Bible 101: Learning, Living, & Loving God's Word PDF

BIBLE 101 Learning, Living, & Loving God’s Word 12 INTERACTIVE BIBLE STUDIES FOR SMALL GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS BIBLE 101 Learning, Living, & Loving God’s Word 12 INTERACTIVE BIBLE STUDIES FOR SMALL GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS Bible 101: Learning, Living, and Loving God’s Word 12 INTERA...

BIBLE 101 Learning, Living, & Loving God’s Word 12 INTERACTIVE BIBLE STUDIES FOR SMALL GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS BIBLE 101 Learning, Living, & Loving God’s Word 12 INTERACTIVE BIBLE STUDIES FOR SMALL GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS Bible 101: Learning, Living, and Loving God’s Word 12 INTERACTIVE BIBLE STUDIES FOR SMALL GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS John Perritt © Reformed Youth Ministries 2017 RYM 1445 Rio Road East Suite 201D Charlottesville, VA 22911 www.rym.org Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. Except as permitted by the Copyright Act, no part of this publication may be reproduced for profit in any form or by any means without prior permission from the publisher. Download, duplication, and distribution of up to one hundred (100) copies of this material is permitted free of charge for individuals, Bible study groups, and churches. Contact Reformed Youth Ministries to receive licenses for greater numbers.  Contents Introduction 5 Lesson One: What is the Bible? (Part 1) 7 Lesson Two: What is the Bible? (Part 2) 11 Lesson Three: Why Was the Bible Written? 15 Lesson Four: What is the Bible About? 19 Lesson Five: What Does the Bible Teach Us? (Part 1) 23 Lesson Six: What Does the Bible Teach Us? (Part 2) 27 Lesson Seven: How Do You Read the Bible? (Part 1) 31 Lesson Eight: How Do You Read the Bible? (Part 2) 34 Lesson Nine: How Do You Read the Bible? (Part 3) 38 Lesson Ten: Why Is It So Hard to Read the Bible? 42 Lesson Eleven: Why Are There So Many Translations? 48 Lesson Twelve: Where Do We Begin? 50  INTRODUCTION On episode 1026 of “Ask Pastor John,” John Piper was asked the following question– “What’s the last thing you would tweet?” He replied, “I thought about saying, ‘Read your Bibles and pray for insight,’ because there is so much that needs to be known about God that cannot be put into one sentence.”1 Instead of saying that, he summed the gospel up in 140 characters. However, a longtime pastor and theologian thought about boiling his last words downto: Read your Bible and pray. He said that there’s so much that can be said which is difficultto fit into 140 characters. Therefore, he’s encouraging God’s people to open up the Word and ask the Spirit to work through their reading. This is exactly what this study seeks to do. More specifically, it seeks to teach students (and parents and youth leaders) what the Word of God is and how they should read it. There are so many things about life we must be teaching the next generation, but if we boil it downto one thing, Bible reading is essential. Can you think of anything more important? If we raise a future generation of Christians who know how to learn, live, and love God’s Word, we will be raising a generation prepared for whatever this world throws their way. Bible 101 is broken into twelve weekly lessons. It is an introductory study on the doctrine of Scripture... hence, 101. While the study is aimed at middle school students, it can easily be adapted for high school students. It would also be a good refresher for any studentor adult. You know your church context best and where your students are – theologicallyspeaking – so you may think this is well-suited for your high school students.Each lesson should fill a thirty-minute time slot, but again, this could be adapted. If youneed it to extend the lesson, feel free to add some original illustrations or examples from Scrip-ture. If you have less time, modify the lesson to fit your time slot. While this study is designed for a classroom setting, it can easily be used for small group or one-on-one study. You can even share copies of the material with students, read through it individually, and then come together to discuss it. The point is the major leg-work is done for you; now you can amend it to fit your local church needs. Whether that’s shortening or lengthening the time, teaching it to older students,or using it with one-on-one discipleship, use it to fit your needs. Piper, John. Ask Pastor John. Desiring God (April 10, 2017). 1 http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/what-s-the-last-thing-you-would-tweet 5  Lastly, Bible 101 is completely free2. When we say “completely free,” that means notonly monetarily free, but with no strings attached. That means you don’t have to sign up forour newsletter, you don’t have to share this on a social media platform, etc. Reformed Youth Ministries seeks to spread the good news of the gospel by reaching students for Christ andequipping them to serve. Part of that goal is fulfilled through the production of resources. It is our prayer that you use this Bible study material to spread the beauty of the gospel to the next generation and that you, too, are more enamored with the treasure of God’s Word in the process. 2 One advantage to offering free Bible study material is the ability to update and make revisions. Throughout the years, RYM may improve upon and revise particular sections of our material. When we do so, we will make that known but the consumer won’t have to purchase new material. We hope this is a way to serve the church in a more faithful manner. 6  part one WHAT IS THE BIBLE? LESSON 1 [Open in prayer] What is the Bible? [Begin with this question. You can break students into groups or just ask them as a large group, but get them to give several answers.] Do you know what the word “Bible” means? [Allow guesses. ANSWER: Bible means book.] As Geoff Robson says, “It’s actually a book of books; a collection of books.”1 Does anyone know how many total books are in the Bible? [ANSWER: 66] As many of you know, these sixty-six books are broken into two testaments, the Old and the New Testament. How many books are in the Old Testament? How many are in the New Testament? So, we’ve said the Bible literally means “book,” and we’ve said it’s comprised of many books. But what is the Bible? Listen to the following quote: “[T]he Bible boldly claims to unveil the heart of the human condition and the very meaning of life. It claims to introduce us to the God who made us and who is at the heart of the universe. In fact, it claims to be a direct message of self-revelation from the God who made us, and who longs to relate to us personally.”2 What are some truths in this quote? [Get the students to answer; re-read the quote if needed. You may even want to print this quote out to pass around.] Here’s some of what was said: - The Bible tells us about the heart of mankind: what we think, say, do. - The Bible tells us about the meaning of life; your purpose. - The Bible tells us about the God who made us and everything else. - The Bible tells us that it is the very words of God. - The Bible tells us that this God wants to be in relation with us. Let’s start with the Bible being a self-revelation from God. Someone tell me, what is a revelation? [Allow answers] My iPhone defines it this way – “the making known of something that was previously secret or unknown.” Goeff Robson, The Book of Books (Matthias Media, 2015), 13. 1 Ibid., 9-10 2 7 bible 101 Lesson 1 Applying this to God’s self-revelation, we could say that God has made himself known through the Bible. It is at this point that we need to specify God’s revelation of himself. Read: Genesis 1:1; Psalm 19:1-3; Romans 1:18-20 [Be sure and have students open a Bible and ask for volunteers to read.] What does Genesis 1:1 tell us? - [Allow answers. ANSWER: God made everything.] What does Psalm 19:1-3 tell us? - [Allow answers. ANSWER: Creation is speaking to us. All that has been created is telling us about God’s glory and his handiwork through creation.] What does Romans 1:18-20 tell us? - Now, this passage in Romans may raise some other questions, but let’s simply look at its most basic meaning. - [Allow answers. ANSWER: God’s eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen through all that he has created. God reveals himself to us through creation; therefore, mankind cannot say “I do not know God.” It tells us that all mankind knows the truth, but those who refuse to say they know God are suppressing the truth.] W ould someone sum up what we’ve learned from these verses? [Allow answers. ANSWER: God is the Creator of all things, and he speaks to all mankind through his creation.] The term for this type of revelation is “General Revelation.” As J.I. Packer says, “General revelation is so called because everyone receives it, just by virtue of being alive in God’s world.”3 Therefore, we can say that every tongue and tribe and nation – those past, those present, and those to come – have received, are receiving, and will receive God’s general revelation of himself. [Ask students to paraphrase what you just said.] Application I want to make one point of application here. I want you to see that God’s general revelation of himself reveals his gracious character. God, out of his love and grace for his creation, reveals himself to everyone. We serve a gracious God who makes himself known to everyone. J.I. Packer, Concise Theology (Tyndale House Publishers, 1993), 9. 3 8 bible 101 Lesson 1 This brings us to a second form of revelation. READ: Exodus 32:16; Galatians 1:11-12; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:16-21 [Be sure to have students open a Bible, and ask for volunteers to read.] What does Exodus 32:16 tell us? - [Allow answers. ANSWER: God wrote the Ten Commandments.] What does Galatians 1:11-12 tell us? - [Allow answers. ANSWER: The gospel Paul proclaimed was received directly from God – not man.] What does 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tell us? - [Allow answers. ANSWER: Every verse of Scripture is from God. Because of this, it is useful for all of life.] What does 2 Peter 1:16-21 tell us? - [Allow answers. ANSWER: The Bible was written by men who were moved by the Holy Spirit. They did not invent the words but wrote what God told them to write. Peter also tells us that he heard the very words of God and equates that with what we have in Scripture. Thus, we call the Bible “The Word of God.”] The term for this type of revelation is “Special Revelation.” Christians call this special revelation, the Bible or God’s Word. To quote Packer again, “The church calls these writings the Word of God because their authorship and contents are both divine.”4 “What Scripture says, God says;” Packer states, “for, in a manner comparable only to the deeper mystery of the Incarnation, the Bible is both fully human and fully divine.”5 What does this quote mean? Allow answers. Read again, if needed.] Summary [Get students to tell you some of what you’ve discussed.] 1. The Bible is a collection of books. 2. The Bible is God revealing himself to us. 3. God reveals himself to us in two ways: general revelation and special revelation. 4. God’s self-revelation tells us that he is a gracious Creator who makes himself known to humanity. 4 Ibid., 3. 5 Ibid., 5. 9 bible 101 Lesson 1 N ext week we will look further into the nature of God’s special revelation, but let’s close with a reading from this amazing book. READ: Psalm 1 God encourages his people to meditate upon his law/instruction day and night. In this psalm, he tells us the benefits of that meditation. Let’s ask God to create in us a desire to be a people who meditate upon God’s holy Word. [Close in prayer] 10  part two WHAT IS THE BIBLE? LESSON 2 [Open in prayer] Review1 What did we discuss last week? [Allow answers.] The Bible is a book that contains many books – 66 (39 OT, & 27 NT) The Bible is God’s self-revelation. God reveals himself in two primary ways: general and special revelation. [Ask students to explain these.] God’s revealing himself tells us he is a gracious Creator. READ: Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) 1.12 What are some things this tells us? [Allow answers.] The WCF references the Romans 1:18-20 passage we read last week. Does anyone remember what that said and what theological term we learned from that? [ANSWER: General Revelation] The WCF is telling us that God reveals himself through creation, BUT general revelation alone is “not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation....”3 At its most basic meaning, this is telling us that general revelation is inferior to special revelation. To put it bluntly, people need to read God’s special revelation to have a knowledge of salvation. READ: 2 Timothy 3:14-15 [Ask a student to read.] Context – Paul is writing to Timothy and warning him about false teachers deceiving others, encouraging him to cling to proper doctrine. What does Paul say in verse 15? [ANSWER: The sacred writings (Scripture) are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.] 1 TEACHER’S NOTE: The “Review Section” is an important 5-10 minutes of the lesson. The more the students reflect upon previous lessons and hear the content repeated, the more likely it is that they will remember it. 2 TEACHER’S NOTE: This is a long and detailed explanation of the Holy Scriptures which will be hard for your students to follow. Either print out copies (available online) or project this phrase on a screen for your students to follow along. 3 G.I. Williamson, The Westminster Confession of Faith, (P&R, 1964), 1. 11 bible 101 Lesson 2 This is the truth about the Bible that we will focus on today. The Bible is a supernatural book that has the power to save unbelievers because the Bible points people to Jesus Christ. READ: Hebrews 4:12 [Get a student to read and ask the class what this verse is teaching. ANSWER: The Bible is alive. It is supernatural.] T his leads us to a very important truth that we actually read last week. Let’s look again at 2 Timothy 3:16; READ. This says that all scripture is “breathed out” by God. Another way to say this is that all Scripture is inspired by God. The Bible is Inspired The inspiration of Scripture is an essential truth for Christians. There are many today who want to attack the reliability of Scripture because it was written by forty authors over approximately fifteen hundred years. What would you say to someone who attacks the reliability of Scripture based on this? [Allow discussion.] This is one reason why understanding the inspiration of Scripture is so crucial. While it is true that forty people assisted in writing the Bible, we would say that they were under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In essence, there was really one Author of the Bible, and that is God. Let’s look again at another verse we read last week. READ: 2 Peter 1:21. What does this tell us? [Allow answers. ANSWER: The Spirit carried the human authors along to write what God wanted them to write.] Jon Neilson says it this way, “We can say that God is the author of the Bible because of the Christian doctrine of inspiration. This doctrine teaches that the human authors of the Bible were inspired by God the Holy Spirit to write exactly the words that God intended them to write.”4 READ: Story from Kevin DeYoung’s Taking God at His Word on pages 27-28 Quite simply, and profoundly, every time we read the Bible we are reading the very words of God. This is how God speaks to us. If you’ve ever dreamed about hearing God speak to you, he does it today through the Bible because it is inspired. This leads to a second important truth: inerrancy. Jon Neilson, Bible Study, (P&R, 2013), 18. 4 12 bible 101 Lesson 2 The Bible is Inerrant What do you think this means? [Allow answers. ANSWER: This means that the Bible is without error.] This only makes sense, right? If we believe God wrote the Bible – and God is perfect – than we should be able to affirm that the Bible is without error. READ: Psalm 119:33-40 What do we learn from this Psalm? What is the Psalmist saying? [Allow answers.] - The psalmist wants to be taught from the Word (statutes). - The psalmist wants to obey the Word (law). - The psalmist wants to be led by and delight in the Word (commandments). - The psalmist wants a longing for the Word (precepts). To sum up, the psalmist is asking God to give him an all-encompassing love and appreciation for God’s Word.5 I think we can say that the psalmist is asking for this because he sees God’s Word as right and true, i.e., inerrant. Kevin DeYoung says this: “Inerrancy means the word of God always stands over us and we never stand over the word of God. When we reject inerrancy we put ourselves in judgment over God’s Word. We claim the right to determine which parts of God’s revelation can be trusted and which cannot. When we deny the complete trustworthiness of the Scriptures... then we are forced to accept one of two conclusions: either Scripture is not all from God, or God is not always dependable.”6 The Bible is Infallible: A word that is closely related to inerrant is infallible. What do you think the word “infallible” means? [Allow answers.] Infallibility means – “The characteristic of being incapable of failing to accomplish a predetermined purpose.... The Bible will not fail in its ultimate purpose of revealing God and the way of salvation to humans.” 7 So, what does infallibility mean? [Allow answers. ANSWER: The Bible cannot fail. It is not false. It is sure and true.] 7 TEACHER’S NOTE: It may be important to address the different uses for the “Word” in this psalm and take the time to explain how the “Bible” the psalmist is referencing is different from the Bible we have today; i.e., the psalmist didn’t have the New Testament. 8 Kevin DeYoung, Taking God at His Word, (Crossway, 2014), 39. 9 Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki, & Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, (InterVarsity Press, 1999), 66. 13 bible 101 Lesson 2 Application One point of application from the belief that the Bible is inspired, inerrant, and infallible is the fact that the Bible is the ultimate authority for the Christian. What do I mean that the Bible is our authority? [Allow answers.] - It means that the Bible tells us there is absolute truth. - It means that the Bible is where we look to answer life’s questions. - It means that the Bible stands over us and we submit to it. - It means that the Bible is our foundation to know who God is. - It means that the Bible is our foundation to know who we are. Summary [Get students to summarize some of what was discussed.] 1. The Bible is inspired: written by God. 2. The Bible is inerrant: without error. 3. The Bible is infallible: true. 4. The Bible is our authority. Next week we will look at the purpose of the Bible: why was it written? [Close in prayer] 14  WHY WAS THE BIBLE WRITTEN? LESSON 3 [Open in prayer] Review What have we discussed in the past two weeks? [Allow answers.] The Bible is a book that contains many books – 66 total, 39 OT, & 27 NT. The Bible is God’s self-revelation. God reveals himself in two primary ways: general and special revelation. [Ask students to explain these.] God’s revealing himself tells us he is a gracious Creator. The Bible is inspired: written by God. The Bible is inerrant: without error. The Bible is infallible: true. The Bible is our authority. T oday we will be answering the following question: Why was the Bible written? [Allow answers.] READ: Genesis 1:1 What does this tell us? [Allow answers.] God is the Creator. God created everything. God has always been in existence. Listen to what Paul David Tripp says about Genesis 1:1 – “[W]ith those four words everything in life is given its shape, purpose, and meaning.... It is humbling and significant to realize that the biblical story doesn’t being with us. It begins with God. It’s important to recognize that the story that unfolds on the pages of your Bible is God’s story. He stands on center stage. He has the most important lines. The following spotlight is always on him. The story moves according to his will and by his plan. It’s all for him, from him, through him, and about him.” 1 Paul David Tripp, Sex and Money (Crossway Books, 2013), 28. 15 bible 101 Lesson 3 F rom the above quote and Genesis 1:1, why would we say the Bible was written? [Allow answers.] In short, the Bible was written to display God’s glory. READ: Habakkuk 2:14 Stephen Nichols says, “God’s ultimate end in creating and redeeming the world is his own glory. God’s story is ultimately about God’s glory. By remembering that God’s glory is the point of the redemption story, we can keep the right perspective on our lives, and for that matter, on our work, and on our efforts, and on our accomplishments.” 2 Let’s look at two main categories under the umbrella of God’s glory: -Who God is -Who we are The Bible Tells Us Who God Is: Creator – We already read Genesis 1:1, but let’s read another passage; READ: John 1:1-3 -What does verse 3 tell us? [Allow answers.] -it’s pretty all-encompassing – God made everything. Holy – READ: Isaiah 6:1-3 -What does this tell us? [Allow answers. ANSWER: God is holy] -What does it mean to be holy? [ANSWER: Holy means “set apart.”] -John Piper says, “God’s holiness is his separateness from all that is not God. This, then, means he is in a class by himself. And like all good things that are rare, the more rare it is, the more valuable it is. Therefore, God is supremely valuable.” 3 Transcendent – READ: Psalm 139:1-12 -This Psalm gives us a glimpse into God’s transcendence, immensity or, to put it simply, his bigness. -What does verse six tell us? [Allow answers.] Basically, he is so transcendent, it is beyond our understanding.4 -Because of this, we could continue to talk about God for the rest of this lesson and not scratch the surface – He is infinite. In light of this, let’s look at one more important truth about God before moving to our next section. Triune – READ: Genesis 1:26-27 -We learn here that there is one singular God, but he is three persons. -There is plural language in these verses, like the use of “us” and “our.” But there is still a reference to the singular “image” of God. That is, God does not say, “Let us make man in our images.” 5 -Let’s turn to the NT to see the doctrine of the Trinity. READ: Matthew 3:13-17 2 Stephen Nichols, Welcome to the Story (Crossway Books, 2011), 111. 3 John Piper, Reading the Bible Supernaturally (Crossway Books, 2017), 43. 4 TEACHER’S NOTE: You may want to explain that even though God transcends our finite understanding, he is a God who draws near to us. The greatest example of this is in the incarnation. More on all of this later. 5 TEACHER’S NOTE: The Trinity is an immensely important and deep doctrine of Scripture that will be studied later; this is just a flyby. The reason it is brought up here is not only because we are answering the question of Who is God? but also because it is needed as we look at mankind in the next section. 16 bible 101 Lesson 3 How do we see the Trinity represented here? [Allow answers. ANSWER: Jesus the Son is being baptized, the Father speaks, and the Holy Spirit descends like a dove and resting on him.] So much more could be said and needs to be said about the Trinity, but let’s move to our second category that falls under the umbrella of God’s glory. T he Bible Tells Us Who We Are: READ: Genesis 1:26-27 What does this verse tell us? [Allow answers.] God clearly tells us that he created mankind to be his image bearers. Humans are created after the likeness of God. What’s something important we learn about being God’s image bearers? [Allow answers. Hint: Think back to the previous section on God being triune.] -Answer: Mankind is created in the image and likeness of a triune God. -One important implication for this is that people have been created for community, fellowship, and relationship with others. -It is okay to have times of solitude as a believer (Scripture encourages this), but we are designed to be in relationship with other human beings. READ: Genesis 2:15-17 and all of chapter 3 [Ask several students to assist in reading.] -Now, I know we read a lot of truth, but what is one important truth from this section? [Allow answers. ANSWER: Adam and Eve sinned against God.] -This also tells us that Adam and Eve’s sin spread to all of humanity, so everyone is born in sin. This is referred to as the doctrine of “original sin.” From these two points, we can say that humans are God’s image bearers and are designed to reflect his glory. However, mankind sinned against God through our disobedience. From this, let’s go back to our initial question – Why was the Bible written – to answer an important truth that we’ll discuss more next week. Why was the Bible written? READ: Titus 3:1-7; What does this tell us? [Allow answers] The Bible was written to tell us about the saving work of Jesus Christ. Listen to what Geoff Robson says, “The heart of the Bible’s message can be summed up in one word: Jesus. It could also be summed up in a few more words: the life, death, resurrection and promised return of Jesus Christ – the Saviour and King sent into the world by God himself. The 66 books of the Bible come together to give us one big, sweeping story that leads up to, and then flows out of, the coming of Jesus. Once you become familiar with the Bible, you’ll start to see the centrality of Jesus everywhere.” 6 This is something we will look at more next week. 6 Geoff Robson, The Book of Books (Matthias Media, 2015), 17. 17 bible 101 Lesson 3 Summary: [Get students to summarize some of what was discussed.] 1. The Bible is ultimately about God, not us. 2. The Bible was written to display God’s glory. 3. God is triune. 4. Mankind is created in his image. 5. Mankind sinned against God. 6. Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners. [Close in prayer] 18  WHAT IS THE BIBLE ABOUT? LESSON 4 [Open in prayer] Review What have we discussed in the past three weeks? [Allow answers.] God reveals himself in two primary ways: general and special revelation. [Ask students to explain the two.] God revealing himself tells us he is a gracious Creator. The Bible is inspired - written by God, inerrant - without error, infallible - true. The Bible is our authority. The Bible was written for God’s glory. God is the main character. Mankind is made in God’s image and created for community. Mankind is born sinful; we call this “original sin.” Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and the focus of Scripture. Today we will be answering the question: What is the Bible all about? Tell me, what do you think it’s about? [Allow answers.] Knowing that the Bible is comprised of sixty-six books, that can sound like a really complex question. In many ways, it is a complex question. However, in Champ Thornton’s Radical Book for Kids, he shares the message of the Bible in one sentence, “Through Jesus, God is restoring everything that sin ruined.”1 [It would probably be a good idea to repeat this sentence and maybe even have students repeat it aloud.] If you think back to last week, Geoff Robson summed the entire Bible up with one word; what was it? [ANSWER: Jesus] What is the Bible About? One Story While the Bible is complex on many levels and we will never master it, it’s helpful to see that the Bible is really one story. Let’s look at how Scripture summarizes itself. READ: Matthew 22:34-40; What does this tell us? [Allow answers.] -Jesus is saying that the entire Law and Prophets are summed up in these two commandments – Love God and Love others. In one sense, you could say that the entire Old Testament is summed up in these verses. Champ Thornton, The Radical Book for Kids (New Growth Press, 2016), 4 1 19 bible 101 Lesson 4 -Here’s the point: although the Old Testament is long and complex with many books, Jesus was able to sum up that complexity in two brief commands. -Let’s read another passage. READ: John 5:39-40; What does this tell us? [Allow answers.] -Jesus is summing up the entire Bible, saying that it all points to him.2 This is why Robson summed up the Bible in one word – Jesus. READ: Luke 24:13-27 – Jesus is doing the same thing here on the Road to Emmaus after his death and resurrection; i.e., it all points to him. READ: Acts 3:13-26 – Peter gives a good summary here of Jesus Christ being the focus of the Old Testament; all the prophets were pointing to him. -We could look in many other places; however, since all the Bible points to Jesus we don’t have time to read the entire Bible in this lesson. The main point is that Jesus Christ is the main point of the Bible. What follows is a helpful framework to think about this one story of Scripture. While Jesus is the main point of the Scriptures, the Bible also speaks to all of life. What is the Bible About? All of Life3: Creation: [Genesis 1-2] – God made all things by speaking. Fall: [Genesis 3] – Mankind rebelled against God’s gracious command. Redemption: [Genesis 3:15ff] – Even in the midst of Adam and Eve’s sin and rebellion, God cared for them by providing clothing and the promise of a Savior. Restoration: [Revelation] – Jesus Christ came once to earth, and he will come back to make all things new. It is helpful to see the Bible through this creation, fall, redemption, restoration framework, but it is also helpful to see all of life through this framework. Why do you think this framework is helpful? [Allow discussion.] Here are two possible answers: It helps us understand the world we live in. How do you think it does that? [Allow discussion.] -EXAMPLE: God created work as a good thing. The Fall made work a frustrating thing. As God’s children, we are called to redeem4 the work given to us as we wait for Christ’s second-coming to fully restore work. -This framework can be applied to all of life, homework, relationships, job, etc. 2 TEACHER’S NOTE: It is important to remind students that the Scriptures Jesus refers to in this section of John only refer to the Old Testament, since they were living in New Testament times. However, Jesus is making this statement knowing that the entirety of Scripture points to him. 3 TEACHER’S NOTE: There is so much that could be said here, but this is just a brief overview. You may want to write these labels down on the board, but know that you aren’t intended to spend a great deal of time on this. 4 TEACHER’ NOTE: It is important to explain that Jesus Christ has fully redeemed our work, but he still calls his children to redeem the time given to them. (Eph. 5:16) 20 bible 101 Lesson 4 It helps us interpret pain and suffering. How do you think it does that? [Allow discussion.] -EXAMPLE: God has created us to be eternal beings that never die. The Fall brought about death and suffering. As God’s children, we redeem suffering by suffering with hope of Christ’s return when he restores all things. Y ou can see how this framework is helpful when reading God’s Word, but it’s also helpful to practically apply it to your daily living. One important point of application here is something referred to as the “sufficiency” of Scripture. What do you think is meant by this? [Allow answers.] Kevin DeYoung says it this way, “The Scriptures contain everything we need for knowledge of salvation and godly living. We don’t need any new revelation.... It takes away any excuses for disobedience. No one can say God has not revealed enough for us to be saved or to live a life pleasing to him.”5 Therefore, the Bible points us to Jesus and tells us about salvation, but the sufficiency of Scripture also speaks to all of life. Let’s get more specific though. What is the Bible About? Your Life: Some people want to see the Bible as a list of dos and don’ts or a book that simply tells them how to have a good life, but this is a self-focused way of interpreting Scripture. That said, the Bible does give us wisdom on how to live our lives. A scholarly way to describe your life is living in the “already” and the “not yet.” Does anyone want to guess what this means? [Allow answers.] This was alluded to earlier when we summed up the Bible in one sentence. Here it is: Jesus Christ already came to earth once, but he has not yet returned. A fancy way to say this is that Jesus Christ’s first-coming inaugurated his Kingdom, but Jesus Christ will come back to fully consummate his Kingdom. What does all of this have to do with you? [Allow answers.] -Remember, we are creatures that were made for perfection in the Garden, but the Fall messed everything up. -The Fall makes your smartphones break, your relationships hurt, your work frustrating – the list goes on-and-on. The Fall destroys everything, but God’s Word gives us wisdom for living in the already and the not yet. -In the midst of the “already” and the “not yet,” God’s Word helps us to see all of life through this creation, Fall, redemption, restoration mindset. Listen again to a verse we’ve read that reminds us about the Bible’s sufficiency: READ: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “... that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” Champ Thornton, The Radical Book for Kids (New Growth Press, 2016), 4 1 21 bible 101 Lesson 4 Summary: What is the Bible? [Allow answers.] 1. It is one story. 2. It points us to Jesus Christ. 3. The overarching framework is creation, Fall, redemption, restoration. 4. The Bible is sufficient in telling us about salvation and godly living. 22  part one WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH US? LESSON 5 [Open in prayer] Review What did we discussed the previous weeks? [Allow answers.] God reveals himself in two primary ways: general and special revelation. [Ask students to explain the two.] God revealing himself tells us he is a gracious Creator. The Bible is inspired - written by God, inerrant - without error, infallible – true, it is our authority. The Bible was written for God’s glory; God is the main character. Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and focus of Scripture; it is one story. The overarching framework is creation, Fall, redemption, restoration. The Bible is sufficient in telling us about salvation and godly living; we don’t need any other revelation. In our lessons, we have talked about Jesus Christ being of ultimate importance as we read and understand God’s Word. Last week we also zoomed out to see the themes of creation, Fall, redemption, & restoration throughout Scripture. Today, let’s zoom in on the salvation Jesus has purchased for us. What does the Bible teach us? Salvation READ: 2 Timothy 3:12-15; what do we learn from this section? [Allow answers.] One important thing we need to see is that the Scriptures “make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.” READ: Ephesians 2:8-10; what do we learn here? [Allow answers.] -Our salvation comes by grace, through faith that is not of our own doing. READ: Acts 4:11-12; what do we learn here? [Allow answers.] -Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation. We can clearly conclude that the Bible explicitly declares that salvation is through Jesus Christ. Although this is a very “wordy” explanation of the Scriptures, listen to the Westminster Confession of Faith’s description of God’s Word – READ: WCF 1:11 -What are some things we learn from WCF 1:1? [Allow answers.] 1 TEACHER’S NOTE: This document is readily available on the internet. It is best to print copies and give them to your students. Also, ask them to read portions aloud. 23 bible 101 Lesson 5 -The WCF is telling us that general revelation isn’t enough for salvation. Mankind needs special revelation in order to be made wise unto salvation. What does the Bible teach us? Sin Since we are zooming in on the salvation Jesus Christ purchased for his children, it is also important to zoom in on the brokenness of his children. READ: Romans 3:10ff; what do we read from this? [Allow answers.] Scripture “pulls no punches” when it talks about the sin of mankind. It may seem a little backwards to talk about our Savior before our sin, but speaking of salvation implies that we need saving from something. To paraphrase Tim Keller, Knowing that you’re evil is part of the Gospel message.2 For Christians to profess faith in Jesus, they must know they are evil and in need of saving. As J.C. Ryle says, “To feel our sins and know our sickness is the beginning of real Christianity.”3 -God’s Word tells us we are sick, but it also points us to the Great Physician. READ: Galatians 3:10-14; what do we learn here? [Allow answers.] -We learn that the law affirms that we are all cursed because of our sin, but Jesus takes that curse upon himself and pays the penalty for it. -Paul goes on to say that faith in this finished work of Jesus is how the curse is removed from us and the blessings of Abraham are given to us as God’s children. What does the Bible teach us? The Gospel What is the gospel? [Allow answers.] Most people answer this by saying “Good news,” and that is true; that’s literally what the word means. However, we need to have a deeper understanding of the gospel message. The gospel is good news, but it’s also bad news. Why do I say that the gospel is bad news? [Allow answers.] -Think back to the quote by Tim Keller. Half of the gospel message is focused on our sin. It’s focused on the fact that we’re evil. -If you think back to the first pronouncement of the gospel in Genesis 3:15, that was bad news. It was bad news because the gospel was being pronounced after Satan successfully tempted Eve to disobey God. -However, in the midst of the bad news, the promised seed – Jesus Christ – was going to come and provide the only way of salvation. Many of the previous lessons we’ve had have communicated the gospel; even the beginning of this lesson has communicated the gospel. But as Christians, we need to make sure we have a proper understanding of the gospel and what is necessary to fully embrace the it. Tim Keller, The Gospel Coalition National Conference 2017, “Boasting in Nothing Except the Cross”; Galatians 6. 2 J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospel: Mark 2:13-22 (Banner of Truth) 3 24 bible 101 Lesson 5 READ: Matthew 4:17; what is Jesus preaching here? [Allow answers. ANSWER: Repentance] READ: Romans 5:1; what is the apostle Paul saying here? [Allow answers. ANSWER: Faith is essential to salvation.] Two key elements of the gospel: Repentance and Faith – What is repentance and what is faith? [Allow answers.] -J.I. Packer says this: “Repentance is a fruit of faith, which is itself a fruit of regeneration. But in actual life, repentance is inseparable from faith, being the negative aspect (faith is the positive aspect) of turning to Christ as Lord and Savior... True faith acknowledges Christ as what he truly is, our God-appointed king as well as our God-given priest, and true trust in him as Savior will express itself in submission to him as Lord.”4 -The WCF 14:3 states, “[T]he principle acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life...”5 What does this mean? [Allow answers.] Maybe a simple way of stating the above is this: Faith is basing your entire life on the finished work of Jesus Christ. What does the Bible teach us? True faith and repentance How do you know if you’ve truly repented and placed your faith in Jesus? [Allow discussion.] True Repentance – There’s one important distinction the WCF [15:2] makes about true repentance. It basically says that it’s not enough to simply have remorse or sorrow for sin without any desire to fight your sin with the help of the Holy Spirit. READ: Psalm 516; what is David saying? [Allow answers.] -David is expressing a sincere sorrow of his sin. Most importantly, he realizes that his sin is – first and foremost – against God himself (v. 4). True Faith is believing you’re a sinner who justly deserves God’s wrath (Psalm 51:5). It is believing that Jesus Christ lived a perfect life in your place and died an atoning death for your sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). If you believe that he was a real man in history – born of a virgin, the Son of God (Matthew 1:18-25) – that is saving faith. True, saving faith and repentance will result in a changed life. This is what we will talk about next week. 4 J.I. Packer, Concise Theology (Tyndale House Publishers, 1993), 163. 5 G.I. Williamson, The Westminster Confession of Faith: For Study Classes (P&R Publishing, 1964), 126. TEACHER’S NOTE: You may want to concisely explain what justification and sanctification are without getting too bogged down. For a more detailed study on justification, check out our Right with God study at www.rymonline.org. 6 TEACHER’S NOTE: If there’s not enough time, just read portions of the Psalm. 25 bible 101 Lesson 5 Summary: What did we talk about today? [Allow answers.] 1. The Bible teaches that salvation comes through Jesus Christ. 2. The Bible teaches us that we are sinners, deserving God’s wrath. 3. The Bible teaches us that true faith and repentance are necessary for salvation. [Close in prayer.] 26  part two WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH US? LESSON 6 [Open in prayer] Review What have we discussed in the past few weeks? [Allow answers.] God reveals himself in two primary ways: general and special revelation. [ Ask students to explain the two.] God revealing himself tells us he is a gracious Creator. The Bible is inspired, inerrant, infallible; it is our authority. The Bible was written for God’s glory; God is the main character. Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and focus of Scripture; it is one story – creation, Fall, redemption, restoration. The Bible is sufficient in telling us about salvation and godly living; we don’t need any other revelation. The Bible teaches us the gospel – true faith and repentance. The Bible is written for God’s glory, and all of it points to the finished work of Jesus Christ. As we have said, even though the Bible is primarily about God, it also instructs Christians in godly living. What does the Bible teach us? Faith and Action READ: James 2:14-26; what is being said in this passage? [Allow answers.] James is a great book of the Bible for many reasons; one reason is its simplicity. It’s fairly straightforward. It’s a good book of the Bible for beginning Bible readers. We’ll talk about this in a later lesson. James is very clear here about faith and works. Summing up this entire section, he’s saying, “If you truly believe in Jesus, you will be producing righteous works.” What is James not saying? [Allow answers.] -James is not saying that your works make you righteous or that your works save you. This is a vitally important truth to grasp. While James clearly says that true faith results in action, he is not saying our actions always result from true faith. -That is, some people may do a bunch of morally good actions, but they may be doing them from a completely selfish heart. 1 TEACHER’S NOTE: Please do not feel pressures to use the example of Mormonism. I understand that there are many complexities that could arise from this example, but it may prove to be helpful to illustrate James’ point and because some of your students may have Mormon friends. 27 bible 101 Lesson 6 -EXAMPLE: Most Mormons1 are morally good people, but much of their “goodness” is rooted in their belief in that we can become righteous in God’s eyes by doing good deeds. [Since this is such an important distinction, it’s a good idea to pause here and ensure students understand you.] To further clarify this, let’s move to our next section and read about faith a bit more. What does the Bible teach us? Faith versus Action READ: Titus 3:4-7; what does this section of Scripture tell us? [Allow answers.] How does this section of Scripture tell us we are saved? [Allow answers. ANSWER: It says we are saved by God’s mercy alone. It goes into great depth about the Holy Spirit’s and Jesus Christ’s work in salvation, but Paul sums it up in the words “God’s mercy” in verse 5.] How does this section of Scripture tell us we are not saved? [Allow answers. ANSWER: “... not because of works done by us in righteousness...”] From this section, we learn that we are not saved by any works we do, but we are saved by faith in the mercies of God. READ: Ephesians 2:8-9. This is a section of Scripture we have looked at already, but it’s important that we look at it here. What is it telling us? [Allow answers.] -We are saved by grace through faith, not by works. But even the faith we have is not of our own doing. Ultimately, we have no reason to boast in our salvation, because it is completely God’s work. What have we learned so far? [Allow answers.] -James tells us that Christians will work. -Paul tells us that Christians are not saved by work. -Let’s move to our next section to see how faith and work... work together. What does the Bible teach us? Faith Fuels Actions READ: Philippians 2:12-13; what do we learn in this section? [Allow answers.] First, Paul emphasizes obedience/works at the beginning of verse 12. Second, Paul tells the church in Philippi to “work out their salvation with fear and trembling...” Let’s pause here for discussion. -How do Paul’s statements in Ephesians 2:8-9 and Philippians 2:12-13 not contradict each other? [Allow answers.] As we read Philippians 2:13, we see that Paul says that we are working because of the work that God is doing in us. Therefore, we can say that any works we produce are a result of the internal work that God, the Holy Spirit, is doing in us. Is this clear? [Allow discussion.] 28 bible 101 Lesson 6 A t this point, we need to make an important statement. There are people who think, “I’m saved by faith, not works.” Which is true, but they interpret that as, “I’m saved by faith, not works, so works aren’t important.” They think there’s no reason to work and no merit in their works, but this is not biblical thinking. What does the Bible teach us? Faith + Actions = Holiness READ: Hebrews 12:14; what do we learn from this verse? [Allow answers.] The author of Hebrews2 tells us we are to “strive,” so I think it’s safe to say “work.” The author of Hebrews tells us to strive for holiness. The author of Hebrews tells us we shall not see God apart from holiness. -Listen to what Kevin DeYoung says about Hebrews 12:14: “[H]oliness is not an option. Some of you may be thinking, ‘Yes, that’s absolutely right. We must be holy, and we are counted holy because of Christ.’ That’s true.... But Hebrews 12 is about the practical outworking of this positional holiness. The holiness of Hebrews 12:14 is not a holiness we receive but a holiness we “strive” for.... God was intent on making his children holy, because holiness must mark out all those who would have fellowship with a holy God.”3,4 Just a reminder, we are answering the big question, “What does the Bible teach us?” The Bible teaches us that we must be holy and how to pursue holiness. Holiness ultimately means “set apart,” as we discussed in lesson 3; therefore, God’s people are to be set apart by their faith and good works. Maybe we could define holiness in this way: Holiness is a Christian’s striving after good works, through the power of the Holy Spirit, with the knowledge of their righteous standing before God, by the finished work of Jesus Christ. Now, that was wordy, so let’s break this down: -Holiness requires striving after good works. -We strive for good works by the Holy Spirit’s power alone. -We strive for good works, knowing that we are already righteous before God. -We know we are righteous before God because of Jesus Christ’s finished work. 2 TEACHER’S NOTE: It’s important to remind your students that God is the ultimate author of the Bible when quoting Moses or Paul or whomever. In Hebrews, you can tell your students that scholars debate the earthly authorship of this book; therefore, we ultimately don’t know who wrote this epistle. 3 Kevin DeYoung, The Hole in Our Holiness (Crossway Books, 2012), 30. 4 TEACHER’S NOTE: Positional holiness refers to our position before God based on the finished work of Christ. That is, we are holy before God because of what Jesus did. Progressive holiness refers to the ongoing growth in grace and striving Christians are to pursue, which is the focus of Hebrews 12. This is a very elementary understanding of something entire books have been written about. 29 bible 101 Lesson 6 Let’s quote DeYoung again for a helpful summary: “In all this it bears repeating that God is the one working in us, giving us the desire and ability to obey. We earn nothing. We are promised everything. But don’t be so scared of works-righteousness that you make pale what the Bible writes in bold colors. We are saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8). And we were created in Christ Jesus for good works (v.10). Any gospel which purports to save people without also transforming them is inviting easy-believism. If you think being a Christian is nothing more than saying a prayer or joining a church, then you’ve confused real grace with cheap grace. Those who are justified will be sanctified. There can be no denying or doubting what God has said. It’s plain on almost every page of the Bible: we are commanded to be holy, saved to be holy, and, in fact, we must be holy if we are to inherit eternal life.” 5 Summary: [Allow answers.] 1. The Bible tells us that faith without works is dead. 2. Christians are to strive for good works by the power of the Holy Spirit. 3. Christians are to be holy. 4. Christians’ good works are done out of an understanding that Jesus Christ has accomplished their salvation. [Close in prayer] 5 Ibid 30  part one HOW DO YOU READ THE BIBLE? LESSON 7 [Open in prayer] Review What have we discussed in the past several weeks? [Allow answers.] God reveals himself in two primary ways: general and special revelation. [Ask students to explain the two.] God revealing himself tells us he is a gracious Creator. The Bible is inspired - written by God, inerrant - without error, infallible – true; it is our authority. The Bible was written for God’s glory; God is the main character. Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and focus of Scripture; it is one story. The overarching framework is creation, Fall, redemption, restoration. The Bible is sufficient in telling us about salvation and godly living; we don’t need any other revelation. Now we get to the question: how do you read the Bible? This may seem like somewhat of a strange question since most of you know how to read. However, the Bible is unlike any other book ever written, so Christians are to approach the reading of Scripture differently. How do you read the Bible? Supernaturally READ: Hebrews 4:12-13; what does this verse tell us? [Allow answers.] One thing we learn is that that the Word of God is alive. It really is alive, and it can judge your heart and expose you. Since this book is alive and we truly believe it is how God speaks to us, we need to approach it reverently. How do you think you approach Scripture reverently? [Allow answers.] There are many ways to approach it reverently, but the primary way Christians should approach Scripture is prayerfully. Think about it this way: does anyone remember the three I’s of Scripture discussed in Lesson 2? [ANSWER: inspired, inerrant, infallible] Well, there’s actually another ‘I’ and that’s “infinite.” READ: Isaiah 40:6-8; what does this tell us? [Allow answers.] -“... the word of our God will stand forever.” 31 bible 101 Lesson 7 Here’s the point: if God’s Word is infinite and you are finite, how can you possibly expect to understand God’s Word apart from prayer? -We can affirm that God’s Word is clear, but we also must make a practice of approaching God’s Word prayerfully. -In light of this, how do you think you should pray when reading Scripture? [Allow answers.]. Here are some specific things to pray: Guard: Guard me from Satan and my own heart. READ: Mark 4:14-15; Jeremiah 17:9; what do these verses tell us? [Allow answers.] Guide: Guide me in my understanding of your Word; let my understanding not just be my interpretation of Scripture but God’s intended meaning. READ: Isaiah 55:8; what does this verse tell us? [Allow answers.] Give: Give me knowledge and truth from your Word, so I may be a more useful servant in your Kingdom. READ: Psalm 1; 119:105; 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (focus on verse 17); what do these verses tell us? [Allow answers.] Grant: Grant me wisdom as I read. READ: Proverbs 2:1-6; what do these verses tell us? [Allow answers.] Glory: Remind me that the Bible is written for God’s glory and honor; help me not make my Bible reading simply about me. READ: Colossians 1:15-20; what do these verses tell us? [Allow answers. Focus on, “... all things were created through him and for him.” verse 16c] How do you read the Bible? Humbly We are sinful and need to approach the Scriptures knowing they will expose our sin. READ: James 4:1-10; what are some things we learn from this passage? [Allow answers.] Broadly speaking, these verses display the sinfulness of mankind. What sins are highlighted? [Allow answers. ANSWER: quarrels, fights, murder, covetousness, selfishness, faithlessness, adultery, etc.] James is always straightforward when he speaks, and he is straightforward about our sin. These sins are in your heart and mine, and we must be humbled by this truth. -A proper understanding of our sin fosters the humility James speaks of in verses 6-10. -God is loving and gracious (verse 6). Understanding who God is and who we are will foster a submissive and humble heart towards God. -Just a reminder: we cannot create a humble heart in ourselves, but we must ask for one. This is why reading the Bible prayerfully precedes humility. -Prayer and humility go hand-in-hand. 32 bible 101 Lesson 7 [Let’s finish this chapter in James.] READ: James 4:13-17; what do we learn here? [Allow answers.] -If this section of Scripture doesn’t humble you, I don’t know what will. What does this section tell us about people? [ANSWER: We are a mist (verse 14).] -This section is reminding us that we live under God’s Lordship and he is in charge of our lives. We cannot even keep our promises to people because we might not be alive tomorrow to keep them. -“If the Lord wills...” This should always be our attitude, and this understanding helps to feed a humble heart. How do you read the Bible? Submissively All the way back in Lesson 2, we said that God’s Word is authoritative. Today, I want you to see how this connects to reading Scripture prayerfully, humbly, and submissively. READ: 2 Peter 1:16-21; what do we learn here? The Scriptures were written by God; he is the ultimate author. Now, this is something we previously discussed, but here is the connection with today’s lesson. Peter was submitting to God’s Word. He was putting himself under the authority of God’s Word. In the next section [Chapter 2], Peter discusses false teachers. What are false teachers? [Allow answers.] One way to define a false teacher is this: People who do not submit to God’s Word as their authority in life. You see, the Bible says many things that are controversial in this world. The Bible proclaims truths that this world disagrees with. -Just one example: The Bible states that it is true, but many today want to assert that there’s no such thing as absolute truth. When we say that God’s Word is authoritative, we are humbly submitting to its authority over our entire lives. It should shape the way we think, speak, and act. We must pray that we would submit to God’s Word and be bold enough to live by the truths God’s Word proclaims, even when it puts us at odds with the world. Summary: What did we learn today? [Allow answers.] 1. We must read the Bible supernaturally/prayerfully. 2. We must read the Bible humbly. 3. We must read the Bible submissively. [Close in prayer] 33  part two HOW DO YOU READ THE BIBLE? LESSON 8 [Open in prayer] Review What have we discussed over the past several weeks? [Allow answers.] God reveals himself in two primary ways: general and special revelation. God revealing himself tells us he is a gracious Creator. The Bible is inspired - written by God, inerrant - without error, infallible – true; it is our authority. The Bible was written for God’s glory; God is the main character. Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and focus of Scripture; it is one story. We are to read the Bible supernaturally, humbly, and with the understanding that it’s authoritative. S o, last week was Part 1 of “How do you read the Bible?” If you noticed, last week dealt more with reading the Bible on a heart-level. That is, we need to approach God’s word in prayer and humility. This week, we will look at some specific writings in Scripture and get a bit more detailed with answering this question. How do you read the Bible? The Structure We have already said that the Bible is one story that is broken into two testaments. What are they? [Allow answers.]1 The Old Testament – The Old Testament has five major categories; can anyone name those categories? [Allow answers. ANSWER: Historical, Law, Poetry, Wisdom, and Prophetic (Major and Minor)] The New Testament – The New Testament has four major categories; can anyone name those categories? [Allow answers. ANSWER: Gospels, Historical, Epistles/Letters, and Apocalyptic]. Here is a truth that is crucial to your Bible reading: You do not read all books in the same way. Yes, you are to approach all books prayerfully – with humility and an understanding of the authoritative nature of Scripture – but you read books differently. 1 TEACHER’S NOTE: Have students open a Bible to the Table of Contents to look at the books listed. You should use this to refer to specific books as we get into the following section on genre. 34 bible 101 Lesson 8 What do you think this means? [Allow discussion.] -The major categories we just discussed are called genres.2 Can someone tell me what a genre is? [Allow answers. ANSWER: In this context, it means different types or styles of literature.] -For example, the narrative genre is to be read differently than the poetry genre and so on. Narrative can be understood in a more literal way than poetry. -Why did God give us different genres? [Allow answers.] Listen to Champ Thornton’s answer to that, “Scripture contains many genres in order to help you – all of you. You have feelings, so there are parts of his Word, for example, the poetry of the Psalms, that speak to your heart. You have thoughts, so there are letters, like Romans, that stretch your mind... God speaks personally to every part of your life.” 3 -Therefore, God gave us genres to engage every aspect of our being. This means every time you approach Scripture you need to ask, “What genre of Scripture is this?”4 Simply stopping and asking this question can greatly increase your understanding and enjoyment of a certain text. How do you read the Bible? Genres in the Old Testament5 Historical – Many books of the Old Testament, especially the beginning, are referred to as the historical books. Law – The books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy are referred to as the books of the Law, even though they contain some historical accounts. Poetic – Psalms, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations are considered poetry and help to address the feelings of God’s people. Wisdom – Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes teach God’s people how to live in a wise way that will please God and display kindness to our neighbors. Prophecy – These books are divided into two main categories, the Major and Minor Prophets. To quote Thornton again, “Sometimes the prophets spoke about what God would do in the future (they would foretell). And sometimes they would simply preach to God’s people (they would forth-tell).”6 2 TEACHER’S NOTE: TEACHER’S NOTE: There is an excellent list of specific questions based on the various genres of Scripture in Jon Neilson’s Bible Study: A Student’s Guide (P&R, 2013). It can be found on pages 174-178. 3 Champ Thornton, The Radical Book for Kids: Exploring the Roots and Shoots of Faith (New Growth Press, 2016), 6. 4 TEACHER’S NOTE: Be sure to emphasize this point. It is such a foundational understanding for approaching Scripture. 5 TEACHER’S NOTE: Next week we will look at the New Testament 6 Ibid, 8. NOTE: Although Thornton’s book is written for children, it is filled with helpful information which could easily be utilized for this class, especially this lesson. The visuals are helpful. 35 bible 101 Lesson 8 How do you read the Bible? Context What is context? [Allow answers.] Context is one of the most vital aspects of understanding Scripture, just like understanding what genre you are reading. Many Christians today make the mistake of ignoring context. -There is a book entitled The Most Misused Verses in the Bible, and the entire premise of the book illustrates the danger of taking specific Scriptures out of context. This leads to misunderstanding and misinterpreting Scripture.7 Let’s turn to Exodus 20 to see the importance of context. What is this section of Scripture about to discuss? [ANSWER: The Ten Commandments] Can you name any of the Ten Commandments? [Allow answers.] -Some people simply take the commandments at face value and apply them to their current situation in life. Now, of course we can and should apply the Ten Commandments to our life, but we should also think about the giving of the commandments in their original context. -What was the context? [Allow answers.] -READ: Exodus 20:1-2; I would guess that many people skip over these two verses and rush into the actual commandments. However, these opening verses give us some helpful context. What is it telling us? [Allow answers.] -God is reminding his people that he lovingly brought them out of slavery. He is their God, and he did not forget them. God is telling his people that he is faithful to keep his promises.8 -A secondary observation reminds us that God’s people were slaves. They are receiving the Ten Commandments as former slaves. -Let’s summarize the context into two main things: A loving God is giving these commandments. God is giving commandments to former slaves. -How does this shape our understanding of the Ten Commandments? [Allow answers.] God has lovingly freed his people from slavery, so we should not see these commandments as restrictive or harsh. We should see them as a manifestation of his love. Secondly, we need to see that God freely saved his people and then gave them the commandments. That is, God’s people didn’t have to obey the commandments first in order to earn God’s saving grace.9 -There are many other ways in which context shapes our understanding of the Ten Commandments, but do you see how context drastically shapes our understanding of one text? 7 Eric J. Bargerhuff, The Most Misused Verses in the Bible: Surprising Ways God’s Word is Misunderstood (Bethany House Publishers, 2012) 8 TEACHER’S NOTE: Notice that I begin the context by talking about God first. He is of primary importance. So teach your students to ask, “What does this tell us about God?” 9 TEACHER’S NOTE: Be sure to teach students about how this truth ultimately points us to the gospel. That is, God saves us, and we strive after obedience based on his grace. We do not strive to obey in order to earn God’s grace. This truth was emphasized in Lesson 6. 36 bible 101 Lesson 8 Let’s look at one more example. Turn to Psalm 51. Can someone please read the introductory remarks to this Psalm?10 What is going on here? [Allow answers.] -Not every Psalm gives us this much detail, but this one tells us that David wrote this Psalm when he was confronted by Nathan the prophet after he committed adultery with Bathsheba. [2 Samuel 1111] -READ: Psalm 51; how does this contextual note help us in our reading of Psalm 51? [Allow discussion.] -Understanding the context of this Psalm adds significant weight and power to our reading of it. As we read the words of Psalm 51 with the understanding of the wicked act David committed, it should provide greater focus and feeling to the words we are reading. Summary: What did we learn today? [Allow answers.] 1. Not all books are to be read the same way. 2. The Old Testament has five main genres of writing – History, Law, Poetry, Wisdom & Prophecy 3. Pay careful attention to genres in Scripture. 4. Context is vital in our understanding of Scripture. [Close in prayer] 10 TEACHER’S NOTE: It is important to tell students that the introductions to Psalms were actually included in the original Hebrew text. Therefore, these introductions are to be understood as inspired by God. They were not added by scholars later. 11 TEACHER’S NOTE: You can read this account if there is time. 37  part three HOW DO YOU READ THE BIBLE? LESSON 9 [Open in prayer] Review What have we discussed in the past few weeks? [Allow answers.] God reveals himself in two primary ways: general and special revelation. God revealing himself tells us he is a gracious Creator. The Bible is inspired - written by God, inerrant - without error, infallible – true; it is our authority. The Bible was written for God’s glory; God is the main character. Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and focus of Scripture; it is one story. We are to read the Bible supernaturally, humbly, and with the understanding that it’s authoritative. Not all books of the Bible are to be read the same way. The Old Testament has five main genres of writing – History, Law, Poetry, Wisdom, and Prophecy Pay careful attention to genres in Scripture. Context is vital in our understanding of Scripture. T his is now the third lesson answering the question, “How do you read the Bible?” We’ve said that we’re to approach the Bible prayerfully and humbly. Last week we looked at the structure of the Bible, but we focused primarily on the Old Testament and emphasized the importance of context. Let’s begin by looking at genres in the New Testament. Does anyone remember the four major categories from last week? [Allow answers.] How do you read the Bible? Genres in the New Testament1 Gospels – These are the first four books in the New Testament. Can anyone name them? [ANSWER: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John] They are eyewitness accounts of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Their writing genre would be described as narrative. 1 TEACHER’S NOTE: It would be helpful to have students open a Bible and look at the table of contents. This will help students get a better sense of the overall structure of New Testament. 38 bible 101 Lesson 9 Historical – The book of Acts describes the beginnings of the early church, after Christ’s death. Does anyone know who wrote Acts? [ANSWER: Luke] It is often considered a sequel to Luke. Epistles – What’s another name for epistle? [ANSWER: Letter] These letters discuss the implications of Jesus’ finished work for our faith and daily living. Every letter assists readers in understanding proper doctrine and warns churches against heresy.2 Apocalyptic – The book of Revelation falls into this category. Some of the imagery and content in this book is hard to understand, but it points us to the truth that Jesus Christ is coming back to defeat Satan once and for all and take his children home. How do you read the Bible? Hermeneutics Here’s a fancy word you may or may not have heard of – “hermeneutics.” Does anyone know what this word means or want to guess? [Allow answers.] Here’s a basic definition of the word. A basic understanding of this word is “interpretation.” When speaking of the Bible we could say that hermeneutics refers to how we interpret various passages of Scripture. Last week we looked at context and saw how vitally important context is for reading the Bible. There is a lot of overlap between hermeneutics and context. How do you think these two are connected? [Allow answers.] -Hermeneutics really looks at the original context in order to interpret Scripture. It looks at the author, the period of time in which the Scriptures were given, and the original audience in order to have a proper hermeneutic/interpretation. -In a sense, we practiced hermeneutics last week, and you didn’t even realize it. We interpreted Scripture in light of the context. That’s the practice of hermeneutics. How do you read the Bible? Ask questions One of the simplest ways to begin interpreting Scripture is by asking questions. There are many questions to ask of any text and various techniques to employ, but here are three basic starter questions you can ask of any text: What does this tell me about God? What does this tell me about others? What does this tell me about me? Let’s try it. READ: Philippians 2:1-103 TEACHER’S NOTE: Be sure and explain that heresy is false teaching. 2 TEACHER’S NOTE: Feel free to do this with a couple of texts if there is time. 3 39 bible 101 Lesson 9 -What does this tell us about God? God is triune. God is loving. God humbled himself by taking on flesh and coming to earth. Jesus put others before himself. Jesus took the place of a servant. Jesus died on the cross for sinners. -What does this tell us about others? Their interests come before our own. Others are to be considered first before ourselves. They will struggle with selfishness, just as I do. They are called to serve as I am. -What does this tell us about ourselves? We are to pray for humility. We are to serve others. We are to tell others the good news of Jesus. We should strive for unity. Jesus is our King, and we need to submit to him. Again, this is a basic way to interpret Scripture, but it is a good start. Asking questions of any text can help us better understand what is being said. And it is always important to start by asking, “What does this tell us about God?” since all of Scripture is about him. It is also important that you consider context. Why is context important for the text of Scripture we just read? [Allow answers.] -For starters, we began reading in Philippians 2, which means there’s an entire chapter that comes before it. -To properly interpret Scripture, you need to have a good grasp of the overall book. This is why it’s important to read books in their entirety and not just jump around. -At the very least, you should back up a few verses in chapter 1 of Philippians to have a better understanding. This may seem like a small step, but it is vital to having a proper hermeneutic of Scripture. How do you read the Bible? Perspicuity Now, here’s another fancy word to learn: “perspicuity.” Many theologians talk about the perspicuity of Scripture. What do you think that means? [Allow answers.] It basically means that the Bible is clear or easy to understand. Why do you think we’re discussing perspicuity in a lesson on hermeneutics? [Allow answers.] Well, as you know, not all of Scripture is easy to understand. Even some scholars debate certain portions of Scripture and interpret it in different ways. 40 bible 101 Lesson 9 What is meant by the perspicuity of Scripture is that the reader can read the Bible and get the basic meaning of it. That is, a person can read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation and say, “Jesus Christ is the hero of the story.” To be sure, there are many complexities throughout the Bible and truths which are difficult to grasp. Because of this, people will misunderstand and misinterpret the Bible. Even so, you still need to know that the Word of God is clear in its message of the gospel. Summary: What did we learn today? 1. Genres in the New Testament 2. Hermeneutics 3. The importance of context and questions for a proper hermeneutic 4. The perspicuity of Scripture [Close in prayer] 41 WHY IS IT SO HARD TO READ THE BIBLE? LESSON 10 [Open in prayer] Review What have we discussed in the past several weeks? [Allow answers.] God reveals himself in two primary ways: general and special revelation. God revealing himself tells us he is a gracious Creator. The Bible is inspired - written by God, inerrant - without error, infallible – true, it is our authority. The Bible was written for God’s glory; God is the main character. Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and focus of Scripture; it is one story. We are to read the Bible supernaturally, humbly, and with the understanding that it’s authoritative. Not all books are to be read the same way. The genres of the Old Testament and New Testament Context and hermeneutics O ver the course of the last several lessons, hopefully you have grown in your understanding of the Scriptures and how to read them. Without a doubt, there is so much more that can and should be said, but now we come to an important topic: actually beginning to read the Bible. Some of you in the class read the Bible, some of you don’t, but all of you would probably agree that it’s a challenge to read the Bible. Why do you think it’s so hard to read the Bible? [Allow answers.] Why is it so hard to read the Bible? Sin: There are many reasons why reading the Bible is a challenge, but the most obvious – yet foundational – reason is our own sin. While it may seem like this should go without saying, it must be expressed. READ: Ephesians 2:1-3; what does this verse tell us? [Allow answers.] -Those who are unbelievers are dead in their trespasses and sins. -If we are alive in Christ, we once were those that were dead. -By nature, we are children of wrath. Here is one essential truth: Reading the Bible goes against our sinful nature. Even if we are believers and the power of sin has been broken, our sinful nature is still at war with Bible reading. What does this mean? [Allow answers.] It means that there is a part of you that will always resist Scripture reading. Put another way, every time you pick up your Bible and read, you are engaging in a war – a war between the old self and new self. (Colossians 3:1-17) 42 bible 101 Lesson 10 Why is it so hard to read the Bible? Laziness Now, we just said that our sin makes it hard to read the Bible, but let’s get more specific. While there are many specific sins that impede our Bible-reading, laziness must be at the top. If we have learned anything about the Bible over these last several weeks, it is the fact that reading it will take effort. While there are many things that may be easy to understand in Scripture and the Holy Spirit is working apart from your effort, fruitful Bible-reading still takes effort on your part. However, for most of us, our sinful natures are opposed to work. Let’s see what Scripture says about laziness. In Proverbs, the lazy person is often referred to as the “sluggard.” READ: Proverbs 6:9-11; 13:4; 19:24; 20:4; what do we learn from these? [Allow answers.] -It’s pretty clear that laziness is bad. -The sluggard will go hungry. -The sluggard will be destroyed. -The sluggard has no reward. However, Proverbs 13:4 tells us that “the soul of the diligent will be richly supplied.” I think that is even more true when it is applied to Scripture reading. READ: Psalm 1; what do we learn here? [Allow answers. ANSWER: Those who are diligent in their meditation on the “law of the Lord” are blessed. -A caution here: Remember that our salvation is purchased by the finished work of Jesus Christ; not our diligent Bible-reading. While Christians should strive by the Spirit to read the Word, they are not saved by their Bible reading. -Here’s a helpful way to say it: You do not read your Bible to be saved; you read your Bible because you are saved. -In your efforts to read the Bible, know that laziness will always be there to fight against you. Why is it so hard to read the Bible? Busyness Our culture has become a very busy culture that has little room for downtime, reflection, and meditation. To say it another way, the common practices of our culture are at odds with many practices Scripture encourages. READ: Psalm 46:10; what is this verse telling us? [Allow answers.] -Reflection/meditation are important for us: “Be still.” This is something that’s hard for us to do, but we must. READ: Mark 6:45-47; [Context] These verses occur right after Jesus fed the five thousand; what are these verses telling us? -Jesus sought solitude and prayed. This is just one of the numerous times when Jesus did this, but it’s a model for us as well. -If the Son of God desired to commune with God in prayer, we would be wise to do the same thing. 43 bible 101 Lesson 10 READ: Proverbs 2:1-5; what do these verses tell us? [Allow answers.] -One thing they teach us is how valuable God’s words are. We are to seek them as “silver” and “hidden treasure.” -We must be humbled to see that we are often busy with things that are less valuable than spending time in God’s Word. Yes, there are times we are doing good things, but we need to see that the Bible testifies that it’s a great thing. -The truth is, we are often busy pursing the things we place higher priority on, but we need to see that God places a high priority on his Word – it’s like treasure. Why is it so hard to read the Bible? Boring If we are honest, we often get bored with the Bible. To be sure, there are difficult passages that make Scripture a challenge to understand. This goes back to laziness. Reading is work. Sometimes it is a joy, and sometimes the work is more strenuous. READ: 1 John 2:15-17; what do we read in these verses? [Allow answers.] -We need to know that the world is created by God and is beautiful. These passages are not saying the world has no worth. -John’s reference to “world” here is speaking of “worldliness,” which could be interpreted as godlessness. -We need to learn that our sin latches on to the things of this world. Therefore, sometimes sin seems more pleasurable (not boring) than godliness. -While the effort associated with Scripture reading may sometime seem less appealing, we must be praying for hearts that let go of this world and seek to do “the will of God... ” (v.17). Why is it so hard to read the Bible? Starting Where do I begin? In our last lesson, we will get into some specific books and practical advice on reading Scripture. However, the best way to start is by asking God for a desire to read his Word. Be honest in your prayer. “God, sometimes I don’t want to read your Word; the Bible seems boring to me; I don’t feel like I have time, etc. But please give me a desire. I know I should, so please help me.” God loves to answer prayers that ask for a deeper love of his Word. Summary: What have you learned today? 1. Our sin fights against our Bible-reading. 2. Laziness is a specific sin we must face when attempting to read the Word. 3. Busyness keeps us from reading; we must prioritize Scripture as a treasure. 4. We must ask God to help us let go of this world and help us to see that Scripture is not boring. 5. We should ask God for a desire to read the Bible as a good starting point. 44  WHY ARE THERE SO MANY 1 TRANSLATIONS? LESSON 11 [Open in prayer] Review What have we discussed in the past several weeks? [Allow answers.] God reveals himself in two primary ways: general and special revelation. The Bible is inspired, inerrant, infallible; it is our authority. The Bible was written for God’s glory; God is the main character. Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and focus of Scripture; it is one story. Not all books are to be read the same way. The genres of the Old Testament and New Testament; context and hermeneutics Our sin fights against our Bible-reading. Laziness is a specific sin we must face when attempting to read the Word. Busyness keeps us from reading; we must prioritize Scripture as a treasure. We must ask God to help us let go of this world and help us to see that Scripture is not boring. As a good starting point, we should ask God for a desire to read the Bible. Last week we partially answered the question – Why is it so hard to read the Bible? – this week we will look at a question that’s somewhat related. Here’s the question: Why are there so many translations of the Bible? People have used the various translations to contradict the validity of the Bible. They say, “If scholars can’t agree on a translation, how can we believe it to be true?” More basically, you might not even know what translation to start with; therefore, this may be one reason why the Bible is so hard for you to read. Why are there so many translations? As stated, some people think this proves the Bible to be inaccurate, so let’s look at this issue on a deeper level. Let me ask you a question, what translation of the Bible did Moses read? [Allow answers. ANSWER: There was no Bible for Moses.2] 1 TEACHER’S NOTE: In lessons 11 & 12 the style will be a bit different. It’s less interactive and more instructive on Bible study. It’s designed to take the students by the hand and help them to better understand what the Bible is and where they should start as they read on their own. 2 TEACHER’S NOTE: While Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible (also known as The Pentateuch), he wrote it after the Exodus and did not have those first five books much of his life. He had portions of it, but obviously not what we have today. His death is also recorded in Deuteronomy 34, so he couldn’t have written the last chapter of the Pentateuch. Most scholars believe that Joshua wrote the final chapter. 45 bible 101 Lesson 11 We discussed some of the structuring of the Bible in previous lessons, but the sixty-six books that make up our Bible were obviously not in existence for Moses, or Jesus for that matter. -Does anyone know about how long it took to write the Bible? [Allow answers. ANSWER: From the writing of Genesis to the completion of Revelation spans about 1,500 years.] -We know that God is the ultimate Author of the Bible, but how many earthly authors were used by God? [Allow answers. ANSWER: About forty3] -Can anyone tell me what language the Old Testament was written in? [Allow answers. ANSWER: Hebrew and small portions in Aramaic4] -Can anyone tell me what language the New Testament was written in? [Allow answers. ANSWER: Greek] Not only was the original Bible written in different languages, did you know that it didn’t contain chapters and verses? Those, as well as the headings and subheadings, were added later by scholars. Now, let’s get back to our initial question and, based on some of the information we just mentioned, let me ask you if you have any thoughts on how to answer it – Why are there so many translations? [Allow discussion.] -One basic way to answer it is this: Since most people today do not speak or read Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek, scholars have produced various translations. -What you need to know is that the Bible we have today is an accurate and reliable translation that was passed along through oral tradition5 as well as handwritten manuscripts. -However, there are times when we think about the construction of the Bible and this may move us to doubt. First, you must have great confidence that the Bible claims to be the very Word of God, and God will preserve his Word. The fact that we have copies of the Bible today gives testimony to God’s preserving grace.