Presbytopia New Members Class

Chapter 1 God’s Word to Man

OPEN IN PRAYER

Pray about how the Word of God is a gift to Man

Pray about the Majesty of God

And the awesomeness of the Trinity

And how the persons of the trinity love each other from all eternity but also reveals themselves throughout history in loving his elect.

We are going to cover today both Chapter 1 and Chapter 2

A good catechism question to examine and Ken Golden brings up in chapter one is WSC 2

The Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 2

Question 2

What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, (2 Tim. 3:16, Eph. 2:20) is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. (1 John 1:3–4)

One of the key texts of Scripture that help us develop or understanding of what Scripture is is 2 Timothy 3:16 which is also one of the proof Scriptures for this Catechism Question.

Which says

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”

I will be using the questions at the end of EACH CHAPTER this morning to guide our study becasue he covers the highlights of what you should have gleaned from each chapter.

So on page 14 we will begin with question 1

Questions

Q1. What is the difference between general and special revelation?

Answer pg.8

General Revelation - Is how God reveals himself to be known from the world around us according to two passages Ken points out to us.

Lets read them

can someone turn to Psalm 19:1 and someone turn to Romans 2:14-15

Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

Romans 2:14-15 “For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them”

So as we can see from the Scriptures God reveals himself to us through the World around us, So all men know there is a God.

But God doesn’t only communicate His existence through the natural world. In His perfect wisdom, He has also spoken in the natural world through

His supernatural word. This is called special revelation. And this form of revelation is found in only one place: the Bible.

Special Revelation - Is the 66 Books of the Bible.

These Books are divided into two parts.

What are they called?

The Old Testament - Christ’s concealed preparation for his arrival.

The New Testament - Christ is revealed ( His coming and its implications for God’s People.

Who can name the Basic divisions of the New Testament?

New Testament

A. Gospels/Acts: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts. These are narrative histories about the life of Jesus Christ and the early church.

B. Epistles: Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, 3 John, Jude. These are letters to churches that develop the teaching of Jesus and correct misconceptions.

C. Revelation: This book of image-based prophecy utilizes previous imagery from the Old and New Testaments in order to declare the victory of Christ over His opponents and bring all of Scripture to a close.

Who can name the Basic divisions of the Old Testament?

A. Pentateuch (‘five books’): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. These are a narrative history of God’s actions from the beginning to Israel’s wilderness wanderings. They include legal and ceremonial writings.

B. Historical Books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. These are narrative histories of God’s actions from the conquest of Canaan to Israel’s exile from the land.

C. Writings: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs. These are a collection of songs and wisdom literature that praise God and describe how to live in relationship with Him.

D. Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. These are promises, warnings, and predictions for God’s people.

So God communicates with men only in this way.

That is one thing it means to be a Presbyterian.

We don’t say too people God spoke to me in a dream last night.

And we only say to them that we have a Word from God if its contained din the Bible.

And God’s Word speaks to it.

This is the out working of Special Revelation in our lives.

Are their any questions or thoughts on this?

Which leads us to Question 2

Q2. Can General Revelation Contradict Special Revelation?

The example given was that of Joshua 10:13 “And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.”

Ken points out this is not at Odds with science.

But rather its from the perception of man. And it’s a miracle of God.

If God created the heavens and the earth and the Sun he can make the Sun stand still. (God is the creator of everything and can and does perform miracles.

We observe the sun rising and setting, when it’s really the earth that’s moving. Joshua 10:13 doesn’t conflict with Biblical inerrancy.

It describes a miracle, but it doesn’t explain the miracle with scientific precision.

God’s word isn’t just true, it’s also powerful.

Q3. What is Inspiration?

Inspiration means the Scripture is breathed-out by God (2 Tim. 3:16).

While it’s true that men wrote the Bible in different times and places, it’s also true that God supervised the project.

This means that God is the author, even though He used the gifts of many authors. According to the Apostle Peter,

Let’s Read 2 Peter 1:20-21

can someone turn to this passage.

2 Peter 1:20-21 “knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

So we see that the Spirit of God played a key role in the development of Scripture.

God will carried or helped these men to communicate the Word of God to us.

next in Question 4 we learn about what Inerrancy and Infallibility are.

Q4. What are inerrancy and infallibility?

But this raises another question:

Can an inspired book contain errors?

The answer, of course, is no. God’s inspired word is without error (inerrancy) and cannot be proven wrong (infallibility). Psalm 119:160 says, ‘The sum of your word is truth and every one of your righteous rules endures forever’.

Here ‘truth’ equals inerrancy while ‘enduring forever’ expresses infallibility.

This means that the Bible is never wrong and cannot be proven wrong.

That doesn’t mean our interpretations of the Bible aren’t ever wrong.

Which brings us to our example in Joshua 10:13 which we already reviewed which says that the ‘sun stood still’.

Q5 How is God’s word powerful? pgs. 11-12

God’s word isn’t just true, it’s also powerful. Genesis 1 shows how God spoke the heavens and the earth into existence.

If His word is capable of creating all things from nothing then it’s certainly powerful enough to change our lives. ‘For the word of God is living and active’, says the writer of Hebrews. ‘It’s sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart’ (Heb. 4:12). Here, we have a picture of God’s word separating what is inseparable. It probes us, exposes us, and changes us.

It never returns to God without accomplishing His purpose (Isa. 55:11 “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

Q6 Why is God’s word profitable?

So if Scripture is inspired by God, devoid of error, and powerful enough to change its hearers, then it is a profitable word.

Paul considers it profitable ‘for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete (or mature), equipped for every good work’ (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

If the Bible is that profitable then we should live our lives according to its teachings.

Q7 What are some standards that govern our lives? Which one judges them all? pg.12

Because of these qualities, the Bible is an authoritative standard. In fact it’s the ultimate standard by which all other standards are measured. What other standards govern our lives?

Finally, we are creatures of tradition. God gave us common situations and communities that influence our lives. This standard is expressed through cultural institutions, government, and religion.

Throughout the book we’ll be referring to the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF), Westminster Larger Catechism (WLC), and Westminster Shorter Catechism (WSC), doctrinal summaries of the Presbyterian tradition.

While these are legitimate standards, they are also fallible standards.

Our minds are limited to what we can understand, our senses to what we have discovered, and our traditions to what we have commonly shared.

They must be checked against the ultimate standard.

The Apostle John expressed this principle in his first epistle: ‘Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God’ (1 John 4:1).

Whether these ‘spirits’ are philosophical reflections, scientific theories, or religious doctrines, they need to be judged against the perfect standard of special revelation.

Q8 What is the canon of Scripture and why is it closed? Explain using Biblical texts. pg.13

The Completed Standard For this standard to be perfect, however, it needs to be complete. The Biblical collection (canon) is a closed collection. Neither ‘new revelations of the spirit’ (e.g., new prophecy) nor ‘traditions of men’ should be added to it (WCF 1.6).

The Bible alludes to its completion. With the language ‘do not add, do not subtract’, Deuteronomy 12:32

When Jesus reminded His disciples, ‘everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled’, He was describing the three completed parts of the Old Testament (Luke 24:44-45).

The New Testament also suggests the closing of the canon.

Here, it’s important to mention the role of the apostles. Jesus gave these ‘sent ones’ unique authority as His official representatives.

‘Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me’ (Matt. 10:40).

They in turn commanded future church leaders to guard what was entrusted to them (1 Tim. 6:20)

and transmit it to the next generation (2 Tim. 2:2).

These apostles and their associates, New Testament prophets, serve as the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20)

because the church is built on the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17).

With the passing of these official representatives, the revelation of God is complete.

Chapter 2 God Who he is

Q1 What are the attributes of God? pgs. 15-16

Q2 What does it mean for God to be infinite? Describe different aspects of this attribute. pg. 16

‘Infinite - in being and perfection’ means having no limits. ‘Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?’ (Job 11:7). This is a rhetorical question. The answer is ‘Of course you can’t!’

God isn’t limited by space (omnipresence).

‘“Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the Lord. “Do I not fill heaven and earth?”’ (Jer. 23:24).

Nor is God limited by time (eternality). Moses mused about this in Psalm 90:1-2: ‘Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.’

Infinity, however, goes beyond space and time. God is infinitely knowledgeable, infinitely truthful, and infinitely powerful. And we shouldn’t think that God simply has more knowledge, truthfulness, and power than we have. It’s not a matter of quantity, but quality.

He is infinitely greater than anything else in the universe.

He is the creator and we are mere creatures.

And the chasm between the two is wider than we could ever imagine.

Lets read up Isaiah 55:8-9

‘“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yourways and my thoughts than your thoughts”’ (Isa. 55:8-9).

Let’s Read Romans 11:33-34

The Apostle Paul put it another way: 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? (Rom. 11:33-34)

Q3 What does it mean for God to be incomprehensible? pg.17

The Confession calls this quality incomprehensible.

It means that God cannot be known exhaustively.

And what we can know He makes known through special revelation according to.

Deuteronomy 29:29 explains this important principle:

Let’s Read Deuteronomy 29:29 ‘The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.’

As creatures, we cannot know everything about God. Apart from His revelation, we cannot know anything about God. His revelation tells us what we need to know.

Q4 What does God’s sovereign dominion describe? Provide examples from nature aka (Creation) and history. pg. 17

If God is infinitely powerful, then He has ‘sovereign dominion’ or full control over all things.

Example from Nature or Creation

As we have seen in Genesis 1:1, God is sovereign in creation. He created all things ‘out of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good’ (WSC 9)

The Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 9

Question 9

What is the work of creation?

The work of creation is, God’ s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good. (Gen. 1, Heb. 11:3)

Example from History

God is also sovereign in providence, ‘the preserving and governing of all of his creatures and all of their actions’ (WSC 11).

The Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 11

Question 11

What are God’ s works of providence?

God’ s works of providence are, his most holy, (Ps. 145:17) wise, (Ps. 104:24, Isa. 28:29) and powerful preserving, (Heb. 1:3) and governing all his creatures, and all their actions. (Ps. 103:19, Matt. 10:29–31)

Example from Nature

He is in such control of nature that not even a sparrow will fall to ground apart from His will (Matt. 10:29).

Moreover, He incorporates the actions of men into His sovereign plan.

Example from History

When Joseph revealed his true identity to his brothers who had sold him into slavery, they were expecting the worst. Instead, he taught them something about God’s providence:

And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.

So it was not you who sent me here, but God. … You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good. (Gen. 45:7-8; 50:20)

Q5 What does it mean for God to be most holy? How does this attribute affect those who are not most holy? pg. 17

He is ‘most holy’ which means perfect and pure, set apart from all creation.

The prophet Isaiah was an eyewitness to the holiness of God.

He saw the Lord sitting on a throne, with heavenly attendants crying out, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!’ How did this prophet respond to such glory? ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’ (Isa. 6:3-5).

Isaiah recognized his lack of holiness when confronted by a God of infinite holiness.

Such an encounter spells doom for the lesser party!

Q6 What does it mean for God to be most righteous? What are His expectations for law-keeping? pgs. 17-18

God’s holiness is inseparable from His righteousness.

The confession declares Him to be ‘most just, and terrible in his judgments hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty’ (WCF 2.1).

Since God is infinitely righteous, He demands perfect obedience to His Law.

Here the scene shifts from temple to courtroom.

Psalm 50:6 states

‘The heavens declare his righteousness,’ writes Asaph, ‘for God himself is judge’ (Ps. 50:6).

And Psalm 97:2 says

‘Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne,’ warns another writer (Ps. 97:2).

Such a God shouldn’t be taken lightly. There is no room for disobedience to His commands. He must punish the guilty.

So his expectation for law keeping is you have to obey perfectly to be seen just before God.

And we know this is n ot true about ourselves

Original Sin

Q7 What does it mean for God to be most loving? What is the eternal expression of this attribute? pgs. 18-19

God is also ‘most loving’ – the greatest attribute communicated to man

Let’s Read (see 1 Cor. 13

1 Corinthians 13 ESV

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

. Indeed, God not only loves, but God is the very principle of love

(1 John 4:8 “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Q8 What is the Trinity? pg. 20

How can God embody love when love is relational?

How could He love before He created objects of love?

Well, there’s another attribute that shows God’s love from all eternity.

We call it the mystery of the Trinity – one God in three persons.

God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Spirit Love each person of the God head.

The Bible speaks of one God. Moses said, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one’ (Deut. 6:4)

while Jesus said, ‘I and the Father are one’ (John 10:30).

And this one God also reveals Himself in three persons.

After Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, the gospel writer Mark describes the interaction between the three persons of the Trinity in these words:

Mark 1:10-11 says

When he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased’ (Mark 1:10-11).

Some Common Errors about the Trinity which are still active today that Ken brings out in the chapter are

Wrong -Here, the participants aren’t three separate gods (tri-theism), for that would destroy their ‘oneness

Wrong - Nor are they three appearances of the same God (modalism), for that would destroy their unique personalities and make the story nonsensical.

Correct - Instead, we see three persons – who are all one God – interacting with each other. Just because we can’t fully wrap our minds around it doesn’t make it any less true.

Q9 How is the Son divine? What purpose does He serve? pg. 20

Lets read John 1:1

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

‘For in him the whole fullness of the deity dwells bodily’ (Col. 2:9).

‘He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature’ (Heb. 1:3).

Identifying Himself with God’s self-disclosure, ‘I am who I am’ (Exod. 3:14), J

Jesus made the following claims about Himself: ‘I am the bread of life’ (John 6:48),

‘I am the light of the world’ (John 8:12),

‘I am the resurrection and the life’ (John 11:25)

‘Before Abraham was, I am’ (John 8:58).

Ken points out that

The Apostle John, in particular, leaves us without any doubt about the divinity of Jesus in the Book of Revelation.

First he recorded, ‘“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty”’ (Rev. 1:8).

Then upon seeing ‘one like a son of man’ in a vision, he ‘fell at his feet as though dead’ (Rev. 1:13, 17a). T

his reminds us of Isaiah’s experience, the typical reaction to seeing God through impure eyes.

John’s vision, however, wasn’t finished: ‘But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades”’ (Rev. 1:17b-18).

Notice how the Son used the same language as the Lord God to describe Himself (e.g., ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’) with one exception: He also mentioned that He died.

God the Father never died, but His Son Jesus Christ died on the Cross and was raised from the dead.

What does this mean? I

It means that John encountered Jesus in his vision.

It means that Jesus is the Eternal One, even the Infinite One. He is God.

Why is this important? It matters a great deal in the plan of salvation, but for now it serves a specific purpose: the Son reveals the Father to His people.

We wouldn’t know God and His salvation if Jesus hadn’t come.

He said as much in John 14:6-7: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.

For centuries, people have desired to see God

The countless statues and images that fill our museums testify to this truth.

Jesus, however, had a different answer for His disciples: ‘If you want to see God, you’re looking right at him!’

Q10 How is the Spirit divine and a person? What purpose does He serve? pg. 21

He is called the Holy Spirit. Some groups consider Him nothing more than a force, but the Bible doesn’t support such an idea.

When the Apostle Peter confronted Ananias about his deception, he mentioned this specific person of the Trinity. He said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? … You have not lied to men but to God’ (Acts 5:3-4).

Notice that Peter specifically referred to the Spirit as God. Also notice that he considered the Spirit a person. Only a person can be lied to and only a person can be grieved (Eph. 4:30).

The Spirit is just as personal as the Father and the Son. But isn’t it enough to have the Father and the Son? Why do we need the Spirit? Again, this will be discussed in more detail, but for now

He serves a specific purpose: the Spirit reveals the Son to His people.

Jesus said, ‘But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me’ (John 15:26).

Paul reminded his readers that ‘no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit’ (1 Cor. 12:3).

The Trinity is essential in understanding who God is. The problem is that many Christians don’t know what to do with it.

Many regard it as intellectual dogma with few practical benefits.

As we will see, the Trinity isn’t some irrelevant doctrine to be acknowledged and then ignored.

Rather, it describes God’s love from all eternity, three persons working together for the good of God’s people, demonstrated in the gospel.

Close in Prayer

pray for the Pastor

Pray that the Spirit would make the Word effectual in the lives of his people in the Church

Pray that Covenant OPC would contiue to grow in the grace of God and Rest in the finished Work of Christ.