April 26, 2015

LOOKING BACK
You Believe What?

Truth Be Told

Could truth really be told? Could God have really revealed Himself and His will to us in words and
those words actually be in the Bible? If so, then that changes everything. In our limited time on
Sunday, we looked at the reliability and inspiration of the Bible two really big claims that the
Bible makes that we must deal with in order to accept it as truth. Where you land on these
important issues will have a massive impact on how you interact with the Bible.
Thinking It Through (agree/disagree consider/contemplate)

"The doctrine of Scripture affects all other doctrines, since they are derived from the
Scriptures."
~ Millard Erickson
The Bible was composed by 40 different authors including kings, peasants, shepherds, tax
collectors, and fishermen. It was written over a period of 1500 years on 3 continents in 3
different languages. The Bible includes narrative, history, poetry, biographies, sermons,
parables, and prophecy. Its authors speak independently, without consulting each other, on
hundreds of topics, but in spite of all of that diversity, the Bible tells one amazing story with
remarkable unity.
Working It Out
1. Have you struggled with questions about the Bibles reliability? Where are you today on
that issue?

2. Why is believing in the inspiration of the Bible so important?

3. Do we tend to treat the Bible more like a history book, encyclopedia, or manual than we
do the living words of God? Why or why not?
LOOKING AHEAD
You Believe What?

Man O Man

Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 1:18-32

Other than God, what we believe about ourselveshuman beingsis the most influential thing
about us. Lots of opinions out there, but lets start getting acquainted with what God says about
us. Man O Man!

1. What are the first things we learn about mankind in Genesis 1:26-27?
2. What can you learn about God from what He has been up to in the verses preceding
these?
3. How do the assignments God gives them in 1:28-32 help us understand what it means
for us to be made in the image of God?
4. Man O man! What did mankind do with our opportunity and what is the result? (See
Romans 1: 18-25)
5. What claim does Paul make in Romans 3:9-20 about all mankind and every individual
among us?
6.

Where does this leave us?