Introduction
Knowing how the Bible came together will certainly help us have more confidence in the Scriptures we read. The rational support for the assumed existence of God and the rational support for one’s faith is good. Because the principal cause of religious unbelief is a valid crisis in valid authority. It starts from one’s beliefs in saying that the Bible is infallible and the rejection or acceptance of that statement.
When we come to the Book of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, the pen of inspiration and the voice of prophets cease to exist for a period of around 400 years (430 BC – AD 27). Not until the coming of Christ will they reappear again. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem in 605 B.C. Daniel and others of the royal family were taken captive to Babylon. Daniel had only been in Babylon for three years when the king had a dream which none of his wise men could interpret. Between The Testaments
The story of Mary begins in an obscure village in Galilee called Nazareth about 58 miles north of Jerusalem. She is betrothed to a man named Joseph of the house of David. A ranking angel, Gabriel, was sent by God to tell her she had “found favour with God” and would conceive and bring forth a Son, and he was to be called Jesus. This must have been a frightening experience for Mary. Great New Testament People
It was Noah who “found favour in the eyes of the Lord.” He was a “righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.”
Seemingly he also had a great influence on his family which included his wife, his three sons – Shem, Ham and Japheth and their wives. Interestingly Noah was 500 years old before he had his three sons. God would send a universal flood which would rise above the mountains destroying all life. Great Old Testament People
Both liberalism and legalism are extremes. Both reflect a defective attitude toward God’s word and their fellow Christians. How does one keep a balanced attitude in these trying times between these two extremes? We begin with what is basic and fundamental. What will be our authority in the spiritual realm? For those of us who believe the Bible to be inspired by the Holy Spirit there is no question as to where our authority lies. Keeping The Balance. Liberalism And Legalism!
A legalist’s motivation is a noble one, to protect the laws of God. He often produces scripture which he believes justifies his position. On the surface, his motive is good. Everyone is for protecting God’s commands. The problem is, he does not always recognize when God’s laws stop. In his zeal to protect God’s laws he will without realizing it go beyond what God through the Holy Spirit has authorized. To protect a law of God a legalist will supplement new laws. Legalism
After the establishment of the church in Jerusalem in 29 A.D. it spread throughout the Roman Empire at a rapid rate. At first the apostles played the dominant role in its spread and growth. Soon we see other men called evangelist taking on the important role of evangelizing. Some assisted the apostles while others went in different directions. Next elders appear in local congregations. This is not strange as synagogues had elders. The work of elders in the synagogues was similar to the work of elders in the church. No doubt in Jerusalem whole synagogues were converted. Men Who Changed New Testament Doctrine
Many religious groups believe and teach that Christ will return to this earth to establish a kingdom, over which He will rule from the literal throne of David, in the literal city of Jerusalem, for a literal thousand years. Emphasis is placed on certain events that are supposed to occur just prior to the Lord’s coming. One of these events is what is called the RAPTURE. The Rapture VS. The Bible
Just before Pilate’s decision to have Jesus crucified Jesus said to Pilate “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate responded by saying, “What is truth?” Whether Pilate said this out of sarcasm or sincerely we do not know. We do know it is a question men have asked over the ages. It can be useful to review some of the sources used to justify religious practices in our day, and then discover what is the one and only absolute true source for all that we believe and practice in religion. What Is Truth?