First Baptist
“What the Bible
Teaches”
(Nine Week
Introductory Discipleship Series)
Table of Contents
Session
Title
Page
One
“What the Bible Teaches About Itself”
2
Two
“What the Bible Teaches About the Trinity”
4
Three
“What the Bible Teaches About the Holy Spirit”
6
Four
“What the Bible Teaches About Mankind”
8
Five
“What the Bible Teaches About Salvation”
10
Six
“What the Bible Teaches About Ordinances”
12
Seven
“What the Bible Teaches About Church”
14
Eight
“The
Nine
“What the Bible Teaches About the End of the Age”
19
Session One:
“What the Bible Teaches About
Itself”
1.
Three words
are
A.
Revelation
B.
Inspiration
C.
Interpretation
2.
First, Let’s
look at Revelation.[1]
How did God choose
to reveal Himself?
1st
through creation – Romans 1:19-22
2nd
through conscience – Romans 2:15
3rd
through Christ – John 14:8-9
4th
through the Bible – II Timothy 3:16
3.
Next Comes
Inspiration.[2]
Six Theories of
inspiration are:
I
Verbal, Plenary – (full
inspiration)
Infallible,
inerrant – original autographs
O.T. written in
Hebrew
N.T. written in
Greek
II
Dictation Theory
The writers were
merely stenographers.
III
Concept Theory
God supplied the
concept but not the words.
IV
Partial Theory
Part of the Bible
inspired (Salvation truth, etc.)
V
Neo-Orthodox Theory
True only as
realized by the reader
VI
Naturalistic Theory
An extreme view of
unbelief. Bible no different than any other work of literature.
4.
Now we look
at Interpretation.[3],
[4]
The principles
that need to be followed in interpreting the Bible are:
A.
The
purpose of the Bible as a whole.
(Not a book of
science or history, as such)
B.
The
particular message of each book of the Bible.
C.
To
whom addressed?
D.
The
context (verses before and after a particular verse).
E.
Similar
teachings elsewhere in the Bible.
F.
Accurate
exegesis of the words of a particular text.
G.
Guard
against prejudice.
5.
The Evidence
(or proof) that the Bible is inspired.
A.
The
evidence is twofold:
I
Internal
II
External
B.
Internal
Evidence
I
Jesus
declared it. (Matt.
5:17-18, Mark
II
Other
N.T. scriptures declare it.
Acts 17:11, Romans
10:17, Revelation 1:2, II Timothy 3:15-17, II Peter 3:15-16
III
Old
Testament Prophecy (Deuteronomy 18:21-22)
(No other
religious writing contains prophecy.)
C.
External
Evidence
I
Manuscript Evidence
II
Archaeology
Session Two:
“What the Bible Teaches About
the Trinity”
The Persons of the
Trinity, while having equal attributes, differ in certain properties.
Hence, the first Person of the Trinity is called the Father. The second
Person of the Trinity is called the Son and is sent forth by the Father.
The third Person of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit, who is sent forth by
the Father and the Son. The order is never reversed, that is, the Son
never sends the Father and the Holy Spirit never sends the Son. In the
nature of the uniqueness of the Godhead, there is no illustration or
parallel in human experience. Thus, the doctrine should be accepted by
faith on the basis of scriptural revelation even if it is beyond human
comprehension.
1.
The work of
the Trinity:
A.
The
Father – electing, loving, bestowing
B.
The Son
– suffering, redeeming, upholding
C.
The Holy
Spirit – regenerating, indwelling, baptizing, energizing and sanctifying
2.
The concept
of the godhead (Trinity)[5]
Wrong
Right
3.
Doctrinal
Errors Concerning god
A.
Monotheism – (Judaism – Islam)
B.
Polytheism – Many gods (idol worship)
C.
Pantheism – God is All (Eastern religions)
D.
Atheism
– No god exists (Humanism)
4.
The New
Testament Sets
A.
A
Father who is God – Romans 1:7
B.
A Son
who is God – Hebrews 1:8
C.
A
Holy Spirit who is God – Acts 5:3-4
_________________________________________________________________________
The
Father is all the
fullness of the Godhead invisible.
The
Son is all the
fullness of the godhead visible.
The
Holy
Spirit is all the
fullness of the Godhead acting upon the person.
_________________________________________________________________________
5.
The
BAptism of Jesus provides us a look at the distinctions in the trinity
(Matthew
3:16-17)
6.
the
BAptismal formula
(Matthew 28:19)
7.
Old
Testament Evidence of the Trinity.[6]
(Genesis 1:26)
(Genesis 3:22)
(Genesis 11:7)
The many
indications in both Old and New Testaments that God exists or subsists
as a triune being have made the doctrine of the Trinity a central fact
of all Orthodox creeds from the early church until modern times. Any
departure from this is considered a departure from scriptural truth.
Although the word “Trinity” does not occur in the Bible, the facts of
scriptural revelation permit no other explanation.
Session Three:
“What the Bible Teaches About
the Holy Spirit”
1.
The Holy
Spirit
Third person of
the Trinity
Attributes – same
as the Father and the Son
Work –
Regeneration
Work
– Indwelling
Work
– Baptizing
Work
– Sealing
Work
– Filling (control)
2.
The Holy
spirit is a person.[7]
A.
He
teaches (1 John
B.
He
speaks (Galatians 4:6)
C.
He
intercedes (Romans
D.
He leads
(Romans
E.
He
appoints others (Acts 13:2)
F.
He may
be: lied to, insulted, grieved.
3.
The Work
of the holy spirit.
A.
To the
lost – Conviction (John 16:8)
B.
To the
Saved – Regeneration
Once
for
all
at
conversion
Indwelling
Sealing
Baptizing
Filling (Control – as
often as needed
4.
the
instant work of the holy spirit
A.
Regeneration – New Birth
Titus 3:5; John
3:6
B.
Indwelling – Energizing for service
John 14:17
C.
Sealing
– Security
Ephesians 1:13; II
Corinthians 1:22
D.
Baptizing – Identified with and into the Body of Christ.
5.
The
reoccuring work of the holy Spirit
His Filling or
Control
A.
The
filling (control) defined
(Ephesians 5:18)
B.
The
Conditions for the filling of the Holy Spirit
I
Grieve
not – Ephesians 4:30
II
Quench
not – I Thessalonians 5:19
III
Walk in
– Galatians 5:16
IV
Yield to – Romans 12:1-2
C.
The
result of the filling (Control) of the Holy Spirit.
I
Fruit –
Galatians 5:22-23
II
Service
– Ephesians 2:10
III
Doctrine
– John 16:12-15, I Corinthians 2:9-10
6.
doctrinal
errors concerning the HOly spirit
A.
Subsequent works of the Holy Spirit apart from salvation
(At a later time)
John 3:34, Ephesians 1:3
Such as:
Sanctification
Baptism of the Holy Ghost
Speaking in Tongues
B.
Losing
the Holy Spirit
To be lost again,
after being saved
7.
Gifts of the
Holy Spirit
A.
Permanent – I Corinthians 12:1, Romans 12:6-8
Evangelist,
Pastor/Teacher, Helps, Administration, Exhortation, Giving, Teaching,
Showing Mercy, Faith
B.
Temporary – I Corinthians 13:8-11
Apostle, Prophecy,
Miracle Gifts, Healing, Tongues, Interpretation
Session Four:
“What the Bible Teaches About
Mankind”
1.
The bible
reveals 3 categories of mankind
A.
The
Natural Man
B.
The
Carnal Man
C.
The
Spiritual Man
2.
The Natural
Man
A.
Spiritually dead – Ephesians 2:1
B.
Adamic
Nature – Romans 5:12-14
C.
Spiritually Blinded – I Corinthians
D.
He can
be morally good or vile and wicked
3.
The CArnal
man
A.
Spiritually
Alive – I Corinthians 3:1
B.
Weak and
willful – I Corinthians 3:3
The carnal man
being so little occupied with the true spiritual meat, yields to envy
and strife, which leads to division among the very believers.
4.
The
Spiritual man
A.
Spiritually empowered – Ephesians 5:18
B.
By
Faith, not by feelings – Hebrews 11:6
C.
Yielded
– Romans 12:1-2
5.
The Bible
reveals man to be a tri-part being[8]
[9]
A.
Body –
World Consciousness
B.
Soul –
Self Consciousness
C.
Spirit –
God Consciousness – Hebrews 4:12
However, man is
born spiritually dead and must be regenerated by the Holy Spirit before
he is alive spiritually.
6.
The Two
Headships of Mankind
1.
2.
Adam
Christ
FAITH
Sinful
Righteousness
Disobedience
Obedience
Condemnation
Justification
Death
LIfe
(John 3:36)[10]
(John 3:16)[11]
7.
The Human
body
The Bodies of the
Saved are declared to be:
A.
B.
Earthen
Vessels – II Corinthians 4:7
C.
Under
Subjection – I Corinthians
D.
Glorified – Philippians 3:20-21 (future)
Session Five:
“What the Bible Teaches About
Salvation”
1.
Before we
consider salvation proper, let’s look at the object of salvation – the
lost.
A.
God’s
estimate of the Lost.
I
John
3:16-20
II
John
3:36
III
John
8:44
IV
Mark
7:21-23
V
I
Corinthians 2:14
VI
Romans
3:10-18
VII
Ephesians 2:2
VIII
Colossians 1:13
IX
O.T.
Jeremiah 17:9
Isaiah 64:6
These conditions demand a superhuman power for their cure.
2.
The Three
tenses of salvation.[12]
A.
Past -
Justification
B.
Present
- Sanctification
C.
Future -
Glorification
3.
Salvation
Past
A.
Justification
– Regeneration.
B.
Saved
from the PENALTY and guilt of our sin. Genesis 2:17
C.
Our
Position – Ephesians 1:4
D.
Received
by Faith – Ephesians 2:8-9
4.
Salvation
Present
A.
Sanctification – John 17:17
B.
Saved
from the power of sin – Romans 8:2
C.
Our
practice (walk) – I Corinthians 3
Galatians 5:22
5.
SAlvation
Future
A.
Glorification – I Peter 1:3-5
B.
Saved
from the PRESENCE of Sin. – Ephesians 5:27
6.
the one
condition of salvation
A.
The
word
Believe
is used about 150 times in the N.T.
Faith
Trust
Synonyms
and is NEVER related to any human work or merit.
B.
Repentance is included in the act of believing. It is a grace also. Acts
C.
Unscriptural additions to salvation include:[13]
- The Sacraments –
Romanism
- Baptism –
- Works – Cults
and some main line denominations
- Universalism[14]
- Liberal Theology
– (Same as universalism).
Session Six:
“What the Bible Teaches About
the Ordinances”
1.
The
Ordinances of the Church - Only
TWO are universally recognized.
A.
Baptism
–
- Administered
only once.
B.
The
Lord’s Supper – communion with Christ.
- “…As oft as ye
do this…”
- administered on
a reoccurring basis.
C.
Foot
Washing – used by many groups but not Biblically commanded.
2.
Baptism[15]
A good definition
of baptism is…”to be identified with.”
- Three types of
baptism are mentioned in the New Testament.
A.
Baptism
of Fire[16]
– (Suffering) - Matthew 20:22-23
B.
Baptism
of the Holy Spirit[17]-
Mark 1:8; John 1:33; I Corinthians
C.
Baptism
in water……….Matthew
Two Views:
Supernatural
Symbolic
3.
Water
BAptism
A.
Who is
to be baptized – N.T. Examples?
I
Acts
8:35-39 (v. 37)
II
Acts
16:30-34 (v. 31) – To follow conversion.
B.
Who is
not to be baptized?
I
Unregenerate
II
Infants
C.
What
method of baptism?
I
Affusion
– (Pouring or sprinkling)
- This method is
used by most mainline denominations and Roman Catholics.
II
Immersion
- This method is
used by Baptists and is the universally accepted method used by the
first century church.
While baptism is
not essential for salvation, only immersion can give a proper picture of
what takes place in salvation, i.e. the death, burial and resurrection
of Christ and our identity with Him.
4.
The Lord’s
supper[18]
A.
Instituted on the night before the crucifixion of Christ.
B.
Symbolic
of the believer’s participation in the benefits of His death.
C.
Who is
to participate?
- Believers, after
self-examination – I Corinthians 11:28
D.
Doctrinal Errors.
I
Transubstantiation – (Roman Catholic)[19]
- Body and Blood
of Christ are actually in the elements.
II
Consubstantiation – (Lutheran)[20]
- The presence of
the body of Christ is in both elements.
E.
How
often should the Lord’s Supper be observed?
- The scripture is
silent on this subject, or at least not clearly given. In any case, it
should not be infrequent.
Session Seven:
“What the Bible Teaches About
the Church”
1.
What the
Church is not!
A.
Not a
physical structure
B.
Not a
state or national church
C.
Not a
denomination
D.
Not the
E.
Not
F.
Organization
2.
What the
Church is:
A.
A Body
(Gk. Soma) – I Corinthians 12:12-14, Colossians 1:18
B.
A Bride
– Ephesians 5:31-32, II Corinthians 11:2 (Oriental Wedding)
C.
A
Building – Ephesians 2:19-22, I Peter 2:4-7
D.
A Branch
– John 15:15
The Church is also
seen as a Sheepfold and as a Priesthood.
3.
The
- Taken from two
Hebrew words “called out” and “assembly” and translated in the Greek Old
Testament (the Septuagint) by the word “Ekklesia”.
The first
appearance of the word “Ekklesia” in the New Testament is found in
Matthew 16:18 when Jesus said…”I will build my church.”
4.
The
local/universal Church:[21]
A.
Local –
Acts 8:1
B.
Universal – Ephesians 1:22-23
5.
The
literal/symbolic church:
A.
Literal
– Acts
B.
Symbolic
‑ Colossians
6.
The work of
the Church:[22]
A.
Edification – Ephesians 4:11-12
I
Worship
II
Prayer
(corporate)
III
Study
IV
Train
V
Fellowship
VI
Give
B.
Evangelism – Matthew 28:19-20
I
Live as
examples of the believer
II
Verbal
witness
III
Visitation
IV
Follow-up – nurture
V
Ministries of Outreach
VI
Missions
7.
the
separation of church and state:[23]
A.
The
church – Free to worship without any intervention from the state.
B.
The
state – Not to establish any laws regarding the free exercise of
worship.[24]
- NOT freedom
from God, but freedom of worship.
8.
The
organization of the church:
A.
Local
and Autonomous
Baptists do not
believe in a hierarchy, such as all mainline denominations and Roman
Catholics. Each congregation owns its own property and conducts its own
affairs.
B.
Church
Leaders
I
Pastor
(synonymous with Elder, Bishop)
II
Deacon
Session Eight:
“The Local Church and it’s
Government”
1.
The Local
Assembly / Autonomous
A.
Pastor
B.
Deacon
C.
Committees
D.
Constitution
E.
Church
Covenant
F.
Various
Forms of Church Government
* for a history of
our local congregation log on to
www.firstbaptistchurchclifton.org
2.
Local
ASsociation[25]
A.
Director
of Missions
B.
C.
Annual
Meetings
3.
A.
President
B.
Missions
C.
Annual
Convention Meeting - November
4.
Southern
Baptist Convention[27]
A.
Convention President elected annually
B.
C.
Annual
Convention Meeting - June
Session Nine:
“What the Bible Teaches About
the End of the Age”
1.
What is
Eschatology?[28]
2.
What is a
MIllennium?
3.
Three BAsic
views of Eschatology.
A.
Pre-millennialism
B.
Post-millennialism
C.
Amillennialism
4.
What is “The
Rapture”?
5.
Three basic
views on the rapture question:
A.
Pre-tribulational
B.
Mid-tribulational
C.
Post-tribulational
* (A new view) *
partial rapture
6.
The
effect of biblical interpretation on Eschatology.
7.
What do
Baptists believe?
A.
Historically
B.
Contemporarily
-
Why the
change?
Bibliography
Bancroft, Emery H., Elemental Theology (Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 1977)
Barnes, Albert,
Barnes Notes “The Gospels”
(
Calvin, John,
Calvin’s Commentaries: Vol.
XVII (
Dockery, David,
The Holman Guide to
Interpreting the Bible (
Elwell, Walter A., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Grand Rapids, MI, Baker Books, 1997)
Erickson, Millard,
Introducing Christian
Doctrine, 2nd Edition (
Erickson, Millard,
Whose Tampering with the
Trinity (
Evans, William, The Great Doctrines of the Bible (Chicago, IL, Moody Press, 1974)
Grudem, Wayne, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 1994)
Hodge, Charles, Systematic Theology (Phillipsburg, NJ, P & R Publishing, 1997)
MacArthur, John Jr., The Gospel According to Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 1994)
MacArthur, John Jr., The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Matthew 24-28 (Winona, IN, BMH Books, 1989)
MacArthur, John, Charismatic Chaos (Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 1992)
Stott, John R.W., Basic Christianity (Downer’s Grove, IL, Inter Varsity Press, 1971)
The
Warfield, Benjamin B.,
Revelation and Inspiration
(
[1]
Revelation in its wider sense includes all modes in which God
makes Himself known to men or passively, all knowledge
concerning God however attained, inasmuch as it is conceived
that all such knowledge is, in one way or another, wrought in
time. –
Benjamin B. Warfield,
Revelation and
Inspiration (
[2]
By the inspiration of Scripture we mean that supernatural
influence of the Holy Spirit upon the Scripture writers which
rendered their writing an accurate record of the revelation of
which resulted in what they wrote actually being the Word of
God.
–
Millard Erickson,
Introducing Christian
Doctrine, 2nd Edition (Grand Rapids, MI,
Baker Academic, 2007) page 61
[3]
The task of Interpretation or “Hermeneutics” is to discover the
meaning of the text in its proper setting: to draw meaning from
Scripture rather than reading one’s presuppositions into it.
– John MacArthur,
Charismatic Chaos
(Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 1992) page 103
[4]
…We
must ground our interpretations of Scripture in the original,
intended meanings of the text and then must ground theological
reflection, and the resulting application and communication, in
sound interpretation. –
David Dockery,
The Holman Guide to
Interpreting the Bible (
[5]
It is
important to remember, however, that “each member of the Godhead
is equally God, each is eternally God, and each is fully God –
not three Gods but three persons of the one Godhead.” He [Bruce
Ware] emphasizes that each is equal in essence; in fact, “each
possesses fully the identically same, eternal divine nature, yet
each is also an eternal and distinct personal expression of the
one undivided divine nature.”
– Millard Erickson,
Whose Tampering with
the Trinity [Bruce A. Ware, (Father,
Son and Holy Spirit: Relationships, Rules and Relevance)]
(
[6]
The
progressive character of divine revelation is recognized in
relation to all the great doctrines of the Bible. One of the
strongest arguments for the divine origin of the Scripture is
the organic relation of its several parts. They comprise more
than sixty books written by different men in different ages, and
yet they form one whole. This unity is not a matter merely of
external historical relations, nor of a general identity of
subjects treated, but of internal organic development. All that
is in the full-grown tree was potentially in the seed. All that
we find unfolded in the fullness of the gospel lies in a
rudimental form in the earliest books of the Bible.
– Charles Hodge,
Systematic Theology
(Phillipsburg, NJ, P & R Publishing, 1997) page 168
[7]
The
visible creation makes the personality of God the Father
somewhat easy to conceive, the incarnation makes it almost, if
not altogether, impossible to disbelieve in the personality of
Jesus Christ; but the acts and workings of the Holy Spirit are
so secret and mystical, so much is said of His influence,
graces, power and gifts, that we are prone to think of Him as an
influence, a power, a manifestation or influence of the divine
nature, an agent rather than a Person
– William Evans,
The Great Doctrines of
the Bible (Chicago, IL, Moody Press, 1974) pages 107-108
[8]
Trichotomy: The view that man is made of three parts (body,
soul, spirit) is called trichotomy. According to many
trichotomists, man’s soul includes his intellect, his emotions,
and his will. –
Wayne Grudem,
Systematic Theology
(Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 1994) page 472
[9]
*Alternate View* - Dichotomy: The view that man is made up of
two parts (body and soul/spirit) is called dichotomy. Those who
hold this view often agree that Scripture uses the word spirit
(Heb. Rûach, and Gk. Pneuma) more frequently when referring to
our relationship to God, but such usage (they say) is not
uniform, and the word soul is also used in all the ways that
spirit can be used. –
Wayne Grudem, Ibid
[10]
He
[John] shows that enjoyment consists in faith; and not without
reason, since by means of it we possess Christ, who brings along
with him both righteousness and life, which is the fruit of
righteousness. When faith in Christ is declared to be the cause
of life, we learn from it that life is to be found in Christ
alone, and that in no other way do we become partakers of it
than by the grace of Christ himself.
– John Calvin,
Calvin’s Commentaries:
Vol. XVII (
[11]
It is
a remarkable commendation of faith, that it freed us from
everlasting destruction. For he intended expressly to state
that, though we appear to have been born to death, undoubted
deliverance is offered to us by the faith of Christ; and,
therefore, that we ought not to fear death, which otherwise
hangs over us.” “…we live, because God loves us freely by not
imputing to us our sins.”
– John Calvin, Ibid.
pages 124-125
[12]
Certain aspects of the doctrine of salvation relate to the
matter of one’s standing with God. … The individual’s legal
status must be changed from guilty to not guilty. … There also
is a progressive alteration of the individual’s spiritual
condition; one actually becomes holier. … Sanctification finally
comes to completion in the life beyond death, when the spiritual
nature of the believer will be perfected.
– Millard Erickson,
Introducing Christian
Doctrine, 2nd Edition
(
[13]
When
Jesus said, “It is finished,” he meant it. Nothing can be added
to what he did. Many people believe they must supplement his
work with good deeds of their own. They believe they must
facilitate their own redemption through baptism, other
sacraments and religious rituals, benevolent deeds, or whatever
else they can accomplish through their own efforts. But no works
of human righteousness can expand on what Jesus accomplished for
us (Titus 3:5). The beginning and the end of our salvation was
consummated by Jesus Christ, and we can contribute nothing.
– John MacArthur, Jr.,
The Gospel According
to Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 1994) page 242
[14]
Universalism: A belief which affirms that in the fullness of
time all souls will be released from the penalties of sin and
restored to God. Historically known as Apokatastasis, final
salvation denies the biblical doctrine of eternal punishment and
is based on a faulty reading of Acts 3:21; Romans 5:18-19;
Ephesians 1:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:22 and other passages. -
Walter A. Elwell,
Evangelical Dictionary
of Theology (Grand Rapids, MI, Baker Books, 1997) page
1128
[15]
Christ gave a command perpetually binding on His Church to
baptize men “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost.”…According to this formula, he who receives
baptism as a Christian rite thereby professes to stand in that
relation to the Father, Son, and Spirit which those who receive
the religion of Christ sustain.
– Charles Hodge,
Systematic Theology,
page 483
[16]
Baptism of
Fire: This expression has been variously understood. Some have
supposed that John refers to the afflictions and persecutions
with which men would be tried under the Gospel; others, that
word fire means judgment or wrath. .
– Albert Barnes,
Barnes Notes “The
Gospels”, (
[17]
Baptism of
the Holy Spirit: The Scriptures make mention of only one Baptism
of the Holy Spirit, while the infilling of the Spirit is not
confined to a single experience, but may be repeated times
without number. There need be no long searching before receiving
this. It may occur at conversion, and it is to be sought afresh
in each new emergency or act of service.
– Emery H. Bancroft,
Elemental Theology,
(Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 1977) pages 221-222
[18]
By
looking backward into history, it is a celebration and reminder
of His suffering and death. Because our memory is short, the
memorial supper symbolizes His body broken for us by means of
the bread, and as we sip of the fruit of the vine we partake of
the blood shed for the establishment of a new covenant. But the
supper looks forward as well as backward as a prophecy and
promise of His coming as we “show forth the Lord’s death till He
comes.” Lastly, Paul reminds us that in the present we
participate in the memorial meal only after we “judge ourselves
that we be not judged.” –
Emery H. Bancroft,
Elemental Theology
(Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 1977) page 311
[19]
Transubstantiation: The theory accepted by
[20]
Consubstantiation: While some have used the term
consubstantiation to denote Luther’s concept that body and bread
are concurrently present, that blood and wine coexist, it was
not Luther’s term. While he rejected transubstantiation and the
sacrifice of the Mass, he still believed that Christ is bodily
present in the Lord’s Supper and that his body is received by
all who partake of the elements.
– Millard Erickson,
Introducing Christian
Doctrine, 2nd Edition
(Grand Rapids, MI, Baker Academic, 2007)
page 364
[21]
…it
is no good supposing that membership of the universal
[22]
The
Great Commission is a command to bring unbelievers throughout
the world to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and the term
the Lord uses in this commissioning is make disciples. … Jesus’
supreme command, therefore, is for those who are His disciples
to become His instruments for making disciples of all nations. …
Those who become His disciples are themselves to become disciple
makers. The mission of the early church was to make disciples
(see Acts 2:47; 14:21), and that is still Christ’s mission for
His Church. –
John MacArthur Jr.,
The MacArthur New
Testament Commentary: Matthew 24-28 (Winona, IN, BMH
Books, 1989) page 341
[23]
The
phrase “separation of church and state” does not appear anywhere
in the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson wrote that the 1st
Amendment erected a “wall of separation” between the church and
the state (James Madison said it “drew a line,” but it is
[24]
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging
the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the
people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government fro
a redress of grievances. –
U.S Constitution, 1st Amendment
[25]
Indian Creek Baptist Association was organized in 1837. At the
time that the Indian Creek Association was organized there were
seven churches located in
[26]
The
first effort to organize a state convention in
[27]
The
roots of the Southern Baptist denomination go back to the
Reformation in
By 1644, due
to the efforts of Thomas Helwys and John Smyth, 50 Baptist
churches were already established in
By the mid
eighteenth century the number of Baptists increased greatly as a
result of the Great Awakening pioneered by Johathan Edwards. In
1755 Shubael Stearns began to spread his Baptist belief in
In the late
1700’s and early 1800’s as Baptists began to organize and
expand, they formed missionary societies to spread the Christian
lifestyle to others These mission societies eventually led to
other organizational structures that would define and make a
denomination of Southern Baptists. By the 1830’s tension began
to mount between the Northern and Southern Baptists. One issue
that severely divided the Baptists was slavery. Northern
Baptists believed God would not condone treating one race as
superior to another while Southerners said that God intended for
races to be separate. Southern state Baptists began complaining
that they weren’t receiving money for mission work. The Home
Mission Society declared that a person could not be a missionary
and wish to keep his slaves as property. As a result of this
division, Baptists in the south met in May of 1845 and organized
the Southern Baptist Convention. –
Mary Fairchild,
A Brief History of the
Southern Baptist Denomination,
www.christianity.about.com/of/denominations/a/
baptisthistory.htm, September 17, 2010
[28]
The
major result of Christ’s second coming, from the standpoint of
individual eschatology, is the resurrection. This is the basis
for the believer’s hope in the face of death. Although death is
inevitable, the believer anticipates being delivered from its
power. –
Millard Erickson,
Introducing Christian
Doctrine, 2nd Edition (Grand Rapids, MI,
Baker Academic, 2007) page 388