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal power or

influence that we must somehow obtain and use is equally

dangerous.

⊲ This is an animistic belief and often leads to self-

exaltation and pride. Such people often look down on

other Christians as if they possess something others

don’t.

⊲ The Bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit is a person to

be worshipped not a power to be abused.

“The conception of the Holy Spirit as a divine influence or power that we are somehow to get hold of and use, leads to self-exaltation and self-sufficiency. One who so thinks of the Holy Spirit and who at the same time imagines that he has received the Holy Spirit will almost inevitably be full of spiritual pride and strut about as if he belonged to some superior order of Christians. But if we once grasp

the thought that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person of infinite majesty and glory and holiness and power, who

in marvellous condescension has come into our hearts to make us His abode and take possession of our lives and make use of them, it will put us in the dust and keep us in the dust. I can think of no thought more humbling or more

overwhelming than the thought that a Person of divine majesty and glory dwells in my heart

and is ready to use even me.” R . A . T O R R E Y


3. An _____________

from God.

The Holy Spirit did not

emanate, originate or flow

out of God. He was certainly

not created by God.

⊲ He is not inferior to God.

⊲ He is not subordinate to God.

⊲ He is God.

C. The Holy Spirit is...

a. He is _________.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is God. He possesses all divine

attributes and is co-equal with the Father and the Son.

⊲ The scriptures clearly teach the doctrine of the Trinity. It is

continually illustrated and taught throughout the entire Bible.

⊲ The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all co-equally

God and together form the Eternal God. (Matthew 28:19)

1. His _________ proves He is God.

The Bible uses many different names to describe the Holy

Spirit, His relationship to the Trinity and His work.

a. The Spirit of God

⊲ This name shows us beyond a shadow of doubt that

the scriptures consider the Holy Spirit to be God.

⊲ In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians we are told that

the Spirit searches the “depths of God” and knows

“the thoughts of God” because He is God.

“For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for

the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man

except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the

thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.”

1 Corinthians 2:10–11

THEFATHER

THESON

THEHOLY SPIRIT

GOD

IS NOT

ISIS

IS IS N

OT

IS N

OT

106

b. Another ____________.

In John’s gospel Jesus Christ Himself uses this name

to describe the Holy Spirit and the role He would play.

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another

Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the

Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because

it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him

because He abides with you and will be in you.”

John 14:16–17

⊲ In the Greek language the word for ‘another’

actually means ‘another of the same kind.’

⊲ So Jesus, who is God, is saying that He will be

going and then He will be sending another Person

of the God-Head to replace Him, the Holy Spirit.

2. His _______________ prove that He is God.

While possessing His own distinct personality the Holy

Spirit also possesses all the attributes that are associated

with being God:

a. He is all knowing - Omniscient (1 Cor. 2:10)

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the

Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

1 Corinthians 2:10

b. He is all powerful - Omnipotent (Romans 8:11)

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead

dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead

will also give life to your mortal bodies [a]through His

Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11

c. He is everywhere present – Omnipresent

(Psalm 139:7)

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee

from Your presence? Psalm 139:7


3. His ______________ prove that He is God.

a. The world was created by Him. (Genesis 1:2)

“You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You

renew the face of the ground.” Psalm 104:30

b. The Word of God was authored by Him. (2 Peter 1:21,

John 16:13)

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide

you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own

initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He

will disclose to you what is to come.” John 16:13

c. The Lord Jesus was conceived by Him. (Luke 1:35)

“The angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit

will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will

overshadow you; and for that reason the [a] holy Child

shall be called the Son of God.’” Luke 1:35

D. He is a ___________.

When people hear about the Holy Spirit, they often think of ‘an

influence’ or a ‘mystical force’ but the Bible teaches us that He

is a person.

1. Proven by His personal _____________.

If we were to define the attributes that make up a person

they could be summed up as intellect, emotion and will.

These three are clearly seen in the Bible’s explanation of

the Holy Spirit:

• His __________.

⊲ The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit has a mind of

His own. He knows and searches the things of God

and part of His role is to teach others. (John 16:13)

• His __________.

⊲ The scriptures tell us that He loves us, can be

grieved by our sin and warn us not to do it. (Romans

15:30, Ephesians 4:30)

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• His __________.

⊲ The Word of God tells us that He makes decisions

and directs the activities of our lives. (1 Corinthians

12:11, Acts 16:6-11)

“They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region,

having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word

in Asia; 7 and after they came to Mysia, they were trying

to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit

them;” Acts 16:6–7


The Bible records many activities that only a person could

perform. Let’s look at four of them:

⊲ He takes the Word of God and uses it to bring about

conviction in us, showing us that we are sinners that

need a Savior. (John 16:8)

And He, when He comes, will convict the world

concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

John 16:8

⊲ He guides us into all truth by giving us understanding

of His Word as we are faithful to diligently study it.

(John 16:13)

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide

you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own

initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and

He will disclose to you what is to come. John 16:13

⊲ He prays for us. (Romans 8:26)

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness;

for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the

Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too

deep for words;” Romans 8:26


⊲ He equips and empowers us for service. (Acts 1:8)

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has

come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in

Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to

the remotest part of the earth.” Acts 1:8


We are given a number of instances where the Holy Spirit

relates as a person to others showing His own distinct

personality:

• His relationship to the ____________.

⊲ In the book of Acts we witness the Holy Spirit

personally working with the Apostles in the

decisions they made. (Acts 15:28)

• His relationship to _______________.

⊲ No one would dispute the personality of Jesus

yet the Bible tells us that while the Holy Spirit is a

distinct person He relates in similar ways. (John

16:14-15)

“He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will

disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are

Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and

will disclose it to you.”

John 16:14–15

• His relationship to the ____________.

The Bible is very clear that the Holy Spirit is a co-equal

person with the Father and the Son. (Matthew 28:19, 2

Corinthians 13:14)

He relates to the other Persons of the Trinity as an

equal Person. He relates to the Lord Jesus and the God

the Father in such a way that if the Lord has personality

one must conclude that the Spirit does also. Yet He is

distinct from Christ and God the Father.

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⊲ While the Father and Son are both God they clearly

act and interact as two separate and distinct

Persons.

⊲ The Bible demands that we recognize the Holy

Spirit as a Person as well. After all we fellowship

with Him and we are baptized into His name.

• His relationship to ____________.

The way that He is treated and affected by God’s

people in the Bible is also proof that He is a Person.

⊲ He can be disobeyed just like Jesus. (Acts 10:19-21)

⊲ He can be lied to just like Jesus. (Acts 5:3)

⊲ He can be resisted just like Jesus. (Acts 7:51)

⊲ He can be grieved just like Jesus. (Ephesians 4:30)

⊲ He can be insulted just like Jesus. (Hebrews 10:29)

“Dear brother, honour the Spirit of God as you would honour Jesus Christ if He were present. If Jesus Christ were dwelling in your house you would not ignore Him, you would not go about your business as if He were not there. Do not ignore the presence of

the Holy Spirit in your soul. I beseech you, do not live as if you had not heard whether there were any Holy Spirit. To Him pay your

constant adorations. Reverence the august guest who has been pleased to make your body His sacred abode.

Love Him, obey Him, worship Him.”

C H A R L E S S P U R G E O N

P r e a c h e r , 1 8 3 4 - 1 8 9 2 A D


1. What were some of your misconceptions about the Holy Spirit prior

to this lesson? How do you think you formed those misconceptions?

2. In what ways have you experienced the work of the Holy Spirit in your

life? (You may want to review the section on the works of the Holy

Spirit from today’s lesson).

3. How do you think a better understanding of the Person and works of

the Holy Spirit affect the way you relate with God? How about your

relationships with other people?

EXPRESS

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1. Think of an area of need you have in your life right now. Write it down

in the space below.

2. Now take some time to ask the Holy Spirit to help you with this need

based on the truths you learned about Him. Write down your prayer

below and let this help you track God’s faithfulness in meeting your

need through His Spirit.

3. Using a Bible concordance, search for references on the Holy Spirit/

Spirit both in the Old Testament and the New Testament.

a. Note what the Holy Spirit’s works are in these references. Ask Him

to reveal more of Himself to you as you go through this exercise.

b. Record any new insight you get about the Person of the Holy Spirit

or His works from these references. How will this insight change

the way you live your life this week?

EXPERIENCE

EQUIPThis week, talk to someone in your Pray, Care, Share list regarding the

concept of the Trilemma just as you practiced with your discipler. Before

you do so…

1. Ask the Holy Spirit to be the One to guide you and give you the

words to speak to the person you will share with.

2. Review the Book 6: Basic Doctrines lessons you have had so far.

3. Practice making the diagram from memory and explain it using the

conversation starters you practiced with your discipler.

4. If you feel you need to, review your One Minute Testimony and the

God’s Way to Heaven gospel presentation.

You may draw the Trilemma diagram ahead of time and just bring it with

you to show your friend. This will be useful if you have less time to have

the conversation with the person you are sharing with. If there is adequate

time (around 30 minutes including your One Minute Testimony and gospel

presentation), go ahead and draw the Trilemma diagram yourself.

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SESSION 8

THE DOCTRINE OF THE

HOLY SPIRITHis Work and Our Filling

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EXPLOREWork together in groups of 3-5 people each and try to identify what the

specific uses are of the unusual tools listed below. Very few people can

get this all correct, so do not worry if you cannot get it all perfect!

1. A “shingle froe” is used for...

2. A “Stanley #1 Odd Jobs” is used for…

3. An adze is used for…

4. A “Channellock rescue tool” is used for…

5. A “timber scribe” is used for…

(See Appendix I for the Answer Key.)

LEARNING NUGGET

The seventh item in CCF’s Statement of Faith is concerning what we

believe about the Holy Spirit. One of the works of the Spirit in the life of

the believer is to empower him/her to be an effective instrument in God’s

hand to accomplish His special design for His people.


I. The Work of the Holy SpiritA. He ___________ believers.

John 14:16–17

When speaking of the Holy Spirit to the disciples, Jesus made an

incredible statement. He told them the Spirit was with them but that

there was coming a time when the Holy Spirit would dwell in them.

This was fulfilled during Pentecost. He came and indwelt those

that believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now you might say how is

this different from the Old Testament?

1. In the Church Age, the Holy Spirit indwells every believer and

this is a sign that they are truly saved. In the Old Testament,

He came upon different believers at different times and in

different ways to accomplish the work of God.

Judges 14:5-6

2. Today, the Holy Spirit permanently resides inside the lives of

all true believers, and He will never leave us.

Romans 8:9

In the Old Testament, He would leave the believer especially

if sin was involved. (1 Samuel 16:14, 2 Samuel 12:13, Psalm 51:11)

B. He _____________ believers.

Romans 8:14–16

The Holy Spirit inwardly witnesses to our spirit that we are now

children of God.

This is not to be confused with eternal security. Our relationship with

God will never change, Jesus doesn’t lose sheep. (John 6:39-40)

EXAMINE

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However, during times of sin and disobedience where fellowship

with God is hindered this assurance is not always experienced.

Don’t despair, deal with the sin in your life, and you will once again

know the inward witness of the Holy Spirit.

C. He ___________ believers.

The Bible assures us that the moment we came to genuine

repentance and faith in Jesus Christ we were sealed by the Holy

Spirit.

1. This simply means that He has marked us out as His own

possession and the Holy Spirit within us is God’s guarantee

that all He has promised will come to pass.

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the

gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were

sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given

as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption

of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

Ephesians 1:13-14

2. The Greek word for “pledge” was often used for a down

payment on a commodity or property. In Greece the word is

still used today to refer to an engagement ring.

D. He ____________ believers.

By faith in Jesus Christ we have been justified or declared

righteous before God. We call this a positional truth. God who

is not ruled by time already sees us glorified. (Romans 8:30)

However, we are not yet glorified and there is still a lot of work

to be done if our practice is to match our position.

So we have been set apart or sanctified by the Holy Spirit

and He will conform us to the image of Jesus Christ as we

walk with Him.

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens,

scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and

Bithynia, who are chosen 2according to the foreknowledge of


God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey

Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and

peace be yours in the fullest measure.” 1 Peter 1:1-2

E. He ____________ and _____________ believers.

The Christian life is not just difficult, it is impossible! This is another

reason why God has given us the Spirit.

1. He equips us for victory over sin.

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the

desire of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16

2. He empowers us to be His witnesses.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come

upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem,

and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part

of the earth.” Acts 1:8

F. He ______________ believers.

The Holy Spirit is called the “Spirit of Truth” and He gave us the

Word of God by the process of inspiration. (John 14:26, 2 Peter

1:20-21)

⊲ As we faithfully study the scriptures He becomes our guide

adding spiritual thoughts to spiritual words.

⊲ This in no way negates the need for gifted teachers to lead

us in a deeper understanding and correct error.

(Ephesians 4:11-12)

⊲ But it does assure us that every single one of us can study the

Bible for ourselves and understand it with His help.

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit

who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to

us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught

by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining

spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.” 1 Corinthians 2:12-13

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G. He _______________ believers.

The Holy Spirit comes bearing gifts. These gifts are spiritual

abilities given by God to empower you for service and to edify

His Church.

⊲ It is believed by most good Bible teachers that you receive

your gift when you receive the giver.

⊲ God the Holy Spirit decides what each person will receive and

every believer receives at least one gift. (1 Corinthians 12:11)

“But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing

to each one individually just as He wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:11

⊲ All gifts are important to the body of Christ, there are no

exceptions. Every believer is expected to discover and use

their gifts to serve God in ministry and edify the church.

(1 Corinthians 12:14-26)

“But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in

the body, just as He desired. 19If they were all one member,

where would the body be? 20But now there are many members,

but one body.” 1 Corinthians 12:18–20

• Never forget that every believer is gifted but not every believer

is walking in the Spirit. Your spirituality is determined by your

fruitfulness not your giftedness. (1 Corinthians 1:7, 3:1–3, 13:1–3)

“If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all

knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,

but do not have love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:2

H. He ______________ believers.

1. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is seen in action several times

in the Book of Acts but it is only defined once in the New

Testament when the Apostle Paul is forced to correct false

teaching in the Church at Corinth.

1 Corinthians 12:13


2. Simply put, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the act by which

the Holy Spirit places us into the body of Christ – the Church

– and this happens the moment we are saved.

I. The Holy Spirit _____________ believers.

The power of the Holy Spirit is available to every believer who is

willing to live in complete dependence upon Him.

⊲ We call this moment by moment, day by day dependence

upon Him “being filled with the Spirit” and as we do this

He takes control of our lives and His power is released in us

enabling us to…

• Produce fruit. (John 15:1-11, Galatians 5:22-25)

• Proclaim Christ. (Acts 1:8)

• Perform good works. (Ephesians 3:20)

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“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be

filled with the Spirit,” Ephesians 5:18

What does “be filled” mean?

The verb “fill” here has nothing to do with contents or quantity.

We are not empty vessels waiting to be filled.

“However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed

the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have

the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

Romans 8:9

⊲ If we belong to the Lord Jesus the Holy Spirit already lives in

us. The primary meaning here is “control.”

“And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as

they heard these things; 29and they got up and drove Him out

of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their

city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff.”

Luke 4:28–29

“But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled

your heart.” John 16:6

How do you get filled or controlled by the Holy Spirit?

You don’t pray for it, it’s a command!

You don’t wait for it, it’s for right now!

⊲ While the baptism of the Holy Spirit means that I belong to

Christ’s body the Church.

⊲ The filling of the Holy Spirit means that my body belongs to

Jesus Christ, I have presented it as a living sacrifice to Him.

(Romans 12:1)

It is not how much of Him you have!

It is how much of you He has!


I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who

live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the

flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave

Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20

⊲ You must die to self.

⊲ You must yield control to Him.

⊲ You must live in complete dependence upon Him.

The only thing standing in the way of you being filled with the

Holy Spirit is you!

Surrender:

⊲ Your will

⊲ Your mind

⊲ Your body

⊲ Your time

⊲ Your talents

⊲ Your treasure

Now when you release control, He takes over!

“Being filled with the Spirit is living in the conscious presence of the Lord Jesus Christ,

letting His mind, through the Word, dominate everything that is thought and done.”

D R . J O H N M A C A R T H U R

How do I know I am filled with the Holy Spirit?

1. You will be _____________.

“Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and

spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart

to the Lord;” Ephesians 5:19

a. Your relationship with yourself will be right.

b. Your heart will be filled with songs of praise.

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2. You will be _____________.

“Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our

Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;”

Ephesians 5:20

a. Your relationship with God will be right.

b. Because your heart will be overflowing with

thankfulness for who He is and all He has done.

3. You will be _____________.

“And be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”

Ephesians 5:21

a. Your relationships with others will be right.

b. Because you are humble, servant hearted and

consider others to be more important than yourself.

⊲ Being filled with the Spirit is a moment by moment

complete dependence upon God.

⊲ Dying to self and yielding control of every aspect of our

lives over to Him.

⊲ Filling our hearts and minds with the Word of God and living

every moment in the conscious presence of the Lord Jesus

Christ.

⊲ As we learn to walk with Him this way, we abide in Him and

He produces fruit in us, transforming our lives, making us

more like Him.

“The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in and by the man who is

fully and wholly consecrated to Him. I will try my utmost to be that man.”

D W I G H T L . M O O DY


In your small group, express your insights on the following discussion

points. Make sure to give each member a chance to share his or her

thoughts for every point so limit your turn to speak to 3 minutes per

discussion point.

Let the member who has the closest birthday to this day start the discussion.

The member with the next closest birthdate goes next and so on.

1. How sure are you right now that you are filled by the Holy Spirit?

Choose one word to describe your response:

Absolutely sure—100%

Uncertain – 50% or so

Doubtful – less than 50% sure

Explain your response briefly. What made you answer that way?

2. If the filling of the Spirit is a command from the Lord (Ephesians

5:18) then we know that this is His will.

Read 1 John 5:14–15. What does God promise in these verses?

If you want to be filled with the Spirit, you can do so by faith —

trusting that God will fill you with His Spirit because it is His will

(command) that you be filled.

Have a few moments of prayer in your group. Individually and

quietly, ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit as He commanded

you to be filled.

“Our loving Heavenly Father, I desire to do Your will for my life

because I believe that You love me and desire only the best for

me. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be

filled. By faith I thank You that I am now filled by the Spirit based

on Your promise that You will answer my prayer in accordance to

Your will. Help me to continually be controlled and empowered

by the Holy Spirit. By Your grace, I choose to do Your will for my

life moment by moment as Your Spirit empowers me to do what

pleases You. I ask these in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

EXPRESS

126

3. What are some evidences that you see in your own life that you

are filled with the Spirit? Share this with a grateful attitude knowing

that the Holy Spirit is the one who produces godly fruit in your life.

4. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will bear fruit for God’s

glory. One kind of fruit is what we produce as we share the gospel

to others and make disciples.

What steps are you taking to share the gospel regularly?

What steps are you taking to disciple others?

How can you improve in this area?


1. Discover your spiritual gifts through the Spiritual Gifts evaluation tool

provided in Appendix J. Use the score sheet to find out your top three

highest scores, that correspond to your top three spiritual gifts and

the areas of ministry that are most suited for the exercise of your gifts.

2. Choose one of the various CCF ministries to volunteer in where you

can serve the church and the unchurched through your spiritual gifts.

Do this in 4 weeks and begin the adventure of maximizing your gifts

for God’s purposes and glory!

• Visit www.ccf.org.ph for more information on how you can get

involved in different CCF ministries today.

• Download the free CCF App from iTunes to have easy access to

information on a variety of CCF ministry volunteer opportunities.

EXPERIENCE

128


Your discipler will go through with you the “Spirit-Filled Life” Presentation

found in Appendix K. The late Dr. Bill Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade

for Christ who developed this material along with his wife and CCC co-

founder Vonette Bright, would say that if you only had five minutes to talk

with another believer, the Spirit-filled life would be what you should pass on

to him or her.

Observe closely how your discipler goes through the explanation. This

week, explain the Spirit-filled life to at least one family member who is a

believer and to your Dgroup members (if you are leading a group) or other

members in your Dgroup (if you are not yet leading a group).

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WHAT’S NEXT?BOOK 7: CHRIST-COMMITTED LIVING

Now that you know the basic Bible doctrines on which our Christian faith

and conduct is based on as a local body of believers in CCF, what’s next?

Your discipleship journey will now take you to a study of what it means to

live the Christ-committed life.

Book 7: Christ-Committed Living has a twofold purpose. First is to help

you discover what the Bible teaches about living under the lordship of

Jesus Christ. You will encounter questions like, “What does it really mean

to live a surrendered life to Christ?” The second purpose is to unpack the

concept of “walking in the Spirit” as the secret to living under the lordship

of Jesus Christ. How can a Christ-committed follower truly live out the

Christ-committed life? Wouldn’t you want to find out?

So get yourself ready for a lifestyle check, and let us head on together to

the next learning adventure in becoming more like Jesus and living more

like Him.

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APPENDIX A

CCFSTATEMENT

OF FAITH

132

About the Bible

We believe that the Bible, composed of 39 Old Testament books and

27 New Testament books, is the Word of God, supernaturally inspired,

inerrant in its original form, infallible, so that it is our supreme authority in

all matters of faith, doctrine and conduct.

About God

We believe that there is only one GOD eternally existent in three persons –

Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

About Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ in the flesh was both God and Man, that He

was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He lived a sinless

life. He was crucified and He died to pay the penalty of death for our sins.

By His shed blood, the Lord Jesus Christ made a perfect sacrifice for

sin once and for all time and was raised from the dead on the third day.

Later He ascended to the Father’s right hand where He is the Head of the

Church and intercedes for believers. We believe He is coming again to the

Earth bodily and visibly to set up His Kingdom.

About the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is God and possesses all the Divine

attributes. He indwells all believers, baptizes and seals all believers at

the moment they trust in Jesus Christ to be their only Savior and Lord.

He controls and empowers all true believers to live the Christian life in

response to their obedience, confession of sin, and yieldness to Him.

About Salvation

We believe that Salvation, with its forgiveness of sins, impartation of a new

nature, and eternal life, is a free gift from God received when a person

trusts in Jesus Christ to be their only Savior and Lord. Salvation is given by

God’s grace and cannot be earned by man through good works, baptism,

church membership or any other means. (Ephesians 2:8–9)


About Good Works

We believe that good works are not the means of salvation but are the

expected product in the life of a true believer in Christ. It is every believer’s

responsibility to pursue a life of good works through the power of the

indwelling Holy Spirit.

About Every Christian’s Mission

We believe that it is God’s will and command for every Christian to be

actively engaged in telling others how to establish a personal relationship

with God through faith in Jesus Christ and in discipling those who respond

to this good news of salvation pursuant to Matthew 28:18–20.

About Baptism

We believe that water baptism by immersion is an act of obedience to

Christ’s command. It is a public confession of our personal faith in Jesus

Christ (Matthew 28:19).

About the Church

The universal church is composed of all true believers who have trusted in

Christ as their Lord and Savior and are committed to follow Him. The local

church is composed of believers in a specific locality who have chosen to

abide by that local church’s Mission, Vision, Core Values and Statements of

Faith.

About Marriage

We believe that marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in a single,

exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Genesis 2:18–25.) We believe that

God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who

are married to each other. (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4)

Because God has ordained marriage and defined it as the covenant

relationship between a man, a woman, and Himself, CCF will only

recognize and solemnize marriages between a biological man anda

biological woman who are committed to follow Jesus Christ as their Lord

and Savior.

134

About Gender

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as

biologically male or biologically female. These two distinct, complementary

genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Genesis 1:26-27.)

Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within

that person.

About the Sanctity of Human Life

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image.

Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born

babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other

stage or condition from conception through natural death.

This statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. We

believe that the Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God

that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper

conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe.

CCF’s Board of Elders is the final interpretive authority on the Bible’s

meaning and application and shall have final authority in all matters of

church governance, as set forth and described in these By-Laws.

135

APPENDIX B

MY AGREEMENT TO THE CCFSTATEMENT

OF FAITH

137

With God as my witness, I fully agree and wholeheartedly support

CCF’s Statement of Faith. I therefore commit to abide by it

and uphold it in all my conduct withinand outside the church.

Signed,

(Sign above your name)

Date

139

APPENDIX C

ANSWER KEY TO SESSION 1:

GODEXPLORE Doctrinal Survey

140

Numbers with corresponding biblically-correct statements are encircled.

1. Jesus Christ is God.

2. Salvation includes being free from the penalty of sin.

3. The Trinity means that there are three (3) Persons in one God, all

of these Persons having equal rank and are of the same nature.

4. Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and men.

5. The Bible is the final authority in matters of faith, doctrine, and

conduct.

6. Salvation requires water baptism.

7. The Holy Spirit is a Divine Force.

8. I will go to heaven if I believe in Jesus even if I do not repent from

my sins.

9. Jesus Christ is half-God and half-man.

10. When a man dies, he will first stay in purgatory before going to

heaven.

11. The Trinity means that there is only one God who exists in three

(3) forms: as Father, who became the Son when He became man,

and who became the Holy Spirit after the resurrection.

12. The Holy Spirit is God, equal with the Father and the Son.

13. Jesus Christ was just a man, a created being who was sinless.

14. I will go to heaven if my good deeds outnumber by bad deeds.

15. The Trinity means that there are three (3) Gods of equal rank and

of the same nature.

16. Jesus Christ died on the cross and resurrected on the third day.

17. Salvation involves repentance.

18. The Bible is not reliable in historical matters.


19. I will go to heaven if I do good works like going to church, giving

to the poor, etc

20. Jesus Christ is the only Savior of man.

21. The Holy Spirit is Jesus Christ in spirit form.

22. Jesus Christ is God who became man and ceased to be God.

23. Salvation means that the believer will no longer commit any sin.

24. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but lesser in rank than the Father.

25. Salvation includes having a sure place in heaven.

26. Salvation includes a changed life.

27. True saving faith will result in good works such as obedience to

the commands of God.

28. The church is primarily the building where Christians gather to

worship.

29. We need to do good works in order to be saved.

30. Salvation requires membership in a church.

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APPENDIX D


THE BIBLEEXPLORE Activity

144

HIDDEN BIBLE BOOK NAMES:

56 Books of the Bible highlighted in yellow

The following article contains the names of all the books of the Bible

hidden within the words. See if you can find them all! I once made a remark

about the hidden books of the Bible. It was a lulu, kept some people

looking so hard for facts. And for others it was revelation. Some were in a

jam. Especially since the names of the books were not capitalized. But the

truth finally struck home to numbers of readers. To others, it was a real

job. We want it to be a most fascinating few moments to you. Do these

while you’re watching TV, sitting on the john, eating tuna, humming your

favorite reggae tune--- a song of Sol, “O Mon, I believe you!”

Yes, there will be some really easy ones to spot. Others may require

judges to help them. I will quickly admit it usually takes a minister to find

one of them, and there will be loud lamentations when it is found. A little

lady says she brews a cup of tea so she can concentrate better. There are

those among us who might need music – a banjo, electric guitar, or drums!

See how well you can compete. Relax now, listen to Genesis on the radio,

or play your banjo! Nah, just concentrate on the task at hand. Find them

all and be a pro! Verbs and subjects don’t always agree in this article, but

don’t let that stand in your way!

I even asked for help from my ex. “O, Du!” she said. I replied,

“Corinth, I answer your questions,” but she said, “Come back at

Ramadan.” I eloquently thanked her. Frustrated, she said, “The puzzle

is a … I ... ah.. I don’t find these EZ. Ek! I elect not to do them!” I thought

about offering her a juju decoration or perhaps alms, but decided not to

pursue it. This just about chronicles our relationship.

Some of the hardest books to hide were Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Joshua,

Samuel, Nehemiah, Ecclesiastes, Jeremiah, Obadiah, Micah, Habakkuk,

Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Galatians, Ephesians,

Philippians, Colossians, Timothy, and Philemon. Remember that ten of


the names are duplicated like First and Second Thessalonians, so you will

only find fifty-six distinct names.

This puzzle is not EZ – rather, it is quite difficult. It would be simpler if the

books were in a list that you could pick from. Answer can be anywhere

in this article, so that makes this format the worst! Do your best and God

bless!

147

APPENDIX E


THE BIBLEEXPRESS Activity

148

1. The inspiration of the Scripture means “heightening of the normal

powers” of the biblical writers. (F)

Explanation: It is not a “heightening of the normal powers” of the

biblical writers but the Holy Spirit superintended over the writers so

that while writing according to their own styles and personalities, the

result was God’s Word written – authoritative, trustworthy, and free

from error in the original manuscripts.

2. Inspiration does not refer to the high degree of insight of biblical

writers. (T)

3. The inspiration of the Scriptures covers all portions of the Bible, not

just the ones with gospel relevance. (T)

4. In the process of inspiration, God actually dictated the words to the

biblical writers. (F)

Explanation: The biblical writers were not passive stenographers to

whom God dictated the material, but were active writers. The books of

the Bible reveal a distinct contrast in style and vocabulary, indicating

that the authors were not mere automatons. If God actually dictated

the words, the style of the books of the Bible should be uniform.

5. The authority of the Bible is equal to the authority of the leader of the

church. (F)

Explanation: The Bible has supreme authority in matters of faith

and practice. The Bible’s authority is not equal to the Church or

leader’s authority. Our doctrine and conduct must be governed by the

Scriptures. God’s Word should determine what we believe and how

we respond in Christian living. We submit to the authority of church

leaders as they lead us according to the teachings of Scriptures.

This also means that if religious or church leaders teach or practice

something that is clearly unbiblical, we must choose to obey God’s

Word and not the teaching of men.

6. The 66 books of the Bible are a closed canon. The church could not

add another book, chapter or verse to it any more. (T)


7. The Scriptures is not reliable in some historical references. (F)

Explanation: We believe that the Bible is inerrant or incapable of being

wrong about anything it says. The Bible in its original manuscripts

is completely free from error. This includes all doctrines, ethics and

the social, physical or life sciences. God ensured that the truths He

wanted written down by the various human authors of the Bible were

truthfully communicated.

8. Although the Bible is necessary, it is not sufficient for the believer’s

spiritual growth. (F)

Explanation: The Bible is able to accomplish God’s purposes here

upon the earth. God has given us His Word; it is complete and perfect

in every way. It is all we need for salvation and spiritual growth.

9. Since the Bible is clear, we do not need proper interpretation or good

Bible teachers. (F)

Explanation: Even though the Bible is clear, this does not mean that

proper interpretation or good Bible teachers are unnecessary. The

Bible’s clarity means that the central message of the Bible can be

understood by all who read it with God’s help.

10. Modern English translations of the Bible are inspired. (F)

Explanation: Inspiration only applies to the original manuscripts that

have not survived up to our time, not to the copies and the different

English translations. It is important to note though that thousands

of copies of the original manuscripts of the Bible have survived up

to this day. These are the highly reliable sources on which modern

English versions of the Bible have been translated from. We can

be completely assured that God’s written Word has been faithfully

passed on to us from the time it was written down the generations

through the centuries.

151

APPENDIX F

DAILY LIGHT READING PLAN

New Testament withPsalms and Proverbs

http://www.heartlight.org/devotionals/reading_plans/dailylight.pdf

152

JANUARY

1-Jan Psalms 1-2

2-Jan Luke 1

3-Jan Luke 2

4-Jan Luke 3

5-Jan Luke 4

6-Jan Proverbs 1

7-Jan Psalms 3-5

8-Jan Luke 5

9-Jan Luke 6

10-Jan Luke 7

11-Jan Luke 8

12-Jan Luke 9

13-Jan Psalms 6-7

14-Jan Luke 10

15-Jan Luke 11

16-Jan Luke 12

17-Jan Proverbs 2

18-Jan Luke 13

19-Jan Luke 14

20-Jan Psalms 8-9

21-Jan Luke 15

22-Jan Luke 16

23-Jan Luke 17

24-Jan Luke 18

25-Jan Psalms 10-12

26-Jan Luke 19

27-Jan Luke 20

28-Jan Luke 21

29-Jan Luke 22

30-Jan Luke 23

31-Jan Luke 24

FEBRUARY

1-Feb Psalms 16-17

2-Feb Proverbs 3

3-Feb Acts 1

4-Feb Acts 2

5-Feb Acts 3

6-Feb Acts 4

7-Feb Acts 5

8-Feb Psalm 18

9-Feb Acts 6

10-Feb Acts 7

11-Feb Acts 8

12-Feb Psalms 19-20

13-Feb Acts 9

14-Feb Acts 10

15-Feb Acts 11

16-Feb Proverbs 4

17-Feb Acts 12

18-Feb Acts 19

19-Feb Acts 15

20-Feb Psalms 21-22

21-Feb Acts 15

22-Feb Acts 16

23-Feb Proverbs 5

24-Feb Acts 17

25-Feb Acts 18

26-Feb Acts 19

27-Feb Acts 20

28-Feb Psalms 23-24

MARCH

1-Mar Acts 21

2-Mar Acts 22

3-Mar Acts 23

4-Mar Psalms 13-15

5-Mar Acts 24

6-Mar Acts 25

7-Mar Acts 26

8-Mar Acts 27

9-Mar Acts 28

10-Mar Proverbs 6

11-Mar Psalms 25-26

12-Mar 1Timothy 1

13-Mar 1Timothy 2

14-Mar 1Timothy 3

15-Mar 1Timothy 4

16-Mar 1Timothy 5

17-Mar 1Timothy 6

18-Mar Psalms 27-29

19-Mar 2 Timothy 1

20-Mar 2Timothy 2

21-Mar 2Timothy 3

22-Mar 2Timothy 4

23-Mar Psalms 30-31

24-Mar Proverbs 7

25-Mar Titus 1

26-Mar Titus 2

27-Mar Titus 3

28-Mar Psalms 32-33

29-Mar Proverbs 8

30-Mar Philemon

31-Mar Psalms 34-35


APRIL

1-Apr Mark 1

2-Apr Mark 2

3-Apr Mark 3

4-Apr Mark 4

5-Apr Mark 5

6-Apr Mark 6

7-Apr Proverbs 9

8-Apr Mark 7

9-Apr Mark 8

10-Apr Mark 9

11-Apr Mark 10

12-Apr Psalm 36

13-Apr Mark 11

14-Apr Mark 12

15-Apr Mark 13

16-Apr Mark 14

17-Apr Mark 15

18-Apr Mark 16

19-Apr Psalm 37

20-Apr 1Peter 1

21-Apr 1Peter 2

22-Apr 1Peter 3

23-Apr 1Peter 4

24-Apr 1Peter 5

25-Apr Psalm 38

26-Apr 2Peter 1

27-Apr 2Peter 2

28-Apr 2Peter 3

29-Apr Psalms 39-40

30-Apr Proverbs 10

MAY

1-May Psalm 41

2-May Galatians 1

3-May Galatians 2

4-May Galatians 3

5-May Galatians 4

6-May Galatians 5

7-May Galatians 6

8-May Psalms 42-43

9-May 1Thess. 1

10-May 1Thess. 2

11-May 1Thess. 3

12-May 1Thess. 4

13-May 1Thess. 5

14-May Psalms 44-45

15-May Proverbs 11

16-May 2Thess. 1

17-May 2Thess. 2

18-May 2Thess. 3

19-May Psalms 46-47

20-May Philippians 1




24-May Psalms 48-49

25-May Colossians 1

26-May Colossians 2

27-May Colossians 3

28-May Colossians 4

29-May Psalm 50

30-May Psalms 51-53

31-May Proverbs 12

JUNE

1-Jun Ephesians 1

2-Jun Ephesians 2

3-Jun Ephesians 3

4-Jun Ephesians 4

5-Jun Ephesians 5

6-Jun Ephesians 6

7-Jun Psalms 54-55

8-Jun Proverbs 13

9-Jun Hebrews 1

10-Jun Hebrews 2

11-Jun Hebrews 3

12-Jun Hebrews 4

13-Jun Psalms 56-57

14-Jun Hebrews 5

15-Jun Hebrews 6

16-Jun Hebrews 7

17-Jun Hebrews 8

18-Jun Hebrews 9

19-Jun Psalms 58-59

20-Jun Proverbs 14

21-Jun Hebrews 10

22-Jun Hebrews 11

23-Jun Hebrews 12

24-Jun Hebrews 13

25-Jun Psalms 60-61

26-Jun James 1

27-Jun James 2

28-Jun James 3

29-Jun James 4

30-Jun James 5

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JULY

1-Jul Psalms 62-64

2-Jul Proverbs 15

3-Jul Psalms 65-67

4-Jul Matthew 1

5-Jul Matthew 2

6-Jul Matthew 3

7-Jul Matthew 4

8-Jul Psalm 68

9-Jul Proverbs 16

10-Jul Matthew 5

11-Jul Matthew 6

12-Jul Matthew 7

13-Jul Psalms 69-70

14-Jul Proverbs 17

15-Jul Matthew 8

16-Jul Matthew 9

17-Jul Matthew 10

18-Jul Matthew 11

19-Jul Matthew 12

20-Jul Matthew 13

21-Jul Psalms 71-72

22-Jul Proverbs 18

23-Jul Matthew 14

24-Jul Matthew 15

25-Jul Matthew 16

26-Jul Matthew 17

27-Jul Matthew 18

28-Jul Psalm 73

29-Jul Matthew 19

30-Jul Matthew 20

31-Jul Matthew 21

AUGUST

1-Aug Matthew 22

2-Aug Psalms 74-75

3-Aug Psalms 76-77

4-Aug Proverbs 19

5-Aug Matthew 23

6-Aug Matthew 24

7-Aug Matthew 25

8-Aug Psalm 78

9-Aug Matthew 26

10-Aug Matthew 27

11-Aug Matthew 28

12-Aug Psalm 79-80

13-Aug Psalm 81-83

14-Aug Romans 1

15-Aug Romans 2

16-Aug Romans 3

17-Aug Psalms 84-85

18-Aug Psalms 86-88

19-Aug Romans 4

20-Aug Romans 5

21-Aug Romans 6

22-Aug Romans 7

23-Aug Romans 8

24-Aug Psalm 89

25-Aug Proverbs 20

26-Aug Psalms 90-91

27-Aug Romans 9

28-Aug Romans 10

29-Aug Romans 11

30-Aug Psalms 92-93

31-Aug Psalm 94

SEPTEMBER

1-Sep Psalms 95-96

2-Sep Romans 12

3-Sep Romans 13

4-Sep Romans 14

5-Sep Romans 15

6-Sep Romans 16

7-Sep Psalms 97-98

8-Sep Proverbs 21

9-Sep Psalms 99-102

10-Sep 1Corinthians 1



13-Sep Psalms 103



16-Sep Psalm 104





21-Sep Psalm 105








29-Sep Proverbs 22

30-Sep Psalms 106-108


OCTOBER

1-Oct 2Corinthians 1



4-Oct Psalms 108-109







11-Oct Proverbs 23









20-Oct Proverbs 24

21-Oct Jude

22-Oct Psalm 119

23-Oct 1John 1

24-Oct 1John 2

25-Oct 1John 3

26-Oct 1John 4

27-Oct 1John 5


29-Oct Proverbs 25

30-Oct 2John

31-Oct 3John

NOVEMBER

1-Nov Psalms 123-125

2-Nov John 1

3-Nov John 2

4-Nov John 3

5-Nov John 4

6-Nov John 5


8-Nov Proverbs 26

9-Nov John 6

10-Nov John 7

11-Nov John 8

12-Nov John 9


14-Nov John 10

15-Nov John 11

16-Nov John 12

17-Nov Psalm 132

18-Nov Proverbs 27

19-Nov John 13

20-Nov John 14

21-Nov John 15

22-Nov John 16

23-Nov John 17



26-Nov John 18

27-Nov John 19

28-Nov John 20

29-Nov John 21

30-Nov Proverbs 28

DECEMBER

1-Dec Psalms 137-138

2-Dec Revelation 1

3-Dec Revelation 2

4-Dec Revelation 3



7-Dec Revelation 4

8-Dec Revelation 5

9-Dec Revelation 6

10-Dec Revelation 7


12-Dec Proverbs 29

13-Dec Revelation 8

14-Dec Revelation 9

15-Dec Revelation 10



18-Dec Proverbs 30







25-Dec Proverbs 31







157

APPENDIX G

ANSWER KEY TO SESSION 3: THE

DOCTRINE OF JESUS CHRIST

EXPLORE Activity

158

1. The tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai. It

is the tallest man-made structure in the world; however, without it’s

“vanity height”, the building would be dwarfed by 11 other European

skyscrapers.

Source: www.newsfeed.time.com/2013/09/05

2. The smallest dog living, in terms of height, is a female Chihuahua

called Miracle Milly, who measured 9.65 cm (3.8 in) tall on 21 February

2013 and is owned by Vanesa Semler of Dorado, Puerto Rico.

Source: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/size/

smallest-dog-living

3. Tokyo, Japan : Tokyo tops the list and remains the world’s largest city

with 38 million dwellers.

Though the UN has predicted a decline in the city’s population, it will

still remain the world’s most populous city in 2030 with 37 million

inhabitants.

Source: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/world-population-day-2014-top-10-

most-populous-cities-revealed-1456214

159

APPENDIX H


THE DOCTRINE OF JESUS

CHRISTEXPLORE Activity

160

COLUMN A: Books of the Bible COLUMN B: Titles of Jesus

E 1. Genesis A. The Savior of the World

G 2. Exodus B. The Son of God

I 3. Judges C. The Servant

H 4. Ruth D. King of the Jews

J 5. Psalms E. Seed of the Woman

D 6. Matthew

F. The Son of Man

feeling what you feel

C 7. Mark G. The Passover Lamb

F 8. Luke H. Kinsman-redeemer

B 9. John I. Judge and Lawgiver

A 10. Acts J. Our Shepherd

161

APPENDIX I


HOLY SPIRITEXPLORE Activity

162

1. Shingle Froe

A shingle froe is a specialized tool for making shingles. The

strange name comes from the antiquated word “forward” which

means “away”, in reference to the direction that the tool cuts.

2. Stanley #1 Odd Jobs

Stanley produced this all-in-one layout tool between 1888 and

the 1930s. It looks like a directional arrow from a street sign

and was originally advertised as 10 tools in one (including level,

depth gauge, try square, and compass).

3. Adze

The adze can be traced back to at least ancient Egypt. You use

the adze to shape tree trunks and square them up into beams. It

looks like an axe with the blade oriented on the horizontal.

4. Channellock Rescue Tool

This lifesaving tool has functions designed specifically for a

rescue worker. It can cut wire, tighten a fire-hose coupling, pry a

door open, and even close down a gas valve. And it’s just about

the right size to fit in a back pocket.

5. Timber Scribe

Think of this one as an 18th-century Sharpie. During the heyday

of timber framing, builders would use this tool to number beam

ends for layout purposes—sort of like “tab A into slot B.” If you’re

ever in an old house with exposed beams, look for gouged-out

Roman numerals at the beam ends and you’ll see the work of a

timber scribe.

163

APPENDIX J

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

INVENTORY

164

J.1 : SPIRITUAL GIFT INVENTORY TESTadapted from http://www.elca.org/dcm/evangelism/assessments/assess4_spiritgifts.html

Alternative site: http://download.elca.org/ELCA Resourc3 Repository/spiritgifts.zip

For this test to be valid, do not respond on the basis of what you think you

ought to say, but rather on the basis of your interest and experience. Do

not let modesty hinder you from answering honestly.

0 - The statement is not relevant to my

experience, or not true of me

1 - Not quite zero, but close

2 - Only a slight response

3 - Medium or moderate response

4 - Greater than average response

5 - Strong agreement with statement

1. ____ I feel empowered to stand alone for Christ in a hostile,

unbelieving environment.

2. ____ Often I have a burning desire to speak God’s word

when I know it will not be well received.

3. ____ I seem to have insight on when people are ready to give

their lives to Christ.

4. ____ God has shown me sources of sound teaching and rich

fellowship, and I guide people to such.

5. ____ I love to meditate on the patterns of God and His ways,

and speak to others of such things.

6 ____ I enjoy serving others so that they, in turn, may perform

their ministries.

7. ____ I can identify with weakness and temptation so as to

encourage people to repent and believe.

8. ____ When I give to others, they do not feel as if they owe me

anything.


9. ____ Other Christians have imitated me when I have led the

way in serving the needs of others.

10. ____ I often am overcome with emotion for the person I am

praying for.

11. ____ Sometimes God gives me an insight into the proper

course of action others should take.

12. ____ God often quickens Scripture to my mind that is useful

for the moment.

13. ____ I have an extraordinary confidence in God and an ability

to embolden others.

14. ____ I usually detect spiritual truth from spiritual error before

fellow believers.

15. ____ The Spirit often leads me to do a favor for someone that

touches them deeply.

16. ____ I can serve others by organizing and harnessing their

gifts to solve a particular problem.

17. ____ I often think that God is calling me to be a missionary.

18. ____ My words often bring conviction to others, leading to

repentance.

19. ____ I find it easy to ask people to believe in and commit to

Christ.

20. ____ I tend to be patient with Christians who are making slow

spiritual progress.

21. ____ I think it is very important to use words accurately and

in context.

22. ____ I believe my ministry in life is to be humbled before men

by being obedient in service.

23. ____ I have a special gift of helping others get “reset”

emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

24. ____ I believe God has given me the ability to make and

share money.

166

25. ____ I am willing to “go first” when it comes to meeting the

needs of others.

26. ____ I believe that God wants to reach out to people by using

me to share in their suffering.

27. ____ Other Christians seek my advice when they are

uncertain of their direction.

28. ____ God has made me aware of a deep need in someone

that they were careful to hide.

29. ____ I am not moved from my personal belief in the truth by

ridicule, apparent failure, or pain.

30. ____ God has often used me to encourage others to accept

difficult, but biblical teaching.

31. ____ People often try to give me glory for helping them,

which I am able to direct to God.

32. ____ I can recognize talents and gifts in others, and find ways

of using these for God.

33. ____ I desire to learn another language, culture, or religion so

that I could be a better witness.

34. ____ Ridicule or rejection for speaking forth the truth, by

family or friends, does not effect me.

35. ____ I tend to conclude my vocal witness with an appeal for

others to become Christians.

36. ____ I want to be in unity with other mature believers to

earnestly seek God’s will for the body.

37. ____ I get troubled by “testimonies” which contain false

teaching or unsound advice.

38. ____ I often recognize ways that I can minister to others

indirectly without speaking or teaching.

39. ____ I can challenge others without making them feel

condemned.

40. ____ I have strongly sensed the Spirit leading me to give

money to a specific person or cause.


41. ____ Obeying Christ now is my passion in life. It is not about

mere words, but deeds.

42. ____ Sometimes God gives me a taste of other people’s pain.

43. ____ God uses me to dispel confusion about God’s will with

supernatural insight.

44. ____ I often find I know things that I have never learned,

which are confirmed by mature believers.

45. ____ I am totally convinced God will fulfill His word even if He

is not doing so yet.

46. ____ I often sense when people are moved by the Holy

Spirit, evil spirits, or by their own flesh.

47. ____ In the church, I gravitate to undone work, even if

unpopular.

48. ____ People often look to me for guidance in coordination,

organization, and ministry opportunities.

49. ____ Strange customs, cultures, and unusual behavior don’t

offend me or my faith.

50. ____ I love to find creative ways to confront people with the

truth of God.

51. ____ I minister better to the spiritually “unborn” than baby,

adolescent, or mature believers.

52. ____ God has shown fruit in my life in the effective discipling

of other believers.

53. ____ I love to learn Biblical principles from my studies and

then share them with others.

54. ____ I don’t mind helping others even if they are not

deserving or if they take advantage of me.

55. ____ People will take correction from me because they know

I am on their side.

56. ____ I strive to seek ways to give to others without calling

attention to myself.

168

57. ____ God has given me an ability to “rally the troops” in

giving aid to others.

58. ____ Sometimes I feel so much love for others that I am at a

loss for words.

59. ____ My advice to others has led them into mature Christian

living.

60. ____ God has given me words to say in witnessing situations

that surprised even me.

61. ____ I seem to be less “shakable” than most Christians.

62. ____ I sometimes get the sense that what I am reading or

hearing is divinely inspired.

63. ____ God often supernaturally enhances my service to

others.

64. ____ I have a knack for getting people together in the body

of Christ, and enjoy doing this.

65. ____ I have a deep understanding of the Gospel, and I want

to tell others about the Good News.

66. ____ I am more interested in saying the right thing than

making people feel good.

67. ____ I’m troubled when salvation is not emphasized.

68. ____ I feel that I am responsible to help protect weak

Christians from dangerous influences.

69. ____ I reflect on my own life so that I can learn to help others

to grow and know what to expect.

70. ____ I would rather work in secret than have my work

recognized publicly.

71. ____ The Spirit gives me the ability to call forth the best that

is in others.

72. ____ Everything I own is Christ’s, and this is no secret among

the brethren.


73. ____ I can motivate others to obey Christ by the living

testimony of my life.

74. ____ I have a desire to visit prisons and rest-homes in order

to minister comfort and hope.

75. ____ God uses me to bring clarity to other believers when

they are uncertain what to do.

76. ____ I often know about a real problem another person is

hiding through a layer of deception.

77. ____ My hope in God, against all odds, is inspiring to others.

78. ____ God has used me to warn others of the danger of a

certain teaching.

79. ____ I cannot stand idly by while things go undone.

80. ____ People come to me when they need help in desperate

situations, and I know people who can help.

The next column of questions are a self-rating of God-placed desire to

exercise a particular gift. Unfortunately, this can often be detected by

“vain imaginings” surrounding fantasies of exercising the gift. These

fantasies of self-glory must be repented of before the gift will be

actuated by the Holy Spirit. God will not share His glory. We should use

our imaginations to think about how to give God the glory if/when the

Holy Spirit gives us an increased measure of a particular gift. In any

case, dreams and desires can be useful clues to the reality of a latent

gift. Rate your relative agreement from 0 to 5.

81. ____ I dream of being a missionary to some group of people

who have never heard the gospel.

82. ____ I dream of God speaking through me in a powerful way.

83. ____ I dream of winning many souls to Christ.

84. ____ I dream of myself and other leaders working together in

unity, love, sound doctrine, and mutual submission.

85. ____ I dream of teaching God’s Word so as to help others in

the way of faith.

170

86. ____ I dream that I will experience the presence of God by

serving others.

87. ____ I dream of speaking words of hope that God will confirm

in others by the Holy Spirit.

88. ____ I dream of being used of God to meet someone’s

financial or material need.

89. ____ I dream of being first to lead the way in finding new

ways to minister to others.

90. ____ I dream that God will use my emotions to feel His

feelings for others.

91. ____ I dream of being used of God to help people know what

God’s will is.

92. ____ I dream that God will give me the knowledge needed to

help at just the right moment.

93. ____ I dream that I will be stronger than others when

persecution comes.

94. ____ I dream that I could help those who are confused about

teachings, spirits, and events.

95. ____ I dream that God would anoint my every move as I give

help to others.

96. ____ I dream of coordinating the gifts of others so that they

will be at their best in Christ.

What gifts are lacking among the believers you know? You may be

surprised at how differently people perceive these needs. This can be

a useful clue as to what problems God wants you to solve by allowing

the Holy Spirit to give you grace. What requirement has God put on

your heart to meet? Rate from 0 to 5 the relative intensity of need in

the Body of Christ from your perspective.

97. ____ We need more people to take what we have and go out

as missionaries.


98. ____ We need more prophets in the Church to preach against

sin and of the coming judgment.

99. ____ We aren’t spending enough time trying to win souls to

Christ.

100. ____ We need more people who are willing to take care of

the spiritually newborn and young.

101. ____ We need more, and better teaching.

102. ____ We lack people willing to be humble and serve the

brethren and outsiders.

103. ____ We need more exhortation and encouragement to do

the right things.

104. ____ We have un-met, real financial or material needs among us.

105. ____ We need someone to take the first step in starting a new

initiative to help others.

106. ____ We lack compassion for the hurts, pains, and struggles

of people.

107. ____ We need wisdom from above to know what God would

have us do next.

108. ____ We need the gift of divine knowledge to make up for our

deficiencies.

109. ____ We need more examples of faith that has stood the test

of adversity.

110. ____ We lack discernment in identifying unclean spirits, the

flesh, and false teaching.

111. ____ We need to stop talking and start really helping people

in practical ways.

112. ____ We need someone to direct the spiritual gifts of our

group more effectively.

172

J.2 : GIFTS INVENTORY RESULTS FOR: ____________________

Transfer the results from the test to the following chart according to

the question numbers. Add the rows across to get your total. The three

highest are your greatest spiritual gifts.

Note: The numbers are relevant for you only and should not be compared

to someone else. For example, you may have the gift of prophecy with a

total of 20 while a friend may score a 28 and it isn’t even considered one

of their gifts. This doesn’t mean they are more spiritual or gifted than you

but simply that they scored everything more highly than you. Because

the questions are based on your perception of yourself, there is no

scientific standard to compare scores.


I DreamWe

NeedSpiritual Gift Total

1 17 33 49 65 81 97

Missionary

2 18 34 50 66 82 98

Prophecy

3 19 35 51 67 83 99

Evangelism

4 20 36 52 68 84 100

Pastoring

5 21 37 53 69 85 101

Teaching

6 22 38 54 70 86 102

Serving

7 23 39 55 71 87 103

Exhortation

8 24 40 56 72 88 104

Giving

9 25 41 57 73 89 105

Leadership

10 26 42 58 74 90 106

Compassion

11 27 43 59 75 91 107

Wisdom

12 28 44 60 76 92 108

Knowledge

13 29 45 61 77 93 109

Faith

14 30 46 62 78 94 110

Discernment

15 31 47 63 79 95 111

Helps

16 32 48 64 80 96 112

Administration

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J.3 : SPIRITUAL GIFT DESCRIPTIONS

Administration is a gift that provides insight into other people’s spiritual

gifting as well as natural talent, which allows for placing people who want to

minister in a particular way together with those who need just this ministry.

Compassion transcends both natural human sympathy and normal

Christian concern, enabling one to sense in others a wide range of emotions

and then provide a supportive ministry of caring and intercessory prayer.

Also called the gift of Mercy.

Discernment is the heightened ability to read or hear a teaching, to

encounter a problem, or to consider a proposed course of action, and then

determine whether the source behind the teaching, problem, or action is

divine, merely human, or satanic. This will be a much needed gift near the

End of the Age.

Evangelism is a special ability to lead unconverted persons to a saving

knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The person with this gift has

the wisdom to know when, who, and how to call the rebellious into the

Kingdom of God. Evangelists are the spiritual “obstetricians” in the church.

Exhortation is the gift of being able to encourage others by well timed and

wise counsel. This gift builds the Body of Christ by helping new, young and

adolescent disciples to turn from sin and believe in the power of the Holy

Spirit. Barnabas, whose name literally means Son of Encouragement, is

the best example of this in the Bible. Also called the gift of Counseling, or

the gift of Encouragement.

Faith as a gift is an extraordinary confidence in God that is unshakable

by situations, pain, apparent failure, or ridicule. While we are all called to

have faith, this is an extraordinary amount of faith above and beyond that

of Christians without this gift. This gift strengthens the individual and other

believers (by example) to endure persecution and wait upon the Lord.

Giving empowers one in a sensitive way to detect material or financial

needs and meet those needs with Spirit-inspired generosity. Recipients

of help from Christians with this gift have a clear sense that God has

provided, not man.


Helps enables one to assist people in skilled ways that are supernaturally

enhanced by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. This is similar to the gift of

serving except that it is specific concerning a certain skill - such as the

goldsmiths who helped Moses build the items for the tabernacle. Those

with this gift should be highly esteemed in the Body.

Knowledge is an ability to remember Scripture or have it supernatural

quickened, or to know a fact or truth about a person or situation revealed

directly by the Holy Spirit.

Leadership in the Greek is actually “he who provides leadership in giving

aid”. These go first and lead by example, so that others are motivated to

follow. (1 Cor 11:1) Those with the gift of leadership are quick to identify

problems and show by doing how to minister to those in need.

Missionary is the ability to communicate across cultural barriers and

plant churches where there is no knowledge of the gospel. It is usually

accompanied with a distinct calling and a miraculous lifestyle. In Greek

(apostolos) “a sent one”, or “a messenger”, a Missionary. Sometimes called

the gift of Apostle, although true apostles were required to have seen the

risen Lord.

Pastoring is the collective (plural in Greek) ministry of the Elders to

“shepherd” an individual or community of Christian believers. This gift is

a special passion and empowering to lead people into green pastures,

steer others away from danger, fight off predators, and bind up wounds.

Sometimes called the gift of Shepherding.

Prophecy is speaking what God wants said with clarity, creativity, and

power. It is also called the gift of Preaching. The primary ministry in this

gift is not prediction, but in confronting people with the truth about God

and man - with conviction and repentance as the result.

Serving is a gift which expresses the love of Christ by taking care of lowly

or time-consuming tasks to allow others to be more effective ministers.

Similar to the gift of Helps, but here the work performed is menial rather

than skilled. Those with this gift are the truest and highest leaders in the

church, and ought to be recognized as such.

176

Teaching is the ability to understand and communicate the Christian

faith so as to make the truth clear to others. The result of this gift is the

equipping and maturing of others in the body of Christ so that they will

grow in grace and be more effective disciples.

Wisdom is special illumination that enables one in a specific instance

to grasp divine insight regarding a fact, situation, or context. This gift is

useful in directing the Body in what to do next; in making God’s will known.


J.4 : PRACTICAL USE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS

All Christians are to work together, supporting one another. However, our

gifts make us better prepared and equipped to perform in some areas of

ministry over others. A person who is working within a ministry area he

or she is gifted for will be more effective in another that he or she is not

gifted for.

What types of ministry will you be most effective in? A brief list of ministry

examples follows. These examples have been provided merely as thought

starters and should not be considered an exhaustive list. Use them as a

starting point in exploring the possibilities for putting your gifts to use

within your congregation and in your community.

Administration – Congregation Council, Finance Staff, Sunday School

Superintendent, Vacation Bible School Coordinator, Business Manager

Compassion – Home/Hospital/Institution Visitation, Transportation

to Worship/Bible Study, Social Ministry Team, Support Group Leader,

Telecare Minister

Discernment – Congregation Council, Long Range Planning Team, Social

Ministry Team, Peer Counseling, Support Group Facilitator

Evangelism – Prospective Member Visitation, Evangelism Team,

Advertising and Marketing, New Member Sponsor, Community Visitation

Exhortation – Mutual Ministry Team, Hospital/Home/Institution Visitation,

Telecare Ministry, Peer Counseling, Small Group Leader

Faith – Congregational President, Stewardship Team, Long Range

Planning Team, Bible study leader

Giving – Capital Campaign Steering Team, Stewardship Team, Volunteer

Coordination, Giving Personal Testimony

Helps – Computer Programmer/Data Entry, Building Maintenance/

Upkeep Electrical/Masonry/Plumbing/Roofing Mechanical Repair/

Maintenance Audio/Visual Operator and Repair Computer Maintenance,

Web-Page Developer, P.A./Sound System Technician

178

Knowledge – Parish Resource-Library Coordinator, Nominating Team,

Long Range Planning Team, Congregation Council

Leadership – Sunday School Superintendent, Committee Chairperson

(all types), Fellowship Activity Coordinator, Vacation Bible School

Coordinator, Congregational President, Speaker: Special Events

Missionary – Women’s/Men’s Missionary Fellowship, Short-term Missions

Coordinator, Evangelism Team, Urban Ministry Team

Pastoring – Adult In-Home Bible Study Leader, New Member Sponsor,

Young-Adult Counselor, Small Group Leader, Telecare Ministry

Prophecy – Committee Chairperson, Speaker: Special Events,

Congregational President

Service – Newsletter Collation, Tape Recording Worship Services, Child

Care, Building/Grounds Upkeep, Kitchen Cleaning Team, Providing

Transportation

Teaching – Adult Bible Class Teacher, Sunday School Teacher, Teen

Bible Class Teacher, Vacation Bible School Teacher, Conference/Seminar

Leader

Wisdom – Long Range Planning Team, Congregation Council Peer

Counselor, Support Group Leader, Mutual Ministry Team

179

APPENDIX K

THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE

PRESENTATIONAdapted from Campus

Crusade for Christ

180

Every Day can be an Exciting Adventure for the Christian

who knows the reality of being filled with the Holy Spirit and who lives

constantly, moment by moment, under His gracious direction.

The Bible tells us that there are three kinds of people.

1. Natural Man (one who has not received Christ)

“A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God;

for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them,

because they are spiritually appraised.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)


2. Spiritual Man (One who is directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit)

“He who is spiritual appraises all things... We have the mind of

Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:15)

3. Carnal Man (One who has received Christ, but who lives in defeat because

he is trying to live the Christian life in his own strength)

“And I brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, as

to carnal men, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not

solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even

now you are not yet able, for you are still carnal. For since there

is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshy, and are you

not walking like mere men?.” (1 Corinthians 3:1–3)

182

God Has Provided For Us an Abundant andFruitful Christian Life

Jesus said, “I came that they might have life,

and might have it abundantly”

(John 10:10)

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he

bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

(Galatians 5:22, 23)

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and

shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,

and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

The Spiritual ManSome spiritual traits that result from trusting God:

The degree to which these traits are manifested in the life depends upon

the extent to which the Christian trusts the Lord with every detail of his life,

and upon his maturity in Christ. One who is only beginning to understand

the ministry of the Holy Spirit should not be discouraged if he is not as

fruitful as more mature Christians who have known and experienced this

truth for a longer period.

Why is it that most Christians are not experiencing the abundant life?


Carnal Christians Cannot Experience the Abundant and Fruitful Christian Life

The carnal man trusts in his own efforts to live the Christian life:

1. He is either uninformed about, or has forgotten, God’s love,

forgiveness, and power (Romans 5:8-10; Hebrews 10:1–25; 1 John

1; 2:1–3; 2 Peter 1:9; Acts 1:8).

2. He has an up-and-down spiritual experience.

3. He cannot understand himself - he wants to do what is right, but

cannot.

4. He fails to draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit to live the

Christian life.

(1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Romans 7:15–24; 8:7; Galatians 5:16–18)

The Carnal ManSome or all of the following traits may characterize the Christian who does

not fully trust God:

(The individual who professes to be a Christian but who continues to

practice sin should realize that he may not be a Christian at all, according

to 1 John 2:3; 3:6, 9; Ephesians 5:5)

The third truth gives us the only solution to this problem...

184

Jesus Promised the Abundant and Fruitful Lifeas the Result of Being Filled (Directed and Empowered)

by the Holy Spirit

The Spirit-filled life is the Christ-directed life by which Christ lives His life in

and through us in the power of the Holy Spirit (John 15).

1. One becomes a Christian through the ministry of the Holy Spirit,

according to John 3:1–8. From the moment of spiritual birth,

the Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit at all times (John 1:12;

Colossians 2:9, 10; John 14:16, 17). Though all Christians are

indwelt by the Holy Spirit, not all Christians are filled (directed and

empowered) by the Holy Spirit.

2. The Holy Spirit is the source of the overflowing life (John 7:37–39).

3. The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ (John 16:1–15). When one is

filled with the Holy Spirit, he is a true disciple of Christ.

4. In His last command before His ascension, Christ promised the

power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to be witnesses for Him (Acts

1:1–9).

How, then, can one be filled with the Holy Spirit?


We are Filled by the Holy Spirit by Faith; Then We Can Experience the Abundant and Fruitful Life

Which Christ Promised to Each Christian.

You can appropriate the filling of the Holy Spirit right now if you:

1. Sincerely desire to be directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

(Matthew 5:6; John 7:37-39)

2. Confess your sins.

By faith thank God that He has forgiven all of your sins - past,

present and future - because Christ died for you. (Colossians 2:13–

15; 1 John 1; 2:1–3; Hebrews 10:1–17)

3. Present every area of your life to God. (Romans 12:1, 2)

4. By faith claim the fullness of the Holy Spirit, according to:

• His Command - Be filled with the Spirit. “And do not get

drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with

the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18)

• His Promise - He will always answer when we pray

according to His will. “And this is the confidence which

we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according

to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us

in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests

which we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14, 15)

Faith can be expressed through prayer...

186

How to Pray in Faith to be Filledwith the Holy Spirit

We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith alone. However, true prayer is one

way of expressing your faith. The following is a suggested prayer:

“Dear Father, I need You. I acknowledge that I have been

directing my own life and that, as a result, I have sinned against

You. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christ’s

death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His

place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You

commanded me to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word

that You would do if I asked in faith. I now thank You for directing

my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit.”

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If so, bow in prayer and

trust God to fill you with the Holy Spirit right now.

How to Know That You are Filled (Directedand Empowered) with the Holy Spirit

Did you ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit? Do you know that you are

now filled with the Holy Spirit? On what authority? (On the trustworthiness

of God Himself and His Word: Hebrews 11:6; Romans 14:22, 23.) Do not

depend upon feelings. The promise of God’s Word, not our feelings, is

our authority. The Christian lives by faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of

God Himself and His Word. This train diagram illustrates the relationship

between fact (God and His Word), faith (our trust in God and His Word),

and feeling (the result of our faith and obedience) (John 14:21).

Engine(God and His Word)

Fuel(Our trust in God

and His Word)

Passenger Car(The result of our faith

and obedience)


How to Walk in the Spirit

Faith (trust in God and in His promises) is the only means by which a

Christian can live the Spirit-directed life. As you continue to trust Christ

moment by moment:

1. Your life will demonstrate more and more of the fruit of the Spirit

(Galatians 5:22, 23) and will be more and more conformed to the

image of Christ. (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18)

2. Your prayer life and study of God’s Word will become more

meaningful.

3. You will experience His power in witnessing. (Acts 1:8)

4. You will be prepared for spiritual conflict against the world (1 John

2:15-17); against the flesh (Galatians 5:16-17); and against Satan

(1 Peter 5:7-9; Ephesians 6:10-13).

5. You will experience His power to resist temptation and sin

(1 Corinthians 10:13; Philippians 4:13; Ephesians 1:19-23; 2 Timothy

1:7; Romans 6:1-16).

Spiritual Breathing

By faith you can continue to experience God’s love and forgiveness.

If you become aware of an area of your life (an attitude or an action) that

is displeasing to the Lord, even though you are walking with Him and

sincerely desiring to serve Him, simply thank God that He has forgiven

your sins – past, present and future – on the basis of Christ’s death on

the cross. Claim His love and forgiveness by faith and continue to have

fellowship with Him.

If you retake the throne of your life through sin – a definite act of

disobedience – breathe spiritually.

Spiritual breathing (exhaling the impure and inhaling the pure) is an

exercise in faith that enables you to continue to experience God’s love

and forgiveness.

188

1. Exhale - confess your sin – agree with God concerning your sin

and thank Him for His forgiveness of it, according to 1 John 1:9 and

Hebrews 10:1-25. Confession involves repentance - a change in

attitude and action.

2. Inhale - surrender the control of your life to Christ, and appropriate

(receive) the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith. Trust that He

now directs and empowers you; according to the command of

Ephesians 5:18, and the promise of 1 John 5:14, 15.

You will want to share this important discovery…

189

APPENDIX L

ANSWER KEY

190

SESSION 1: THE DOCTRINE OF GOD: HIS NATURE AND ATTRIBUTES

I. Arguments for God’s Existence

• The cosmological argument

• The teleological argument

• The moral argument

II. The Nature of God

A. God is Spirit

B. God is a Trinity.

a. The Bible teaches us that there is only one God, eternally

existent as Three Persons; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

b. The Bible shows us that these three persons are distinct:

c. Each of these three persons is God.

III. The Attributes of God

B. There is no contradiction between God’s attributes.

1. God is eternal.

2. God is omniscient.

3. God is omnipotent.

4. God is immutable.

5. God is just.

6. God is love.

7. God is truthful.

8. God is holy.


SESSION 2: THE DOCTRINE OF THE BIBLE: INSPIRED, INERRANT, AND INFALLIBLE

II. The Nature of the Scriptures

A. The Bible is the Word of God.

a. The Bible is the written word of God.

B. Jesus is the living Word of God or the Logos.

III. Canon of the Scripture

a. Various tests or criteria applied to determine canonicity

1. Apostolic authorship

2. Christ-centered content

3. Inspiration

4. Acceptance of the churches

• The word testament simply means covenant.

• The New Testament refers to the New Covenant which

was the fulfillment of the Old. Jesus Christ would come

fulfilling the promises of the Old rendering it obsolete and

establishing a New and better Covenant through His death.

IV. The Truthfulness of the Scripture

A. The Bible is supernaturally inspired, inerrant, and infallible.

B. The Bible is Inspired.

C. The Bible is inerrant.

D. The Bible is infallible.

a. The scientific infallibility of the Bible

b. The prophetic infallibility of the Bible

c. Not a single prophecy from the Bible has ever been disproven.

192

V. The Authority of the Scripture

A. The Bible is sufficient.

B. The Bible is clear.

C. The Bible is necessary.

VI. The Illumination of the Scripture

VII. Abiding in God’s Word

SESSION 3: THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST: HIS DEITY AND PERSONHOOD

II. The Person of Jesus Christ

A. Jesus Christ is fully God

C. Jesus Christ is fully man.

SESSION 4: THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST: HIS LIFE AND WORKS

A. Highlights of the Life of Christ

a. He was born of a virgin. (Luke 1:34–35)

b. He lived a sinless life.

c. He performed miracles, wonders and signs. (Acts 2:22)

d. His atoning death.

e. His resurrection from the dead.


Chart 4.1: Implications if there was no resurrection:

1. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a historical fact.

2. The significance of Christ’s resurrection

f. His ascension into heaven.

g. His session at God’s right hand.

B. The Offices of Christ

The Prophet.

The Priest.

The King.

SESSION 5: THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION: SAVED FROM SIN’S PENALTY, POWER, AND PRESENCE

II. The Nature of True Salvation

1. By birth Psalm 51:5

2. By nature Ephesians 2:3

3. By practice Romans 3:12

4. By choice Romans 3:23

• Justification - Saved from sin’s penalty.

• Sanctification - Saved from sin’s power.

• Glorification - Saved from sin’s presence.

B. Saved from sin’s penalty.

C. Saved from sin’s power.

We call this aspect of our salvation “sanctification” and it simply

means that we have been sanctified or “set apart” for God.

2. The Bible makes a distinction between positional righteousness

and practical righteousness.

194

D. Saved from sin’s presence.

1. We call this doctrine glorification and it refers to the future glory

that we will enjoy as we spend the rest of eternity with Him.

E. Saved by grace,

G od’s

R iches

A t

C hrist’s

E xpense

F. Saved through faith.

1. Saving faith is placed in Jesus Christ alone.

(John 14:6, Acts 4:12)

2. Saving faith is based on the Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:15)

3. Saving faith involves the whole person. (James 2:14-26)

4. Saving faith involves real repentance. (Luke 13:3,5)

5. Saving faith always leads to action. (John 10:27)

6. Saving faith produces fruit. (Matthew 7:15-23)

7. Saving faith continues to follow Him. (John 8:31, 1 John 2:19)

SESSION 6: THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION: SAVED FOR GOOD WORKS AND WITNESS

II. Works and Witness of a Christian

A. Saved from Dead Works

Salvation involves far more than just forgiveness for sins:

1. We have been born again. (1 Peter 1:3)

2. We have become new creatures. (2 Corinthians 5:17)


3. We have been given a new nature. (Romans 6:6)

4. We have been transformed. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

5. We have passed from darkness into the light. (Ephesians 5:8)

B. Saved for Good Works.

What are Good Works?

1. Working with all your heart.

2. Obeying God’s commands out of love.

3. Doing everything for the glory of God.

4. Serving with a thankful heart. Colossians 3:17

5. Doing nothing out of selfishness.

C. Evidence of Our Salvation

1. Dead faith that cannot save. (James 2:14–17)

2. Demonic faith that cannot save (James 2:18–19)

3. Dynamic faith that saves (James 2:20–26)

⊲ By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice (11:4)

⊲ By faith Enoch pleased God (11:5)

⊲ By faith Noah built an ark (11:7)

⊲ By faith Abraham left his homeland (11:8)

⊲ By faith Sarah had a baby (11:11)

⊲ By faith Abraham offered Isaac (11:17)

⊲ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau (11:20)

⊲ By faith Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons (11:21)

⊲ By faith Joseph prophesied the Exodus. (11:22)

⊲ By faith Moses’ parents obeyed God not the king. (11:23)

⊲ By faith Moses chose persecution rather than sin (11:25)

⊲ By faith Moses left Egypt, its wealth and sin (11:27)

⊲ By faith Moses kept the Passover (11:28)

196

⊲ By faith Israel passed through the Red Sea (11:29)

⊲ By faith Israel conquered Jericho (11:30)

⊲ By faith Rahab saved the spies and saved her own life (11:31)

Our Statement of Faith – Every Christian’s Mission

A. The Importance of Our Witness.

1. Saved to serve.

SESSION 7: THE DOCTRINE OF HOLY SPIRIT: HIS DEITY AND PERSONHOOD

II. The Truth about the Holy Spirit

A. Knowing the Holy Spirit Biblically.

B. The Holy Spirit is NOT...

a. A Mystical Force.

b. An Impersonal Power.

c. An emanation from God.

C. The Holy Spirit is...

a. He is God.

1. His Name proves He is God.

2. Another Helper.

3. His attributes prove that He is God.

4. His works prove that He is God.

D. He is a Person.

1. Proven by His personal attributes.

• His intellect.

• His emotion

• His will.


2. Proven by His personal activities.

3. Proven by His personal associations.

• His relationship to the Apostles.

• His relationship to Jesus Christ.

• His relationship to the Trinity.

• His relationship to God’s People.

SESSION 8: THE DOCTRINE OF HOLY SPIRIT: HIS WORK AND OUR FILLING

II. The Work of the Holy Spirit

A. He indwells believers.

B. He assures believers.

C. He seals the believers.

D. He sanctifies believers

E. He equips and empowers believers

F. He illuminates believers.

G. He gifts believers

H. He baptizes believers.

I. The Holy Spirit fills believers.

How do I know I am filled with the Holy Spirit?

1. You will be joyful.

2. You will be thankful.

3. You will be submissive.

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