Intensive Training for Emerging

PHASE 1
Intensive Training for Emerging Leaders

PHASE 1

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 JIL Mission:
To bring all peoples to the kingdom of the Living God regardless of race,
status, belief, and religious affiliations through the saving, healing, delivering
and transforming power of our Lord Jesus Christ.

JIL Vision:
A glorious Church evangelizing and discipling Filipinos and all peoples of the
world through teaching, preaching, and living-out the full-Gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ.

JIL Core Values:

Passionate Love for God (Deuteronomy 6:5)
Love and Compassion for Others (Jude 22-23)
Integrity (Psalms 41:12)
Faithfulness (Matthew 25:21)
Excellence (Daniel 6:3)

EDD Mission:
To assist the Jesus is Lord Church in attaining excellence in sound biblical
teachings and maturity of Christian character through quality education
programs.

EDD Vision:
An enabling department giving rise to exceptional Christians founded in sound
biblical teachings and possessing irrefutably genuine Christian values.

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 PHASE 1
Knowing and Experiencing God (Heart)
Rationale
With a seeking and longing heart, we come to know and experience God. When we
open our hearts to the awesome revelations of God, we enter into an even-growing
love relationship with our Creator.

Course Objective
This phase aims to equip the trainees with the foundational truths on having a
relationship with God, one which continuously grows and affects every part of their
lives.

Course Duration: 4 meetings (2 hours per meeting)

Course Contents
Phase 1 is divided into three stages: Pre-encounter, Encounter and Post-encounter.
The teachings under these stages were taken from the modules of the JIL12 program.

Stage 1 (Pre-encounter Teachings)

o The New Birth
o The Principles of Deliverance
o The Assurance of Salvation
o The Power of Scriptures
Stage 2 (Encounter Teachings)
o Seeking God Face to Face
o What Jesus Did on the Cross
o Anointed to Heal the Brokenhearted
o Immersed in His Spirit
Stage 3 (Post-Encounter Teachings)
o How to overcome the world
o How to Talk with God
o Social Life
o The Church: God’s Refuge

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 SEMINAR #1:
THE NEW BIRTH
Goals
To identify why the new birth is required.
Identify the advantages and results of the new birth.

Introduction
When we are born again in the natural, God has already created within us our sex, the
skin pigmentation, heights and weight, temperament, even some habits and desires.
But to be born again means to acquire a spiritual life and mind that will become the
mind of Christ.

The new birth is a creative act. God takes the believer’s faith, and joins it to the power
of the Holy Spirit. This produces the miracle of a new heart and spirit” …that which is
born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).

Everyone needs a New Birth

The idea of man being able to reform himself is, therefore, completely without
foundation. The new birth is not an intellectual event, but it is a spiritual miracle.

Who Brings About the New Birth?

There is power in the Word of God.
o It has power to renew and to give life.
o It has power to resurrect and bring about deep and real changes in the of life
man. (John 8:31-32; 14:6)

The new birth can only happen by receiving the Holy Spirit.
o In order to receive Him you need to die to sin.
o This new birth comes directly from the Holy Spirit, who through faith releases
the spirit of life into the new believer.

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Advantage of the New Birth
1. Spiritual eyes are opened.
2. Moving from darkness to light.
3. Conversation from Satan’s dominion to God’s.
4. Through faith in Jesus we receive pardon from sin.
5. We receive an inheritance with the saints.

Conclusion
No matter what his current moral stage, every person needs a new birth. We cannot
change ourselves; the new birth is produced through the Word and the Holy Spirit.

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 SEMINAR #2:
THE PRINCIPLES OF DELIVERANCE

Goal
To give the basic elements of deliverance from different kinds of bondages that may
exist in the new believer’s live.

The Condition of the Sinner

Man rebelled against God and became involved in all kinds of evil. All these things
brought consequences to man.
• He began experiencing all kinds of curses, in such a way that the enemy built
up strongholds around him, bound him, oppressed him and enslaved him.
• Because of sin, Satan found a legal right to rule man and enslave him.

These bondages can take hold of people:

1. Spirit - blinding and keeping them in darkness.
2. Soul - the worst wounds that mankind suffer are afflicted in the soul
3. Body – the enemy has attacked mankind with all types of sicknesses and
deformities.
4. Finances – with poverty and ruin.

The Provision of God for our Deliverance

We are freed by the power of the cross. Jesus brought all our curses to it, as it is
written in Galatians 3:13, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having
become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”).”

The cross delivers us from:

• Sin
• Demonic bondages
• Ruin
• Affliction

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Preparing for Deliverance
a. Desire to live in freedom.
b. Identify the causes for the bondages.
c. Repentance and confession of sins.
d. Faith.
e. Take hold of the truth.
f. Fasting.

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 SEMINAR #3:
THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
Goal
For the new believer to experience assurance of salvation through the work of Jesus
on the cross.

Implications of the Plan of Salvation

God’s plan for salvation has the following aspects: Justification, regeneration,
sanctification and redemption.
• Justification – Justification means to ‘declare righteous.’
• Sanctification – To be sanctified means to be holy and set apart for God.
• Regeneration – Regeneration is to change one’s way of thinking in relation to sin.
• Redemption – Salvation is directly associated with the redemption of man, and his
redemption is likened to someone paying a ransom for a slave.

God’s Promises for You

• Eternal life (John 6:47-51)
• Forgiveness on sin (1 John 1:8-10)
• Position of a son (John 1:12)
• Inheritance with Christ (Romans 8:17)

Things that you should know regarding:

• The new nature (II Corinthians 5:17)
• The inner witness (Romans 8:15-16)

What your life will long for:

• A hunger for studying the Bible (I Peter 2:2)
• A holy life (I Peter 1:15-16)
• Love for the brethren (I John 3:14)
• Witness continuously about Christ (Acts 4:20)

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 SEMINAR #4:
THE POWER OF THE SCRIPTURES

Verse to memorize (Matthew 7:26-27)

Goals:
For the new believer:
1. To experience the power of the Word of God.
2. To keep the Word in their heart.
3. To be able to put it into practice.

Introduction
We should love the Word and follow its instructions as the captain of a ship adheres
to his compass. The Bible is a great treasure as it contains the answer to all our
needs.

What is the Bible?

The word Bible comes from the Greek terms ‘biblos’ and ‘biblion’ (in the diminutife
form) both of which mean ‘book’.

Importance of the Bible

• It contains God’s word and the revelation of Christ. (II Corinthians 5:20)
• It contains the divine laws. (Jeremiah 31:33-34)
• Its content, in 66 books, summarizes the work of about 40 writers from different
periods. (Matthew 24:35; Isaiah 40:8)

Things that make the Bible unique:

• The Bible is the revelation of God to mankind. (2 Peter 2:19-20)
• It refers to the salvation of mankind. (John 6:32-33)
• It refers to the truth. (I John 2:21)
• Jesus is the central character. (John 14:8-9)

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How to Draw near to the Word
1. Listen carefully to the voice of God on a daily basis. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)
2. Read it with a right attitude.
3. Meditate on it (undertake detailed study) (Joshua 1:8)
4. Put its command into practice. (Psalm 119:105)
5. Communicate it and confess it. (Romans 10:10)

How to Study the Word

1. Choose an appropriate place.
2. Make study a habit.
3. Keep a devotional notebook in which you write everyday:
• Message from God for me today
• The promise of God for my life
• The command to obey
• Scriptural verse to memorize

Benefits of Drawing Near to the Word

• It teaches (doctrine)
• It convicts (make us aware of our pitfalls)
• It corrects (lead us to the right path)
• It instructs (shapes our character)

How Do I Obtain that Power for My Life?

Set apart fifteen minutes a day to do as follows:
• 5 minutes to speak with God.
• 5 minutes to read the Bible, starting with the Gospel of John and finishing with
Revelation.
• 5 minutes to meditate on what you have read.
• If we discover the secret of living in communion with God, we will find ‘heaven’s
treasure’.

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 Teaching #1:
SEEING GOD FACE TO FACE

A PROFILE OF JACOB
• Loved by God even before he was born: “Jacob I loved and to Esau I hated”.
• Took hold of his brother’s heel to try to be born before him.
• Acquired the birth right from his brother.
• Disguised himself as Esau to obtain the blessings.
• Protected by God even when he was a liar and a cunning opportunist.
• Guided by God in his decision to make a covenant with Him and to be a faithful
tithes (Gen. 28:20-22).
• Sowed what he reaped – deceived by Laban several times and had to run away
from his house.

All of us have something of Jacob in us that need to be removed and uprooted from
our body, soul, and spirit.

Jacob was intelligent and he knew God’s Word but he was frustrated with failing and
getting the wrong results from his plans.
1. Jacob always wanted to be number 1 with God. What he did not understand
was that God has already planned for him to be number 1 even before he was
born.
2. Jacob always has a plan of his own. He did not know how to submit submit his
plans to God.
3. Everything that he did resulted in failure or produced wrong results.

THE ROAD TO “PENIEL”

1. Even before Jacob was born, he already had to struggle. (Gen. 25:22-26)
2. Isaac loved Esau and Rebekah loved Jacob. (Gen. 25:27-28)
3. Jacob stole the first-born blessing. (Gen. 27:19-23, 41-43)
4. When Jacob left home, he left with fear, not with God’s plan. (Gen. 28:5)
5. Jacob desired to settle down. (Gen. 29:18-20)
6. Jacob feared for his life. (Gen. 32:7-8)

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JACOB’S ENCOUNTER
1. Jacob was left alone. (Gen. 32:24)
2. Jacob had an Encounter. (Gen. 32:25-28)
3. Jacob’s name charged to Israel. (Gen. 32:28)

Conclusion

If we persevere in seeking God the way Jacob did, God will reveal Himself to us and
that encounter with Him will produce genuine repentance in our hearts and will result
in a change of mind and heart.

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 Teaching #2:
WHAT JESUS DID ON THE CROSS

Goal
For the believer to experience in three areas that from which Jesus redeemed us
through the cross of Calvary.

Lesson Introduction
The message of the cross:
• Humility: Jesus, who is God, became man and died for us.
• Peace: Jesus came to unite people’s hearts – men and women, Jews and
Gentiles, slaves and free people – and made them one.

I. REDEMPTION
Greek terms and meanings:
Agorazo – to buy in the marketplace (as in slaves)
Exagorazo - to buy and remove from the marketplace (no longer available for
sale)
Lutroo – to loose (to free through the paying of a price)

These are the three things that Jesus did on the cross of Calvary. He gave His
life – paying the highest price by shedding His blood. He bought us out of slavery
of sin and released us into total freedom.

II. AREAS OF REDEMPTION

• Spiritual Area – Redemption is the only door that leads man to an intimate
relationship with the author of life.
• Physical Area – Jesus delivers us from sickness, which is a consequence of
sin. (1 Peter 2:24)
• Financial Area – Jesus delivers us from poverty, misery and financial curses.
(2 Cor. 8:9)

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III. THE POWER OF THE CROSS
• Jesus became Son of man that I may become a Son of God (John 1:12).
• Jesus became sin that I may become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21).
• Jesus took on the curse so that I may enjoy His blessings (Gal. 3:13).
• Jesus took on sickness so that I may be healed (Isa. 53:4-5)
• Jesus became poor so that I may become rich (2 Cor. 8-9).
• Jesus died my death so that I may live His life (Gal. 2:20, 1 John 5:11-13).
• Jesus laid down His life so that I maybe victorious (Rom. 8:37).
• Jesus came to earth via natural birth so that we may enter the kingdom of
God through a spiritual birth.
• Jesus came to live in our home, the earth, so that we could live in His home
heaven.
• Jesus clothed Himself as man so we can be clothed with the Spirit of God.

Conclusion
We must apply the victory that we have through the cross of Calvary in all three areas:
spiritual, physical and financial.

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 Teaching #3:
ANOINTED TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED

Goals
• To bring healing to the soul and emotions of the believer
• To confront the believer with the causes of problems in relationships so that
they can live in peace and acceptance.

I. GOD’S PLAN FOR THE HEALING AND WHOLENESS

God’s original plan was one of blessings, love and wholeness throughout our
lives. We were imparted by our parents the basic functions and needs of the
human spirit.

• Unconditional love
• Acceptance – by the family, specifically the parents
• Honor and value
• Relationship - with God and family discipline
• Purity
• Forgiveness
• Faith in God
• Worship of God

II. IN MANY LIVES, WE HAVE HEARD OF VARIOUS FORMS OF ABUSE AND

HURT IMPARTED

• Physical abuse – any touch to one outside of the love of God (Prov. 17:22).
• Sexual abuse – inappropriate sexual touch, looks and speech.
• Verbal abuse – a word spoken apart from the love of God.
• Emotional Abuse – put downs, mind games, manipulation.
• Threat abuse – threatening to do harm.
• Spiritual abuse – false portrayal of the Lord Jesus’ love.
• Responsibility abuse – forcing one to be responsible.
• Rejection abuse – to continually reject another.
• Isolation abuse – to isolate away from those we intend to hurt.

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 • Economic abuse – overt control in the economic realm.
• Intimidation also abuse – putting one into fear with looks and actions.
• Stalking abuse – spying, following and haunting.
• Property abuse – an intentional damaging of another’s property.
• Using of children - children used as instruments of manipulation.

III. THE EFFECT OF THE ABUSE SOMETIMES LEFT DEEP SCARS WITHIN
ONE’S SPIRIT
• Sheber – A breaking or fracture in one’s spirit as in the breaking of a bone (Lev.
21:19).
• Shabar – To burst, break, crush, destroy and hurt, to break in pieces (Isa. 61:1;
Ps. 69:20; 34:18).
• Naka - the hitting or smiting an object with one, non-fatal strike ( Prov. 17:22;
18:14).
• Atstsebeth – A pain, wound or sorrow taken from the word to carve and cut the
heart (Psalm 147:3).
• Hala – usually means a fatal wounding of a persons (Psalms 109:22; Prov.
7:26)
• Chaburah – a black and blue mark, or the blueness of the bruise, hurt, stripe
and wound, especially from one’s own sin (Psalm 38:5).
• Makkah – a blow and beating. Translated in the LXX by the Greek term pledge,
from which the English term “plague” is derived (Isa. 1:5-6).
• Qaser – to be vexed and grieved in spirit. To be discouraged (Num. 21:4;
Judges 10:16; Num. 16:16-17; Exodus 6:9).

IV. THE EMOTIONAL DYSFUNCTIONS RESULTING FROM ABUSE

• REJECTION – in the formative years (0-12 years old; Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21)
1. Rejection – fear of rejection; self-rejection; seld-hatred.
2. Insecurity – inferiority; inferiority complex; self-awareness; shyness
3. Isolation – escapism; withdrawal; anti-social.
4. Epathy – passivity; laziness; slothfulness; sloppiness; slowness.
5. Self-accusation – guilt; condemnation; self-condemnation.
6. Self-pity – unfairness; pouting; complaining; murmuring; jealousy.

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 7. False Compassion – false responsibility; false burden; permissiveness.
8. False Front – falsehood; false personality; dual personality.
9. Dishonesty – deception; deceit; compulsive lying; exaggeration.
10. Conditional Love – inability to freely give and receive love.

• PERSENTMENT – in the transitional years (12 years old; Eph. 6:4; Col.
3:21)
1. Resentment – bitterness
2. Impatience – irritability
3. Strife – contention
4. Anger – hidden anger and deep-seated anger
5. Hate – hatred of God and family
6. Cursing – blasphemy, obscenities, vulgarity
7. Retaliation – revenge

• REBELLION – in the adult years as the choices and behavioral patterns

become deeply seated within one’s personality and character.
1. Rebellion – disobedience to parents, authority.
2. Self-will – stubbornness. Selfishness
3. Deception – self-delusion
4. Pride – pride of life, pride in self.
5. Unteachableness – continual rebuttal and justification.
6. Faultfinding – accusation of others, slander, gossip.
7. Suspicion – distrust, fear of confrontation and correction.
8. Control – possessiveness, manipulation.

V. LIVING WOUNDED LIVES

There are many short and long-term repercussions from the damage inflicted.
Upon many lives.
• Arrested development – trauma locks their emotional development into a
specific age and they grow up emotionally immature in various areas.

• Inner vows and core images – are believed, spoken and received in a
child who will predetermine their responses in the future ( Prov. 15:4).

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 • Fantasy worlds – are sometimes entered as a way of escape from the pain
a child lives in.

• Building emotional walls – Many times the wall is anger and escapism to
protect oneself from being hurt again.

• Performance orientation – is seen many times as a style of relating to the

environment in order to gain self-acceptance.

• Bitter-root judgements – bitterness takes root in one’s spirit because of

ungodly judgement and reaps a harvest from judgements in life (Heb.
12:15).

VI. DEMONIC SPIRITS AND WOUNDED LIVES – Ps. 44:15-16

Sometimes wounding can leave an open door to:
• Spirits behind behavioral patterns – rejection, guilt, anger and hatred.
• Spirits working through trauma – molestation, fear, abandonment.
• Spirits working with occult spirits – spirit guides tied to rejection.
• Spirits working through soul ties – codependency, mind control.
• Spirits working through curses – reference Deut. 28:15ff.

VII. MINISTERING HEALING TO THE BROKEN-HEARTED

• The Great Physician’s diagnosis of the wounds – Jesus knows all the pain,
wounds and rejections.

• The Road to Calvary – the blood of Jesus not only washed away the stain but
also the pain (1 Cor. 1:18; Gal. 6:14; Col. 1:21-22).

• Destroying the lies of the past – we decide to put on the new man created in
the image of Christ (Rom. 8:5-6; Col. 3:5, 10; I Peter 4:1).

• Forgiving and releasing – when we receive forgiveness from Father God, we

are able to forgive and bless those who have harmed us (Matt. 6:14-15; Eph.
4:32; Eccl. 5:20).

• Closing doors to generational bondage and curses – generational

blessings (Deut. 30:2-6) replace curses (Exo. 20:4)

• Delivered the wounded – delivering people from demonic spirits through the
power of Jesus Christ.

• Prophetic counselling – where we see the Lord replacing the lies and pain of
the past with His thoughts and will regarding hurting situations thus bringing
healing out of the pain.

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 • Receiving the love of our Father – Rom. 8:15 says “We cry Abba Father.”
The love of our Heavenly Father is the motivation, the reason, and the action
whereby His grace is imparted and all the functions of trust and love are again
administered by His Spirit.

Conclusion
Every soul needs to receive the healing that only Jesus can bring because He is
“anointed to heal the broken-hearted”.

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 Teaching #4:
IMMERSED IN HIS SPIRIT
Goal
For the person to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit or a fresh infilling with evidence
of speaking in tongues.

Lesson Introduction
We can be immersed in the Spirit of God through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
• It is a unique experience.
• It is the Spirit who:
o Unites us to the Body of Christ
o Gives us the mind of Christ and
o Produce the total transformation in our lives.
• His presence flows in us and through us as He
o Leads us to be successful
o Uses us to help others.

The Holy Spirit is

• released in us through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
• received by faith (like salvation).
• released in us to empower us
Jesus and apostle Paul experienced Spirit-driven ministries which impacted the world.

I. THE DAMASCUS ENCOUNTER

Paul experiences the delivering power of the Holy Spirit – Acts 9:1-7
1. Confronted by the God
2. Removed scales and recovered sight
3. Baptized in the Holy Spirit
4. Regained strength
5. Joined other disciples

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II. PAUL OBEYED THE HOLY SPIRIT – Acts 13:2
• Paul obeyed immediately without any resistance or argument.
o When Barnabas and he had to be separated
o When he was told to go to Macedonia (Asia Minor).

• Results of Paul’s obedience to the Holy Spirit:

o Vv. 16:15 Lydia and her household
o Vv.16:33 Philippian jailer “and all his.”

III. PAUL MOVED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT – Acts 19:11-12

Paul
• moved in signs and wonders.
• brought the presence of the Holy Spirit to the people – Acts 19:6-7.

The people received the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

IV. PAUL CAUSED REVIVAL BY THE HOLY SPIRIT – Acts 19:10

Paul’s ministry went on for 2 years. ALL of Asia heard to Word Of the Lord!
Learn what Paul learned and experience the Holy Spirit!
- how to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit
- how to move in His word
- how to recognize His leading

• The Holy Spirit will give you the power to change lives.
• You will be prompted by the Holy Spirit to invite the people who are in
desperate need of God.

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Your cell will not grow on your own talents or gifts but will only grow through the
anointing of the Holy Spirit.

HOLY SPIRIT VISION GROWTH

- Needed to remove - Cannot receive or - Attained through the
scales and receive move towards vision power and move of the
the fullness, anointing without the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

a. He is called the Helper. (Gr. “Parakletos,” which means somebody who is called
beside us to help, John 14:17)
b. He is a person. (John 14:26, 16:13-14; Isaiah 63:10, Eph. 4:30)
c. He is the one who anoints. (John 14:17; 1 John 2:20)
d. He leads us into all truths. (John 16:13)
e. He reveals the secrets of God. (1 Cor. 2:11)
f. He is the guarantee that we are Sons of God. (Eph. 1:13-14)

WE NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT.

a. The baptism is promised to every believer. (Acts. 2:38)
b. It is a gift received by faith.
c. It is administered by Jesus. (Luke 3:16; Acts 19:6)
d. It is the will of God that you receive it. (Eph. 5:18; 1 John 5:14-15)

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 Teaching #1:
HOW TO OVERCOME THE WORLD

Many people after returning from an Encounter retreat, desire to radically follow the
Lord in every area of their life. They want nothing from the world. Nevertheless,
because they do not know how to handle various situations, they allow themselves to
be conquered by circumstances. Therefore, it is a must that we learn how to
overcome the world.

I. WHAT IS THE WORLD?

A. World – The world represents everything that displeases God, opposes His
teaching, and is under Satan’s dominion. (1 John 5:19)
B. Desires of the flesh – These are desires that are in us by nature and impel
us to do wrong thing. (Galatians 5:17-21)
C. Visual Desire – The ‘desires of the eyes’ can be described as perversions,
bad intentions, and selfish delights that include not only the sight but also the
mind and imagination. (2 Peter 2:14; Matthew 5:27-29)
D. Vanity of life – This refers to the belief that the reason for life is found in the
worldly appearance and worth of things, and not in how God actually values
them.

II. HOW THE WORLD AFFECTS ME

• The media (radio, press, and television) along with society push us towards
this type of lifestyle.
• The world affects me when I give into its ways.
• It affects me when these activities stop being fun and become addictive,
when I end up caught in circumstances that I want to be free from, but cannot.

Jesus does not want to remove us from the world. He wants us to shine and be
a light whenever we are. (John 17:15)

III. HOW TO FACE THE WORLD NOW THAT I AM CHRISTIAN

A. Do not participate in what the world has to offer (Eph. 5:11)
B. Be radical in your stand as a Christian (Job 22:28)
C. Avoid spending too much time with unbelievers
D. Look for friends that share the same purpose and goals
E. Strengthen your relationship with God (John 14:30)

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 Teaching #2:
HOW TO TALK WITH GOD

Prayer is the opportunity God has given to us to talk to Him – the greatest of all
beings, the all-powerful one, for whom nothing is impossible. A consistent prayer life
gives us the power to overcome all things.

• Prayer is a dynamite. Tremendous things can come into the lives of those who
pray daily.

• Jesus made prayer habitual. He would find a place where He could be alone with
the Father (Mark 1:35).

I. THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER

As believers in Christ, we should follow in the footsteps of our Teacher. To pray
effectively:

• Find the most convenient time for you, regardless of whether it is during the
day or at night.

• Pray by yourself, so that you can have intimacy with God, freely pouring out
your heart without any inhibition. (Matthew 6:6)

• Have a certain time and place for a ‘daily appointment’ with God to develop
your prayer habit. (Matthew 11:28)

II. HOW TO BE EFFECTIVE IN PRAYER

a. Start your prayer time realizing you are in the presence of God. (Hebrews 11:6)
b. Confess to God whatever sins you have committed with your words, thoughts,
or actions, so that your prayers will not be hindered. (Psalm 66:18)
c. Spend time presenting your specific needs. (Matthew 6:11; John 16:24)
d. Determine to give God the best of your time, not just what is left over. (Matthew
26:41)
e. Before going to sleep, examine your life and ask the Lord what things (thoughts,
attitudes, words, or actions) have displeased Him. Then, confess and abandon
those things. (Proverbs 28:13)
f. Ask the Holy Spirit for strength to continue and the ability to live according to
His will.
g. End by thanking him for victory.

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 Teaching #3:
SOCIAL LIFE

We are social beings by nature. We need others in order to be fulfilled. Genesis 2:18
says, “It is not good that man should be alone.”

I. OUR FIRST CHALLENGE

The people that surround us – After receiving Christ the first issue that we face
is dealing with our family, lifelong friends, fellow students or workers and
acquaintances.

II. HOW TO BEHAVE IN FRONT OF NON-BELIEVERS

A. Act calmly and with conviction. (Rom. 10:11; 1 Peter 3:15)
B. Worry about pleasing God and not man. (Matthew 10:33)
C. Understand your new position in Christ. (Matthew 5:14; 1 Corinthians 2:14;
John 3:20; Proverbs 1:10, 15
D. Form a new group of friends. (Proverbs 18:24; Proverbs 13:20)

III. TAKE THE CHALLENGE TO WIN YOUR FIENDS

A. Show the positive things that God has done in you (Rom. 2:21; 23-24)
B. Share with wisdom.
1. Avoid assuming a condemning attitude, showing off as being super-
spiritual, and looking at others as vile sinners.
2. Don’t use terms around them such as, “Hallelujah” and “Praise God”.
3. Do not mention about learning to speak in tongues or about deliverance to
non-Christians.
4. Do not force your beliefs and doctrines on anyone.
5. Avoid pointless discussions and meaningless arguments that instead of
drawing people close to God, actually drive them farther away.
C. Include your friends in your prayers (James 5:16).

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 Teaching #4:
THE CHURCH: GOD’S REFUGE

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become part of the family of God.
It is His desire to offer us a refuge where He provides protection, care and strength to
live righteously with correction, direction, and discipline.

I. WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

When believers meet together, we call that “church”.
• The church is composed of all those in the entire world that have made the
step of believing in Christ.
• The term “church” literally means “assembly of the called”.
• The called are the believers and the church is not a building.

Here are the reasons we need the church:

A. It allows us to have fellowship with other believers. (1 Corinthians 12:27;
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
B. It provides counseling from mature Christians. (Proverbs 12:5)
C. It gives us the opportunity to serve. (1 Peter 4:10; 1 Corinthians 12:28-30)
D. It provides spiritual food. (Ephesians 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16)

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Intensive Training for Emerging Leaders

PHASE 2

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 PHASE 2
Following God (Feet)
Rationale
Jesus’ invitation “come and follow me” is an idiom of discipleship. We, as followers of
Christ, should be a living testimony of God’s love and compassion.

Course Objective
This phase aims to expose the trainees to actual community service which allows them
to follow the footsteps of God toward everyone who yearns for His care.

Course Duration: 1 meeting (2 hours)

Course Activities
These are some suggested activities for this phase.
o Soul winning
o Tracts giving
o Reflection paper writing
o Others

NOTE: Recognition Day follows after Phase 2

This 2-hour ceremony aims to recognize the efforts of trainees’ who finished the Phase
1 and 2 of the ITEL.

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Intensive Training for Emerging Leaders

PHASE 3

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 PHASE 3
Loving God (Mind)

Rationale
Jesus God involves knowing and understanding His Divine character, attributes,
works, mystery and saving Grace. With an open mind, we nourish our undivided love
and devotion to Him.

Course Objective
This phase aims to provide the trainees with substantial knowledge on the most
essential doctrines of the Christian faith, thus endowing them with a Bible-based and
theologically sound orientation.

Course Duration: 10 meetings (2 hours per meeting)

Course Contents:
1. Basic Bible Seminars
2. Doctrine of Scriptures
3. Doctrine of God
4. Doctrine of the Triune God
5. Doctrine of Christ
6. Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
7. Doctrine of Speaking in Tongues
8. Doctrine of Last Things
9. Marks of a Cult
10. Stewardship

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 Seminar #1:
SALVATION

FUNDAMENTALS OF SALVATION
A. THE NEED FOR SALVATION
1. Because the Bible says everyone is a sinner (Romans 3:10, 23).
2. Because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
3. Because it takes only one lie to make a liar (James 2:10).
4. Because any sin torments (Isaiah 48:22).
5. Because any sin separates you from your God (Isaiah 59:2).
6. Because we will surely perish (Luke 13:3).
7. Because any sin enslaves us (John 8:34).

B. THE PROVISION OF SALVATION

1. God gave His one and only Son for the forgiveness of our sins (John
3:16).
2. Jesus died for the sinners (Romans 5:8).
3. Jesus is our salvation (Acts 4:12).
4. Jesus is faithful to forgive us and to purify us (1 John 1:9).
5. Jesus is the only way (John 14:6).
6. Jesus gave us eternal gift (Ephesians 2:8-9).
7. Jesus came that we might have life – life in its abundance (John
10:10b).
8. Jesus gave us power to become the children of God (John 1:12)

C. THE REWARDS OF SALVATION

1. Fellowship is restored (Romans 8:15; see also Eph. 2:19-22).
2. You are now free (John 8:36).
3. A new life begins (2 Corinthians 5:17-20 TLB).
4. We receive peace (John 14:27).
a. Peace of God (Philippians 4:7; Romans 14:17).

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 b. Peace with God (Romans 5:1; Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21;
Ephesians 2:14).
5. We receive freedom from the claw of Satan (Colossians 2:15).
6. We receive freedom from Past Sins (Colossians 2:13).
7. We receive freedom from Present Sins (Romans 6:14).
8. We receive freedom from Sickness (Matthew 8:17).
9. We receive freedom from the Curse (Galatians 3:13).
10. We receive freedom from Judgment (Hebrews 9:26-27).
11. We receive freedom from Everlasting Death (John 3:16).

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 Seminar #2:
5 STEPS TO CHRISTIAN GROWTH

Just as a child needs to grow in order to meet the inevitable problems that come his
way, a Christian, too must grow. It is God’s will that every believer grows strong that
he may be steadfast against trails and temptations, in so doing, remain in his salvation.

STEPS TO CHRISTIAN GROWTH

I. PRAYER
• Prayer is an honest conversation with God in which you worship Him and
sincerely seek His direction for your life with an open heart as His love
relationship with you is created and maintained.
• Prayer is a worship addressed to the Father (Acts 12:5), in the name of Jesus
(John 14:13), through the power of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:18).

Parts of prayer:
A – doration: praise and worship of soul to God (Psalm 95:6).
C – onfession: repentance of every known sin (Psalm 32:5).
T – hanksgiving: in everything give thanks (Philippians 4:6).
S – upplication: intercession, request, petition (1 Timothy 2:1).

II. BIBLE READING

• Man must crave pure spiritual milk. (1 Peter 2:2)
• Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the
mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)
• Man is a tripartite being: spirit, soul and body. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
• Man needs the Bible to be thoroughly equipped. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

III. WITNESSING
Witnessing is testifying and sharing the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Go
stand and speak… (Acts 5:20) for it is the power of God unto salvation…
(Romans 1:16) God has chosen you to be His witness… (Acts 22:14-15)

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IV. FELLOWSHIP
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let
us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
(Hebrews 10:24-25)

V. OBIDIENCE
• Let us be doers of the Word and not hearers only. (James 1:22)
• Doers will be blessed. (James 1:25)
• If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask anything and it will be
done unto you. (John 15:7)

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 Seminar #3:
WORD OF GOD
The Word of God is God’s revelation to man. For every problem today, the Bible
holds the solution. This is the guidebook to everlasting life.

I. THE BIBLE
A. The Scriptures (Mark 12:10; John 2:22; Luke 24:27; John 5:39; 2 Tim. 3:15-
17).
B. The Word of God (Mark 7:13; Rom. 10:17; Matt. 4:4; Heb. 4:12; Col. 3:1).

II. THE COMPOSITION OF THE BIBLE

Old Testament : 39 Books (Genesis – Malachi)
New Testament : 27 Books (Matthew – Revelation)
Total : 66 Books

III. THE INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES

A. The Bible is the inspired revelation of God.
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17
• 2 Peter 1:21
• John 14:26
• Galatians 1:11-12
• 2 Peter 3:15-16

B. There are proofs that the Bible is the inspired revelation of God:
1. Its wonderful unity.
2. Its versatility. (Matthew 4:4)
3. Its superiority to other books.
4. Its influence on individuals and nations.
5. Its preservation from century to century until now
6. Its fulfiller prophecies. (Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; 2 Tim. 4:1-3)
7. Its perfection (Psalm 19:7; Jas. 4:1-3).

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IV. THE PURPOSE AND MESSAGE OF THE SCRIPTURES
A. To reveal God to man.
• Genesis 1:1
• Job 11:7; 37:23-24
• Ecclesiastes 3:11; 8:17
• Isaiah 40:28
• Romans 11:33-34
• 1 Corinthians 2:16

B. To show man his need of God.

• Man’s ignorance of his need (John 1:10; 4:10; 9:41)
• The way to God is revealed (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 16:30)

V. POINTS TO REMEMBER IN READING THE BIBLE

A. Read it lovingly. The Bible is the Word of my Savior to me.
B. Read it reverently. The Bible is the Word of my Almighty God.
C. Read it prayerfully. The Bible is God’s message to me.
D. Read it meditatively. Be like Joshua and mediate on the Word of God.
(Joshua 1:8)
E. Read it systematically. Read right through the Bible, not just selected
portions.
F. Read it resolutely. Obey that which the Father teaches from His book.
G. Read it daily. Not just on Sundays but every day of your life.

VI. Here are a few guidelines on how to study the Word:

A. Set a regular time for study.
B. Pray before studying the Bible.

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 Seminar #4:
PRAYER

Prayer is the daily experience of God.

• the key to
o maintaining and maturing the love relationship,
o revealing the meaning of Scripture,
o extending God's invitations,
o directing your life into major adjustments and obedience.

• the offering of all our desires to God with a humble confidence that we shall obtain
mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord.
• the soul's desire to God. (Psalm 42:1-2; 63:1-3;84:2,143:6-9)
• a cry, a supplication (Exodus 22:23; Psalm 34:17;86:3, 88:1-2,13; Isaiah 19:20)
• an instinct that must have an utterance. (Isaiah 44:17; 45:20, Luke 18:7,13)
• an appeal from the child to the Father. (Hosea 14:3; Matthew 6:6; Luke 11-12)
• It is described as:
o a beseeching to the Lord. (Exodus 32:11)
o a calling on the Lord (Acts 7:59; Romans 10:12-14)
o a lifting up of the heart to the Lord (Lam. 3:41; Psalm 25:1)
o a pouring out of the heart to the Lord (Psalm 62:8; 1 Sam. 1:15)
o a seeking of the face of the Lord (Psalm 27:8)

I. HOW TO PRAY
A. Pray to the Father (Luke 11:2) in the name of Jesus Christ (John 14: 13-14)
through the power of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:18)
B. Pray continually (Romans 12:12; 1Thessalonians 5:17
… with a forgiving spirit (Mark 11:25)
… with perseverance (Luke 11:8; 18:1-7)

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 Suggested Procedures on How to Pray:
1. Set a regular time for quality prayer
2. Look for that secret place.
3. Don't set a specific time limit.
4. Begin with thanksgiving and praise
5. Repent
6. Let your heart commune with God's heart
7. Petition God's help
a. World
b. Nation
c. Israel
d. Body of Christ
e. The JIL Church
f. Community
g. Other needs. We are the Levites of today who will intercede on behalf of
others for:
• healings
• those in prison
• the oppressed
• deliverance from binding spirits
• blessings in finances

h. Family
i. Self
8. Receive God's revelation. Listen.
9. End in a statement of faith. Claim God's promise of help.

C. Pattern for Prayer

A doration: praise and worship of the soul to God (Psalm 95:6)
C onfession: repentance from every sin (Psalm 32:5)
T hanksgiving (Philippians 4:6)
S upplication: intercession, request, petition and desires (1Timothy 2:1)

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 II. WHERE TO PRAY: The believer...
A. may pray everywhere (1Timothy 2:8)
B. must pray in the closet (Matthew 6:6)
C. must pray in the temple/church (Luke 18:10; Psalm 26:12)

III. WHEN TO PRAY

A. in the morning (Psalm 55:17, 5:3)

B. at noon and at evening (Ps. 55:17)
C. day and night (Ps. 88:1)
D. always (Luke 18:1; 1Thessalonians 5:17)
E. daily (Ps. 86:3)

IV. POSTURES IN PRAYER

A. with bowed head (Genesis 24:26, 48)

B. while falling on the face (Numbers 16:22)
C. while kneeling (1Kings 8:54; Ezra 9:5)
D. while standing (Luke 18:13)
E. while sitting
F. with the lifting up of hands (Nehemiah 8:6)
G. while looking up
H. with the spreading out of hands (Exodus 9:29)
I. with weeping (1Samuel 1:10)
J. with talking (Genesis 18:23-33)
K. with agonizing (Luke 22:44)
L. with groaning (Romans 8:26-27)

V. HINDRANCES TO PRAYER

A. Unbelief (James 1:6-7)

B. Iniquity, sin (Psalm 66:18;, Isaiah 59:1-2)
C. An unforgiving spirit (Mark 11:25)
D. Wrong motives (James 4:3)
E. Neglect of mercy (Proverbs 21:13)

Prayer is the backbone of the Church. It is the power source of every Christian. It
energizes; it transforms.

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 Seminar #5:
QUIET TIME

Quiet time is the quality time that a believer gives that he may know his God more.
more.
• the time to pour out to God the condition of the heart.
• Conditions us to be sensitive to the presence of God.

I. THE PURPOSE OF QUIET TIME

A. Fellowship with God. The Father desires our daily worship (Lamentations
2:18,19)
B. Strength for the day. The Christian life is a battle against sin, the world and
the devil. (Ephesians 6:12)
C. Opportunity for a systematic Bible study and prayer

II. HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE QUIET TIME

A. Remember that it is an appointment with the Lord.
B. Set a convenient time and be consistent with it.
C. Prepare both body and spirit in spending time with the awesome Creator.
D. In reading the Scriptures, turn away from the sources of distraction.
E. Listen to God as He speaks. Don't do all the talking. (Psalm 46:10; Job 2:13)
F. Seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and be willing to obey what He has
confirmed in His Word. (John 2:5)
G. Come before Him with a clean heart. (Ps. 51:17)

III. MATERIALS FOR QUIET TIME

A. Read the Bible carefully. Choose a translation with which you are fully
acquainted.
B. You may have notebook and pen for recording. After reading the Bible, you
may record the answer to these questions:
a. What new lesson has God taught me?
b. What promise must I claim?
c. What command must I obey?
d. What example must I follow?

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 e. What error must I avoid?
f. What sin must I forsake?
g. What new knowledge about God Himself has He revealed?

C. You may also make a list of prayer requests and check all the answered
prayers.

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 Seminar #6:
FASTING

Fasting is the absolute surrender of yourself to God by means of abstaining from

food, at times, even from drink.
• a God-designed activity wherein we bring the soulish-sensual part of our beings
under the control of the Holy Spirit.
• one way of saying, "I am a spirit being before I am a physical being.”

I. SHOULD ALL BELIEVERS FAST?

Yes. Fasting is not an option. Like prayer, it is part of being a Christian. (Matthew
6:6-7, 16, 17)
II. WHY MUST A BELIEVER FAST?
A. Every believer MUST fast. We should fast…
1. that we may humble ourselves. (Psalm 35:13; 1Peter 5:6)
2. that we may come closer to God. (James 4:8)
3. that we may understand God's Word
4. that we may find God's will and find direction for our lives. (Ezra 8:21)
5. that we may seek physical and spiritual healing. (Isaiah 58:6-8 Mark 9:29)
6. that we may intercede on others' behalf
7. that we may ask God's supernatural intervention on a particular crisis or
when a tremendous problem has risen that cannot be handled by ordinary
means. (2Chronicles 20)
B. Ten specific promises of fasting (Isaiah 58:5-9, 11-12)
1. Light
2. Health
3. Righteousness
4. Glory
5. Answered Prayer
6. Continual Guidance
7. Satisfaction
8. Refreshing
9. Work that endures
10. Restoration

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III. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT WAYS TO FAST?
A. Normal Fast. Abstaining from food but not from water.
B. Partial Fast. Abstaining from food for a short period of time. Example: one
meal.
C. Absolute Fast. Abstaining from food and drink. It is an exceptional measure
for an exceptional situation. It is something reserved for God to a
supernatural visitation in spiritual emergencies.
D. Supernatural Fast. Examples are:
o Deuteronomy 9-Moses
o Exodus 34-Moses
o Matthew 4-Jesus

IV. HOW SHOULD A BELIEVER PREPARE FOR A FAST?

A. Suggested Guidelines on Fasting:
1. Set a regular time to fast. Fasting will cause us to forget personal gain.
2. Look for the best place to stay and fast.
3. Do not work or do anything that would distract your communion with God.
4. Be aware of the different kinds of fasting.
5. Read and meditate God's Word.
6. Soul-search before coming to God in prayer.
7. Confess your sins before God. Ask for God's forgiveness.
8. Commune with God through praise and worship.
9. Fellowship with God. Let His manifested, communing presence fill your
heart.
10. Talk to God earnestly in prayer.
11. Let God take you deeper into His love and care.
12. Intercede for others.
13. Present your personal requests before God.
14. Sing songs of thanksgiving.
15. Surrender your life and will before God.

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 B. Reminders for Fasting
1. We need to have the right attitude towards our body. (1Corinthians 6:19-
20)
2. Fasting is a very practical way to make and keep our body healthy.
3. We are not fasting just because there is a need, or because deep troubles
come our way. We fast to know God more, to have fellowship with God, to
have intimacy with God.
4. We also fast when the need arises and we need God’s supernatural
intervention for a specific prayer requests such as: national, political,
economic and Church issues, etc.

V. HOW LONG SHOULD A BELIEVER FAST?

A. Do not begin with a very long fast: 1 week, 2 weeks or 40 days.
1. Begin by omitting the last meal of the day.
2. Skip the last 2 meals.
3. Then 3 meals.
B. Begin on a small scale and gradually increase the length of your fast. As you
fast in the name of God, make sure that your motives a right.

VI. WHAT HAPPENS AS A BELIEVER FASTS

A. Extra time for Bible Reading and prayer is taken.
B. Guards are set against spiritual attack.

VII. HOW CAN A BELIEVER BREAK HIS FAST?

A. After fasting, always begin with a light meal, even if you fasted for only a short
meal.
B. The longer you fast, the more gradually you must break it. If you fasted a long
time (over three weeks), your stomach will be like a baby's. It actually takes a
week to get back to normal food.

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 Seminar #7:
FAITH

Faith is absolute confidence in the Person of God and in what He says He will do.
• What brings us into the love relationship with God called salvation.
• The confidence that what God has promised or said will come to pass.
• Based on God’s power, not on human potential.

I. WHAT IS FAITH? (Hebrews 11:1)

Within the Scriptures, there are two distinct features of faith. (Romans 10:17)
• Faith always directly originates from God’s Word.
• Faith is directly related to God’s Word.
A. Scriptural pattern of faith (Rom. 4:17-21)
Abraham’s Three Successful Steps of Faith:
1. He accepted God’s promise as true. (v. 17)
2. He refused to accept the testimony of his senses. (vv. 18-19)
3. He held fast to what God had promised (vv. 20-21)
B. Distinction between faith and hope
Hope is directed towards the future and is primarily in the realm of the mind.
• An attitude of expectancy concerning things that are still in the future.
• A mental attitude of aspiration concerning the future.
Faith, on the other hand, is primarily in the realm of the heart.
• a condition of the heart that produces, here and now, something so real
within us, that it can be described by the word of substance.
1 Thessalonians 5:8 further differentiates hope and faith.
• Hope is associated to a helmet, within the region of the head, that is,
within the region of the mind
• Faith is found in the region of the breast, that is, in the region of the heart.
• This difference is further reinforced in Romans 10:10, where the exercise
of faith, or believing, is directly associated with the heart.

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C. Contrast between faith and sight [and other senses] (1 Corinthians 5:7)
Sight and all other physical senses are related to the object of the physical and
material world. All knowledge that comes to natural man comes to him through
the five senses.
Faith deals with the thing not seen.
• Is not based on the evidence of our physical senses but on the eternal,
invisible truths and realities revealed in God’s Word.
Faith, as opposed to sight is illustrated in the Scriptures.
• In Psalm 37:39-40, David believed first and then he saw.
• In John 11:39-40, Jesus made it plain that faith consists of believing then
seeing, not seeing first, then believing.
D. Conflict between the evidence of our senses and the revelation of God’s
Word.
We may accept the testimony of our senses, thus, accepting the condition of
our physical sickness.
or
We may hold firmly to the testimony of God’s Word that we are healed.

E. Connection of faith in the heart to confession with the mouth. (Romans

10:10; Matthew 12:34)
When our heart is full of faith in Christ, this faith will find its proper expression
as we confess Christ openly with our mouth.
• Faith that is held back in silence without any confession is an incomplete
faith that does not bring the resulting blessings we desire (2 Corinthians
4:13).
• Confession (Gr. Word homologin, meaning. “saying the same as.”) is
saying with our mouths [agreeing with] what God Himself has already said
in His Word.
• The expression of the heart is faith for we naturally speak with our mouths,
as we believe in our hearts.

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 II. WHAT IS THE BASIS OF FAITH?
The basis of having faith in God is in three important realities:
A. The Nature of God (Hebrews 6:13)
a. He cannot change. (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17)
b. He cannot fail. (Job 42:2; 1Chronicles 28:20)
c. He cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2)
B. The Redemptive Work of the Son of God (Hebrews 12:2; 1Corinthians
1:30; Romans 5:1,2)
Christ has become the source of our faith in God. The fact of His death and
resurrection provides ground for our belief.

C. The Word of God (Matthew 24:35; Isaiah 40:8; Jeremiah 1:12)

His Word stands true forever. Faith comes when God brings a specific
word-out of all He has ever said-directly to us in our circumstances.

Source: The Shepherd's Staff By Dr. Ralph Mahoney

III. HOW DOES FAITH WORK?

It works in the following ways:
A. God gives us faith. (Romans 1:17; Habakkuk 2:4)
B. Faith comes by a Word from God. (Romans 10:17; Genesis 15:3-5, 17:15-
21; Joshua 1:8)
C. There must be obedience (James 2:17; Genesis 15:6; Matthew 7:24-27)
D. Crisis is the 'trial of our faith' (1Peter 1:6,7; Romans 4:16-21; Psalm
105*17-19)
E. Faith has results. (James 1:2-4, 12; Genesis 21:1-3; Psalm 105:19-22; Acts
3:16; Hebrews 6:13-15)

Source: The Shepherd's Staff By Dr. Ralph Mahoney

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 Seminar #8:
SOUL WINNING

Soul winning is a definite effort to lead a person to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior, which, in turn, brings about a complete transformation in that person's life
(Proverbs 11:30, Psalm 126:5-6).

I. THE IMPORTANCE OF SOUL WINNING

A. The lost cannot call on the Lord to be saved unless they believe (1
Corinthians 15:1-4).
B. The lost cannot believe in Him until they hear the Good News of salvation.
1. the eunuch had to hear to believe (Acts 8:26-39)
2. Paul had to hear to believe (Acts 9:1-18)
3. the Philippian jailer had to hear to believe (Acts 16:1-40)
C. They cannot hear the Good News without a soul winner or a witness.
1. many were saved because the disciples witnessed (Acts 2,3)
2. the eunuch was saved because Phillip witnessed.
3. Paul was saved because Stephen (Acts 7:54-60), and Ananias
witnessed (Acts 9:1-18).
4. Cornelius and his household were saved because Peter witnessed (Act
10).
5. the Philippian jailer and his household were saved because Paul Silas
witnessed (Acts 16:25).

II. QUALIFICATIONS OF A SOUL WINNER

A. A true soul winner has fist experienced conversion. (Isaiah 52:11; 2Timothy
2:6-7)
B. He has a strong, unshakable conviction. (John 9:4; Luke 5:11; Acts 26:22-
23; 1Corinthians 9:16)
C. He has received the commission [responsibility]. (Mark 16:15; John 15:16;
John 20:21)

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 D. He has compassion for perishing souls. (Matthew 9:36; Romans 10:1;
Romans 9:1-3)
E. He is filled with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 5:18)
F. He is separated unto the Gospel of God. (Romans 1:16)
G. He is established in faith. (1Peter 3:15)

III. PROCEDURES IN SOUL WINNING

A. Seek and pray for an opportunity. Deal with your own age.
B. Share the Word of God coupled with your personal testimony.
C. Lead the person to a decision.
A-B-C OF SALVATION
A - Admit that you are a sinner (Romans 3:10,23)
B - Believe that Jesus died for you. (John 3:16)
C - Confess Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. (Revelations 3:20;
John 1:12)
D. Stress the importance of fellowship with other Christians.
E. Urge him/her to attend worship services.

IV. THINGS TO REMEMBER IN SHARING THE WORD OF GOD

A. Never argue. Remember that your goal is to win souls.
B. Maintain humility in character.
C. Practice patience as well as the other fruits of Holy Spirit.
D. Always carry a Bible and a supply of Gospel literature.
E. Don't be afraid of people. (Psalm 27:1-3)
F. Avoid selfishness. be self-centered. (Philippians 2:4)
G. Recognize the Power of the Holy Spirit in winning souls. He is the One who
convicts people and leads them to accept our Lord Jesus Christ
H. After praying, give him Bible verses on the assurance of salvation.

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 Seminar #9:
CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP

Steward comes from the Greek word oikomos: oiko and remo, meaning “to arrange
or manage."
• In the New Testament, a steward is one who manages, administers and takes
care that which belongs to someone else.
• He is appointed by the owner and entrusted to keep the estate running
smoothly.
• Since God is the One who gives every material blessing, we acknowledge His
ownership (1Chronicles 29:14; James 1:17).
• Christian stewardship, then, is the supervision and management of our
Christian lives.

I. THINGS TO MANAGE OR SUPERVISE

The responsibilities entrusted to us are three--fold: those of time, talents and
money.
A. Time (Ephesians 5:15-16)
B. Talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 12:37; 1 Corinthians 7:7, 12:8-11, 28)

There are three things to remember about our talents:

1. God has wisely given each individual a talent [or talents] to use for His glory.
2. What we do with what we have will be the basis of our judgment (Luke
19:11-27).
3. If we do not use our talent for God, we will lose it (Matthew 25:24-30).

C. Money
Twelve out of the thirty-eight parables in the New Testament has to do with
money. In Matthew, Mark and Luke, one out of six verses is about money.

FORMS OF GIVING
Christ gave His life for us because of His great love. In return, we too, should
give everything to the Lord. Though we cannot outgive Him, it is our
responsibility to give Him what is due to Him.

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There are many forms of giving:
a. Tithing
• an Old and New Testament principle [and practice]
• the giving of 10 % of what we have unto the Lord.
• In terms of income , it should be 10 % of our gross income (Malachi
3:10).
a.1. The Practice of Tithing
1. Tithing before the dispensation of the law
o According to ancient authorities such as Origen, Jerome and
Chrysostum, the early church both taught and practiced
tithing.
o Tithe - giving before the time of the law (Genesis 14:18-20;
Hebrews 7:10)
2. Tithing during the dispensation of the law
(Leviticus 27:30-33; Numbers 18:21-24; Deuteronomy 12:5-6)
3. Tithing during the period of the kings and of the prophets (2
Chronicles 31:5-12; Nehemiah 10:37; Malachi 3:8- 12; Malachi
3:8-9; Deuteronomy 28:15; Psalm 37:22; James 4:17)
4. Tithing in Jesus' Teaching
(Matthew 6:2,5,16; Luke 18:9-14; Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42)

a.2. Blessings in Tithing (Malachi 3:10-12)

1. brings meat in God's house (v. 10).
2. prompts the superabundant outpouring of all needed blessings
(v. 10).
3. reverses the curse of the devourer (v. 11)
4. causes all the nations to call you blessed (v. 12).
b. Offering
This is giving something out of the 90 % of what we have deducting our
tithes unto the Lord. (Psalms 96:18)
c. Offering Love Gifts (2 Corinthians 9:7)
This is almost similar to our offering except that it is gives specifically to a
particular person or organization that has been a blessing to you.

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 d. Pledges (2 Corinthians 9:7)
This is a promise unto the Lord wherein a particular a money is given and
intended for a special purpose.

II. HOW TO GIVE

We must give…
A. willingly. (2 Corinthians 8:12-15, 9:17)
B. according to our ability and possession. (Acts 2:42-47; Deuteronomy 16,17)
C. according to the example of Jesus. (2 Corinthians 8:9, 1 John 2.8; 1 Peter
2:21)
D. according to the example of the early believers. (John 12:1-8, Acts 4:32-
37)
E. in proportion to the desired blessing. (Luke 6:38; Matthew 19:29)
F. at every opportunity. (Galatians 9-10)

III. BLESSINGS IN GIVING

We are...
1. blessed according to how we give (2Corinthians 9:6-11; Luke 6.38; Malachi
3:8-12)
2. supplied with all our needs here and now (Philippians 4:18-19)
3. assured of great reward in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21, Luke 16:9-12; 1
Timothy 6:17-19)

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 Seminar #10:
YOUR OWN LOCAL CHURCH

Church comes from the Greek word ecclesia, meaning "called out" from darkness
(1Corinthians 1:2).
• refers to a local group of believers, a body of believers, the called out ones.
• can also mean the church as universal.

I. WHAT IS LOCAL CHURCH ACCORDING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT?

The local church refers to:
A. fellowship or community of believers who recognize and express themselves
as part of the whole Body of Christ.
B. those who understand and believe the five ministries of Ephesians 4:11 as
Christ's gift to the worldwide church to bring the body of Christ to full maturity.
(Ephesians 4:13)
C. those under the leadership of the elders. (Hebrews 13:7)
D. the believers, each of whom has a vital three-fold ministry:
1. to minister to the Lord. (1Peter 2:5)
2. to minister to others in the Body of Christ. (Romans 12:3-9)
3. to share the Gospel, to bring others to the Kingdom of God. (Matthew
28:19-20)
E. the place where believers in fellowship, under the ministry of the Word of God
and the anointing and guidance of the Holy Spirit, are E. brought to maturity
in the image of Christ. (Ephesians 4:13)

II. WHY IS IT NECESSARY FOR EVERY BELIEVER TO BELONG TO A LOCAL

CHURCH?
A. It is God's pattern. (Psalm 68:6; Hebrews 10:25)
B. We need to be under authority. (Hebrews 13:17)
C. We need to have a place where we can mature in the ministry God has called
us through discipline and fellowship.

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III. WHAT MUST A BELIEVER REMEMBER BEFORE JOINING LOCAL
CHURCH?
Every believer must keep in mind:
• Joining a church must keep in mind:
• A church should be founded and is burdened by God's Word (1Peter 2:2;
1Corinthians 12:13-14).
• A church should be a place where the Holy Spirit moves and operates in
freedom.
• And most importantly, souls must be the chief mission and priority of the
church
IV. HOW DOES THE BELIEVER FUNCTION IN THE BODY OF CHRIST?
A. He has an important role in the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:16)
B. He needs to find out what part God has for him in the local church.
C. His role may be different from others. (Romans 12:4)
D. He needs to accept the contribution of others and realize that without them,
he is not complete. (Romans 12:5; Ephesians 4:25)
E. He needs to submit completely to the Lordship of Christ and the authority
Christ has placed over him in the local church. (Hebrews 13:17)
F. He needs to commit himself willingly to all the other members of the local
church.
G. He needs to realize the importance of the love of God to enable himself flow
together in the part each one has to take. (Ephesians 4:16)

V. HOW SHOULD BELIEVERS RESPOND TO THE LOCAL CHURCH?

A. Once you have chosen your local church after prayer and consultation with
the Holy Spirit, then you should commit yourself fully.
B. Support it.
C. Love its pastors, workers and fellow brethren.
D. Get involved in its mission to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire
world.
E. Let your commitment be first to God and then to the church.

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 Seminar #11:
LOVE, COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE

I. LOVE
A. LOVE DEFINED
Love, according to the dictionary, is a strong affection for, attachment or
devotion to a person.
1. LOVE IS…
• truthful. It rejoices in the truth (1Corinthians 13:6).
• sustaining. It bears all things (1Corinthians 13:7).
• trusting. It believes all things (1Corinthians 13:7).
• hopeful. It hopes all things (1Corinthians 13:7)
• enduring. It endures all things (1Corinthians 13:7). It endures
through time, deception and even death.
• successful. Love never fails (1Corinthians 13:8).

2. LOVE IS NOT...
• envious. Love does not envy (1Corinthians 13:4)
• boastful. Love is not proud (1Corinthians 13:4).
• conceited. Love is not puffed up (1Corinthians 13:4).
• rude. Love does not behave improperly (1Corinthians 13:4).
• selfish. Love is not self-seeking (1Corinthians 13:5).
• irritable. Love is not easily provoked (1Corinthians 13:5)
• censorious. Love thinks no evil (1Corinthians 13:5).
• sin-loving. Love does not delight in evil (1Corinthians 13:6).

3. NOTIONS ABOUT LOVE

a. Love ought not to be based on feelings.
b. Love should not be rooted in physical attraction. (Judges 14:1- 3)
c. Love is not sexual attraction.
d. Love is not blind; it is not irresistible.

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 B. ELEMENTS OF LOVE
1. Patience - It takes time to get to know each other, to decide, to check
your decision.
2. Commitment - There should be a covenant between God both of you.
3. Responsibility - As Christians, you must be responsible for each other's
well-being.
4. Discipline - True love requires self-control. (2Timothy 1:7)
5. Sacrifice - Love does not shrink from sacrifice. (John 3:16; Romans 5:8)
6. Faithfulness - (Hosea 3:1-3)

C. KINDS OF LOVE (by Dick Mills)

1. EROS - This is sexual love, physical love. It is the mutual desire between
a man and woman.
2. ESTORGE – This is the love one has for the family. (Romans 12:10)
3. PHILEO - This is the love of friendship.
4. AGAPE - This is Divine Love. It is that constant, everlasting love that can
be bestowed by God alone.

II. COURTSHIP
Courtship is the journey where the man seeks to ascertain the woman who will
help him fulfill God's destiny and where the woman establishes the man who
will be her partner for life.

A. GUIDANCE TO COURTSHIP (Genesis 24:1-67; 29:1-30)

1. Don't go out to date or court a Canaanite [unbeliever]. (Genesis 24:3,4)
2. Do not be equally yoked [form no love relationship] wit (2 Corinthians
6:14)
3. Be empowered, as a Christian, to give Agape Love [Divine Love].
4. Trust God. We can obtain God's guidance through
a. the Word of God - (Proverbs 3:5-6; 2Timothy 3:16)
b. prayer - (Philippians 4:6)
c. godly counsel - (Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 15:22)
d. circumstances – (Romans 8:28)
e. God’s provision - (Philippians 4:19)

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 5. Possess the real beauty that comes from within. (Isaiah 53:2; Psalm
139:14)
6. Wait till you are assured (Genesis 24:21).

B. CARNAL AND DESTRUCTIVE METHODS OF CHOOSING A PARTNER

1. Choosing by sight (Genesis 6:2-5; Judges 14:1-3).
2. Fleshly choice motivated by lust and sin (2Samuel 11:1-5, 27; Genesis
34:1-4).
3. Personal decision lacking divine approval. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
4. Praying and asking God to do what His Word already forbids.
(Deuteronomy 7:1-4; Joshua 23:11-13; 2 Corinthians 6:15-18; Luke
16:18; Romans 7:2-3)

III. MARRIAGE
Marriage is meant to be happy as it is the residue of sinless Eden (Genesis
1:28; Proverbs 18:22)

A. REASONS FOR MARRIAGE

1. It is divinely ordained. (Genesis 2:18, 20, 22, 24; Psalm 68:6; Matthew
19:4-5; Ephesians 5:23, 31)
2. It is instrumental to completeness and fulfillment of true living.
(Ephesians 5:23; 29-31)
3. It must be a compliment to God's work of procreation. (Genesis 1:27-28,
9:1; Psalm 128:3; Malachi 2:15; Ephesians 6:1-3)

B. METHODS OF CONFIRMING GOD'S WILL

We may confirm God's will through:
1. God's Word (Psalm 119:105, 130; Matthew 22:29; 2Timothy 3:16-17)
2. The voice of the Holy Spirit: His prompting and directing in you (John
10:4-5,27, 14:26, 16:12-13; 1Corinthians 12:8; Rom 8:14; Proverbs
20:27)
3. Direct revelation (John 16:13; Joel 2:1-29)
4. Testing. God given love cannot be quenched by temporal contrary
circumstances. (1 Corinthians 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:20-22)

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C. WHEN TO MARRY
You may marry when...
1. God has guided you into the marriage after much prayer and after
seeking His will.
2. you know the other person sufficiently well as to know his or her likes
and dislikes, good points and bad points.
3. you have waited for love.
4. you have waited until you are old enough to marry.
5. you have waited until moral problems have been settled.
6. you have waited until you have attained certain measure of financial
stability.

D. PRINCIPLES OF A HAPPY MARRIAGE

Your reactions to each other in three basic areas are the most important:
1. your expectations for the future
2. your pattern of communication
3. how the two of you will make decisions and settle disagreements
a. Know your expectations.
b. Express your feelings properly
b.1. Speak without anger or hostility.
b.2. Be clear and specific
b.3. Be positive.
b.4. Be courteous and respectful of your mate's opinion.
b.5. Be sensitive to the needs and feelings of your mate
c. Become a better listener.
c. 1. Show interest in your partner
c.2. While listening, use appropriate phrases to show agreement,
interest, and understanding.
c.3. Ask well phrased questions.
c.4. Listen a little longer.
d. Reach decisions and settle disagreements.
d.1. Be willing to discuss any problem.
d.2. Try to resolve differences without making one person "right"
and the other "wrong."

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 d.3. Avoid angry outbursts.
d.4. Determine the real issues involved.
d.5. Regardless of how much you disagree with your partner or
how different your experience is, your mate's viewpoint will have
some positive angles.

e. Be well-founded. Make your foundation sure.

e.1. Make an absolute commitment to your marriage.
e.2. If serious trouble develops, seek help immediately
e.3. Stay interested in each other. Date your mate.
e.4. Have Bible study and prayer everyday.
e.5. Love your mate as Christ loves the Church.
e.6. Follow 1 Corinthians 13.

Source: The Compleat Marriage by Nancy Van Pelt

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 Seminar #12:
BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate and a subsequent experience following
after conversion. It is a quite distinct experience from salvation.

I. ITS NATURE
There are two distinct but complementary aspects:
A. Outwardly (Acts 2:2, 17, 33, 19:6)
B. Inwardly (1 Corinthians 12:13; John 7:37-39; Acts 2:4, 8:15-17,10:47 19:2)

II. ITS EVIDENCE

A. What outward manifestation can be accepted as evidence that person has
received the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is invisible, but the effect which the Holy Spirit produces,
when He begins to work, can often be seen or heard (Acts 2:33).

B. What actually happens to people who received the Holy Spirit? What
outward manifestations accompany this operation of the Holy Spirit?
1. "and began to speak with your tongues" (Acts 2:2-4).
2. "they heard them speak with tongues"(Acts 10:42-46).
3. "they spoke with tongues" (Acts 19:6).

III. ITS PURPOSE

God desires...
A. to produce in the believer the power to witness (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1 4; Acts
4:31-33, 5:28, 8:8).
B. the exaltation and glorification of Christ (Acts 2:3; Ephesians 1:20- 23;
Hebrews 1:3-4; 1Peter 3:22).
C. the believer's entry into the supernatural life. (Acts 19:11)
D. that the believer obtain supernatural help in prayer (Romans 8:26-27;
Ephesians 6:18, 1Thessalonians 5:17).

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IV. ITS EFFECTS
A. New understanding of the Scriptures (John 14-26, 16.13; 2Timothy 3:16)
B. Daily guidance in the path of God's will (Romans 8:14)
C. Life and health for the physical body (Romans 8:11)
D. Outpouring of divine life into the believer's heart (Romans 5:5)
E. Power for service (Acts 1.8)
F. Empowerment for prayer (Jude 20, Ephesians 6.18, Romans 8:26,27)
G. Inspiration for praise and worship to God (Acts 2:11, 10:46 Philippians 3:3,
Ephesians 5:18,19; John 4:24)

V. REQUIREMENTS IN RECEIVING THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. You must receive Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. (John 1:12)
B. You must desire the blessing. (John 7:37; Acts 2:38)
C. Renounce hidden things of dishonesty. (2Corinthians 4:2)
D. Relax. (Acts 2:2)
E. Receive by faith. (Luke 11:15-17)
F. Respond. (Acts 2:4) V.

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 Seminar #13:
DEVINE HEALING

The ministry of healing is a key part of the Gospel of the Kingdom. The truth that
God heals runs throughout the Bible Both Old and New Testament gives witness to
God's provision for the healing of our sicknesses and diseases.

I. GOD'S VIEW OF HEALING

A. Healing the sick is God's work. (John 9:1-4)
B. Healing the sick is for the glory of God. (John 11.4)
C. It is good to heal the sick. (Matthew 12:11-12)
D. Jesus was willing to heal the sick. (Matthew 8:3-7)
E. Jesus gave the disciples power to heal. (Matthew 10:1)

II. PROMISES OF GOD ON HEALING

A. protection provided by obedience to God.
B. wisdom, which is health to the whole body (Proverbs 4:20-22)
C. that healing is His will
• Jesus died on the cross in order take away our sins and sicknesses.
• Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.
• Jesus healed before and He is the same Jesus who heals today.
• Jesus healed by anointing of the Holy Spirit. The same Hoy Spirit is in
the church doing the same miracles of healing.
• Jesus commanded His disciples "all believers, including us" to lay hands
on the sick, using His name.

III. CAUSES OF SICKNESS

A. Problems on earth because of Adam's sin. (Genesis 3: 16-19)
1. All creation groans because of the curse (Romans 8:22)
2. People are also waiting for redeemed bodies (Romans 8:23)
B. Sickness part of God's judgment

1. caused by disobedience (Leviticus 26:15)

2. caused by rebellion (Psalm 107:17-18)

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IV. MEANS OF HEALING
A. through prayer (Genesis 20:17; James 5:16; Acts 28:8)
B. by laying on of hands; or touch (Matthew 14:36; Mark 3:10; Luke 4:40, 6:19)
C. through the expertise of physicians (Genesis 50:2; Jeremiah 8:22; Matthew
9:12; Mark 2:17; Luke 4:23)

V. CONDITIONS FOR HEALING

A. desire to get well (Job 5:6)
B. forgiveness of sins (Matthew 9:5-6)
C. forgiveness of others that forgiveness may be obtained (Matthew 6:14;
Mark 11:25)
D. confession of sins (James 5:15)
E. repentance leading to healing (Psalm 107:19-20)
F. faith (Matthew 9:28-29; Acts 14:9)
G. authority from Jesus (Luke 9:1)
H. prayer and fasting [at times] (Matthew 17:21)

VI. WHY ARE SOME NOT HEALED?

A. God's choice is not man's choice. (Luke 4:27; John 5:2-10)
B. God chooses whom He wishes to heal. (John 5:21)
C. There is unbelief or lack of faith. (Matthew 13:58; Mark 6:5-6)
D. Miracles are lost because of unbelief. (Matthew 14:31)
E. It is not asked; therefore, it is not received. (James 4:2; Matthew 21:22)
F. Some petitions were made for selfish reasons. (James 4:3)

Let us again dedicate ourselves to His commission: "Heal the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse the lepers, cast out demons, freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew
10:8).

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 THE DOCTRINE OF SCRIPTURES
(Bibliology)

I. The Names and Titles of the Inspired Book

II. The Symbols of the Inspired Book

III. The Definition of Inspiration

IV. The Mode of Inspiration

V. The Proofs of Inspiration

VI. The Results of Inspiration

VII. The Apocrypha

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 THE DOCTRINE OF SCRIPTURES
(Bibliology)

I. THE NAMES AND TITLES OF THE INSPIRED BOOK

A look at the Bible, the inspired book, shows that there are a number of names
and titles it is called by.
A. The Bible
1. The Greek word "Biblios" simply means "Book" and from it is derived our
English word "Bible “
2. The Bible is the Divine Library, consisting of sixty-six separate yet related
books.
3. Its two divisions are:
o the Old Testament, having 39 books
o the New Testament containing 27 books.

B. The Word of God

1. The Word of God. (I Thessalonians 2:13, Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6.17;
Mark 7:13, Colossians 1:25; John 10:35, Luke 8:11)
2. The Word of the Lord. (Jeremiah 1:2,11, Ezekiel 1:3, Isaiah 1:10; Hosea
1:1, Acts 8:25; II Thessalonians 3:1; 1 Peter 1:23-25, Isaiah 40:8; I
Thessalonians 1:8; 4:15; Acts 13:48)
3. The Word of Christ. (Colossians 3:16)
4. The Word of Life. (Philippians 2:16)
5. The Word of Truth. (Ephesians 1:13)
6. The Word of Faith. (Romans 10:8)
7. The Word (James 1:21-23; John 1:1-3, Luke 4:4; I Timothy 4:5; Romans
10:17; Acts 4:31, 6:4)

C. The Scriptures
The Word "Scripture" means "a writing" or "writings”. The Writings are:
1. The Scriptures of Truth. (Daniel 10:21)

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 2. The Scripture. (Mark 12:10, 15:28, Luke 4:21; John 2:22; 7:38; 10:35,
Romans 4:3, II Timothy 3:16, Galatians 3:8,22, 4:30; Acts 1:1,6; John
19:24,28,36, 37; 20:9)
3. The Scriptures. (Matthew 21:42; 22:29; 26:54,56; Mark 12:24; Luke
24:27; John 5:39; Romans 16:26; Acts 13:27; 17:11; 2 Timothy 3:15;
I Corinthians 15:3; John 7:38, 42; Romans 1:2; 2 Peter 3:16)
4. The Holy Scriptures. (lI Timothy 3:15; Romans 1:2)

D. The Oracles of God.

The word "oracle" literally means "the speaking place." Christianity arises
out of a faith in an infinite personal God who has not been silent, but has
spoken. The Bible is indeed the Oracle of God, speaking place.
1. The Law is referred to as the "lively oracles." (Romans 3:2)
2. The Holiest of All in the temple is also called 'The Holy Oracle.’ (Psalm
28:2)
3. The first principles of the doctrine of Christ are also the Oracles of God.
(Hebrews 5:10, 12; 6:1-2)
4. Believers, when ministering the Word of God, are to speak as Oracle
of God (1 Peter 4:11)

E. The Old and New Testaments

The word "Testament" simply means "Covenant." The Bible is divided
into two sections relative to the two major covenants, the Covenant of
Law (The Old Testament), and the Covenant of Grace (The New
Testament).
1. The Old Testament focuses on God's dealings with Israel under the
Law Covenant given through Moses.
2. The New Testament focuses on God's dealings with the world under
the Grace Covenant given through Christ. Jeremiah, under the Old
Covenant, foretold the coming of the New Covenant (Jeremiah
31:31-34; Hebrews 8:6-13; 10:15-17)

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II. THE SYMBOLS OF THE INSPIRED BOOK
God likens His Word to many things and each of the symbols used to convey a
unique facet truth to represent it. His Word is like:
A. Fire. (Jeremiah 23:29)
B. A Hammer. (Jeremiah 23:29)
C. A Lamp. (Psalm 119:105)
D. A Mirror. (James 1:23)
E. Milk. (I Peter 2:2)
F. A Rod. (Revelation 11:1-2)
G. A Seed. (I Peter 1:23; Luke 8:11; James 1:18)
H. A Sword. (Hebrews 4:12)
I. Water. (Ephesians 5:26; John 15:3; 17:17; Psalm 119:5,9)
J. Gold. (Psalm 19:7-10; Job 28:1; Proverbs 25:2)
K. Honey. (Psalm 19:10; Revelation 10:10)
L. An Ox-goad. (Ecclesiastes 12:11)
M. A Nail. (Ecclesiastes 12:11)
N. Bread. (Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3; Psalm 119:103; Isaiah 55:10:
Exodus 16)
O. A Pearl. (Matthew 7:6)
P. An Anchor. (Hebrews 6:18-19)
Q. A Star. (ll Peter 1:19; Revelation 2:28)
R. Meat. (Hebrews 5:14)

III. THE DEFINITION OF INSPIRATION

Paul tells us in II Timothy 3:16, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto
all good works." In this verse the Greek word "Theopneustos," translated
"inspiration" simply means "God-breathed." (Genesis 2:7; Acts 17:25; Job 32:8;
Ezekiel 37:8,9; John 20:22)

inspiration is:
• Naturally speaking, the "act of drawing air into the lungs; inhalation; the act
of breathing into."
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 • With regard to the Scriptures, "the influence of the Spirit of God on the mind
and soul of man; the Divine influence exerted on the writers of the Scripture,
by which they are instructed." (Collins Graphic English Dictionary)
• "the supernatural influence of the Spirit of God on the human mind, by which
the prophets and apostles and sacred writers were qualified to set forth
Divine truth without any mixture of error" (Webster dictionary)

IV. THE MODE OF INSPIRATION

A. The Place of Inspiration
The mode or method which God employed in inspiring Scripture must be
distinguished from its content and result.

1. Revelation
• is the communication of truth which could not be discovered by
natural reason.
• is God unveiling His person and purpose to man.
a. Divine Revelation is possible. Revelation is possible because of
the nature of God.
b. A Divine Revelation is probable. It is probable because of the
fact that man is God's creation, and there has to be
communication between the Creator and the creature.
c. A Divine Revelation is credible. It is credible because of the
character of God.
d. A Divine Revelation is necessary. It is necessary because of the
communication gap that exists between God and man through
sin.
In this written revelation of God, He has revealed
• His nature, character and being.
• the purpose of man's existence.
• His redemptive plan for mankind.

2. Inspiration
• describes the process by which the revelation was recorded.

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 • was the power which enabled the men of God to write the Divine
revelation without error or defect. (II Peter 1:21)

3. Illumination
• describes the process of the Holy Spirit enlightening man’s
understanding to be able to receive God's revelation.
• is the perception of truth, brought about by the influence of the Holy
Spirit (I John 2:20, 27).
• is the supernatural opening of the understanding to receive that
which is revealed in God's Word.
• It is the work of the Spirit to bring revelation, inspiration and
illumination (Luke 24:26-27, 44-45; I Corinthians 2:11-14; John
16:12-15;, Acts 17:1-3).

"Revelation concerns the discovery of truth. Illumination concerns the

understanding of truth. Inspiration concerns the communication of truth."

These may act cooperatively or separately, as the following instances

show:
a. Inspiration without revelation. (Luke 1:1-3)
b. Inspiration including revelation. (Revelation 1:1.11)
c. Inspiration without illumination. (I Peter 1:11)
d. Inspiration including illumination (I Corinthians 2:12)
e. Revelation without inspiration. (Exodus 20:1,22)
f. Illumination without inspiration. (Il John 2:27)

B. The False Theories of Inspiration

1. The Natural Theory of Inspiration
• Intuition Theory.
• holds that the Bible was written by human genius or by men of
superior mental insight.
• denies the supernatural element in the writing of the Bible.

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2. The Illumination Theory of Inspiration
• holds that the Bible was the result of illumination, or a heightening of
man's religious perception.

3. The Mechanical Theory of Inspiration

• is also spoken of as the Dictation Theory
• holds that God dictated the Scriptures to the writers like executive
dictates words to his secretary.
• makes man a mere machine, like a tape-recorder or typewriter just
receiving and recording words.
• treats the writers as mere pens used to write the Scriptures, making
them similar to Spiritist mediums who write under the control of evil
spirits.

4. The Trance Theory of Inspiration

• is closely related to the Mechanical theory.
• proposes that the writers of the Bible were caught up in a vision
or trance-like state and wrote word for word or picture for picture
what they saw by the Spirit.

5. The Partial Theory of Inspiration

• purports that only parts of the Bible are inspired.
• teaches that the Bible contains the Word of God, that it is not the
Word of God in total.
• leaves this open to all the opinions of men, and undermines the
inspiration and authority of God's Word. The Bible not only
contains the Word of God, it is the Word of God.

6. The Thought Theory of Inspiration

• is also called the Dynamic Theory of Inspiration.
• asserts God simply gave the main thoughts or concepts to the
writers, but He allowed them to express them in their own words
as they wished.

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C. Plenary-Verbal Inspiration
• "plenary" means "full, complete in every part “.
• "verbal” means "by means of words."
• states that the Bible writers were fully inspired even as to their choice of words;
that the Bible is completely the Word of God including each and every word.

2 key elements that must be kept in balance to arrive at a Biblical view of

inspiration, God's involvement through the Holy Spirit and man's involvement.

God wrote the Bible.

• The unity and progression of thought together with the absence of contradiction
indicate the Bible had ultimately one author, God.
• God is author of Scripture.
• The Bible is His Word.
• (Exodus 32:16; Deuteronomy 10:2,4; 9:10; Exodus 24:12; Jeremiah 36:1-4;
Exodus 4:10,15; 34:27; Jeremiah 7:27; 1 Corinthians 2:13; Il Peter 1:20-21;
Daniel 10:9; Hosea 1:1; Joel 1:1; Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 1:1; Malachi 1:1)

Men of God wrote the Bible.

• Though God is the author of Scripture, He chose to use men to write it.
• Throughout Scripture, God used the writer's frame of reference cultural
background, historical perspective, personality, emotions and experiences.
• God clothed His revelation with their humanity.

Thus, the Bible is a product of both God and man.

• The miracle of inspiration.
o that God could channel His revelation through man without detracting
from its perfectness
o that men using their consciousness could write Divine truth
o that the Holy Spirit could cause men to write the infallible Word of God
without violating their personalities.

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The inspiration of Scripture was:
supernatural, not merely natural
divine, not merely human,
living, not mechanical,
conscious, not trance-like,
plenary, not partial,
and verbal, not merely conceptual.

V. THE PROOFS OF INSPIRATION

A. The Miracles of the Bible
The word "miracle" means "an act of power; a supernatural deed wrought by
the power of God." The Bible is not only the product of the miracle of
inspiration, it contains accounts of many miracles. Most of the sixty-six books
either record or refer to some miracle. The majority of these miracles were
confirmed by eyewitnesses.
1. Miracles under Moses (Exodus 2-12, Exodos 14-15; Exodus 16-17;
Number 21).
2. Miracles under Joshua (Joshua 3-5; Joshua 6, Joshua 10).
3. Miracles under Samson (Judges 14:6; Judges 15:15; Judges 16:30).
4. Miracles under Elijah & Elisha (II Kings 2; II Kings 4:1-7; II Kings 4:8-37).
5. Miracles under Christ (the Gospels)
6. Miracles under the Apostles (Acts 4:16-22, 6:8, 15:12, 19:11)

B. Prophecy and Fulfillment

While miracles are an evidence of Divine power, prophecy is an evidence of
Divine knowledge.
1. The prophecy must be uttered before the events come to pass.
2. The prophecy must be explicit and specific in its predictions, so that there
could be no possibility of accidental or coincidental fulfillment.
3. The events of fulfillment should correspond exactly or accurately with the
details of the prophecy in all points.

Bible prophesy meets these qualifications and has been proven to be

entirely genuine. The following are some examples of fulfilled prophecies:

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 1. The prophecy judgment on Egypt and its fulfillment. (Genesis 15 with
Exodus 4-12; Ezekiel 29-30)
2. Israel’s history and dispersion is a remarkable fulfillment of the
prophecy of Deuteronomy 28.
3. The prophecy and fulfillment concerning the rise and fall of Assyria also
illustrates Divine inspiration. (Isaiah 10 with Ezekiel 31-32)
4. The fall of Babylon under the Medes and Persians was clearly foretold
over 100 years before it took place. (Isaiah 44:28-45:1; Isiah 41-48 with
Jeremiah 50-51 and Daniel 1-5)
5. Daniel’s prophecies of the rise and fall of Gentile Kingdoms were
fulfilled in detailed. (Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Daniel 8, Daniel 11). These
chapters deal with the rise of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome
and ultimately with the Kingdom of Antichrist.

The greatest possible example of prophecy and fulfillment is that which

pertains to Messianic prophecy.
o The only man ever to have explicit details given beforehand of His
birth, life, ministry, death, burial and resurrection was the Lord Jesus
Christ.
o This was foretold by thirty different persons, over a period of 4,000
years before Jesus was even born.
o There were approximately 330 Old Testament prophecies that were
fulfilled in the first corning of Christ.

C. The Numerical Structure of the Bible

God Himself is the Divine Number, and He has stamped His numerical seal
upon the whole of creation. This same seal is also upon the Bible. (Job
14:16; Psalm 90:12; Psalm 147:4, Daniel 5:26; Matthew 10:30)

Numbers are found in Scripture in three ways:

1. Numbers that are specifically mentioned. (Genesis 15:9, 13, 16;
Matthew 19:28; Revelation 12:1, etc.)

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 2. Numbers that are implied. (Genesis 15:9, 10, 19-21) The 5 sacrifices,
the 8 pieces of the sacrifices and the 10 nations mentioned are here by
implication.
3. Numbers that are hidden. There is an ingenious numerical structure
hidden in Scripture that is not to be found in any other piece of literature,
whether sacred or secular.

D. The Unity of the Bible

There are three major ways this unity can be illustrated.
1. The Harmony of the Division of the Books
a. The Old Testament
b. The New Testament
2. The Harmony of the Themes of the Books
Though the Bible has one primary message it intends to communicate
there are scores of themes that are developed consistently through its
books.

The Creator Colossians 1:16

The Beginning Revelation 1:8
The Seed of the Woman Matthew 1:23
The Ark of Salvation Luke 2:30
Isaac, Only Begotten Son John 3:16
Joseph, Beloved Son Matthew 3:17

The greatest theme in the Bible centers on the person and work of Christ.
The Bible as the written Word of God was meant to reveal He who is the
living Word.

3. The Harmony between the Old and New Testaments

The Bible consists of the two major divisions, the Old and New
Testaments, both of which have their own unique emphasis.

The New is in the Old contained,

The Old is in the New explained;
The New is in the Old enfolded,

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 The Old is in the New unfolded
The New is in the Old concealed,
The Old is in the New revealed.

E. The Miraculous Preservation of the Bible

• The Bible has had a truly remarkable history.
• Over the last 3,500 years it has not only been the most loved but also the most
hated book in existence.

F. The Influence of the Bible

• The worldwide influence of the Bible is unmatched by any other book.
• It has touched every nation on the earth and influenced countless cultures.
• It has been translated into more languages and reproduced in larger quantities
than any other book.

G. The Bible itself claims Inspiration

The Scriptures themselves claim inspiration in three areas.
1. For the Writers (II Peter 1:20-21; I Peter 1:10-12; II Peter 3:2; 1 Chronicles
28:11,19; Il Samuel 23:2; Acts 1:16; Luke 1:70; Deuteronomy 4:2)
2. For the Writings (Exodus 17:14; 34:27; 24:4; Deuteronomy 31:22,26; I
Corinthians 2:13; Galatians 1:11-12; Revelation 1:18-20; Il Timothy 3:16;
Jeremiah 30:2; Hebrews 2:1-4; Acts 28:25; 1 Thessalonians 2:13.
3. For the Contents (Il Peter 3:1; Jude 17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Psalm 139:17;
Isaiah 55:8-11; Isaiah 1:2; 7:3; 43:1; Jeremiah 11:1; Ezekiel 1:3; Hosea 1:1; I
Corinthians 14:37; Leviticus 1:1, Deuteronomy 32:48; John 10:35; Matthew
25:42-45, Galatians 3:16; Hebrews 12:26-27)

In summary, these seven proofs together build an irrefutable case that the Bible
is above and beyond all other books as the inspired Word of God.

VI. THE RESULTS OF INSPIRATION

The results of inspiration are the genuineness, credibility, canonicity, infallibility
and authority of the Scriptures.

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A. Genuineness - The Bible is genuine; that is the books were really written by
who they say they were.
B. Credibility
A book is considered credible if it is entirely truthful on the matter it treats.

1. The Old Testament Books

a. The Lord Jesus Himself confirmed the writings of the Old Testament. He
spoke of them as the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets. (Luke 24:44-
45, 25-27) We see His attitude to the Law and the Prophets in Matthew
5:17,18; 11:13; John 10:34-37; Luke 18:31-33; Matthew 23:1-2; 26:54.

Christ endorsed many Old Testament books specifically during His

ministry.

Genesis Mark 13:19; Matthew 19:4-5;

Genesis 2:24; John 8:44; Luke 17:26-28;
Luke 17:28-30
Exodus Mark 12:26; Matthew 22:31-32, Matthew 5:21, 27;
15:4; 22:32;
Leviticus Matthew 5:33, 43; 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke
10:27.
Deuteronomy Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:29; Luke 10:27;
Matthew 4:1-11
Numbers Matthew 5:33, 43; 19:19; 22:39;
Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; John 3:14
Psalms Matthew 22:42-43; 21:16; 27:46; Luke 24:44-45;
John 13:18; 10:34; Mark 4:12; Luke 23:46
Isaiah Mark 4:12; Luke 4:17-18; Matthew 8:17; Luke 8:10;
22:37
Jeremiah Mark 11:17; Matthew 21:13; Luke 19:46
Hosea Matthew 9:13; 12:7
Zechariah Mark 14:27
Malachi Luke 7:27; Matthew 11:10
Jonah Matthew 12:39-40

b. The Apostles also endorsed the Old Testament. (Romans 3:2; Il Timothy
3:16; Hebrews 1:1; Il Peter 1:21; 3:2; Acts 1:16; 3:18; I Corinthians 2:9-
16)
c. Historical records provide much proof of the credibility of the Scriptures.

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 d. Archeology has confirmed in numerous cases the records of the
Scripture.

2. The New Testament

Samuel Oliver in "Synopsis of Christian Theology" (p.16) says that the facts
narrated in the sacred pages contain the truth, the whole truth and nothing
but the truth.
a. The witnesses were in a position to judge accurately concerning the
facts which they relate
b. Their character was such as to preclude the possibility of fraud.
c. They had no interest in making their story good, and, according to the
truths they proclaimed, if they were imposters or liars, they state their
own doom, "everlasting punishment”.
d. Their narratives present every appearance of the most perfect
simplicity and candour.
e. Their writings contain several undesigned coincidences, which are a
decisive mark of truth,
f. Their testimony is in harmony with contemporary history.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were true witnesses of the life of Christ and
His miracles. James and Jude and the great apostle Paul were each
qualified to write

Historical records confirm much of the historical data of the New Testament
writings. (II Peter 3:15-16; I Corinthians 2:13; 14:31, I Thessalonians 2:13;
4:2; I Peter 3:2; I John 1:1-5, Revelation 1:1)

C. Canonicity
The word "canon" means "measuring rod," and refers to a standard or rule.
Canonicity means that the Biblical books have been measured by a standard,
have stood the test and have been recognized as being inspired of God.

Henry C. Thiessen in "Lectures in Systematic Theology" (pp. 103- 104) states

four broad principles by which the New Testament books were tested.

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 1. As to Apostolicity
Was the book written by an apostle, and if not, was it written by someone
in close relation to an apostle to raise it up to apostolic level?
2. As to Contents
Were the contents of such spiritual character to warrant a place in
Scripture? This eliminated other spurious writings.
3. As to Universality
Was the book universally accepted by the church in that time? This also
helped in eliminating questionable gospels and other writings.
4. As to inspiration
Was the book inspired? Did it have internal evidence? This became the
final test for all New Testament books.

D. Infallibility
By "infallibility" is meant "incapable of error, exemption from an liability to make
mistakes". It is the setting forth of divine truth without any mixture or error. H.
C. Thiessen in “Lectures in Systematic Theology" (p.78) mentions four
possible sources of theology and infallible revelation, that mankind will look to:
reason, mystical insight, the church or the Scriptures.

1. Reason - Human reason is inadequate to become the infallible standard for

man in matters of faith and morals
2. Intuition - The very nature of fallen man, corrupted by sin, makes all
subjective insight potentially corrupted and therefore unreliable as an
ultimate.
3. The Church
The Roman Catholic Church claims infallibility which can be viewed in three
areas.
a. The Church Infallibility Theory
The Roman Catholic Church asserts that the church is the authoritative
and infallible teacher.
b. The Papal Infallibility Theory
This is the claim that the Pope, as Supreme Head of the Church of
Jesus Christ on earth, is the infallible oracle of the Holy Spirit.
c. The Episcopal Infallibility Theory

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The claim here is that when the bishops of the church collectively make decisions, that
these are infallible and become the final authority for the church.

E. Authority
Authority arises out of infallibility. If the Scriptures are inspired and infallible, then
they must also become the supreme authority for all Christians concerning their
faith and morals. (Hebrews 1:1, 1 Corinthians 14:37, 1 Timothy 6:3-4, Galatians
1.8-9, Nehemiah 8:1,8; Psalm 19.7-11, 119:1-9, Isaiah 8:19-20; Matthew 4:1-11,
Il Timothy 14-16).

VIl. APOCRYPHA
The word "apocrypha" means that which is veiled, secret or closed.
In theology the term apocrypha.

• refers to the 14 books added to the Old Testament by the Roman Catholic
Church in 1546 A.D.

• I Esdras, lI Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Book of Esther, Wisdom of Solomon,

Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, Song of the Three Holy Children, History of Susanna,
Bel and the Dragon, The Prayer of Manasses, I Macabees and II Macabees.

Most of the rest of Christendom rejects these books from having a place in the
canon of Scripture. The following are some of the reasons for this rejection.

1. It is universally acknowledged that they never had a place in the Hebrew

canon.
2. They were written in the 400 years between Malachi and John the Baptist
when there were no inspired prophetic utterances. This is why the Jews
rejected them.
3. They are never quoted in the New Testament by Jesus or the Apostles.
4. They are not found in any catalogue of Canonical Books during the first four
centuries of the church.
5. Divine inspiration and authority are claimed by none of the writers and is
disclaimed by some of them.
6. None of their writers speak with a message from Jehovah.
7. The books contain many historical, geographical and chronological errors, at
times contradicting themselves, the Bible and history.
8. They teach doctrines and uphold practices which are contrary to the
canonical Scriptures. (e.g. lying is sanctioned, suicide and assassination are
justified, magical incantations and prayers for the dead are taught and
approved.)
9. They do not fit into the numerical structure of the canon.

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From: Conner, Kevin J. The Foundations of Christian Doctrine. Portland: BT
Publishing House, 1980. 22-39

THE DOCTRINE OF GOD

(Theology)

I. THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

A. The Fact of the Existence of God
B. The Arguments for the Existence of God

II. NON-CHRISTIAN VIEW OF GOD

A. Theistic Views
B. Non-Theistic Views

III. THE NATURE OF GOD

A. God is a Spirit
B. God is Light
C. God is Love
D. God Consuming Fire

IV. THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

A. Essential Attributes
B. Moral Attributes

V. THE ETERNAL GODHEAD

A. The Godhead
B. The Oneness of the Godhead
C. The Threeness of the Godhead
D. Relationship and Distinction in the Godhead
E. Heresies Concerning the Godhead
F. The Athanasian Creed and Doctrinal Statements
G. The Eternal Characteristics of the Godhead
H. Illustrations of the Godhead
I. The Godhead Bodily

VI. THE NAMES OF GOD

A. Creatorship or Elohistic Names of God
B. Redemptive or Jehovahistic Names of God

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 THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
(Theology)

I. THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

A. The Fact of the Existence of God

• The Bible does not attempt to prove the existence of God; it simply declares
it. (Genesis 1:1)
• Belief in the existence of God is absolutely foundational not only to an
understanding of the Bible but also to life itself (Hebrews 11:6)
• Nothing can be received or known of God unless one believes in His
existence. (Hebrews 11:1)

B. The Arguments for the Existence of God

1. The Cosmological Argument

• The Greek word "cosmos" means "world".
• This argument looks at the world and then argues from the law of cause
and effect.
• Man knows of nothing in his world that had no cause behind its
existence, thus he must recognize that there is a cause behind the
world itself and the universe around it. (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 19:1-6;
Romans 1:19-20; Hebrews 11:3; 1:1-2)

2. The Teleological Argument

• This is the argument from design and purpose. Not only does the
universe of worlds exist, but it has a perfect design.
• It proves the existence of a designer. Purpose in creation reveals and
argues purposeful creatorship.
• The argument from design and purpose proves the existence of an
infinite intelligent being greater than the universe.

3. The Anthropological Argument

The Greek word for man is "anthropos".

• Man is the "master-piece" of God's creative acts. He was made in the

image of God to be the crowning glory creation. (Genesis 1:1-28; Psalm
94:9)
• The billions of human beings, each distinct and unique, yet all bearing
the mark of creatorship upon them, argue the existence of a creator.

4. The Ontological Argument

• The Ontological Argument is related to the Anthropological Argument.
• Not only is man a created intelligent being, he also has an intuitive
belief and knowledge of the existence of God.

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 • Intuition speaks of understanding or knowledge that man has without
the process of reasoning.
• Man knows intuitively that there is a God. He is born with this
knowledge in him. It is sometimes spoken of as religious instinct within
man; which makes him desire to worship something or someone.
• This argument is substantiated by the fact that there is a universal belief
in a god or gods in every nation on the face of the earth. (Acts 17:23-
24; Romans 1:18-32; John 1:3-7; Psalms 115:1-8).

5. The Moral Argument.

• Man is moral being, therefore possesses:
o an inner sense of right and wrong
o a sense of responsibility to adhere to what is right and avoid the
wrong.

• The Bible labels this conscience, and views it as being God-given.

• (Romans 2:14-15; I Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:15; Hebrews 9:14 John 8:9) .

6. The Biological Argument

• The Greek word "bios" means "life". It is a scientific fact that life can
only come from pre-existent life, not from matter alone.
• Therefore, to trace all life back to its source, we must eventually come
back to God Himself.

7. The Historical Argument

• Human history points to an unseen Hand, guiding, governing and
controlling the destinies of the nations, (Isaiah 45:1-5; Daniel 5).
• History will uncover many illustrations of the fact that behind it all is the
hand of God moving to accomplish His will. (Revelation 17:17)

8. The Christological Argument

• One of the greatest arguments is the Christological Argument.
• The Christ of history is a fact and it is impossible to explain the person
of Jesus Christ apart from the existence of God.
• His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, teaching, death, burial,
resurrection and ascension are all unexplainable apart from God.
• Jesus Christ is the greatest revelation of God's existence. (John 1:1-3,
14-18, 14:6-9, I Timothy 3:16)

9. The Bibliological Argument

• The Bible is a witness to the existence of God.
• The Scriptures surpass all other writings as being divinely inspired.
• The Bible communicates about God, His nature and His purposes must
be accepted as accurate.

10. The Argument from Congruity

• The word "congruity" simply means "agreement, correspondence,
harmony".
• The nine previous arguments are all in agreement.

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 • There is correspondence and harmony between them all.
• It states concerning the existence of God that if it is not so, then all
these related facts are inexplicable

Il. NON-CHRISTIAN VIEWS OF GOD

A. Theistic Views-hold that there is a god or gods.
1. The Pantheistic View.
• Pantheism is made up of two words: "pan" meaning "all" and "theos"
meaning "God".
• It is the belief that God is all and all is God.

a. Materialistic Pantheism.
• This is the theory of the eternity of matter and the spontaneous
generation of life.
• The universe and nature is the only God that man can worship.

b. Hylozoism or Panpsychism
• It holds that all matter besides having physical properties also has
the principle of life in it.
• This theory extends beyond materialistic pantheism in a search for
a non-material god, but still denies the existence of a supreme
personal being and falls short.

c. Neutralism
This holds that ultimate reality is neither mind nor matter, but a neutral
stuff of which mind and matter are but appearances or aspects.

d. Idealism
• holds that the ultimate reality is of the nature of the mind.
• says that the world is the product of the mind, either of the individual
mind or of the infinite mind.
• is the theory that everything exists only in the mind? It exalts and
deifies the person and mind of man, or some universal mind as god.

1) Impersonalistic Idealism
- says that the ultimate reality is one single mind and or one unified
system.
- denies that this mind is personal.
2) Personal Idealism
- holds that the absolute is a person who includes within himself all
finite selves and shares their experiences.
- holds that all are part of himself and part of the universal mind,
even though this mind thinks his own thoughts besides their
thoughts.
- extends even further, recognizing that nature reveals the
existence of a supreme intelligence behind it but falls short by mis-
defining that supreme mind.

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 e. Philosophical Mysticism
• seeks to discover the nature of reality through the process of thought
or spiritual intuition.
• The mystic, however, sees himself as being identified with this great
self.
• It makes man himself God.
• It claims that the only God to be known is the "God within"

In Summary:

Pantheism makes nature god and misses the God of nature.

Materialistic Pantheism makes matter eternal and misses the God who made matter.

Hylozoism makes a principle of life god and misses the God who is the source of life.

Neutralism makes some neutral substance god and misses God the creator of all
substance.

Idealism makes the mind god and misses the God who is a real person having a
perfect mind.

Philosophical Mysticism makes man himself god and misses the God who made all
men.

2. The Polytheistic View.

• The word "polytheism" is made up of two words: "poly” meaning “many”
and “theos” meaning “God”.
• Thus, polytheism is the worship of many gods.
• Scripture clearly denounces polytheism; no gods were to take the place
of the true God. (Exodus 20:3, Deuteronomy 5:7).

3. The Dualistic View

• is the theory that there are two distinct principles or gods of eternal and
equal power who are at war with each other (God and Satan, or good and
evil).
• is contradictory to God's revelation of Himself in that He is clearly
sovereign over all that opposes Him. There is no power equal to His.

4. The Deistic View

• Deism is the theory that God is only present in creation by His power, not
in His being and nature.
• It holds that God set the various laws of nature in motion at creation and
then left the universe to run itself by these laws.
• It holds the same concerning man. This view presents an absentee God.
• Deism teaches that truth about God can be known by reason.
• It rejects the Bible as a special revelation and says that it is a book on the
principles of natural religion.

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In Summary:

Pantheism makes all god and misses the God of all.

Polytheism makes many gods and misses the one true God.

Dualism makes god and evil two equal gods in conflict and fails to discover a good
God who will judge all evil.

Deism presents an absentee god, a god who has nothing to do with anything he
created and misses the omnipresent and omnipotent God.

B. Non-Theistic Views - hold the belief that there is no God at all.

1. Atheistic View

a. Practical Atheism
The person who holds to practical atheism is the one who believes there
may be a God but lives as if there is none.

b. Dogmatic Atheism
The person holding this view will openly declare his disbelief in the
existence of any god.

c. Virtual Atheism
This view generates abstract definitions of God to try and account for the
world and life, such as "social consciousness" or "the unknowable" or "the
moral order of the universe".

d. Critical Atheism
This view denies the existence of God on the grounds that no one can
prove or demonstrate the existence of God.

e. Classical Atheism
This view is aimed at denying the god or gods of some particular religion.

f. Rationalistic Atheism
This view enthrones reason and dethrones faith in the existence of God.
It claims reason as the only source of knowledge

2. The Agnostic View

Agnosticism holds that one cannot know whether God exists or not. It neither
denies nor affirms the existence of God.

Three types of Agnosticism are noted here briefly.

a. Positivism
This view holds that there is nothing true beyond observed facts. God
cannot be examined as fact, and therefore He does not exist.

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 b. Pragmatism
This belief holds that there is no special revelation of God, and that
human reason is incompetent to discover God if He does exist.

c. Existentialism
This position holds the philosophy that the individual can exercise his
free will and do what he likes in a purposeless universe. It is a "no-
morality" philosophy because of a "no God" view.

In Summary

The Atheist says there is God, and thus sets himself up as God.

The Agnostic says he cannot know whether God exists, and thus makes willful
ignorance his God.

III. THE NATURE OF GOD

• The Christian believes that unless God takes the initiative and reveals Himself
to man, man will stumble on in the darkness of his insufficient reason.
(Ephesians 4:17-18; Matthew 11:27)
• The Bible gives us four basic definitions descriptions of God in own eternal and
essential nature and being.

A. God is Spirit (John 4:24)

B. God is Light (I John 1:5)
C. God is Love (I John 4:17)
D. God is a Consuming Fire (Hebrews 12:29)

The following are some examples:

The Lamp of Fire. (Genesis 15:17)

The Burning Bush of Fire. (Exodus 3:1-6)
The Altar of Fire. (I Kings 18:24, 38)
The Coals of Fire. (Isaiah 6:6,7)
The Tongues of Fire. (Acts 2:1-4)
The Lake of Fire. (Revelation 20:15)

IV. THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

The attributes of God fall into two main groupings: essential and moral.

A. Essential Attributes.
• Essential attributes are those attributes or qualities which essentially
belong to God, apart from any relationship to His creatures.
• They are characteristics of God which make God who He is.

1. God is Eternal (Isaiah 43:10, Psalm 90:3)

a. I AM that I AM, (Exodus 3:14, John 8:58)

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 b. The Everlasting God. (Genesis 21:33)
c. In the beginning God. (Genesis 1:1, Hebrews 1:30, John 1:1)
d. Thy years are throughout all generations. (Psalms 102:24)
e. The Lord of Hosts, He is the First and the Last (Isaiah 44:6)
f. The High and Holy One inhabits eternity (Isaiah 57:15)
g. The Eternal God is our refuge. (Deuteronomy 33:27)
h. God's eternal power and Godhead. (Romans 1:20)
i. The Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending
Revelation 1:8)
j. Him which is (time present), which was (time past), and which is
to come (time future) (Revelation 1:4; 4:8)
k. The King Eternal. (I Timothy 1:17)

2. God is Self-Existent
He is the I AM, the self-sufficient one. God is the source of all life
and His life is underived and inexhaustible.

a. I AM that I AM. (Exodus 3:14, Isaiah 41:4)

b. I am Jehovah, that is My Name. (Exodus 3:14-15, 6:3)
c. With Thee is the fountain of life. (Psalm 369)
d. In Him is life. (John 1:4)
e. The father God has life in Himself. He has also given the Son to
have life in Himself. (John 5:26)
f. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that
whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life. (John 3:16)
g. God is the King eternal, immortal, invisible. (I Timothy 1:17)
h. The believer who has the Son has life, for God has given eternal
life and this life is in the Son. (I John 5:11-13)
i. He is the living God. (Joshua 3:10; Psalm 84:2; Thessalonians
1:9)

3. God is Immutable
When we speak of God's immutability, we mean that God is
unchanged: and unchangeable as to His character and being.

a. God is the Father of lights and there is neither variableness nor

shadow of turning with Him. (James 1:17; Psalm 33:11)
b. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews
13:8; 1:12; Psalm 102:27)
c. I am the Lord, I change not. (Malachi 3:6)
d. I AM that I AM. (Exodus 3:14-15)
e. The Strength of Israel will not repent. (I Samuel 15:29; Romans
11:29; Numbers 23:19)
f. Two immutable things are God and His Word. (Hebrews 6:18)
g. God's purposes, plans and power change not. (Romans 4:20-
21; Isaiah 46:10; Romans 11:29)

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4. God is Omnipotent
• Omnipotence means that God is all-powerful. Nothing is
impossible with God. That is, nothing that would be consistent
with his Holy nature, character and being.
• Omnipotence also involves the sovereignty of God. God has the
absolute right to govern and dispose of His creatures as He
pleases

a. The Lord God omnipotent reigneth. (Revelation 19:6)

b. God is Almighty. (Genesis 17:1; Revelation 15:3)
c. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
(Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-3)
d. All things were created by God and for His pleasure.
(Revelation 4:11)
e. There is nothing too hard for God. (Jeremiah 32:17, 27)
f. God can do all things and no purpose of His can be restrained.
(Job 42:2)
g. The universe of worlds is upheld, guided and propelled by
God's mighty word of power. (Hebrews 1:1-4, Amplified)
h. With God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)
i. No word of God is void of power, (Luke 1:37; Psalm 33:9)
j. Is anything too hard for the Lord? (Genesis 18:14)
k. God does according to His will in the army of heaven and
among the inhabitants of the earth. (Daniel 4:35; Matthew
20:15)
l. God can put it in the hearts of men to do His will. (Revelation
17:17)
m. God has mercy on whom He will have mercy and hardens
whom He wills. (Romans 9:18)

5. God is Omniscient
Omniscience means that God is all-knowing. He knows all things at
all times. He knows all things within Himself, in the universe and in
all creatures.

a. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch upon the
evil and the good. (Proverbs 15:3)
b. No one can hide themselves in secret places from God's eyes.
(Jeremiah 23:23-35)
c. None can hide themselves from the presence of the Lord and
God knows our thoughts afar off before they even come into our
mind. (Psalm 139:1-10; I Corinthians 3:20)
d. God's understanding is infinite. (Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 29:15-16)
e. God knows the hearts of all the sons of men. (Proverbs 15:11; I
John 3:20; Genesis 18:18-19)
f. Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the
world. (Acts 15:18; Romans 11:33)
g. All things are naked and open to the eyes of the Lord with whom
we have to do. (Hebrews 4:12-13; I Joh 3:20)

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 h. God knows Himself in His eternal distinctions as Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. (Matthew 11:27; 1 Corinthians 2:11)
i. God knows beforehand all that men will do. It was on this basis
of foreknowledge that God, by His Spirit, foretold events through
the mouth of the prophets concerning the life of the Messiah.
(Micah 5:2; Revelation 13:8; Acts 2:23; 3:18; II Timothy 2:19)
j. God also knows the histories and destinies of all nations and
individuals and on the basis of this He foretold the same.
(Matthew 10:29; Psalm 33: 13-15; Matthew 6:8,32; 11:21-24;
Isaiah 46:9-10; Daniel 2; Daniel 7; Matthew 24; Matthew 25; Acts
15:18; Deuteronomy 31:20-21; Isaiah 44:26; 45:7; Proverbs
15:3)

The following words are expressions of God's omniscience also.

Foreknowledge. (Romans 8:29-30; Acts 2:23; I Peter 1:2)

Foreseeing. (Galatians 3:8; Acts 2:31,24)
Foretelling (prophecy). (Acts 3:18-24)
Foreordained. (I Peter 1:19-20; I Corinthians 2:7; I Peter 1:10- 12;
Il Timothy 1:9; Jeremiah 1:4-5)

6. God is Omnipresent
Omnipresence means that God is all-present. He is unlimited by
space or time. He is everywhere present at all times.

a. God is not far from every one of us, for in Him we live and move
and have our being. (Acts 17:27-28; Romans10:6-8; Genesis
28:15-16)
b. There is nowhere where man can flee from the presence of the
Lord. (Psalms 139:7-12; Jeremiah 23:23-24)
c. Where two or three gathers in the name of the Lord, His
presence is there. (Matthew 18:20; 28:18-20).
d. None can hide from God for He fills heaven and earth. (Jeremiah
23:24; Isaiah 66:1)
e. The whole earth is full of the glory of the Lord. (Isaiah 6:3)
f. God fills all things. (Ephesians 1:23)
g. God's presence is with all believers everywhere. (Exodus 3:12;
33:14; Isaiah 43:2)
h. Heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain God. (II
Chronicles 6:18; I Kings 8:27; Isaiah 66:1; II Chronicles 2:6)
i. Wherever man would seek to go from God, be it heaven, earth
or Sheol, God's presence will find them. (Psalms 139:7-12;
Amos 9:2-4)

B. Moral Attributes
• Moral attributes are those characteristics or qualities which belong to God
especially in relation to His creatures.
• These attributes are also those which God intends man to possess and
thus they are called communicable attributes.

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1. Perfect Holiness
The perfect holiness of God speaks of absolute purity. He cannot sin nor
tolerate sin. He is sinless perfection.

a. Be ye holy; for I the Lord your God am holy. (Leviticus 19:2 holiness
is one of the key words in Leviticus, being used about 45 times)
b. God commands that Israel be holy as He is holy. (Leviticus 11:44,45;
I Peter 1:16)
c. The Lord is glorious in holiness. (Exodus 15:11)
d. One who inhabits eternity says His name is holy. (Isaiah 57:15)
e. God is of purer eyes than to behold evil or iniquity. (Habakkuk 1:13)
f. The Lord is the thrice holy God. (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8; Job 6:10
Father, Son and Holy Spirit are holy).
g. The Lord God Almighty alone is holy. (Revelation 15:3-4)
h. The redeemed are to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
(Psalms 29:2; Exodus 39:30)
i. Holiness was God's first revelation to Moses, then came deliverance
from Egypt's bondage. (Exodus 3:1-15)
j. Holiness was also the first thing mentioned to Joshua, then came
victory over Jericho's walls. (Joshua 5:13-15)
k. Holiness was the major vision given to the prophet Isaiah, then came
his commission to prophesy. (Isaiah 6:1-6)
l. Holiness was the revelation of God at Mt. Sinai, then ca the tabernacle
administrations. (Exodus 19:12-25)
m. Holiness was the emphatic truth in the Tabernacle of Moses in its
various places, the Holy Place and the Most Holy (Exodus 26:33; I
Kings 6:16)
n. Offerings must be holy to be presented to the Lord. (Leviticus 1-7;
Leviyicus 23)
o. The priesthood must be holy to minister in the sanctuary of the Lord
(Leviticus 8-10).
p. God's throne is established upon the attribute of holiness. It is the
fundamental characteristic of God, even before the revelation of His
grace and love. (Psalm 47:8; 89:14; 97:2; Psalm 99:9; Revelation
15:4)
q. A holy God cannot tolerate sin. (Isaiah 59:1, Habakkuk 13)
r. Jesus Christ is the perfectly Holy One. (Mark 1:24)
s. The Holy Spirit is sent to the believer to make him holy. (John 14:26;
Hebrews 2:11;12:10;1 Peter 1:15-16; Revelation 4.8)

2. Perfect Righteousness
• Righteousness and justice are synonymous.
• Righteousness is holiness in action against sin. (Romans 2:8-9; II
Thessalonians 1:8; Genesis 2:17; Romans 1:32; 2:8-9; Romans 2:7;
Hebrews 11:26; Deuteronomy 7:9-13; Psalm 58:11; Matthew 25:21)

a. All God's ways are judgment. He is a God of truth and without

iniquity, and He is just and right (Deuteronomy 32:4)
b. The Judge of all the earth will do that which is right (Genesis 18:25)
c. The Lord judges with righteousness. (Isaiah 11:4-5)

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 d. Righteousness belongs to the Lord. (Daniel 9:7,14)
e. The righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel. (Romans 1:17)
f. True and righteous are the judgments of the Lord (Revelation 16:5-
7).
g. The Lord is righteous. (Il Chronicles 12:6; Ezra 9:15; Nehemiah
9:33; Isaiah 45:21; John 17:25)
h. Justice and judgment are the habitation of God's throne. (Psalm
89:14)
i. Righteousness and true holiness are the characteristics of the new
man being conformed to the image of God in Christ. (Ephesians
4:24)

3. Perfect Love

a. The Love of God

Love is the heart of God's nature. God not only has love, God is love.
The love of God is the perfection of affection God has which moves
Him to give Himself to His creatures continually.

1) He is the God of Love. (II Corinthians 13:11)

2) God is love. (I John 4:8,16)
3) God loves His people. (Deuteronomy 7:6-8,13; John 14:23; Psalm
11:7)
4) The perfect expression of the love of the Godhead is seen in
Calvary. (John 3:16; Galatians 2:20)
5) Whoever dwells in love dwells in God. (I John 4:16-19)
6) God wants the same kind of love as in the Godhead to be in His
own people. (John 7:24-26; 13:34-35)

b. The Goodness of God

The goodness of God is God's providential care for all creatures.
(Psalm 145:9,15,16; Job 38:41; Matthew 6:26; 5:45; Psalm 36:5;
104:21; Acts 14:17; Romans 2:4)

c. The Grace of God

Grace is the undeserved, unearned and unmerited favor of God
bestowed upon sinful men. (Ephesians 1:2,6,7; 2:5-8; 3:2; II Timothy
1:2; Titus 1:4; II Thessalonians 3:17-18) Grace includes the
longsuffering and forbearance of God towards sinful men. (lI Peter 3:9;
1 Peter 3:20, Romans 2:4; Exodus 34:6 Romans 9:22)

d. The Mercy of God

Mercy is the pity of God upon the miserable condition of the sinner
because of sin. (Ephesians 2:4; James 5:11; Psalm 102:13; Romans
11:30-31; Isaiah 55:7; Luke 1:50,72; Exodus 20:6, Titus 1:4; I Timothy
1:2, II Timothy 1:2; Psalm 85:10; Luke 6:36; Matthew 5:45; II Peter
3:9)

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 e. The Compassion of God
Compassion is sorrow for the sufferings of another with the urge to
help. It is pity, sympathy, relating very much to mercy. Jesus was
moved with compassion in His ministry. (Matthew 9:36; 14:14;
18.27;15.32; Luke 15:20; Psalm 78:38; 86:15; 145:8; 130:7; 103:8-18)

f. The Kindness of God

Kindness is the gentle benevolence of God. (Ephesians 2:7;
Colossians 3:12; Titus 3:4; Psalm 31:21; Isaiah 54:8, 10; Joel 2:13)

4. Perfect Faithfulness
The perfect faithfulness of God means that God is absolutely trustworthy,
loyal, reliable and true to His Word. His Word is truth and He is absolutely
reliable. (Isaiah 25:1; Deuteronomy 7:9, Isaiah 49:7, Deuteronomy 32:4;
Psalm 89:37; John 17:3; John 5:20; Psalm 86.15)

a. God's commandments and testimonies are faithful. (Psalm 119:86,138)

b. God is faithful. (I Corinthians 1:9; 10:13)
c. The faithful God will establish His people. (lI Thessalonians 3:3; I
Thessalonians 5:24)
d. Even though men deny themselves, God is faithful and will never deny
Himself. (II Timothy 2:13)
e. Jesus Christ is a merciful and faithful High Priest. (Hebrews 2:17)
f. God is faithful to His promises. (Hebrews 10:23; 11:11)
g. He is a faithful Creator. (I Peter 4:19)
h. God is faithful and just to forgive us when we confess our sins. (I John 1:9)

Dr. A. H. Strong in "Systematic Theology" (p.248) lists out a schedule of

divine attributes as follows:

1. Absolute or Immanent Attributes

a. Spirituality, involving:
1) Life
2) Personality
b. Infinity, involving:
1) Self-existence
2) Immutability
3) Unity

c. Perfection, involving:
1) Truth
2) Love
3) Holiness

2. Relative or Transitive Attributes:

a. Related to Time and Space:

1) Eternity
2) Immensity

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 b. Related to Creation:
1) Omnipresence
2) Omniscience
3) Omnipotence

c. Related to Moral Beings:

1) Veracity and Faithfulness or Transitive Truth
2) Mercy and Goodness or Transitive Love
3) Justice and Righteousness or Transitive Holiness

V. THE ETERNAL GODHEAD

A. The Godhead
A term used in the New Testament relative to God is "the Godhead" The word
refers to that which is Divine, to Deity, involving God’s revelation of His own
mode of being. Acts 17:29"… we ought not to think that the Godhead is like
unto gold, or silver or stone, graven out by man's device." (Colossians 2:9;
Romans 1:19, 20)

B. The Oneness of the Godhead

The God of the Bible, is revealed as one God. Both the Old Testament and New
Testament confirm the fact that there is but one God.

1. Old Testament Scriptures:

Deuteronomy 4:35, 39 - "The Lord He is God, there is none beside Him."
Exodus 20:3 - "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me."
I Samuel 2:2; Il Samuel 7:22 - "There is none beside Thee."
Psalm 86:10; 83:18 - "Thou art God alone."
Isaiah 44:6, 8; 43:10; 45:18 - "Beside Me there is no God"
Deuteronomy 6:4 - "Hear 0 Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord"

2. New Testament Scriptures:

Mark 12:29 - "The Lord our God is one God."
I Corinthians 8:4 - "There is none other God but one."
Mark 12:32 - "For there is one God and there is none other but He."
Galatians 3:20 - "God is one."
Ephesians 4:6 - "One God and Father of all."
James 2:19 - "Thou believest there is one God, thou doest well."
l Timothy 2:5; I Timothy 1:17 - "For there is one God." 2.

C. The Threeness of the Godhead

As clearly as the Scriptures teach that God is one, so clearly do the same
Scriptures teach that God is three. The Bible teaches the tri unity of God. The
union of three in one. One God manifested in three Persons.

The Scriptures speak of two kinds of unity or oneness: absolute unity and
compound unity.

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• YACHEAD speaks of absolute unity, a mathematical or numerical number
one. It is used about twelve times in the Old Testament but never to
describe the unity of God.

Abraham offered up "his only (yachead) son, lsaac" (Genesis 22:2,12)

"Deliver my darling" (i.e., My only one) (Psalm 22:20)

"They shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only (yachead) son"
(Zechariah 12:10)

Refer also to Jeremiah 6:26 and Judges 11:34.

This word is significant of the fact that there is only one way to God, one
Son of God, man's one and only Hope of Salvation, and this is through the
Lord Jesus Christ. (John 14:1, 6)

• ECHAD speaks of a compound or collective unity which comprises more

than one person, i.e. one crowd, one people, one nation. Following are
several examples of this unity

"These two shall be one (echad) flesh" (Genesis 2:24)

"People gathered together as one" (Ezra 3:1)
"All the rest of Israel were of one heart to make David king" (I Chronicles
12:38).

This Hebrew word "echad" is used hundreds of times in the Old Testament
and is usually significant of a compound unity; the unity of more than one.
It is this word "echad" which is used concerning the one God.

1. Old Testament Scriptures

Genesis 1:1-2 - "In the beginning GOD ... and the Spirit of God moved on
the face of the waters" (John 1:1-3). The word for "God" is "Elohim" plural
of the Hebrew word "El". It is a uni- plural word, denoting plurality of divine
Persons without stating the number, but which subsequent Scriptures show
to be three divine Persons, even the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
each active in creation.

Genesis 1:26, 27 - God (Elohim, plurality of divine Persons) made man in

His (singular possessive) own image, after His likeness.

Genesis 3:22 - "And GOD (Elohim) said: Man is become as one of us, to
know good and evil." (Genesis 11:6)

Isaiah 6:8 - "The voice of the Lord saying, Who will go for us?" (John 12:41)

All of these verses speak of the plurality of divine Persons in the one God,
and generally this Hebrew uni-plural word "Elohim" is used in the Old
Testament to speak of the Eternal Godhead. It is the Old Testament

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 equivalent for the New Testament definition of God as Father, Son and Holy
Spirit, or, the Godhead.

Isaiah 48:16 - "The Lord God (the Father) and His Spirit (the Holy Spirit)
hath sent Me (the Son)".

Isaiah 61:1 - "The Spirit (the Holy Spirit) of the Lord (the Father) is upon
Me, because He hath anointed Me" (Luke 4:18)

Psalm 110:1 - "The Lord (the Father) said unto my Lord (the Son), sit Thou
at My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool."

Genesis 19:24 - "Then the Lord (the Son) rained fire and brimstone from
the Lord (the Father) out of heaven"

Psalm 45:6-7 - "Thy throne O God (the Son of. Hebrews 1:8-9) is forever...
therefore God, Thy God (the Father) hath anointed Thee."

The Old Testament speaks of:

The Father (lsaiah 63:16; Malachi 2:10)

The Son (Psalm 45:6-7, 2:6-7, 12; Proverbs 30:4; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6)
The Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:2; Isaiah 11:1-3, 48:16; Genesis 6:3; 61:1;
63:10)

2. New Testament Scriptures

• The revelation of God in three Persons is the distinctive ministry of the
blessed Son of God.
• The only Person who could reveal God to man was the very One who
dwelt in the bosom of the Father.
Matthew 3:16-17
The Father's Voice which spoke from heaven
The Son of God in Jordan's waters of baptism
The Holy Spirit descending bodily in the shape of a dove

Matthew 28:19
Baptizing them into the name
of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew's Gospel opens and closes with specific revelation of the

Godhead, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

John 14:16-17
The Father hears the prayer of the Son.
The Son prays to the Father.
The Holy Spirit as the Comforter will be given

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 1 Corinthians 12:4-6
Diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit (Holy Spirit)
Differences of ministrations but the same Lord (The Son)
Diversities of operations but the same God (The Father)

Ephesians 2:18
Access unto - The Father
Through Him - The Son
By one Spirit -The Holy Spirit

Ephesians 4:4-6
There is one Lord - The Son
There is one Spirit - The Holy Spirit
There is one God - The Father

Il Corinthians 13: 14
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ " The Son
The Love of God- The Father
The Communion of the Holy Spirit -The Spirit

1 John 5:7-8
There are three that bear record in heaven:
The Father
The Word (The Son)
And the Holy Spirit,
and these three are one.
That is, tri-unity, one God, manifested and distinguished in three
Persons.

Revelation 4-5
There are three revealed in these chapters of Revelation.
The one in the throne, the Father God
The Lamb before the throne, the sacrificial Son
The seven lamps of fire before the throne, the Holy Spirit in
His fullness.

D. Relationship and Distinction in the Godhead

The relationship and distinctions in the eternal Godhead are seen in the
following arrangement of the Scriptures pertaining to the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit.

1. The Scriptures recognize three as God.

a. The Father is God. (John 6:27; I Peter 1:2; Romans 1:7)
b. Christ is God. (John 1:1,18; Titus 2:13; Romans 9:5)
c. The Holy Spirit is God. (Acts 5:3, 4)

2. The Scriptures recognize clear distinctions as Persons.

a. The Son recognizes the Father distinct from Himself. (John 5:32, 37)

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 b. The Father and Son are distinguished as the Begettor and Begotten.
(Psalm 2:7; John 1:14-18; 3:16)
c. Son recognizes that He was sent by the Father, and that the Holy Spirit
will be sent from the Father through the Son (John 10:36; Galatians 4:4;
John 14:16, 17; 15:26)

3. The Scriptures recognize three in creation.

a. The Father in creation. (Exodus 20:11)
b. The Son in creation. (Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3; Hebrews 1:2, 10)
c. The Holy Spirit in creation. (Job 33:4; Psalm 104:30; Genesis 1:2, Job
26:13)

4. The Scriptures show the eternity of the Godhead.

a. The eternity of the Father. (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2)
b. The eternity of the Son. (Micah 5:2; John 1:1; Philippians 2:6)
c. The eternity of the Holy Spirit. (Hebrews 9:14)

5. The Scriptures show the omnipresence of the Godhead.

a. Omnipresence of the Father. (Jeremiah 23:23-24)
b. Omnipresence of the Son. (Ephesians 1:23; Matthew 18:20)
c. Omnipresence of the Holy Spirit. (Hebrews 9:14)

6. The Scriptures show the omniscience of the Godhead.

a. Omniscience of the Father. (Proverbs 15:3; Hebrews 4:12; I John 3:20)
b. Omniscience of the Son. (John 21:17; Colossians 2:3)
c. Omniscience of the Holy Spirit. (I Corinthians 2:10)

7. The Scriptures show the omnipotence of the Godhead.

a. Omnipotence of the Father (Matthew 19:26)
b. Omnipotence of the Son. (Philippians 3:21; Revelation 1:8; Matthew
28:18)
c. Omnipotence of the Holy Spirit. (I Corinthians 12:8-11)

8. The Scriptures show the immutability of the Godhead.

a. Immutability of the Father. (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17)
b. Immutability of the Son. (Hebrews 13:8)
c. Immutability of the Holy Spirit. (Implied, not stated.)

Though the Father, Son and Holy Spirit maintain these qualities in
common, they also remain distinct from each other.

THE FATHER

• The Father is God, a distinct person.

• He is eternal, self-existent, invisible and immortal, dwelling in light which no
man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see. (I Timothy
6:16; I Timothy 2:5; I Corinthians 8:4; John 6:27; I Peter 1:2; Deuteronomy
32:4; Il Samuel 7:14; Psalm 89:26; Malachi 2:10; Matthew 6:9; Mark 11:25;
Luke 12:30; John 4:21-24; lI Corinthians 6:18; Philippians 4:19; James 1:17;1
John 2:15-16)

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 THE SON
• The Son is God, a distinct Person, co-equal with the Father and the Holy
Spirit.
• He is a distinct personality made visible by the incarnation.
• He was eternally existent with the Father and with the Holy Spirit (Micah 5:2;
John 8:56-58; John 17:5; I Corinthians 15:47 Philippians 2:6-7; Colossians
1:17; John 1:1-3, 14; Revelation 22:13,16)
• The Son not only was pre-eminent above all things except the Father.
(Matthew 11:27; Matthew 28:18; Luke 20:41-44; John 3:13, 31; Acts 10:36;
Ephesians 1:20-22; Hebrews 1:5-6,4; 1 Peter 3:22; Revelation 3:14)
• The Son is to be worshipped as God. (Matthew 2:11; Matthew 14:33; Luke
24:52; John 5:23; Acts 7:59-60; Galatians 1:5; Hebrews 1:6; Il Peter 3:18;
Revelation 5:11-14).
• The Son is God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16; John 1:14-18)

THE HOLY SPIRIT

• The Holy Spirit is God, a distinct personality.
• He is not merely an influence, but a divine Person, co-equal and co-eternal
with the Father and the Son. (Genesis 1:2; Genesis 6:3; Isaiah 63:10; Joel
2:28; Matthew 10:20; Luke 12:12; Jon 14:16-17; John 15:26; Acts 2:4; Acts
5:3-4; Romans 8:14; Corinthians 3:16; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13;
Hebrews 2:4 Ephesians 4:30; I Corinthian 6:19)

E. Heresies Concerning the Godhead

1. Unitarianism
Unitarianism accepts the existence of one God but either denies, ignores or
misconstrues his threeness.

a. Arianism
The heresy was that God is a numerically number one God and that the
Son and the Holy Spirit are created beings.

b. Sabellianism
Bishop Sabellius, another Early Church heretic, taught that the Father,
Son and Holy Spirit were simply three aspects or three manifestations of
the absolute number one God. As a person may be a son, then a
husband, and then a father, yet the person is the same individual, so it
is with God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

2. Tritheism
Tritheism accepts the threeness of God but rejects His unity. It is an
imbalance concerning the revelation of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

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F. The Athanasian Creed and Doctrinal Statements

The Athanasian Creed, formulated in the 5th century to combat the heresies
concerning the Godhead, and to preserve from the two extremes of
Unitarianism and Tritheism, undoubtedly is one of the greatest creeds of Early
Church history. We quote it fully here.

The Athanasian Creed, A.D. 500

The Eternal Power and Godhead is a trinity. Romans 1:20; Matthew 28:19.

The true Christian faith is this, that we worship one God in trinity and trinity
in unity, neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the substance. For
there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy
Ghost.

But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, of the Holy Ghost, is all one, the
glory equal, the majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son,
such is the Holy Ghost.

The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Ghost uncreated. The
Father incomprehensible, the son incomprehensible, the Holy Ghost
incomprehensible.

The Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Ghost eternal, and yet there
are not three externals for infinities) nor three uncreated, nor three
incomprehensible, but one incomprehensible.
So likewise, the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Ghost
almighty, and yet there are not three almighties, but one almighty or
omnipotent.

So, the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Ghost is God, yet there are
not three Gods but one God. For like as we are compelled by the Christian
verity to acknowledge every person by himself to be God or Lord; so, we
are forbidden by the Christian faith to say that there be three Gods or three
Lords.

The Father is made of none, neither created not begotten. The Son is of
the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten.

The Holy Ghost is of the Father and the Son, neither made, nor created,
nor begotten, but proceeding.

So, there is one Father, not three Fathers, and there is one Son not three
Sons, and there is one Holy Ghost, not three Hoy Ghost.

And in this trinity, none is afore or after the other, none is first and last, none
is greater or less than another, but the whole three Persons are co-eternal
together, and co-equal, so that in things, as aforesaid:

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 “The UNITY IN TRINITY, and the TRINITY IN UNITY is to be worshipped.”

G. The Eternal Characteristics of the Godhead

The Father is eternally the Father. The Son is eternally the Son.
The Holy Spirit is eternally the Holy Spirit.
The characteristics and attributes of the Godhead are changeless.
God is one in operation, but three in revelation and manifestation.

1. Characteristics of the Father

a. First Person in mode of operation. The First Cause, the Original, the
Source, the Beginning, the Commencement, the Fountain-head of all
wisdom. The Absolute. "in the beginning God" (Genesis 1.1)
b. The Foundation of our redemption. (John 3:16)
c. The Covenant-Maker and Keeper, the Covenant Promiser.
d. The Architect, Designer, Controller and Sustainer.
e. Light, Life and Love.
f. Glory, Majesty, Unapproachable Light, Holiness and Fire. (I Timothy
6:16; Hebrews 12:29)
g. Invisible, Spiritual, Eternally the Father.
h. The Begetter. (John 3:16; 1:10-12)
i. Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Immutable, Eternal.

2. Characteristics of the Son

• Second Person in mode of operation, for the purpose of redemption.
Not inferiority, not inequality, but submission and obedience in
redemption's plan to the Father's will. The subject one, the obedient
Son.
• The eternal Word. (John 1:1-3)
• The Mediator, Medium, and Umpire between God and man The
Intercessor, the Advocate.
• The God-Man. The union of the divine nature and human nature in the
one Person. The Word made flesh. (John 1:14- 18) God manifest in the
flesh.
• The Only Begotten Son. The fullness of the Godhead bodily in human
form. (Colossians 1:19, 2:9)
• Redeemer, Savior, Grace of God personified.
• Sacrificial body and blood. The ratification of the covenant by blood.
• The central Person of the Godhead. The one in the midst.
• The visible revelation and expression of the invisible God in human
form. (Romans 1:19-20, Hebrews 1:3)
• Eternally the Son. Co-equal in power, nature, attributes and glory with
the Father and the Holy Spirit.

3. Characteristics of the Holy Spirit

a. The third Person in mode of operation for the purposes of redemption.
Not inferiority, nor inequality, but the servant Person in the Godhead,
pointing to the Father and the Son.
b. Proceeding from the Father, through the Son. (John 15:26; 16:16)

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 c. The Inspirer, Revelator, lluminator of the Word, the written and living
Word. The Communicator, the Teacher.
d. The Quickener, the Unction, the Anointing. (I John 2:20, 27)
e. The Sanctifying Power, the Indweller in the multitude of believers, the
Presence in the Church.
f. Numberlessness, Multiplicity, Exhaustlessness.
g. The Symbolized One, as Rivers, Rain, Fruit, Oil, Fire, Wind, Dove, Seal,
Gifts, etc.
h. Eternally the Spirit. Invisible, Co-equal in nature, power attributes and
glory with the Father and the Son.

H. Illustrations of the Godhead

1. Natural Illustrations of Triunity

a. Light (Genesis 1:1-5)

Light is one -unity
Light is manifested in three major colors golden yellow, scarlet red and
heavenly blue.

b. Water

Water is one - unity

Water is manifested in three forms- water, ice and steam.

c. Sun
There is one Sun relative to earth-one major ruling light.
This one Sun manifests threefold power -light, fire, energy

d. Space
Space is a whole- unity, one
Space has three dimensions- breadth, length, depth.

e. Matter
Matter or substance is one
Matter is also threefold-energy, motion, phenomena.

f. Eternity
Eternity is one- timelessness
Eternity is also threefold - time past, time present, time future.

g. Triangle
A triangle is one complete object - unity
A triangle is also a threesided object.
Take away anyone side 'and the triangle is destroyed.

h. Man
Man is one - a united or whole person.
Man is threefold or a tripartite being-spirit, soul and body;
two invisible parts, one visible.

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 The visible reveals the invisible.

i. Consciousness
Man being a triune being, having spirit, soul and body, has a threefold
consciousness. Conscious means a knowing of oneself.

Spirit is the God-conscious part of man which contacts the spirit realm.
Soul is the self-conscious part of man which contacts the inner realm.
Body is the sense-conscious part of man which contacts the natural
realm. The triunity of man is a mystery, yet a reality. (I Thessalonians
5:23).

2. Biblical Symbols and Types of Triunity

Scripture abounds with glorious symbols and types setting forth the triunity
of God.

a. The Sun, Moon and Stars (Genesis 1:14)

The Sun-Source of light and life; the Father
The Moon- Becomes as blood; the Son (Revelation 6:12)
The Stars -Multitudinous; the Holy Spirit in the Saints.

b. The Ark of Noah (Genesis 6:14-22)

First Story ... The Father, Foundation, Beginning
One Ark … Second Story … The Son, the Door, the Way
(John 10:9)
Third Story ... The Holy Spirit, the Window, the
Illuminator (John 14:26)

c. The Rod, the Rock, the Waters (Exodus 17:1-8)

The Rod - The Father God. He smote the Son on Calvary. It pleased
the Father to bruise His Son (Isaiah 53:10). God gave His Son an
offering for sin (John 3:16).

The Rock -The Son. Smitten for us. They drank of that Rock which
followed them (I Corinthians 10:4)

The Waters- The Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39). The Holy Spirit flows from
the Son as refreshing, life-giving waters. The thirsty may come and
drink.

d. The Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:10-22; 37:6-9)

One Cherub ... The Father
One piece …. Mercy Seat … The Son, blood sprinkled
Of gold One Cherub …. The Holy Spirit (Rom. 3:25)

e. The Rod of Aaron (Numbers 17)

The Bud … The Father, Source, Beginning
One rod … The Flower … The Son, Crushed, Fragrance
The Almond ... The Holy Spirit, Fruitfulness

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 f. The Burning Bush (Exodus 3:1-6)
The Voice ... The Father God
One Bush … The Bush … The Son, The Root,
The Branch (Isaiah 11:1-2)
The Fire ... The Holy Spirit (Heb. 12:29)

g. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exodus 3:14-16)

Abraham … The Father God, Promise, Covenant
The God of … Isaac ... The Son, Only Begotten, Sacrifice
Jacob … The Holy Spirit, Anointer, Fruitfulness

h. The Contents of the Ark (Hebrews 9:4)

The Tables of the Law ... The Father God
The Golden Pot of manna ... The Son (John 6:32-36)
The Rod that budded ... The Holy Spirit, Life, Fruitfulness

i. The High Priest, Urim and Thummin (Exodus 28)

Urim, "Lights" … The Father (James 1.17)
One High … High Priest ... The Son, Mediator, Sacrifice
Priest Thummin, "Perfections” …. The Holy Spirit

j. Three Feasts of the Lord (Leviticus 23)

Passover The Son of God, the Lamb (Exodus 12; I Corinthians 5:7)

Pentecost The Holy Spirit,the Wave Loaves (II Corinthians 3)

Tabernades Father, Fullness, Completeness of Redemption

(Hebrews 6:1-2; Matt. 5:48)

k. The Three Coverings of the Tabernacle (Exodus 36:18-19)

Covering of badger's skins ... God the Father over all
Ram's skins dyed red … The Son, Blood atonement
Goat’s hair curtains … The Holy Spirit, inwrought workings
and operations.

l. The Cherubim and Sword

The Cherubim in plurality, significant of Father Holy Spirit. The Flaming
Sword, the Word, the Son. (Genesis 3:24; Hebrews 4:12)

m. The Cherubim and Veil (Exodus 26:31-33)

The Cherubim inwrought within the veil, again significant of the
operations of the Father and Holy Spirit. The inwrought veil is significant
of the veil of Christ's flesh, rent at Calvary in His death. (Hebrews 10:20-
21)

n. Three Measures of Meal (Genesis 18:3)

The Meal one type of food, of corn. Three measures of meal, three equal
parts of the whole.

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 o. The Loaves of Bread (Luke 11:5)
One bread, yet three loaves for the friend at midnight.

p. The Angels (Genesis 12-19)

The Lord revealed as three angels. (Genesis 18:16; 19:24

q. The Leper Cleansing and Anointing (Leviticus 14:12-25)

One blood, yet a triune application of blood on the right ear, thumb and
toe. Then one anointing oil, and again triune application of the oil on the
right ear, thumb and toe.

r. The Tabernacle and Temple

One tabernacle, one temple, yet each had three respected places, the
Holiest of All, the Holy Place, and the Outer Court.

s. The Earthly Witnesses (I John 5:7-8)

The witness of the water, the witness of the blood, the witness of the Holy
Spirit, yet their witness is one, and agrees in one.

I. The Godhead Bodily.

• The Scriptures state that the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in the
Son. (Colossians 1:19; 2:9)
• The Lord Jesus Christ is the visible and bodily revelation of the Godhead.
(I Timothy 3:16).
• The Father indwelt the Son. (John 14:8-11).
• The Holy Spirit indwelt the Son. (John 3:33-34).
• The Scriptures declare the dual truth that Jesus is the fullness of the
Godhead bodily, and yet the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three eternal
distinctions, distinguishable but indivisible.

VI. THE NAMES OF GOD

The names of God are basically divided into two groups; Creatorship (or
Elohistic), and Redemptive (or Jehovahistic) names

A. Creatorship or Elohistic Names of God

• The Elohistic names of God are those names which have to do with the
relationship of God with His creation or creatures.
• The name "El" signifies "to be strong, powerful or mighty.”
• "Elohim is the plural of "El" and speaks of plurality of divine Persons in the
Godhead.
• El signifies the object of worship rather than a divine name.
• When the name "El" is used as a compound name, it is generally
associated or used to show some power or attribute of God in relation to
His creation or creatures.

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 1. El - "to be strong, powerful, mighty." It is in the singular. It is used of
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Father is El. (Genesis 14:18-22)

The Son is El. (Isaiah 7:14) Immanu-El (Isaiah 9:6-9)
The Holy Spirit is El. (Job 33:4; 37:10)

2. Elohim - Plurality of divine Persons. Used about 2500 times in the Old
Testament. (Genesis 1:1) Used of the triune God. (Exodus 3:1-6,15)
Used also of the fullness of the Godhead in the Son. (Psalm 45:2, 6)

3. El-Elyon - The Most High God. (Genesis 14:18)

4. El-Roi - The God that sees. (Genesis 16:13-14) Omniscience.
5. El-Shaddai - God Almighty, God all-sufficient. (Genesis 17:1)
6. El-Olam - God, the everlasting. (Genesis 21:33) Eternity of Being.
7. El-Beth-El - God of the House of God. (Genesis 31:13; 35:7)
8. El-Elohe-Israel-God, the God of the Prince of God. (Genesis 33:20)
9. Eloah - The one God. (Deuteronomy 32:15; Daniel 2:11)
10. El-Gibbor - The mighty or great God. (Isaiah 9:6; Jeremiah 32:18-19)
11. Elohim-Elyon-God, The Most High. (Psalm 91:1-2; 78:56)
12. Elohim-Saboath - God of Hosts. (Psalm 80:7,14) Omnipotence.
13. Adon or Adonai - Master, Owner or Masters, Owners, Ruler of all.
(Psalm 147:5; 86:12)
14. Immanu-El - God with us. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21-23). God made
flesh. The Incarnate Logos. (John 1:1-3; 14-18)

B. The Redemptive or Jehovahistic Names of God

• The redemptive names of God revealed as Jehovah (or Yahweh) are
God's own personal and distinct names.
• The Hebrews referred to this name as the unpronounceable or
incommunicable name of God.
• The Hebrew letters for this name are four, the English letters are JHVH
or YHWH. These are spoken of as being the four letter tetragrammation.
• Jehovah is the I AM THAT I AM.
• It signifies "to be", or "I will be all that I will be".
• It tells us that God is the Eternal, the Unchanged and Unchanging One,
and He will be all that He is ever needed to be.
• (Exodus 3:14,15; 15:3; Isaiah 42:8; Jeremiah 16:21; 33:2; Amos 5:8; 9:6)

1. Jehovah (Yahweh, or Lord) - I AM THAT I AM (Exodus 3:14- 15) "I will

be what I will be". The Self-Existent One revealing Himself to man in
redemptive purpose. (Malachi 3:6)
2. Jehovah-Elohim - The Lord God, the Redeemer-Creator. (Genesis
2:4)
3. Jah Abbreviated form of Jehovah. (Exodus 15:2; 17:16; Psalm 68:4).
4. Jehovah-Elohim-Saboath -Lord God of Hosts. That is, of the hosts of
heaven, creation and creatures. (Psalm 84:8; Jeremiah 15:16)
5. Adonai-Jehovah-Saboath - Master Lord of Hosts. (Psalm 69:6) Adon
is singular for Master, and translated Lord in Old Testament. Adonai
is plural for the same.

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6. Jah-Elohim -Lord God. (Psalm 68:18)
7. Jah-Jehovah - Lord Jehovah (for double emphasis). (Isaiah 12:2;
26:4)
8. Jehovah-Jireh -The Lord will provide. (Genesis 22:14)
9. Jehovah-Rapha -The Lord that heals. (Exodus 15:26)
10. Jehovah-Nissi - The Lord my Banner. (Exodus 17:15)
11. Jehovah-Kanna - The lord who is jealous. (Exodus 20:5 34:14;
Deuteronomy 5:9)
12. Jehovah-Mekaddeskum - The Lord who sanctifies. (Exodus 31:13;
Leviticus 20:8)
13. Jehovah-Shalom -The Lord our Peace. (Judges 6:24)
14. Jehovah-Shaphat-The Lord is Judge. (Judges 11:27)
15. Jehovah-Saboath - The Lord of Hosts. (I Samuel 1:3; Psalm 24:10;
84:1,3)
16. Jehovah-Elyon-The Lord Most High. (Psalm 7:17)
17. Jehovah-Raah (or Roi) The Lord my Shepherd. (Psalm 23:13)
18. Jehovah-Hosenu - The Lord our Maker (Psalm 95:6)
19. Jehovah-Gibbor - The Lord is Mighty, (Isaiah 42:13)
20. Jehovah-Tsidkenu – The Lord our Righteousness. (Jeremiah 23:6)
21. Jehovah-Shammah - The Lord is There, or Ever present. (Ezekiel
48:35)

Jehovah-Jehoshua-Christos The LORD JESUS CHRIST, or,

Jehovah's Savior Anointed. (Matthew 1:21, Acts 2:34-46; Ephesians
1:20-21, Luke 2:11, 26, 27)

The name of the Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest redemptive name
ever to be revealed because it comprehends in a triune name all the
compound redemptive names of Jehovah. It is in the name and
person of the Lord Jesus Christ that God meets every need of man in
redemptive power. The Lord Jesus Christ is God's ordained
Redeemer and all Old Testament redemptive names point to and find
their consummation in His redemptive name. It is the name of the
Godhead bodily. It is a triune name for the triune God. (Colossians
1:19, 2:9, Matthew 28:19-20)

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 TRIUNE GOD

I. BASIS OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY

II. ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY

III. THE TRINITY ACTING IN UNITY

IV. CONCLUSION

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 TRIUNE GOD

Introduction
• So far, we have learned that there is one God – the Creator of the world.

• Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord.”
o There is only one God

• But a careful study of the Scriptures will show that God exists in three Persons,
that is, a Godhead manifested in three Persons:
o Colossians 2:9 “For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”

Objection:

How can God be three Persons and one God at the same time? Would that not make
three Gods, resembling pagan philosophy and contradicting Deuteronomy 6:4?

Is the doctrine of the Trinity not incomprehensible and contrary to reason?

• Isaiah 55:8, 9 teaches us that human reason has no bearing in the study of God,
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the
Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than
your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."

• Neither the words "Trinity" nor "Triune God" can be found in the Scriptures.

I. Basis of the Doctrine of the Trinity

1. In the Baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17)
2. The baptismal formula (Matthew 28:19)
3. The benediction (2 Corinthians 13:14)
4. The creation of man (Genesis 1:26)

Il. Illustrations of the Doctrine of the Trinity

1. Shamrock - is but one leaf but it has three distinct sections.

2. Water - revealed in three forms -liquid, ice and steam, yet all tree has the same
chemical formula, H2O.
3. Light - red heat rays that are invisible picturing the Father, yellow light rays that
are seen picturing the Son, blue chemical rays that are seen by their effects,
picturing the Spirit.
4. Business firm: (Smith & Co, three brothers, John, Henny and Peter) It is one
firm with one name but each brother is head of a department.

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 5. Alban Douglas. I remain one person but l am revealed as a son, father and
teacher at the same time. God is one indivisible God revealed three separate
Persons

IIl. The Trinity Acting in Unity

1. In Creation
• God the Father spoke, Genesis 1:3 “And God said, Let there be light”.
• God the Son was the Word spoken, John 1:1 "In the beginning was the
Word.”
• God the Holy Spirit moved upon the face of the waters, Genesis 1.2; Job
26:12, 13.

2. In the Incarnation
• God the Father gave His only Son, John 3:16.
• God the Son was born into the world, Luke 2:11.
• God the Spirit came upon Mary to cause conception, Luke 1:35.

3. In Redemption
• God the Father accepted the sacrifice of Calvary, Hebrews 9:14.
• God the Son offered Himself as our substitute, Hebrews 9:14.
• God the Spirit - Jesus offered Himself "through the eternal Spirt Hebrews
914.

4. In Salvation
• God the Father received the prodigal from the far country, Luke 15:22.
• The Father welcomes the sinner, forgives him, supplies robes, rings and a
feast.
• God the Son is the Shepherd that goes to seek the lost sheep, Luke 15:4.
• God the Spirit seals the new convert, Ephesians 1:13.

5. In Communion
• God the Father invites us to come to Him for fellowship, Ephesians 2:18.
• God the Son is the reconciliation, 2 Corinthians 5:19.
• God the Spirit effects this union and communion, Ephesians 2:18.

6. In Prayer
• God the Father is the One who receives the requests, John 16:23.
• God the Son is the One in whose Name we pray, John 16:23.
• God the Spirit directs us in our requests, Romans 8:26.

7. In Glory
• God the Father is eventually to receive the millennial kingdom, 1 Corinthians
15:24.
• God the Son is the One who will change our vile body like His, Philippians
3:21.
• God the Spirit gives the invitation, Revelation 22:17.

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 8. In Regeneration
• God the Father records the new name in glory, Luke 10:20.
• God the Son cleanses the sin in His precious blood, Ephesians 1:7.
• God the Spirit performs the transforming miracle of the new birth, John 3:3-
6.

ATTRIBUTE GOD THE FATHER GOD THE SON GOD THE HOLY
SPIRIT
1. Eternal Psalm 90:2 Revelation 1:8, 17 Hebrews 9:14
2. Omnipotent 1 Peter 1:5 2 Corinthians 12:9 Romans 15:19
3. Omniscient Jeremiah 17:10 Revelation 2:23 1 Corinthians 2:11
4. Omnipresent Jeremiah 23:24 Matthew 18:20 Psalms 139:7
5. Holiness Revelation 15:4 Acts 3:14 Luke 1:15
6. Truth John 7:28 Revelation 3:7 1 John 5:6
7. Benevolent Romans 2:4 Ephesians 5:25 Nehemiah 9:20
8. Communion 1 John 1:3 1 John 1:3 2 Corinthians 13:14

Conclusion

"He who would try to understand the Trinity fully will lose his mind. But he who would
deny the Trinity will lose his soul. ”- Lindsell and Woodbridge.

It is a mystery and will remain a mystery until we meet the Lord in glory.

However, this does not mean that we cannot believe it. We must believe it.

God is so different from us; He is a Spirit and we are human beings.

I believe that God is honored and made happy by our believing this doctrine.

Man, too, is a tripartite being - body, soul and spirit - for we were made in the image
and likeness of the Lord.

Let us worship this great God - this One who is so superior to us.

Let us thank each member of the Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, for
that which they have personally done for us.

Douglas, Ablan. One Hundred Bible Lessons. Manila: OMF Literature, 1988. 16-19

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 THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST (Christology)
I. INTRODUCTION

II. HERESIES CONCERNING THE PERSON OF CHRIST

A. The Ebionites
B. The Gnostics
C. The Arians
D. The Apollinarians
E. The Nestorians
F. The Eutychians
G. The Monophysites

III. ORTHODOX STATEMENT CONCERNING THE PERSON OF CHRIST

IV. OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE PERSON OF CHRIST

A. The Deity of Christ
B. The Humanity of Christ

V. THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST

A. The Fact of the Incarnation
B. The Necessity of the Incarnation
C. The Nature of the Incarnation
D. The Reasons for the Incarnation

VI. THE DEITY OF CHRIST

A. Divine Attributes
B. Divine Names
C. Divine Works
D. Divine Worship
E. Divine Claims
F. Divine Relationship

VII. THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST

A. The Humanity of Christ
B. The Sinlessness of Christ
C. The Example of Christ

VIII. THE MEDIATORSHIP OF CHRIST

A. Old Testament Revelation
B. New Testament Revelation
C. Maintaining Balance

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 THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST (Christology)

I. INTRODUCTION

In the Gospels are presented two of the most important questions relative to
the Lord Jesus Christ.

• Matthew 22:42 "What think ye of Christ; whose Son is He?"

• Matthew 27:22 "What shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ?

II. HERESIES CONCERNING THE PERSON OF CHRIST

All the basic heresies concerning the person of Christ were manifested in seed-
form during the time of the early church and were dealt with in the Gospels and
Epistles of the apostolic writers.

A. The Ebionites
• Jewish believers that arose early in the second century.
• Hebrew origin: "Ebion" which means "poor", "humble" and “oppressed”
• Because of their poverty, they regarded themselves as the only true
disciples of Christ.
• Believed that the Mosaic and Jewish ceremonies were still binding upon
Christian believers.
• Disliked Paul's writings (e.g. Colossians 2:13-17 which refute Jewish
ceremonialism as being nailed to the cross and no longer binding to the
believer in Christ).
• Denied that Christ had a divine nature, and discounted His supernatural
conception.
• Viewed Jesus as merely a man.
• Rejected His deity because they believed it contradicted the fact of God's
oneness.

B. The Gnostics
• Denied the full humanity of Christ.
• Were also called Docetae, meaning "to seem" or "to appear”, because
of their views of the person of Christ.

1. The Docetae - this group denied the reality of Christ's body, saying
His Body was a mere phantom appearance.
2. The Gnostics - this group taught that Christ had a real body but denied
the fact that it was physical or material.
3. The Cerinthians - a Gnostic by the name of Cerinthius taught that
Jesus and Christ were distinct;
• that Jesus was an ordinary man, the son of Joseph Mary,
• that Christ was the spirit or power of God which descended upon
Jesus at His baptism in the river Jordan.

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 These Gnostic heresies are alluded to and dealt with in the Epistles of
Colossians, I Timothy, II Timothy, I John, Jude and Revelation (read also
John 20:31; I John 5:20; I John 2:1; Hebrews 2:14; I John 4:1-4; I Timothy
3:16; Colossians 1:19; 2:9).

C. The Arians
• Arius was a presbyter of Alexandria in Egypt.
• Taught that Christ did not pre-exist, that He was a created being and that
by Him all other things were created
• Arius taught that though the Son was called God, He was not God in the
fullest sense of the word, but was the highest of all created beings.
• Jesus was divine, but not deity, a demi-god half-way between man and
God.

D. The Apollinarians
• Apollinaris was a notable Bishop of Laodicea.
• Taught that Christ had a true body and animal soul but not a rational
spirit or mind.
• Taught that the eternal Son supplied the spirit or mind of Christ Jesus.
• Thus, the body and soul were the human part and the eternal Son was
the divine or spirit part of Jesus.
• This teaching denies the completeness of Christ's human nature,
teaching that He has only two parts instead of the full and total humanity
of spirit, soul and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

E. The Nestorians
• Nestorius, Bishop of Constantinople
• Taught concerning the person of Christ that there was a dual personality
involved.
• Denied the real union of the divine and human natures in Christ, saying
that the Logos (the divine personality) dwelt in Christ Jesus (the human
personality)
• Presented Christ as a Spirit-filled man, a man filled with God, but without
true deity and true humanity in the one person.

F. The Eutychians
• Held that Christ had but one nature and will, not two separate natures or
wills.
• Taught that the divine and human natures were so mingled into one that
it actually constituted a third nature.

G. The Monophysites

Eutychianism also flowed into several other smaller streams, which are
briefly mentioned here.

1. Monophysites
• Another name for a branch of the Eutychians because they
emphasized that Christ had but one nature, one will.

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 • Arose out of the difficulty to see the harmony and relationship of the
two natures and wills in the person of Christ.

2. Adoptionists
• An offshoot of Eutychianism, Apollinarianism, and Nestorianism.
• Taught that the humanity of Christ was only by adoption.
• Denied the begotten and now eternal humanity of Christ.

The Ebionites - denied Christ's deity.

The Gnostics - denied Christ's humanity.
The Arians - taught that Christ was a created being.
The Apollinarians - denied the completeness of Christ's human nature.
The Nestorians - denied the union of the two natures in Christ, reducing Him
to a man filled with God.
The Eutychians - denied the distinction of the two natures of Christ, thus
making a third or hybrid nature of the two.
The Monophysites - denied the two natures and wills in the one person of
Christ.

III. ORTHODOX STATEMENT CONCERNING THE PERSON OF CHRIST

Because of the heresies which raged over the person of Christ, the various
church councils gathered periodically to hammer out creeds the anvil of truth in
an endeavor to preserve and guard "the faith once delivered to the saints" (Jude
3). The following Creed is that which was formulated by the Council of
Chalcedon in 451 A.D. Because of its theological soundness it is quoted at
length.

"Following the holy fathers we all with one consent teach and confess one
and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in deity, and the
same perfect in humanity, truly God, and the same truly Man, of reasonable
soul and body, of the same substance with the Father as to His divinity, of
the same substance with us as to His humanity, in all things like to us, except
sin, before the ages begotten of the Father as to His deity, but in the latter
days for us, and for our redemption, begotten (the same) of the Virgin Mary,
the mother of God, as to His humanity, one and the same Christ, Son, Lord.
Only-begotten, manifested in two natures, without confusion, without
conversion, indivisibly, inseparably. The distinction of nature’s being by no
means abolished by the union, but rather the property of each preserved and
combined into one person and one hypostasis; not one severed or divided
into two persons, but one and the same Son and only-begotten, viz. God,
Logos, and the Lord Jesus Christ." (Robert Clarke, in "The Christ of God" pp.
41-42).

Henry Thiessen in "Lectures in Systematic Theology" (p.286), in quoting from

Strong, writes:

"In the one person of Jesus Christ, there are two natures, a human and a
divine nature, each in its completeness and integrity, and these two natures

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 are organically and indissolubly united, yet so that no third nature is formed
thereby. In brief (to use the antiquated dictum) orthodox doctrine forbids us
either to divide the person or to confound the natures."

And further
"The redemption of mankind from sin was to be affected through a Mediator
who should unite in Himself both the human nature and the divine in order
that He might reconcile God to man, and man to God."

"The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who pre-existed with the
Father, and by His incarnation and Virgin Birth, took upon Himself the form
of Man and was revealed as the God-Man. In the one person of Christ, there
are two natures, human and divine, distinguishable but indivisible, qualifying
Him to be the only true mediator between God and man. Jesus Christ was
sinless, perfect crucified, buried, resurrected, ascended, glorified and He will
come again the second time in glory and judgment." The orthodox position
concerning the person of Christ is that Christ is truly God and truly Man, and
that because of the union in Him of two natures, He is the perfect mediator
between God and man.

IV. OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE PERSON OF CHRIST

A consideration of Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming of the

Messiah reveals that there were two streams of thought. One stream spoke of
the deity of Christ, while the other spoke of the humanity of Christ.

A. The Deity of Christ

1. "A virgin shall conceive and bear a Son... and His name shall be called
… Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).
2. "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given … and His name
shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting
Father, and the Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6-9).
3. “… the Lord our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:5-6).
4. From Bethlehem there was to come forth the "... Ruler, whose goings
forth have been from of old (from the days of eternity)” (Micah 5:2).
5. "… What is His name, and what is His Son's name, if thou canst tell?"
(Proverbs 30:4).
6. "Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee…” (Psalm 2:7,12).
7. “… but unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, a God is forever... (Psalm
45:6 with Hebrews 1:8).

B. The Humanity of Christ

1. The Redeemer was to be the "seed of the woman” who would bruise
the serpent's head (Genesis 3:15). This is a prophecy of the Virgin Birth
in enigmatic form.
2. The Messiah would also come from the Tents of Shem (Genesis 9:26).
3. The Redeemer would be the "seed of Abraham (Genesis 22:18).

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 4. The Redeemer would be of "the seed of Isaac (Genesis 26:2-4).
5. This promise was also confirmed to "the seed of Jacob" (Genesis
28:13-14).
6. The Messiah would come from the nation of Israel (Numbers 24:17-19).
7. The Lord also foretold that a prophet "like unto Moses" would be raised
up out from the midst of his brethren (Deuteronomy 18:15-18).
8. Messiah was to come from the Tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10- 12).
9. Messiah would come of the family of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1-2).
10. Messiah would come out of the House of David (lI Samuel 7:12-14)
11. The promise of Scripture was that "a virgin shall conceive and bear a
Son… His name shall be called Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).
12. This Messiah would be "a man”, whose name is The Branch”
(Zechariah 3:8; 6:10-12; Isaiah 11:1-4).

V. THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST

A. THE FACT OF THE INCARNATION

All of the New Testament writers attest to the truth of the incarnation. The
birth of Jesus Christ is a historical fact and the Biblical writers under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit give us the details of this miraculous event. The
word "incarnation" simply means "God taking on Himself human flesh". God
took human form or clothed Himself with flesh in the virgin birth. The origin
of the Christ-child, as to His humanity, is traced to the work of the Holy
Spirit. God became man in Jesus, deity took upon Himself humanity. A.B.
Bruce says "it is not deified humanity, but the descent of God into humanity.
It is not man taking God into him, but God taking on manhood."

1. The Incarnation Historically

a. To Mary (Luke 1:26-35; Jeremiah 31:22; Luke 2:34-35)
b. To Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25)

2. The Incarnation Personally

• Jesus said, "I came out from God, I came forth from the Father..."
(John 16:27 with 8:42).
• Jesus knew that He was David's Lord (as to His deity) and David's
son (as to His humanity) (Matthew 22:42-46; Revelation 22:16 with
Psalm 110:1).
• He claimed God as His Father while never saying that Joseph was
His father (John 2:16; 5:17; 18-47, 6:32-40; 8:42).
• The Father God also attested to the Son's miraculous birth. Three
times He spoke from heaven, two of these times attesting to the
fact "This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew
3:16-18; 17:1-5; John 12:27-29).

3. The Incarnation Theologically

a. To Paul
1) Jesus Christ our Lord was "made of the seed of David
according to the flesh” (Romans 1:3-4).

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 2) God sent forth His Son in the fullness of time, "made of a
woman, made under the Law” (Galatians 4:4)
3) In Christ "dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (1
Timothy 3:16).
4) Great is the mystery of Godliness "God was manifest in the
flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16).
5) The one mediator between God and men, "The Man, Christ
Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
6) “Forasmuch the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He
Himself also took part of the same" in order to redeem man
from death and the power of the devil (Hebrews 2:14).
7) God sent forth His Son "in the likeness of sinful flesh" (Romans
8:3).
8) Christ came of the fathers "as concerning the flesh" (Romans
9:5).
9) Though Christ was originally in "the form of God", He made
Himself of no reputation and took upon Himself "the form of a
servant and was made in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:5-
8).
10) When Jesus came into the world by the incarnation, He said "a
body hast Thou prepared Me" (Hebrews 10:5). This body was
prepared or fitted out perfectly to do God's will in the virgin
Mary.

b. To Peter
The apostle Peter also acknowledged by revelation the truth of
Christ's deity and virgin birth.

1) Peter confessed that Jesus Christ was "the Son of the Living
God” (Matthew 16:16).
2) Christ was foreordained as the Lamb of God before the
foundation of the world but was manifested in these last timnes
for our redemption (1 Peter 1:18-20).

c. To John
John also confirmed the deity and humanity of Christ.

1) The Word was in the beginning with God, and the Word was
God. This Word was made flesh and tabernacled among men
(John 1:1-3, 14-18; I John 4:9-10).
2) False prophets deny that "Jesus Christ is come in the flesh" (I
John 4:1-3).
3) Deceivers and antichrists deny and "confess not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh" (II John 7-10).

A consideration of these brief references all point to the foundational truth

of the incarnation; Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. He is the God-
Man. The apostles confirmed theologically in the epistles the virgin birth as
set forth historically in the Gospels.

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 In Matthew Jesus is presented as the Son of David (Isaiah 11:1; Matthew
1:1).
In Mark Jesus is presented as the Son of Man (Zechariah 3:8; Mark 8:38).
In Luke Jesus is presented as the Son of Adam (Zechariah 6:12-13; Luke
3:38).
In John Jesus is presented as the Son of God (Isaiah 4:2; 7:14; John 3:16).

It is upon the fact of the incarnation, or virgin birth, that the truths of Christ's
pre-existence, deity, Saviorhood, Lordship, resurrection and the entire plan
of redemption depend.

B. THE NECESSITY OF THE INCARNATION

There were two major things which necessitated the incarnation" fall and
sinfulness of man, and the covenant-making and keeping God.

1. Man sinned and therefore must die (I Corinthians 15:21; Romans 5:12-
21; Genesis 2:16-17).
2. Only man could die for man, but no man born of Adam's race could
qualify, as all are born in sin, shapen in iniquity. No-one born of Adam's
race is clean (Job 14:4; 14:14; 25:4; Psalm 51:1-5; 58:3).
3. Only God could redeem man. But God could not redeem man as God,
only as man. Thus, God became a sinless man by the incarnation to
redeem man back to Himself (Galatians 4:4-5; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5;
Il Corinthians 5:21). By the virgin birth, God brought forth a sinless
being out of a sinful being.

C. THE NATURE OF THE INCARNATION

The nature of the incarnation is given to us by Paul in the Philippian epistle

in the seven-fold humiliation of the Christ of God. The seven steps of
Christ's humiliation are noted in the following outline of Philippians 2:6-8.

1. Who, being in the form of God

2. Thought it not robbery to be equal with God
3. But made Himself of no reputation
4. And took upon Himself the form of a servant
5. And was made in the likeness of men
6. And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself
7. And became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

This seven-fold humiliation of Christ may be summed up in three major

theological points: 1) His deity, clauses 1 and 2; 2) His humanity; clauses
3, 4 and 5; and 3) His crucifixion, clauses 6 and 7.

When Paul states that Christ "made Himself of no reputation" he is saying

that Christ emptied Himself. By being in "the form of God" and taking upon
Himself "the form of man" there was a self-emptying process. This is
spoken of as the Kenosis Theory. The expression "emptied Himself comes
from the Greek word "Kenoo" meaning “to make empty". Theologians in

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general accept the Kenosis Theory, that Christ did empty Himself in the
incarnation, but there is much misunderstanding concerning this theory.
Common questions are, 'In what way did Christ empty Himself? 'What did
this self-emptying consist of and 'In becoming man did He cease to be God?

1. False Concepts
a. He Emptied Himself of His Deity.
b. He Emptied Himself of the Possession of Divine Attributes.
c. He Emptied Himself of the Apparent Possession of Divine
Attributes.
d. He Emptied Himself of the Use of Divine Attributes.

2. Proper Concepts
• Christ in becoming man did not cease to be God, neither did He
give up the possession or use of the divine attributes, whether
essential or moral.
• He surrendered the independent exercise of divine attributes.
• He laid aside His prerogatives as God to act as God, and became
dependent upon the Father's will for any exercise, operation or
manifestation of these attributes.

a. Christ Was Always God.

b. Christ Always Possessed Divine Attributes.

1) Essential Attributes.
a. Omnipresence (John 3:13; Matthew 28:19-20; 18:20)
b. Omnipotence (John 6:36; 14:11; 10:25, 37-38 15:24)
c. Omniscience (John 2:24-25; 18:4)
d. Immutable (Hebrews 1:12; 13:8)
e. Self-Existence (John 8:58; John 1:4; 5:26)
f. Eternal (Revelation 1:8; John 3:16; 5:26)

2) Moral Attributes.
a) Holiness (Mark 1:24; Revelation 4:8; I Peter 1:15-16)
b) Righteousness (I Corinthians 1:30; Jeremiah 23:4-5; 1
John 2:1-2))
c) Love (John 3:16; Galatians 2:20; I John 4:16-19;
Ephesians 2:4, 7; Titus 3:4-7)
d) Faithfulness (John 14:6; I John 5:20; Hebrews 2:17).

c. Christ as God Became Dependent Man.

The self-emptying of Christ as God was in the fact that He humbled

Himself, and from being in the form of God, took upon Himself the
form of a servant. As the perfect God-Man, He was totally
dependent upon the Holy Spirit for all He said and did. In summary:

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 1) In His Self-emptying He gave up the glory, the outshining
majesty and outward expression of the Godhead that He had
with the Father (John 17:5).
2) In His Self-emptying He gave up the form of God and took upon
Himself the form of a servant, without ceasing to be God. This
He did in the virgin birth (John 1:14; Philippians 2:6-8; I Peter
1:16-18).
3) In His Self-emptying He taught only what the Father told Him
to say (John 6:30; 8:28; 35; 12:44-50).
4) In His Self-emptying He did only what the Father showed Him
to do (John 5:36).
5) In His Self-emptying He exercised only the authority the Father
gave Him (John 10:18).
6) In His Self-emptying He came into voluntary dependence upon
the anointing and enabling power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38;
Luke 4:14-18; Matthew 12:38; Hebrews 9:14; Acts 1:2).
7) In His self-emptying He laid aside the independent exercise of
His divine attributes, only exercising them as the Father willed.
This was self- subordination for a redemptive pur-pose. He
never used any of His divine prerogatives for selfish purposes
(John 14:28; 3:16; 10:18;1 Corinthians 11:3; 15:27-28).

D. THE REASONS FOR THE INCARNATION

There are nine important reasons for the incarnation and they all find
their fulfillment in the person and work of Christ.

1. To Confirm the Promises of Salvation made to the Patriarchs

(Romans 15:8-9; Matthew 1:1; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-9; Genesis 3:15;
22:18; Micah 5:1-2).

2. To Fulfill the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets

a. The Law

1) To Fulfill the Law Morally

2) To Fulfill the Law Typically

b. The Psalms
c. The Prophets

3. To Give a Complete Revelation of the Father God

(John 1:14-18 Amplified Version; 14:9; 16:27; Matthew 6:8: 5:45;
Psalm 103:13; John 3:1-5; Matthew 11:27, I John 3:1-2).

4. To Destroy the Works of the Devil and His Kingdom

(1 John 3.5, 8; Romans 13:12; Ephesians 5:11; Galatians 5:19;
Hebrews 2:14-15; John 12:31; 14:30; Revelation 20:10-15).

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5. To Live a Perfectly Sinless Human Life
(I John 2:6; I Peter 2:21; Matthew 11:29).

6. To Put Away Sin by the Sacrifice of Himself

(Leviticus 16:10-22; Isaiah 53:6; Hebrews 10:1-10; II Corinthians
5:21; Hebrews 2:9-14; Hebrews 9:26; Mark 10:45; I John 3:5; John
1:29,36).

7. To Bring Into Effect the New Covenant

(Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8; Matthew 26:26-28; Hebrews
13:20).

8. To Fulfill Old Testament Offices

a. The Office of the Judge

The judges were deliverers and saviors of God's people, Israel.
(Judges 2:14; Nehemiah 9:27; John 5:19-20; Acts 17:31; Isaiah
33:22; Revelation 20:11-15; Acts 5:31).

b. The Office of the Prophet

Christ is the infallible teacher and prophet of God. (John 1:17-
18; Luke 10:16; Hebrews 1:1-2; Acts 2:22-23; 7:37; Luke 13:33;
Matthew 13:57; Hebrews 12:25; John 6:14; John 7:40; Luke
7:16; Exodus 4:14-16; 7:1; Deuteronomy 18:15-18).

c. The Office of the Priest

• As the prophet represented God to man, the priest
represented man to God. (Leviticus 21:16-24; Exodus 28-
29; Leviticus 8:23-26; Hebrews 1:9; Zechariah 6:12-13;1
Samuel 2:27-35; I Peter 2:5-8; Revelation 1:6; 5:9-10).
• He is the propitiation, the Advocate, the Intercessor, the High
Priest in behalf of the sins of the people (Hebrews 2:10, 17-
18; 4:;1.5-16;5:1-5; I Timothy 2:5; Isaiah 53:10-12; John
1:29,36; I John 2:1-2; Psalm 110:4).

d. The Office of the King

The incarnation was also for the fulfillment of the Davidic
Covenant which promised Messiah the King to be the ultimate
ruler of the world (Psalm 89; Psalm 2; Psalm 45; Psalm 72;
Psalm 110; John 18:36; II Samuel 7:8-17; Revelation 15:3;
19:16).

9. Consummate the Redemptive Plan in His Second Coming

• The first coming was the inauguration of redemption's plan, and
the second coming is the consummation of it.
• In the first coming we were saved from the guilt and penalty of
sin.
• In the second advent we will be totally redeemed from the power
and presence of sin. (Daniel 9:24-27; Romans 8:18-25; Hebrews

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 9:27-28; Philippians 3:21; I Corinthians 15:25-28; I
Thessalonians 4:15-18).

VI. THE DEITY OF CHRIST

The deity and humanity of Christ need to be kept in delicate balance, as

evidenced by the New Testament writers, to avoid heresy.

A. Divine Attributes Ascribed to Him

1. Essential Attributes

a. Eternity of Being
(John 1:1-3; Proverbs 30:4; Romans 1:20; John 17:3-5; Matthew
3:11; 16:16; Hebrews 7:1-4; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-9; Proverbs 8:23-31;
Revelation 1:8,11; John 6:33, 41, 50, 51, 58, 62; 8:56-58; Exodus
3:14; Micah 5:2)

b. Pre-existence of Being
(John 1:1-3, 27, 30; 16:26-28; 17:1-5; Luke 12:49-51; Matthew
10:40; Proverbs 8:13-36; John 6:38-57; 8:28,38,58; Mark 1:38;
Micah 5:2).

c. Self-existence
(John 1:4; 5:21-26; 14:16; Hebrews 7:16; I John 5:11-12).

d. Deity

1) He existed in the beginning as the Word, as God (John 1:1 with

Genesis 1:1; Philippians 2:6; Revelation 19:13).
2) He was with God, the Father (John 1:1).
3) He was God, the Son (John 1:1; Romans 9:5; Hebrews 1:8,10;
I John 5:20; Titus 2:13).
4) He is God manifest in the flesh (John 20:28; I Timothy 3:16;
Colossians 2:9; 1:19; Acts 20:28; Hebrews 1:8)
5) He is the Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6; Psalm 45:6).
6) He is Immanuel, God with us (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).
7) He is The Word made flesh (John 1:14-18).
8) He is the True God (I John 5:20 with Titus 2:13; Romans 9:5).
9) He is the great God (Titus 2:13).
10) He is our God and Savior (Il Peter 1:1).
11) He existed in the form of God before His incarnation and was
equal with God the Father (Philippians 2:5-7).
12) He is the only wise God (Jude 25).

e. Omnipotence
(Colossians 1:17; Ephesians 3:9; Hebrews 1:10; Revelation 3:14;
John 1:3, 10; I Corinthians 8:6).

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 1) He has power in heaven (Matthew 28:18).
2) He has all power in earth (John 17:2).
3) He has power over all nature (Matthew 8:23-27).
4) He has power over all demonic hosts (Luke 4:35-41).
5) He has power over all the angelic hosts (I Peter 3:22;
Ephesians 1:20-22).
6) He has power over all things (Hebrews 1:3).

f. Omniscience
(John 16:30; 2:24-25; Colossians 2:3; John 14:16-19; 21:17;
Hebrews 4:12-13; Revelation 2:23).

g. Omnipresence
(Matthew 18:20; 28:20; John 3:13; Ephesians 1:23; 1 Corinthians
1:2; 5:4).

h. Immutable
(Hebrews 1:12; 13:8; Psalm 102:26-32; Malachi 3:6)

i. Infallible
(John 12:44-50; 14:6)

j. Sovereign
(Philippians 2:9-11; Isaiah 9:6; Revelation 19:16; Matthew 25:31-
46)

2. Moral Attributes

a. Perfect Holiness (Luke 4:34; Acts 4:27-30; I Peter 2:22)

b. Perfect Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:5-6; I Corinthians 1:30
Hebrews 1:9; I Peter 2:22).
c. Perfect Love (John 15:9-10; I John 3:16; I John 4:7-8; 15- 16).
d. Perfect Faithfulness (Revelation 1:5).

B. Divine Attributes Ascribed to Him

1. He is the Everlasting Father, or Father of Eternity (Isaiah 9:6).

2. He is called Lord (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13; Acts 9:17).
It was blasphemy to call any man "Lord" to the Jewish mind, as this was
the name of deity.
a. He is the Lord of Hosts (Isaiah 8:13-14; 1 Peter 5:15; 1:7,8).
b. He is the Lord our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:5-6).
c. He is the Lord (Matthew 22:43-45; Psalm 110:1; Luke 2:11).
d. He is the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:34-37; 16:31; I Corinthians 12:3;
Philippians 2:11; Romans 10:9; Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:11).

3. He is called Jehovah (Genesis 19:24; Hosea 1:7; Zechariah 12:10;

Psalm 83:18; Isaiah 12:2).
4. He is Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:7, 8, 11; 22:13, 16).

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 5. He is the First and the Last (Isaiah 44:6; 41:4; 48:12; Revelation 1:17-
18).
6. He is the eternal Word (John 1:1, 14; Revelation 19:13; Hebrews 1:1-
2).
7. He is the I AM (Exodus 3:14-15; John 856-58; Leviticus 24:12- 16).
(Note all the I AM's of Jesus in the Gospel of John) It would be
blasphemy to use this name of deity unless Jesus were God.
8. He is the root and offspring of David. He is David's Son and David’s
Lord, by pre-existence, deity and incarnation. He is root and Lord, as to
His deity. He is offspring and Son, as to His humanity.
9. He is the Angel of Jehovah (refer to Old Testament theophanies or
Christophanies) (Genesis 16:7-14 22-11-18,31:11-13; Exodus 3:1-5;
14:19; Judges 6:11-23; 13:2-25; I Chronicles 21:1-27 Numbers 22:22-
35; I Kings 195-7: l Kings 19:35; Zechariah111 6:12-15). The Hebrews
recognized this manifestation as a manifestation of deity.
10. He is the Son of God. This Sonship is an eternal sonship, and is
acknowledged by all realms.

a. By the Father God (Acts 13:33, Hebrews 1:5: Matthew 17:5).

b. By demon spirits (Matthew 8:29).
c. By the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:35).
d. By the apostles (Matthew 16:16-17; Romans 1:1-3).
e. By the Lord Himself (Mark 1:61-62; Luke 22:70; John 5:25; 11:4;
Psalm 2:7; Proverbs 30:4; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-9).

11. He is the Holy One of God (Mark 1:24).

12. He is the truth (John 14:6). He spoke the truth, He was and is truth. He
is the truth personified. This is inapplicable to any man.

C. Divine Works Attributed to Him

Divine works were done by the Son of God (John 14:11; 10:37: 5:36).

1. He was the creator of the universe of worlds (Hebrews 1:3; Genesis

1:1-5; John 1:1-4; 10; Hebrews 1:10; Colossians 1:16-17).
2. He was the creator of angels and man (Genesis 1:26; Proverbs 8:30;
Colossians 1:16-17).
3. He forgave sins (Acts 5:31; Luke 5:21-14; Matthew 9:6; Mark 25-
Genesis 1:1-5, John 1:1-4, 10; Hebrews 1:10; Colossians 3:13). It is
the prerogative of God only to forgive sins as all sin in primarily against
God Himself (Psalm 51:4).
4. He raised the dead and will change the vile bodies of believers at His
coming by reason of who He is (John 5:28- 29; 11:25; Philippians 3:21;
Il Timothy 4:1).
5. He will judge the whole world in righteousness. All judgment has been
given to Him by the Father. He could only judge the entire world in
perfect justice by reason of divine attributes (John 5:22-29; Acts
17:31;11 Corinthians 5:10; Il Timothy 4:1; Matthew 25:31-46).
6. He upholds and maintains the universe by His mighty word of power
(Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:17).

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 7. He is the giver of eternal life to all who trust the Father through Himself
(John 10:28; 17:2).
8. He will bring about the regeneration of the heavens and the earth
(Hebrews 1:10-12; Revelation 21:5; Matthew 19:28).

D. Divine Worship Given to Him

Divine worship was given to and received by Jesus. Jesus never refused
such worship. This is in great contrast to other men of God who absolutely
refused worship of other men, as did the elect angels. Only self-deified
men accepted worship of others as seen in Roman Emperors (Acts 10:26;
14:15; Revelation 22:9). To worship Jesus as God would be blasphemy and
idolatry if He were not deity. For Jesus to accept worship which alone
belongs God His Father would have been robbery, blasphemy and idolatry.

1. He is worshipped by angels (Hebrews 1:6; Isaiah 6:1-5; Revelation

5:12-14).
2. He is worshipped by men (Matthew 8:2; 15:25-28; 28:17; Luke 24:51-
52; Acts 1:24; 7:59-60; I Thessalonians 3:11; John 9:38 Philippians 2:9-
11; Psalm 45:11; I Corinthians 1:2).
3. He is worshipped by all creatures (Revelation 5:13).
4. He is prayed to as praying to God (Acts 1:24; 7:59-60).
5. He is honored equally with the Father God (John 5:23; Revelation 1:5-
6; Hebrews 1:6-8).

E. Divine Claims Made by Him

Jesus made claims which could only have been made by God. If these
claims are not so, then Jesus was either self-deceived or a liar and
imposter.

1. He claimed to be one with God (John 10:30,38 5:23; 14:10).

2. He claimed God as His Father (Luke 2:41-52 Matthew 12:48; Mark
3:33-340. He never acknowledged Joseph as His father.
3. He claimed to love as God the Father loves (Matthew 10:37-38; Luke
14:26).
4. He claimed to be the I AM, denoting eternal existence (John 8:56-58;
18:1-5; with Exodus 3:14-15).
5. He claimed divine Sonship, making Himself God (John 5:25; 11:4; Mark
12:6; Proverbs 30:4).

F. Relationship Spoken of Him

The Son is associated with the Father and the Holy Spirit in covenantal
relationship both in eternity and time. This could not be so unless the Son
was divine, co-equal in the Godhead.

1. Baptism is administered in the name of the triune God, the Son being
centrally involved (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:34-36).

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 2. The apostolic benediction involves the eternal Godhead, the Son being
the revelation of the grace of God (II Corinthians 13:14).

(Read also Matthew 28:18-20; John 14:1,6; 10:28-30; 17:21; 5:17-18;

Matthew 11:27; Colossians 1:19; 2:9; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:8-
10; I Timothy 1:-15-16; John 14:9; Colossians 1:15 I John 2:23; I
Thessalonians 3:11; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; Luke 22:29,Psalm 2:7;45:6-
7:110:1-4; and Isaiah 53:10-11.)

VII. THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST

A. The Humanity of Christ

1. He had a human birth

a. He was born of a woman, as to His humanity (Matthew 1:18- 1. 23;

2:11; Luke 1:30-33; Galatians 4:4). The virgin Mary was the chosen
one to be the mother of Christ’s humanity.
b. He is spoken of as being the Seed of David according to the flesh
(Romans 1:3; Matthew 1:1).
c. He was the promised Seed of the Woman (Genesis 3:15 with
Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 7:14).
d. He came of the nation of Israel as pertaining to the flesh (Romans
9:5).
e. He was recognized as the Son of David (Matthew 15:22; Acts
13:22-23; Hebrews 7:14). His genealogy could be traced through
His mother Mary back to David the King of Israel.
f. He was the Word made and manifest in the flesh (John 1:14;
Romans 1:3; I Timothy 3:16)

2. He Had Human Ancestry

The genealogy of Christ after the flesh is traced back to David and
Adam in Luke's Gospel through His mother Mary, and back to David
and Abraham in Matthew's Gospel through His assumed father, Joseph
(Luke 3:23-38 with Matthew 1:1-17).

3. He Had Human Names and Titles Applied to Him

a. He was named Jesus before His birth by the angel Gabriel, both to
Mary and Joseph (Matthew 1:21-23).
b. He was called the Son of David (Matthew 1:1; 9:27; 12:23; 20:30-
33).
c. He was called the Son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).
d. He is called the Son of Man over 80 times in the New Testament
(Matthew 16:28; 26:64-65; Acts 7:56; Revelation 1:13; 14:4).
e. He is called the Mediator, the man Christ Jesus (I Timothy 2:5).
f. He is called a Jew as to His nationality (John 4:9; 8:57)
g. He is called the last Adam (I Corinthians 15:45-47).

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 h. He is called a man (John 8:40; 1:30; Acts 2:22; Philippians 2:8; I
Corinthians 15:21,47).
i. He is still a man in heaven, though now glorified (John 20:15; l
Timothy 2:5; Acts 17:31).
j. He will come as the Son of Man the second time to judge the world
(Matthew 16:27-28; 25:31; 26:64-65).

4. He Had Complete Human Nature

(I Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 4:12; I John 4:3).

a. Jesus had a human spirit (Luke 23:46; Mark 2:8; 8:12; John 4.
13:21).
b. Jesus had a soul (Matthew 26:38; Luke 23:43; John 12:27: Acts
2:27-31; Isaiah 53:10; Mark 14:34). This involved mind, will and
emotions (I John 1:1-2).
c. Jesus had a human body, of flesh, bones and blood (Hebrews 2:14;
John 1:14; Matthew 26:12; Luke 22:19; John 2:21; Luke 23:52-56;
Hebrews 10:5, 10).

5. He Experienced Human Development

As to His humanity, Jesus grew and developed normally naturally like

any other human being. This is seen in the following references and
comments.

a. He grew as a child (Luke 2:40).

b. He increased in wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52).
c. He learned obedience by the things He suffered (Hebrews 5:8).
d. He worked hard as a man following Joseph's trade as a- carpenter
(Mark 6:3; Luke 3:23).
e. He suffered human limitations (Hebrews 2:10).
f. He experienced human temptations (Matthew 4:1-11; Hebrews
2:18; Mark 1:35; Luke 22:28; Hebrews 4:15).
g. He learned to live in dependence upon the Father by continual
prayer (Matthew 14:23; Hebrews 5:7; Luke 6:12; 22:39-46). There
are about 25 references to Jesus praying in the New Testament.
h. He learned to depend upon the Father and the power of the Holy
Spirit continually. He could do and say nothing of Himself but only
what He was given (Mark 1:35; John 6:15; Acts 1:2; Hebrews 9:14;
Acts 10:38; Hebrews 5:7).
i. He was a man approved of God (Acts 2:22).
j. He was limited in His human knowledge (Matthew 24:36 with Mark
13:32; Luke 7:9).
k. He desired human sympathy in the Garden (Matthew 26:36- 40).

6. He Had Sinless Infirmities of Human Nature

a. Jesus grew weary (John 4:6).

b. Jesus had normal appetites and was hungry (Matthew 4:2: 21:18).
c. Jesus was also thirsty (John 4:7; 19:28).

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 d. He also enjoyed natural sleep (Matthew 8:24).
e. He was limited in human knowledge (Mark 11:13; 13:32; 5:30-34;
11:34).
f. He groaned in Himself (John 11:33).
g. He also wept over people (John 11:35; Matthew 23:37; 26:38).
h. He needed to be strengthened for the suffering of the cross by an
angel (Luke 22:43).

7. He Suffered Human Death

When Jesus took our sin upon Himself, in His own body on the tree, He
suffered the wages of sin, which is death (1 Peter 2:24; Genesis 2:17;
Hebrews 9:27; Luke 23:33; Hebrews 2:9).

8. He Experienced Human Resurrection

He was raised from the dead and still possesses that virgin-borrn
crucified, buried, resurrected and now glorified body. (Luke 23:39; John
20:27; Acts 7:55-56; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:1-5).

B. The Sinlessness of Christ

1. Theories Concerning the Sinlessness of Christ

a. Sinful Flesh Theory

This theory holds that Christ had "sinful flesh" and that He had to
overcome sin by the power of the Holy Spirit, ,as all believers do.

b. Sinful Potential
Theory This theory holds that Christ, though God incarnate, could
have sinned but would not sin. He was able to overcome sin.

c. Sinless Perfection Theory

This school of thought holds that Christ was incapable of sinning
because of who He is.

The Son of God possessed a perfect human nature and a divine

nature.

2. The Sinless Perfection of Christ

a. Major Questions and Objections Considered

1) If it was impossible for Christ to sin, then what was the

purpose in His being tempted??
2) If it was impossible for Christ to sin, then it means that He did
not have the power of choice, the will to choose between good
and evil. Could He not have done His own will and not His
Father's will, as the temptation in Gethsemane seems to
indicate? (Matthew 26:39)
3) If it was impossible for Christ to sin, then He did not truly
identify with the human race, and cannot fully understand our

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 human and sinful nature. Doesn't this automatically place a
gap between the Savior and sinner that can never be bridged?
4) If it was impossible for Christ to sin, then how would
temptation be a cause of suffering to Him and how could He
sympathize with us in our temptations?
5) If it was impossible for Christ to sin, then don't His temptations
differ from those that we, as sinful men, go through?

b. The Temptations of Adam, Jesus and all Men

ADAM JESUS
The First Adam The Last Adam
The First Man, Earthly The Second Man, Lord from
Heaven
No evil tendency originally No evil tendency within Him
Liability to sin No liability to sin
One nature, human nature Two natures, divine and human
Tempted from without in Tempted from without a spirit,
spirit, soul and body soul and body
Response to sin No response to sin
Now fallen human nature Unfallen sinless human nature
A creation of God The incarnation of God
A creation Son of God The begotten Son of God
A human being A divine-human being

UNBELIEVERS BELIEVERS
In Adam" -sons of men “In Christ" -sons of God
The natural birth The spiritual birth
Fallen human nature Fallen nature-partakers of divine
nature
Sinful tendencies Sinful tendencies-to overcome
Sin principle prevailing within Sin principle to be eradicated in
due time
Tempted from within and Tempted from without and within
Without in body, soul, spirit In body, soul and spirit, yet
strengthened to overcome by
the Holy Spirit
Born in sin Born in sin, yet born again
No good thin in the flesh Christ in you, the hope of glory
Old creation, of parents New creation in old creation
Sinful human beings Redeemed human beings
Sin will destroy unto death Sin to be overcome unto life

c. The Meaning and Nature of Temptation

The New Testament uses two particular Greek words which have
the meaning of "testing" in them, for temptation has to do with
testing, either by God, Satan or others.

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 1) The Greek word "Dokimazo" means "to prove a thing whether
it is worthy to be received or not, to test (lit. or fig.); by
implication, to approve, allow, discern, examine, prove, try".
(Luke 14:19; Romans 2:18; 12:2; 14:22; I Corinthians 3:13;
11:28; Galatians 6:4; Hebrews 3:9; James 1:12; I Peter 1:7; I
John 4:1)

• People proved oxen; believers are to prove what is the

good will of God; believers have their faith tried and
approved. God proves His saints.
• The purpose of this type of temptation is to prove and
approve. It is a temptation that expects a positive result.

2) The Greek word "Peirazo" translated "tempt" means "a putting

to proof (by experiment (of good), experience of evil);
solicitation, discipline or provocation; by implication,
adversity”.

a) Man Tested God

Man put God to the test to discover whether He would do

good or evil to them. (Hebrews 3:9; Acts 15:10; Acts 5:9;
Matthew 4:7).

b) Man Tested by God

God at times tests or tempts man; that is, never to evil,

but with a view of proving what is in man and to expose to
man his inward need (James 1:2,12). (James 1:13-14;
Hebrews 11:37; Galatians 4:13-14; I Corinthians 10:13;
John 6:6; Matthew 6:13).

c) Man Tested by Satan

Satan also tempts and tests man. This temptation
however is always an enticement to sin, a solicitation to
do evil. (Genesis 3:1-6; Matthew 4:1).

d. The Nature of Christ's Temptations

The nature of Christ's temptation is better understood in the light

of the preceding definitions. (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:13; Hebrews
2:18; 4:15).

1) Jesus was tested by His Father God

• He was tested by opposition, persecution, weariness, the
contradiction of sinners, contrary circumstances, the
Jews, His own relatives, the religious leaders and His own
disciples.
• In all these things He was tested and tried but was
approved in all things by the Father. (Luke 22:28).

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 2) Jesus was tempted by Satan
Jesus was tempted to do evil by Satan, that is, to do His own
will instead of the Father's will.

3) Jesus was not tempted by sinful nature

Jesus had no sinful or carnal nature within and thus He did
not suffer inward temptations to sin, as all fallen men do.

4) Jesus was tempted in His Humanity, not His Deity

Jesus is God incarnate and God cannot be tempted with
(James 1:13-14).

a) Spirit - tempted to worship Satan.

b) Soul - tempted to presume upon God's preserving power.
c) Body - tempted to satisfy a normal human bodily appetite
by use of miracle power Mathew 4:1-11 with I John 2:16-
17).

e. The Reasons Jesus Suffered Temptation

1) He suffered temptation for the development of a full and

complete humanity.
2) He suffered temptation to be approved of God His Father.
3) He suffered temptation to display to Satan's hosts a perfect
humanity (Revelation 3:14; Colossians 2:14-17; Romans
8:20-28)
4) He suffered temptation in order to be a merciful High Priest
(Hebrews 4:14-15)
5) He suffered temptation in order supply help to tempted
believers. (Hebrews 2:18; 4:14-16; 1 Corinthians 10:13)
6) He is now beyond all temptations as all believers will be.
(Philippians 3:20, 21; I Thessalonians 4:15-18; I Corinthians
15:51-57).

f. The Deity Humanity of Christ

• As to His deity "God cannot be tempted with evil, neither
tempteth He any man" (James 1:13-14)
• As God incarnate, He was sinless and could net sin.
• As to His humanity, Jesus was tempted in all points like as we
are (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15).
• As man, He is temptable and open to all kinds of external
temptations.
• But because of who Jesus was, God made flesh, it was the
divine nature in union with the human nature which carried the
human nature through the temptations victoriously.

3. The Testimony of Christ's Sinlessness

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 a. Testimony of Gabriel
Gabriel spoke of Jesus as being "that holy thing" (Luke 1:35).
This was never spoken of any child ever born of Adam's race.

b. Testimony of Devils
Demon spirits recognized Jesus as "the Holy One" (Mark 1:24;
Luke 4:34; Matthew 8:28-29). They never said this of any man,
not even of the godliest of saints.

c. Testimony of Men

1) He was called the Holy Child (Acts 4:27, 30).

2) Pilate found no fault in Him (John 18:38; 19:4).
3) Pilate's wife testified that He was a "just man" (Matthew
27:19).
4) The dying thief recognized Jesus as not worthy to die (Luke
23:14)
5) The centurion recognized Jesus as "the Son of God" (Luke
23:47)
6) Herod also said that He was not worthy of death (Luke
23:15)
7) Judas realized that he had betrayed "the innocent blood
Matthew 27:4).

d. Testimony of God
The Father also testified from heaven of His pleasure in His only
begotten Son. No other man ever had such divine and heavenly
approval (Matthew 3:15-17; 17:1-5).

e. Testimony of Christ

1) Jesus challenged anyone to convince Him of sin (John 8:46)

2) Jesus also said that the prince of this world was coming and
that he had no claim on Him; nothing in common with him; that
there was nothing in Him that belonged to Satan (John 14:30
Amplified New Testament). (Read also John 8:29; 15:10;
17:4)

f. Testimony of Apostles

1) Paul said "He knew no sin" (Il Corinthians 5:21).

2) Peter said "He did not sin" (I Peter 2:21-22).
3) John said "In Him is no sin (I John 3.5).
4) Hebrews says that He was tempted in all points like as we are
"yet without sin or "apart from sin (Hebrews 4:15).
5) He is pure (I John 3:3).

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 6) He that is born of God cannot sin for the Seed of God remains
in Him (I John 3:9). If this is so of the believer much more is it
true of the sinless One, the Son of God.
7) Jesus was "holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from
sinners" (Hebrews 7:26-27).
8) He was an offering "without spot" when presented in sacrifice
(Hebrews 9:14; I Peter 1:19-20).

g. Testimony of the Law

The Old Testament sacrifices for sin shadowed forth Christ's
sacrifice for sin. The sinlessness of Christ was emphatically set
forth in the following thoughts.

1) God took an innocent and sinless animal to die for guilty and
sinful man. No animal has ever sinned, nor can sin.
2) All sacrifices had to be "perfect to be accepted" (Leviticus
22:21). The word "perfect" means "without blemish, complete,
full, perfect, sincere".
3) The sacrifices had to be "without spot" to be offered to God
(Numbers 19:2; 28:3, 9,11 with Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:19-
20).
4) The sacrifices were to be "without blemish" (Exodus 12:5;
29:1; Leviticus 4:3, 23, 28, 32)
5) Even in the Sin Offering, God emphasized the fact that the sin
offering was "most holy" (Leviticus 4, 7:1; with Luke 1:35).

h. Testimony of the Psalms (Psalm 40.6-10; 16:8-11; 22:1-31).

i. Testimony of the Prophets (Jeremiah 23:5-6; Isaiah 53:10;

Zechariah 3:8-9; 6:12-13).

j. Arguments from Christology

1) Christ is God incarnate. God manifest in the flesh, God taking
up Himself manhood.
2) In becoming man He did not lay aside His essential or moral
attributes, but subjected Himself to the Father’s will for all He
was, all He said and all He did.
3) The union of the divine and human natures in the one person
of Christ made possible the sinlessness of Christ, even
though tempted in all points like as we are.

The Fact of His Sinlessness

1. Christ claimed to be absolutely sinless.

2. He prayed, but He never prayed for forgiveness.
3. He interceded on behalf of His disciples but He never exhorted them to
intercede for Him.
4. He prayed for His disciples, but He never prayed with them.
5. Although He called God His Father, He never called them His savior
6. He was in the Temple, but He never offered sacrifice for Himself.

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 7. He was conscious of world sin, but He was never conscious of personal
sin.
8. He allowed those nearest to Him to believe that He was sinless.
9. He was weary, but He was never ill.
10. He sorrowed for the sin of the world, but He never sorrowed for His own
sin.
11. He taught that all need to be born again, but He never hint that He was
born again, or that He needed such a change.
12. He was explicitly declared by the apostolic writers to be sinless.
13. The sinlessness of our Lord is acknowledged by theologians’ various
shades and opinions.
14. His absolute sinlessness has been the faith of the Christian church for
nineteen hundred years.

The Implication of His Sinlessness

1. Since He was absolutely sinless it follows that He felt suffering far more
keenly than the sinful sons of men ever could.
2. Since He was absolutely sinless it follows that He felt temptation more
keenly than the sinful men.
3. Since He was absolutely sinless it follows that He was not liable to
death.
4. Since He was absolutely sinless, it follows that the Holy Spirit could
work through Him without hindrance.
5. Since He was absolutely sinless it follows that He had the highest
possible fellowship with God.
6. Since He was absolutely sinless it follows that He had the fullest insight
into divine things.
7. His absolute sinlessness was made possible through the miracle of the
virgin begin.

C. The Example of Christ

As a perfect man, being all that God intended man to be, Christ was totally
dependent upon the Father for all He was, said and did. Christ was the
perfect example for all believers to follow. Peter declared that Christ left "us
an example, that ye should follow in His steps" (1 Peter 2:21)

1. He is our Example in Character - All He Was.

a. Holiness (Mathew 5:43, Hebrews 6:1; 1 Peter 1:16, Luke 1:35,

Acts 2:37; 3:14; 4:27; Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:21-23 ;John 8:29,
46; 14:30; Hebrews 4:15)

b. Love (Ephesians 3:19)

1) He loved the Father God (John 14:31, 6:38).
2) He loved the Scriptures (Matthew 5:17-18, Luke 4:16- 21;
24:44-45; John 10:34-36).
3) He loved His own disciples (John 13:1; 15:3; Romans 8:37-39).

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 4) He loves the church as His own bride (Ephesians 5:25-27).
5) He loves all men regardless of race (Mark 10:21; Matthew
11:19; John 10:11; 15:13; Romans 5:8),
6) He loved even His enemies (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 22:51;
23:34; Matthew 26:50).
7) He prayed that this love would be in us (John 17:26; 13:4-35).
8) He was continually moved with compassion towards others
(John 11:35; 6:5; Mark 6:34; Matthew 8:16; 20:34 Luke 4:41;
5:12-15).

c. Faith (Matthew 27:43; Psalm 22:8; Hebrews 12:1-4)

d. Meekness (Philippians 2:5-8; Matthew 11:28-30; I Corinthians

10:1).

2. He is our Example in Word - All He Said. (James 3:2; John 8:55).

a) He is our example in word (John 12:47-50).

b) He is our example in prayer life (Hebrews 5:7; Luke 6:12; Matthew
14:23; Mark 1:35-38; Matthew 26:38-46; John 6:15; Luke 22:32, 44;
John 11:41-42)
c) He is our example in teaching and preaching (Matthew 23:8; John
3:2; 7:16; 12:49; 3:34; Matthew 7:29; 11:28-29).

3. He is our Example in Deed - All He Did. (Acts 1:1; John 6:38; Matthew
26:39; Psalm 40:8; John 4:31-34; 5:30).

VIII. THE MEDIATORSHIP OF CHRIST

The summation of the doctrine concerning the person of Christ is that which
pertains to the mediatorship of Christ as the God-Man.

A. Old Testament Revelation

1. The Patriarch Job (Job 16:21; Job 9:32-33; Read also Job 23:3- 10;
19:25-27)
2. The Mediator in Israel (Deuteronomy 5:1-29 with Galatians 3:19;
Hebrews 5:1-5; Numbers 16-17; Hebrews 3:1-5; 5:1-10; 7:1-26).

B. New Testament Revelation

1. The New Covenant Mediator (I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 9:15 & 8:6;
Hebrews 12:24; Read also Galatians 3:19-20 Amplified New
Testament)

2. The God-Man Mediator

a. A Sinless Mediator (Hebrews 5:1-5; 8:1-4; 10:1-11).
b. A Divine-Human Mediator (Hebrews 2:17)

C. Maintaining Balance

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In concluding this section, it must be pointed out that proper understanding
and balance must be maintained concerning the divine and human natures
in Christ to avoid heretical imbalance. (1 Timothy 3:15-16; Colossians 2:2-
3).

1. Scripture Reveals His Deity

2. Scripture Reveals His Humanity
3. Scripture Reveals the Union in One Person of Deity and Humanity

a. False Views of this Union

The union of these two natures cannot be compared to:

1) The marriage relationship of two persons, for these, though

joined in one by marriage are still two distinct or separate
persons.
2) The relationship of the believer with Christ. For these, though
one in spiritual union, are still two distinct persons.
3) The believer filled with the Holy Spirit, which makes a person
filled with God. Jesus was not merely a man filled with God, but
God Himself who became a man.
4) A dual personality, for Jesus Christ was not two persons. He
was not God and man joined together as two persons; He was
one person having two natures.
5) A being as in Greek mythology: half-God and half-Man, or a
demi-god or demi-man.
6) God being converted into a man, nor was man converted into
God. Deity was not humanized, nor was humanity deified.

None of these views are the Biblical view of the union of the divine
and human natures in the one person of Christ.

b. Proper Views of this Union

The union of these two natures is spoken of as being "The

Hypostatic Union", that is personal union, and is understood in the
following manner.

1) Christ Jesus was one Person, having in Himself the union of

two natures: the nature of God and the nature of Man, thus
constituting Him the God-Man. A. Hodge says "The Son of God
did not unite Himself with a human but human nature, thus one
Person."
2) The human nature was not the divine nature nor invisible;
inseparably bound together so as to constitute the one
personal Christ of God. The two natures existed in Christ, each
in its own perfection and maintaining its own identity.
3) This union was the union of God and man in one Person,
forming the "new creation" (Revelation 3:14); having two
centers of consciousness and two wills. Man did not become
God but God became Man. The incarnation joined two natures

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 not two persons. The two natures are inseparable though
distinct.

c. The Reason for this Union

The reason for the union of deity and humanity is in order that Christ
might fulfill in His one person, that which was separate and distinct
in Old Covenant mediatorial ministry.

In Christ as the God-Man both are brought together in one. The

union of the two natures in the one person was absolutely essential
for an efficacious atonement for sin. Being real and proper God He
could atone to God. This was the purpose of the incarnation - the
divine nature bringing human nature into union with itself.

ONE THEANTROPIC PERSON

GOD MAN
Truly God Truly Man
Devine Nature Human Nature
Lord from Heaven The Second Man
Immanuel Jesus
The Eternal Word Made flesh
Son of God Son of Man
Son of the Most High Christ come in the flesh
The Blood of God A Body Prepared
Eternal Begotten in time
Omnipotent Dependent
Omnipresent Localized
Omniscient Grew in knowledge
Infinite Finite
Sovereign Servant
Immortality of life Suffered death
Immutable Sinless infirmities
I and the Father are one My Father is greater than I
Divine self-consciousness Human Self-consciousness
Divine Will Human Will: Not my will be done
God His Father Mary His Mother
Root of David Offspring of David
David’s Lord David’s Son
Victor Victim
The Son sent into the world The Son made of a woman
The Priest, Sacrificer, The Gift, Sacrifice, The Offering,
The Offerer The Oblation
Divinity Humanity
The Great I AM Hungered, thirsted, weary
GOD MAN

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 If we over-emphasize His deity, we obscure His perfect humanity. If
we over-emphasize His humanity, we obscure His deity. If we deny
His deity, there is no contact between and God and Man and the
bridge is broken down from the divine side. On the other hand, if we
deny His humanity, then the bridge is broken down on the human side.
It is out of such imbalance that heresies have arisen concerning the
blessed Son of God.

Dr. Charles A. Ratz in "The Person of Christ" quotes an old Latin

inscription chiseled in marble, found in Asia, concerning the faith of
the Lord Jesus Christ in the first century of Christianity. It reads:

I am what I was - God

I was not what I am - Man
I am now called both, God and Man

Truly Christ as the God-man is the "Better Mediator" of a "Better

Covenant.

From: Conner, Kevin J. The Foundations of Christian Doctrine. Portland: BT

Publishing House, 1980. 154-189

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 THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
(Pneumatology)

I. IMPORTANCE OF DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

II. THE PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. The Holy Spirit is not an influence
B. The Holy Spirit revealed as a Person

III. THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. By Divine Association with the Father and the Son
B. By Divine Distinction between the Father and the Son
C. By Divine Attributes ascribed to Him
D. By Divine Works ascribed to Him

IV. THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

A. The Work of the Spirit in Creation
B. The Work of the Spirit in Redemption
C. The Work of the Spirit in Inspiration
D. The Work of the Spirit in Israel

V. THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

A. In the Life and Ministry of the Lord Jesus
B. In the Life of the Individual Believer
C. In the Life and Ministry of the Church
D. In the Unbelieving World

VI. THE SYMBOLS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

VII. THE TITLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

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 THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
(Pneumatology)

INTRODUCTION

I. IMPORTANCE OF DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

• From Genesis to Revelation, relative to both creation and redemption, the Holy
Spirit is seen in operation.
• The Holy Spirit is mentioned more than 90 times in the Old Testament with
atleast 18 different titles also given.
• In the New Testament the Holy Spirit is mentioned more than 260 times along
with 39 different names and titles.
• Out of the 27 books of the New Testament, only lI John and llI John have no
reference to the Holy Spirit.

II. THE PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. The Holy Spirit is not an Influence

1. The Holy Spirit is spoken of as being "The Spirit of God" and the word
"Spirit" (Greek "Pneuma") means "breath" or "wind", which implies the
concept of an unseen force (Isaiah 40:7; John 3:5-8).
2. The Holy Spirit is symbolized as being wind, water, fire, oil, a seal, or other
impersonal objects. This seems to negate the fact that the Holy Spirit is a
divine Person. However, there are many symbols relative to the Son of
God also; such as a lamb, a rock, and a lion, yet these things do not
negate the Son being a divine Person. Neither do the symbols of the Spirit
negate His personality.
3. The Holy Spirit's work seems to be so mystical, secret and Invisible. This
does not, however, deny personality of the Spirit, or God is a Spirit" (John
4:24) yet a real divine Person.
4. The Holy Spirit as a divine title seems harder for believers to relate to
than the titles "Father" and "Son" (Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 1:7; 14;
12:23; Proverbs 20:27; I Timothy 4:1). Thus the Holy Spirit is a real
person, though invisible and incorporeal.

There are also several reasons why the believer should not consider the Holy
Spirit as a mere influence or impersonal force.

1. It is contrary to the teaching of the Scripture.

2. It will hinder worship.
3. It will hinder proper reverence.
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 4. It will hinder relationship.

B. The Holy Spirit Revealed as a Person

1. The Holy Spirit is referred to with Personal Pronouns. (John 14:15,

16, 26; 16:7-14; 15:26-27).

2. The Holy Spirit is spoken of having personal qualities.

The three main qualities which constitute personality are attributed to the
Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has:

a. Mind (Romans 8:27; I Corinthians 2:10-13).

b. Will (I Corinthians 12:11)
c. Emotions (Romans 8:26-27; 15:30; Colossians 1:8).

3. The Holy Spirit is spoken of under personal titles. (John 14:16, 26;
15:26; 16:7).

4. The Holy Spirit performs personal acts.

a. The Spirit works (I Corinthians 12:11)
b. The Spirit searches (I Corinthians 2:10)
c. The Spirit speaks (Acts 13:2; Revelation 2:7; Il Samuel 23:2 Matthew
10:20; I Tímothy 4:1)
d. The Spirit testifies (John 15:26; Nehemiah 9:30)
e. The Spirit bears witness (I John 5:6)
f. The Spirit teaches (John 14:26)
g. The Spirit instructs (Nehemiah 9:20)
h. The Spirit reproves (John 16:8-11)
i. The Spirit prays and makes intercession (Romans 8:26)
j. The Spirit leads (Matthew 4:1)
k. The Spirit guides the believer into all truth (John 16:13)
l. The Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:14)
m. The Spirit brings about regeneration (John 3:5,6)
n. The Spirit strives with men (Genesis 6:3)
o. The Spirit convicts men (John 16:8)
p. The Spirit sends messengers from God (Isaiah 48:16)
q. The Spirit calls men into ministry (Acts 13:2; 20:28)
r. The Spirit directs men in the service of Christ (Acts 8:29, 10:19; 16:6,
7)
s. The Spirit also imparts spiritual gifts to the members of the Body of
Christ (I Corinthians 12:7-11)

5. The Holy Spirit is spoken of as having personal feelings that could

not be attributed to an impersonal power.

a. He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30)

b. He can be insulted (Hebrews 10:29)
c. He can be lied to (Acts 5:3)

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 d. He can be blasphemed (Matthew 12:31-32)
e. He can be resisted (Acts 7:51)
f. He can be tempted (Acts 6:9)
g. He can be vexed (Isaiah 63:10)
h. He can be quenched (I Thessalonians 5:19)

III. THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. By Divine Association with the Father and the Son

• The baptismal command of Jesus (Matthew 28:19 – shows the Holy

Spirit to be co-eternal and co-eternal in the Godhead. (read also II
Corinthians 13:14; I John 5:7-8).

• We see the Father, Son and Holy Spirit:

o at Jesus' baptism (Matthew 3:16, 17)
o in the administrations of the Church (I Corinthians 12:4-6),
o involved in apostolic benediction (Il Corinthians 13:14).

B. By Divine Distinction from the Father and the Son

The Holy Spirit, though one with the Father and the Son is also
distinguished from the Father and Son.

1. The Son is sent by the Father and the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 48:12, 16).
2. The Spirit descended upon the Son as a dove, as the Father’s voice
spoke from heaven (John 1:33; Luke 3:21-22).
3. The Holy Spirit is partaker of the triune name, the name of the Godhead
to be used in administering baptism (Matthew 28:19).
4. The Son prays to the Father to send the Holy Spirit who is the Comforter
(John 14:16; 26, 15:26; 16:7-13).
5. The believer has access to the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit
(Ephesians 2:18).
6. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son (John 14:26,
15:26).

C. By Divine Attributes being ascribed to Him

The same essential and moral attributes ascribed to the Father and the Son
are also ascribed to the Holy Spirit. This could only be so if the Holy Spirit
is indeed a Divine Person.

1. Essential Attributes

a. The Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3,4; I Corinthians 3:16; 12:4-
6)
b. The Holy Spirit is eternal (Hebrews 9:14)
c. The Holy Spirit is omnipotent (all-powerful) (Luke 1:35)
d. The Holy Spirit is omniscient (all-knowing) (John 14:26; 16:12,13; I
Corinthians 2:10; Romans 8:26-27)

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 e. The Holy Spirit is omnipresent (everywhere-present) (Psalm 139:7-
10)
f. The Holy Spirit is the life source (Romans 8:2)

2. Moral Attributes

a. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13)

b. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Love (Romans 15:30)
c. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Holiness (Romans 1:4; Ephesians
4:30)

D. By Divine Works being attributed to Him

1. In the creation of the worlds, as well as in the creation of beasts and

man (Genesis 1:1-2; Job 26:13; 33:14; Psalm 104:30).
2. In the inspiration of the sacred Scriptures (lI Peter 1:21, II Timothy 3:16;
II Samuel 23:2-3).
3. In the regeneration of fallen man, in making man a new creation (John
3:3-5).
4. In the resurrection of the body, which involves a creative act (Romans
8:11).

IV. THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

A. The Work of the Spirit in Creation

1. Was active in the creation of the heavens and the earth (Job 26:13;
Psalm 33:6; Isaiah 40:12-14).
2. Was active in the restoration of the earth before the creation of man
(Genesis 1:1-2).
3. Was the life-giving breath even to the beasts of the earth (Psalm
104:30).
4. Was active also in the creation of man, the masterpiece of God's
creative acts (Genesis 2:7; Job 33:4).

B. The Work of the Spirit in Redemption

1. Strove with man in the days of Noah (Genesis 6:3).

2. Quickened Noah to preach the Word as a preacher of righteousness (I
Peter 3:18-20).
3. Spoke through the various prophets in their history (Acts 7:51-52).

C. The Work of the Spirit in Inspiration

In the writing of the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, the Spirit:

• Moved upon the prophets giving them revelation, and inspiration, and
causing them to write the sacred Scriptures.
• Through the prophets foretold the sufferings of Christ an glory that
should follow in the Church by the power of inspiration (lI Peter 1:21; II

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 Timothy 3:16; I Peter 1:11, 12; II Samuel 23:2; Matthew 22:43; Acts
1:16).

D. The Work of the Spirit in Israel

The Holy Spirit:

1. Enabled Joseph to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh (Genesis 41:38).
2. Gave wisdom for the building of the Tabernacle of Moses according to
divine pattern (Exodus 28:3; 31:1-6; 35:31).
3. Quickened the 70 elders to prophesy in the camp of Israel (Numbers
11:16-29).
4. Equipped the Judges as deliverers in Israel for their ministry. Othniel
(3:9-10); Gideon (6:34); Jephthah (11:29); and Samson (14:6, 19;
15:14).
5. Equipped Joshua with the Spirit of wisdom after Moses had laid his
hands on him (Deuteronomy 34:9; Numbers 27:18).
6. Was upon David as king, prophet and psalmist in Israel (I Samuel
16:13; 1 Chronicles 28:12; II Samuel 23:1-2)
7. Came upon King Saul (the prophetic Spirit after his anointing) (I Samuel
10:6; 10; 11:6; 19:23)
8. Was upon the priests of the Lord (II Chronicles 20:14, 17; 24:20; Luke
1:5,67).
9. Was upon the prophets in various measures (I Peter 1:10-12; Acts
7:51-52).
a. Balaam (Numbers 24:2)
b. Azariah (II Chronicles 15:1-2)
c. Elijah (I Kings 18:12; Il Kings 2:16)
d. Elisha (Il Kings 2:1-18)
e. Amasai (I Chronicles 12:18)
f. Zechariah (II Chronicles 24:20)
g. Micah (Micah 3:8)
h. Ezekiel (Ezekiel 3:12-14; 8:3; 11:1-5,24)
i. Daniel (Daniel 4:8-9,18; 5:11,14).
j. Isaiah (Acts 28:25)
k. Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:9; 30:1-2)
l. Joel (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:16-17)

At the close of the Old Testament period and the ushering in of the New
Covenant times there were peculiar and special operations of the Holy
Spirit.
• Zacharias and Elizabeth had a unique experience of the Holy Spirit
relative to the birth of John the Baptist, Messiah’s forerunner (Luke
1:41-42,67).
• John the Baptist himself, was filled with the Spirit from his mother's
womb and ministered in the Spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:15-17).
• Mary, the mother of Jesus was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit in order
for the virgin birth of Messiah to take place (Luke 1:46- 55).
• Both Simeon and Anna, a prophetess, came by the Spirit into the
Temple at the time of the dedication of the baby Jesus (Luke 2:25-32).

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 It is worthy to note a number of phrases which describe the Spirit's coming
and work in or upon these chosen vessels.

1. The Spirit "came upon" me. (Judges 6:34; I Chronicles 12:18; II

Chronicles 24:20). Used also in the sense of the Spirit "clothing" them.
2. The Spirit "came mightily upon" men Judges 14:6; I Samuel 10:10;
16:13)
3. The Spirit was "in" men, in the sense of indwelling, at times (Genesis
41:38; Numbers 27:18; Daniel 4:8-9; Nehemiah 9:30; I Peter 1:10, 11).
4. The Spirit "filled" men, fitting and equipping them for service (Exodus
31:1-17)
5. The Spirit was often "upon" men (Numbers 11:17; 24:2; Judges 3:10;
11:29; II Chronicles 15:1; Isaiah 59:21; 61:1).
6. The Spirit "rested upon" men (Numbers 11:25-26; II Kings 2:15; Isaiah
11:2).
7. The Spirit "moved" upon men (Judges 13:25).
8. The Spirit "entered into" men at times (Ezekiel 2:2, 3:24).

V. THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Although the Holy Spirit is seen at work in Old Testament times in creation
and in Israel, His operations were not available for all mankind.
• However, the Old Testament prophets clearly foretold a coming day when the
Spirit would be poured out upon all flesh, both Israel and Gentile nations
together (Joel 2:28-29; Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26, 27; Isaiah 44:3; Zechariah 10:1)
• This could only be fulfilled upon the foundation of the death, burial
resurrection, ascension and glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Upon the acceptance of the finished work of the cross, the believer will find
available to him the gift of the Holy Spirit and thus come under His gracious
ministrations from regeneration unto glorification. (Matthew 3:11; John 1:30-
33; Romans 8:25-32).

A. The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Lord Jesus

1. He was born of the Spirit (Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:18-20).
2. He was filled with the fullness of the Spirit (John 3:34).
3. He was led by the Spirit (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:1).
4. He was empowered by the Spirit (Luke 4:14).
5. He was anointed by the Spirit (Luke 4:18).
6. He spoke and taught by the Spirit (Luke 4:18).
7. He healed the sick by the Spirit (Luke 4:18).
8. He cast out devils by the power of the Spirit (Matthew 12:28).
9. He was justified (vindicated) by the Spirit (I Timothy 3:16).
10. He was offered up on Calvary by the eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14)
11. He was resurrected by the Spirit (Romans 8:11; 1 Peter 3:18).
12. He gave commandments to the disciples by the Spirit (Acts 1:2)
13. He baptized and empowered the Church by the Spirit (Acts 1:5, 8).
14. He directs and governs the Church also by the Spirit (Revelation 2:7; 11).

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 • Thus, the whole life of Jesus as the perfect Man was governed by the
Spirit.
• All that God has for us and wants to do in us will only be done by the
operation of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

B. The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Believer

The life of the believer follows that example of Lord Jesus. The Spirit

1. Brings about the new birth (John 3:5,6).

2. Indwells the believer's spirit (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:17; 1 John
2:27).
3. Gives assurance of salvation (Romans 8:16).
4. Fills the believer with Himself (Acts 2:4; Ephesians 5:18).
5. By the baptism in the Spirit, enables the believer to speak in unknown
languages (Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:6; Mark 16:17; I Corinthians 14:2, 4,
18). The expression "baptism in or with the Spirit" is a Scriptural
expression and experience (Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:5; I Corinthians 12:13;
John 1:33; Luke 3:16).
6. Speaks to the believer (Acts 8:29; I Timothy 4:1; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17,
29).
7. Opens the believer's understanding to the things of God (1 Corinthians
2:12).
8. Teaches the believer, and guides him into all truth (John 16:13,1 John
2:27).
9. Imparts life (John 6:63; Il Corinthians 3:6)
10. Brings about renewal (Titus 3:5).
11. Strengthens the believer's inner being (Ephesians 3:16).
12. Enables the believer to pray (Jude 20; Romans 8:26-28).
13. Enables the believer to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24;
Philippians 3:3; I Corinthians 14:15).
14. Leads the believer (Romans 8:14).
15. Enables the believer to put fleshly deeds to death (Romans 8:13).
16. Produces Christ-likeness in character and fruit in the believer's life
(Galatians 5:22, 23).
17. Gives a calling to the believer for special service (Acts 13:2-4).
18. Guides believers into their ministry (Acts 8:29; 16:6, 7)
19. Empowers the believer to witness (Acts 1:8).
20. Imparts spiritual gifts to the believers as He wills (I Corinthians 12:7-11).
21. Will bring about the resurrection and immortality to the believers' bodies
in the last day (Romans 8:11; I Corinthians 15:47-51; I Thessalonians
4:15-18).

C. The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church

The Holy Spirit:

1. Formed the Church on the Day of Pentecost into a corporate structure,
the Body of Christ. (Acts 2:1-4; I Corinthians 12:12- 27; Ephesians 1:22-
23).

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 2. Formed the Church to be the new and living temple of God, setting
believers into their places as living stones in the New Covenant temple (I
Corinthians 3:16; 6:16; Ephesians 2:20-22).
3. Brings anointing, illumination and direction to the Church as the New
Covenant Priestly Body (II Corinthians 1:21; Psalm 133:1- 2; I John 2:20,
27; Ephesians 1:17-18; Acts 10:38; I Corinthians 12:12-13).
4. Brings gifts and graces to the members of the Church (I Corinthians 12:4-
11, 28-31; Romans 12:6-8; Galatians 5:22-23).
• The gifts of the Spirit - demonstration in the Church of the Spirit's
omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence.
• The fruit of the Spirit- evidence of the nature and character of the Holy
Spirit in the members of the Body of Christ.
5. Is the Agent of direction and government in the Church. The Lord Jesus
is the Head of the Church in heaven and He directs His affairs in His Body
by means of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 13:1-3; 15:28; 20:28; I Corinthians 12:8-
11; Ephesians 4:8-12; I Peter 1:12; I Corinthians 2:1-5; Acts 1:8).

D. The Holy Spirit in the World

The work of the Holy Spirit is summarized clearly in John 16:9-11. The Holy
Spirit has come with a three-fold ministry in relation to the world and that is to
reprove the world:

1. Of Sin: because they believe not on Christ

2. Of Righteousness: because Jesus Christ has gone to the Father and at
present we do not see Him.
3. Of Judgment: because the prince of this world, Satan, was judged at
Calvary

VI. THE SYMBOLS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. Water (John 7:38, 39; 4:4; Psalm 72:6; 87:7; Isaiah 44:4; Exodus 17:6 with
I Corinthians 10:4)
• the life-giving flow which refresh and satisfies.
• washing, cleansing, and fruitfulness.

B. Fire (Matthew 3:11, Acts 2:3, Isaiah 4:4; Exodus 19:18; Malachi 3:2, 3;
Hebrews 12:29)
• holiness of God whereby the Holy Spirit is sent forth in judgment to
purge, purify, and enliven with zeal.

C. Wind or Breath (Acts 2:2; John 3:8; Ezekiel 37:9-10; Isaiah 40:7).
• the life-giving breath of the God in its regenerating power.
• invisible as a person, yet the effect of His work can be seen.

D. Dew (Psalm 133:1-3; Hosea 14:5)

• Dew only comes in the stillness of the night, bringing refreshing to the
mown grass.
• refreshing work of the Spirit in the Church.

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E. Oil (Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38; I John 2:20, 27; Psalm 23:5)
• Anointing of the prophets, priests and kings to their offices.
• The consecration and supernatural enablement of the Spirit's anointing
grace.
• the illumination of His teaching, the soothing and healing balm of His
presence.
• It is the Spirit who anoints the members of the Church to their priestly
functions.

F. The Dove (Matthew 3:16; Luke 3:22; Genesis 1:2; Matthew 10:16)
• purity
• beauty
• gentleness and peace
• the nature and character of the Holy Spirit.

G. The Seal (Ephesians 1:13; II Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 4:30; II Timothy

2:19)
• ownership, genuineness and security.
• the Spirit’s activity confirming to us God’s ownership of us, His authority
over us and our security in Him.

H. The Still Small Voice (Genesis 3:8; I Kings 19:11-13)

• the voice of God within man
• bringing a revelation of God's will to him

I. The Finger of God (Luke 11:20; Matthew 12:28)

• points the accusing finger at the sinner
• aims to bring about conviction with a view to the accused accepting
Jesus Christ as his advocate.

J. The First Fruits (Romans 8:23)

• full harvest to come
• The Spirit's initial work of regeneration points to the full salvation and
glorification of the believer before God.

K. The Earnest (Il Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14)

• The earnest was always a down payment, a pledge of more to come.
• The Spirit's work in salvation is simply the pledge of full and total
redemption to come.

L. Enduement (Luke 24:49 with Judges 6:34; Isaiah 61:10)

• the clothing of the Spirit upon someone.
• The baptism of the Holy Spirit is this divine clothing from above.
• It is the believer's garment for ministry before the Lord

M. The Number Seven

• is symbolic of fullness, completeness and perfection.
• represents the fullness and perfection of the Spirit's operation in the
earth.

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 • Three examples show this symbolic truth of the Spirit's work.

a. Seven Lamps (Revelation 1:3-4:4:5; 5:6) These are symbolic of the

Spirit's:
• Illumination
• Revelation
• Inspiration

b. Seven Horns (Revelation 5:6)

• Horns are symbolic of:
▪ Power
▪ Defense
• Seven horns speak of omnipotence; the Spirit is all- powerful.

c. Seven Eyes (Revelation 5:6; Zechariah 3:9; 4:10)

• Eyes are symbolic of:
▪ Sight
▪ Insight
▪ Perception
▪ Intelligence
▪ Discernment
• Seven eyes speak of the Spirit's:
▪ Omniscience
▪ Fullness and perfection of sight and insight.

VII. THE TITLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. Titles of His Deity

1. The Spirit (John 3:6-8)
2. The Holy Spirit (Luke 11.13; Isaiah 63:11)
3. The Spirit of God (I Corinthians 3:16; 2:11)
4. The Spirit of the Lord God (Isaiah 61:1)
5. The Spirit of the Lord (Isaiah 63:14; Luke 4:18)
6. The Spirit of the Living God (II Corinthians 3:3)
7. The Spirit of the Father (Matthew 10:20; Matthew 16:17)
8. The Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:6-7)
9. The Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30)
10. The Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9; Peter 1:11)
11. The Spirit of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:19)
12. The Spirit of His Son (Galatians 4.6)
13. The Spirit which is of God (I Corinthians 2:12)

B. Titles of His Attributes and Ministry

1. The Spirit of Wisdom (Isaiah 11:2; Ephesians 1:17)
2. The Spirit of Knowledge (Isaiah 11:2)
3. The Spirit of Counsel and Might (Isaiah 11:2)
4. The Spirit of Grace and Supplications (Zechariah 12:10)
5. The Spirit of Judgment (Isaiah 4:4)
6. The Spirit of Burning (Isaiah 4:4)

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 7. The Breath of the Almighty (Job 32:8; 33:4)
8. The Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11; I Peter
3:18)
9. The Power of the Highest (Luke 1:35)
10. The Eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14)
11. The Spirit of Holiness (Romans 1:4)
12. The Comforter (John 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7)
13. The Spirit of love (Il Timothy 1:7)
14. The Spirit of Truth (John 14:17; 16:13; 15:26; I John 4:6)
15. The Spirit of Life (Romans 8:2; Revelation 11:11)
16. The Spirit of Adoption (Romans 8:15)
17. The Spirit of Faith (II Corinthians 4:13)
18. The Spirit of Promise (Ephesians 1:13-14)
19. The Spirit of Grace (Zechariah 12:10; Hebrews 10:29)
20. The Spirit of Glory (I Peter 4:14)
21. The Spirit of Power (II Timothy 1:7)
22. The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation (Ephesians 1:17)
23. The Spirit of Prophecy (Revelation 19:10)
24. The Good Spirit (Nehemiah 9:30; Psalm 143:10)
25. The Free Spirit (Psalm 51:12)
26. The Unction from the Holy One (I John 2:20)
27. The Anointing which teaches us (I John 2:27)
28. The Voice of the Lord (Ezekiel 1:24, Genesis 3:8; Isaiah 6:8)

In conclusion, we see the work of the Spirit in the New Testament is all that it was in
the Old Testament, but more so, for now the Spirit is for all people, all believers out of
every kindred, tongue, tribe and nation.

 The Holy Spirit not only "fall upon" (Acts 8:16,10:44) is poured out" (Acts
10:45);
 Not only "comes" (Acts 19:6) but now He indwells, to remain and abide forever
within the heart of the redeemed.
 This is the promise of the Father to the Son, and the promise of the Son to the
believer.
 The Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Promise brings all the promises of God to
fulfillment in the redeemed community.

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 WHY SPEAK IN TONGUES?

What are the purposes or benefits in speaking in languages which one does not
understand?

The following is a brief list of some of the benefits of communing with God in languages
given by the Spirit.

1. It is a Consistent Scriptural Initial Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

(Acts 2:4; Acts 10:46; Acts 19:6).

2. It is God's Will for Us (1 Cor. 14:5; 18).

Paul thanked God for the:

- ABILITY to speak in tongues, for this can only be given by God, through His
Spirit.
- PRIVILEGE of speaking such sacred and intimate mysteries (1 Cor 14:2).
- AVAILABILITY of this rich blessing - that anytime, anywhere, under any
circumstance, one may intimately commune with God. We may pray, sing,
give thanks, bless God in the Spirit. Our mind at this time is in neutral (1 Cor.
14:14); thus I am relaxed, refreshed and edified by this spiritual exercise.

3. It is a Therapeutic Means of Cleansing and Release

• In Romans 8:26, Paul tells us that one of our human weaknesses is that we do
not always know what to pray for as we should.
• Sometimes we are conscious that we need help and assistance, but we do not
understand what is really wrong nor how to pray about it.
• However, the Spirit overcomes this inadequacy for us. He searches our heart,
and discovers just where we are and what is amiss. He also knows what is the
"mind of the Spirit" - the will of God for us.
• He then begins to pray for us "according to the will of God," thus bringing us
into harmony with that will. He prays out all the complexes, inhibitions and
negative thoughts which have hindered us; and He prays us into the positive,
powerful, beneficial purpose of God for our life.
• This kind of praying is one of the most powerful means of "renewing the spirit
of our mind."

4. It is a Source of Personal Edification (1 Cor. 14:4).

• It is from the word "edify" that we derive our word, "edifice," or building.
• To edify, therefore, is to "build up".

5. It is a Realm of Intimate Spiritual Communion with God (1 Cor. 14:2; Ps. 42:7)

6. It Keeps Us Conscious of the Holy Spirit Within

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7. It Helps Us to Learn to Trust God More Completely (1 Cor. 14:6)

8. It is a Release of Positive Emotion

9. It is an Opportunity to "Give Thanks" to God Acceptably (1 Cor. 14: 17; John

4:24).

10. It Enables One to Pray "in the Spirit" (1 Cor. 14:5; Rom 8:26, 27; Jude 20).

11. It is a Source of Rest and Refreshing (Isa. 28:11, 12).

12. It is a Ministry of Praise and Worship to God (Acts 2:11; Acts 10:46; Eph 5:19)

13. It includes Singing in the Spirit (1 Cor. 14:15; Eph 5:19; Colossians 3:16)

14. It is a Scriptural Means of Maintaining the Fullness of the Spirit (Eph 5:18, 19)

15. With Interpretation, It is a Means of Edifying Others (1 Cor. 14:5b; 1 Cor. 14:12,
13).

16. It is a Key To Bringing in the Mind of Christ over our Own Mind (James 1:26;
3:1-18; Eph. 4:29).

Mahoney, Ralph. The Shepherd's Staff Burbank: World MAP, 1993.

D1 11-14

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 THE DOCTRINE OF LAST THINGS
(Eschatology)

I. Death
II. The Intermediate State
III. The Second Coming of Christ
IV. The Tribulation
V. The Antichrist
VI. The Resurrection
VII. The Millennium
VIII. The Judgments
IX. The Final Destinies

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 THE DOCTRINE OF LAST THINGS
(Eschatology)

INTRODUCTION

"ESCHATOLOGY"
• comes from two Greek words eschatos meaning "last" and logos which means
"subject matter"
• the doctrinal study that deals with the last events of sacred history, including all
that is beyond this life and this age, as well as the final events of this present age.
• However, the term "eschatological" is frequently applied to this entire age, for:

(1) Peter, on the day of Pentecost, declared that the Spirit's out- pouring fulfilled
Joel's prophecy concerning the "last days" (Acts 2:12-16).

(2) The Church already enjoys certain powers of the kingdom age and the world
(age) to come (Lk. 17:21, Mt. 16:19; Heb. 6:5).

(3) Since the Church expects the any-moment coming of the Lord every moment
is "eschatological" (Rom. 8:23; 1 Cor. 1:7; Lk 12:35, 36; 1 Thes. 1:10).

4) Since Christ the Son of God is the "end"or "goal" of all things in the God's
plan of redemption, the coming of the Son incarnate introduced the "last days": "...
hath in these "last days' spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir
of all things .."(Heb. 1:2)

(5) Since the spirit of antichrist is already working in anticipation of final conflict,
John said: "Little children it is the last and as ye have heard that antichrist shall
come, even now there are many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the "last
time" (1 Jn. 2:8)

I. DEATH
The Scriptures speak of three kinds of death: (1) physical death (2) spiritual death
(3) and the second or eternal death.

A. PHYSICAL DEATH
• Is the separation of the soul from the body and constitutes the transition
from the visible world to the invisible.
• For the believer,
▪ it marks his entrance into Paradise and into the Presence of Christ
Jesus (2 Cor. 5:1; 8; Phil. 1:23)
▪ it is the ultimate effect of sin and the last effect of sin to be cancelled
by Christ Redeeming Work (Rom.5:12-15; 1 Cor. 15:26).
• For the unbeliever, death is his entrance into Hades (Lk. 16:22 , 23; Mt.
10:28; Rv. 20:13).
• Is not the end of existence but only a change in the state of existence.

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 B. SPIRITUAL DEATH

• Is separation from God, both in this world and in the world to come. (Gen.
2:17; Mt. 8:22; Ephesians 2:1, NKJV)
• Formerly, as sinners, they existed in spiritual "death"; when they come to
Christ, they were made alive.
• When one comes into fellowship with God through faith in Christ, they
were made alive.
• When one comes into fellowship with God through faith in Christ, he
passes from "death unto life" (1 John 3:14).

C. ETERNAL DEATH

• is not cessation of existence

• is an everlasting punishment (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)
• is described in Scripture as:
o eternal or everlasting fire (Jude 7; Mt. 18:8, 25:41);
o eternal punishment (Mt. 25:46)
o eternal judgment (Heb.6:2);
o everlasting destruction (2 Thess.1:9);
o eternal damnation (Mk. 3:29).
o Although the English words "everlasting" and "eternal” - both words
are derived from the same Greek word AlONIOS which means "age-
abiding," "eternal," and "without end”; but it signifies "without
beginning or end" when applied to God.

II. THE INTERMEDIATE STATE

• The state of the soul between physical death and the Resurrection.
• For the believer, the Resurrection will occur at Christ’s Coming
• For the unbeliever, it will not occur until after the Millennium at the Final
Judgment.

A. Of the Wicked.
• When unbelievers die they go at once to Hades which is the abode of the
wicked dead.
• Before Christ, the righteous and the wicked went to Sheol which had two
compartments separated by an impassable gulf (Lk. 16:22-31; Gn. 37:35,
Dt. 32:23, 24. See NASB).

B. Of the Righteous.
• The intermediate state of the righteous is called "paradise." Jesus said to
the dying thief, “…Today, shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Lk 23:43).
• After the Resurrection of Jesus, the abode of the righteous was
transferred from Sheol to Paradise. Jesus personally descended into
Sheol to "lead captive" (Eph. 4:8).

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 • (Mt. 12:40; Also Eph. 4:9, 10; Nm. 16:33; See also Ps. 16:10; Acts 2:27;
Phil 1:23; 2 Cor 5:8; 1 Thes. 5:9-11, NKJV).

C. False Views of the Intermediate State.

1. Purgatory.
• The Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches teach that those
members who have lived imperfect lives must spend some time in
"purgatory" in order that their sins and imperfection may be purged.
• The doctrine is based upon a passage taken from Apocrypha, found
in 2 Maccabees 12:41-43 .
• The concept of purgatory violates the plain teaching of Scripture of the
sufficiency of the blood of Christ to cleanse sin, and of salvation by
grace through faith. (See Heb. 10.10-23; Eph 2:8-10 Rom. 3:24-28;
5:1, 2, 9,10; 8:1, 31-39; 10:8-11; 1 Jn. 2:1,2; 3:1, 2.)

2. Soul Sleeping.
• This is the teaching that after death the soul rests in an unconscious
state until the Resurrection.
• The arguments advanced to support the doctrine of soul sleep are:
The Bible often refers to death as sleep (1 Thes. 4:13,14; Jn. 11:11-
14). It is assumed that the soul cannot function apart from the body,
and therefore, will not awaken until joined with the body at the
Resurrection. It seems inappropriate that the righteous should enjoy
heaven bliss, or the unrighteous suffer in Hades until after the
Judgment (Heb. 9:27)

3. Spiritism
• Spiritism teaches that the living may communicate with the dead and
the dead with the living, usually through the agency of a "medium."
• There is no evidence in the Bible to suggest that there can be
legitimate communication between the living and the dead

III. SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

For the majority of those who will read and study this book, the subject of the
Second Coming of Christ is a doctrine of major importance. About the Second
Coming, the Foursquare Declaration of Faith says:

We believe that the second coming of Christ is personal and imminent;

that He will descend from Heaven in the clouds of glory … and at this hour,
which no man knows beforehand, the dead in Christ shall rise, then the
redeemed that are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and that so shall they ever be
with the Lord; that also seeing that a thousand years is as a day with the
Lord, and that no man knows the hour of His appearance, which we
believe to be at hand, each day should be lived as though He were
expected to appear at even, yet that in obedience to His explicit command,
"Occupy till l come" the work of spreading the gospel, the sending forth of
missionaries, and the general duties for upbuilding the church should be

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 carried on as diligently, and thoroughly, as though neither ours nor the
next generation should live in the flesh to see that glorious day.

A. The Importance of His Coming.

Christ's Second Coming

o mentioned more than 300 times in the New Testament; that means that
it is mentioned on the average of once in every twenty-five verses.
o more than fifty (50) references to the Second Advent in Paul's Epistles
o eight times more verses concerning the Second Coming of the Lord
than there are those that concern His First Coming.
o Whole books (1 and 2 Thessalonians, Revelation), and whole chapters
(Matthew 24, 25; Mark 13; Luke 21) are devoted to this subject.

The hope of the Second Coming provides the motivation for practical
Christian living:

1) for brotherly love (1 Thes. 3:12,13);

2) for holiness (Rom. 13:12-14; 1 Thes. 3:13; 5:23; 1 Jhn. 3:3; Tim. 2:11-
13);
3) for faithful meeting together for worship (Heb.10:25);
4) for faithfulness in Christian service (1 Tim. 4:13-16; 2 Tim. 4:1,2; 1 Pet.
5:2-4);
5) for a continued passion for souls (1 Thes. 1:9,10; 2:11, 12, 19, 20);
6) for comfort in time of bereavement (1 Thes. 4:14-18).

B. The Nature of His Coming.

1. What the Second Coming is not.

a) It is not the death of the believer. Christ's Coming is at our

resurrection, not at our death (1 Thes. 4:16,17).
b) Christ's Second Coming is not the coming of the Holy Spirit on the
Day of Pentecost. Jesus promised to send ANOTHER Comforter
(Jn. 14:16); therefore, His Coming and that of the Comforter could
not be identical.
c) Christ's Second Coming was not the destruction of Jerusalem in
A.D. 70. (cf. Matt. 24:15-23 with Luke. 21:24-28; Jhn. 3:16-18).
d) Christ's Second Coming is not conversion. If this were true, His
Coming would not be a second one, but one of millions of comings.
(Heb. 9:28; 1 Thes. 1:9, 10)

2. What the Second Coming is.

a) The Second Coming of Christ is a LITERAL coming or return.

b) The Lord's Coming will be a PERSONAL return. (Jhn. 14:2b, 3;
Acts 1:11b)
c) The Lord's Coming will be a visible, bodily coming. (Romans 1:7).

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C. The Time of His Coming.

• Jesus said regarding the time of His Return, "But of that day and hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only"
(Matthew 24:36).
• In the parable of the talents Jesus said, "After a LONG TIME the lord
of those servants cometh..." (Matthew 25:19). Since the parable was
about the coming of the kingdom, the term "long time" seems to hint
of a considerable delay in the coming.
• Even though there are clear indications that the Lord's Return would
not occur until after an extended period of evangelization the Church
was taught to be ready for an any-moment appearance of the
Heavenly Bridegroom (Matthew 24:44, 48, 50; 25:13; Mark 13:35-37;
Tim. 2:12,13; John. 3:3).
• We cannot hasten or delay God's program, but it is possible that we
may do so in relation to our time frame.
• While no one knows the time of Christ Coming, we are given signs by
which we may recognize the emergence of the last times.

D. The Signs of His Coming.

In answer to questions put to Him by some of the disciples, Jesus revealed

a number of signs of coming events (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21). The
following are some of the world conditions that prophetic scholars look for
as signs of the latter days:

1. The regathering of Israel in Palestine.

2. Perilous times.
3. The rise of communist Russia.
4. The rise of communist China.
5. Armaments and modern war potential.
6. Progress in transportation and science.

E. The Rapture of the Church

1. Its any-moment occurrence.

2. Various Rapture theories.

a) The Post-tribulation Rapture Theory. Those who hold this

theory believe that the believers will go through the Tribulation and
that the Rapture will occur simultaneously with, or immediately
before, the Lord's Coming in Judgment.

b) The Mid-tribulation Rapture Theory. As the term "mid-

tribulation" reveals, it describes the position of those who teach

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 that the Church will be raptured after the first half of Daniel's
seventieth (70th) week (Daniel 9:27).

c) The Partial Rapture Theory. Those who hold to a partial Rapture

base their believe [belief] on passages such as Hebrews 9:28,
Luke 21:36; 1 John 2:28, and Matthew 25:1-13; which are
interpreted to mean that believers who are not "looking for Him,"
who are not "counted worthy," who have something in their lives
that might make them "ashamed before Him at His coming," or
that do not have oil (the fullness of the Spirit) will be left behind to
go through the Tribulation.

F. Christ's Return to Rule- the Revelation.

• At the Rapture, Christ comes for His saints; at His Revelation, He

comes with His saints.
• At the Rapture, He comes in the air; at His Revelation, He comes to
earth to rule in power and glory.
• The Rapture is followed by the Believers' Judgment of Rewards
and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb; the Revelation followed by
the defeat of the Antichrist and the wicked nations, and the
establishment of His millennial kingdom (Revelation 19, 20),
• According to Revelation chapter nineteen, the steps in Christ's
Return to Rule are:

1) The heaven is opened and Christ appears riding a white horse

with a crown on His head and with garments dipped in blood; His
name is announced to be "The Word of God" (vv.11-13; also Jn.
1:1).
2) He is accompanied by armies of saints, also riding on white
horses.
A sharp sword issues from His mouth to smite the wicked
nations. His title is revealed to be "King of Kings and Lord of
Lords" (vv.14-16).
3) An angel announces His readiness for battle against the Beast
and his armies which gather to oppose the Lord.
The Beast's armies are crushed; the Beast, the False prophet
and all those who have taken the mark of the Beast or
worshipped his image are cast into the Lake of Fire (vs.19- 21;
Daniel 8:25).
4) An angel from heaven casts Satan, called "the old serpent," the
"dragon" and the "devil," into the Bottomless Pit where he is
imprisoned for a thousand years (Rv. 20:1-3).
5) The Tribulation saints are raised and, together with the Church
saints, reign with Christ for a thousand years (Rv. 20:4; Mt.
25:21; 2 Tm. 2:12; Rv. 5:9,10).

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IV. THE TRIBULATION

A. The Word "Tribulation in Scripture.

In the Bible, the word "tribulation'" is used in at least three different ways:

1) To apply to the trials and persecutions that the Christian believers will
suffer throughout the Church age as a result of their identification with
Christ. (Jn. 16:33; 1 Jn. 3:1b; See also 1 Cor. 3:4; 2 Thes. 1:4; Acts
14:22; Rom. 12:12; Eph. 3:13; 2 Cor. 7:4.)
2) To apply to a special period of tribulation for Israel prophesied by Daniel
(9:24-27; Jer. 30:7-9; Mt. 24:21; Dn. 9:27)
3) To apply to God's final wrath upon the Anti-christ and the Gentile
nations that follow him (Rv. 6:12-17), called the "Great Day of His
Wrath. (Acts14:14; Rv. 3:10; 1 Thes. 5:9; Dn. 9:24-27;12:8-13; Rom.
11:24-26; Rv. 7:4-8; Rv 11, 12).

B. Daniei's Dream and Vision.

Daniel also prophesied about the time of world domination by Gentile

nations (Nebuchadnezzar's Image -- Dn. 2:31-44; Daniel's dream of four
beasts -- Dn. 7:1-14). The four parts of the image and the four beasts
represented four successive Gentile empires, the last of which was to be
the Roman Empire.

C. The Principal Events of the Tribulation.

1) The removal of the church and the Restrainer of evil (2 Thes 2:1, 7, 8).
2) Restoration of the daily sacrifice in a rebuilt temple by covenant with
Antichrist (Dan. 9:27).
3) Outpouring of judgments resulting from the opening of the seven seals
(Rev. 6:1-8:1).
4) Outpouring of judgments from the sounding of the seven trumpets
(Rev. 8:6-11:15).
5) The taking away of the daily sacrifice by the Antichrist, and the setting
up of the abomination of desolation (Dan. 9:27; 12:10-11; Mt. 24:15).

(This happens in the middle of the seven years, which are divided into two
parts of three- and one-half years: Rv. 11:2, 3; Dn. 9:27; 12:11; Rv. 12:14.
The latter half is considered to be the "Great Tribulation.")

6) Increased persecution of Israel (Rv. 12); 144,000 Jews from the twelve
tribes are sealed (Rv. 7:1-8); an innumerable company of Tribulation
saints, from all nations, converted during the Tribulation, are taken to
Heaven (Rv. 7:9-17).
7) Total control by the Beast and the False Prophet; the introduction of the
mark of the Beast and his number, with compulsory worship of the
Beast's image (Rv. 13)
8) The judgments resulting from the outpouring of the seven vials of wrath
(Rv. 15,16).

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 9) Judgment upon the Harlot, mystery Babylon (Rev. 17, 18), who
probably represents apostate religion.
10) Gathering of the kings of the East and armies of the Anti-Christ (Beast)
to make war with the remnant of Israel, resulting in the Battle of
Armageddon (Rv. 12:17, 16:12-16).
11) Celebration of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rv. 19:6-9).
12) Christ returns with His armies of saints to confront the Beast and his
armies, and the Beast's armies are destroyed by the brightness of
Christ's Coming (Rv. 19:14-21; 2 Thes. 2:8).
13) The Beast and the False Prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev.
19:20).
14) Satan is cast into the Bottomless Pit (the abyss) for one thousand years
(Rev. 20:1-3).

V. THE ANTICHRIST

A. The Word "Antichrist" in Scripture.

• The word "antichrist" comes from two Greek words christos meaning
"Christ" or the "anointed one"; and anti meaning in this combination
"against"; thus, "the one against Christ, Gods anointed."
• The name "antichrist" is found only in John's epistles (1 Jn. 2:18, 22;
4:3; 2 Jn. 1:7), where he is described as one coming in the last time,
and one whose spirit is already present in the world.
• The spirit of antichrist will be embodied in the "beast" described in
Revelation 13:1; 11:7.

B. The Identity of the Antichrist.

• The spirit of antichrist has possessed many enemies of God through

the ages, such as "the kings of Babylon", a type of Satan (Is. 14:4-17).
• He may be somewhere in the world already, but he will not be revealed
until after the Rapture of the Church; so it is rather futile to try to identify
him.
• The spirit of antichrist will continue to possess any vehicle yielded to
Satan.

C. Titles of Antichrist.

1) The Beast - Rv. 13:1-4, 12-18; 15:2; 16:2; 17:8; 19:19; 20:4, 10.
2) The Little Horn - Dn. 7:8; 8:9
3) The Man of Sin - 2 Thes. 2:3.
He will be history's vilest embodiment of sin and rebellion.
4) The Son of Perdition - 2 Thes. 2:3
Another title of the Man of Sin. Satan's tool to seduce men and consign
them to the realm of the lost.
5) The Wicked One - 2 Thes. 2:8.
"Wicked" is from the Greek, anomos, which means the "lawless one."
He totally opposes every law of God.

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 6) The Willful King - Dn. 11:36-45.
Jesus prayed, "Not my will but thine be done"; the Antichrist will oppose
God's Will and do his own will; he is the inspirer of all those who "do
their own thing."

7) The Foolish Shepherd - Zec. 11:15-17.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who preserves; Antichrist is the worthless
shepherd who devours.

D. The Works of Antichrist.

1) He is the last ruler of the revived Roman empire - Dn. 7:8; Rv.13:1
2) He will appear on the scene as a proponent of peace who is tolerant of
religion - Dn. 9:27; Rv. 6:2; Dn. 8:25; 1 Thes. 5:3.
3) He will arise after the Rapture of the Church and at the beginning of the
seventieth week of Daniel, when God sets His hand to deal again with
national Israel, and he will make a covenant with the Jews to restore
the daily sacrifice - Dn. 9:24-27
4) After three- and one-half years, in the middle of the Tribulation, he will
cast off all pretense of toleration, break his covenant with the Jews,
cause the daily sacrifice to cease, and begin his persecution of Israel-
Rv. 13:7, 8.
5) One of his heads will receive a deadly wound, then will miraculously
healed causing the wonderment and worship of the whole world -
Rv.13:3,4.
6) As the Man of Sin and Lawless One he will blaspheme God, then
require the worship of all men with the threat of death - Rv. 13:7, 8.
7) The third member of the satanic trinity of the Dragon, the Beast and the
False Prophet arises; the False Prophet exercises miraculous power to
deceive, causes men to worship the Beast, creates an image of the
Beast to which he gives life, and causes all men to take a mark or
number of the Beast in order to buy or sell - Rv. 13:11-18.
8) During the Tribulation, the Beast sponsors the great Harlot who
represents apostate religion, but finally the Beast together with the ten
kings who rule with the Beast utterly destroy the scarlet woman-Rv. 17.

The woman is said to be "that great city that reigneth over the kings of
the earth" (Rv. 17:18); the city is situated on “seven mountains" (17:9).
(Scholars are divided as to whether the city is Rome or Babylon.)

9) The Beast gathers his subject nations together to make war with the
Lamb at the Battle of Armageddon, where he is utterly defeated and
cast, together with the False Prophet, into the Lake of Fire - Rv. 16:16;
17:14; 19:19, 20.

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VI. THE RESURRECTION

Christ by His Incarnation, Death and Resurrection redeemed the total person
who is in Christ, giving him a hope of a bodily resurrection, which will occur at
the Rapture of the Church. (1 Cor. 15:21-23).

A. The Fact of the Resurrection.

The fact of the Resurrection is taught in both the Old and the New
Testaments:

1. In the Old Testament.

a) By affirmation (Jb. 19:25, NKJV; Ps. 17:15; See also Ps. 16:9-11;
Dn.12:2)
b) By prophecy (Is. 26:19; Also Hos. 13:14)
c) By typology (Gn. 37:20-36; Gn. 22:5-14; Jon. 2; Mt. 12:40)
d) By example (1 Kgs. 17:17-24; 2 Kgs 4:32-35; 13:20, 21)

2. In the New Testament.

a) By affirmation (I Cor. 15:42, 43; See also Mt. 22:30-32; Jn. 5:21;
Acts 23:6-8; 26:8, 23; 2 Tm. 1:10; 1 Pt. 1:3)
b) By prophecy (Jn. 5:28; See also Jn. 6:39,40,44,54; Lk.14:13, 14;
20:35, 36; 1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:11, 21; 1 Thes. 4:14-16; Rv. 20:4-6,
13-15).
c) The New Testament also contains examples of persons raised from
the dead. (1 Cor. 15:20).

B. The Nature of the Resurrection.

The Resurrection will be universal. All do not have eternal life, but all have
eternal existence. All persons will be resurrected, the just to eternal life, the
unjust to eternal condemnation. All will be raised, but not all at the same
time (Jn. 5:28, 29).

1. The Resurrection of Believers (1 Thes. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:50-57; Rv.

20:4-6).

a) It will be a literal bodily resurrection. (Jn. 20:19-28; Lk. 24:36- 43;

Phil. 3:21; 1 Cor. 15:42-44; 52)
b) The resurrection body will be God-given. (1 Cor. 15:35-38)
c) The believer's resurrection body will be immortal and incorruptible.
(I Cor. 15:42)
d) The resurrection body will be a celestial body. (1 Cor. 15:40)
e) The resurrection body will be a powerful body. (1 Cor. 15:43; Mt.
22:29, 30)
f) The resurrection body will be a glorious body. (1 Cor. 15:43; Mt.
13:43; Mt. 17:2; Jn.17:22; Dn. 12:3).

2. The Resurrection of Unbelievers (Rv. 20:5, 12, 13, 14; Jn. 5:28, 29;
Dn. 12:2; Acts 24:15; 2 Thes. 1:8, 9)

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 C. The Time of the Resurrection.

The order of resurrections is as follows:

1. The Resurrection of Jesus (Mt. 28:1-10; Mk. 16:1-14; Lk. 24:1-39; Jn.
20:1-17).
2. The Resurrection of saints of the Old Testament (Mt. 27:52, 53).
3. The Resurrection of the Church saints at the Rapture (Jn.14:3; 1 Thes.
4:16; 1 Cor. 15:52).
4. The resurrection of the two witnesses of Revelation 11:12, during the
tribulation period.
5. The Resurrection of the saints of Israel and of the Tribulation saints
who are witnesses for Christ and who do not worship the Beast (Rv.
20:4-6; Dn. 12:1, 2).
6. The Resurrection of the unrighteous.

This will occur after the Millennial Reign of Christ. They will be resurrected
to stand before the Great White Throne (Rv. 20:5, 11-14).

VII. THE MILLENNIUM

• The word "millennium" is not found in the Bible.

• However, the thousand-year period of Christ's rule over the earth is
mentioned six (6) times in the twentieth chapter of Revelation.
• The word "millennium" is derived from Latin words which simply means
“thousand years.”
• The Millennium will be a period during which Satan will be bound in the Abyss
(Rev. 20:2).
• The resurrected Church saints together with the Tribulation saints will reign
with Christ in His millennial kingdom: (Rv. 20:4b; 6b; see also Rv. 19:7-10,
14.)

A. The Relation of the Millennium to the Second Coming.

There are three theories about the time relationship of the Millennium to the
Second Coming:

1. Post-millennialism.
This theory puts the Millennium before the Coming of Jesus.

2. Amillennialism.
According to the Amillennial theory, a national Israel has no further
destiny that differs from that of the other nations.

3. Pre-millennialism.

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 The pre-millennarian does not confuse Israel with the Church, nor the
Church age with the millennial age; for him the schedule of future
prophetic events is:

a) the Rapture
b) the Tribulation
c) the Final Coming of Christ as King
d) the Millennial Reign of Christ on Earth
e) the Eternal State of a New Heaven and a New Earth

B. The Relation of the Millennium to Israel.

• Among the millennial family of nations, the nation of Israel will occupy
the central place (Dt. 32:8-10).
• It is true that the Church has entered into the spiritual blessings first given
to Israel (Eph. 1:18, 3:6; 1 Pt. 2:9, 10); but that fact does not change
God's purpose for national Israel (Is. 61:1-62:4; 66:7-24; Rom. 11:13-
28).
• It seems clear that Israel will be the ministers and missionaries to all the
nations during the Millennium, directing the Gentile inhabitants of the
earth to serve and worship the Lord (Is. 61:4-11).
• While Israel will have the preeminence among the nations during the
Millennial Reign of Christ, the Church in her glorified state will sit in
judgment over the tribes of Israel (Mt. 19:28; Lk. 22:29, 30).

C. The Relation of the Millennium to the Nations.

• At the Coming of Christ to Reign, there will be a Judgment of Gentile

nations, referred to in Matthew as the "sheep" and "goat" nations (Mt.
25:31-36).
• There will be Gentile nations on the millennial earth (Revelation 20:7, 8;
Isaiah 2:1-5; 11:5-10; 60:1-5; and Zechariah 14:16-21.)

D. The Relation of the Millennium to the Church.

• The restored nation of Israel or the Gentile nations will be earthly peoples

o will live under the ideal conditions of an earth freed from the curse
o will have mortal bodies and pursue normal earthly occupations.

• On the other hand, the Church and all saints who have had part in the
First Resurrection will rule and reign with Christ (Rv. 2:26, 27; 3:21; 5:9,
10; 20:6).

o will not be confined to the earth, for they have glorified bodies
o will have access to Heaven and earth (Rv. 19:6-14; Mt. 22:30, 31;
Lk. 20:35, 36).

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 E. Life and Conditions on the Millennial Earth

1. Christ's Millennial Reign will be characterized by universal justice and

righteousness (Jer. 23:5, 6; Is. 11:3-5; 52:1, 16; Ps. 72;1-8).
2. All the earth will be under the righteous discipline of King Jesus, and all
who disobey will be disciplined (Zec. 14:16-21).
3. There will be peace among all the nations during the Millennial Rule of
Christ (Ps. 72; Isa. 2:4; 9:5-6; 32:1; 17, 18; Micah 5:4-5).
4. There shall be happiness and joy in His kingdom (Is. 9:2-4, 25:6-9,
35:10).
5. In Christ's kingdom, the people of the nation of Israel will enjoy health
and longevity (Isa. 35:5, 6; 65:20-22).
6. On the millennial earth there will be great material prosperity (Ps. 72:15,
16; Am. 9:13-15; Zec. 3:10; 8:12).
7. Under Christ's Reign, the earth will be freed from the curse (Rom. 8:19-
22; Is. 55:13; 41:18, 19).

With the removal of the curse, wild animals will lose their ferocity (Is.
11:6-9; 65:25; Ez. 34: 25, 28; Hos.2:18).

VIII. THE JUDGMENTS

• All men will stand before the judgment bar of God in order that His
Righteousness may be vindicated: "And it is appointed unto men once to
die but after this the judgment" (Heb. 9:27; See also Ps. 89:14; Gn. 18:25,
NASB; Rom. 2:15, 16; Rom. 3:10-23; Rom. 8:1).

• The Bible speaks of a number of judgments. In the following section these

judgments will be treated under five categories:

1) The Judgment of the Believer

2) The Judgment of the Nations
3) The Judgment of National Israel
4) The Judgment of the Wicked Dead
5) The Judgment of Satan and the Fallen Angels.

A. The Judgment of the Believers.

There are three aspects to the believer's judgment.

• His first judgment took place at the Cross (Jn.12:31, 32; 1 Jn. 1:9, Jhn.
3:18; 5:24; Rom. 8:1, 33; 1 Thes. 5:9).
• The second aspect of the believers' judgment is his continuing self-
judgment (1 Cor. 11:31, 32; Rom. 15:16; 1 Thes. 5:14-23; 2 Thes. 2:13;
1 Jn.1:7-2:2).
• The believer's judgment before the Judgment Seat of Christ is not a
judgment of condemnation, but that of determining the believer's
awards. (cf. 1 Cor. 4:5; 1 Cor. 3:13-15; 2 Cor. 5:10).

The believer's special rewards are called crowns.

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 1. The Crown of Rejoicing. (1 Thes. 2:19, 20)
2. The Crown of Righteousness. (2 Tm. 4:7, 8; See also 1 Cor 9:25-
27)
3. The Crown of Life. (Jas. 1:12; Rv. 2:10)
4. The Crown of Glory. (1 Pt. 5:4)

B. The Judgment of the Gentile Nations.

• In Matthew 25, Jesus declares that He will gather all nations before Him
to be judged at the time of His Coming (Mt. 25:31-46).
• Before He begins His Millennial Reign, Jesus will separate the nations
as a shepherd would separate sheep from goats.
• It seems from what follows in the same context, that the basis of
Judgment will be the treatment rendered to His "brethren," the
righteous remnant of Israel who will be Christ's witnesses during the
Tribulation (Rv. 7; 11:1-12; Is. 11:10).

C. The Judgment of National Israel.

• The Old Testament prophets predict a time of trial and judgment for the
remnant of Israel in preparation for the kingdom (cf. Ez. 20:33-38; Dn.
12:1, 2).
• Jesus, in Matthew chapter twenty-four, speaks of the Great Tribulation
as a time of trial and judgment for Israel. (See Dn. 9:24-27; Rv. 12).

D. The Judgment of the Wicked Dead.

This is known as the "Great White Throne Judgment." It will not take place
until after the Millennial Reign of Christ. (Rv. 20:11-14).

E. The Judgment of Satan and the Fallen Angels.

• At the end of Christ's thousand-year reign, Satan will be released from
his prison for a brief season.
• He will go forth to deceive the nations, which rebellion (his last) will end
with the fiery destruction of the rebels and Satan's being cast into the
Lake of Fire forever (Rv. 20:10; Is. 24:21, 22; 2 Pt. 2:4; Jude 6; 1 Cor.
6:3).

IX. THE FINAL DESTINIES

• The righteous will enjoy everlasting life and bliss in the presence of the
Lord.
• The future abode of the righteous will be Heaven (2 Cor. 5:1, 1 Pt. 1:4).
• The unrighteous will suffer everlasting punishment and separation from yhe
Lord.
• The future abode of the unrighteous will be Hell (gehenna) (Mk. 9:43, 44;
Rv. 20:14).

A. The Future Destiny of the Unrighteous

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 • The Authorized Version refers to the final abode of the unbeliever as
"hell."
• The wicked are kept in Hades until the Final Judgment after which they
are cast into the Lake of Fire.
• "Hell" once translates tartaroo, where the wicked angels were cast (2
Pt. 2:4)
• After the Millennium, all the wicked dead are resurrected, and after the
Great White Throne Judgment are cast into the Lake of Fire (Rv. 19:20;
20:10, 14, 15; 21:7,8).

1. The final condition of the wicked is presented in the following

descriptions:

a) Separation from God (Lk. 13:25, 28; 2 Thes. 1:9).

b) Outer darkness (Mt. 22:13; 2 Pt. 2:4, 17; Jude 6, 13).
c) Eternal or unquenchable fire (Mt. 18.8; Mk. 9:43, 45, 1. 48; 2
Pt. 3:7; Jude 7).
d) Everlasting contempt (Dn. 12:2).
e) Everlasting torment (Rv. 14:10, 11).
f) Eternal punishment (Mt. 25:46)
g) Everlasting destruction or perdition (ruin) (2 Thes. 1:8, 9; Phil.
3:18, 19; Mt. 7:13; Rom. 9:22; 2 Pt. 3:7).
h) Where the worm dies not (Mk. 9:44)
i) The wrath of God (Rom. 2:5, 8, 9; 1 Thes. 1:10).
j) Retribution (punishment proportionate to the evil) (2 Cor. 11:14,
15; 2 Tm. 4:14; Rv. 18:6; 22:12).
k) The second death (Rv. 20:14; 21:8).

2. Several theories have been proposed which deny that the

punishment of the wicked is unending:

a) Annihilationism. According to this theory, the wicked are

punished for an age and then are annihilated. Annihilationists
contend that the Greek word aionios, derived from aion, which
means "age," has the meaning of "age long " rather than
"everlasting."
b) Universalism. According to universalists, punishment will bring
about a change of heart on the part of the wicked and finally
they, including Satan himself, will be saved.

B. The Final Destiny of Satan, the Fallen Angels and the Antichrist.

The wicked angels and the Antichrist have already been treated under
the section on their judgment, and under the final destiny of the wicked
(Mt. 25:41; Jude 6; 2 Pt. 2:4; Rv. 19:20; 20:1, 2, 3, 10; Is. 14:14, 15;
24:21).

C. The Future State of the Righteous.

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 • The eternal state of the believer is LIFE through and with the Lord
Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 5:11, 12).
• Eternal "life" refers not merely to the duration of life, but rather to the
quality of life.
• The believer has Christ's life (Gal. 2:20), because he has Christ
within (Col. 1:27).
• The eternal abode of the believer then, is a home in HEAVEN but
what kind of place did Jesus prepare?

1. Heaven is the place where Jesus our Savior is (Jn. 14:2, 3; Acts.
7:56; Lk.1:2; 2 Cor. 5:2; Phil. 1:23)
2. Heaven is an ample place. (Jn. 14:2, 3).
3. Heaven is a better place (Heb. 10:34; 11:16).
4. Heaven is an ideal place. (Mt.6:10).
5. Heaven is a place of inheritance. (1 Pt. 1:4; Rom. 8:17).
6. Heaven is a place of reward (Mt. 5:12; 6:20; 19:21; Lk. 12:33;
Col. 1:5; 2 Tm. 4:8).
7. Heaven is a place of praise (Rv.19:1).
8. Heaven is a place of beauty, splendor and glory (Rv. 21, 22).
9. Heaven is a joyful place (Rv. 21:4; Mt. 25:21, 23; Lk.15:7,10
Heb. 12:2).
10. It is a place of personal identity.

We will not lose personal identity in Heaven; on the contrary, our

personalities will be raised to the highest level of personal being. The
best of earth's relationships in the Body of Christ will endure in heavenly
life.
16
Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the
churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and
morning star.
17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say,
Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take
the water of life freely.
20
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely, I come quickly.
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Revelation 22: 16, 17, 20

From: Duffield, Guy P. and Van Cleave, Nathaniel M. Foundations of Pentecostal

Theology. California: L.I.F.E. Bible College, 1987. 511-553

169
 THE MARKS OF A CULT

One must be careful to distinguish between two positions of what constitutes a cult.

• Sociological position – states that whatever is normative to a given culture is

not cultic.
• Theological position – states that only those groups that adhere to the Bible
as the basis for all theology and practice are considered normative, and
thereby, not cultic.

From the theological position, then, a cult can be best defined as:

A system of religious beliefs and rituals with a body of adherents deeply

devoted to an extra-biblical person, idea, or thing; it cultivates worship in a
religion that, with reference to its basis for man’s salvation, is considered to be
unorthodox, spurious, or false, thereby insulating its members against true
salvation in Christ. And inasmuch as the central doctrine of Biblical Christianity
is the sacrificial death of Christ for man’s sin ( Eph. 2:8,9), all cultic deviations
tend to downplay the finished word of Christ and emphasize the importance of
earning moral acceptance before God through one’s own religious works.

To be classified as a cult, not all of the following characteristics have to be present,

but in most cases, in one form or another, all of them will be:

1. Extra-biblical Authority

▪ All cults deny what God says in His Word as true.

▪ While some cult groups given token respect for the Bible, in reality, they
honor the groups given token respect for the Bible, in reality, they honor
the group’s or leader’s novel interpretation of Scripture as normative.

2. Works Salvation/Legalism

▪ Cults teach that eternal life depends upon something other than the
Atonement.
▪ The salvation message of the cults always boils down to required
obedience to, or abstention from, certain obligations and practices.

3. No Assurance of Salvation

▪ The issue of a cult member’s salvation is never settled, but is constantly

affected by the changing circumstances of life; in this way, cult leaders are
able to produce continued obligation and spiritual bondage, rather than
spiritual freedom.

4. Guru-Type Leader/Modern Prophet

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 ▪ The cult leader is looked to as the infallible interpreter of scripture,
specially appointed by God to be a special saint, guru, or contemporary
messiah.
▪ Cultists almost always quote their leader rather than the Bible.

5. Vacillating, Ambiguous Doctrines/Spiritual Deception

▪ In order to gain favor with the public, and thereby aid in the recruitment of
new members, cult “doctrine” tends to be characterized by many false or
deceptive claims concerning the cults true spiritual beliefs.

6. Exclusivity from/Denunciation of Other Groups

▪ Each cult group, regardless of what other doctrines are taught, will all have
this one common idea – “The Only True Church Syndrome.”

7. Claims of Special Discoveries/Additional Revelation

▪ Acceptance of new, contemporary, continual revelations that either deny

the Bible or are allowed to explain it.
▪ Rather than conforming to Biblical rules of evidence (2 Cor. 13:1), cult
leader revelations almost always emanate from hallucinations, visions,
dreams, private discoveries, etc.

8. Defective Christology
▪ Cults always have a false view of the nature of the Person of Jesus Christ.
▪ A cult will usually deny the true deity of Christ, His true humanity, His true
origin, or the true union of the two natures in one Person.

9. Defective “Nature of Man”

▪ They usually do not see man as a spirit clothed in a body of flesh awaiting
the redemption of body and soul.

10. Out-Of-Context Scripture Use as Proof-Texts/Segmented Biblical

Attention
▪ Cults tend to focus on one verse or passage of the Bible to the exclusion
of others, and without regard for the context in which Scripture is given.
▪ In addition, cults have made an art form out of using Christian terminology,
all the while pouring out their own meanings into the words.

11. Erroneous Doctrines Concerning Life after Death and Retribution

▪ Cults invariability deny the existence of a final judgment of, and a final
“resting” place for, the unrighteous.

12. Entangling Organization Structure

▪ Cults often demand total commitment by their converts to an
organizational environment that entangles them in a complicated set of
human restrictions, giving the impression of passionate and often irrational
devotion to a cause.

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 13. Financial Exploitation
▪ The cultic practitioner strongly implies that money contributed to the cause
will earn the contributor numerous gifts, powers, and abilities, and in many
cases, outright salvation.

14. Pseudomystical/Spiritistic/Occultic Influence

▪ Occult influence is many times found in either the origin of the group
and/or in its current practices.

From: “Marks of a Cult.” Biblical Discernment Ministries. Dec. 01. 12 Jan. 10

[Link]

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 STEWARDSHIP

Money, by itself, is uncomplicated. The problem then must be with men. Jesus said
SO MUCH about money because He knew how much we would struggle with it.
• 500 verses on prayer
• over 2,350 verses on how to handle money and possessions.

The problem of money is summed up by Jesus in Matthew 6:24.

• The word serve translates "to be a slave to, literally or figuratively voluntarily or
involuntarily."
• See also Ecclesiastes 5:10.

Money is intoxicating. Money possesses the power to rule our lives, not for good
and forever, as Christ; but to lure us, like a moth, too close to the flame until, finally,
our wings are set ablaze.

Money enslaves men. It will work you till you die.

• Whether rich or poor, everyone needs money.
• The more money we have the more we need.
• Solomon said, "As goods increase, so do those who consume them"
Ecclesiastes].

The Bible has a wide range of teaching about money and possessions. Most of us,
however, only have a partial grasp, or perspective, of God's money principles.
• There are three prevailing perspectives which are commonplace today namely:
the poverty theology, the prosperity theology and the stewardship
theology.

POVERTY THEOLOGY

The disciple of poverty theology

• disgusted with worldliness, best symbolized by man's obsession with money
• believes possessions are a curse.
• has rejected materialism in any and every form.
• doesn't understand God's mandate to be industrious and to make full use of his
abilities, in whatever proportion they have been given.
• believes true Christians should sell his possessions and give the proceeds to
the poor.

PROSPERITY THEOLOGY

The disciple of prosperity theology

• believes you have not because you ask not.
• have learned about tithing.
• have experienced the material blessings available by following the tithing
principle.

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 • Because of their success with tithing, a preoccupation with money develops.
• soon begins to explain the lacking of others not experiencing God's financial
blessings as a lack of faith.
• live consumptive lifestyles.

The prosperity gospel doesn't hold water because it claims you can give to get.

• You can create a binding transaction on God in which He is obligated to bless

you.
• This view disregards your motives, whether or not you are living in sin and God's
plan for your life.

STEWARDSHIP THEOLOGY

Stewards believe God owns and controls everything.

• Possessions are a privilege and not a right; the steward gives up his rights.
• He reads Scripture to say possessions are a trust given in varying proportions.
• The steward believes prosperity results from faithfully administering his talents,
as given by God in His sole discretion.
• His preoccupation is not with accumulating wealth or renouncing it but with
being wise in the conduct of his affairs. [Psalm 112:5,9].

STEWARDSHIP THEOLOGY (THE RIGHT CHOICE)

Stewardship theology weaves the virtues of prosperity and poverty theology together
with the balance of God's Word about money and possessions.
• In other words, much of poverty and prosperity theology is sound; it is in the
making of a total point of view where error comes into play.
• Stewardship theology would be impotent if it did not include the beautiful
promises of God's blessings and the admonitions to care for the poor.
• Poverty theology exaggerates the role of sacrificial work, while the prosperity
gospel overemphasizes the pursuit of financial rewards. The steward leads a
balanced life, enjoying God's abundance while always serving others in love.

When you become a faithful steward, God will guide you into an abundant life and
that's the gospel truth.

THREE PERSPECTIVES CONTRASTED

POVERTY PROSPERITY STEWARDSHIP

View of Non-materialistic, Prosperity is the Possessions are a
Prosperity disdain for reward of the trust given in
Possessions righteous varying
propositions
In a Word, A curse A right A privilege
Possessions
Are

174
 Scriptural Luke 18:18-22 sell, Mat. 7:7-8 ask, Mt. 25:14-30
Reference [Rich give to poor seek, knock Parable of talents
young ruler]
Mitigation Prov. 21:20: In Pr. 23:4-5 Do None
house of wise are not wear
store of choice food yourself out to
& oil, but a foolish get rich
man devours all he
has.
Needs met by “Carefree attitude” “transaction” “faithful
Don’t worry—seek tithe for a administration”
Kingdom first blessing Mal. 1 Cor. 4:2 Mat.
Mt. 6:25-34 3:10 25:21, 23
Concept Rejecter Owner Steward
Attitude toward We are We owe We care
Poor
Preoccupation Daily needs Money Wisdom
Attitude Carefree Driven Faithful
[Prov. 3:5-6] [Pr. 10:17] [Luke 16:10-11]

STEWARD IS A MANAGER OF THE HOUSEHOLD OR ESTATE.

• He is appointed by the owner and entrusted to keep the estate running
smoothly.

STEWARDSHIP is the individual's responsibility to properly manage everything which

God has entrusted to his care.

RESPONSIBILITIES ENTRUSTED TO US ARE THREE-FOLD

1. How to use our time [day of worship] - Eph. 5:15, 16
2. How to use our talents - Matt. 25:14-30
• [1 Cor. 12: 8-11, 28]
• What we do with what we have will be the basis of our judgment.

3. How to use our money

• What we do with all our treasure is important to Him.
• Our time, money, possessions and talents all belong to God [Rom. 14:7-9, 2
Cor. 5:15, Luke 16:1-2, 10:10-13]

Here are the reasons why we need to honor God with our resources:
• It is a way to acknowledge that He owns everything in your life. (1 Chronicles
29:14) It is a way to indicate that your heart is committed to God. (Matthew
6:21)
• It is a way to thank God for providing all your needs.

YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THESE PRINCIPLES

1. Put God first, by giving - Prov. 3:9-10; Mal. 3:10
2. Realize that God is your supplier - Phil. 4: 19

175
 3. Expect God to give you money miracles - 2 Cor. 9:6-7

STEPS FOR STARTING BUSINESS OR VISION WITH NO MONEY

1. Don't doubt that God is indeed God.
2. Don't limit God. Seek Him through dreams, visions, and ideas.
3. Don't compromise. Speak the vision.
4. Write the vision.
5. Don't sit-move!
6. Don't quit - Persist until you succeed.

THREE WAYS THAT GOD WILL PROSPER YOU

1. He draws it to you.
2. He shows/ tells you how to make it.
3. He tells you where to get it.

REDEMPTION - That was once in place... taken out of place... and back to its original
place!

GOD WANTS TO PROSPER US: KINGDOM BUILDING (OUR BIRTHRIGHTS)

1. Confidence
2. Courage
3. Hope
4. Belief
5. Faith
6. Trust

THESE ARE THE THINGS ON THE INSIDE OF YOU THAT BIRTH THE VISIONS
GOD HAS GIVEN YOU.
From: "Stewardship." (Researched by Rene Gonzalez, Director for Business Affairs,
EMB

176
 Intensive Training for Emerging Leaders
Intensive Training For Emerging Leaders PHASE 4

PHASE 4

177
 Phase 4
Serving God (Hands)

Rationale

"Christ has no hands but ours." We are God's instruments in touching this world
through genuine service in the ministry. As we humbly submit to God we lovingly
extend our hands to the lost world.

Course Objective

This phase aims to prepare the trainees for ministerial responsibilities including
management of church members, preaching and administrating a church.

Course Duration

6 meetings (2 hours per meeting)

Course Contents:

1. Consolidation 1 & 2

2. Biblical Counseling

3. Portrait of a Dynamic Church

4. Homiletics (Part 1)

5. Homiletics (Part 2)

6. Anointing

178
 CONSOLIDATION 1 –
THE PURPOSE IN THE PROCESS
1. Objective

The student should understand what the purpose in the process of Consolidation
is.

2. Goals

The student should be able to:

• Explain what the purpose in the process of Consolidation is.
• Explain the work that Consolidation requires.

3. What is the purpose in the process of consolidation?

Consolidation is a process of care, attention and continual contact with the new
believer until he feels strengthened and inspired to become a disciple of Christ.

A. To show the benefits of belonging to the family of God.

B. To show interest in their needs.
C. To offer fellowship.
D. To water the seed that has been sown - 1 Cor. 3:6 "I planted, Apollos watered,
but God gave the increase"
E. To show them Christ, His love and the abundant life that He has.
F. To make them conscious of their decision for Christ.
G. To involve them in the activities of JIL Church.

4. The work of consolidation

A. It is necessary to understand that we are God's fellow-workers -1 Cor. 3:9

B. Our calling consists of winning and keeping people until they themselves are
capable of doing the same to others. - 2 Tim. 2:2.

C. Therefore, this work demands that we:

• Pray for the people that we are looking after - Romans 1:9
• Share time with them - Acts 19:8
• Show interest in their family - Acts 16:31-34
• Feel a burden for their needs and problems - Acts 17:16
• Be always available for them - Acts 19:22-23
• Meet their needs, as far as possible - Acts 11:29
• Conclusion Consolidation is fundamental within the development of the
vision, and necessary for the fulfillment of the goals.

Conclusion

Consolidation is fundamental within the development of the vision, and necessary for
the fulfillment of the goals.

179
 CONSOLIDATION 2 –
HOW TO CONSOLIDATE
1. Objective

The person should understand the basic principles for effective Consolidation.

2. Goal

The student should be able to explain the best way of carrying out Consolidation.

3. Explain the plan of salvation using five teaching points

A. The teaching about love - John 3:16, John 10:10

B. The teaching about sin - Romans 3:12, 3:23
C. The teaching about Christ as the one and sufficient Savior. (John 14:6; Gal.
3:13; Eph. 2:8-9)
D. The teaching about repentance. (Acts 3:19; 1 John 1:9; Isaiah 1:18 Prov.
28:13)
E. The teaching about accepting and receiving. (Rev. 3:20; John 1:12)

4. Know and resolve their concerns with regard to the Bible, the Church and
God.

A. Identify their needs and problems, showing interest in them.

B. Teach them to ask God in faith, and hold them up in prayers.
C. Look for Bible texts that will strengthen them and teach them God’s viewpoint.
D. Be wise in counseling them, and motivate them in such a way that it will be
them who make the decisions.
E. Help them materially, if it is within your means.
F. Involve them in the activities of your ministry

5. To be successful during the process of consolidation

A. Understand that new believers have doubts and concerns that must be
resolved.
B. Not everybody reacts in the same way; some take longer than others.
C. Win their family's trust, without entering into personal secrets that could be
taken as an abuse. Protect your image, and that of the church.

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 D. Show respect for everything (their work, what they spend their money on, etc.).
E. Later on, you will have the opportunity to instruct them, so that they make
decisions according to the will of God.
F. Show interest in them as individuals, and not as numbers to reach a goal.
G. Motivate them in faith constantly.
H. Do not pressure them; be flexible.
I. Involve them in activities and make them feel important.
J. Never show attending church as a change of religion.
K. Introduce them to more people so they can form bonds of friendship with them.

Conclusion

The skill to achieve an excellent Consolidation is acquired in the measure that we

prepare ourselves and do it constantly.

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 BIBLICAL COUNSELING

A STUDY ON SELF ACCEPTANCE

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOU?

Suppose you had a mirror that reflected your real feelings about yourself. Right now
in your mind look into that mirror and answer the questions that I'll ask as honestly as
you can.

1. How do you feel right now?

2. How do you feel about yourself?
3. What is the best feeling you have ever had about yourself?
4. What caused this feeling?
5. What was the worst feeling you ever had about yourself?
6. What caused this feeling?
7. How do you usually feel about yourself?

How do you feel about yourself is important. If you feel good about yourself, you will
probably feel better about other people, too. If you feel badly about yourself, you might
tend to look at the gloomy side of things and you'll probably find it hard to like other
people too. Remember the saying goes, "we cannot give what we do not have.

Let me read a poem which talks about "WHO AM?

Lord, what's the matter with me
I can't figure it out why I act the way I do.
One minute I'm pretty nice, and the next minute
I'm chopping my best friend.
One day I feel like serving You with all I've got
And the next day all I want is to get rich and live it up
Sometimes, I'm really sorry for the rotten things I've done,
And other times I could care less
It seems like there's two people inside me
And I can't tell which one is really me
Can you figure it out?

One of the struggles of Christians today is accepting themselves as they are before
God and men. Accepting themselves as they are and are capable of becoming the
kind of person that God wants them to be is so important.

The truth is, in spite of God's forgiveness and acceptance of our faults, weaknesses,
our being unlovely, arrogant, proud, haters, etc. yet on our part we cannot face the
truth about ourselves and accept ourselves just as we are.

BUILDING POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE

SELF-IMAGE
• Is an awareness of "who you are," your identity.

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 • It is a concept of who you are. It is how you look, how you feel about yourself,
and how you do things. It is a picture of "yourself"… A portrait of yourself...

DEVELOPING SELF-IMAGE

The picture you develop is greatly influenced by the values other people place on
your:

1. Appearance - how you look

2. Abilities - how you do things
3. Parentage - what family background
4. Environment - where you come from

NEGATIVE SELF-IMAGE

1. Feelings of Inferiority
o Looking down on yourself
o Feeling small
o Belittling yourself
o Personal inadequacy
o "I cannot do it mentality"

2. Feelings of Insecurity
o Self-consciousness

3. Feelings of Rejection
o Not accepted

POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE

How do you develop positive self-image?

1. GOD DESIGNED EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE

o A healthy self-image is "seeing yourself as God sees you-no o no less."

2. YOU WERE CREATED FOR SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENT IN LIFE

o You were uniquely created for a purpose.

3. WHAT YOU ARE IS NOT THE FINISHED PRODUCT

o The Lord is still at work in you. You are in the process of becoming what
you were designed to be.

4. BE THANKFUL FOR WHO YOU ARE AT PRESENT

o Having confidence in God's design, looking forward that this present
condition is on its way to completion.

5. STRIVE TO DEVELOP AND RELEASE YOUR QUALITIES

o You have been given talents, gifts and qualities that will enable you to be
the person you were meant to be.

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COUNSELING REAL PEOPLE

When you read the Bible from cover to cover, you discover that it is a book of REAL
PEOPLE, with REAL PROBLEMS, all needing REAL ANSWERS.

NOAH had a drinking problem.

ADAM had a blame-shifting problem.
CAIN was given to violence and murder.
AMNON committed rape and incest.
DAVID struggled with sexual lust.
HAMAN was a deceitful manipulator.
JEZEBEL was just plain mean.
MOSES had a temper problem.
ABRAHAM had a lying problem.
KING SAUL was consumed with jealousy.
SARAH suffered from pessimism and laughed at Goo.
THOMAS suffered from bouts with doubt.
PETER was impetuous, loud, and often spoke rashly.
BARAK could rightly be called timid and cowardly.
NADAB AND ABIHU had an attitude problem when it came to following
God's instructions.
GEHAZI struggled with an honesty problem.
SIMON in Acts had an obvious greed problem.

WE HAVE A MANDATE TO HELP PEOPLE.

At least 58 times in the N.T. we find the words "one another," stressing the
responsibility that we have each for the other.

o Love one another

o Pray for one another
o Bear one another's burdens
o Encourage one another
o Exhort one another

GIVING ADVICE IS A SERIOUS BUSINESS

As soon as you say, "Well, if I were you, I'd..." and finish the sentence, you have
influenced someone at the fork of life's road. You have, perhaps been the reason that
an individual makes a decision which will forever change the direction of his or her life.

Psalm 37:30-31- "The godly man is a good counselor because he is just and fair and
knows right from wrong."

COUNSELING IS AN EXTENSION OF THE MINISTRY OF JESUS.

Much of Jesus' teaching ministry was on a one-to-one basis. Yes, he spoke to the
multitudes, but he also had time for the Samaritan woman at the well of Sychar. He
had time to talk with Mary and Martha in the kitchen of their home. After the crowd
turned and left the woman taken in the act of adultery, Jesus had time to encourage

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her to "go and sin no more." Indeed, some the most profound doctrinal teachings were
prompted by conversations with a single individual.

COUNSELING IS THE BUSINESS OF RESTORING HURTING PEOPLE.

As a counselor, you must discern problems without setting yourself up as judge and
executioner. The counselor does not have to agree with people, he doesn't have to
condemn them or be their conscience, but he does have to help them come to grips
with God's will.

Why do people seek advice or counsel?

o They are hurting

o They are uncertain.
o They must decide but lack the wisdom or direction necessary to make a proper
decision.
o They want validation for what they really want to do, or intend to do anyway, but
usually it is because they are unsure of themselves.

1. What is counseling?

• Counseling is a relationship between 2 or more persons in which one person

(the counselor) seeks to advise, encourage and or assist another person/s
(counselee) to deal more effectively with the problem of life.
• It is designed to help people live and function effectively.

2. What is Biblical Counseling?

• It involves helping people to put off old patterns which grew out of rebellion
toward God and helping them to put on new practices which grow out of
obedience to God.
• It is basically presenting the principles of God which will solve the counselee's
particular problem.
• Biblical counseling helps a counselee learn to respond to suffering as Christ
would-by learning to place his or her life into God's hands as Jesus placed His
life into His Father's hands.
• In other words, it helps people develop a life of faith.

3. What is the Goal of Biblical Counseling?

The goal of Biblical counseling is to promote Christian maturity -- spiritual,

psychological and emotional.

Effecting Biblical Change

o The goal of any counseling is CHANGE. Biblical change is the goal. But
change is hard.
o CHANGE is painful. But there is no growth without change.
o The counselor must believe and steadfastly maintain that change is possible
in Christ. Every change that God requires of any Christian is possible.

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 MORE GOALS:

1. Changing the Counselee's behavior

2. Preventing more serious problems from developing
3. Teaching social skills
4. Encouraging expression of emotions
5. Giving support in times of need
6. Instilling insights
7. Guiding as a decision is made
8. Teaching responsibility
9. Stimulating Spiritual growth
10. Helping the counselee to mobilize his inner resources in times of crisis

4. PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COUNSELOR

A. SELF UNDERSTANDING:

It is generally agreed that self-understanding is a very desirable counselor

characteristic. By knowing about ourselves we are better able to evaluate and
control our own behavior, and we can more fully appreciate the feelings and
actions of our counselees.

1. 1st is reflection: when alone-taking our personal inventory of our

characteristics, strengths and weaknesses.
2. 2nd, after looking conscientiously and honestly at ourselves, it is helpful
to discuss the results with a respected friend or an experienced counselor.
3. 3rd, there is the self-understanding that comes, when we ask the Holy
Spirit to guide the evaluation. (Psalm 139:1-6; Psalm 139:23-24).

B. PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Textbook writers have listed a number of psychological traits assumed which

are assumed to make counselors more effective, including: sincerity,
compassion, patience, flexibility, self-confidence,
o optimism,
o approachability,
o mental alertness,
o common sense,
o fairness,
o emotional stability,
o good grooming,
o freedom from distracting mannerism,
o breadth of knowledge
o ability to keep from appearing shocked.

1) UNDERSTANDING OF OTHERS
2) ACCEPTANCE
3) SOCIAL DISTANCE
4) ABILITY TO GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE
5) EXPERIENCE

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 C. SPIRITUAL CHARACTERISTICS:

• Must be a Christian, having personally experienced the new birth (John

3:3) by believing that the risen Christ is the Son of God (John 3:15-17;
Romans 10:9).
• Should be capable, God-fearing, honest, readily available and willing to
get help when they encounter difficult cases (Exodus 18:21-22).
• Should also be a student who is thoroughly familiar with the Word of God
(2 Tim. 2:15)
• Must be someone who seeks to be a follower of Christ (1 Peter 2:21)
whose very name is "Wonderful Counselor" (Isaiah 9:6).

5. COUNSELING SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES

Good counseling is difficult work. It is time consuming, emotionally draining,

physically exhausting and frequently unsuccessful. By developing proficiency
in the following skills and techniques, however, we should be able to increase
our overall counseling effectiveness.

A. BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

For the Christian counselor it is also important to prepare for the interview
with prayer. We can commit the counseling session to God, asking that we
will be made sensitive to the needs and feelings of the counselee, and that
we will be led by the Holy Spirit as we counsel. Such prayer is no substitute
for training and preparation, but for all our activities, including those for
which we are highly trained, should be committed to the Lord who guides
our thoughts and actions (Proverbs 16:3; 3:5-6).

• Whenever possible, it is best to spend a few minutes in preparation

prior to the start of a counseling session.
• When we receive guest into our houses, we usually tidy the house and
give the appearance that the guest is welcomed and expected.
• A person coming for counseling should be received with at least as
much courtesy.
• If he feels that he is "talking the valuable time of a busy man" he may
feel guilty, rushed, and hence unable to communicate.
• It is a good procedure, therefore, to straighten the papers on the desk,
get the room in readiness, and arrange to keep the counseling period
free from interruptions.
• Then we should review the counselee's case history and remind
ourselves of the details of any previous counseling with him.
• It is embarrassing to get one person's problem confused with another,
and it is distressing to the counselee who naturally prefers to think that
he and his problems are uppermost in your mind.
• The counselor should meet the counselee at the exact time of
appointment. Being ten or fifteen minutes late and giving no real
explanation will make the counselee assume he has been forgotten or
that he isn't important enough to meet on time.

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 B. DURING THE INTERVIEW

The counseling session must be primarily a relationship between concerned

people rather than a period which the counselor is so concerned about skills that
he forgets everything else.

1. Start by working on the relationship.

2. Listen Attentively.
3. Don't be afraid of silence.
4. Question wisely.
a. Ask open-ended questions.
b. Avoid either-or questions.
c. Try to use indirect questions

5. Learn to respond.
Porter has suggested that there are five commonly used counselor
responses:
a. Probing responses - are used when more information is needed or when
the counselor wants to stimulate further discussion.
b. With understanding responses - the counselor wants to convey his
comprehension and empathy.
c. By using supportive comments - the counselor tries to reassure or
encourage the counselee.
d. Interpretative responses - are meant to teach the counselee or show him
what is happening.
e. Evaluative responses - indicate what the counselor thinks about the
goodness, rightness or wisdom of an action or idea.

6. Make use of spiritual resources.

7. End positively.

C. AFTER THE INTERVIEW

The counselor should jot down some notes and briefly evaluate the interview.
The counselor must keep the interview in his confidence

6. COUNSELING ETHICS

a. Keep confidences.
b. Avoid physical contact
c. Do not use the counselee to satisfy your own desires
d. Do not try to hide your Christian values.
e. Do not force or pressure the counselee to continue counseling.
f. Reserve judgment.
g. Be patient with people.
h. Recognize your limitations.
i. Rely totally upon the Lord as you counsel.

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7. DANGERS IN COUNSELING

A. Over Reliance on One-Sided Information

B. Jumping to Premature Conclusions
C. Over-Involvement
D. Close Association with the Opposite Sex
E. Information Slips

COUNSELING AND CHANGE

1. Dynamics of Change: How does change take place in a person's life?

2. Methods of Change: What can I do to help a person change?
3. Counseling in Everyday Life: Where are my opportunities to help others
change?

THE GOALS AND PHASES OF BIBLICAL COUNSELING

The Three Goals of Counseling

1. Identifying the problem
2. Analyze the options
3. Motivate and guide

The Counseling Process Goals

1. Identifying the problem/s.
2. Analyze the available option/s.
3. Discover and choose God's will.

Phases
1. Exploration
2. Encounter
3. Reconstruction

What the Counselor does:

1. Listens, Evaluates, Questions, Ponders, Clarifies
2. Helps the counselee confront the consequences of each option
3. Motivates; guides through repentance and reconstruction

PHASE # 1

Exploration - This is when you begin the process of counseling, during that time
you listen, evaluate, question, ponder and clarify.

PHASE # 2

Encounter - Once the problem is clearly identified in your mind, you want to help
your friend to see the options and consequences of accepting or rejecting each
one.

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PHASE # 3

Reconstruction - Here you help the counselee follow through with the decision
which has been made.

USING THE BIBLE IN COUNSELING

Framework for Using the Word

1. God is a good God; therefore, what God tells us in His Word is the
revelation of His will. His plan and blueprint for living, and following its
counsel, will produce happiness.
2. God allows certain trials and in so doing may demonstrate His power and
grace. Therefore, I can trust Him for grace and strength when He chooses to
take me through trials rather than to deliver me from them.
3. God promises to be with us in times of difficulty, not to exempt us from
them. The promise of Romans 8:28 is for believers. Even so Paul does not say
"we understand," or "we think” or "we feel that God works all things for goods."
Simply, "we know.

A Final Word

"Well, what do you think?" "The next time you hear those words, you will be
better equipped to offer counsel.
May the Lord guide you as you guide people into the path that leads towards
Heaven's shores…
Yes, as the Psalmist put it. "The godly man is a good counselor because
knows right from wrong!"

From: Sala, Harold J. Coffee Cup Counseling, Metro Manila: OM Literature

Inc., 1995.
Collins, Gary. Effective Pastoral Counseling. Manila. OMF Literature Inc, 1984

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 THE PORTRAIT OF A DYNAMIC CHURCH

A picture of a dynamic church shows not just the leadership factor but the structure,
spirituality and the unity of the church as a whole. A truly dynamic church has the
following:

1. ENABLING LEADERSHIP

a. Our church has an established and working 'Church Management Team.’

b. Our church regularly diagnoses the present leadership situation.
• We understand the present and future leadership needs.
c. Our church monitors, evaluates and corrects leadership problems.

2. GIFT-BASED MINISTRY

a. Our church understands different spiritual gifts.

b. Our leaders serve mainly according to their God-given spiritual gifts.
• Giving due respect to others' spiritual gifts.
c. All gifts are in operation in the church.

3. PASSIONATE SPIRITUALITY

a. Our leaders' lives:

• inspire our members to deepen their spirituality.
• become spiritual models impacting the lives of the congregation.

b. Our leaders love and practice prayer & fasting both individual and corporate.
c. Our church has established and active leadership-prayer warriors with regular
prayer gatherings impacting the church.
d. Our church with its passionate spirituality creates an atmosphere of joy, peace
and grace.

4. USEFUL STRUCTURES

a. We fully support the MVV of the JILC Worldwide.

b. We also create our own local mission and vision to carry out the JIL'S MV
c. We prepare written "Master Plan" with goals, objectives and action plans
yearly.
d. We have honest monitoring, evaluation and correction programs.

5. INSPIRING WORSHIP HEALING SERVICE

a. We fully understand the purpose of our Worship Healing Service.

b. We foster a positive atmosphere in our Worship Healing Service.
c. Our worship leaders and Pastors model worship.
d. Worship leaders and instrumentalists are on fire in loving God, as manifested
in their service during Worship Healing Service.
e. The sermon/teaching in our church is dynamic, anointed and inspiring.
f. We evaluate every Worship Healing Service.
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6. COMPREHENSIVE SMALL GROUPS

a. Fellowship in small groups is inspiring, encouraging and genuine.

b. Small groups definitely help our church grow with maturity and excellence.
c. We intentionally design our small groups to multiply.
d. We are committed to train our small group leaders.
e. We provide ongoing care for our small group leaders.
f. We have a regular evaluation of our small groups.

7. NEED-MEETING EVANGELISM

a. We have an established evangelism department with committed leaders and

workers.
b. We are committed to meeting the felt-needs of the people in our community.
c. We equip our members to evangelize.
d. We hold special events to evangelize.
e. Our church is 'baguhan' friendly.
f. We have learned from those who have left our church.
g. We use our small groups to evangelize.
h. We restructure our ministries to make our evangelism more effective.

8. LOVING RELATIONSHIPS

a. Pastors & leaders model love.

• Pastors and leaders are beyond reproach.
b. We strengthen loving relationships in our 'team’ - ministry, life groups,
congregation.
• Pastors and leaders settle issues with maturity, love and understanding.
c. We have a good reputation in our own family, community, workplace and
church.

FINAL ANALYSIS:

God, in His abounding grace, has called you to experience the incomparable joy of
serving Him.
Are you willing to give your best for the glory of His Name?
The decision is yours to make.
It's your choice.

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 HOMILETICS

• Preaching the Word of God is among the greatest privileges entrusted to man. It
is also one of his greatest responsibilities.
• The art of preaching is called "HOMILETICS,” derived from the Greek words
homileo and homilia, which mean "to be in company with, i.e., to converse, and
communicate".
• Homiletics involves the study of every-thing related to the art of preaching
sermons. Good sermons (communication) are birthed out of good communion
(companionship) and fellowship.
• There are two distinct aspects involved in preaching: Firstly, the divine; secondly,
the human. Homiletics is the study of the human aspect!

A. HOW TO BE EFFECTIVE

• Preaching is the art of communicating divine truth through human personality.

A preacher is essentially a communicator. He receives truth from God and
communicates it effectively to men.
• God gives the revelation; man provides the presentation.

In order to do this effectively, he must learn to do several things well.

1. Wait on God

Firstly, he must learn how to wait on God. The preacher must learn how to be
still in the presence of God, and discern the voice of the Lord speaking within
his own spirit.

2. Study the Bible

Ideally, the preacher should come be-fore God with his Bible in hand. Make
time to sit quietly and patiently before God in this way. Ask for illumination and
inspiration on His Word.

3. Keep A Notebook

A notebook in which to record the thoughts and ideas that come to your mind
in these times of quiet waiting is essential. It is amazing how quickly one may
forget the most wonderful truth, if the thought is not recorded while it is fresh in
your mind.

4. Be Cleansed by The Word

Try to avoid the attitude that seeks a word from God so that you can preach
about it on Sunday morning. Do not always be looking for spiritual bullets that
you can fire at someone. Recognize the primary need of your own heart. Let
God deal with your heart through His Word and by His Spirit. Let the Word wash
and cleanse you first.

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B. TWO FALSE IDEAS ABOUT HOMILETICS

There are at least two common mistakes which people tend to make in regard to
homiletics.

1. "Preparation Unnecessary"

The first mistaken idea is that preparation is unnecessary and indicates a lack
of faith. People who take this view tend to feel that real faith disdains any
attempt to prepare the mind, and merely stands before the people - believing
that God will then supply the words to speak.

2. "Human Ability Is Enough"

The second mistake goes almost to the other extreme. In this instance, a
complete confidence is placed in preparation and human ability. There is little
or no dependence on the Holy Spirit, but a self- confidence which is the result
of training and the development of natural ability.

C. FOUR AREAS OF HOMILETICS

There are four major areas with which homiletics is concerned:

1. Concept

This has to do with obtaining the original theme for the message. It is the art of
knowing how to receive a message from God. It deals with how to get the initial
idea and theme for a sermon.

2. Composition

Having received inspiration on a particular truth, you must now begin to analyze
it to discover all which that truth contains. Your notebook is important right here!
As you prayerfully meditate, write down carefully every thought that comes to
mind.

3. Construction

Having exhaustively analyzed your subject material and listed every aspect of
truth you can find within it, you must now begin to assemble those thoughts in
an orderly fashion. This is essential so that you can give further prayerful
consideration to the subject.

4. Communication

Finally, we come to the presentation of the message:

• The clear and effective communication of the truth.

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 • How to present your subject in a manner which will captivate the minds of
your hearers.
• How to develop your thoughts in such an orderly manner that your audience
can easily follow the line of truth you are seeking to convey.
• How to motivate your listeners to appropriate actions, for we are to be
"doers of the word and not hearers only" (Jas 1:22)

D. THREE TYPES OF SERMON PREPARATION

1. The Written Sermon

This is a method which demands a great deal of time in preparation. It involves

very copious notes. Sometimes the whole message written out beforehand.
The preacher knows exactly what he wishes to say and how he wants to say it.
Every thought is written out in full.

2. “Skeleton-type” Notes

This is the most commonly used method, and the one which I feel is the most
effective. Notes are kept to a minimum, affording sufficient outline of the
message to prompt the memory.

3. The Extemporary Sermon

This style of preaching is spontaneous, and usually presented without notes at

the time of delivery. The subject is often given a good deal of careful thought
beforehand, and the mind and heart filled with the vital aspects of the message.

E. SEVEN KINDS OF SERMONS

1. Textual

• This style is usually based on one relatively short portion of Scripture.

• It involves choosing an appropriate statement of Scripture.
• Then you investigate it, analyze it, and discover all the truth it contains.
• Then you present that truth in an orderly and progressive manner that is
easy for the hearers to assimilate.

2. Topical

• Here the preacher aims to present a specific topic to his congregation.

• He would then arrange all the Scripture references and thoughts he gets
into an orderly format.
• He then develops his theme as fully and faithfully as possible.
• His objective is to tell his audience every-thing they should know on this
important subject.

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3. Typical

• This is the art of uncovering and communicating truth which is hidden

beneath the surface of the various "types" in the Bible.
• A "type" is a person, object or event which is prophetically symbolic of
some-one or something yet to come. It is similar to, and characteristic of,
that person or event.
• The interpretation and exposition of Bible types is a rather specialized task;
it deserves the skill of those who are mature and knowledgeable in biblical
subjects.

a. Principles for Use. When you first attempt to teach from biblical types,
please try to keep the following principles in mind:

1) Use Simpler Types. Begin with the simpler types, which the
implication is very obvious.
2) Keep to Broader Interpretation. Never try to interpret every tiny de-
tail of the type. Keep to the broader outline of truth.
3) Don't be Dogmatic. Avoid being dogmatic as to what the type
teaches.
4) Illustrate Doctrine. Never base your doctrinal position on the
teaching of types. Types should illustrate doctrine not initiate it.
5) Be Open to Correction. Remain open to correction from those of
greater maturity than yourself.

4. Expository

• By this method, we endeavor to expound the meaning and truth contained

in a particular passage of Scripture.
• We seek to bring out the truth which is often hidden beneath the words on
the page.
• This is an excellent method of teaching the whole counsel of God (Acts
20:27).

5. Biographical

• A biography is a life story of a person. Therefore, this method involves the

study of the lives of the many characters we encounter in the Bible.
• Every biography recorded in the Bible holds important significance for us.
Every life has something to teach us.
o Study the birth of the person.
o Consider the circumstances of his upbringing.
o Focus upon the dealings of God in his life.
o How did he react to God's dealing?
o What did he learn from it?
o If he were a success in life, what made him successful?
o If his life ended in failure, where did he go wrong?
o What can we learn from his life?

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 6. Analytical

• This type of sermon relates to the detailed analyzing of a subject in order

to extract the greatest amount of truth from it.
• From this truth, you can then teach the underlying principles involved.

7. Analogical

• Much of the Bible is written in the form of analogy.

• The writers often use a natural subject from which to teach spiritual truth.
• It involves the comparison of similar functions, and the process of reasoning
from parallel cases.
• The analogical sermon endeavors to communicate truth contained in an
analogy

THE TEXTUAL SERMON

A. ADVANTAGES OF HAVING A TEXT

1. Captures Interest
2. Prevents Wandering
3. Keeps Sermon Biblical
4. Increases Boldness
5. Aids Recall Of Message

B. CHOOSING A TEXT

1. Read The Bible Regularly

2. Study The Bible
3. Always Have A Notebook With You
4. Maintain A Prayerful Attitude
5. Seek The Holy Spirit's Illumination
6. Your Text Should Be:
a. Biblically Authoritative
b. Complete
c. Reasonably Brief
d. Comprehensive

C. YOUR APPROACH TO THE TEXT

1. Thoroughly Digest Its Words

2. Determine Its Language
3. Analyze Its Message
4. Investigate The Words
5. Discover Its Development
6. Consider Its Context
a. Biblical Context
b. Cultural Context
c. Historic Context

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 d. Geographic Context
e. Total Biblical Context

D. ARRANGING YOUR MATERIAL

1. What An Outline Does For You

a. It makes you carefully analyze your subject and the material you have
gathered.
b. It reveals any weak areas in your treatment of the subject and the
development of your presentation.
c. It enables you to get the most out of your material, because you
reduce it to its most relevant and essential substance.
d. It makes it easier for you to remember all you want to say, and to pre-
sent it in a progressive and orderly fashion, with the least obvious
dependence on your written notes.
e. It makes it easier for your listeners to follow the development of your
presentation, because it is communicated in the most orderly and logical
fashion.

2. Concerning Your Notes

a. Keep Them Brief.

b. Make Them Orderly.
c. Let Them Be Comprehensive.
d. Concentrate On Ideas.
e. Make Condensed Notes
f. Make Them Easy To Read.

E. THE STRUCTURE OF A TEXTUAL SERMON

The outline of your sermon will usually contain three major elements:

• The Introduction;
• The Main Statement Of Truth;
• The Conclusion and Application.

1. Introduction

Your introduction may well be the most important part of your message, for if
you do not win your listeners' attention in this initial period, they may pay little
attention to the remainder of your sermon.

a. What Your Introduction Should Accomplish:

1) Capture Interest.
2) Establish Rapport.
3) Afford Acceptance.
4) Inform
5) Convince

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 b. Characteristics Of A Good Introduction

1) It Does Not Promise More Than You Can Deliver!

2) It Should Not Be Too Sensational.
3) It Should Not Be Too Long.
4) It Should Bear Obvious Relationship To Your Theme.
5) It Should Be Carefully Prepared.
6) It Should Provide A Natural Transition Into Your Theme.

2. The Main Body Of Your Message

A. STATE THE TRUTH.

1. Declare It.
2. Explain It.
3. Clarify It.

B. AMPLIFY THE TRUTH.

1. Develop It.
2. Substantiate It.
3. Prove If.

C. CLIMAX.

1. Present Your Conclusion.

2. What May We Learn From This?
3. How May We Practically Apply It?

3. Conclusion

Appeal to the mind. Summarize your talk. Restate it briefly. Appeal to the will.
Seek to persuade. Appeal to the emotions. Try to motivate.

F. HOW TO PREPARE YOUR SERMON

1. Prepare A Rough Plan First

2. Select Your Main Thoughts

EXPOSITORY PREACHING

Here, we deal with the art of expounding a passage of Scripture. To expound means
to interpret and explain; to set forth a matter in detail.

A. ADVANTAGES OF EXPOSITORY PREACHING

1. It Is A Biblical Method
2. It Produces Bible Preachers And Bible-Oriented Congregations
3. It Invites Holy Spirit Reinforcement

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 4. It Encourages Deeper Interest In The Bible

B. SUGGESTED PROCEDURE

1. Carefully Choose An Appropriate Passage Of Scripture

2. Seek A Theme Relevant To The People's Present Situation
3. Study The Passage Carefully From Every Angle
4. Endeavor To Thoroughly Understand Your Theme
5. Have A Definite Objective In Mind
6. Speak From Your Own Experience
7. Make It Meaningful
8. Make It Practical

C. GATHERING RELEVANT MATERIAL

1. What Have I Ever Heard Or Read On This Subject?

2. What Has The Holy Spirit Ever Shown Me On This Subject?
3. What Have I Ever Observed Which Relates To This Theme?
4. What Thoughts Have I Ever Had On This Subject?
5. Who Or What Can I Consult On This Subject?

D. PREPARATION OF YOUR MATERIAL

1. Be Open-Minded About It
2. Investigate It Thoroughly
3. Do Some Original Thinking About it
4. Approach It Creatively
5. Treat It Constructively
6. Study It Comparatively
7. Conclude It Practically

E. DELIVERING THE EXPOSITORY MESSAGE

1. Turn To Passage
2. Read Passage Aloud
3. Introduce Your Theme
4. Read Passage Aloud Again

F. SEVEN PRINCIPLES
At this point, I would like to introduce to you seven vital principles which are
extremely important, particularly in expository preaching
1. Clarity
2. Consistency
3. Coherence
4. Continuity
5. Conciseness
6. Comprehensiveness
7. Conclusiveness

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 THE BIOGRAPHICAL SERMON

A. ADVANTAGES OF THE BIOGRAPHICAL SERMON

1. Deals With Realities Of Life

2. Are Examples To Learn From

B. HOW TO BEGIN

1. Choose Characters From The Bible

2. Study Their Lives

THE PREACHER

A. PERSONALITY GUIDELINES

1. Be Yourself
2. Try Not To Copy Others
3. Be True To Yourself
4. Be A Clean Vessel
5. Be Sincere
6. Have A Clear Purpose And Objective
7. Be Wholehearted

B. PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT IN PREACHING

1. Naturalness
2. Originality
3. Simplicity
4. Attractiveness
5. Spontaneity
6. Adaptability
7. Dynamic

C. VITAL EQUIPMENT
1. Vision
2. Vocabulary
3. Voice

D. PRINCPLES OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

1. Breathing - Correct breathing is extremely important for a speaker

2. Articulation - Articulation is the art of uttering speech clearly
3. Inflection - Inflection in speech has to do with the pitch of your voice
4. Speed Of Delivery - You should endeavor to vary the speed at which you
speak
5. Volume - Varying the volume of your voice can give added emphasis to a point
you wish to make. added emphasis to some point you make.

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 6. Pausing- Don't be afraid to pause once in a while. This can also give added
emphasis to some point you make.
7. Repetition -A certain amount of repetition can be good.

E. SIMPLE TIPS FOR PREACHERS

1. Be Yourself
2. Forget Yourself!
3. Don't Develop A "Religious Voice"
4. Do Not Speak Too Softly
5. Do Not Shout
6. Remember To Vary The Speed And Pitch Of Your Delivery To Avoid
Monotony
7. Get The Audience To Accept You
8. Dress Appropriately
9. Learn To Stand Properly
10. Learn To Move Naturally
11. Establish And Maintain Eye Contact With Your Audience
12. Remember That Facial Expressions Are Important, Too!

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 ANOINTING

The blessed Holy Spirit is available to you. It is not simply for special class of
Christians or for somebody under a certain denominational label.

• It is time for Christians to quit living beneath their privilege as born- again
children of God. Jesus left us such a special provision before He ascended to
heaven, as we read in John 14:15-21.
• In this passage, the promise of the Holy Spirit manifests the very life of Jesus
to everyone who believes. The word manifest means “I will do something
outward, I will do something powerful; I will do something significant.

There will be within you and flowing out of you a divine presence and power.

ANOINTING: The Fount Of Every Blessing

Ephesians 3:20 "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that
we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us”

1. WHAT IS ANOINTING?

Is the enablement or impartation of God's ability upon an available and yielded

vessel to fulfill and carry out His plan and His work.

o This ENABLEMENT and impartation will help those who have received it to
do supernatural work even though they remain natural beings.
o GOD'S ABILITY -- The anointing in itself is of a heavenly materiality.
o It is a spiritual substance which inherently contains God's power. (Ephesians
3 20; 1 Samuel 16)

2. WHAT IS IN THE OIL?

Oil is the type or symbol of the Holy Spirit

OIL - Was the substance most commonly produced from the olive berry, although
the word could also apply to oil of Myrrh (Esther 2:12).

A. Was used primarily for cooking – [Satisfaction/Blessings]

o Cooking that uses extracted olive oil was widely done in the Middle East
for food preparation.
o 1 Kings 17:12-16

B. Was used additionally as a cosmetic for anointing the body -

[Cleansing/joy & gladness]

o Oil was used for anointing the body after bath Ruth 3:3.

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 C. For medicinal purposes - [Healing/good health]

o Used as a medicine
o Applied externally as an ointment for bruises, burns, cuts and abrasions
(Mark 6:13)
o Used in anointing the sick (James 5:14)

D. As a source of light - [peace/direction]

o Used as a fuel for lamps (Isaiah 42:3).

E. For anointing Kings and Priests - [Confirmation/guidance]

o I Kings 16: David anointed as 2nd king of Israel

o From ancient times, the Hebrews dedicated officers of their National
community by pouring special oil on the head of the person designated for
office.

F. In religious offerings [set apart for divine purposes]

o Jacob is seen pouring oil on the stone of Bethel - Genesis 28:18-19

o The ceremony was repeated - Genesis 35:9-15

OIL was symbolically associated with joy, festivity, ceremony, honor, light, and
health (both spiritual and physical), while its absence spelled sorrow (Joel
1:10) and the withdrawal of all that is good life.

3. THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

o Ezekiel 36:26-27
o This wonderful promise of the Old Testament was fulfilled in the new covenant.

A. Regeneration.

o We must be born of the Spirit to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

- Spiritual Resurrection - John 3:6

- Regeneration as the work of Holy Spirit - Ephesians 2:4

B. This anointing is responsible for conviction of sin.

o Before the ministry of the Spirit, when we are confronted with our sin, we
will argue and refuse to acknowledge that we are our sinners.
o After Peter spoke to the people who had gathered together on the day of
Pentecost, they realize their sinfulness. This is the ministry of this holy
anointing.
C. The Holy Spirit illuminates our minds and gives us understanding of the
gospel.

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 o By nature, we are blind, with a veil over our minds. It is the work of the
Holy Spirit to remove the veil and cause us to understand the word of God.
o Acts 16; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 4:6; John 17:3
o The Westminster Confession of Faith speaks about the role of the Holy
Spirit in illuminating the Scriptures to us.

- In reference to the Holy Scriptures we read, "Our full persuasion and

assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof is from the
inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word
in our hearts" (Westminster Confession of Faith, Ch. 1, Sect. V, "Of
the Holy Scriptures"). God reveals the gospel truth to us by the Holy
Spirit.

D. This anointing enables us finally to make a total surrender to the King of

kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, by confessing the simple creed,
"Jesus is Lord."

o Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 12:1; 1 John 2:23

4. THE MANIFESTATIONS OF THE ANOINTING

a. Anointing of special skills - Bezaleel and Aholiab received special skill in metal
works, jewelry and embroidery - Exodus 31:1-6
b. Anointing of special ability to govern and lead - Moses and the 70 elders
received special ability to govern and lead Israel - Numbers 11:16, 17, 25.
c. Anointing of special wisdom - Joshua received special wisdom – Deuteronomy
34:9
d. Anointing of special courage - David's special ability as a mighty soldier came
from the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon his life.
e. Anointing of power to work miracles - 2 Kings 2:9, 14.
f. Anointing of wisdom and understanding - Daniel received supernatural
understanding and wisdom through the anointing his life.

5. THE ANOINTING IS PRECIOUS AND HOLY

The anointing that God puts on His servants is such a precious commodity that
expects consecration from His vessel before He puts it upon them.

Examples:
a. Aaron was told that the anointing he received was so holy that he could not
leave the tabernacle for 7 days or he would die (Leviticus 8:33-35).
b. Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu died because they offered strange fire
(Leviticus 10:1-2).
c. Eli the high priest - 1 Samuel 4 (Cost him his life)

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6. HOW TO RECEIVE THE ANOINTING OF GOD

Nazareth (Mark 6:1-5) Gennesaret (Mark 6:56)

1. Questioned the source of Jesus Recognize Him
power.
2. Recognize only His humanity. Recognize His divinity
3. They were offended at Him and His They believed everything about Him.
claims.
4. Jesus was literally rejected. Jesus was wholly accepted.
5. Low level of anointing manifested. High level of anointing manifested
6. Jesus had to lay hands on the few He They begged to touch His clothes.
haled.
7. Unbelief was their blockage. Faith was their characteristics.

7. FIVE AREAS THAT WILL AFFECT THE LEVEL OF ANOINTING FOLLOWING

A MEETING:

A. HUNGER LEVEL

Cornelius was a man who was hungry after God. He was not born again but
sought the Almighty God in prayers often (Acts 10:1-2; 44)

Spiritual hunger is an important ingredient upon the anointing.

o Elisha must have been very desirous and hungry for the anointing upon
Elijah for a long time.
o He persistently followed Elijah through Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho and Jordan
River.

B. THE PRAYER LEVEL

The early Church prayed together and God released an anointing on them so
powerfully that the house they work in shook (Acts 4:31).

C. THE LOVE AND THE UNITY LEVEL

One of the major keys to the continuity of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and
revival in the Jerusalem Church was their love and unity. Notice how often the
word "one accord" occurs (Acts 1:14; 2:1, 46; 4:24; 5:12).

D. THE WORD AND FAITH LEVEL

Mark 5:28-29; 5:31; Romans 15:18-19; 2 Corinthians 12:12

E. THE WORSHIP LEVEL

o Worship helps to tune our beings to the consciousness of God.

o It was worship that brought the glory into manifestation in the temple. 2
Chronicles 5:13.

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CONCLUSION:

The Anointing of Jesus

• Through the anointing power of the Holy Spirit in His life, all the gifts of the Holy
Spirit were manifested in His life.
• The gifts of the Holy Spirit are just the outward manifestations of the inward
working of the Holy Spirit in His life.
• And the fruit of the Holy Spirit is the product of the Holy Spirit in His life.
• As the ultimate Prophet, King and Priest, Jesus Christ was anointed when he
began his earthly ministry.
• This anointing was predicted by Isaiah in Isaiah 61:1 when he said that the Spirit
of the Lord would come upon the Messiah.

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 REFERENCES

Collins, Gary. Effective Pastoral Counseling. OMF Literature Inc.

Conner, Kevin J. The Foundations of Christian Doctrine. Portland: BT Publishing

House, 1980.

Douglas, Alban. One Hundred Bible Lessons. Manila: OMF Literature, 1988

Duffield, Guy P. and Van Cleave, Nathaniel M. Foundations of Pentecostal Theology.

California: L.I.F.E. Bible College, 1987.

JIL 12 Modules.

Mahoney, Ralph. The Shepherd's Staff. Burbank: World MAP, 1993.

"Marks of a Cult." Biblical Discernment Ministries. Dec. 01. 12 Jan. 10. <
[Link]

Moorehead, Bob. Counsel Yourself & Others from the Bible. Oregon: Multnomah
Books, 1994.

Sala, Harold J. Coffee Cup Counseling. Metro Manila: OMF Literature Inc., 1995

"Stewardship." (Researched by Rene Gonzzales, Director for Business Affairs, EMB).

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