LISTED BELOW ARE SCRIPTURE REFERENCES FOR CHAT DISCUSSION:
Purpose: To show that the Bible is the only standard of truth in all matters of religion and morals.
I. SOME STANDARDS ARE WRONG:
A1. Mk 7: 5-9 – Men’s doctrines cause worship to be vain.
A2. Gal 1:6-9 – Changing the gospel as 1st delivered is wrong.
A3. Tit 1:12-14 – Following myths or commands of those who misuse the Bible.
II. THE CORRECT STANDARD FOR AUTHORITY:
A4. Jn 17:17 – God’s word the Bible.
III. IN THE BIBLE WE HAVE COMPLETE TRUTH:
A5. Jn 14:26 – Holy Spirit was to teach the inspired men all things.
A6. Jn 16:13 – Holy Spirit was to guide the inspired men into all truth.
A7. Acts 20:20, 27 – They declared all of God’s word to the disciples.
A8. 2 Pet 1:3 – We now have everything needed to attain spiritual life.
IV. WHY WAS THE BIBLE WRITTEN?
A9. Jn 20:30, 31 – that we may believe.
A10. 2 Tim 3:16, 17 – that we may be complete.
A11. Lk 1:3,4 – that we may know truth.
A12. 1 Jn 2:1 – to prevent us from sinning.
A13. Eph 3:2-4 – Might understand the mysteries of God.
V. WHY SHOULD WE ACCEPT THE BIBLE AS OUR AUTHORITY?
A14. 1 Cor 14:37 – because the apostle’s spoke by God’s personal authority.
A15. Jn 12:48 – because the day is coming when we will be judged by its standard.
A16. Jude 3 – because there is no new revelations from God to man.
Purpose: To show that one cannot indiscriminately use the Bible without understanding the covenantal nature of its writings.
I. THERE IS A RIGHT AND WRONG WAY TO USE THE BIBLE.
B1. 2 Tim 2:15 – one must use it in a correct way.
II. THE BIBLE IS GOD’S INSPIRED WORD, DELIVERED TO SPECIAL PEOPLE OVER THE CENTURIES.
B2. 2 Tim 3:16, 17 – The Bible is the product of God’s mind.
B3. Heb 1:1-2 – Over the period of revelation God has spoken in many different ways.
B4. Gen 2:16, 17 – One finds God’s covenant with Adam.
B5. Gen 6:14-20 – One finds God’s covenant with Noah.
B6. Gen 12:1-3 – One finds God’s covenant with Abraham.
B7. Deu 5:1-3 – One finds God’s covenant with Israel.
B8. 2 Pet 1:20, 21 – Tells us that God’s covenants were clearly given to certain individuals.
B9. Heb 1:1, 2 – Told to listen to the Son today.
III. CHRIST HAS RATIFIED A NEW COVENANT WITH MEN TODAY.
B10. Heb 8:7-13 – States God’s intention to make a new covenant with men.
B11. Heb 9:15-17 – States that we live under a new covenant today.
B12. Heb 10: 8-10 – States that the covenant of Moses (therefore the O. T.) is void.
B13. Matt 17:1-5 – Shows that God expects us to follow Christ today.
IV. SO WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT TODAY?
B14. Rom 15:4 – Shows that it is for our learning.
B15. 1 Cor 10:1-11 – Shows that it is for our instruction.
CONCLUSION:
The covenants found in the Old Testament section of our Bibles are not valid for us living today. We live under the New Covenant, which Christ ratified with His blood. We understand that the Old Testament is God’s Word, revealed to men and like all scripture, is profitable for us. But we must also understand that when conflicts arise, between the conditions attached to the different covenants — such as matters pertaining to salvation, justification and worship — we must follow the last revelation, the New Testament.
Under Which Law Do We Live?
Purpose: To show from the Scriptures that people today no longer live under the rule of the Old Testament.
The illustration below shows the three covenantal ways in which God has dealt with men.
An Individual System of Law A National System of Law A System of Faith
Family National (Jews) International
Oral Written Written
Starlight Moonlight Sunlight
Imperfect Imperfect Perfect
C 1. Heb 1:1-2 – In the last days God has spoken to people therefore given law through His Son.
C 2. Col 2:13-14 – The Old Testament laws and regulations are now canceled since the cross of Christ.
C 3. Gal 3:19 – The purpose of the Law was to prepare man for Christ.
C 4. Gal 3:23-27 – The law design was to lead man to Christ who is received in the act of baptism.
C 5. Gal 5:4 – To seek God’s justification by law keeping or works of merit is to fall from grace.
C 6. Heb 7:18-19 – The weakness of the law was that no one could be made perfect (therefore acceptable to God.
C 7. Heb 8:7, 13 – The first covenant was obsolete and to be replaced by a new convent ushered in by Christ.
The Kingdom
Purpose: To show that the promised kingdom of the Old Testament, expected in the days of Christ, did in fact come after Pentecost of the year Christ was raised from the dead.
I. O.T. Promise of a Kingdom.
D 1. Dan 2:31-45 – A promise is made to Daniel that during the time of the fourth kingdom (Roman) God would establish an eternal kingdom. ( See the illustration below of the four kingdoms: Dan 2: 32-45).
II. N.T. Expectation of a Kingdom.
D 2. Matt 3:1-2 – John’s message was that the kingdom of promise was at hand.
D 3. Matt 4:17 – Jesus preached the same message.
D 4. Matt 10:7 – Jesus told the disciples (the Limited Commission) to preach the kingdom is at hand.
D 5. Matt 13: 3-9 (parable); 18-23 (message); 31-33 (results) ; 44-50 (worth). These parables refer to the new kingdom.
D 6. Mk 9:1 – Some of those living in Jesus day would see the kingdom come with power.
D 7. Acts 1:3-8 – Answer the question when would the kingdom come.
III. The Establishment of the Kingdom.
D 8. Acts 2:47 (note that after this point the kingdom is spoken of in the present tense).
D 9. Col 1:13 – Speaks of being in the kingdom of the Son.
D 10. Heb 12:28 – Claims we are receiving a kingdom.
D 11. Rev 1:9 – John the apostle claims to be part of the kingdom.
D 12. Matt: 13:41-43 – At the end time Christ will send his angels to weed out the kingdom.
D 13. 1 Cor 15:23-28 – Refers to handing the kingdom back to God.
D 14. 2 Pet 1:11 – Those part of the kingdom now will be part of the eternal kingdom.
D 15. 2 Tim 4:18 – Paul, apart of the kingdom, looked forward to the heavenly kingdom.
Gold Babylon
Silver Medes/Persians
Bronze Greece
Iron Roman
Iron/Clay