#5 Knowing What You Believe

THE 4 Ds OF LIFE - DRAMA DOCTRINE DOXOLOGY DISCIPLESHIP

Romans 11:25–12:2 ESV

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

CRITICAL - KNOW WHAT WE BELIEVE AND WHY BELIEVE IT

EFFECTS EVERYTHING

OPERATE - FROM A WORLDVIEW —SYSTEM OF BELIEFS

THAT EFFECTS — EMOTIONS / AFFECTIONS & BEHAVIORS

BELIEF - ROOT & DETERMINER OF LIFE - ACTIONS / DECISIONS

OLD SAYING - WALK TALKS LOUDER THAN TALK TALKS

WHAT SAY BELIEVE — VERIFIED—OR NULLIFIED BY WHAT YOU DO

WHAT YOU —TRULY BELIEVE — REFLECTED —WHAT YOU DO

BELIEF — IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL OF LIFE

ARE THINGS WE BELIEVE & REASONS WE BELIEVE THEM

IMPACTS - OUR DAY TO DAY LIVES

TODAY —IDEA OF 4 D’S —SHAPE OUR WORLDVIEW & ACTIONS

4 REALITIES THAT — SHAPE WHAT WE BELIEVE & WHY WE BELIEVE IT

THOSE ARE - DRAMA - DOCTRINE -DOXOLOGY & DISCIPLESHIP

HORTON: “Every worldview follows something like these four Ds. Marxism and Democracy as well as Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, and Jewish cultures are each generated by a particular story about the world and become the lens through which people interpret and live out their lives. Such stories have moved armies. Stories are powerful. Where did we come from, who are we, and where are we going? Who can deny that these are the big questions that somehow we’ve been wired to ask? And the answers drive whole civilizations.”

FOR CHRISTIANS - THE TRUE STORY — GOD’S UNFOLDING DRAMA

HIS WORKS IN HISTORY

GENERATES - DOCTRINE—-THAT TRANSFORMS

OUR EXPERIENCE — AFFECTIONS / EMOTIONS -DOXOLOGY

AND EVERYDAY LIVES - BEHAVIORS - DISCIPLESHIP

FAITH / BELIEF - NOT SOME SUBJECTIVE LEAP—-BUT REASONED TRUST —IN

THE GOD — WHO HAS REVEALED HIMSELF —CLEARLY

CHRISTIANITY - NOT REST ON OUR FEELINGS

EXPERIENCES - MORAL SENTIMENTS

IT RESTS ON — UNFOLDING DRAMA - PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT —THAT GOD

HAS ACTED IN HISTORY — TO SAVE US FROM SIN & DEATH

AND THIS IS WHAT IS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE

NOR DOES IT REST IN BEHAVIOR ONLY

AS IF WE — JUST OBEY — SHERE WILL

THAT UNFOLDING DRAMA - HAS MEANING FOR US

WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND — THAT STORY

OUR PLACE IN THE STORY

AND RESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO THIS GOD WHO ACTS

WE MUST KNOW WHAT WE BELIEVE & WHY

IS IT ROOTED IN REALITY & TRUTH?

CHRISTIANITY CLAIMS / BIBLE CLAIMS - WE HAVE ULTIMATE TRUTH

REVEALED IN PAGES OF BIBLE - VERY REVELATION OF MAKER

WLC: SCRIPTURES PRINCIPALLY TEACH WHAT MAN IS TO BELIEVE ABOUT GOD, AND WHAT DUTY GOD REQUIRES OF MAN

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness

but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

SCRIPTURE REVEALS — THE DUTY OF MAN

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

NOTICE: IN WLC —— BELIEF IS BEFORE DUTY

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he….

BELIEF — IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL OF LIFE

ARE THINGS WE BELIEVE & REASONS WE BELIEVE THEM

IMPACTS - OUR DAY TO DAY LIVES

GOD ALMIGHTY — CREATOR — REVEALED HIMSELF & OUR MEANING & PURPOSE

PRIMARILY THROUGH HIS WRITTEN WORD

QUOTE PROF EVAN RUNNER: The word of God illumines and enlightens us; it sets our lives in the light of the truth. Scripture discloses the ultimate Horizon of our personal and communal lives; it makes us aware that life is religion (SYSTEM OF FAITH & BELIEF), that religion is not just one aspect or dimension of Our Lives… religion as presented in the scriptures is life in its entirety, and it's indivisible wholeness. It is not something we do or some specific human activity. It is rather the situation in which we are created, the situation that underlies and undergoes all we do. We live before the face of God. We were called into being by the life-giving word of God and are sustained in life from moment to Moment by that word. We are dependent creatures and not rational beings of autonomous freedom.

THE SITUATION IN WHICH WE WERE CREATED

WE LIVE BEFORE —OUR CREATOR

WHO HAS DEFINED TRUTH - AND MEANING

WHO - HAS REVEALED HIMSELF — AND OUR DUTY TO HIM

IT IS SILLY / NAIVE —UNBIBLICAL - TO SAY —DOCTRINE DOESN’T MATTER

JUST LOVE OTHERS - JUST BE THE CHURCH—JUST BE SINCERE

HARMFUL - FALASY — B/C — BIBLE REVEALS—DOCTRINE

MUST BE BELIEVED — OR ETERNALLY DEADLY

WITHOUT DOCTRINE — WE ARE LEFT TO OUR OWN DEVICES

PERSONAL FEELINGS & WHIMS & PREJUDICES

THANKFULLY GOD HAS NOT — LEFT US TO WHIMS & CONJECTURE

REVEALED - ALL WE NEED TO KNOW TO

KNOW HIM ACCURATELY & KNOW WHAT IS REQUIRED OF US

REST OF TIME - LOOKING AT — IDEA — 4DS — HOW WHAT WE BELIEVE IS SHAPED

HOW —BIBLICAL TRUTH SHAPES US

HOW KNOWING — FEELING —AND BEHAVING

ALL CONNECTED

#1 — DRAMA — UNFOLDING STORY / REALITY—GOD’S ACTIVITY & ACTION

CENTRAL TO CHRISTIANITY — IS THAT SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED

IN REAL TIME & SPACE - IN REAL DATABLE HISTORY

NOT JUST SPECULATION — BUT VERIFIABLE

HISTORICAL ACTS & ACTIVITY

IN THIS UNFOLDING - REVELATION / STORY —GOD IS REVEALING

WHO HE IS — WHAT HE IS LIKE

ONE REASON PEOPLE - HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING BIBLE

NOT BEEN SHOWN - HOW ALL ITS VARIOUS PARTS

FIT TOGETHER - UNFOLDING A DRAMA - BIG PICTURE

RUNS FROM CREATION - TO THE FALL - TO EXODUS — REDEMPTION

ALL WAY TO NEW CREATION

WITH THE CENTRAL CHARACTER - BEING JESUS CHRIST

HE TIES THE WHOLE PLOT TOGETHER

EVERY EVENT / STORY IN THE BIBLE—POINTS TO JESUS

AND HOW EVERYTHING — GOD HAS ORCHESTRATED

LEADS TO SALVATION IN HIM—

NOT US - NOT OUR WEALTH / HEALTH / PROSPERITY OR MORAL TRANSF

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,”

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

#2—DOCTRINE - FACTS

THIS UNFOLDING DRAMA — PRODUCES SPECIFIC DOCTRINES / TEACHING -FACTS

THROUGH THIS DRAMA — WE LEARN THINGS — GOD IS TEACHING US

WE LEARN NOT ONLY THAT GOD — ACTED — BUT THAT HE

LOVING / MERICFUL / FAITHFUL —SOVEREIGN

DRAMA TEACHES US DOCTRINE ABOUT GOD

ALSO TEACHES US - WHAT THE DRAMA /ACTIVITY OF GOD - MEANS FOR US

- WE HAVE RECEIVED MERCY - NOT EARNED IT

LIKE SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE —WATCHING DRAMA UNFOLD

SWEPT UP ON STAGE & INTO THE ACTION —-

EFFECTS OUR LIVES - MEANING FOR US

Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

ALL BASED ON UNFOLDING DRAMA - GOD ACTING IN HISTORY

NOT US ACTING OR DOING

SO GOD’S UNFOLDING DRAMA - ACTIVITY

TEACHES US FACTS——AND GIVES MEANING —TO WHAT GOD IS DOING

#3 — DOXOLOGY — “PRAISE”

DRAMA - PRODUCES - DOCTRINES - GIVE RISE TO DOXOLOGY

THE DRAMA & DOCTRINES —PRODUCE PROPER —RESPONSE

EMOTIONS / AFFECTIONS / PRAISE / THANKS /

THE DRAMA - EVENTS OF GOD IN HISTORY - CAN BE AMAZING

BUT APART FROM DOCTRINES - THAT CONNECT

UNTIL WE HAVE — DOCTRINE -

WHAT THOSE EVENTS ACTUALLY MEANS FOR EACH OF US

WE CANNOT RIGHTLY RESPOND

SAD - SOME - DON’T WANT DOCTRINE —JUST THE DOXOLOGY

JUST THE EMOTION & RESPONSE

DANGEROUS APPROACH — WITHOUT DOCTRINE -

HOW DO YOU KNOW RESPONDING APPROPRIATELY

ARE YOU REALLY RESPONDING TO GOD - AS HE REVEALS HIMSELF?

WHEN GOD - WRITES US INTO THE SCRIPT

BY TELLING US - WHAT HIS ACTIVITY MEANS FOR US

WE ARE OVERWHELMED - FILLED WITH GRATITUDE /PRAISE

LOVE — WHOLE RANGE OF EMOTIONS

THE DRAMA & THE DOCTRINE ARE TRUE

NO MATTER HOW WE RESPOND

BUT TRUE WORSHIP — THE DRAMA & THE DOCTRINE —

SHAPE —-DOXOLOGY — THE WORSHIP

EVERYTHING - THAT HAS HAPPENED OUTSIDE OF US

APART FROM US - IN SPIUTE OF US

NOW BECOMES OUR STORY

IT IS NOT JUST AN INTERESTING STORY — WITH GREAT EVENTS

AND INTERESTING DOCTRINES

WE HAVE BEEN SWEPT INTO THE STORY

IT GRABS OUR HEARTS—-LEADS TO DOXOLOGY / PRAISE

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

#4 - DISCIPLESHIP

THE DRAMA — GOD’S ACTIVITY IN HISTORY

REVEALS DOCTRINE - WHAT GOD’S ACTIVITY MEANS FOR US

SWEPT INTO THE STORY - NOT MAKING OUR OWN STORY

GIVES RISE TO—PROPER AFFECTION/EMOTION — DOXOLOGY / PRAISE

WHICH YIELDS —THE FRUIT OF LOVE & GOOD WORKS

IOW - DISCIPLESHIP —-ACTS OF LOVE & SACRIFICE & RISK

BECAUSE OF GOD’S WORK - DRAMA —-AND

WHAT THAT WORK TEACHES US - DOCTRINE

WE —EXPERIENCE GOD - EFFECTS US GRATITUDE & PRAISE -DOX

AND —HEARTS ARE TURNED —OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES

LOOKING TO GOD IN FAITH & LOVE

AND TO OUR NEIGHBOR IN LOVE & GOOD WORKS

THAT IS DISCIPLESHIP — OBEYING ALL THINGS CHRIST COMMANDED

WHAT HAS HAPPENED? WE ARE NO LONGER CENTRL CHARACTER

IN OUR OWN LIFE MOVIE

WE HAVE BEEN SWEPT INTO —-REALITY - GOD’S STORY

HE HAS ACTED IN HISTORY —-IN CREATION - EXODUS - REDEMPTION

WE HAVE BEEN RESCUED -AND UNITED TO CHRIST

BURIED WITH HIM — AND RAISED WITH HIM -WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE

OUR - LIFELESS - MISERABLE CHARACTER - IS KILLED OFF

LIVING IN GOD’S UNFOLDING DRAMA— INFORMED BY DOCTRINE

GIVES EXPERIENCE OF DOXOLOGY

WE LIVE OUT — THE PART GOD HAS GIVEN US

IN EVERYDAY LIFE—WHERE GOD HAS PLACED US

GOOD WORKS PREPARED - B4 FOUND OF WORLD

CLOSE: DRAMA / DOCTRINE / DOXOLOGY / DISCIPLESHIP

THE 4D’S - REALITY OF LIFE

THE DRAMA - GIVES BIRTH TO DOCTRINE - GIVES RISE TO DOXOLOGY - BRINGS FORTH DISCIPLESHIP

DRAMA & DOCTRINE — ARE THE GOSPEL — GOD’S WORK IN THE WORLD

DOXOLOGY & DISCIPLESHIP — PROPER RESPONSE

SUCH AMAZING NEWS

GOD’ IS THE TRUE DRAMA - NO ONE CAN THWART

TRUE DOCTRINE - TELLS US THE MANING OF OUR LIVES

TRUE DOXOLOGY —RIGHT RESPONSE

TRUE DISCIPLESHIP — LIVING OUT PURPOSE CREATED

THIS IS GOD’S PATTERN - WHY UNDERSTANDING THEOLOGY MATTERS

WHY KNOWING WHAT YOU BELIEVE AND WHY YOU BELIEVE IT MATTERS

YOU ARE BEING SHAPED BY A STORY

THAT STORY IS TEACHING YOU DOCTRINES

THAT WILL EFFECT YOUR HEART

THAT IN TURN WILL —DETERMINE HOW YOU LIVE

PRAY!