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Fundamentals of the Faith Teacher's Guide

13 Lessons to Grow in the Grace & Knowledge of Jesus Christ

Moody Publishers

Lesson 1

Prepare for Your Assignment

1. Along with this workbook, you will need a Bible and a journal or notebook for personal notes from the message you will hear.

2. Download message #1, "Our God-Breathed Bible," from www.gty.org/fof.

3. Using your Bible, fill in the answers on the following pages.

Memorize 2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.

* I hope you have an appreciation for the Scripture. I hope you have an appreciation for it not as a fetish but because it is the greatest treasure, apart from God Himself, that we have. It is His very word, His very self-revelation. When people ask me why it is that I systematically teach through book after book, why it is that I pay so much attention to detail and to every verse and every phrase and touch all the words, I tell them it's because I understand them to be the words of God revealed to us from Him. And I would not second-guess the necessity of those words being then presented, taught, and understood by all of us.

John MacArthur

The Bible is the Word of God. It claims to be the truth, the message from God to man. Second Peter 1:21 says that "men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

* The Scriptures were written by approximately 40 different men.

* These men lived in several different countries and cultures.

* They lived in different eras (1400 B.C. through A.D. 90).

* They wrote in three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.

Despite these differences, God moved the writers to focus on His glory in man's redemption through one central figure—Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

I. The Old Testament (39 books)

A. The Pentateuch (5 books)

The first five books of the Old Testament were written by Moses around 1400 B.C. They often are referred to as the "Five Books of Moses" or the "Pentateuch."

List the books of the Pentateuch in the order you find them in your Bible.

1. Genesis The book of beginnings: Creation, man, sin, redemption, God's nation

2. Exodus God delivers His people from Egypt

3. Leviticus Atonement, holiness, and worship through sacrifice and purification

4. Numbers God's people continually disobey and wander in the wilderness for 40 years

5. Deuteronomy Moses' great discourses to prepare Israel to enter the Promised Land

B. History (12 books)

The historical books were written between 1400 and 450 B.C. and describe God's dealings with His chosen people, Israel, the Hebrew nation. List these books in order.

1. Joshua

2. Judges

3. Ruth

4. 1 Samuel

5. 2 Samuel

6. 1 Kings

7. 2 Kings

8. 1 Chronicles

9. 2 Chronicles

10. Ezra

11. Nehemiah

12. Esther

C. Poetry (5 books)

The following five books are poetic, describing in poetry and song God's greatness and His dealings with men.

List these books in order.

1. Job The suffering and loyal trust of a man who loved God

2. Psalms Songs of praise and instruction

3. Proverbs God's practical wisdom for daily life

4. Ecclesiastes The emptiness of an earthly life without God

5. Song of Solomon A celebration of marital joy

D. Major Prophets (5 books)

A prophet was a person commissioned by God to deliver His message to men. These books are called "Major Prophets" because they generally are longer than the writings of the "Minor Prophets." The Major Prophets were written approximately between 750 and 550 B.C.

List these books in order.

1. Isaiah

2. Jeremiah

3. Lamentations

4. Ezekiel

5. Daniel

E. Minor Prophets (12 books)

The last 12 books of the Old Testament were written approximately between 840 and 400 B.C.

List these books in order.

1. Hosea

2. Joel

3. Amos

4. Obadiah

5. Jonah

6. Micah

7. Nahum

8. Habakkuk

9. Zephaniah

10. Haggai

11. Zechariah

12. Malachi

II. The New Testament (27 books)

The New Testament, or New Covenant, reveals Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of men. In it we find:

* The life of Christ

* The way of salvation

* The beginning of Christianity

* Instruction for Christian living

* God's plan for the future

A. History (5 books)

1. The Gospels (first 4 books)

a. Matthew The life of Christ, written especially for the Jews, revealing Jesus Christ as their long-awaited Messiah

b. Mark The life of Christ, revealing Jesus as the obedient Servant of God; written especially to the Roman world

c. Luke The life of Christ, revealing Jesus as the perfect man, emphasizing His humanity; written by Luke, a Greek, to the Greek world

d. John The life of Christ, revealing Jesus as the Son of God, stressing His deity; very evangelistic

What two reasons are given for the writing of John's Gospel (John 20:31)?

1. To show that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the Son of God (Deity)

2. That in believing in His name, sinners can have life

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2. History of the Early Church (1 book)

Acts The beginning and spread of the Christian church; it could be called the "Acts of the Holy Spirit," and was written as an evangelistic tool

B. Letters or Epistles (21 books)

These books were written to individuals, to churches, or to believers in general. The letters deal with every aspect of Christian faith and responsibility.

List them in order.

1. Paul's Letters (13 books)

a. Romans

b. 1 Corinthians

c. 2 Corinthians

d. Galatians

e. Ephesians

f. Philippians

g. Colossians

h. 1 Thessalonians

i. 2 Thessalonians

j. 1 Timothy

k. 2 Timothy

l. Titus

m. Philemon

2. General Letters (8 books)

a. Hebrews

b. James

c. 1 Peter

d. 2 Peter

e. 1 John

f. 2 John

g. 3 John

h. Jude

C. Prophecy (1 book)

The last book of the New Testament tells of future events.

* Return of Christ

* Reign of Jesus Christ

* Glory of Jesus Christ

* Future state of believers and unbelievers

This book is called Revelation.

III. Christ in the Bible

A. The Old and New Testaments should be seen together, as both portray Jesus Christ as the central figure.

Read the following verses and fill in the blanks.

1. Luke 24:27. Christ is seen in all the Scriptures.

2. John 5:39. Jesus said the Scriptures "bear witness of Me."

B. The key is Jesus.

IV. Why Is the Bible Important?

When tempted by Satan, Jesus alluded to Deuteronomy 8:3: "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).

A. What does 2 Timothy 3:16 say about the Bible? (Choose the correct answer.)

[] Some of the Bible is inspired by God.

[] There are a few parts that are not inspired.

[check] The entire Bible is inspired by God.

[] Only those parts that speak to us in a personal way are inspired by God.

B. How do the following verses show the importance of God's Word?

1. 2 Timothy 3:15 The Scriptures are able to give wisdom that leads to salvation.

2. Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

C. What four things does God's Word do?

1. Psalm 19:7a Restores the soul

2. Psalm 19:7b Makes wise the simple

3. Psalm 19:8a Gives joy to the heart

4. Psalm 19:8b Gives light to the eyes

V. Application

Based on what you have learned about the Bible, what should your response be?

(Answers will vary) ___________________________________________________________

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Use the following chart to picture the relationships between the various books of the Bible.

Lesson 1 Teacher's Notes

The Objectives of Lesson 1

1. To explain the origin of the Bible, including revelation and how God used men to write His words.

2. To give the student a brief overview of the Bible, its structure and the basic content of each book.

3. To present the main themes of the Bible: Jesus Christ, His glory, and the plan of salvation.

4. To present the Bible's claim to be the inspired words of God.

5. To impress upon the student the dynamic, the authority, the veracity, and the completeness of the Holy Scriptures.

The Class Plan for Lesson 1

1. Natural and special revelation.

2. General information about the Bible, including its origin, titles, and translations.

3. Bible survey: Old Testament and New Testament. (This may take two sessions to accomplish.)

4. The inspiration and believability of the Bible.

Common Questions for Lesson 1

Where did the Bible come from?

Why are there so many different Bible translations?

How do we know the Bible is God's inspired Word?

How can men have written the Bible and yet we say God wrote the Bible?

Suggested Teaching Outline Lesson 1

1. Warm-up

If the group has added members since the last time, take a moment for introductions. Ask those who listened to the lesson from the Web site to share one personal highlight from it.

Review the Scripture memory verse, 2 Timothy 3:16. Follow with a statement about the starting point of these lessons: Holy Scripture is the foundation from which all of the FOF material will draw its authority (2 Timothy 3:16). Therefore, let the Scripture speak for itself, for it is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). It is the words of Scripture that are powerful and able to change the hearts and thoughts of men.

Give the student a road map as to what you will be covering in the lesson:

1. We will discuss revelation: both natural revelation and special revelation.

2. We will look at the Bible: general information, structure, content, and themes.

3. We will look at the Bible's claim of inspiration: being the very words of God.

2. Revelation

There are two categories of revelation: natural revelation and special revelation. Lead the students through a discussion on both, however, first discuss the definition of revelation.

A. Definition

Use your notes from the MacArthur message and lead the group in working out a definition of revelation and inspiration. Expand on the principle of God as the source of revelation, while inspiration is the process God used to give us the special revelation of the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16).

Revelation: The act of God whereby He discloses to man what would otherwise be unknown.

Inspiration: A process by which God, as the instigator, moved men by the Holy Spirit to write the words of God.

B. Natural Revelation

Natural revelation, also called general revelation, is God revealing Himself to man through creation and conscience.

* Through creation—Romans 1:18–20

* Through conscience—Romans 2:14–15

Review theses passages with your students and discuss the importance and limits of natural/general revelation. You can bring the students into the discussion by asking the following questions on Romans 1:18–20:

1. How has God revealed Himself to man? Answer: Through creation and through His law written within our hearts.

2. What does creation show us about God? Answer: We see His invisible attributes; His eternal power and divine nature.

Then ask the following discussion questions:

1. What is the purpose of natural/general revelation? Answer: To cause man to search for a fuller revelation of God.

2. How does natural/general revelation fall short of giving people enough information to lead directly to salvation? Answer: Natural revelation gives evidence that God exists, however, it does not reveal how man can be saved from his sinfulness and separation from God. This is why God has also provided special revelation.

C. Special Revelation

Special revelation is God revealing Himself to man through miracles and signs, dreams and visions, theophanies (appearances of God in tangible form), through the prophets and the greatest prophet Jesus Christ, and through the written words of God in the Bible.

Take time to look at Hebrews 1:1-2. Remind the class of the statement by Dr. MacArthur from the online message:

1. Types of special revelation

The class may find it helpful to review a few of the following Scripture passages for examples of God's special revelation outside of His revealed Word:

* Theophanies

** To Abraham—Genesis 17:1

** To Isaac—Genesis 26:2

** To Jacob—Genesis 32:30

** To Moses—Exodus 3:2-6

* Dreams and Visions

** Jacob's ladder—Genesis 28:12–16

** Daniel—Daniel 2:19, 28

* Miracles and Signs

** Flood—Genesis 7

** Burning bush—Exodus 3

** Plagues in Egypt—Exodus 7-13

** Parting of the Red Sea—Exodus 14

The sufficiency of special revelation

The special revelation of God, through His written Word, the Bible, goes beyond natural revelation. The Bible is sufficient to lead one to salvation but does not reveal everything about God to man.

* Use 2 Timothy 3:15–17 to show students that the Bible is sufficient for salvation, as well as equipping of the saints.

* Yet the Scriptures do not reveal everything to Christians. Some things are left in the mystery of God (Deuteronomy 29:29; Romans 11:33).

3. General information on the Bible

Briefly go over the following general information regarding the Bible, especially the section on the Old and New Covenants. This is a chance to present the gospel to those who may not understand the difference between works-based salvation and salvation based solely on the blood of Christ.

A. How did we get the Bible?

Have a student read 2 Peter 1:21.

Point: God spoke through men to write His words * Manuscripts

* Written over 1600 years: 1500 B.C. to A.D. 100

* 40 different authors

* 66 books (Old Testament 39; New Testament 27)

Note: No original manuscripts (i.e., autographs) exist today.

Languages:

* Old Testament written in Hebrew and Aramaic (Daniel 2-6 and Ezra 4-7 written in Aramaic)

* Septuagint—a Greek translation of the Old Testament written in 3 B.C. Called the "LXX" (roman numeral for 70) since it was the work of 70 Jewish elders

* New Testament written in Greek

B. Titles of the Bible

Briefly discuss the different references to the Bible.

* Bible—meaning book or scroll; became known as The Book

* Canon—Greek word means rule; came to mean the Scripture itself

* Scripture—John 7:38

* The Writings—2 Timothy 3:15

* The Word of God—1 Thessalonians 2:13

* The Law, Prophets, and Psalms—Luke 24:44

C. The Old Testament and the New Testament

The word "Testament" is derived from the Latin Testamentum meaning a will. The Greek word for "will" is suntheke, meaning an agreement or a covenant entered into by contracting parties.

* The Old Testament was based on the Old Covenant (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 28:1, 15). A covenant of obedience and blessing.

* The New Testament is based on the New Covenant.

** The New Covenant is better than the old (Hebrews 7:22; 8:6).

** The Old Covenant has passed away (Hebrews 8:13).

** The New Covenant is through Christ's blood (Luke 22:20).

** The New Covenant is not of the Law but of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:5-6).

D. The Apocrypha

It is important to discuss the apocryphal writings because they are included in the Catholic Bible and many FOF students have a Catholic background.

Note:Apocrypha means "hidden."

There are 14 books of the Apocrypha. We do not accept them as inspired of God because:

* They are never quoted in the New Testament. Also Christ never mentions them in His list in Luke 24:44.

* They lack the endorsement of the ancient Jewish writers.

* There are problems with content. For example the book of Tobit teaches that almsgiving can save you from death and the dark abode (Tobit 4:8-10; 12:9). Second Maccabees 12:43–46 states that one can make atonement for the dead. It is clear that these teachings are inconsistent with biblical teachings.

* They do not have prophetic power (this is a powerful mark of true Scripture).

E. Bible Translations

Be prepared to give the class a brief overview of the different Bible translations. Depending on the experience of your class, keep this fairly nontechnical. Often the best illustration of the differences between Bible translations is to choose a familiar passage like Psalm 23 or John 3:16 and have people with different translations read the verses. Are these translations saying something different or are they saying the same thing in a different way? Explain that the NASB translation, used in the FOF lessons, is an English translation ideally suited for a detailed study of the Bible.

Note: The last page of the lesson lists the various Bible versions and the date of each translation.

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Excerpted from Fundamentals of the Faith Teacher's Guide by John MacArthur, Dave Amandus. Copyright © 2009 Grace Community Church. Excerpted by permission of Moody Publishers.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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