The Hansen Family Worldview Biblical Christianity Shared with others… - PowerPoint Presentation

The Hansen Family WorldviewBiblical Christianity Shared with others…to fulfill the Great Commission from Jesusand to Glorify God 1

G.R.A.C.E. God’s Riches At C hrist’s Expense“Unmerited Favor” that leads to Redemption, Relationship Living the Christian Lifeand helping others come into an eternal, fully-satisfying relationship with God, our Creator and Father 2

Preview of Questions to be Answered… What is a worldview?What are the major worldviews and how do they compare in addressing “meaning of life” issues? What is the scope of the Biblical Christianity worldview (one-page “big-picture” synopsis)?What are the currently-perceived boundaries of reality?How does Biblical Christianity define God? What is God’s relationship with the world / humanity?How has God built and developed His relationship with humanity over time?What are Biblical dispensations and upon what terms do they operate?What is the Bible and how does it substantiate God’s Word and truth?Is the Bible reliable?Who are God’s Chosen People and how have they been organized over time?What and where is the Promised Land?What are the origins, purpose and destiny of human life? What happens after bodily death?Does Biblical Christianity involve a spiritual journey? What is spiritual rebirth?What is Mosaic Law and how does it contribute to the knowledge of sin? Are there moral absolutes?What is spiritual warfare? How does spiritual discernment contribute to righteous judgment?What is divine Grace and how does it enable the journey to salvation? What are the major historical events of Biblical Christianity? What are the end times, the events and players and how do they fulfill Bible prophecy? What are the “proof points” of Biblical Christianity? 3

WorldviewsSection One 4

What is a Worldview? A worldview is the framework from which we interpret reality and make sense of life and the world.Whether consciously or subconsciously, every person has some type of worldview that drives that person’s approach to understanding and relating to the world. Worldviews are typically defined by ideology, philosophy and religion. Worldviews deal with life issues and include values, meaning and identity.Worldviews address the age-old question: What is the meaning of life? 5

The “Most Influential” Worldviews Worldview DescriptionChristian Theism Infinite, perfect, personal God. God exists outside of the space-time continuum. God intelligently designed and created all that is seen and unseen and spoke the universe into existence, from nothing. Humanity created with free will, for relationship with God. First male & female exercised free will and chose to sin. That sin has infected all with sin nature and separated the creation from the creator. Jesus came to reconcile the split. Life is eternal. Death is either the gate to pleasant, light-filled life with God (in new heaven and new earth) or gate to eternal life of torment and darkness without God, in Hell. The eternal destination is dependent upon personal, free-will response to God’s provisions for payment of sin. God is the source and sustainer of all things, including time. God is truth and the source of all knowledge, including individual ability to reason. History is a linear and meaningful sequence of events and fulfilled prophecies that are all leading to the fulfillment of God’s purposes.Deism Belief in the existence of a supreme being, specifically of a creator who does not intervene in the creation. The term is used chiefly of an intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that accepted the existence of a creator on the basis of reason but rejected belief in a supernatural deity who interacts with humankind. Naturalism Collection of ideas from Marxism and Secular Humanism. God is irrelevant. T here is nothing “supernatural.” There is only the “natural.” Universe began with big bang. Progress and evolutionary change are inevitable. M an is autonomous, self-centered, and will save himself. E ducation is the guide to life. Intelligence and freedom guarantee full human potential. Science is the ultimate provision for knowledge and morals. The natural world is the sum total of everything in the world. There is no continuation of natural life beyond death. After World War II, post-modernism began to replace the confidence of naturalism. With it came the conclusion that truth, in any real sense, does not exist.NihilismNihilism is a belief that, in the end, “nothingness” prevails in a world that is totally meaningless. Nihilism teaches that God does not exist or that He is dead. Nihilism contends there is no higher purpose in life. Life is simply futile. Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher, is usually credited with being the founder of nihilism. In his “Will to Power” he wrote, “Every belief, every consideration of something true is necessarily false because there is simply no true world.” Nihilism contends that all values are worthless. Nothing can be known or communicated. Values such as “good” and “evil” are considered indistinct and are socially differentiated as a result of social “pressure.”ExistentialismExistentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes individual existence, freedom and choice. It is the view that humans define their own meaning in life, and try to make rational decisions despite existing in an irrational universe. It focuses on the question of human existence, and the feeling that there is no purpose or explanation at the core of existence. It holds that, as there is no God or any other transcendent force, the only way to counter this nothingness (and hence to find meaning in life) is by embracing, experiencing existence.New Age Pantheism(New Age Movement)Everything is connected and is one. There are no ultimate distinctions between humans, animals, or the rest of the world. All is one, all is god. All of life has a spark of divinity. Humans must discover their own divinity by experiencing a change in consciousness. We suffer from a collective form of metaphysical amnesia. Humans travel through indefinite cycles of birth, death, and reincarnation in order to work off what is called "bad karma." New Age advocates think in terms of gray, not black and white. Thus they believe that two conflicting statements can both be true. But these beliefs are also found increasingly among intellectuals in fields such as medicine, psychology, sociology, and education. Please refer to next slide for further explanation. 6

Other Popular Worldviews / “Lifestances ”7 Worldview Description Secular HumanismA non-religious philosophy/faith whose adherents term it a “lifestance” that incorporates a naturalistic philosophy, cosmic outlook and self-developed ethical systems. It incorporates the principle of individualism where each person is free to set the terms of their own lives, independent of traditional controls by family, church or state. Secular humanists see themselves as undesigned, unintended beings who arose through evolution, possessing unique attributes of self-awareness and moral agency. Life is finite and ends in oblivion.AtheismA non-religious philosophy/faith that denies the existence of God / god(s). Because atheism is a single belief about one thing, it is often not categorized as a worldview. Nevertheless, atheists typically believe that life originated through natural, chemical processes ( abiogenesis ) and that life continues to change through evolution. Contrary to recent governmental treatment, it is not a “neutral” “non-faith” lifestance . It is being used to advance a separation of church and state. It is as much a belief system as is a religious faith. It interferes with the free exercise of religion as promoted and protected by the U.S. Constitution. Its proponents are intolerant of other faith systems in government. Buddhism A religious philosophy to about 300 million people around the world. The word comes from 'budhi', 'to awaken'. It has its origins about 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gotama, known as the Buddha, was himself awakened (enlightened) at the age of 35. Buddhism does not believe in a creator and is more a path toward spiritual development where nothing is fixed or permanent, actions have consequences and change is possible. Buddha accepted the basic Hindu doctrines of reincarnation and karma, as well as the notion that the ultimate goal of the religious life is to escape the cycle of death and rebirth. Buddha asserted that what keeps us bound to the death/rebirth process is desire, desire in the sense of wanting or craving anything in the world. Hence, the goal of getting off the Ferris wheel of reincarnation necessarily involves freeing oneself from desire. Nirvana is the Buddhist term for liberation. Nirvana literally means extinction, and it refers to the extinction of all craving, an extinction that allows one to become liberated from the reincarnation cycle.IslamA religious philosophy/faith/ideology that has approximately 1.2 billion followers (about 1/5th of the world’s population). About three-quarters are non-Arabs. The Islamic worldview is grounded in Allah (God), Mohammad (the ultimate and final prophet of Allah), and the Qur’an (the Word of Allah delivered through Mohammad beginning in about 610 AD). Islam means submission. A Muslim is one submitted to Allah. Islamic Theology: One God. Islamic Philosophy: Supernaturalism. Islam is a “revealed” religion that involves both faith and reason. Islamic Ethics: Moral absolutes. Islamic Science: Creationism. Islamic Psychology: Mind/Body dualism. Human beings exist beyond the death of the body. The sins of Adam and Eve were forgiven before they were banished. World not fallen. Islamic Sociology: Islam does not distinguish between social institutions and the state. It is a comprehensive reality – the state is to be as much Islamic as is the local mosque. Islam favors a non-traditional family and allows polygamy between one man with as many as four women. Islamic Law: Shari’ah derived from 4 Islamic sources. Shari’ah laws are those that apply and govern many aspects of Muslim daily life. “Fiqh” is the human endeavor to understand and apply these laws. Islamic Politics: Islamic theocracy (global Islam). Islamic Economics: Stewardship of property. Islamic History: Jihad determinism.

Trending Worldview: New Age Movement Spiritual Journey Element Biblical Christianity New Age MovementStarting Point / BeginningCreation by God (YHWH)Evolution by SelfHumanity’s Basic NatureSinful, Corrupt (living in a “fallen” world, engaged in a spiritual battle with evil) Good , Divine (self-created reality, where each reality can follow a “different path”) Pathway(s) One Path (Jesus Christ) Many Paths (Self Realization) Ending PointGodhead (Eternal, perfect relationship with Creator and Sustainer of everything)Godhood (all is “god” and “god” is all)The New Age Movement (NAM) is a religious system and spiritual journey that is increasingly popular today. It confronts and combats Biblical Christianity. It is based upon two basic beliefs: Evolutionary Godhood and Global Unity.Evolutionary GodhoodThe NAM espouses evolution of both body and spirit. Humanity is developing and will soon leap forward into new spiritual horizons, to Utopia. There are no moral absolutes in the New Age. Reality and truth are both relative. There is spiritual tolerance for all “truth systems” and they term this developed tolerance “harmonization.” Many New Age practices are designed to help push one ahead into the “harmonized” horizon.Astral Projection: Training one’s soul to leave one’s body, contacting and communicating with helpful spirits for guidance.Crystal Purification: Using crystals to purify the energy systems of one’s body and mindVisualization: Using mental imagery to imagine oneself healed of sickness, or taking on the appearance of other life forms, or in the presence of a “divine” being.The NAM espouses that humanity will soon see itself as “god.”Global Unity (Based upon the belief that “all is ‘god’ and ‘god’ is all”)Man with Man (Social, Economic and Spiritual Unity) (The NAM supports the New World Order with one world government)Man with Nature (Humanity and other elements of nature co-exist on an equal basis. Nature is nurturing and must be nurtured)Man with God (The NAM “god” is impersonal and not self-revealed. The NAM “god “ is tolerant and does not condemn.) 8

What is the Biblical Christianity Worldview?Biblical Christianity is a comprehensive worldview that encompasses everyone and everything. It is eternal in scope. Its precepts originate from God the Creator of everyone and everything, including time itself. Biblical Christianity touches every area of life: perfectly correlating the secular with the sacred, the ends with the means, the temporal with the eternal. Biblical Christianity seeks to advance universal understanding and undertaking of God’s perfect purposes for His creation . Biblical Christianity informs and inspires Christian life that is unselfishly lived in service to God and others. Biblical Christianity fills the natural voids of human existence . It connects the God-infused human spirit with God’s own Spirit for divine relationship, communication and contentment. Biblical Christianity is the informed, most reasonable, and totally satisfying choice.The Biblical Christianity worldview is a product of the Creator. It’s authority is from God.All other worldviews are products of the creation. Their authority is from humanity (with influence from adversary Satan)Biblical Christianity derives its name from the Bible and Jesus Christ. God’s Word, the Bible, is infallible and the absolute authority on all matters of existence. It differs from religion-infused Christianity such as Roman Catholicism that alters Bible teaching and exposition. Biblical Christianity closely adheres to God’s terms for divine relationship and rejects religious dogmaThe first verse in the Bible lays the foundation: “In the beginning, God created… “ God created and sustains everyone and everything both inside and outside of the four dimensional space-time continuum. God created all that can be perceived within humanity’s limited boundaries of perception, and beyond… all that is “seen and unseen.”.The Bible shows us that God created a world for Himself in which He can and does abide, work, enjoy Himself and rest. The universe depends on God for every moment of its existence. Yet God takes pleasure in what He has made and is quite actively involved in its life and journey. Consider the biblical picture of God. He loves a cool breeze (Genesis 3:8). He walks and talks with people (Genesis 33:11). He finds out things about them (Genesis 22:12). He makes friends (James 2:23) and gets betrayed by them ( 2 Samuel 12:7-9 ). The God of the Bible, in His own divine freedom , has created a real, truly free universe— with truly free people . God is neither threatened by, nor overcome by, human free will and the time and chance that he built into His universe. Instead, God works within them to overcome human sin and rebellion and to bring about a human redemption that is purified in the midst of authentic relationships. God is constantly bringing good out of evil and light out of darkness through His infinite grace. God does not force anyone to trust Him nor does he remove anyone’s freedom to refuse Him. Yet, God is infinitely creative in His means of knocking on the doors of our human hearts and urging us to invite Him in. God created everything and everyone for His glorious purpose: a personal, eternal relationship with Him. We are all His creation. We are all under His authority and Lordship. All will be judged by Him. However, not all people are “children of God.” Becoming a child of God only happens when we are adopted by God through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26). Once saved, God becomes our “Abba” Father and we become His children, co-heirs with Christ.God became one of us in Jesus Christ. Jesus proclaimed Himself “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus is the focal point of the Bible, from Genesis through Revelation. Jesus is the unique union of Godhead and humanity in His person. Through His earthly ministry as fully God and fully man, Jesus provided humanity with the only pathway to salvation and a first-hand opportunity to more fully experience and relate to God’s true nature. Jesus uniquely reveals ultimate reality and bridges the gap between a sinful, fallen world and a perfect God. God loves us and calls upon us to love one another as He loves us. 9

Boundaries of realitySection Two 10

Boundaries of Reality: The Metacosm Vitruvian Man – Da Vinci(Midpoint of Cosmos)Atoms (Protons, Neutrons, Electrons) Elementary Particles: QuarksComposite Particles : Hadrons Finite Universe Planets, Stars ( Planets w/nuclear fusion) Solar Systems, Galaxies Quantum Physics Astrophysics Astronomy Reality: A Digital Simulation Quanta: Indivisible UnitsPlanck Limits of SpaceTimeLength: 10-33 cmTime: 10-43 sec“Lose” LocalitySpace PropertiesNot vacuum. A “fabric”:can be bent, stretched, torn, rolled.Explosive “big bang” birth, Heat death

Boundaries of Reality: “ Spacetime” Dimensions Dimensions : Different facets of what we perceive to be reality.Ten (10) DimensionsLength (X-Axis) Height (Y-Axis)Depth / Width (Z-Axis)Time (Knowing object’s position in time is essential to plotting its position in the universe)Single Parallel World (Ability to see & determine similarities / differences to our own)Multiple “Parallel” Worlds w/Same Initial Conditions Multiple “Parallel” Worlds w/Different Initial Conditions Infinite “Possible” Worlds w/ Different Initial Conditions & Histories All “Possible” Worlds w/Knowledge of all Available “Laws” of Physics All “Possible” and “Imaginable” Worlds (Limited only by Mortal Capacities) TOE: (Theory of Everything) There are multiple “grand unifying theories” that attempt to reconcile the standard model of particle physics with the existence of gravity. All are attempts to explain how all known forces within our universe interact, and how other possible universes might work. 3 “Spatial” Dimensions + Time = 4 These 4 dimensions can be “measured” 6 “Curled” Dimensions are only “inferable” by “indirect” means

Intelligent Design: Fundamental Forces aka Fundamental Interactions aka Interactive Forces Fundamental interactions , also known as fundamental forces or interactive forces, are the interactions in physical systems that appear not to be reducible to more basic interactions. There are four conventionally accepted fundamental interactions: GRAVITATIONAL, ELECTROMAGNETIC, STRONG NUCLEAR and WEAK NUCLEAR. Each are understood as the dynamics of a field. The gravitational force is modeled as a continuous classical field (can be observed without disturbing it). Each of the other three is modeled as a discrete quantum field (that must be disturbed to be observed), and exhibits a measurable unit or elementary particle. Gravitation and electromagnetism act over potentially infinite distance—across the universe—and mediate everyday macroscopic phenomena. The other two fields act over minuscule , microscopic , subatomic distances. The strong interaction is responsible for the binding of atomic nuclei. The weak interaction also acts on the nucleus, mediating radioactive decay . 13

Boundaries of Reality: Gravitational Waves14 Reports are circulating that scientists have finally discovered gravitational waves – one of the most important variables in Albert Einstein’s understanding of how the universe works. If confirmed, the observations could become the biggest leap in physics in a hundred years. When Einstein published his general theory of relativity in 1915, he propelled physics years forward and changed our understanding of how the universe works. He envisioned spacetime (a system containing three spatial dimensions and one time dimension) and gravity in a fresh way, showing us that spacetime was dynamic – not static – and that gravity warps spacetime in the presence of a massive object. Einstein further predicted that gravity travels in waves . These ripples are like a net that reacts to space events – star explosions, galaxy collisions, anything on a massive scale. The events create ripples that warp the fabric of spacetime. The bigger the objects, the greater the ripples.But the hunt for proof of the ripples has been on for decades. Einstein himself thought it would never amount to anything. That changed in 2015.LIGO – or Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory – is one of several active resources being employed to detect the elusive ripples. It recently received an upgrade, dubbed Advanced LIGO. Completed in 2015, it is the world’s latest and most promising resource for wave detection.Lawrence Krauss, famed theoretical physicist, cosmologist, author and policy advocate, has just hinted (via Twitter) that gravitational waves have been discovered and that a formal announcement can be expected in the near future (2016).

One triune god Section Three15

One Triune God: Eternal Spirit Being w/ 3 Members TITLE: F A T H E R S O NH O L Y S P I R I TBiblical NameHEBREW / EnglishYHWH / Father GodYAHUSHUA / Jesus ChristRUACH HAQOADESH / Holy Spirit Godhead Role THE FATHER Supreme in authority, set His seal upon Jesus ( John 6:27 ) Responsible for devising the grand purposes and plans that take place through all of creation and redemption. THE SAVIOR, SONSubmits to the Father’s authority. Has unlimited power (Matthew 28:18)Seeks always to do the Father’s will. Although the Son is fully God, he nonetheless takes his lead from the Father (John 8:28-29, 42)Seeks to glorify the Father in all that He doesTHE COUNSELOR, COMFORTERSubmits to both Father, Son Seeks to glorify the Son, to the ultimate praise of the Father (John 16:14, 1 Cor 12:3; Philippians 2:11)He resurrects, enlivens the previously-dead spirits of “born again” believers. He intercedes in prayer to the Father.Human PrayerInteraction(Ephesians 2:18)We pray to the FatherEven though Jesus accepted worship (Mat 14:33)(Jn 9:38), He taught us to pray to the Father .We pray through the Son . We pray helped by the Holy Spirit God is Spirit. God is infinitely complex. God is eternal, existing and functioning as three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All three are each fully and equally God and possess the same divine nature. Functionally, the role of the Son is subordinate to the role of the Father and the role of the Holy Spirit is subordinate to the role of the Son. Those who worship our one true God must worship in Spirit and truth (John 4:24). We do not have three “gods” - we have ONE GOD in three persons functioning uniquely and perfectly. (John 14:25-31) (Matthew 28:19) (2 Corinthians 13:14) (1 Peter 1:1-2)The members of the Holy Trinity are persons, they are all capable of having a personal relationship with each other and with the humans that they collectively created. God is a social being. From eternity past, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have continually interrelated as persons (in complete harmony). Human beings were given the honor to enter into communion with their sovereign, triune, tri-personal God and to love each other as God’s image-bearers. All three Persons of the Godhead shared in the purpose of creating human beings for personal relationship. All three are interested in having personal interaction with us.16

One Triune God: Descriptive Names / Titles 17 OLD TESTAMENT: The Bible presents God as a Holy Trinity (three Persons, but only one God). In both Genesis 1:26 and in Genesis 3:22, the Bible reveals a conversation within the Trinity wherein created man is described as made “in our image” and “like one of us .” There are other passages in the Old Testament in which God refers to Himself using plural constructions. It is interesting to note that the plural form of the title “ Elohim ” is applied to God over 2,500 times in the Old Testament. NEW TESTAMENT : The presence of the triune God can be found right at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, when, at His baptism, the Father and the Holy Spirit attest to the sending of the incarnate Son of God: "And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heaven parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.” Then a voice came from heaven, 'You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'" (Mark 1: 10-11). The Son of God, as is revealed here, works in unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. A clear reference to God's triune nature is also found in the wording of the blessing at the end of the the Apostle Paul’s second epistle to the Corinthians: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen" (2 Corinthians 13: 13).Shield of the Trinity

One Triune God: The Great “I AM” – Father YHWH In His infinite wisdom, God chose to provide us with His written Word as a progressive revelation. God did not communicate everything all at once. Some Old Testament concepts only appear as a shadow of the fullness that would be revealed in the New Testament following the advent of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.God’s self-proclaimed name that He shared in the Old Testament is an awesome example of this progressive revelation.What Does “Yahweh” Mean?“Yahweh” is the personal name of God in the Bible; called the “Tetragrammaton ” It is composed of four letters, no vowels. The Hebrew letters are Yod, Hey, Vav , Hey, read right to left in the Hebrew, left to right in English (YHWH). Hebrew letters all have meanings. Yod : The smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet and is masculine in gender. It portrays the symbol of an entire hand, or closed hand, from the wrist to the fingertips. This is distinguished from another letter, kaf , that means “palm” Hey : This letter of the Hebrew alphabet is feminine in gender. It means “to behold” “to show” or “to reveal.”Vav: This letter of the Hebrew alphabet is masculine in gender. It portrays the symbol of a “nail” “peg” or “hook” and signifies something that is being nailed or bound together.So when read in Hebrew, right to left, God’s name means: “Behold the Nail, Behold the Hand” or simply “Behold the nailed hand” It becomes even more profound when we combine the meaning of the individual letters with the overall meaning of the name YHWH which means “salvation.” “Behold, the nailed hand is salvation”There are other Biblical references to the Messiah’s pierced hands and feet” (Zechariah 12:10) (Psalms 22:16)“Yahweh” is the personal name of God, much like Abraham and Sarah are personal names. Words like Elohim (God), El (Mighty), Shaddai (Almighty) and Adonai (Master) are titles. And of course “Lord” is a title. Consider the Third Commandment: “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain” (Deuteronomy 5:11).The word “LORD” above is not in the original manuscripts. “Yahweh” is what was originally written. The Jews changed the word “Yahweh” in their torahs because they believed it was blasphemy to pronounce the personal name of the Lord out loud.Thousands of times God put His personal name in Scripture and each time it’s been changed to a title! If a man wrote a love letter to his wife, would she want to read, “Dear Woman” or “Dear Wife” or would she rather read “Dear Susan, etc.?” “Yahweh” wanted a personal relationship with the Jews. He even set up a temporary sacrificial system so He could live right in their midst. (Isaiah 29:13)In the Church Age, Jesus is the personal name we use to address our Lord of lords. We can say, “Jesus, Lord of my life.” But it’s actually quite impersonal to address Him with titles like “Dear Lord,” “Lord God,” etc. “Jesus” wants to have a personal relationship with us. But no more sacrifices are necessary. Yahweh paid it all on the Cross and has given us the power of His Spirit, living in us, to accomplish His will. 18

the holy Bible Section Four19

The Holy Bible: God’s Word The Holy Bible is God’s Word. It is the embodiment of God’s Spirit. The words that Jesus speaks are spirit and they are life (John 6:63)God’s Word (“logos”) is an authoritative revelation of truth from the Creator of everything. It is the full expression of reality. (John 17:17) Logos can be thought of as the total message of God to humanity ( Acts 11:1 ) ( 1 Thessalonians 2:13)The Bible reveals God’s Word. It is the single best resource for understanding and relating with ultimate reality and truth. The Bible is an integrated message system from God. It contains 66 books that were penned by 40 different authors over 1,500 years. The integrated message from these books bears evidence of supernatural engineering in every detail. The Bible is therefore useful as a guide to salvation through faith in Christ, and sufficient for doctrine, correction, moral and ethical instruction. (2 Timothy 3:15-17).Jesus Christ is also referred to as the Word of God. (John 1:1) Jesus is the focal point of the Bible, from Genesis through Revelation. Jesus showed a link between the written Word of God and Himself, in that He is the subject of the written Word: “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me” (John 5:39). God’s Word is a “lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalms 119:105).  It is instruction for living.  It is the way to eternal life.  It provides comfort and protection in time of trouble.  It energizes the soul.  It is the seat of inerrant truth and the source of all that is wholesome and good. The phrase “word of God” means more than the printed words on a page. God is a communicator and has been speaking into the human realm since the beginning. We can learn to know God better by seeking to hear Him in every way He speaks.God speaks through His creation (Psalms 19:1)God speaks through the ancient prophets (Hosea 12:10) (Hebrews 1:1)God speaks through the Holy Spirit (John 16:13)(Acts 16:6)God speaks through Scripture (Hebrews 4:12)God speaks through the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ (John 14:9) 20

The Holy Bible: Content & Composition History 21 Old Testament New TestamentNumber of Separate Books3927# of Authors (Original Languages) 30 (Hebrew & Aramaic) 10 (Greek) Composition Time Frame 1400 BC – 400 BC 40 AD – 90 AD Ultimately, the Bible was composed by God. Second Timothy 3:16-17 informs us that the Bible was “breathed out” by God. God literally “inspired” the human authors of the Bible to record exactly what God intended, while using their own unique writing styles and personalities. The Bible was not dictated by God, but its composition was perfectly inspired and guided by God.The Bible is an integrated message system, engaging 40 authors of diverse backgrounds, over the course of a 1,500 year time period. Moses was a shepherd. Ezra was a priest. David and Solomon were kings. Isaiah was a prophet. Matthew was a tax-collector. Luke was a physician. John was a fisherman. Paul was a tentmaker. Despite being composed by different authors over 15 centuries, on 3 continents, in 3 languages, the Bible does not contradict itself and does not contain any errors. The authors all present different perspectives, but they all proclaim the same one true God, and the same one way of salvation – Jesus Christ.Bible HistoryManuscripts Until Gutenburg first printed the Latin Bible in 1454, all Bibles were hand copied onto papyrus, parchment or paper.TranslationsWhen the Bible is translated into a different language it is usually translated from the original Hebrew / Aramaic of the O.T. and the Greek of the N.T. However, some translations in the past were derived from an earlier translation. For example, the first English translation by John Wycliffe in 1380 was prepared from the Latin Vulgate.Noteworthy Biblical DocumentsAramaic Targums: Beginning 400BC the OT began to be translated into Aramaic as a result of Babylon captivity. The Dead Sea Scrolls date from 250 BC – 70 AD and contain the entire book of Isaiah plus portions of other OT books. Textus Receptus: The first printed Greek New Testament, issued in 1514. The King James Version of the Bible was issued in 1611. The translators used the original Hebrew plus Greek (from Textus Receptus) to produce the KJV.

The Holy Bible: Dead Sea Scrolls Composed from between 250BC - 68AD .1,100 ancient documentsSeveral scrolls and more than 100,000 fragments of parchment, papyrus & copperProvides a picture of Jewish religious beliefs and daily life during the turbulent second temple period when Jesus fulfilled His earthly ministry.Recovered from 1947 - 1956Recovered from eleven (11) Qumran Caves of Israel (see next slide).Preserved for 2,000+ yrs in the Judean Desert: 1) by the hot, dry desert climate and 2) by the darkness and 3) by the nearly non-existent airflow within the storage areas of the caves.Validates the accuracy and reliability of Biblical text over time. It predates and confirms the Masoretic records (AD 935), the text source of today’s Old Testament. The scrolls contain the oldest existing manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible . Scroll languages: Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. Fragments of every book of the Hebrew Bible (excluding Esther). One of the most significant discoveries was a well-preserved scroll of the entire book of Isaiah, including the prophetically –thorough Chapter 53, foretelling Jesus’ ministry.Other works included: 1) apocryphal books, 2) commentaries, 3) manuals of discipline for the Qumran (Essenes) community, and 4) theological texts.22

Dead Sea Scroll Discovery – Qumran Caves 23

The Holy Bible: Composition Timeline24

Biblical Writing Materials: Stone / Metal, Clay (Cuneiform, Hieroglyphs),Papyrus (Plant), Parchment / Vellum (Animal Skin), Paper (Rags, Wood Pulp)25In the late 4th and 3rd millenia B.C., a people called the Sumerians began to develop a writing system called "cuneiform". The name cuneiform comes from the Latin word “cuneus”, meaning wedge. The characters were inscribed on wet clay with a sharpened, wedge-shaped stick / stylus and then baked in an oven or dried in the sun. At first, the Sumerians used a series of pictures ("pictograms") to record information dealing with business / administration. They proceeded to develop a system of symbols that stood for ideas and later sounds (phonics). In the later stages of Sumerian writing there were about 600 symbols / characters that were used on a regular basis. Cuneiform tablets were first deciphered in the mid 1800’s, by Henry Rawlinson, a British Christian. Cuneiform records multiple Babylonian / Assyrian languages, Hieroglyphs record just Egyptian. Moses is credited with writing the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). Moses was educated in the house of Pharaoh. He would have been literate in multiple languages and cultures, incl. Egyptian and the surrounding cultures of his day. In the book of Job, dated to the patriarchal, Abrahamic period (2100-1800 BC) and before the time of Moses (1400 BC), Job describes using an iron pen to write upon both stone and lead. Soft Clay was also used as a writing material, as pictured and described below. The Mesha Stele (aka the "Moabite Stone") is an inscribed stone (stele) that was set up around 840 BCE by King Mesha of Moab, a kingdom located in modern Jordan. Mesha tells how Kemosh, the God of Moab, had been angry with his people and had allowed them to be subjugated to Israel. It is pictured to the left and housed at the Louvre. Moses wrote the first Torah Scroll on an unsplit cowhide called gevil . Parchment is still the only medium used by traditional religious Jews for Torah scrolls, tefillin , etc. and is produced by large companies in Israel.

The Holy Bible: Production / Translation Milestones26

The Holy Bible: Historical Revelation of Truth 27 The Vulgate: St. Jerome Luther Bible The Geneva “English Protestant” Bible The Mayflower “Puritan” Pilgrims King James Bible (1 st Edition)

Relationship, not religion Section Five 28

Relationship not Religion: Spiritual Connection The Biblical Christianity worldview is focused upon eternal relationship, not religion. It leads us to believe in moral absolutes, transcendent (ultimate) realities, miracles, human dignity and the possibility of redemption through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.The Biblical Christianity worldview recognizes the Sovereign God as creator and sustainer of all that exists. God has supreme authority over all of His creation. God is Lord/Creator/Sustainer of all: everyone, everything, everywhere and always .God created humanity in His image for the purpose of a perfect , eternal, fulfilling relationship with Him. Being created in God’s image means that we are more like God than we are like anything else in creation. We are not evolved animals. We are created , trichotomous, body/soul/spirit beings. God set eternity into the hearts of every person (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Every human being is a living soul with spiritual connectors to God. Every human being occupies a perishable earthly body that will become a glorified resurrection body. Human beings are therefore created with three basic parts [computer system analogies are my own]. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)BODY: The physical structure. The flesh “hardware” Equipped with the five senses (sight, smell, hearing, touch, taste)SOUL: The eternal mental / emotional / intellectual “software” that is capable of “free will” autonomy and moral reasoning. It is the essence of who we are as individuals. Can conceptualize and remember bodily experiences after separation from the body.SPIRIT: The “CPU” core. The God connection. The Power source. The spirit gives life to the body and consciousness to the soul. (John 6:63)The spirit is the aspect of each person that connects with God. The soul and spirit are connected, but separable (Hebrews 4:12). Because of sin, and before salvation, a person is characterized as spiritually “dead.” (Ephesians 2:1-5 ) ( Colossians 2:13 ) A “born again” spiritual transformation, enabled by Jesus Christ’s payment of our sin debt on the cross , paves the way for a restored relationship with God. (John 3:3-8). When we accept Jesus’ sacrificial gift and place our faith upon His saving power, we are transformed. The transformation “resurrects and enlivens” a new spirit within us. (Psalms 51:10) That new spiritual life is renewed on a “day-to-day” basis as we grow in grace. (2 Corinthians 4:16). If any person is in Christ, that person is a new creature: old things are passed away and all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)Since God is a Spirit, He relates with us on the basis of who we are in spirit. This is a fundamental truth of Biblical Christianity. The saved can now worship God based on who they are “in the spirit” and not on who they are “in the flesh” (naturally sinful and morally flawed). The holy and perfect God can perfectly relate to a “born-again” Christian, because that person’s new spirit is considered righteous and holy before God (Ephesians 4:24). Each person’s spirit is God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). And it is in the spirit that “born-again” Christians have been totally changed and made just like Jesus. (Romans 8:1-17)The born-again Christian is redeemed from the Law because the Law wasn’t made for a righteous person (1 Timothy 1:9). The Law was given to show us our need for salvation, but it could not save us (Rom. 3:19-21). But what the Law could not do, Jesus did. (Romans 8:3-4) Born-again Christians are now the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). 29

Relationship not Religion: Knowledge of God God has made Himself known to humanity. He has not hid Himself from us. ( Romans 1:19-20) The knowledge of God is provided to humanity in three different ways.Innate Knowledge (Ingrained, pre-programmed into every created person by God) (Romans 2:14-15) (Ecclesiastes 3:11)Inferred Knowledge (Obtained through perception and interpretation of God’s creation) (Hebrews 3:4) (Romans 1:20)Revealed Knowledge (Overtly communicated through God’s Word, and through the ministry of His Son) ( The entire Holy Bible ) The first created humans (Adam and Eve) fully enjoyed personal relationship / fellowship with God until they violated God’s perfect terms for this perfect relationship. They rebelled against God. At that point, sin entered into the created world. Humanity “fell” from a state of innocent obedience to God to one of guilty disobedience. Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden and were no longer able to take from the “tree of life” (Genesis 3:22-24) They were therefore no longer immortal beings. Sin corrupted the entire natural world, including human nature. The “fall” has since caused all descendants of Adam and Eve (all of us) to be born into “original sin.” This sin separates us from God, from birth. We begin life in an imperfect, incompatible state with God, who is thoroughly perfect and thoroughly intolerant of sin. The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23) (Romans 8:6-10). All of creation continues to suffer with the pains of decay, disease and death.Through sin, humanity’s perfect relationship with God was broken. Since God is holy and perfect, humanity was to blame.Our sin separated us from a perfect, eternal relationship with God. We became enemies of God. (Romans 5:10)God demonstrated his love for us in that while we were still separated sinners, He gave His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to die for us. Justified by His blood, we are offered a redemptive pathway to salvation from God’s wrath and can be reconciled to God. This is a free gift to us, paid for by the most precious blood of our sinless Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (John 3:16) (Romans 5:6-11) Jesus’ redemption leads to salvation. Salvation leads to reconciliation. Reconciliation leads back to relationship. Redemption: To redeem is to purchase back at a cost. The requirements of God’s holiness, righteousness and glory are so great upon us that it remains impossible for us to fulfill their requirements for salvation. However, God paid the price for us through Jesus Christ, repossessing us at a tremendous cost. Jesus Christ died on the cross to redeem us. Jesus paid our sin debt.Salvation: Deliverance from sin and its consequences, accomplished by faith in the redemptive power and saving grace of Jesus Christ. Salvation is a life process that spans our entire Christian life. It is transforming, rejuvenating, sanctifying and glorifying. We become saturated with God’s love and move ever closer to Him in our relationship with Him. It is demonstrated in lives that are lived in Christ for God’s glory.Reconciliation / Relationship: The restoration of divine relationship. Fulfillment of God’s purpose for our lives.30

Relationship not Religion: Foreknowledge & Service God as “Abba Father” In the Bible, “Abba” was an Aramaic term of endearment that children used when calling upon their father. The English-language equivalent is “daddy” or “papa.” God recognizes and responds to the call of “Abba Father” from saved, born-again Christians. ( John 9:31 ) ( John 1:12-13) Foreknowledge, Predestination and Election Foreknowledge is an attribute of God . Predestination and Election are acts of God . “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” ( Romans 8:28,29)Foreknowledge: In the Bible, foreknowledge never determines what is to be - foreknowledge “knows” what is to be, before it happens. God’s foreknowledge also knows the results of all possibilities, before they happen. (2 Samuel 5:23) God knows every person before they are formed in the womb. (Jeremiah 1:5)Predestination: This is the source of much confusion in Christian evangelism. In the Bible, predestination is never for the “lost” person (to be saved or to be lost); but rather, predestination is for the “saved” person. Salvation is a personal matter based upon "whosoever wills.” God “knows” who is going to be saved, and thus He has predestined certain blessings for those who are going to get saved by faith. (In other words, God draws a circle. He says that whoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will get in that circle. So the believer, upon his faith in Jesus Christ, steps into the circle. Then God says, "Whoever is in that circle by faith, I have predestined that they shall receive these blessings.”) Conformance to the image of God’s Son: Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28:29) The believer is going to be made into the likeness of the image of Jesus Christ. The things that we might be experiencing / enduring are happening to help us become more like Jesus.Adoption as Children by Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5) For Jews, as with ancient Rome and Greece, children were “adopted” by their own families once they became of age. In Judaism the BAR MITZVAH (for boys) and BAT MITZVAH (for girls) are “coming of age” ceremonies where children are adopted by their fathers and become morally and ethically responsible for their own decisions and actions. So it is with us: we are children of God, but we are waiting our adoption, the time when our Heavenly Father will declare us of age and place us as Sons before the whole universe: "even we ourselves groan within ourselves, WAITING FOR THE ADOPTION, TO WIT, THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODY" (Romans 8:23). This is one blessing that God has predestined for the saved person, that we all shall be declared to be of age and adopted as His SONS (DAUGHTERS) - at the resurrection!Instruments of praise to God’s glory (Ephesians 1:11-12) Election: Like predestination, election (choosing) has nothing to do with the “lost” but is for the “saved.” Election, or choosing, has to do with service: THE ELDER SHALL SERVE THE YOUNGER. It does not say, "The younger shall be saved, and the elder shall be lost ." No, but simply, "the elder shall SERVE the younger." Thus choosing, or election, has to do with service . "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated" wasn't said of these two men before they were born, but hundreds of years after they died. God hated the descendants of Esau because of their unbelief , and loved the descendants of Jacob because of their faith. In the gospel of John, the Lord Jesus said that He had chosen (elected) them disciples. For salvation? No, for service. Even Judas was chosen! For damnation? No, but like Pharaoh, who was a fit vessel unto wrath - after being given many chances to believe, refused, and thus was used for God's purpose. The prophet Isaiah says that Israel is God's chosen people (Isaiah 41:8). Does this mean that all Jews are saved? No. It simply means that God has chosen Israel for a service. And we know what that service was: to give us the Word of God and to give us the Lord Jesus Christ! The same prophet, Isaiah, says that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Chosen Servant of God (Isaiah 42:1). Does this mean that God chose the Lord Jesus to be saved? Of course not! For He is the SAVIOUR! But God did choose His Son for a service - and that service was to be the Lamb of God who would die for the sins of the world. And He was the obedient Servant, being obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross!From the above, we can conclude that God does not predestine or elect people to be saved or lost. Salvation is received on the basis of "WHOSOEVER WILL!"- "And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." (Revelation. 22:17).31

Relationship not Religion: God’s Mercy & Grace We begin life desperately in need of redemption and reconciliation with God. (Romans 3:24)The saved will repent and turn away from sin and toward God the Father, through God the Son, with help from the Holy Spirit. The saved are “born again. “ This new birth is demonstrated in an active life of obedient faith that spiritually flows from salvation. ( James 2:17-26 ) Salvation is individually acquired through acceptance of this free and precious gift. By God’s grace we are saved through faith; and that not of ourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph:2:8-9) An Old Testament example of this New Testament grace is provided in (Numbers 21:7-9). Serpent-bitten Jews in the desert received healing by “looking” upon the icon of a bronze serpent coiled around a pole. Serpent-bitten Christians suffering from the Satan-inflicted damage of sin in the Garden of Eden are to look upon and have obedient faith in the restorative power of Jesus Christ on a Cross. A “growing in grace” process begins at the time of salvation and continues throughout the life of a saved person. (2 Peter 3:18). God is love. We are His creation and His beloved. But love alone is not God’s only attribute. He is also perfect in holiness, power, presence, knowledge and justice. The biblical definition of love: A self-sacrificing, caring commitment that shows itself in seeking the highest good of the one loved. We are to love others this way, as God first loved us. Christian love calls out sin and helps others to overcome their sin, through Jesus, so as to satisfy God’s perfect justice and to bring them into a perfect, holy, eternal relationship with God. This eternal, divine relationship is the “highest good” for all of us.God will one day restore creation to its former perfect state (Isaiah 65:17-25).M E R C Y & H O P EGod’s mercy is the sole reason for the eternal hopes of humanity.Jesus’ merciful blood sacrifice on the cross, and personal faith in that spiritually-redemptive work, restores eternal relationshipsPeople exist and have hope by the mercy of God! Humanity’s hope securely rests with Abba Father YHWH, through faith in Jesus. Once people grasp this truth , they are motivated to spread the ultimate good news “gospel” of restored, eternal relationship w/ God. God has not chosen the strong but has chosen those who know they stand by mercy.It is the mercy of God that has given people individual hope, broken sin, and enabled brand-new creations in Christ Jesus.What do people have to do? What did Isaiah have to do? No more than what the prodigal son had to do as he returned home, only to find his father running to embrace him!32

Relationship not Religion: Covenant Relationship 33 A covenant is a contract or agreement between two or more parties.  Covenant is how God has chosen to communicate to us, to redeem us, and to guarantee us eternal life in Jesus and relationship with Him.   These truths, revealed in the Bible, are the basis of Christianity.  The Bible is a covenant document.  The Old and New Testaments are really Old and New Covenants.  The word "testament" is Latin for Covenant. The Old Covenant was a physical, earth-based agreement that was made with the children of Israel on Mount Sinai. It required personally-obedient works that conformed to the letter of God's law. It promised that a person or a nation would be physically blessed (health, wealth, etc.) or cursed (e.g. poverty, captivity, etc.) depending upon whether or not they obeyed all of God's written commandments and statutes. The New Covenant , in contrast to the Old, is a spiritually-based agreement that extends to all people. It requires a heart-felt, personally-obedient faith in Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross . Jesus paid the price that humanity could not pay in perfect conformance to perfect law. The New Covenant promises an eternal life full of love and glory for those who spiritually come into relationship with God, through Jesus, helped by the Holy Spirit. It promises eternal death for those who completely reject their redemption by Jesus Christ. The New Covenant was instituted by Jesus Christ during His Last Supper.Old Covenant “Works”New Covenant “Grace”Basis of AgreementPhysical Promises, Performance Spiritual Promises, Performance Way of Life Keeping the Law Obedient Faith in Jesus Christ Symbol of Obedience Physical Circumcision Spiritual Circumcision (Repentance of the Heart) Holy Spirit Connection with God Spiritually dead from sin Spiritually reborn, alive Fellowship with God Through Levite High Priest who served In an earthly tabernacle No direct access to God Through High Priest, Jesus Christ, who serves In a heavenly tabernacle Direct access to God Atonement (payment for sin) Personal & Animal sacrifice, blood Jesus sacrifice, blood

Biblical dispensations Section Six34

Biblical Dispensations: Relationship Building The seven [7] dispensation periods cover our relationship with God through the millennium period . These relationships take place within the current heavens and current earth.The Great White Throne Judgment will lead us to a post-millennial relationship within the New Heavens and New Earth (with a New Jerusalem) where we will relate to God face-to-face and dwell with him in perfect relationship , forever. 35

Biblical Dispensations: Scriptural Context 36 Dispensation Biblical TextInnocenceGenesis 1:1 – Genesis 3:7ConscienceGenesis 3:8 – Genesis 8:22Human GovernmentGenesis 9:1 – Genesis 11:32 Promise Genesis 12:1 – Exodus 19:25 Law Exodus 20:1 – Acts 2:4 Grace Acts 2:5 – Revelation 20:3 Divine Government ( aka Millennial Kingdom) Revelation 20:4-6Post-Dispensation: All Things Made NewWhite Throne JudgmentRevelation 20:7-15New Heaven / New EarthRevelation 21 – Revelation 22

Seven [7] Biblical Dispensation Periods In each dispensation period, humanity is given a stewardship responsibility by which to live. Human obedience is the linchpin of dispensation judgment & change. Each dispensation period ends with humanity’s disobedience and results in God’s judgment for those who reject His rule. The obediently faithful are spiritually protected through each and every dispensation period and are prepared for eternal reward. The goal of history is the Glory of God.37 God Maintains Control of His Creation

Biblical Dispensations: God’s Tailored Terms over Time Biblical dispensationalism is a recognition that God uses different means of working with people during seven different periods of Biblical history. Each chronologically successive dispensation period carries its own set of administrative guidelines. All are focused upon relationship: the relationship of the creation with the Creator. It is a liberating, bilateral “free-will” relationship built upon and enabled by God’s love, sacrifice and perfection.Christianity is all about relationship, not religion. There were no religious denominations (e.g. Lutherans, Methodists, Catholics, Presbyterians, etc.) at the foot of the cross, just the first Christians – in relationship with Jesus Christ.The word "dispensation" comes from the word "dispense". So a dispensation is an administration (or dispensing) of God's will over a certain period of time to a certain group of people. In other words, a dispensation is God's way of dealing with a group of people during a particular time period. To properly understand a Bible passage, it is important to know both the time period to which it refers, and the group of people to which it applies.God has had different rules for different groups of people in different time periods. Not only may the rules be different, but the punishment for not keeping the rules may be different. The way God interacts with humanity may be different. Sometimes even the environment within which humanity lives may be different.Biblical dispensationalism maintains a literal interpretation of the Bible that includes Bible prophecy. Each word of the Bible is given the meaning that it would commonly have in everyday usage. Text is interpreted in context. Symbols and figures of speech have meaning. All Biblical text is inspired by God. A literal interpretation is devoted to objectivity. Without objectivity, interpretation devolves into “what this passage says to me..” instead of the preferred “that is what the Bible says.” A literal interpretation elevates complete messaging over partial, out-of-context messaging. It uses scripture to interpret scripture, mitigating the risk of message error from incomplete and/or inaccurate translation of text.Biblical dispensationalism recognizes that God makes a distinction between Israel and the Church Israel is composed of the literal descendants of Abraham. Israel is the heir to the promises that God made to Abraham about the “seed” blessings of many descendants and Middle East land. Participation in the Abrahamic Covenant is mainly by physical birth in Jewish lineage. God’s promises will all ultimately be fulfilled in the future, 1,000-year millennial period when Jesus Christ returns and reigns on Earth, following the tribulation.The Church began at Pentecost and has not replaced Israel in God’s divine program.38

Biblical Dispensations: All Reward Obedient Faith Salvation is by obedient faith in accord w/ the revelation given in a particular dispensation and by personal spiritual choice.The Holy Spirit did not indwell people in all dispensations, only during the dispensation of GRACE during the Church age.All people were created by God and are accountable to God. God has made Himself known to humanity. He has not hid Himself from us (Romans 1:19-20). The knowledge of God is provided to humanity in three different waysInnate Knowledge: Ingrained, pre-programmed into every created person by God. (Ecclesiastes 3:1) (Romans 2:14-15)Inferred Knowledge : Obtained through individual perception and interpretation of God’s creation. (Hebrews 3:4), (Romans 1:20) Revealed Knowledge : Clearly and overtly communicated through God’s Holy Word and the earthly ministry of Jesus. (Entire Bible) In reality, it is not that some people have not “heard about” or conceptualized God and eternity. They were created with an innate sense of their Creator along with a moral compass to good and evil (Romans 2:14-15). Rather, the problem is that some people have rejected this knowledge in favor of their own selfish pursuits. They rebel against Him (Romans 1:22-23) If people seek God, they will find Him (Deuteronomy 4:29). This verse teaches us an important principle – everyone who truly seeks after God will find Him. If a person truly desires to know God, God will intimately make Himself known to that person.In the fourth chapter of Romans, the Apostle Paul makes it very clear that the Old Testament way of salvation was the same as the New Testament way of salvation: FAITHTo substantiate this, Paul cites Abraham who was saved by faith: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6) (Romans 4:3). [Abraham could not have been saved by keeping the Law, because he lived 400 years before God gave Moses the Law]Likewise, King David also affirms salvation by faith, apart from works and highly praises its value as a blessing from God. (Romans 4:5-8) Abraham, David and ourselves all share the same way of salvation. Much of Romans and Galatians address the fact that there is only one way of salvation and only one Gospel message. Throughout history, people have tried to pervert the Gospel by adding human works to it: requiring certain things be done in order to “earn” salvation. But the Bible’s clear message is that the way of salvation has always been through faith.In the Old Testament, it was faith in the promise that God would send a Savior someday. Those who lived in the time of the Old Testament looked forward to the Messiah and believed God’s promise of His coming (Isaiah 53). Those who exercised such faith were saved.In the New Testament, and today, we look back upon the life, death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ and are saved by our faith in Jesus’ atonement for our sins (Romans 10:9-10).Repentance and good works are natural consequences of a true, living faith that is demonstrated / justified by obedience.39

The 7 Dispensations / Major Events of Biblical History 40

The 7 Dispensations / Major Events of Biblical History 41

The 7 Dispensations / Major Events of Biblical History 42

Three [3] Biblical Ages / Thirteen [13] Milestones 43

Promise Dispensation: Twelve Tribes of Israel 44

Promise Dispensation: Twelve Tribes of Israel 45

Law Dispensation: Exodus Tabernacle (Pre-Temple) 46 The Tabernacle: A Visual DwellingTabernacle means “tent,” “place of dwelling” or “sanctuary.” It was a sacred place where God chose to meet His people, the Israelites, during the 40 years they wandered in the desert under Moses’ leadership. It was the place where the leaders and people came together to worship and offer sacrifices. The tabernacle was first erected in the wilderness exactly one year after the Passover when the Israelites were freed from their Egyptian slavery. It was a mobile tent with portable furniture that the people traveled with and set up wherever they pitched camp. The tabernacle would be in the center of the camp, and the 12 tribes of Israel would set up their tents around it according to tribe. The instruction on how to build the tabernacle was first given to Moses in the wilderness, who then gave the orders to the Israelites.

Law Dispensation: Tribal Positions / Protocols 47

Law Dispensation: The Jerusalem Temple 48

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Abraham’s Inheritance: The Promised Land “All land between the Nile and the Euphrates” / (Genesis 15:18) 50 Two different interpretations of the Northern & Southern boundaries Euphrates River Nile River

51 Royal Seal of King Hezekiah Clay “bulla” – Scroll SealUnearthed “in situ”South of Temple Mount

Biblical / mosaic Law& the knowledge of sin Section Seven 52

The Law: The Torah - The First 5 Books of the Bibleaka the Pentateuch (textual Torah), the Talmud (oral Torah) B O O KK E Y W O R DT H E M EGENESISBeginningsElection of the nation EXODUS Redemption Redemption of the nation LEVITICUS Holiness Sanctification of the nation NUMBERS Wandering Direction of the nation DEUTERONOMY Review Instruction of the nation53These five books lay the foundation for the coming of Jesus ChristIt is here that God chooses and brings into being the nation of Israel.As God’s chosen people, Israel became the custodians of the Old Testament, the recipients of the covenants of promise, and the channel of Messiah (Romans 3:2) (Romans 9:1-5). These books were penned by Moses, except for the last portion of Deuteronomy because it tells about the death of Moses.

Biblical Law: God’s Perfect Standards The Mosaic Law provides God’s instructions concerning the moral, civil / social, ceremonial and spiritual behavior of His people. The Mosaic Law provides 613 commands (248 positive, 365 negative) that cover every possible area of life for Israel. There are three subdivisions: 1) Moral Law (10 commandments), 2) Social Law 3) Ceremonial LawIt is the duty of God’s people to obey God’s Law. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)The Law is unchanging and is covered in the first five books of the Bible.The Law is a reflection of the nature of God. Since God is pure, the Law is pure. Since God is holy, the Law is holy.The Law begins with the Ten Commandments (moral law). ( Exodus 20). See separate slide. God’s moral law for His people is an expression of his own changeless perfection. In the Ten Commandments, God is actually calling His covenant people to be like Him . “I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy” ( Leviticus 11:45 ). The Ten Commandments begin with our demonstrated relationship with God and end with our relationships with others. In Scripture, righteousness is always realized within the context of relationships ; it consistently relates to loving behavior toward God and others. “Love does no harm to its neighbor” (Romans 13:10). “The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:4).The Law provides rules for social life, including animal control (Exodus 21-23)The Law provides rules for the worship of God (Exodus 25-31)The Law provides a standard of excellence that cannot be achieved by a fallen humanity. When we fail, the Law condemns us to death. We deserve death even if we fail to keep just one point of the Law.The Law , of itself, is therefore unable to deliver us into an eternal relationship with God.The Law made nothing perfect (Hebrews 7:19)The Law’s ultimate purpose is to point us to Jesus Christ. It shows us our existential need for the redemptive power of His personal sacrifice for us. (Galatians 3:24)54

Biblical Law: The Spotlight on Sin Billy Graham “A sin is any thought or action that falls short of God’s will. God is perfect , and anything we do that falls short of His perfection is sin.” The Holy Bible“For by the Law is the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20)The only just penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23)… not just physical earthly death, but eternal death (Revelation 20:11-15)“Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” ( 1 John 3:4 ) Almighty God has not left it to us to decide what is sin . He has, rather, left it up to us to decide WHETHER to sin, or obey God's holy, righteous and perfect LAW! “And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle (the smallest article of text) of the law to fail” ( Luke 16:17)The Spiritual BattleWhen we sin…Satan condemns us accusingly, to make us feel guilty and to push us away from a useful life of helping othersGod convicts us lovingly, to lead our hearts to repentanceJesus died on the cross to defeat the spiritually destructive power of sin. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world, through Him, might be saved.” (John 3:17)55

The Ten Commandments aka The Decalogue The Moral Benchmarks that define sin and lead to Repentance, Salvation and Relationship Roman Catholic Version Biblical Version1I am the Lord thy God…thou shalt haveno other gods before Me.I am the Lord thy God…thou shalt have no other gods before Me. 2 Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is In the water under the earth. Thou shall not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. 3 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Thou shall not take the name of theLord thy God in vain.4Honor thy father and thy mother.Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.5Thou shalt not kill.Honor they father and thy mother.6Thou shalt not commit adultery.Thou shalt not murder.7Thou shalt not steal.Thou shalt not commit adultery.8Thou shalt not bear false witness against thyneighbor.Thou shalt not steal.9Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.Thou shalt not bear false witness against thyneighbor.10Thou shalt not covet they neighbor’s house.Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, wife, servants, animals nor anything belonging to him. 56

Biblical Law: Human Revision & Idolatry Ten Commandment Revisions: The Roman Catholic Vatican eliminates the second commandment, against idolatry, and subdivides the tenth commandment against covetousness in order to keep the number of commandments at ten. The Roman Catholic version is also used by many Lutheran churches and in most of Judaism. The Biblically-accurate version used by Protestants is the one found on public monuments and in courtrooms in the United States and elsewhere, to the extent that the post-modern “freedom from (rather than of) religion” mindset still permits it.Rome claims that it follows a version of the Ten Commandments that was established in the late fourth century by Augustine , which in turn was allegedly based on a then-current Jewish synagogue version . But this is one of the many cases where Roman Catholicism (like Judaism) places the traditions of men in authority over the Word of God . The Ten Commandment revisions perpetuate the extensive idolatry of Roman Catholicism. Rome commands its faithful to bow before statues and crucifixes, light candles, burn incense and pray to the dead . Rome commands veneration of the “host” (the wafer that it claims is turned into the body of Christ by a ceremonial incantation from a priest). The Latin words that the Catholic priest uses are “hoc est corpus” from which the magician’s incantation “hocus pocus” is derived. Catholics also venerate “relics” – the remains of saints, ranging from an entire corpse to fragments such as a finger, a bone, or hair. These relics are sometimes housed in ornate, gold-plated containers that are carried aloft by priests during public parades. During these parades, attending Catholics on the sidewalks either bow or kneel in worship, while making the sign of the cross.The altar is the focal point of every Roman Catholic church. By Vatican edict, every altar contains a cavity in which some part of the remains of a dead saint’s body is placed. According to Rome, the presence of these human remains in the altar cavity is necessary in order for the altar to be consecrated and used. Wherever possible, the remains are from the body of the saint for which the church is named. It is upon this altar-sepulcher that the priest (according to Rome) turns bread and wine into the actual body and blood of Christ in order to offer a fresh sacrifice for sins at every Mass.Vatican teaching alleges a distinction between what it calls “dulia” (venerating saints and bowing before statues and human remains) and “latria” (worship directed toward God). Observation: Unfortunately, this is a distinction without a difference. Idolatry, by any name, is an abomination to God.57

Biblical Law: Idolatry Bowing down before statues and icons is a practice that is forbidden by God’s Word. The significance God places upon it is reflected in the fact that the first two of the Ten Commandments refers to idolatry / graven images: “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the 3rd and 4th generation of those who hate me” (Exodus 20:3-5).From the beginning, God’s covenant with Israel was based on exclusive worship of Him alone (Deuteronomy 5:7). The Israelites were not even to mention the names of false gods ( Exodus 23:13 ) because to do so would acknowledge their existence and give credence to their power and influence over the people. Israel was forbidden to intermarry with other cultures who embraced false gods, because God knew this would lead to compromise. Believers are to forsake idols and to trust solely in the saving power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who made the ultimate and only sacrifice necessary for our redemption from sin.Bible passages addressing Idolatry… Do not turn to idols, nor make for yourselves molded gods: I am the Lord your God (Leviticus 19:4)Therefore say to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all of your abominations.’” (Ezekiel 14:6)For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance… you turned to God, from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:2-10)And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. (Hebrews 10:11-13)58

Biblical Christianity: The Sin of Praying to the Dead "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.“ (1 Timothy 2:5) There is no one else that can mediate with God for us. If Jesus is the ONLY mediator , then the Virgin Mary and the saints cannot be mediators. They cannot mediate our prayer requests to God. Further, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ Himself is interceding for us before the Father: "Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them" (Hebrews 7:25). Whom would God listen to more closely than His Son? The Holy Spirit also intercedes for us. (Romans 8:26-27)Catholics believe that praying to Mary and the saints is no different than asking someone here on earth to pray for us. Some contend that Mary and the saints are providing intercession, not mediation. That is not supported by scripture . The Apostle Paul asks other Christians to pray for him. ( Ephesians 6:19 ) Many Scriptures describe believers praying for one another ( 2 Corinthians 1:11 ); ( Ephesians 1:16 ); ( Philippians 1:19 ); ( 2 Timothy 1:3).The Bible nowhere advocates praying to departed humanity in heaven. The Bible gives absolutely no indication that the virgin Mary or the saints can hear our prayers or make intercession for us. Mary and the saints are not omniscient. Even glorified in heaven, they are still finite beings with limitations. How could they possibly hear the prayers of millions of people?Whenever the Bible mentions praying to or speaking with the dead, it is in the context of sorcery, witchcraft, necromancy, and divination—activities the Bible strongly condemns (Leviticus 20-27); (Deuteronomy 18:10-14).God does not answer prayers based on who is praying. God answers prayers based upon whether they are asked according to His will (1 John 5:14-15). There is absolutely no basis or need to pray to anyone other than God alone. There is no basis for asking those who are in heaven to pray for us. Only God can hear our prayers. Only God can answer our prayers. No one in heaven has any greater access to God's throne than we do through prayer (Hebrews 4:16).59

Biblical Law: “Unforgivable Sin” & Murder God is the giver of life. God gives and He takes away. (Job 1:21)The murderous, selfish acts of euthanasia, abortion and suicide are all sins. They all reject God’s gift of life. They are direct violations of God’s sixth commandment against murder. As humans, we should not presume to take God’s authority over life upon ourselves.Killing and murder are not the same. The Bible makes a distinction between killing and murdering.  “You shall not kill” is actually not one of the Ten Commandments. The Biblical command in the original Hebrew language actually proscribes “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). The Hebrew word for “murder” literally means “the intentional, premeditated killing of another person with malice.” Malice is the evil intent that separates “murder” from “killing.” Americans are familiar with this definition of murder, because it is reflected in multiple Penal Codes of the United States. In the state of California , the Penal Code provides this definition of murder: “187. (a) Murder is the unlawful killing of a human being, or a fetus, with malice aforethought.”The Bible identifies three acceptable forms of killing. None are considered murder.Accidental killing is not murder (Exodus 21:12-13) (Numbers 35:22-25)Killing performed in self defense is not murder (Exodus 22:2)Killing performed in an attempt to save the life of an innocent person from imminent, life-threatening danger is not murder. (From my interpretation, this would include a life-threatened mother of an unborn baby). (Exodus 2:11-12) (Genesis 14:14-16)According to the Bible, the only “unforgivable sin” is an ongoing rejection of the spiritually-saving work of the Holy Spirit that leads to living faith and eternal salvation. (Mark 3:28-29) (Matthew 12:31-32)God is the ultimate judge of all human behavior and He alone is able to judge the sinner on the basis of their faith, not on the basis of the content or timing of their sin. Sinners are not required to repent of every sin in order to be deemed faithful and righteous and ultimately saved. Faith precedes and leads to repentance. Faith does not follow repentance, lest it would function as a required “good work” for salvation. So even those who commit the sin of suicide are not automatically pre-destined for Hell. Only God can determine the status of their faith and salvation, exercising His perfect judgment.60

Jesus never tolerates Sin – Jesus combats Sin Reference Jesus’ “whip in hand” intolerant reaction to thesin of the Temple Money Changers ( John 2:14-16)61

Biblical Law: Leads to Repentance 62 Christian believers are never saved by keeping the Law (Galatians 2:21)Christian believers are saved by God’s grace subject to their acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice and redemption from sin.This personal acceptance is demonstrated through confession of sin and a repentant life that constantly seeks holiness so as to please God. Christian believers are “not under” the Law of Moses as a rule of life. ( Acts 15:5 ) Christian believers do not walk according to the flesh but by the Spirit, which is the new Law for the New Covenant saint ( Romans 8:4 ) Christian repentance involves sincere grieving for personally-committed sin because it has dishonored God and defiled the soul. Christian believers are dead to the Old Covenant Law by virtue of their union with Jesus Christ who fulfilled the Law. (Romans 7:1-7)Repentance is the 1st step in the soul’s return to Christ. No soul can be saved w/o repentance . Paul preached repentance ( Acts 20:21 ) The first public word that Jesus spoke, after his public baptism and victory over the temptations of Satan was: “repent” (Matthew 4:17) “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”Many understand the term repentance to mean “turning from sin.” This is not the biblical definition of repentance. In the Bible, the word repent means “to change one’s mind.” The Bible also tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions ( Luke 3:8-14 )( Acts 26:20 ) declares, “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds .” The full biblical definition of repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of action . Biblical repentance, in relation to salvation, is changing your mind from rejection of Christ to faith in Christ. Jesus told His hearers that without repentance they would perish ( Luke 13:3 ) – “…but unless you repent , you will all likewise perish.” Repentance is connected with faith. Both repentance and faith are necessary for salvation , as Jesus emphasized in ( Mark 1:15 ) - “… repent and believe in the gospel.” Unrepented sin has the devil for its father, shame for its companion and death for its wages .

Spiritual JOURNEy Section Eight63

Biblical Christianity: Unique Spiritual Journey Many different worldviews / religions use the phrase “spiritual journey” to describe the progression of a person as they grow in understanding of theism, the world and themselves. The journeys are intentional and involve lifestyle choices that take participants to more knowledge and wisdom.The Christian spiritual journey is different and divinely unique.It is based upon the Person and liberating work of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17) This liberty includes freedom from sin, guilt, and brokenness. This liberty includes freedom to become the person God created us to be. It is a journey toward “Christ-likeness” ( Romans 8:29 ) that requires our willing cooperation with the Holy Spirit . It requires both divine power and the fulfillment of human responsibility. It involves faith and surrender to God, the repentance of sin and spiritual growth in grace. Surrender to God: We freely surrender all that we have for the sake of following the Lord. We focus more and more on Jesus and His glory, losing ourselves in His will (John 3:30). Pending Jesus’ return for us, we must live in this fallen world and spiritual battleground. To prevail, we dedicate ourselves to God. We are to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God which is our reasonable service. We are not to be conformed to this world, but are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we are able to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2) For the Christian, the world is not our destination, but instead: our proving ground.Repentance of Sin: The more that we consider ourselves “dead to sin” and live a life of obedience to God, the more we become like Jesus. Sin is no longer our master. (Romans 6:1-14). Jesus lived a sinless life. Jesus invites us to follow Him. Through the Bible, we have examples of Jesus’ obedience (John 15:10), Jesus’ sacrificial love (John 15:12-13), and Jesus patient suffering (1 Peter 2:19-23). We also have examples of the apostles, who modeled Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:1). When it comes to restraining sin in our lives, we have divine help: the Word of God / Bible (Psalm 119:11), the intercession of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:34) (Hebrews 7:25) and the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells us (Romans 8:4) (Galatians 5:16)Growth in Grace: To grow in grace does not mean gaining more grace from God. God’s grace never increases, it is infinite. God gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him should be saved (John 3:16). How much more grace could there possibly be than that? But to grow in grace is to grow in our understanding of what Jesus did and to grow in our appreciation and application of the grace we have been given. Becoming more “Christlike” is the natural, spiritual desire of saved and loving Christians. When we are first saved, we are immature in Christian wisdom and knowledge. We are inexperienced in grace and love. But then we grow. We are charged to become stronger and more “Christlike .” We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ( 2 Peter 3:18 ) We are saved by grace through faith ( Ephesians 2:8-9 ) and we mature and are sanctified by grace alone . We know that grace is a blessing that we do not deserve. It is God’s grace that justifies us, sanctifies us, and eventually glorifies us in heaven The sanctification process, becoming more like Christ, is synonymous with growing in grace. One day however, the process will be complete. We are to reflect the Lord’s glory and be transformed in His likeness: from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). 64

Christian Spiritual Journey: DEATH to LIFE Humanity is made in the “image of God” and is therefore unique among all of God’s creation.Adam was formed from the ground into a physical body, into which God breathed life and thus endowed him with physical life, a soul and spirit.Adam was also endowed with a unique set of attributes that enabled him to interrelate with God: mentally (rationally), morally, socially and spiritually (God is spirit.) Adam was also provided with free will. In the exercise of that free will, Adam (and Eve) sinned and severed that originally complete, eternal relationship with God. The sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden resulted in death . This “original sin” led to both physical death and spiritual death for all of humanity.Physical death and spiritual death both involve a separation of the human soul.Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body (The body is dust)Spiritual death is the separation of the soul from God (God is spirit)The “wages of sin” is death (Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.) Jesus taught that the remedy for spiritual death is a spiritual rebirth through faith in Him. Through faith in Jesus, humanity can become “born again.” (John 3:3-5)This rebirth is a re-connection to the source of life, which Jesus pictured in John 15:1-6. He is the vine, and we are the branches. Without being connected to Him, we have no spiritual life, but when we have Jesus, we have real life (1 John 5:11-12).For those who refuse to accept God's salvation, physical death and spiritual death culminate in the “second death” (Revelation 20:14). This eternal death is not annihilation, as some have taught, but is a conscious, eternal punishment for sins in the lake of fire, described as being separated from the presence of the Lord.65

Christian Spiritual Journey: God is in CONTROL God’s Ultimate Spiritual ControlThere are only two kinds of things that happen in this world. There is no third alternative. Nothing escapes God’s attention. Nothing is allowed to happen without His permission.Those things that God makes happenThose things that God allows to happenThose who serve God must serve God in God’s own way, and in God’s strength, or God will never accept their service. God wants us to come to Him, knowing who He is. God is above our weakness. God is above our frailty. God is above our circumstances.God will only reap the harvest of the seed of which was sown from Heaven, watered by grace and ripened by the sun of divine love. There must be a personal consciousness of weakness and a turn toward God for the personal preparation and service to begin. Our emptiness is the precondition to “being filled” by God. The casting down of our prideful inclinations is the precondition for “lifting up” God and for executing God’s perfect plans for the fulfillment of God’s perfect purposes. “…I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up…” (Isaiah 6:1)God’s strength is made perfect in weakness.Some people may claim that they want to “rule with Satan in hell,” rather than go to heaven with and enjoy the infinite goodness of God. Sadly, these people fail to realize that Satan has no power in Hell, nor will they. Satan is not the “ruler” in hell but a captive just as they will be if they don’t receive the free gift of eternal life by repenting of their sins and believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.66

Christian Spiritual Journey: 7 Steps to Salvation67 C O N D I T I O N D E S C R I P T I O N B I B L E1SINAll have sinnedRomans 3:232PENALTY The penalty for sin is death Romans 6:23 3 PAYMENT Jesus paid the penalty for all Romans 5:8 4 GIFT of GRACE Payment is a free gift of God Ephesians 2:8-95JESUS at HEART’S DOORJesus offers personal delivery of giftRevelation 3:206RECEIVE & BELIEVE JESUSAll who receive and believe Jesus are empowered to become children of GodJohn 1:127CONFESSION & SALVATIONAll who confess and repent of sin w/ true, obedient faith in Jesus will be forgiven & saved 1 John 1:9Luke 6:46-49“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16“ Was not Abraham our father justified [not saved] by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22  Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?” [Obedient works demonstrate (also justify and perfect) faith. Works by themselves, without faith in Jesus’ loving, redemptive sacrifice, cannot save.]James 2:21-22

Christian Spiritual Journey: Redemption to Salvation Redemption is something “judicial.” It answers the legal claims of God’s righteous law, so that we who were sinners need not perish. It deals with all the negative problems that separated us from God—like our sins, and our sinful nature that compelled us to do evil in the first place. “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:24)Actually, “redemption” is just the beginning, the first part of our “salvation .” Redemption is what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection, on our behalf, on the cross. When His perfect payment is applied to our debts it becomes the forgiveness of our sins ( Ephesians 1:7 ). But salvation is much more. As redemption is through Christ’s blood, salvation is by Christ’s life (Romans 5:10). So salvation is something “organic”—a process that spans our entire Christian life. Our “organic salvation” includes:Regeneration: Becoming “born again” Restoring our spiritual connections to God, for new life.Renewal: Continual nourishment and replenishment from our divine power source.Sanctification: Separating ourselves from the world for a life lived in Christ, fulfilling God’s perfect purposes for our lives. Saints are “sanctified” people. (Romans 6:19, 22) (1 Corinthians 1:30)Transformation: Becoming “Christ-Like” as we shed ourselves of sinful behavior and reject conformity with the sinful world surrounding us. While still “in the world”, we become ever less “of the world.” (1 John 2:6) (1 Peter 2:21) Transformation always follows true repentance. (Joshua 7:6) (Luke 15: 18-19)Glorification: Saturating our entire spirit, soul and body with the glory of God’s life, so that our lives give glory to Him.God’s grace is comfort, but it is not comfortable.Grace begins with mercy and forgiveness but does not end there. Grace meets you where you are but does not leave you there. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2Corinthians 9:2)Grace provides salvation but is satisfied with nothing less than full redemption–restoration to the character, purpose, and calling for which we were all created.68

Christian Spiritual Journey: TransformationA spiritual relationship with God is life and love perfected. It is totally and eternally satisfying.The best relationships thrive on love, truth and transparent communication. The gospel is the singularly most important communication of God to man. In Jesus, who is God the Son, we have the revelation of God’s love and sacrifice that saves us from God's righteous judgment upon sin. The believer’s embrace of the gospel is the beginning of a new, transformed life.After teaching the great doctrine regarding the gospel of God’s righteousness, that we can access through faith in Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul calls us to Godly living. In Romans, the Apostle Paul teaches us how to live in light of the saving power of the gospel (Romans 12:1-2 ): “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed bythe renewing of your mind, that you may prove what isthat good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”The renewal process requires ongoing communication with God through prayer and the Bible. As spirit beings, we are created in the image of God for a spiritual relationship with God. Life on this earth is temporary. It is nothing more than a proving ground of our worthiness for eternal relationship with our loving Father, who sacrificially provides us with everything, always.There are no shortcuts to this most meaningful of all relationships. It is divine. It is eternal.Real meaning in life is not found only in accepting Jesus as Savior, as wonderful as that is. Rather, real meaning in life is when one begins to follow Christ as His disciple, learning of Him, spending time with Him in His Word, communing with Him in prayer, and in walking with Him in obedience to His commands. This is a living faith.69

Salvation: Not a transaction, but a TRANSFORMATION There is no “cheap grace ”Salvation is not a transaction , it is a transformation. (Romans 12:2)We cannot have Jesus as Savior without having Jesus as Lord. We cannot separate the call to salvation from the call to sanctification.We must repent and obey as we seek to please God and live holy lives that are dedicated to His glory. The full biblical definition of repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of action . In this way, we grow in grace . (Acts 3:19, Acts 26:20, Luke 3:8-14) At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, the message He preached was a message of repentance (Matthew 4:17). Jesus’ first word at the beginning of His earthly ministry was “repent.” It was also the core message of John the Baptist.The message of the apostles after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension was also one of repentance (Acts 2:38). Along with repentance comes obedience. Jesus told a crowd of listeners that salvation and obedience go hand in hand: “But why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)The Apostle Paul stressed obedience: “…how shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). Salvation by grace alone through faith alone is so much more than simply mouthing the words “Jesus is Lord.” We must constantly strive to obey God and “walk the talk” because “faith without works” is dead. (James 2:14-26) This striving pleases God, strengthens our faith and draws us ever closer to Him.We are not saved by a profession of belief. (Even Satan and the demons believe in the “one” triune God).We are not saved by praying the “Sinner’s Prayer”. We are not saved by signing a card or walking an aisle.We are saved by a living and active faith that manifests itself in repentance, obedience and love of God and our neighbor. This is saving faith. In this fallen world, we can expect to struggle and stumble with sin. Thanks to Jesus’ redemption, we are no longer condemned, just convicted. The true faith response is to confess each fall to sin, repent and get back on track to obedience. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:17)Satan condemns us accusingly, to make us feel guilty and to push us away from a useful life of helping othersGod convicts us lovingly, to lead our hearts to repentance.70

True “living” Faith = Transformed Life & Salvation Jesus stressed the importance of a transformed life, made possible by an active , living faith that enables believers to grow in grace. The truly faithful turn away from sin and lawlessness. They actively strive to abide by God’s laws. Faith is the key to the righteousness that leads to salvation. Repentance and a constant quest for upright living both follow and demonstrate true faith.“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven . Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast our demons in Your name and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness .’” (Matthew 7:21-23) “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (Mark 13:22)Since Jesus questions whether even the elect will have the kind of faith that He requires, it should be obvious we must live and grow in faith. Our initial faith toward God must grow from a tender trust to a complete trust. Though we begin by being faithful in little things, we grow to develop the absolute trust required to submit our lives to God without question, equivocation, or wavering.Additionally, we learn that Jesus' dialogue with the woman at the well presents us with three absolute truths about salvation: 1) Salvation comes only to those who recognize their desperate need for a spiritual relationship with their Creator. They must have faith in God and recognize His importance in their lives. They must look to God to satisfy their eternal spiritual thirst with the Living water that only He can provide.2) Those who confess and repent of their sin will find forgiveness. Their relationship with God will grow stronger. Before this immoral woman could properly embrace the Savior, she had to concede the full burden of her sins. 3) Salvation comes only to those who take hold of Jesus as their Messiah. For the absolute truth is that salvation is found in no one else (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).71

Christian Spiritual Journey: Growth in Grace Growth in Grace: All of humanity is created by God. Everyone is under His authority, subject to His Lordship and judgment. Yet we are all treated differently, dependent upon our response to His loving outreach. Becoming a child of God only happens when we are born again and have been adopted into the family of God. At that point, we are redeemed from the curse of sin and have become “joint heirs” with Jesus (Romans 8:17) ( Galatians 4:7 ). Part of this new relationship is that God now deals with us differently. Special Treatment We are challenged. We are spiritually strengthened through trials for God’s work. We are prepared by God to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives.We are disciplined. This preparation includes chastisement. repentance and immediate return to the fulfillment of God’s perfect plan for our lives. (This immediate return is important because our spiritual enemy and accuser, Satan, would have us believe that our slippage into sin removes us from God’s grace and that we are no longer “worthy” of relationship with Him.) This is yet another lie from the father of lies. Satan is fully aware that the longer the separation from our spiritual power source, the more likely will be our spiritual failure. We must stay spiritually connected with God for the spiritual nurturing that only He can provide to us. This connection is essential to our continuing growth in grace. Our immediate, repentant return brings continuing forgiveness and renewed strength.Discipline of God: (Hebrews 12:3-11) Christians may sin, but they cannot be comfortable or content living a life of habitual, ongoing sin. How can we who have died to sin, continue to live in sin? If we are saved, then we are no longer of the world, and we should no longer act like we are of the world. We should act like God’s children. If people are living a life enslaved to sin and are comfortable in that sin and without the chastisement of God upon them, then we know they are “illegitimate and not sons” (Hebrews 12:8). In other words, they are unbelievers. Thus, unbelievers are those who are “in the flesh” (Romans 8:6-9, 13), and all believers are “in the Spirit” or “led of the Spirit.” The Spirit of God is at work in us, even when we are not aware of it, and not just when we actively seek His guidance (though this is surely commanded and desirable).Tell-Tale Signs (of God’s grace at work in our lives)Continuing process and Spiritual ChallengesBehavioral “Frame of Mind” Changes1. Holy discontent: God’s grace makes you more sensitive, not less, to the ways you fall short of God’s glory. We find ourselves becoming increasingly uncomfortable with sin.2. Aspiration: God’s grace motivates you to become more like the person God created you to be, even if you’re not sure how to get there.3. Effort: God’s grace leads to more discipline, not less, as you cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s shaping of your life.4. Transformation: God’s grace changes your life, not just your eternal destiny. You will grow in faith, hope, love, and the fruit of the Spirit. 72

Biblical Christianity Repentance, Faith, Works and Salvation Repentance and faith can be understood as “two sides of the same coin.” It is impossible to place your faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior without first changing your mind about who He is and what He has done . Whether it is repentance from willful rejection or repentance from ignorance or disinterest, it is a change of mind. Biblical repentance, in relation to salvation, is changing your mind from rejection of Christ to faith in Christ.While repentance is not a work that earns salvation, repentance unto salvation does result in works. It is impossible to truly and fully change your mind without that causing a change in action. In the Bible, repentance results in a change in behavior . That is why John the Baptist called people to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8 ). A person who has truly repented from rejection of Christ to faith in Christ will give evidence of a changed life ( 2 Corinthians 5:17 ); ( Galatians 5:19-23 ); ( James 2:14-26 ). Repentance, properly defined, is necessary for salvation. Biblical repentance is changing your mind about Jesus Christ and turning to God in faith for salvation (Acts 3:19). Turning from sin is not the definition of repentance, but it is one of the results of genuine, faith-based repentance towards the Lord Jesus Christ.Human salvation is obtained by faith in God – demonstrable, “justifiable” faith, and faith alone.  Human salvation can never be obtained by human works.  Works are a natural consequence of a true spiritual faith connection.  This faith connection is established when one repents of one’s sins (turns away from one’s sins) and is thereby spiritually born again.   Faith is strengthened and “made perfect” by works.  Only Jesus’ personal blood sacrifice and His perfect fulfillment of all requirements of the law are able to “earn” (gain, obtain) human salvation.  Human works will always fall short of God’s uncompromising perfection73

Biblical Christianity: Spiritual Warfare Spiritual Warfare When an individual receives Jesus Christ and is born again of the Spirit of God, that person instantaneously becomes a new creature in Christ and an adversary of the devil. Satan does not want to lose his dominion over the born-again, saved Christian so he immediately begins a counter-attack to reclaim that person. At this point spiritual warfare is declared and the believer finds himself in a life and death struggle against Satan and his demonic forces for the believer’s spiritual survival.Satan is an existential, external threat. Satan attempts to deceive us with the lies of worldly wisdom through the unbelieving world around us. The “desires” that we have to sin is the flesh, not Satan . Satan does not implant thoughts internally. He does it externally through the world. ( James 1:13-15 ) Satan cannot spiritually lay hold of us and force us to do anything against our will. He cannot possess us. Christians cannot be demon-possessed. Satan cannot influence us in a way that we cannot resist. He cannot control our minds or our emotions. He can only tempt us by inciting our fleshly desires and trying to deceive us.Satan can physically afflict us or ones that we love with illness, crimes, disasters, persecution, etc. Satan frequently uses the pains and sufferings of this life (that he himself triggered) to turn people away from the Father. He attempts to convince them that a loving God would want what’s best for them in this life, when what God really wants is what is best for all of us in eternal life."Finally… be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6: 10-13). Satan battles to take away from us everything that God has given and blessed us with. We are battling to keep it. The following table identifies Satan’s primary targets, weapons and purposes that drive his attack upon our spiritual life, along with our readily-available, spiritual defenses.74S P I R I T U A L W A R F A R E S T R A T E G I E SSatanicTarget:Your MindYour BodyYour WillYour Heart(& Conscience)SatanicWeapon:Lies Suffering Pride Accusation Satanic Purpose: Make you ignorant of God’s Will Make you question God’s Care Make you act independent of God’s Will Focus you upon the penalty and not the pardon for sinChristianDefense:Inspired Word of GodImparted Grace of GodIndwelling Spirit of GodInterceding Son & Holy Spirit of God

Eschatology / End times Section Nine75

Eschatology: End Time Events / Eternity Nearly every book of the Bible contains prophecy regarding the end times. Christ will remove all born-again believers from the earth in an event known as “The Rapture” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ); (1 Corinthians 15:51-54) The rapture will take place before the tribulation period begins. The Antichrist (aka The Beast) will come into power and will sign a covenant with Israel for seven years (Daniel 9:27) He will be supported by the False Prophet. This seven-year period of time is known as “The Tribulation. “ During the tribulation, there will be terrible wars, famines, plagues and natural disasters. God will be pouring out His wrath against sin, evil and wickedness. The tribulation will include the appearance of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, as well as the seven seal, seven trumpet and seven bowl judgments as described in the book of Revelation. About halfway through the seven-year tribulation period, the Antichrist will break the peace covenant with Israel and make war against her. The Antichrist will commit “the abomination of desolation” and set up an image of himself to be worshipped in the rebuilt Jerusalem temple ( Daniel 9:27 ) ( 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10 ) The second half of the tribulation is known as “ The Great Tribulation ” (Revelation 7:14) and “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7)At the end of the seven-year tribulation, the Antichrist will launch an attack on Jerusalem, culminating in the Battle of Armageddon. Jesus Christ and His armies will return to the earth (Jesus Second Coming) to very quickly defeat the Antichrist and his armies during this large-scale battle. Both the Antichrist and the False Prophet will be captured and cast alive into the Lake of Fire. The armies of the Antichrist will all be killed by the verbal sword and birds will feed upon the flesh of the Antichrist armies (Revelation 19:11-21)An angel will come down from heaven to bind Satan for 1,000 years, to lock and seal him into the Bottomless Pit. Jesus will rule on Earth during His 1,000-year Millennial Reign. Jesus will reign from Jerusalem, assisted by His saints (the previously-raptured faithful). All survivors of the Tribulation will continue to live on Earth. The obedient faithful who die during the millennial period will not receive ressurrected, glorified bodies and return to the new Heavens and Earth until after the millennium period. (Revelation 20: 1-6)At the end of the 1,000-year millennial period, Satan will be released from the bottomless pit. He will lure many sinful people and nations to join him in a final attack upon Jerusalem and the camps of the faithful. Fire will come down from God to devour all attackers. Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire to join the Antichrist and False Prophet, for unrelenting, eternal torment.Jesus Christ will then judge all unbelievers at the Great White Throne Judgment. All of their works will be judged. They will also be cast into the Lake of Fire ( Revelation 20:10-15 ) Christ will then usher in a New Heaven and New Earth and The New Jerusalem – the eternal home of all believers. There will be no more sin, sorrow or death ( Revelation 21-22)76

Eschatology: “Pre” & “Post” Tribulation Events PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE : Prior to the seven-year Tribulation Period, when God pours out His wrath upon this World, the bodies of the faithful dead will be resurrected and join those of the faithful who are still alive in an event called the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)All raptured saints are welcomed by Jesus “in the air.”Jesus re-unites our souls with our bodies and He then “glorifies” our bodies to perfect them and to render them eternal.We return with Jesus to Heaven, in our glorified bodies, where we are judged and rewarded for our works at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Romans 14:10) (2 Corinthians 5:10)When this judgment is completed, the faithful saints from off of history will participate in a glorious wedding feast to celebrate the union of Jesus with His Bride, the Church (Revelation 19:7-9) The Bible refers to this feast as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb . ARMAGEDDON : After the heavenly wedding feast, and at the conclusion of the seven-year Tribulation Period, the faithful saints will return to the Earth with Jesus, in glory. (Revelation 19:14) . These saints will witness Jesus’ victory at Armageddon and will praise Him as He is crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The defeated Satan will be bound in the Abyss by an angel of God. MILLENNIUM : Jesus will reign over all of the Earth (His earthly Millennial Kingdom) for 1,000 years (a millennium). He will reign from Mount Zion in Jerusalem. (Zechariah 14:1-9) (Revelation 19:17-21) The Earth will have been renewed following the massive destruction of the Tribulation Period (Isaiah 11:6-9) Holiness will abound and the Earth will be flooded with peace, righteousness and justice. (Micah 4:1-7)The saved throughout history will participate in Jesus’ reign. They will assist Jesus with the instruction, administration and enforcement of His perfect laws among all of the human survivors of the Tribulation Period along with their present and future offspring (Revelation 20:1-6)The unsaved dead throughout history will continue to remain in the Torment realm of Sheol / Hades during the Millennium.At the end of the Millennium, God will release Satan from the Abyss. Satan will again deceive the nations and rally the evil, rebellious humans of the millennium to attempt the overthrow of the throne of Jesus. Satan will again fail. With the ease of a verbal command, God will supernaturally destroy Satan’s armies. God will finally cast Satan, into Hell and the Lake of Fire, where he will be tormented forever. (Revelation 20:7-10)77

Eschatology: Rapture vs Second Coming (They are different events controlled by Jesus) R A P T U R ES E C O N D C O M I N G1 Thessalonians 4 Revelation 19 1 Jesus r eturns in the Air ( heavens) Jesus returns to Earth (Jerusalem ) 2DelivererWarrior3For the ChurchWith the Church4Love & CompassionWrath & Vengeance5BridegroomKing of Kings78

Eschatology: God’s Final Judgment & New Jerusalem GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT : At the end of the Millennium, the bodies of all of the unrighteous, from the beginning of time, will be resurrected to stand before God. The saved will see perfect holiness and justice in action as God pronounces His uncompromising judgment upon the congregation of the unfaithful who have rejected His gifts of love and mercy in Jesus Christ (Revelation 20:11-13)Jesus will be fully vindicated as every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. The unrighteous will receive their just reward as they are cast into Hell and the Lake of Fire with Satan, the AntiChrist, the False Prophet and the demons (Revelation 20:14-15) This is the second death.NEW JERUSALEM: Following God’s Great White Throne Judgment, the saved will be taken to the New Jerusalem, the eternal location prepared by Jesus for His Bride (The Church)From New Jerusalem, the saved will witness a spectacular re-creation of the heavens and the Earth. They will watch as God renovates the heavens and the Earth with fire, burning away all of the filth and pollution that is left from Satan’s last battle (2 Peter 3:12-13) . Just as the angels rejoiced when God created the universe, the saved will watch God superheat, melt and reshape the elements of the universe into the new heavens and the new Earth , the eternal Earth , where the saved will live forever in the presence of God (Revelation 21:1) The saved will be lowered from the new Heavens to the new Earth inside the magnificent New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2). God will come down from Heaven to dwell with the saved (Revelation 21:3) God will proclaim: “Behold I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:5)The saved will see God face to face (Revelation 22:4)There shall be no night there. Neither lamps, nor light from the Sun will be required for the Lord God will give the saved light.God will wipe away all tears. There will be no more pain, crying, sorrow or death. (Revelation 21:4) The saved will each be given a new name (Revelation 2:17) The saved will become citizens of Heaven exist as individual personalities encased in glorious eternal bodies (Philippians 3:20-21). The saved will become co-heirs with Jesus. They will inherit all things and be treated as sons of God. (Revelation 21:7)The saved will grow eternally in knowledge and love of our infinite Creator, honoring Him with our talents and gifts. They will find in Heaven a continual progression of stimulating discovery and fresh learning as they keep grasping more of God. 79

Eschatology: Millennial Kingdom vs New Heavens / Earth Millennial Kingdom New Heavens / New Earth New JerusalemTimePeriodBegins w/ return of Jesus to Earth (2nd Coming). Follows the 1st defeat of Satan at Armageddon and his imprisonment in the bottomless pit (the abyss).Ends w/ the final, fiery defeat of a released Satan and his millennial kingdom followers. Jesus resides over The Great White Throne Judgment that determines the eternal destinies of everyone ever created. Duration : 1,000 Years Begins w/ the creation of a new heavens and a new earth. The new Earth will include the New Jerusalem. Everything in the universe is given a “fresh start.” It is the fulfillment of all of God’s promises. Ends : Never.Duration: Eternity.LocationRenewed Planet Earth (renewed following the physicaldestruction of the Tribulation Period and Armageddon)New Planet Earth w/ new “heavens” (skies and outer space). Incl the New Jerusalem (the massive, high-walled, 12-gated, crystal-clear, luminescent, Holy City of God – w/ the glory of God shining from its center). The unredeemed, suffering in the outer darkness ofHell and the Lake of Fire will have no access.ParticipantsOnly faithful believers will enter. The raptured saintswill reign with Jesus, serving in leadership roles forHim, administering to the affairs of the Tribulationsurvivors and their millennial kingdom offspring.God will dwell in this new creation with the Church of Jesus Christ whose members include Israel and all ofthe faithful believers throughout history. Inhabitantswill be all those named in the Lamb’s Book of Life. LivingConditions1,000 year reign of Jesus on Earth. Jesus will establishHimself as King of the Earth in Jerusalem, sitting on thethrone of David. It will be a time of peace, joy and comfort. Inhabitants will live long lives (pre-Floodconditions) and will exercise free will. (Saints willcontinue their eternal lives in glorified physical bodies).Heaven (the new Earth) is a physical place where thechosen will dwell w/ glorified physical bodies. Placeof “pearly gates” and “streets of gold.” Free from sin,sickness, suffering and death. The eternal dwellingplace of believers, living without the curse of sin. There will be no night there. 80

End Times: Top 40 Signs / Indicators # I N D I C A T O R # I N D I C A T O R1Many false prophets, teachers. Rejection of Bible truths.21Global government. Revived European Empire (EU).2The Gospel to all nations: 2400 translations of Bible 22 Global wars, violence, abortion. Weapons stockpiles 3 Re-gathering of the dispersed nation of Israel (1948) 23 Global travel capabilities 4 Prosperity of Israel: Agriculturally and Economically 24 Exponential explosion of knowledge, technology5Hebrew Language. Revival of ancient temple language.25Personal ID technology, usage: computer chips, tattoos6Control of Jerusalem returned to Jewish people (1967)26Deadly viruses, plagues and pestilences. Drug abuse.7Worldwide anti-semitism27Worldwide famine. 900 million people go to bed hungry.8Psalm 83 confederacy against Israel (bordering countries)28Astronomical signs. Celestial billboards. Blood moons.9Supernatural invincibility of Israel (war wins since 1948)29Astronomical influence upon Earth: Solar flares, Meteors10Partitioning of Israel by outside nations (land for peace)30 Rising Asian threat. 200 million-man invasion of Israel 11 Eastern Gate of Jerusalem: still s hut, awaits Jesus’ return 31 Groaning creation: Earthquakes , Volcanoes, Tsunamis12Israel will remain without King until return of Messiah32Restrictions upon marriage. Breakdown of the family.13Israeli preparations for Rebuilt Jewish Temple33Rampant sexual immorality. Homosexuality, Pornography14Rising threat of Iran, end-times enemy of Israel.34Inordinate self-love. Self-centeredness15Rising threat of Turkey (e.g. Gaza flotilla, UN resolutions)35Worldwide persecution of true believers. Prayer bans.16Global cries for peace, restoration of prosperity36Rise of Satanism. Occult. Fallen angel interactions. UFOs. 17 Growing vulnerability of Damascus to total destruction. 37 Great apostasy. Ecumenism – all roads to same “god” 18 Global Telecommunication Capabilities 38 Gog Magog coalition to attack Holy Land , led by Russia. 19 Global Destruction Capabilities – Ability to dissolve flesh. 39 Re- Emergence of “Babylon” (end-times “whore” ) 20 Chaotic, freakish weather 40 Mockery of the second coming / rapture 81

End Times: Conflict Outlook for Israel Great Middle East War(Inner Circle) Gog & Magog War(Outer Circle)ArmageddonScripturePsalm 83; Isaiah 17; Ezekiel 25-28, 35-37; Joel 1; Amos 1-2; Obadiah, Jeremiah 49; Zephaniah 2; Zechariah 9-11Ezekiel 38, 39Revelation 16; Zephaniah 3 Scripture Prophet(s) Asaph the Seer (Psalm 83), plus identified prophets The Prophet Ezekiel Apostle John Prophet Zephaniah Timing Before or At Beginning of 7-year Tribulation Period. Before Gog & Magog WarBefore or At Beginning of7-year Tribulation Period.At Conclusion of7-year Tribulation PeriodConflict DescriptionIsrael reacts militarily to growing threats, provocations.Israel Invasion from NorthIsrael Invasion fromAll Corners Of the EarthInvader PurposeFormation of new Arab state (Palestine), replacing Israel.Take spoil and prey uponIsrael.Destruction of Israel once andfor all.Participants / CoalitionInvaders: Israel’s neighbors sharing common borders with Israel. Palestinians of West Bank, Gaza Strip; Jordan; Syria; Saudi Arabia; Egypt; LebanonInvaders: Russia (plus former soviet republics), Iran, Turkey, Sudan, Ethiopia, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Armenia.Leader: Gog (spiritual foe)Invaders: Entire WorldLeader: The AntichristOutcomesInvaders destroyed by theIsraeli Defense Forces (IDF). Israel’s borders expand to God’s covenant boundaries. Israel increases wealth, safetyInvaders destroyed by the Lord (hail, fire, brimstone) on the mountains of Israel. Weapons used for fuel for 7 yrs (nuclear weapon clean-up)Invaders destroyed by the Lord (using his word alone) in the plains of Megiddo.Disposal of Dead, POWsN/A. Israel creates POW camps in Lebanon (N) and Negev (S)Burial (7-month process)Dead left on field of battle to become food for birds of prey. 82

“End Times” Conflict Country ID 83 Psalm 83 Identification 2015 Identification EdomPalestinians, South JordaniansIshmaelitesSaudisMoabPalestinians, Central JordaniansHagritesEgyptiansGebal Hezbollah, North Lebanese Ammon Palestinians, North Jordanians Amalek Egyptians (Sinai Peninsula) Philistia Hamas (Gaza Strip) Tyre Hezbollah, South Lebanese AssyriaSyrian, North Iraqis

Eschatology: End Times Spiritual Conflict 84 Holy Trinity (Eternity) Unholy Trinity (End Times)God (YHWH)Satan (Devil)Jesus ChristAntichrist (Beast)Holy Spirit False Prophet A common tactic of Satan is to imitate or counterfeit the things of God in order to make himself appear to be like God. What is commonly referred to as the “unholy trinity,” described vividly in ( Revelation 12-13 ) is no exception. While the Holy Trinity is characterized by infinite truth, love, and goodness, the unholy trinity portrays the very opposite traits of deception, hatred, and unadulterated evil. The “Two Witnesses” of The Tribulation

Eternal Destiny: Human Souls [via Sheol & Hades] In both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, we are taught that individual life continues after death of the body. The individual, eternal souls of both the saved and the unsaved go to a supernatural place of conscious existence. (Philippians 1:23) (2Corinthians 5:6-8) Meanwhile, their expired physical bodies go to the grave.Originally, before Jesus’ death on the Cross, the souls of both the wicked and the righteous went to “Sheol / Hades.” This is the “unseen” place for departed souls. It was originally divided into two realms / abodes: a place of comfort and a place of torment. The Bible refers to the place of comfort as “Paradise” The Bible refers to the place of torment as “Torment” When Jesus gave up His Spirit at the point of His physical death on the cross, “He descended into the lower parts of the Earth” and visited Sheol / Hades to declare His triumph over Satan to all of the souls existing there. (Ephesians 4:8-10) (Matthew 12:40) (1 Peter 3:18-19) (1 Peter 4:6) (Acts 2:27)Following Jesus’ physical resurrection from the dead, He ascended into Heaven. When Jesus ascended, He took the faithful souls from the Paradise realm of Sheol / Hades with Him. The faithful souls were relocated to Heaven, to be with Jesus. (2 Corinthians 12:1-4) The souls of the righteous dead could not go directly to Heaven before the cross because their sins had not yet been forgiven through Jesus’ blood sacrifice on the cross. Instead, their sins were merely covered on the basis of their faith. (Leviticus 17:11) (Romans 5:8-9) (Hebrews 9:22) The Torment section of Sheol / Hades continues to hold all of the unsaved souls of the unfaithful . Since Jesus’ resurrection, the saved souls of the faithful are immediately “present with the Lord,” in Heaven, concurrent with the death of their physical bodies. There the faithful join the Old Testament saints who have been enjoying Heaven since Jesus’ resurrection.85

Eternal Destiny: Fallen Angels / Demons Fallen Angels / Demons are destined for the “Abyss / Bottomless Pit” that is separate and distinct from Sheol / Hades. Another Biblical term for this horrific, subterranean place of suffering is “Tartarus” – a place of dense, total darkness. (2 Peter 2:4) (Jude 1:6) This place is entirely devoid of God’s Holy Light and peace. The fallen angels / demons suffering there are awaiting God’s final, Great White Throne Judgment that will take place following the millennial reign of Jesus Christ on Earth. The fallen angels, including Satan, along with the other unfaithful creatures from the beginning of time, will ultimately be cast by God into the eternal Lake of Fire . Some fallen angels / demons are already confined to the Abyss (aka “Tartarus”). They are restrained there by supernatural “chains.” Many biblical scholars believe that these are the fallen angels who mated with human females as described in (Genesis 6:4) to produce the “Nephilim” (demon / human hybrids). The Nephilim were Satan’s futile, failed attempt to corrupt the seed line of Jesus and thereby save himself from eternal torment. The Nephilim were destroyed in the Great Flood while Jesus’ seed line was protected via Noah and his family on the Ark.The Bible also points out that “there were giants on the earth in those days, also afterward” (Genesis 6:4) Bible scholars therefore also believe that after the Great Flood, Satan had another band of fallen angels (demons) breed with some post-flood women of earth to create yet another race of giant, demon/human hybrids that the Bible refers to as the “Anakim” The Anakim/Anakites were a formidable race of giant, warlike people (Deuteronomy 2:10, 21) (Deuteronomy 9:2) who occupied the lands near Hebron, before the arrival of the Israelites (Joshua 15:13). The Anakim’s ancestry has been traced back to Anak, the son of Arba , who at that time was regarded as the “greatest man among the Anakim” (Joshua 14:15)  These giants were physically killed off by the Israelites under the leadership of Joshua, with supernatural help from God. The giant Goliath that David killed is believed to have been an Anakite. The demonic spirits of the slain Anakim are now believed to occupy the bodies of other animals, animal hybrids and chimera.Thousands of other fallen angels / demons are free to operate on Earth and in the surrounding heavens (extraterrestrials) (Ephesians 6:12 )(Deuteronomy 17:3 ) ( Nehemiah 9:6 ) They are not confined to the Abyss but do operate within specific geographic locations, subject to Satan’s limited command and control. Like all of creation, they are ultimately subject to God’s authority and total control. Satan and his demons cannot go beyond the hedge of protection which surrounds God’s elect (Job 1:10) (Luke 22:31-32), without God’s advance permission and knowledge. While on Earth, demons prefer human / animal possession over the torment of confinement in the Abyss (Luke 8:31). These earthbound, fallen angels routinely combat heaven’s angels for the spiritual lives of humanity.Satan is a fallen “Cherub” angel (Ezekiel 28:16). Along with the other cherub angels (aka cherubim), Lucifer (aka Satan) helped to cover the throne of God. The Bible describes Lucifer as full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. He corrupted his wisdom for the sake of his beauty in an attempt to become like God. He exercised his God-given free will to rebel against God in pursuit of his own selfish interests. Satan was cast down by God, from the throne of God. Satan lost it all in an attempt to have it all. Satan is doomed, is defiant and is voraciously seeking revenge. Satan is attacking humanity to prevent our eternal salvation and to prevent us from eternally acquiring what he eternally lost. Here are Satan’s three principal areas of spiritual attack: 1) Lust of the Flesh, 2) Lust of the Eyes, 3) Pride of Life. (1 John 2:16)86

Eternal Destiny: SATAN [Hebrew for Adversary]aka: Lucifer (a Light Bearer), the Devil (Accuser), the Serpent, the Dragon)E V E N TD E T A I L SB I B L ESatan’s Origin (as Lucifer) All angels, including Lucifer, were created by God before He created the Earth. Lucifer was a model of perfection: the most beautiful and wise of all of the created angels. Lucifer was “anointed” to serve as an elite, guardian “Cherub-class” angel, “covering” God’s throne. God endowed “light-bearer” Lucifer w/ free will & free moral agency. In contrast, the Bible described Jesus as “THE light (source) of the world”Job 38:4-7Ezekiel 28:12-16John 9:5Satan’s Sinand FallLucifer grew proud and vain in his beauty. He desired to become “god” rather than to serve God. Lucifer allowed the sins of envy and pride to “corrupt his wisdom for the sake of his splendor.” Satan lured and led one third of the angels of Heaven into a rebellion against God. Satan and the rebellious angels (demons) were all very quickly expelled (cast out) from Heaven and “fell like lightning” to Earth. The supernatural infection of sin entered into the Garden of Eden with Satan (the Serpent), where he tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God, and sin. Ezekiel 28:17Isaiah 14:12-15Luke 10:18Revelation 12:7-12Genesis 3:1-14James 1:14-15Satan’s WorkSatan first originated sin and then introduced sin into the human family. Satan is the Prince/”Ruler” of this “sin-fallen” world of darkness, subject to God’s ultimate control. He is the enemy of the souls of humanity. Satan leads people to evil. Satan opposes, tests/tempts, ensnares, buffets, and hinders people. Satan controls and blinds the lost. Satan accuses individuals before God’s throne. Satan causes sickness and has the power of death . Satan also seeks to oppose and hinder the work of God. Satan was vanquished by Jesus at the Cross and is now doomed. Jesus’ blood sacrifice opened a pathway for repentant, faithful believers to become spiritually born again into a relationship with God that enables them to resist and defeat Satan. Job 1:6-12Matthew 4:8-9John 12:31, 16:11Ephesians 6: 11-12Luke 22:31, 13:161 Thessalonians 2:18Matthew 13:39Mark 4:151 Peter 5:8Satan’s DestinySatan now inhabits “the heavens”, has access to God and is active on Earth. Satan and his followers (demon and human) will ultimately be cast into Hell and suffer eternal torment in the Lake of Fire. Prior to the Great White Throne Judgment, and during the Millennial Reign of Christ on Earth, Satan will be bound by Jesus into the Bottomless Pit and then released for God’s purposes to lure & purge remnant sinners. John 14:301 Peter 5:8Revelation 20:1-1087

Christian peace& righteous judgment Section Ten 88

Christian Peace – Starts with Trust in GodPerfected through growth in Faith and Grace God will keep us in “perfect peace” if our minds are “stayed” on Him, meaning our minds lean on Him, center on Him, and trust in Him. Our tranquility of mind is “perfect” or imperfect to the degree that the “mind is stayed on” God rather than on ourselves or on our problems. (Isaiah 26:3)Peace is experienced as we believe what the Bible says about God’s nearness as in (Psalm 139:1-12), and about His goodness and power, His mercy and love for His children, and His complete sovereignty over all of life’s circumstances. But we can’t trust someone we don’t know, and it is therefore crucial (crucial is a French word, from Latin cruc , crux (the cross)), to come to know intimately the Prince of Peace , Jesus Christ . Peace is experienced as a result of prayer . “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7)A peaceful mind and heart are experienced as a result of recognizing that an all-wise and loving Father has a purpose in our trials. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). When the Christian gives his whole life to God and places his trust in Him, he receives the blessings of a peaceful mind. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance . . ." (Galatians 5:22-23)With God, we don’t always get what we want, but we get what we need.89

Spiritual Discernment: Judging Behavior, not People The Christian Church is built upon the foundation of Jesus and the authority of His Word (Ephesians 2:20)Christian believers are all part of “one faith” (Ephesians 4:5)Christians must work toward the “unity of the faith” (Ephesians 4:13)Church unity is maintained in living and promoting the truth of Jesus (John 17:20-26) Christians are divisive of this “one faith” unity if we compromise the truth by tolerating and not correcting error. We must be bold for Christ. Loving others requires that we graciously correct them when they fall into error ( Matthew 18 ) (1 Corinthians 1:11) (Galatians 6:1)Those who err do not necessarily know that they are in error. They are possibly deceived or unaware of God’s truth on the matter.As Christians, we must be gentle and careful in correcting the error. Jesus teaches us to not judge according to appearance, but to “judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24) Please note our Lord’s command to judge.A key responsibility of the Christian Church is to teach sound doctrine and correct erroneous teaching, in the proper manner. (2 Timothy 2:25) (2 Timothy 3:16) (Titus 2:1)Christians are to use discernment in judging between right and wrong to fulfill Biblical requirements as set forth in the following verses (1 Corinthians 5:11-13) (1 Corinthians 6:4) (2 Thessalonians 3:6) (1 Timothy 6:20) and (Titus 3:9)Righteous judgment requires that we judge according to God’s Word, guided by the Holy Spirit, and not rely upon our own opinion. It is important that we know and apply the truth of God’s Word, the Bible.It is God’s Word that ultimately “makes the judgment” on morality and truth, not an individual’s own opinions or theories. We must exercise spiritual discernment in correcting bad behavior.As Christian believers, we should regularly examine our own lives before we judge the behavior of others. (Matthew 7:1-5)As Christian believers, we should lovingly challenge Christian brothers and sisters who are in error or commit sin. (John 17:20-26)Spiritual Judgment : Those who are spiritual judge all things. (1 Corinthians 2:15 ) God judges people . Christians are to judge behavior according to God’s perfect standards. 90

Truth & Proof pointsof biblical christianity Section Eleven 91

Proof Point: Truth / Accuracy of the Holy Bible God’s Word (“logos”) is truth. It is the full expression of reality. (John 17:17)The Bible reveals God’s Word. It is the single best resource for understanding and corresponding with reality and truth. The Bible is an integrated message system from God. It contains 66 books that were penned by 40 different authors over thousands of years. The integrated message from these books bears evidence of supernatural engineering in every detail. Jesus Christ is the focal point of the Bible.Everything in creation is a manifestation of God’s absolute truth. 92 E V I D E N C E E X P L A N A T I O N M Manuscripts More evidence of the Bible’s authenticity than for any other literature of antiquity. Vastly more manuscripts. Cross-referenced. Composition by eyewitness participants. A Archeology The Bible’s best friend. Physical evidence of people, places, times and events that have shaped our World. The fossil record disproves the theory of evolution. Widespread, intercontinental strata blankets point to a worldwide flood. PProphecy100% Accuracy. Spans thousands of years.SScienceBible replete with scientific statements made before scientific discovery. (expanding universe, continental division/drift, human DNA, dinosaurs, etc.)The rulers knew that Jesus was not the product of any of the rabbinical schools, and his miracles marked him as a prophet and distinguished him from all who were guided merely by reason, no matter how learned. “Many believed…when they saw the signs which He did.” (John 2:19-23). These words show the effect of Christ's miracles. Miracles prove that he who works them is from God (Acts 10:38)

Proof of Bible Testimony: Disciple Martyrdom The disciples witnessed Jesus resurrection from the dead and were willing to die martyr’s deaths for their belief. With the exception of John, these once-fearful men abandoned Jesus during His trial and crucifixion, but were willing to courageously die for Him following His resurrection. The apostle Paul was not one of the original 12 disciples. Paul was converted by Jesus following the resurrection. Jesus presented Himself as light and communicated in voice to Paul on the road to Damascus. Paul’s conversion was witnessed. The witnesses were able to hear Jesus’ voice.93 D I S C I P L E M A R T Y R D O M Andrew (Brother of Peter) Crucified (on Olive Tree) Bartholomew Crucified after being flayed (skinned alive) James (The Lesser)(Son of Alphaeus)Cast down from the top of the Temple (then beaten following the fall)James(Son of Zebedee)(Brother of John)Killed “with the sword” by HerodJohnExiled & died on Patmos after failed attempt to fry him in cooking oil. Lived a martyr’s life, but the only Apostle that did not die a martyr’s death.Judas / Jude (Thaddeus)Beaten to death (with sticks)MatthewBeheadedMatthiasStoned to death while hanging on a cross (Following the suicide of Judas Iscariot, the remaining 11 disciples chose Matthias to replace him. Mathias satisfied the disciples’ requirement that he was with them during Jesus’ entire ministry and that he witnessed both the resurrection and ascension of Jesus)Peter (Simon)Crucified (“Head-downward” to fulfill his request. Felt unworthy to die like Christ)PhilipCrucified (following torture)Simon (The Zealot)CrucifiedThomas Burned alive ( following torture with pine spears and red hot plates)

Proof Point: Shroud of TurinPerfect Intersection of Faith & Science? Cloth Composition: Flax / Linen weave. The cloth originated in the Middle East, not Europe. This is determined by the way its flax fibers are woven. The 3/1 twill herringbone weave of linen is consistent with fabrics from Masada, dating to the 1st century. Piece Count / Size: Four separate pieces of cloth. One 14.3 ft x 3.7 ft sheet that contains the front and back imaging of Jesus’ body in rigor mortis. Two strips for separately binding the hands and feet and one face cloth. Body wrapped in fashion similar to the body of Lazarus and not like ancient Egyptian mummies. Age: A series of tests were conducted of linen fibers taken from the shroud. The tests were conducted by a team of scientists from the University of Padua between the years of 2010 and 2013. The results were published in 2013 within an Italian book entitled The Mystery of the Shroud . These tests measured cellulose degradation within the tested fibers using infrared light and red laser Raman spectroscopy. Other tests measured the compressibility and breaking strength of the fibers. The test results, when averaged, showed the linen fibers of the shroud to have been woven into cloth around 33 B.C., +/- 250 years. This time frame brackets the year 30 A.D., the year most often cited for Jesus’ crucifixion. (These 2013 tests supersede the flawed 1988 carbon-14 tests of an outer piece of the shroud that had been sewn on later for handling purposes). Residue / Surface Matter : Blood (Type AB) applied first, the image applied afterward. Plant & Flower pollen residue consistent with those found in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus life and ministry. Travertine aragonite limestone road dust – almost exclusively found in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Image Application : Scientists have concluded that the image on The Shroud could not be a painting because it resulted from rapid dehydration of the cellulose in the fabric. The 1978 STURP tests revealed no dyes, pigments, paints, or stains on the fibrils. The image resulted from a supernatural burst of light and energy where natural laws were suspended. American scientist Igor Bensen has said that 50,000,000 volts would be required for the Shroud body image to be radiated onto the cloth. The images are not man-made. The imprint is applied with 100 percent consistency. The depth of the image only penetrates the top two microfibers everywhere on the Shroud without any variation. A human artist would be incapable of such consistency. Jesus’ image is a photo negative. The positive image is only reflected when a photo is taken, as first discovered in 1898. Also, the image on the shroud encodes 3-D information in 2-D format. This means that the image can be read like a 3D map when using relief mapping techniques first developed by NASA.Image Content: The physical torments of Jesus as described within the Bible are pictured within the shroud imagery: (1) Scalp cuts from piercing crown of thorns. (2) Facial trauma to both cheeks and forehead. (3) Twisted nose. (4) Eye swollen half shut. (5) Cut upper lip (6) Whipping (scourge) wounds – 120 visible over every area of body except face, forearms and feet – wounds consistent with damage done by Roman flagrum. (7) Large rub marks on shoulder blades – from carrying wooden beam (8) Contusions on both knees (9) Chest wound – post mortem. (10) Nail puncture wounds in both wrists and feet. (11) No broken bones. Also, there is evidence of two different first century Roman coins placed over the left and right eyelids to hold them down.94

Intelligent Design: CERN / “GOD” PARTICLE Famed physicist Dr. Stephen Hawking recently warned that the reactivation of the LHC in March, 2015 could pose grave dangers to Earth. In attempting to re-create “big bang” conditions that are currently theorized to have existed during the origin of the universe, CERN scientists expose the Earth to existential risk via the potential creation of black holes. Dimensional portals (“ stargates ”) could also be opened that could collapse our existing “space-time continuum.” 95 Depiction of a proton collision within the CERN LHC as captured by a CMS Data Collector. The produced Higgs boson rapidly decays into hadron jets and electrons. CERN LHC HIGGS BOSON European Council (now Org) for Nuclear Research Large Hadron Collider(with CMS particle detectors)Fundamental Particle(aka the “god” particle)HQ: Meyrin, Switzerland. Est. in 1954. Symbol: Shiva (Hindu god of destruction, spiritual dimensions) Primary Purpose: To conduct high-energy physics research using network of particle accelerators. (Network of 6 “step-up” accelerators and 1 decelerator with coolant & computer grid infrastructure.) Other Science: The World Wide Web began as a CERN project in 1989. Using hypertext to access the Internet, CERN created the first website in 1991.The largest single machine and most powerful particle collider in the World. It was designed and built for CERN. More than 10,000 scientists and engineers from over 100 countries collaborated in its design and construction. It was constructed over a ten-year time period from 1998-2008. It is housed within a tunnel that is 27-kilometers (17 miles) in circumference and as deep as 175 meters (574 feet) beneath the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva, Switzerland. It enables scientists to evaluate the byproducts of particle collisions. The LHC smashes groups of protons together at close to the speed of light: 40 million times per second, with a force of 14 trillion electronic volts. Many collisions are glancing blows but some are head-on collisions and very energetic. The head-on collisions generate energy that is turned into mass – Higgs boson particles.Elementary particles belong to one of two classes: Fermion Particles (constituents of matter) Boson Particles (constituents of radiation, force carriers). The Higgs boson gives other particles mass via an interruption of the spontaneous symmetry of the electroweak force. Some scientists speculate that electromagnetism and the weak nuclear force are different manifestations of a single force that they have termed the electroweak force (see previous slide). Existence of the Higgs boson confirmed 3/14/13 .The properties of invisible Dark Matter are also being explored at CERN.

miscellaneous topics of interest Section Twelve / Back-up Slides 96

Catholic Catechism: 7 Deadly Sins D E A D L Y S I N H O L Y V I R T U E 1Envy (insatiable desire that “covets” others and their things)Kindness2Gluttony (over consumption of anything to the “point of waste”)Temperance3Greed (excessive pursuit of material possessions) Charity / Liberality 4 Lust / Lechery (intense desire for s ex & other physical pleasures) Chastity 5 Pride (considered the original and most serious of the 7 sins)Humility6Sloth (spiritual and physical laziness – emphasis upon spiritual)Diligence7Wrath (inordinate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger)PatienceThe Catholic Church divides sin into two categories: VENIAL SINS (in which guilt is relatively minor) and the more severe MORTAL SINS (that are believed to destroy the life of grace and charity within a person and thus creates the threat of eternal damnation.) According to a 2009 study by a Jesuit scholar, the most common deadly sin confessed by men is lust, and for women, pride.97

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As for Me and my house…we will serve the Lord Joshua 24:15 99