Thanks for your interest in learning about
God’s plan of salvation, and we commend you for your interest in the things
pertaining to God. You may view this lesson on line or print it on your
printer. The answers to the questions are available via e-mail (see the link
at the end of this lesson).
Let’s begin with a little exercise that makes a very
important point about how we study the Bible.
How long do you think this line is?
______________________
I know that it may look different on different monitors, but take a guess.
Don’t get out your ruler just yet. Make a guess.
Now, get out your ruler and measure the line if you want
to. For sake of illustration, let’s say that you guessed the line was 3
inches. Then you get out your ruler and measure it, and you find that the line
is two and eleven sixteenths inches long. How do you know the line is two and
eleven sixteenths inches long? Because the ruler says so, and we all agree
that the ruler is our standard of measurement. If that’s what the ruler says,
then that’s what it is!
Now what would you think if, after you had shown me the
measurement according to the ruler, I still said the line was three inches
long? You would probably think that I was being stubborn, crazy, or something
else. Why? Because the ruler settles the matter. Maybe I was sincere in
guessing the line was three inches long, but that does not make my guess
correct. The ruler is the standard, and I am obligated to accept what the
standard says and change my opinion if need be.
Well, the same kind of thing is true of the Bible when
it comes to answering our questions about God and salvation. The Bible is the
standard. We appeal to the standard to resolve conflicts and set matters
straight. We all agree that the answer that comes from the standard settles
the matter. So if we have a question about things pertaining to our salvation,
the Bible provides us with the authoritative answer. If someone still persists
in holding a different view, he is arguing against the standard we all use. If
we ignore the standard there will be no way to tell what is the truth about
anything. If we all ignore the ruler, no one can know how long something is.
And if we ignore the Bible, no one will know the answers to our inquiries
about God. All we would have are blind opinions.
If you agree to let the Bible be the standard for
determining the truth in matters of religion, you may continue. There is
little use in continuing, however, if the Bible is not going to be the only
standard of truth.
Lesson 1
Read the passages and then answer the questions based on
what you read. You can look the passages up in your own Bible (preferred), or
click on each one to read them from the New American Standard Bible (updated
edition).
1. Read Matthew
28:18.
Who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth?
__________________________________
Does this leave room for any other authority?
YES or NO
2. Read Hebrews
1:1-2.
Has God spoken to us through Christ? YES
or NO
3. Read John 12:48.
Will the words of Christ judge us at the last day?
YES or NO
4. Read 1 Thessalonians
4:2 and 2
Peter 3:2.
By whose authority did the apostles teach and command
others? ___________________________
5. Read Galatians
1:11-12.
From whom did Paul receive the gospel he preached?
___________________________________
6. Read 1 Corinthians
14:37 and Ephesians
3:3-4.
Did Paul commit to writing the things that were revealed to Him by
Christ? YES or NO
Did what Paul wrote have the authority of Christ behind it?
YES or NO
Is it possible to understand the things Paul wrote, which were
revealed to him? YES or NO
7. Read 2 Timothy
3:16-17.
Based on this verse, can we say that we need anything other than the
Scriptures to guide us spiritually?
YES or NO
8. Read 2 John 9 and Galatians
1:6-10.
Can we go beyond, or otherwise change, the doctrine of Christ (the
gospel)? YES or NO
9. Read Acts 23:1
and 26:9.
Is conscience a safe guide to truth? YES
or NO
10. Read Matthew
7:13-14.
Is simply following the majority the way to get to heaven?
YES or NO
11. Read Galatians
1:13-14.
Is following family religious traditions the way to get to
heaven? YES or NO
Summary and Conclusion to Lesson
1
Jesus is our sole authority in religion today, and he
has spoken through his apostles. These apostles recorded Christ's will
in the New Testament, and we must not go beyond it.
CHRIST
(Matthew 28:18)
¯
APOSTLES
(1 Thessalonians
4:2;
2 Peter 3:2)
¯
WROTE
(Ephesians 3:3-4;
1 Corinthians 14:37)
¯
READ and UNDERSTAND
(Ephesians 3:3-4)
Return to
Correspondence Course Index
Lesson 2
Scriptures for Lesson 1 --
from the New American Standard Bible (updated edition).
Matthew 28:18 -- And Jesus came up and spoke to them,
saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
Return to question
#1
Hebrews 1:1-2 -- God, after He spoke long ago to the
fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days
has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through
whom also He made the world.
Return to question
#2
John 12:48 -- "He who rejects Me and does not receive My
sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at
the last day.” [look in the context in your Bible and see who was
speaking]
Return to question
#3
1 Thessalonians 4:2 -- For you know what commandments we
gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. [who wrote this? see
the first verse of 1 Thessalonians in your Bible to find out]
2 Peter 3:2 -- that you should remember the words spoken
beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior
spoken by your apostles.
Return to question
#4
Galatians 1:11-12 -- For I would have you know,
brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it
through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Return to question
#5
1 Corinthians 14:37 -- If anyone thinks he is a prophet
or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the
Lord's commandment. [who wrote this? see 1 Corinthians 1: in your
Bible to find out]
Ephesians 3:3-4 -- that by revelation there was made known
to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. By referring to this, when you
read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.
[who wrote this? turn in your Bible to Ephesians 1:1 in your Bible to find
out]
Return to question
#6
2 Timothy 3:16-17 -- All Scripture is inspired by
God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in
righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good
work.
Return to question
#7
2 John 9 -- Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in
the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching,
he has both the Father and the Son.
Galatians 1:6-10 -- I am amazed that you are so
quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different
gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing
you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from
heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to
you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any
man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be
accursed! For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving
to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a
bond-servant of Christ.
Return to question
#8
Acts 23:1 -- Paul, looking intently at the Council, said,
"Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up
to this day."
Acts 26:9 -- "So then, I thought to myself that I had to
do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” [look in the context
in your Bible and see who was speaking; compare what he said here with what he
said in the verse above]
Return to question
#9
Matthew 7:13-14 -- Enter through the narrow gate; for the
gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are
many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that
leads to life, and there are few who find it. [look in the context
in your Bible and see who said this]
Return to
question #10
Galatians 1:13-14 -- For you have heard of my former
manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond
measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of
my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my
ancestral traditions.
Return to
question #11
