Christianity: More than a Relationship
The Bible: More than a Book
Evangelical Christianity is a religion of The Book.
From the Anchorage Baptist Temple web site:
We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired; that it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.
From the Change Point web site:
The Bible is inspired by God, error-free in the original manuscripts, and the supreme authority in life.
From Abbott Loop Community Church web site:
In the inspiration of all Scripture, each and every word; that the Old and New Testaments are the infallible word of God, inerrant in the original writings, and are the supreme authority for faith and life.
Consider the following:
Evangelicals are first and foremost people of the gospel. With Jesus at the Father‘s right hand and the Apostles gone to their reward, we evangelicals hold that our sure source for knowledge of the gospel is the Bible. The Bible is, in the well-known words of the catechism and confessional statement, ?the only infallible rule of faith and practice. In other words, what we believe (faith) and what we do (practice) comes from the Bible. http://jimhamilton.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/scripture-the-evangelical-view.pdf
In Exodus 24:7 we learn three important lessons:
1. People already understood that God communicates through written communication that people can understand.
2. The people recognized that what was being read had been spoken by God.
3. The people pledged to obey God’s word, which shows they knew it had binding authority.
In the Bible we have what may be called, “Textual Theology.” This is a text that clearly teaches a theology.
We also have what may be called, “Systematic Theology.” This is a combination of texts that clearly teach theology.
We also have what may be called, “A Biblical World-view.” This is a combination of all Biblical writing that generates a total view of the world.
The Bible shapes a world-view in at least ten areas of thought:
1. Theology (How we think about God)
2. Philosophy (How we think about ideas)
3. Ethics (How we think about right and wrong)
4. Biology (How we think about creation)
5. Psychology (How we think about the mind, will, and emotions)
6. Sociology (How we think about groups of people)
7. Law (How we think about what is or isn’t allowed)
8. Politics (How we think about governing ourselves)
9. Economics (How we think about resources)
10. History (How we think about what has come before)
The Word Hand, published by The Navigators, is very helpful.
Christianity is more than a relationship, it is obedience to and alignment with the Bible.
MCA LIFE Groups
Connecting with Each Other
1. Do you have any fun Fur Rendezvous plans?
2. When did you receive your first Bible? How did you receive it? Do you still have it?
Digging Deeper into the Weekend Talk
1. From your perspective, is the Bible under attack today? Why? How?
2. Our Christian faith considers the Bible as the only infallible rule of faith and practice. What other things are considered “rules of faith and practice” by people in our world of today?
3. Why is it difficult for people to receive the “binding authority of the Bible?”
4. Since the Bible is the most important resource for spiritual life with God, please consider each of the five words and Bible passages of The Word Hand.
5. Which word, of The Word Hand, do you commit to increase this year?
Prayer
1. Please pray for greater insight into God’s word and His ways.
2. Please pray for those in the MCA worship community who are facing major sickness, sadness, or separation.