Understanding the Holy Bible

• Biblos refers to the inner bark of a papyrus plant which was used as a scroll/book
• Apocrypha comes from the Greek word apokryptein, meaning "to hide away"
• Septuagint (LXX) signifies the earliest remaining Greek translation of the Old Testament from its original Hebrew

The Bible

• Consists of 66 books
• Written by over 40 men across 1500 years
• Claims ONE AUTHOR
• "A.D." refers to Anno Domini, meaning "in the year of the Lord"
• "B.C." means "before Christ"

The Old Testament

• Comprises 39 books
• Testament means covenant or agreement
• Written in the 1500-year period before Jesus' birth
• Written in Hebrew, the language of Israel

The New Testament

• Consists of 27 books
• Written after Jesus' death between 48-120 A.D.
• The New Covenant is an agreement from God for ALL NATIONS
• Written in Greek
• Prophets of Israel foretold that God would anoint a world leader with his Spirit
• Gospel means "good news"
• The Gospels are named after their authors: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

Sola Scriptura

• Principle of relying on the Bible alone
• Sola implies "alone," "ground," or "base"
• Scriptura refers to "writings"

The Beginning of Conflict

• Lucifer's dissatisfaction and jealousy led him to believe his ideas of unrestricted freedom would create a better life
• He believed he was acting for the good of the universe

God's Incommunicable Attributes

• God is self-existent
• God is omniscient
• God is omnipresent
• God is eternal
• God is omnipotent (all-powerful)
• God is immutable or unchangeable

God's Communicable Attributes

• Love
• Grace
• Mercy
• Patience
• Holiness
• Righteousness
• Justice
• Truth
• Atheist: Someone who does not believe in God and believes that God does not exist
• Polytheism: Belief in multiple gods (example; hinduism)
• Monotheism: Belief in a single God (example; Judaism, Christianity, Islam)
• Trinity: The union of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in one Godhead; the majesty of monotheism
• The Father serves as the planner, creator, and sustainer
• The Son is the provider, the incarnate revelation of God
• The Holy Spirit is the applier, the Infinite Person who brings comfort, conviction, and guidance

Key Terms

• Bara: Hebrew for "to create out of nothing"
• Revelation of God is recorded in Exodus 34:5-7
• Moses described God as merciful and gracious
• Incarnation: Reflects the Christian doctrine of the union of God and man in the person of Jesus Christ

Purpose of Incarnation

• To reveal God's character
• To save humanity from sin
• The doctrine of creation and the nature of man are closely intertwined
• These beliefs provide purpose and direction

Understanding Creation

• Theory: Something possibly true but unproven
• Creation: Teaches that God is a perfect planner
• Evolution: A process of gradual change, implying no plan and suggesting humans are cosmic accidents

Impact of Creation

• Creation is the foundation for true worship - Reflection on the creator leading to worship as presenting bodies as living sacrifices
• Creation gives purpose and meaning to Sabbath keeping - The Sabbath gives all freedom and time to choose to worship God - A privilege rather than a requirement
• Creation involves managing God's resources including the environment - Nurturing the earth as God's representatives
• Creation establishes the sacredness of life
• Creation reveals the sanctity of marriage - God wanted Eve to see her creator first
• Creation teaches the dignity of labor - Work as part of the creator's original intent, not a result of the Fall
• Creation establishes the core for self-worth - We are valuable because God loves us
• Humanity is the crown of God's creation
• People were created for love, creativity, freedom, and communication
• Sin happens because humans are sinful