GOAL #1

To bring the student to a deeper personal relationship with the One who is truth; the Lord Jesus Christ. This involves more that acquiring mental concepts, knowledge or a judicial understanding of what is right in God’s eyes. It is to achieve an experiential reality of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord and friend.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” (Jn.14:6)

There are two agents of truth; the Holy Spirit and God’s word (Jn. 14:15-27; 15:26; 16:13-15).

To become truth, the word must be more than simply knowledge in one’s mind. It must come alive in us. He who gave the scripture is the One who will also make it live within us (2 Tim. 3:15-17; Heb. 4:12; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

It is important to prayerfully study all scripture references given in the various topics being studied. One will not be properly equipped by the words of a teacher alone; God expects each of us to read His word and to search out truth.

There is no other foundation than the Lord Jesus Christ upon which one can build for eternity with God; there is no other name given under heaven by which one can be saved (Acts 4:11-12). He is the foundation stone that God has laid for our personal salvation (Is. 28:16).

All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him (Col. 2:2-3). Because they are hidden from our physical senses and rational minds, they must be sought (Mt. 6:33). The Holy Spirit reveals them to the humble and lowly in heart. A primary ministry of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, is to reveal, to honor, to glorify Jesus, and to take the things of Christ and disclose them to us.

Jesus is the center and supreme emphasis of all truth in the Bible. He must come to have the same importance in our life if we are to fulfill the call He has for each of us (Heb. 1:1-12).

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. (Proverbs 25:2)

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

God hides Himself so that if we desire to know Him, we must seek Him. The place to search is in His word.

The context of this study manual is built around numerous references to specific scriptures. Students will discover truth to the extent that they are willing to read and meditate on these verses.

QUESTIONS:
(1) Why is correct knowledge less than truth? (Ps. 51:6; 1 Cor. 8:1)
(2) How important is one’s heart attitude in receiving truth? (Mt. 6:22-23; Ps. 25:9; Mt. 5:6).

REFERENCES: Jn. 1:1-4, 14-18; 3:5-18.

PERSONAL NOTES:

GOAL #2

To instruct believers how to build their lives collectively on the foundation stone that God has laid for the church.

And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, you also as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house . . . . (1 Pet. 2:4-5)

. . . you are . . . of God’s household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is  growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. (Eph.2:19-22)

The purpose of God in the earth is centered on His church. The body of Christ is to present a united witness of the life, love and power of Christ to the world (Jn. 17:18-23). It is to be relevant to society as salt and light. It is a living organism under the leadership of Christ. A living organism can only have one head. The second goal in our study is to build and relate in the church so that we do not violate this truth.

The first century church was not an organization. It was a spiritual organism where members were united by the life-union (KOINONIA) that each member had with Christ (1 Jn. 1:1-3, 7; Acts 2:42-46).

The end of this church age will see the church again become a united expression of the body of Christ to the world.

In the presentation of material for various topics there will be a repetition of various truths and scriptures. This is intentional because of their great importance in the purpose of God.

QUESTIONS:
(1) Are we responsible for how we build as believers on God’s foundation? (1Cor.3:11-18)
(2) What do you believe is the greatest hindrance to building the church correctly?
(3) How is the church to be relevant in the world? (Mt. 5:13-16; Jn. 13:34-35; Jn. 17:21).

REFERENCES: Eph. 1:17-23; 2:13-16; 4:1-7; 5:26-27

PERSONAL NOTES:

CONTENTS
STUDY OBJECTIVES
THE CREATION OF MAN
THE ORIGIN AND ISSUE OF SIN
THE PROVISION OF GOD
THE PROCESS OF SALVATION
THE PURPOSE OF GOD
THE END OF THIS  AGE