I remember a tense chat I had with my youngest daughter, who at about five years old became angry over some comment I made during dinner. She stalked off, planting herself on the couch with an ugly scowl. I walked over and began to speak to her softly, apologizing for the offense I’d caused, but … Continue reading –>
Even the most cursory reading of the Bible reveals that God is actively involved in humanity and in what happens here on earth. He is not distant, detached, removed, as some ancient Greek concepts of God taught, or even as some Christian theologians try to depict Him. Though radically different from what He created, the … Continue reading –>
All serious-minded people experience, at some point in their lives, something like the following: After a nice social event—perhaps a dinner with guests—a discussion begins. The sad state of the world and current events provide common ground at first. Before long, someone begins to speak more—much more—than anyone else. The one-time social visit turns into … Continue reading –>
The Bible reveals to us truths about God that we aren’t going to find anywhere else. Among those truths is that He is the Creator. In fact, that’s the first thing the Bible tells us about God, that He created “the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). One of the many fascinating things about this text … Continue reading –>
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 True confession time – I don’t know how to study. I know how to look stuff up and to read things … but I just don’t get the whole concept of … Continue reading –>
I began collecting baseball cards when I was 11, and Topps was the only baseball card company. Soon after that, Donrus and Fleer joined the baseball card-making industry. In order to compete with the unwelcome newbies in the market, Topps started printing on their baseball card packages, “The Real Ones!” Even at 11, I knew … Continue reading –>
Key Thought : The key source to the revelation of God is found in the Bible written by men under His inspiration.. [Teaching plan for “Revelation, and the God Revealed in It” October 8, 2012] 1. Have a volunteer read 2 Timothy 3:16,17. A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the … Continue reading –>
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Gen. 1:26). Understanding how inspiration works, however important, is only a means to an end, and that end is to know God. A deep understanding of how the Bible was written, or even a deep understanding of the truths revealed in it, mean … Continue reading –>
“It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that were inspired. Inspiration acts not on the man’s words or his expressions but on the man himself, who, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, is imbued with thoughts. But the words receive the impress of the individual mind. The … Continue reading –>
Read 2 Peter 1:19-21. What do these verses tell us about how the New Testament authors regarded the Scriptures? Peter affirms that the prophecies of the Old Testament were not of human origin. His argument is that the prophets spokebecause they were “moved by the Spirit of God.” The expression “moved by the Spirit of God” means … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Pet. 1:19-21; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19;Heb. 11:6; Exod. 3:1-14. Memory Text: “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also … Continue reading –>
Read Frank B. Holbrook, “The Great Controversy,” pp. 969-1008 in Raoul Dederen (ed.), Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology. “The Bible is its own expositor. Scripture is to be compared with scripture. The student should learn to view the word as a whole, and to see the relation of its parts. He should gain a knowledge of … Continue reading –>
