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R e a l i t y Q u e s t

Teacher Edition Volume 1

CD-ROM included

The Doctrines of God, the Bible, Man, Sin, Salvation and Christ

Teacher EditionVolume One

Authors

Sharon R. Berry, Ph.D.Ollie E. Gibbs, Ed.D.

QuestREALITY

Published byLifeWay Christian School Resources

Nashville, Tennessee

Created and Developed by Christian Academic Publications and Services, Inc.

Birmingham, Alabama

ISBN: 1-4158-3484-9Item Number: 005035296Dewey Decimal Classification: 248.82Subject Heading: TEENAGERS / CHRISTIAN LIFE--TEXTS / BIBLE--TEXTS / DOCTRINE

No portion of this book may be reproduced for any purpose, other than teaching this course, with-out the written permission of the publisher, except for brief excerpts in reviews, etc.

RealityQuest, Volume One: Teacher Edition, Revised

© 2002, Revision 2007, Christian Academic Publications and Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Printed in the United States of America.

For ordering or inquiries visit www.lifeway.com, or write LifeWay Church Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113.

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RealityQuestTable of Contents

The Doctrine of GodWeek 1: How Do We Sense That There Is a God? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Week 2: How Has God Revealed Himself? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Week 3: What Kind of God Is He? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

The Doctrine of the BibleWeek 4: A Written Record Was Needed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97Week 5: The Authority of God’s Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141Week 6: The Perfection of God’s Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

The Doctrines of Man and SinWeek 7: Mankind—Created in God’s Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195Week 8: Mankind—His Sin and Fall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231Week 9: Overcoming the Sin Nature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267

The Doctrine of SalvationWeek 10: Mankind’s Need of Salvation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297Week 11: The Meaning of Salvation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323Week 12: Amazing Forgiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357

The Doctrine of ChristWeek 13: Christ: His Pre-Existence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383Week 14: Christ: His Incarnation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429Week 15: Christ: His Miracles and Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463Week 16: Christ: His Death and Resurrection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503Week 17: Christ: His Present and Future Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537

Week 18: Review of Truths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571

Scripture References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 609

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Scripture quotations not otherwise marked arefrom the New King James Version.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are fromThe Holy Bible, King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are fromThe Holy Bible, New International Version.

Copyright © 1978 by New York International Bible Society.Used by permission of the Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are fromThe New American Standard Bible.

Copyright © The Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963,1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995.

Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (TLB) are fromThe Living Bible

Copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Publishers.Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (HCSB) are fromThe Holman Christian Standard Bible

Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 Holman BiblePublishers, Nashville, Tennessee. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are fromThe Holy Bible, English Standard Version™

Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a divisionof Good News Publishers.

Used by permission. All rights reserved.

RealityQuestCourse DescriptionRealityQuest is a Bible study course for senior high students, generally in eleventh and twelfth grades, located in Christian schools, home schools or in other settings where the Bible is studied daily. RealityQuest is the continuation of the QUEST Bible series, which contains the following year-long courses:

WisdomQuest — A development of personal Bible study skills focused on the best known and most loved portions of Scripture

DecisionQuest — An integration of Biblical truths presented at the middle-school level which translates into good personal decision making

CharacterQuest — A Biblical perspective on building personal habits of integrity, truthfulness, hard work, kindness, virtue, etc., that build godly attitudes and character

SurvivalQuest — An in-depth study of 34 Biblical characters in order to learn principles for facing life’s challenges

LifeQuest — A thorough chronology of the life of Christ beginning with eternity past and ending with eternity future with its natural application to developing spiritual maturity

FaithQuest — A comprehensive overview of the whole Bible and its unifying theme, God’s Plan of Redemption, which confronts students with the need for faith

RealityQuest — A traditional approach to doctrine synthesized to the upper high school level and combined with creative challenges toward personal application

FutureQuest — A hard look at the integration of faith and knowledge as students look toward future life decisions including engaging the culture, career selection, marriage and family, life-styles, etc.

RealityQuest consists of two one-semester extensive teacher resource editions and one student edi-tion that combines material for both semesters. The focus of this course is the basic doctrines of the Bible carefully crafted into age-appropriate lessons with strong emphasis on the application of truths to daily lives. The lessons are arranged in combinations of three- and five-week units that focus on a doctrinal topic. A review lesson occurs every nine weeks so that the students are con-tinuously rehearsing the core doctrinal information for the course.

The context for each unit is a young adult seeking to explore the truth, either as an assigned topic or a subject of personal interest. Research sites range from a desolate island to the Library of Congress. The lessons then succinctly focus on essential truths of the doctrine being studied so that students have a ready reference for both their studies in school and their lives in the future.

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Combined with its companion courses in the series, this study assures teachers and parents of the finest instructional programs available for teens. The courses meet your goals of establishing Christlike character as students pursue the quest for truth in their own lives.

The first semester of study focuses on the doctrines of God, the Bible, man, sin, salvation and Christ. The second semester presents the doctrines of the Holy Spirit, Christian life, the church, angels, Satan, future events, hell and Heaven. While these studies reflect a traditional approach to doctrine, great effort has been expended to creatively present the truths at high-school level and to apply truths to real-life challenges faced by teens.

Each semester has its own teacher resource manual. The student worktext contains all 36 weeks and consists of approximately 370 pages of written text and activities entitled QuestNotes. Side notes present quotes, summaries or items of geographical or historical significance. Each week stu-dents have opportunities to summarize the truths they are learning.

Each teacher resource manual provides approximately 600 pages of material that includes:

• precise goals and objectives• extensive background and resource information• devotional challenges for teachers• suggestions for memory work• step-by-step instructions for each day• lecture notes and discussion notes for questions• transparency masters for instructions, charts, games, challenges, bulletin boards, student

activities, assignments, playlets, chapel programs, service projects, etc.• answer keys• evaluation suggestions and ideas for testing• definitions and reference helps, as needed

The course is generally designed to provide four days of instruction which build on one another. The fifth day of optional instruction extends, enriches and applies the lesson. Therefore, the mate-rials are sufficiently flexible to easily fit a school’s schedule. Teachers have the option to include or exclude material to best meet their schedules and the needs of students. Following is a description of the various components of a lesson within the teacher’s resource manual.

A clear statement of the week’s objective helps teachers organize their preparation toward a central unifying theme.

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A central Scripture provides support to the unifying themefor the week. This passage is the suggested memory passage.

Key words are listed in alphabetical order. These are terms that appear in each lesson and may be familiar to students. They are defined in contemporary language on masters in the Teacher Edition. Teachers have the option to incorporate them into vocabu-lary studies and to include them as a component of assessment.

Each week a devotional is written for teachers, knowing that they must be a living example to students of the words and works of God. The devotionals are meant to assist teachers in preparing their own heart before presenting the week’s lessons to students.

The week’s outline is succinctly listed and provides a focus for each day of instruction.

Suggestions are made for bulletin boards which teachers and/ or students can easily assemble.

Special notes to teachers alert them to the need for advance prepara-tion, caution in approaching a topic, or advice on other concerns which may appear in the lesson.

Each daily lesson is headed with a marker of the week and day.

A daily lesson objective appears which helps a teacher further refine the theme for the day.

Dateline:

The lesson plans for each day are clearly listed in a step-by-step progression. One feature of the QUEST series is the expansive array of teaching methodologies so that one day is seldom similar to another day of instruction. Each day has a creative plan to engage students with the Word of God and the topic being studied. This design assures that students experience joy and challenge in studying the Bible regardless of their backgrounds or learning styles.

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Extensive helps are provided for teachers as they implement the instructional program. These include:

• clear, specific instructions for each activity• numerous masters for transparencies or other media presentation of lessons• diagrams and charts• quotations• Scripture references that correlate to the discussions• suggested answers to questions• answer keys for assignments• outlines and detailed information for lectures or other presentations• suggested questions that elicit discussion and lead students to personal application• likely answers from students as they respond to questions or participate in brainstorming

sessions• instructions for making assignments and managing classroom activities• numerous masters to be duplicated for students to use in preparing or presenting lessons• numerous masters to be duplicated for classroom posters, games and other student activities• scenarios for personal application of principles• classroom or chapel presentations• enrichment and review activities• suggestions for evaluation• Ideas for Testing that appear every three weeks

Teaching HelpsFollowing the five days of instruction, the related masters for transparencies and student activi-ties appear each week. The use of each master and QuestNote is indicated by bold print on its related day of instruction. The numbering system is standard throughout the series. For example, QuestNote 9.2 is the second activity in the student text during Week 9. Master 13.4.5 relates to Week 13, Day 4 and is the fifth master suggested in that lesson. If masters become separated from the teacher manual, it is simple to refile them.

As teachers prepare materials, transparencies of masters can be made then filed with the masters in the teacher manual. While the course can be successfully implemented without an overhead pro-jector, this is the easiest method if one is available. Teachers are encouraged to add color highlights using transparent tape, markers and stickers in order to increase the visual appeal of the teach-ing materials. They may also want to consider colored transparencies and decorative paper for duplicating masters. With newer computer technology available, the transparency masters can be scanned and colorized for multimedia presentation.

As a reminder to teachers, an assignment note appears to teachers when students are to prepare for a subsequent class.

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Bible Translation and ResourcesThe Bible text used throughout the QUEST series is the New King James Version published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee. However, all student activities can be successfully imple-mented using any standard version of the Bible since most activities are not tied to the specific wording of any text. It will be helpful to students to have various translations and other Bible study resources in the class. These should include concordances, dictionaries, atlases, parallel edi-tions, topical listings of Scripture, indexes, harmonies of the gospels and doctrinal reference books. If computers are available, many of these resources can be obtained in CD format or from the Internet.

Revised editions of the QUEST Bible series provide a companion CD-ROM. Where key Bible texts are used as part of masters and QuestNotes, the same materials are provided in various Bible translations. They are PDF files that can be printed and copied as constructed. Note that in many chapters, the masters and QuestNotes provided in the books cover all the various translations. The Bible versions included are:

• New International Version• King James Version• New American Standard Bible• Holman Christian Standard Bible• English Standard Version• New King James Version

FlexibilityBy design, the materials provided are more than a teacher can reasonably use each week. However, to maintain high student interest, each volume should be covered in a semester rather than extended to extra days or a second semester. Much of the material is provided to assist teachers in answering various questions that can arise in class. A teacher can select, add to and modify avail-able materials to meet the needs of his or her students.

Some influencing factors that prevent any curricula from being implemented cookbook style are the differences in students from year to year, their maturity, their level of Bible knowledge, their independence, their ability to maintain self-control, their ability to work in groups without losing focus, their levels of personal responsibility, their motivation and personal goals related to Bible study. Therefore, the materials are meant to facilitate a teacher’s task in designing a challenging, engaging course for a variety of learners. The materials cannot usurp or replace this fundamental responsibility of the teacher.

Based on the premise that the teacher controls the development of the instructional program, several options are provided throughout the program. For example, the teacher may select other memory passages and can use the fifth day for evaluation, extension of previous days, extra instruc-tion or enrichment. In assessing student progress, teachers are given Ideas for Testing after each unit, along with numerous suggestions for evaluation. However, it is the teacher’s responsibility to devise a specific test that reflects the emphases of instruction with each particular class.

A unique feature of the course is the encouragement for students to write their own doctrinal sum-mary at the end of each unit. A second unique feature is the provision each ninth week for review and accumulation of truths being studied.

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Suggestions for successful implementation of the course1. Have available the necessary materials for the course. Each student should have a Bible, a Student Edition and a notebook dedicated to the course. The version of the Bible used can be decided by the school or teacher. Each teacher needs a Teacher Edition and a Student Edition for reference purposes. Optimally, the teacher should have an overhead projector and ability to make transparencies, although the course can be implemented in other ways. Class materials should include various Bible translations, Bible dictionaries, dictionaries, concordances and other standard Bible course references.

2. The teacher should be thoroughly familiar with all of the materials. Survey the entire course and tentatively plan the semester in relation to your school calendar. Project ahead three to four weeks for those items that will need special materials or coordination. Plan more specifically for the week ahead. Make all transparencies, gather materials, reconfirm any special guests, etc., to ensure that everything is in order to teach the course successfully.

3. As you plan the semester, contact any guest speakers or visitors far in advance.

4. Collect items from newspapers, magazines, etc., which make the material more contemporary to the daily lives of students. Maintain files of related materials such as quotes, stories, research results and news items.

5. Consider having a parents’ meeting to explain the purposes and directions of the course. Enlist their prayer support and encouragement of students. Explain the occasional assignments that involve their participation and answer their questions regarding confidentiality and your support of them as the primary influencer of their son or daughter’s life. Make the course a school and parent partnership in the development of life skills and spiritual maturity.

6. Develop your own evaluation materials for the course by selecting, adding to or modifying items in the Ideas for Testing. Be familiar with the grading rubric for essays suggested in Weeks 3 and 21. Determine beforehand how you want to include doctrinal summaries as part of the assess-ment process.

7. Keep your own heart fresh with the Word of God; enjoy the course with your students.

SummaryThe entire QUEST series is unique among Bible courses available to students. Fundamentally, they are designed to personally engage and challenge students with the Word of God. Second, they are designed to assist teachers by providing creative ideas and resources needed for successfully teaching God’s Word. Dr. Dwight L. Moody was once asked how he could defend teaching the Bible. His response was, “Sir, the Bible needs no defense. Like a lion, it needs only to be let out of its cage.” His words summarize the intent of this course—to lay open God’s Word and allow it to produce its own effect in the lives of students.

The Authors’ PrayerThe authors of RealityQuest have one single desire for your students: that they may know the words and works of God. Gaining a true understanding of the nature of God and His eternal plan will lead students to that wonderful sense of awe of His magnificent character. In turn, students can be transformed from within as they cooperate with the Holy Spirit, whose job it is to conform believ-ers to the image of Jesus Christ. To this end the course is dedicated.

We understand the challenge of engaging high school students in a consistent, daily interaction with God’s Word. We hold great admiration for the task you are called to do. You have the wonderful opportunity to interact with the only two things on earth that have eternal value: God’s Word and the souls of people. May you be encouraged and blessed as you fulfill God’s calling for your life.

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The students will consider the logical argu-ments used to support the existence of God. They will conclude that although many truths can be observed through these sources, they are insufficient. Thus, we are dependent on Scripture for the full revelation of Truth.

For since the creation of the world His invis-ible attributes are clearly seen, being under-stood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:20 and 25)

anthropology, cosmology, doctrine, ontology, teleology, theology

People tend to “seek God” when they become acutely aware of their inadequacies. They are either fearful of the unknown or realize they are powerless over the circumstances around them. They look outside of themselves for comfort and answers.

For example, in virtually every culture you will find altars. Altars are sites of ritual commu-nication with the supernatural. They indicate that there is a boundary between Heaven and earth, the living and the dead, the ordi-nary and the supernatural world of the spirit. Some are elevated, while others are at ground level. Some are simple, while others are elab-orate. However, they all have one thing in common. The altars focus the worshipers in their consideration of someone or something greater than themselves.

The terms for altar used by two different African tribes probably sums it up best. The Yoruba term for altar means “face of the gods.” The Kongo concept of an altar is a “crossroads” or border between worlds.

As you begin this new year of teaching, you are likely reminded that, in and of yourself, it would be impossible to convey God’s Word in a way that changes the lives of students. Now

RealityQuest\Doctrine of God\Week 1

How Do We Sense ThatThere Is a God?

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is the time to establish your own altar of dedi-cation to faithfully teach the Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15) and to faithfully live out its principles as a model for your students.

How Do We Sense That There Is a God?

A. Sensing the Presence of GodB. Cosmological and Teleological ArgumentsC. Ontological and Anthropological ArgumentsD. Full Knowledge Is Dependent upon God’s Revelation

Several quotes regarding the existence of God can be found on masters related to this lesson. Mount a copy of each on a color-ful background and place them on a bulletin board featuring a motif of a deserted island. You may want to use the caption “That I May Know Him.” Master 1.5.2 provides the key verses of Romans 1:20 and 25. It can be cop-ied and also posted on the board.



The students will grapple with how a sense of God-consciousness develops.

1 Welcome the students to a new year of

Bible classes and excitedly announce your own enthusiasm for the subject to be studied while displaying a transparency of Master 1.1.1.

When students don’t seem enthusiastic, respond in a more honest manner that you are aware that these topics don’t immediately stir the passions of most people. In fact, most people would respond that the subject seems too heavy, confusing, out of touch with reality or just plain boring. While you can’t prom-ise an MTV production, assure them that the course has been designed specifically for students their age as they focus on essential truths related to God’s nature and how that can make a practical difference in their daily experience.

2 For today, ask students to sit back,

relax and let their mind imagine the scenes described below.

1) You are each living alone on a deserted island. (Perhaps the students saw the film Castaway, watched television shows of the same genre, or read similar stories with a theme of being marooned in an isolated set-ting.)

2) At first, things are idyllic. The weather is mild and natural vegetation provides suf-ficient food. You’ve built shelter and settled into a routine of daily life that is governed by the forces of nature—the rising and set-ting of the sun, high and low tides that bring opportunities for catching fish and crabs, rain showers that cool the heat and cause plants to grow.

3) At night you contemplate the move-ment of the stars and the changing configura-tion of the moon. After a while you notice the inherent rhythm and predictability about the things you see—almost like a cosmic calendar that marks time into days, nights, months, seasons and years.

4) You note the orderliness of animal and plant life around you—inborn patterns of growth, reproduction, usefulness and death.

5) You observe and enjoy the array of colors in the flowers, birds and the expansive sunsets. The chirping of birds, the breezes through the tree boughs and rush of water resonate to produce music deep in your soul. You are profoundly affected by your thoughts related to the possible intelligence and power behind what you are experiencing.

3 Call the class to attention. Display and discuss transparencies of Masters 1.1.2 through 1.1.5, noting that throughout all gen-erations nature has provided a powerful wit-ness to the intelligence and force beyond our own world that must be responsible for the existence of all things.

Dateline: Week 1 — Day 1

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4 Reveal only the top question on a trans-

parency of Master 1.1.6. Let students grapple with the question and the fact that all deep, profound thinking must begin with the con-sideration of how and why things (including humans) exist. The other questions can be revealed as part of the discussion. Conclude with a transparency or quote of Master 1.1.7.

5 Explain that students have just gone through a brief experience of the challenge all people face when they want to consider important questions of life. This is uniquely a human ability, and students are challenged to personally engage in the process. Rather than . . . • just reacting without thought to whatever

ideas or feelings they have at the moment, or

• just accepting something because that’s

what their friends, family members or preachers say,

. . . they should really think through the issues for themselves so that they might have reasonable answers and considered responses, both for their own personal benefit and for the ability to answer questions when chal-lenged by others.

Taking the time to seriously think through personal beliefs and values leads to the for-mation of a worldview from which all of life flows. Nothing could be more valuable for students this year than to purposefully relate Bible truths to their formation of worldview.

6 Remind students that it is much more

popular in our culture to focus on feelings and actions. Thinking in a systematic, conscien-tious way is hard work. Yet, that is exactly what this course is all about as we go on a quest for truth. The course title, RealityQuest, reminds us that true reality is God, His cre-ation and His provision through Christ for us to have an eternal relationship with Him. Display a transparency of Master 1.1.8 as you explain the word “doctrine.”

7 Explain that over the course of the year, we will study truths about God, the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, sin, salvation, the church, angels, Satan and other beings, and finally, the last days, hell and Heaven. In each case, we will have a variety of new vocab-ulary words and Scripture references related to the topic.

More than just memorization of informa-tion, we are concerned about understanding the issues and formulating truths into concise statements. We are also concerned about the personal application of the truths that we learn. We expect students to learn a lot but trust that they will enjoy the challenge as the course unfolds. Close the day with the chal-lenge toward their conscientious study using a transparency of Master 1.1.9.

Review the memory verses you want students to learn for the week. If, for some reason, you do not want to use the QuestVerse/ verses suggested, you can choose any listed through-out the week.


The students will consider cosmological and teleological arguments for the existence of God.

Review briefly the discussions from yes-terday, ending with the question from Francis Schaeffer and the comment from Chuck Colson related to the issue of existence.

2 Place the word “cosmology” (Master

1.2.1) before students and ask if they can think of any related words (cosmos = the world; microcosm = a tiny life system; cosmetic = makeup for improving appearance; cosmetologist = a beautician or hairdresser; cosmopolitan = a sys-tem of elite city life). Ask what the words have in common. (order and beauty) The suffix “ology” means the “study of.” Cosmology describes the study of the creation (order and beauty) of our world—our topic from yester-day.

3 Ask students to close their eyes and again consider the scene they created in their mind of being isolated on an island with its natural order and exquisite beauty. Continue with the following descriptions.

1) You are awestruck one day sitting on the beach just after an afternoon shower. Above you an arc of beautiful colors forms a complete rainbow across the ocean’s horizon. As it fades, you notice a small, dark shape

bobbing at the water’s edge. Lazily you walk down to find a sealed but empty bottle with a rather expensive watch bound around it. Although it’s of little use to you, it still works and you think about where it might have come from. Perhaps it fell overboard from a yacht and drifted across the sea to land on the shore at your feet. You can envision whole scenes about its possible background—its manufacture, its purchase, its loss.

2) Before long you realize that, just like the watch, everything you see must also have some kind of background. Who made the sun, moon and stars? Who caused the plants to grow and bear fruit? What can you conclude about the Being (Person, Force, Intelligence) responsible for the vast array of creation that you see?

4 After a few minutes of quiet time,

write across the board: What kind of Being could be behind everything that you observe in nature? Pass out three pieces of chalk and indicate that students should write one- to three-word descriptive phrases then pass the chalk to other students. Indicate that phrases should not be repeated, but if they agree strongly with one that is already on the board, students can place a tally mark by it. Continue until everyone has had at least one turn and the list seems exhausted.

Likely some of the descriptors will include the following: • awesome • powerful/ mighty • ordered/ systematic/ mathematical/

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RealityQuest\Doctrine of God\Week 1 5

• in control • constant/ predictable • super intelligent • creative • enjoys beauty and music • caring (in that He provides for the needs of creatures) • practical • beyond anyone we know in this world • • •

5 Place the words “cause and effect” before the class and explain how students automatically assumed that the watch had a maker—the effect, or product (the watch), had a cause (maker). It was not somehow assembled by natural phenomena such as a tornado sweeping through a metal shop. Additionally, the bottle with the watch did not magically appear but you could imagine possible circumstances that brought it to your attention.

However, your thinking was controlled by previous experience. Had you been lost as a young child, your thoughts would be limited and you might assume the event to be super-natural. In any case, we, as humans, inher-ently understand that what we see (the effect) must have a cause. The same thinking is true in the argument of cosmology. Every effect (result or product) must have a cause (reason or producer). Therefore, everything we see in nature must have a cause, and the ultimate cause is God Himself. Remind students that an effect reflects the nature of its ultimate cause. The thing created is always less than its creator. For example, a computer game is a reflection of the ability of its designer but is not a reproduction of all

his or her experiences or skills. Therefore, we instinctively understand that God, as the force of the creation, is of greater power and intel-ligence than we are as humans.

6 Explain that the students have also

gone through a second exercise experienced by all people (regardless of their time in his-tory or geographic location on the face of the earth) who think about serious issues of life. Based on the creative handiwork observed, they have made judgments about the nature of the Person who made it. Point to the list stu-dents made on the board and let several share their reasons for their conclusions. Obviously we can know some of the characteristics of God based on the study of nature. These are the arguments of cosmology—conclusions based on the nature of the created world.

7 Refer students to the watch they found washed upon the beach of their island. Their experience tells them that it is a time device. But suppose they had never seen a watch previously—would they be able to deduce its purpose? How might they go about the pro-cess? What might give them clues? (relation to the sun, cycles of sleep or hunger, etc.) Place the word “teleology” (Master 1.2.2) before the class and ask students to deduce its meaning. (“ology” = study of; “teleo” = the distant end, the purpose, the conclusion—e.g., telescope, telephone, etc.) This is the argument for the purpose of the design. Everything created has an intel-ligent, purposeful design.

Many scientists today accept the concept of intelligent design even though they might not accept God as described in the Bible. Things did not simply happen by chance. For exam-ple, think of the 26 letters of the alphabet and how they are combined in repetitious, predict-


able ways into words that convey meaning through writing. They cannot be combined randomly to produce the same meanings. If we extend this to the millions of genes represented by life on earth, it is obvious that supreme intelligence was required for the intricate design and purpose of various life systems.

8 Review with students some of the con-cepts that they have discussed in these first two days of class.

• Nature is an effective witness to the existence of God.

• From its existence (the effect), we deduce that an ultimate cause (God) exists.

• From its order and beauty, we deduce that God has great power and intelligence.

• These are arguments of cosmology.• We also observe that things exist for a

purpose.• This is the argument of teleology.

9 Ask students to begin now to think

about what we CANNOT know about God through nature alone.

Distribute the student worktext for the first semester and assign the reading portion of Week 1.

The student worktext serves the important function of contextualizing the truths students learn from Scripture. It provides a platform to discuss Biblical principles incorporated into natural life experiences of people who serve as good role models. Thus, students are encour-aged to see applications for life now, as well as how they can potentially apply in the future.

Because Bible teachers often focus on convey-ing a body of essential information, they ful-fill only limited responsibility. Jesus said that God seeks those who worship Him in spirit and truth. Surely, we must teach the truths of His Word. At the same time the truths must extend from the head to the heart (spirit) to the hands (learning so as to do).

Teaching God’s Word requires effecting change in students. They must see the rel-evancy to life —not to others but themselves personally. This is the purpose of the student worktext. Please be sure to incorporate this essential aspect of the course.




8

The students will consider the ontological, and anthropological (moral) arguments for the existence of God.

1 Refer to the student worktext and

debrief the reading following the suggestions below.

1) Ask who Ryan is and what assignment he accepted. (a reporter for History Journal; to live alone on a deserted island for six months) Let students share why they might or might not accept a similar assignment.

Explain that throughout the year, students will meet other reporters who are on various assignments. Each reporter will provide the backdrop for a unit study generally lasting three weeks. Ryan will be our guide as we look at the doctrine of God. 2) It was while Ryan was on the island that he began to think about God. What was it about the island experience that caused him to focus on God? (possibly the isolation and loneliness)

In The Screwtape Letters, a senior devil named Screwtape provides guidance to his nephew, Wormwood, on how to keep his “subject” from following God. If time allows, read Chapter 12 and discuss how Satan seeks to prevent us from focusing our thoughts on God. One piece of advice that Screwtape gives is to keep the subject’s mind so occu-

pied that he doesn’t have any time to think about God. What is the correlation between Screwtape’s advice and Ryan’s experience on the island?

3) What seemed to be of greater chal-lenge—issues of Ryan’s physical existence or the thoughts he struggled with? (He was more unsettled by his personal and spiritual questions.)

4) What further assignment did Dr. Mitchell give Ryan? (to research and settle some of his spiritual questions before returning to work)

5) Ask a volunteer to summarize the details Ryan remembered about the Sakuddei tribe.

6) Ask: What major questions did Ryan personally have about God? (Is there really a God? Why do I have this yearning for God? Is there any way that I can find out what God is like?) 7) Encourage students to ask the same questions as they continue their study in this unit.

2 Explain that Ryan’s experiences provide

the opportunity to study two more arguments used to support the belief in the existence of God. If a person is truly honest with himself, he will admit that he cannot control his own destiny. He realizes that he is finite (limited in ability and time). He sees himself as part of the creation (natural world) and looks for answers outside of himself (supernatural world). Note how Ryan began to look for answers outside himself and his natural experiences.

This realization of the supernatural, or “God-consciousness,” is evident in every civilization. But where does “God-consciousness” come from? Why does mankind yearn to know God?

3 Place a copy of Master 1.3.1 before students. The word “ontology” must be basi-cally memorized—“ontos” relates to existence, being and reality. It is the origin of the word “one.” As contrasted to “zero,” it indicates the presence/existence of an item. As an argument for the existence of God, it has the following elements. 1) The idea of intelligence and power described as “god” is universal. Researchers indicate that all ancient tribes had a belief in a deity. Missionaries encounter the same phe-nomenon throughout the world, where they find beliefs and customs remarkably similar. For example: • Hudson Taylor was one of the first mis-

sionaries to enter China. After several years of fruitless ministry in the coastal area, he moved inland and found an open-ness among people who had waited for “the book that speaks of God.”

• Missionary Don Richardson reported the

response of Indonesian villagers who first heard the gospel, “That is the one I have wanted to know about.”

• A missionary to the Ivory Coast in Africa

met a tribal chief who had walked more than 200 miles from the interior region in order to find the person who could tell him the truth about the “god of the heavens.”

• The experience of Cornelius (Acts 11)

devoutly worshiping God as he knew Him,

then receiving the command to send for Peter in order that he might receive the full truth, is proof of God’s commitment to provide the Gospel to anyone who follows the internal witness that he or she has.

2) Even unbelievers recognize this persis-tent inner sense that God exists. For example: • Bertrand Russell, a 20th century self-

avowed atheist wrote, almost in disgust, “Something in one seems obstinately to belong to God . . .” (Why I’m Not a Christian).

• A recently published book based on brain

research exploring the enigma of the God-concept from an atheistic point of view is entitled Why God Won’t Go Away.

3) This internal witness derives from three sources: • Original knowledge passed from genera-

tion to generation through an oral tradition. For example, the Maori tribesmen in New Zealand have words for God amazingly similar to those used in the first eleven chapters of Genesis. After the confusion of languages (Tower of Babel) and dispersion of tribes around the world, their traditions have no further similarities. Chinese writ-ing symbols from thousands of years ago also illustrate concepts from Genesis 1–11.

• Our ability to even conceive of God is proof that He exists. Human beings were cre-ated to think of abstract concepts such as love and fairness. These are realities which can be defined and understood even though they are invisible. The same is true regard-ing our innate concepts of God.


• Having been originally created in the image of God, humans have maintained an inter-nal spiritual hunger which only God can fill. Show and discuss the transparencies of Masters 1.3.2 and 1.3.3.

4 Based on Ryan’s study of the Sakuddei

tribe, ask students to explain how the tribal chief treated the pig he was planning to sacri-fice. Note that even though our beliefs would be different, we share a commonality with the chief. Ask students what it might be. (a sense of what would be good or right to do in certain situations) Explain that this relates to the fourth, and final, argument for the exis-tence of God—humans have internal moral judgment of what is right and wrong. This is called the anthropological argument (Master 1.3.4) based on logy = study of and anthropo = man or the nature of man.

Make two circles on the board that intersect each other. Label one “natural world” and the other “spiritual world.” In the area where the two circles intersect, write “image of God.” Explain the following.

The clue to understanding this intersection of two worlds lies in the nature of mankind. In some ways man is not different from other species upon the earth. We share time, space, and matter with many other creatures. But in other ways, we are distinctly separate from all the rest. According to the Bible, we stand out not primarily by what we can do, but by how we were created—in the image of God.

People find reflections of this image of God in several human characteristics. Mankind, for example, has a sense of obligation. We seems to think it matters how we live. People

have also gotten the idea that certain actions and attitudes are right and others are wrong. There is really no rational explanation of where these ideas originated. In the same way, mankind has a yearning for God. This is all because we have been made in God’s image. Continue with the discussion of the following points.

1) Every person has a conscience which acts as a moral governor. Even without a Biblical basis, schools have extensive emphasis today on character education—the promo-tion of basic principles of truthfulness, fair-ness, kindness, respect for rights, obedience to authorities, hard work, etc., which all people accept as having value.

2) Many of these values are universal, although many reflect local customs. For example, murder is wrong in every culture, while loyalty to one’s spouse may not be.

3) Like other human attributes, this sense of right and wrong is unique. Animals do not think through issues of right or wrong and make subsequent choices based on those thoughts. For the animal lovers who insist that their pets make choices, explain that their brains differ in executive forebrain func-tions and that they are subject to conditioned responses related to their experiences.

4) Paul refers to this basic knowledge as God’s law written on the tablets of our hearts. Governmental leaders refer to it as the natural law, e.g., what is ultimately right/just versus what is legal (written as law). This is the basis for the assurance of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” as found in America’s Declaration of Independence as well as many other nations’ founding documents.


5) Understanding that a higher law of good exists forces us to consider the Author of the laws that govern our conscience. It also makes us responsible to this Authority. Thus God created us with a sense of His moral standards and we are responsible to Him to observe them.

5 Explain that this final area is the point of great controversy in the world—not that we have a moral conscience, but that we are responsible to a Higher Authority. People resist authority. Like the Pharisees we say, “We will not have this Man over us.” Jesus explained to Nicodemus that people do not come to the light because their deeds are evil; and they, in fact, hate the light (John 3:20). While all the other arguments would be acceptable, it is only when people have personal responsibility to live according to God’s commands that they back up to try to disprove His existence.

6 Display a transparency of Master 1.3.5

as you summarize the arguments. Explain that to accept these four arguments forces every person to consider how we must relate to a God who . . .

• exists• has all power and authority• has infinite intelligence• displays purpose• has given mankind an internal sense of

Himself• has given us a sense of right and

wrong.

7 Refer back to the belief of the Sakuddeis that the spirit of their god resided in a pig. Remind students that you asked them to consider what could not be known about God through nature alone. Today, ask them to also consider what false information can be concluded by looking at nature and our own thoughts. This is the topic of our study tomorrow.

Direct students to summarize the four argu-ments studied for the existence of God on QuestNote 1.1.


The students will consider why false ideas of God can be concluded from natural thinking.

1 Refer students to the assignment from

yesterday to think about what false informa-tion might be concluded from observations made of nature or from human thought. Direct them to return to the scene in their minds of being isolated on a deserted island and to consider the following possibilities.

1) Assume that you have limited knowl-edge of modern science or concepts of God. Your knowledge consists of your experiences on the island for the last several years.

2) Over time you have realized that weather controls your life:

• A drought causes limited food supplies, bitter drinking water and miserable living conditions.

• You realize that your life depends on being able to obtain sufficient food. You decide to plant extra crops to ensure a harvest.

• Just when it seems that the crop will pro-duce abundantly, a hurricane-type storm destroys everything including your relatively comfortable lean-to shelter.

3) It seems that the unseen forces that control the rain, winds and storms enjoy mak-ing your life miserable, or that somehow you

have offended them and they are acting in retribution.

4) You realize that in addition to plant life, the reproduction of the lives of animals and humans is necessary for the ongoing of life.

5) You realize that other forces are equally powerful and threatening (such asvolcanoes) but that some (such as fire) can be useful when under control.

6) Over time you develop a number of beliefs (superstitions) about how to appease or manipulate these unseen forces on which your life depends.

2 Assign students the task of writ-

ing five false ideas about God based on the scenes described. For example: 1) A pig’s spirit should be shown the way home prior to slaughter so as to ensure that future pigs will be available. This religion, called Animism, has led to the worship of animal spirits in various areas of the world. 2) In the Inca world the sacrifice of human life was meant to appease the gods and ensure protection. 3) Throughout the Old Testament the nations surrounding Israel erected idols, Baals and Ashteroths, to appease the gods and assure fertility and good crops. God’s people were severely warned against such practices.

3 Let groups of three students work together to blend their lists into one which contains their five best ideas.



12

4 Regroup the class and allow students to

share their ideas. Compliment their thought-ful responses. Explain that throughout his-tory similar thinking has led to false religions, myths, superstitions, traditions, cults, etc. Continue discussion of the following points.

1) While nature and our own thinking provide powerful witnesses to the existence of God, they are limited in showing us all we need to know.

2) With the entrance of sin into the world, our understanding was darkened. Thus, our best observations and most intel-ligent thinking fall far short of God’s truths. We are earthly, finite beings prone to arriving at the wrong conclusions.

3) Additionally, Satan’s domain is our world. As the “father of lies,” he delights in distorting and destroying the truths of God. Many of the false religious ideas have a com-monality in demon worship.

4) We must be careful about constructing ideas and images of God. Because the thing created must, by definition, be of less quality than the Creator, we have a god created in our image, rather than God who is incomparably beyond all our ability and experience.

5 Direct students to read Romans 1:18–25 several times. Continue with a discussion of the following questions. The students can summarize answers on QuestNote 1.2 in their worktext.

1) Why is God angry at the wicked? (They suppress the truth because of their wicked-ness.)

2) What has been plainly revealed to them? (the eternal power and divine nature of God)

3) How have these been revealed? (through the natural order, power and beauty of creation)

4) What happened to their thinking and their hearts? (Thoughts became futile and hearts became foolish and dark.) As an example, Chuck Colson, Prison Fellowship Ministries, relates that older prisoners are terrified of the younger men coming in because they have no conscience, no regard for human life. Having grown up in a culture that has less and less regard for God, their conscience has become desensitized to God and His law. 5) What did they seek in place of the invisible God? (images of man, birds, ani-mals—worship of the creation rather than the Creator)

6) What differences in their behavior resulted? (given to sinful desires, sexual impu-rity, degrading interactions with others)

Explain that the natural result of depending on human thinking is to proceed farther into sin and separation from God.

6 Ask: In all our discussions thus far,

what major characteristic of God has been missing? As a hint, let students again con-sider being on the island. What would they miss most? What would be their biggest battle? Continue leading students’ thinking until they conclude that they eventually would be desperately lonely; they would yearn for a relationship. (In the movie Castaway, a soccer ball was decorated to serve this purpose, even-tually even given deification.)


Ask: From the arguments studied thus far, what can we know about how to have a rela-tionship with God? How can we know what is expected of us? How can we know the pur-pose of life? How can we know the future of all things? Indicate that this is the dividing line between Judeo-Christian beliefs and other world reli-gions. Because nature provides only limited witness, we are dependent on God revealing Himself if we are to know the complete truth. We believe in a God “who comes near”; one who describes Himself as “Our Father”; one who loves His creation thus accepts the responsibility to reveal Himself to us.

7 Display and discuss transparencies of Masters 1.4.1 through 1.4.3 as you empha-size that this revelation of God comes to us through His written words in Scripture, the living Word of Jesus Christ, and through the affirmation of the indwelling Holy Spirit. He is responsible to lead us into all truth. Thus, we can know nothing further about God except through His own special revelation of Himself. Our quest for reality must take us to Scripture—that is where we will start next week.

If option 6 is to be used tomorrow, you may want to make assignments tonight for students to research the religious practices of people around the earth. Likely these are practices that would seem strange to us. Encourage students to think through how these beliefs and practices might have devel-oped through the natural thinking of man-kind.


The students will extend their understand-ing of the four arguments for the existence of God.

1 Continue activities and discussions

from previous days as desired. The fifth day of instruction always provides options for you to review and extend concepts. This flexibility allows you “catch up” time each week.

2 Review students’ responses to

QuestNote 1.1 in which they have summa-rized the four logical lines of argument for the existence of God. You can also review their responses on QuestNote 1.2.

3 Continue with discussion of summary questions:

1) What can we know about God from the witness of nature? 2) What can we know about God from the witness of internal thoughts and con-science? 3) Why can these sources give us false views of God? 4) What can we not know from these sources? 5) What must we have in order to have further truthful knowledge about God?

4 Provide copies of the vocabulary words

(QuestTerms) and use them to review essen-tial information for the course. Masters 1.5.1a and 1.5.1b can be copied back to front. The students can then cut the sections apart to work with them. They can be alphabetized and placed in a sealable plastic bag for use in the future.

5 View the opening segments of the video God, available from Gateway Films, Vision Video, 1–800–523-0226; or their Web site www.visionvideo.com. This video is Part 2 of a 10-video set named Essential Bible Truth Treasury. It has 60 lessons that may prove helpful in this course.

6 Provide a number of print and Internet

research opportunities with the assignment for students to describe the religious beliefs of vari-ous people around the globe. This information can be shared in class after a limited time for preparation. Encourage students to relate the information to their study this week, especially as to how false religions develop.

7 Check any assigned memory work for

the week. Master 1.5.2 may be of benefit if Romans 1:20 and 25 were used. Each week the central Scripture for the week appears on a master and can be posted on a bulletin board to serve as a unifying theme. Other Bible versions are available on the CD-ROM.



8 Extend the lesson with a discussion on

the various religious teachings.

1) Explain that throughout history man’s concept of God has blended the natural and supernatural worlds. While mankind has sensed a spiritual dimension to this world, he has tried to define this spiritual dimension in terms of the natural world. 2) Remind students of the story of Job and then read Job 23:3–5. Job discovered that human wisdom alone offers no adequate explanation of life’s meaning. Job, like all of mankind, shares a universal question. Where can I find God? 3) From this desire to find God, various religions have prospered all over the world. Ryan realized this as he remembered the Sakuddeis. Why did Ryan find it difficult to accept the religious system of the Sakuddeis? 4) While there are many religions throughout the world, they can all be catego-rized according to three basic views: atheism, pantheism, theism. • Atheism says no God exists. Man’s belief

in God is a figment of the human imagina-tion. Man, says the atheist, invented the term “god” to explain those mysteries in life that he could not fathom.

• The second view is pantheism. Unlike

atheism which finds God nowhere, pan-theism finds God everywhere. Its belief is summed up in its name, from two Greek words. Pan means all and theos means God. So to the pantheist “God is all and all is God.” God is identified with the universe

and the universe with God. Pantheists do not believe in a God who has an existence apart from the world. This view has led to the worship of creatures and nature.

• The third view is theism. Those who

hold this view believe that the Creator of Heaven and earth is both separate from His creation and actively involved with His cre-ation. The theistic God has taken steps to reveal Himself to His creation. It is impor-tant to note that Christians are not the only ones who hold a theistic view.

5) An individual conceives of God as either part of this creation (of the natu-ral world) or apart from the creation (of the supernatural world). Even if mankind believes that there is no God at all, he has put himself in the place of God by making such an assertion. 6) Based on Ryan’s situation and his comments, ask students if they believe he was leaning toward a natural or supernatural con-cept of God? Although you know little else about Ryan, how might he define his concept of God?

9 Show segments from the film The God’s

Must be Crazy, where natives assume that a soda bottle dropped from a small plane was a sign that the gods were communicating with their tribe. Discuss the applications related to this week’s lessons. A DVD of this 1981 movie is available at Amazon.com.


RealityQuest\Doctrine of God\Master 1.1.1 17

Impeccability

Doctrine

Ontology

Unity

Teleology

Omniscience

Omnipotence

ImmutabilityCosmologyAnthropology

Credo

Omnipresence

TripartiteSovereignty

Trinity

Holiness

Transcendence

RealityQuest\Doctrine of God\Master 1.1.218

Nature is before our eyes as a most beautiful

book in which all created things, whether

great or small, are as letters

showing the invisible things of God to us.

Belgian Confession1561


This most beautiful system of sun,

planets and comets could only proceed

from the counsel and dominion

of an intelligent and powerful Being.

Isaac NewtonFather of Modern Mathematics

1642 – 1727


I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.

Abraham Lincoln 1809 – 1865


The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.

The psalmist DavidPsalm 19:1–2

c 1010 b.c.


The First Question:Why is there

something rather than nothing?

Francis Schaeffer20th century apologist

What accounts for the world we see?

How did it get here?Who made it?

What is its purpose?


The inescapable fact of existence forces us to consider where everything came from, and this, as we have seen, leads us by turns to God.

Chuck Colson Answers to Your Kids’ Questions


Doctrine

The systematic study of truth so that our understanding . . .

• is as complete as possible — comprehensive

• has parts that all fit together — integrated

• is personally developed — relevant

• can be described to others — explainable


There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in a con-templation of the Divinity. It is a subject so vast that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep that our pride is drowned in its infinity. But while the sub-ject humbles the mind, it also expands it. Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest, continuing investigation of the great subject of the Deity.

Charles Haddon SpurgeonPastor in England

1834 – 1892


Cosmology

The study (ology) of the natural world (cosmos) as arguments for the existence of God. This includes conclusions about the Supreme Being responsible for such power, order and beauty. It also includes the concept of God as the First Cause.

Elements:• power / order• beauty• ultimate cause


The study (ology) of the design and final purpose (teleos) for all created things as an argument for the existence of God.

Elements:• design• purpose

Teleology


Ontology

The study (ology) of the existence(ontos) as proof that God is theSupreme Being. This includes our concepts derived from the presence of our own lives, their origin and purpose.

Elements:• inner sense of God’s existence• universal among mankind• original knowledge• ability to conceive God’s existence• spiritual nature fulfilled only by God


There is a God-shaped vacuum within every person.

Blaise PascalFrench scientist and philosopher

1623 – 1662


You made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.

AugustineConfessions5th century


Anthropology

The study (ology) of human (anthropo) nature, especially the presence of the conscience as the judge of good and evil, as a logical argument for the existence of God

Elements:• internal sense of right and wrong• conscience• moral responsibility


How must we relate to a God who . . .

• exists

• has all power and authority

• has infinite intelligence

• displays purpose

• has given mankind an internal sense of Himself

• has given us a sense of right and wrong


The heavens declare thy glory, Lord!In every star thy wisdom shines;But when our eyes behold thy word,We read thy name in clearer lines.

Isaac Watts1674 – 1748


God loves what He made. He loves you. And He has an important destiny in mind for you. This power-ful message—of a loving, personally involved God—is repeated over and over again in the Bible.

Bruce Bickel and Stan JantzGuide to God

1997


Scripture establishes a reliable framework for thinking and talking about God, which goes far beyond the very modest knowledge of God that we can derive from nature.

Allister McGrathI Believe

1997

RealityQuest\Doctrine of God\Master 1.5.1a36

anthropology ontology

cosmology

doctrine

teleology

theology

RealityQuest\Doctrine of God\Master 1.5.1.b 37

The study (ology) of existence (ontos) as proof that God is the Supreme Being. This includes our concepts derived from the presence of our own lives, their origin and purpose.

The study (ology) of human (anthropo) nature, especially the presence of the conscience as the judge of good and evil, as a logical argument for the existence of God

The study (ology) of the design and final purpose (teleos) for all created things as an argument for the existence of God

The study (ology) of the natural world (cosmos) as arguments for the existence of God. This includes conclusions about the Supreme Being responsible for such power, order and beauty. It also includes the con-cept of God as the First Cause.

The study (ology) of God (theos) and related beliefs that form the doctrine of the church

A systematic consideration and presentation of Biblical truths


For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly

seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and

served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed

forever. Amen.Romans 1:20 and 25

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