Lesson 1.

Time Out for Questions

MEMORY VERSE:
"You will seek Me, and find Me, when you search Me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV

MEET YOUR TARGETS

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Understand that inquiry and critical evaluation are essential to learning and spiritual growth
 Identify the Bible as the most trustworthy and practical source of answers to teen questions and
concerns.

VENTURE WITH ME
ASK, DISCOVER, AND HAVE FUN!
Do this!

Find somebody in your home or your group of friends and ask them five questions you are so
intrigued to ask about. Write those questions here below.

1. ________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________________

Guide Questions:

a. What prompts you to ask those questions?

b. Does it satisfy your curiosity? Why?
c. Have you experienced a change of outlook in life or to your friend after receiving answers
from them?

If we observed little children, our common observation is they tend to ask a lot of funny, silly, and
repeating questions. This kind of behavior sprung up because children are full of curiosity about life and
how it works. However, even it is so annoying at times, this is very helpful as they adapt to the process
of life.

As they grew older, there are still many questions to be asked, but adults tend to avoid asking questions
because they feared to look ignorant or stupid in their inquiries. In this lesson, we will be learning the
value of asking questions and how they will affect our lives.

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CHAT WITH THE EXPERT
As we are all familiar with, a question is a sentence, phrase, or word
that solicits meaning to curiosities through asking. Having issues as
part of our lives has become the reason for discovering things or
concepts that we do not know in this world. It is the most effective
way to learn about anything.

In the Bible, there are lots of evidence that God expects us to have
doubts and will reward our honest questions with truthful answers.
Jesus said, "Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock,
and it will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7 TEV). Further, Isaiah
wrote God's words inviting us, "Come now and let us reason
together" (Isaiah 1:18 KJV).

See? God is happy when we come to Him and ask Him about life's
questions, even the simplest question. He will surely grant it to you.
The answers may not be immediate, but God has ways to show His
honest children's responses. But the best place to know His answers is through the Bible, His Word.

Types of Questions
As we ask questions, let us try to identify issues. There are two general types of questions: the closed-
ended and open-ended questions.

A. Closed-ended Question
This type of question is answerable by "yes" or "no" or in a limited set of answers (e.g.,
A, B, C, or All of the Above).

For example:
 Did Jesus come down to save us?
 Do you love God?
 Can you help me understand this text?
 Are you feeling better?

B. Open-ended Questions
This type of question is answered by an explanation that requires more than just a word
or a sentence.

For example:
 Why did Jesus come down here on earth?
 How will God save the fallen humanity?
 What are your plans for the ministry?
 Why would God love a sinner like me?

Answer the apply the concepts activities in the workbook.

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 Lesson 2. The Bible: Its Purpose
MEMORY VERSE:
“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this
book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by
believing you may have life in His name.” John 20:30, 31 NIV

MEET YOUR TARGETS

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Discern the primary purpose of the Bible, and the relevance of its teachings is to focus on
the salvation that is in Christ Jesus.
 Understand the need for accepting the Bible as the authority for one’s faith and practice.

VENTURE WTH ME
MY BEST COUNSELLOR

Use your Bible and find a text that will give counsel to the problems listed below.

1. Loneliness
2. Sickness
3. Poverty
4. Pride
5. Love life

Guide Questions:

a. How reliable is the Bible today even it was written long before our time?
b. What do you think is the purpose of the Bible?
c. Who is the main character of the Bible?

Ever spent time wondering about the meaning of life? Many ventured to find answers to their questions,
but not all were able to find a satisfying answer. However, to the Christians, they discovered not only
the joy in life but the purpose of our existence.

Our God, who is the Creator of this universe, left us a very reliable source to find answers to our
questions, and that is no other than His words, the Bible. We will dive into the core of knowing the
purpose of the Bible, its central theme/message, and how it affects our lives.

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CHAT WITH THE EXPERT
The Bible is the Word of God. Written in the words
of men as to give light to God’s will. However, many
skeptics would like to debunk the authority of the
Bible. They said that the Bible is only a set of
legends or myths. Stories that do not have scientific
explanations but fantasy in its nature. With these
skeptical thoughts, many have been blessed by the
Bible and experienced its unscientific occurrence we
call miracles. They were having testimonies as they
prove the reliability of the Bible and the
truthfulness of its words and its author, God.

Christ the Center

The Bible is like a map. Its stories form roads that will lead us to the treasure of life. The treasure is the
life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We are all familiar with the pirate's map. We all heard or saw that their maps have an X marking, which
means the place of the treasure. The Bible is God's treasure map, and the cross is the X that points to
salvation through Christ “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians
2:3).

Jesus as the Lamb of God from Genesis to Revelation

When Adam and Eve sinned, God sacrificed a lamb to cover their naked bodies (Genesis 3:21). Also, we
can understand by implication that their salvation from death was because of the substitute lamb, which
is the symbol to the coming Savior, the Messiah, Jesus Christ (Genesis 22:6-14, Exodus 12:21-23, Isaiah
53:4-12).

In the New Testament, we see that the Lamb of God was now identified when John the Baptist saw
Jesus coming, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
And in Revelation 5:5-10, the Lamb that was slain is now glorified. See that Jesus, the Lamb of God, is
the center of the Bible, the protagonist of the Bible.

What does the Bible do to us?

Most people find the Bible as a book that transforms sinners into believers of Jesus Christ. Let set the
example for General Lew Wallace, who was known as the author of the well-renowned and eleven
Academy Award-winning book entitled, Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Before he became a believer of
Christ, he and his close friend determined to study the Bible for a year and to prove it as a fraud. After a
year of study, they were changed. Instead of establishing it as a book of fraud, they became Christians
after they studied and met Jesus in their lives.

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Another person is the apostle Paul, who was at first a destroyer and persecutor of the Christians. But
when he met Jesus in the dusty street leading to Damascus, he was changed, from a persecutor to a
preacher of Jesus.

SUMMARY

The purpose of the Bible is to know Jesus Christ, the source of our salvation, and the reason for our
transformation. Let us remember that in our lives, without Christ, transforming into a godly and
righteous person is not possible. It will most likely only change the outer appearance (actions) and not
the inner presence (heart or character).

As we discover Jesus as the center of Scripture, we also find the Bible has real answers for our real
problems. God cares every part of our lives as much as He cares about our eternal salvation. So, God
made the Bible practical. Its principles teach us how to live and what is essential in life. To behold, Jesus
is the sole purpose of the Bible.

Answer the apply the concepts activities in the workbook.

Lesson 3. The Bible: Its Inspiration

MEMORY VERSE:
“All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in
righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” 2
Timothy 3:16,17 NRSV.

MEET YOUR TARGETS

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Explore how God communicates with humankind.
 Discern the divine and human nature of inspiration and revelation.
 Distinguish between general and special revelation, standards and principles, and cite examples
of each.
 Support the claims of the divine inspiration of the Bible by citing external and internal evidence.

VENTURE WITH ME
WHAT CAN YOU SEE?

Instruction: Show this picture to your family members only once and ask them what did they saw.
If they answered Jesus, they are correct. But the second time you show it to them, tell them that
it is also a picture of Jesus riding on a donkey.

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During the time of the Bible writers, they saw visions and dreams. However, not everything they say
they immediately understand. It was the Holy Spirit's guidance that led them to express the right
meaning of their visions and dreams.

As Christians, we value the authority and reliability of the Bible so much as something divine. It is the
only book regarded as inspired by God. We might ask ourselves, “Why won’t God communicate directly
to us?” or “Couldn’t God come up with a better way of communicating to us?

In this lesson, we will dive in to understand the Bible as the inspired writing of God, its nature, and why
God left us a book in which we read to know His will today.

CHAT WITH THE EXPERT

The word inspiration can be understood as God's divine
influence on humans, making them qualified to receive and
communicate sacred revelation. This is the main reason
Christians took regard to the Bible as authoritative in all areas
of life, especially to things relating to the spiritual aspect of life.
It is also not limited to the spiritual point but even to the
practical walks of life. The Bible affects people in various ways
and been a source of knowledge to history and how the world
came up to be. But one may ask, "What is the purpose of God's
inspired message?" and "Why God choose to have a book
instead of a person telling His will today? We will try to dig into
these questions by having simple questions that will lead to
answers to our main problems.

Question 1

WHY WON’T GOD ANSWER HIS PHONE?

God’s problem in communicating with sinful creatures

We all want that God will answer our prayers, maybe in a more personal or direct way. Many are too
lazy to pick their Bibles and study it, and so not all of us receive a private or direct answer from God. So,
we asked why won't God give us answers directly or personally, right? Imagine you are in the class, then
the principal came to you and asked you to go to the principal's office. Having the knowledge of cheating
in class, throwing garbage somewhere, or did something that makes you guilty. Or imagine a police
officer came to your house without notice and just recently you accidentally hit a car parked somewhere
and you just run off because no one saw you. What would you feel? Most likely, we get too nervous
about wondering why we were called when the reason could be an appreciation from the principal or
just an inquiry from the police officer.

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 Now imagine God in the picture. He always wants
to get through you, and He will do everything to
talk with you. Many of us probably don't want God
to always speak with us, especially knowing what
we always do. Knowing yourself, would you want
God to come to you unnoticed?

But what if you wanted God to get through you?

You wanted God to come to you to answer your
urgent call since we all wanted God to answer our
call, right? But what if when you pray it seems that
God didn't hear us or His telephone line is busy?
Does God don't want you? But wait, what if God is
available to you? And since He is always available,
He would call you often? Would you want that? Would you want God to call you in times that you're
busy with worldly affections? Let's face it. It will not always be good for us since we wanted our way
more than God's. That's why God sent special messengers to write His words where we have the choice
to open it and listen to His voice by reading it. After all, God doesn't want to scare us, or irritate us; He
wants to communicate with us.

Question 2

WHAT KIND OF TEACHER COMMUNICATES BEST?

Blending the human and the divine to get the message through

Here is an illustration of three teachers.

Fred's parents wanted him to learn the piano. Fred wasn't very enthusiastic, but he reluctantly went
along with the plan.
His first teacher was Mrs. J. She was strict and mean even in times when she shouldn't be. Fred wasn't
pleased with the experience, but he learned a lot.

Fred's dad changed his job, and eventually, they transferred into a new place. Fred's second teacher was
Mrs. K. She was very kind and considerate. Fred liked Mrs. K a lot. But he didn't learn a lot compared to
Mrs. J.

The family again transferred into a new place, and thus Fred had a new piano teacher. His third teacher
was Mr. L. Mr. L was an excellent pianist compared to the first two teachers he had. When Fred played
his piece, Mr. L would get impatient and angry at times. And then Mr. L would play the piece. It sounded
gorgeous when Mr. L would play, but Fred knew he could never play that way.

But eventually, Fred was able to master the piece and became a teacher himself. Over the years, when
he tried to recall what he learned from his piano teachers, he noticed that each teacher contributed
lessons that made him a better pianist and, at the same time, lessons he learned from their different
styles.

What kind of teacher do you think is best? What kind of teacher would best teach you about God?
Based on observation, not all students have equal learning from every teacher. Some teachers are very

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 bright and quick; others are more exact. Some are friendly and warm; others are strict and businesslike.
Some don't teach very well even when they are well-trained; some are excellent teachers and have had
little formal training. Generally, we learn best from teachers who understand us and know how to
communicate well.

Ellen White penned, "In our schools, teaching the scriptures to the youth is not to be left wholly with
one teacher for a long series of years…Different teachers should have a part in the work, even though
they may not all have so full an understanding of the scriptures." God communicates us through
different people so that He can reach us all.

Question 3

HOW DO I KNOW THE BIBLE IS FROM GOD?

Trust the Book

Some devoted Christians try to prove that the Bible is true. They often use science and archeology to
make their arguments right. These are very useful; indeed, it cannot prove that the Bible is from God.

Another group of people is those who are not

believers of the Bible. They, too, used science and
archeology to prove their arguments. But they
cannot also disprove the truth of the Bible any
more than believers can prove it.

God doesn't leave us without evidence for faith,

but ultimately, we have to trust Him just as we
trust our friends. If we tried to prove in some
absolute way that our friends are real friends, we
would drive them away, for trying to establish trust
destroys it.

A much more convincing argument for the truth of

the Bible is found in the experience of the Christian.
Ellen White puts it this way:

"In its power, men and women have broken the chains of sinful habit. They have renounced selfishness.
The profane have become reverent, the drunken sober, the profligate pure. Souls have been
transformed into the image of God. This change is itself the miracle of miracles. A change wrought by
the word; it is one of the deepest mysteries of the word. We cannot understand it; we can only believe,
as declared by the Scripture, 'Christ in you, the hope of glory.'" Colossians 1:27" (Education, 172).

Answer the apply the concepts activities in the workbook.

AMCC BOOSTERS

SEARCHING FOR ETERNAL LIFE

Jesus told the people, "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which
testify of me" (John 5:39). The Bible is our manual for life that will guide us to eternity. It may not be the source
of Alife,
M Cbut
C itArevealed
c a d e mour
y salvation in Jesus Christ. Jesus invites you today, will you answer Him,
P a g"Yes,
e 8Lord,
| I am
willing.”
 Lesson 4. The Bible: Its Construction
MEMORY VERSE:
“Above all you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own
interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke to God as they were
carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20, 21 NIV

MEET YOUR TARGETS

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Examine the historical development of the Bible as to its internal arrangement, structure, and
divisions.
 Define the meaning of the Bible, testament, gospel, and epistle.
 Cite examples of the pros and cons of using verses,
chapters, and paragraphs.

VENTURE WITH ME
Guide Questions:
A LOVE LETTER
a. How important is it for us to know the essential parts of a letter?
b. Does understanding the parts and its elements also help us in constructing our letter?
Looking at the simple things around you (e.g., birds chirping, food on your table, the air you breathe, a
c. What advantages can you identify in knowing the basic functions of each part of a letter?
comfortable bed, a good house, privilege of having an education, etc.), we may realize how blessed we are.
We may not have much, but God gave us our needs. Why? Simply because God loves you as His child. Why
don't
Theyou write
Bible a letter
is God's to letter
love God? to you. It is in the Bible where you find His dreams and plans for your life.
Just like constructing a letter, the Bible is also composed of different parts. There are letters called the
Do epistles,
this! historical records, poetry, gospels, and even prophetic books.

Construct a simplewe
In this lesson, letter of love for
will discover theGod and then
different identify
parts of thethe parts
Bible andofhow
the itletter.
was organized. I encouraged
you to memorize the 66 books of the Bible.
________________,

C HAT WITH THE EXPERT

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
The Bible has 66 books, and it is divided into two major parts, namely the Old Testament and the New
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Testament. The word testament means an argument, or a promise, between two people or groups. So
____________________________________
this means that the Bible is God’s promise to His people.

Old Testament
_________________________
Basing on the translation above, we can say that the old testament means God's old promise. However,
_________________________
it doesn't mean that it's old and so we should disregard this promise of God. The word old simply means

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God's first promise to His people. Jesus and His disciples used the Old Testament as the source of their
knowledge and faith.

The Old Testament is composed of 39 books which contain the law, history, poetry, and prophecy. These
categories/groups of the Old Testament were organized based on their content style. The books were
arranged in a chronological (in sequence) order within each of the groups.

The different groups of the Old Testament:

 Law (Torah or Pentateuch)-the books of Moses:

Genesis to Deuteronomy (5 books)

 History
Joshua to Esther (12 books)

 Poetry:
Job to Song of Solomon (5 books)

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  Prophecy (also known as the Prophets):
Isaiah to Malachi

New Testament
After Jesus' ascension, the disciples used the Old Testament and told the people how Jesus fulfilled
these earlier promises or testaments. Most scholars agreed that the first book written in the New
Testament was Paul's epistle (letter) to the Thessalonians, probably written fifteen years after Jesus'
ascension. Also, among the four gospels of Jesus, the first book that was written was the book of Mark,
which was written by Mark thirty years after Jesus ascended to heaven. Before the writing of Jesus' life
and ministry and Paul's epistles, eyewitnesses used stories about Jesus and was passed on by mouth or
in sermons.
Later, they felt the need for a permanent record, especially the stories of Jesus and their encountered
of miracles done in Jesus' name. And so, the writing commenced, and the records were kept. The first
formal list of the books of the New Testament appeared in AD 367. Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria,
sent an Easter letter to the churches in his jurisdiction, listing for the first time the 27 books of the New
Testament.

The different groups of the New Testament:

 Gospels:
Matthew to John (4 books)

 History:
Acts of the Apostles (1 book)

 Epistles:
Romans to Jude (21 books)

 Apocalypse:
Revelation (1 book)

Writers of the Bible

The writers of the Bible were identified as “holy men

(women) of God” (1 Peter 1:21). Today, we also call
them God’s pen-men. As these men received God's
revelation, God did not dictate what these men must
write, but just as we have our style of speaking and
describing things; empowered by our freedom of choice,
these penmen expressed what they received from God in
their language. Hence, we see that God and men
collaborated to write the Bible. God is the source of the
message, and the penmen wrote their understanding as
they were guided by the Holy Spirit (inspiration), making them writers of God's message for His people.

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Many of the books of the Bible has the author's name attached to it. But scholars aren't sure who wrote
most of the Old Testament. Even if we don't know the author's names, many of the books of the Bible
tell us something about how they were written. We will look at it later.

Making the Bible Easier to Read

Chapters, Paragraphs, Verses

We are blessed today to have chapters and verses for us to remember or find the text we're looking for
easily. In ancient times, the Bible doesn't have chapters and verses. Some New Testament manuscripts
don't have spaces in every word.

For example,

(Allthelettersimplyrantogetherinonecontinuouswordorsoitwouldappear)

If you think it's hard to read those words in English, try to imagine it in a different language.

Before the Reformation, only paragraphs and sections were marked in some manuscript. During the
Reformation, chapters and verses were now added to make the text more accessible. One exciting
legend credits the division of verses of the New Testament to Robert Stephanus, an early printer of the
Bible. As the story goes, he made the divisions while riding horseback between Paris and Lyons, and
France, which occur to an occasional bad division being the fault of the horse.

Summary

The Bible was God's love letter to His people. It was organized in different groups/sections so that we
may have a better grasp of its nature. Just like Jesus, the Bible is also a collaboration of the divine and
humanity. This fact is also implying that Jesus is the center of the Bible, having both natures.

The Bible may be constructed through ink, paper, and words of sinful humanity, yet it is holy because
God's message is written, and His message is infallible. Just like the wood and gold. It's the same wood
and gold of our day, but the wood and gold that made the Ark of the Covenant are holy, so the Bible is
sacred.

Answer the apply the concepts activities in the workbook.

AMCC BOOSTERS
GOD’S WORD REMAINS
The Bible said that not "one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the law" (Matthew 5:18). And
Lesson 5. The Bible: Its History
so, however simple the Bible may appear in its construction, the message is holy and will last
forever. Having the knowledge that God is the author of the Bible, we must also read and keep
His letter in our hearts.
MEMORY VERSE:

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 “Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you---that
everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be filled”’ Luke
24:44 NRSV

MEET YOUR TARGETS

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Explain the meaning of canon and the significant stages of its formation and development.
 Knows the first events in the English versions of the Bible

VENTURE WITH ME
KNOW YOUR HISTORY

In the list of historical people below, find the one that is out of place.

1. Jose Rizal, Lapu-Lapu, Ferdinand Magellan

2. Ferdinand Magellan, Christopher Colombus, Napoleon Bonaparte
3. Mary the Mother of Jesus, Queen Esther, Ruth, Martha
4. John, James, Andrew, Luke
5. Paul, Moses, Enoch, Elijah

Guide Questions:

a. What makes history very important?

b. How does your knowledge of history help you in finding the answers?
c. Does history affect our time today?

The Bible is God’s love letter to you. It is in the Bible where you find His dreams and plans for your life.
Just like constructing a letter, the Bible is also composed of different parts. There are letters called the
epistles, historical records, poetry, gospels, and even prophetic books.

In this lesson, we will discover the different parts of the Bible and how it was organized. And in our
study, the study of history plays an essential role in discovering what happened in the past. I encouraged
you to memorize the 66 books of the Bible.

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CHAT WITH THE EXPERT
I. CANON: PUTTING THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE TOGETHER

If you're wondering why there are only have 66

books in the Bible and why other spiritual writings
are not included in the Bible, then that is a question
of canon. The word canon means “a straight reed
that could be used as a kind of measuring rod or
standard.” In our modern religious world, the word
canon refers to “a specific collection of sacred
writings that provide a measuring rod or standard for
a particular religious community.” In other words,
canon is the criteria or the standard where a certain
book is acknowledged as a sacred book or not. Still,
the criteria also differ depending on what religious
group you belong to. For example, the canonized
book for the Muslims is the Qur'an, while for the
Jews is the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), and for us, Christians are the Bible. Here are more example of
canonized books from different religious groups:

 Islam: The Qur’an or Koran

 Samaritans: First 5 books of Moses (the Law or Pentateuch)
 Judaism: Hebrew Bible (Old Testament: Law, Prophets, and Poetry)
 Protestants: Bible (Old and New Testaments)
 Roman Catholics: Catholic Bible (Old and New Testaments, Apocrypha)
 Latter-day Saints (Mormons): Old and New Testaments and the Book of Mormons, and two
other books

In one way or another, all the groups above trace their roots back to Abraham. Mormonism is the most
recent movement and adds modern writing, unlike the Protestant canon. Islam is also a more recent
development, originating with the prophet Mohammed some 600 years after the time of Christ.
Although it has its distinct sacred writing, the Koran, Islam still traces its roots back to Abraham.

Except for Islam, all the above groups share at least one standard writing, the books of Moses. The
Samaritans have the least of the canonized books because they only have five books written by Moses.
The Jewish Bible includes the poetry/writings and Prophets. The Protestants accept all the Jews accept
but add the New Testament. The Catholic Bible contains all the Jews and Protestant Bible plus the
Apocrypha.

You see, history affects how a particular religious community views the sacredness of the book. And so,
we need to know the history.

The Old Testament: The Samaritan Schism

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An essential history of the Jews and the Samaritans is described in 2 Kings 17. When the Assyrians
conquered the northern kingdom of Israel (Israel) in 722 B.C., many Jews were taken into exile, and the
Assyrians replaced them, which caused a mixture of race in the land of Israel. It resulted to a new group
of people known as the Samaritans, a race of mixed blood and religion.

In 587/586 B.C., Babylonians conquered the rest of the tribes, the ones in the southern kingdom of Israel
(Judah). Most Jews were taken captive by the Babylonians, including a group of youth where Daniel and
his friends belonged in 605 B.C. and the prophet Ezekiel in 597 B.C.

In 536 B.C., the Babylonian kingdom was now over, and the Medo-Persian kingdom allowed some
Jewish exiles to go back to Judah. Their first task was to rebuild the temple. On the process, their half
relatives, the Samaritans, offered to help, but the Jews wouldn't let them because Nehemiah feared that
the Samaritans might influence the remnant Jews with their gods. It caused tension between the two
groups.

When the tension got intense, finally, the Jews and the Samaritans got separated, and the Samaritans
took with them the five books of Moses, which is the only canonized books at that time. The Samaritan
schism was a significant part of the Bible's history because we can see here that the five books of Moses
were taken as the Bible. Hence, it is one thing for us to confirm that the Pentateuch must have a part in
the Bible today.

By the time of Jesus, the other two parts of the Hebrew Bible, Writings/Poetry and the Prophets became
part of the canon in the fullest sense as to know why we have almost no evidence to understand why
they were included. Still, we can take what Jesus implied when He mentioned three texts from the three
groups of the Hebrew Bible: the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (the most important book in the
Writings/Poetry). Jesus, himself, accepted the writings/poetry and the Prophets as the canonized Word
of God.

The New Testament: Christianity separates from Judaism

In the New Testament time, it is clear that the Hebrew Bible

was the Bible that Jesus and His disciples were using.
However, at this time, the common language was no longer
Hebrew but Greek, Koine (common) Greek. So, we can
understand that when they quoted from the Hebrew Bible,
they translated it into Greek. The Greek translation of the
Hebrew Bible was called the Septuagint (LXX).

The New Testament also makes clear that not all Jews
believed in Jesus as the prophesied Messiah. Because of
this, the Jews tend to think that Jesus is no longer a part of the Jewish community. It gives rise to the
division between the Jews and Christians.

As the apostles preached about Jesus and His teachings, it brought them to have a new set of writings
known today as the New Testament. The Gospels and epistles (letters) would make up the more
significant part of the New Testament, plus one book of history (the book of Acts) and one book called
the apocalypse (Revelation).

AMCC Academy P a g e 15 |
Jesus did not write any books in the New Testament, but we are aware that His disciples and His
followers were the ones who wrote the New Testament books. The books of the New Testament wrote
about Jesus and His teachings. It passed on through stories and testimonies from people who've
witnessed Jesus and those who first heard His message. About thirty years after Jesus' ascension, the
first book of the was written.

In the introduction of Luke's gospel, he hints that many people were telling stories about Jesus that
some of it is not correct. And so, Luke researched by asking the disciples, who knew Jesus in the flesh,
and asked them what happened, since Luke was not part of the twelve disciples and was a Greek
physician. Matthew and John, who were part of Jesus' twelve disciples, wrote their gospel books, while
the book of Mark was based on Peter's words for Mark was Peter's penman.

Something similar also happened in the epistles. Not all epistles from that time were automatically
credited as part of the canon. As time passed, many letters circulated among the early Christians that it
became difficult to determine which is genuine and faithful to the story of Jesus. However, if the epistle
is known to be written by an apostle, it is automatically preserved. So, the church leaders brought out
genuine letters so that Christians would know what books were accepted by other churches. The ones
that got accepted were taken into study.

In A.D. 367, Athanasius, a Christian bishop of Alexandria, listed the twenty-seven books of the New
Testament (the New Testament we knew today) and was deliberately studied and was accepted as the
set of the New Testament books. Issues surrounding the New Testament canon were finally settled
some three hundred years after Jesus had given HIs gospel commission to His disciples.

The Apocrypha: Demoted by Protestants, Promoted by the Catholics

Jews wrote the Apocrypha books during the "silent years" or the time between the Old Testament and
the New Testament. These books were seen as holy books instead of viewing them as Scripture. As
centuries passed, it was widely accepted as sacred books and not part of the authentic canon.

However, in the sixteenth century, the Protestant Reformers (those who opposed the Roman Catholic
Church) insisted that the Apocrypha books could only defend all church teachings such as purgatory. But
the Catholic Council of Trent (1546) declared the Apocrypha to be Scripture because of their belief of
the purgatory. In 1827, the British and American Bible Societies decided that they would no longer
include the Apocrypha in their translations.

Canonization: Summary

In one sense, canonization (the approval of a collection of writings serves as an authoritative standard)
could simply be viewed as a human process in much the same way as the writing of an epistle or a psalm
could be seen as merely a social activity. But for those who have a Christian view of the canon, three key
points are worth emphasizing.

1. God was as involved in the formation of the canon as He was in inspiring the prophetic
messages in the first place. Christians firmly accept both GOD’S INSPIRING and GUIDING role in
creating the Bible, even when the process seems to have involved quite ordinary people in the
church.

AMCC Academy P a g e 16 |
 2. The process of canonization was not merely about by an official decree of the Christian Church,
although at times that did occur. Over a lengthy period, it involved the shared judgment of the
entire community of believers, guided by the Holy Spirit, to COLLECTIVELY RECOGNIZE AND
ACCEPT as canon those books that the Holy Spirit had inspired initially through individual
writers. From the time the message was first written, while it was being read, studied, and
applied until it was compiled, collected, and officially confirmed as canon. God emerges as the
Chief Architect of His Word.
3. Whenever the body of Christian believers decided holy writings being recognized as canon, any
new addition had to measure up to the following criteria: the NEW HAD TO AGREE WITH THE
OLD---the already established books of Scripture. "To the Law and the Testimony, if they speak
not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20 KJV). Along with
this, the writer had to qualify as a duly recognized prophet, apostle, or inspired eyewitness.
And evidence, the message had to have the concluding evidence, the message had to have the
confirming witness of the Holy Spirit.

II. THE BIBLE IN ENGLISH

During A.D. 596, Augustine of Canterbury, a Roman Catholic missionary, came to the British Isles. Here
were the Christians, known as the Celtic Church. As time passed, the Celtic church was taken control by
the Catholic Church through Augustine. However, whether Celtic or Catholic, ordinary people don’t
know how to read. So, what are you going to do with the Bible if you are present at that time?

You might think of having missionary schools where these people can come and learn to read and write
and have access to the teachings of the Bible. But when Augustine first came to English-speaking lands,
schools weren't popular, and for a good reason ---the Catholic Church held firmly two deeply rooted
convictions:

 The word of God could be given only in the Latin language.

 Common people were not permitted to learn to read Latin, especially that the people were
English speakers.

This conviction aroused because the church feared that people might start asking questions. Despite
these convictions, those people were hungry for finding the Bible's truth, and so many find their way in
translating the Bible into the language of the ordinary people. Let's look at steps that gradually brought
the Bible into the hands of the people.

1. Poetry: A.D., 600. People were so interested in poetry, for this is one of their forms of
entertainment. Bede (known as the venerable Bede), a devout and learned monk of Jarrow,
received a vision about "A.D. 60, instructing him to sing a song about the creation." And for
some four hundred years after that, the Anglo-Saxon (England) people made parts of the Bible
into a song, which allowed the ordinary people to know the Bible.

2. Homilies (short sermons), metrical psalms (psalms in the rhythmical form), and New
Testament portions in English A.D. 1000 For several hundred years, from about 1000 to the
time of John Wycliffe (1380), sermons and stories of the Bible appeared in various Anglo-Saxon
dialects. As a result, the people became eager to have the full Bible in their tongue.

AMCC Academy P a g e 17 |
 3. First complete Bible in English: John Wycliffe, A.D. 1380. John Wycliffe, who made a mark in the
history of Biblical translation, translated the Bible two times. First was about 1380, in which the
reading was "more like" Latin, and the second was twenty years after that, was "closely to
genuine English."

Wycliffe was so concerned about the corruption of the church leaders that he was determined
to translate the Bible in the language of the ordinary people. He said, "No man is so rude a
scholar but that he might learn the words of the Gospel according to his simplicity." Since there
were no printing presses at that time, copies of Wycliffe's English Bible were expensive, yet
God's word was now in the hands of ordinary people.

However, the authorities of the church were not pleased. The Oxford Council of 1407 prohibited
the translation and reading of any book of Scripture "composed in the time of the said John
Wycliffe or later." But the hungry souls circumvent the ban. At least one Bible was preserved
from that era, carrying an original date of MCCCCVIII (1408) ---but with one C erased. It has
changed the time to 1308, and so it was exempted from
the ban.

4. He first printed English Bible: Tyndale's New Testament,

A.D. 1525. Wycliffe made the English Bible's first written
translation; however, William Tyndale was the one who
first printed the New Testament in English. But during
that time, translating the Bible was dangerous work.
Though Tyndale managed to flee from his continent, he
was hunted down, strangled, then burned at stake. It's
the same fate awaited others. Somehow, its only English
Reformation translator, Miles Coverdale, who died on his bed.

The following years after Tyndale’s death, several other English Bible appeared, preparing the
way for the King James Bible of 1611. The Coverdale Bible was the first complete Bible to be
printed in English, even though it was published in Zurich, Switzerland. Matthew's Bible, the
Great Bible, the Geneva Bible, and the Bishop's Bible were all forerunners of the 1611 King
James Version.

5. The Authorized King James Version of 1611. A team of fifty-four translators was appointed, and
they were divided into six groups. They were instructed to strike a middle course between the
extreme Protestant and extreme papist positions.

Several times, the completed translation underwent minor corrections (especially in 1769).
Although the English language had changed a great deal since 1769, the spelling, punctuation,
and phraseology of that 1769 revision continue to be the current form of the King James
Version.

In the late nineteenth century, a movement began to rise, pressing the revision of the King
James Version. The result of the revision was then known as the American Standard Version
(1901), where the New Testament was revised in 1881, and the Old Testament was in 1885. The
American usage replaced the British English of the Revised Version (R.V.), marking the beginning
of the modern translations.

AMCC Academy P a g e 18 |
Answer the apply the concepts activities in the workbook.

AMCC BOOSTERS

“REMEMBER,” GOD SAID

Lesson 6. The Bible: Its Versions

God is the "Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End" (Rev. 1:8). As a God who is not
affected by time, He uses every moment to deliver His people. In historical records, we see
how He delivered everyone. You see, looking back in history gives us the confidence to know
who God is. Isaiah wrote God's words, "Remember
MEMORY VERSE:the former things of old: for I am God, and
there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me" (Isa. 46:9 KJV). Remembering God in
“Above
ourall, you must
history gives understand that noofprophecy
us the confidence of the
today and Scripture cameofabout
assurance by the prophet’s own
tomorrow.
interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they
were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20, 21 NIV

MEET YOUR TARGETS

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Compare different versions of the Bible to discern the advantages and disadvantages of each.
 Identify several versions of the Bible.
 Discover how the different versions enhance biblical understanding.

VENTURE WITH ME

I NEED HELP!
Read and evaluate the story.

Isaac had a crush on Rebekah for two years now; however, he doesn't know how to approach her or
confess to her feelings. So, Isaac went to his friends for help. Which version of approach would you
recommend for Isaac? Why?

Person 1 (Peter): “Isaac, you just go straight to her and tell her what you feel about her. But be gentle.
Don’t forget to pray!”
Person 2 (Kevin): “Isaac, you give her some hints about your feelings first. Why not start by giving her
some gifts with letters? Then, when the time comes, you confess your feelings. Also, pray that she will
be open to your feelings.”
Person 3 (Jack): “Make her as your friend and just support her in all that she does. When you guys get
closer as friends, then confess to her your feelings. Always ask God for guidance, though."

Answer:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

AGuide
M C CQuestions:
Academy P a g e 19 |
a. Why is it that there are different versions of the approach?
b. What happens if there is only one option?
People have different ways of coping with problems and adjustments. Every day, we try to analyze ways
that would make things easier for us, such as constructing our sentences, making our food, spending our
time, and many more.

Today, we've seen many versions of the Bible. Each version has its advantage and disadvantage,
depending on the preference of the reader and its faithfulness to the original language. We may
wonder, why is it that there are a lot of versions in the English language alone? For some, they were
blessed to have different versions because they can use it in their study.

This lesson will give us an understanding of why having different versions is helpful. Also, we will look at
history on how these different versions existed today.

CHAT WITH THE EXPERT

We are all familiar with the King James Versions. However, many would say that they had a hard time
understanding it. Why? Probably because of the kind of English that this version had. And so, as the
years went by, many versions were added in the list. The question is, "Are these versions safe and
reliable in the sense that the original message of the Bible is still there?" Let us take a look in history
how these versions came out today.

New Translations: A Struggle Over Change

The destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. marked the beginning of the

exile of the Jews. Many of them were taken captive in Babylon. It caused
the Jews to scatter around the face of the world, and it is called the
Jewish Diaspora (scattering of the Jews). The Jews started to learn
foreign languages as they tried to live with people speaking with a
different language, not Hebrew. And most of the scattered Jews lived in
Babylon and Alexandria in Egypt.

As time passed, the Hebrew language of the Jews started to die out. When Alexander the Great
conquered the known world in 331 B.C., the Greek language became the common language of all the
people. Replacing Aramaic as the international language, Greek became the language of commerce and
education. That’s why the Jews in Alexandria knew Greek better than they knew their native Hebrew.

From Hebrew to Greek: The Greek Septuagint (LXX)

Since the people now are using Greek as their universal language, it is no question why there is also a
move to translate the Hebrew Bible into Greek. In the “Letter of Aristeas,” he showed how the Jews felt
toward the new Greek translation of their Bible.

The Egyptian ruler, Ptolemy Philadelphus (one of Alexander the Great's generals), wanted a copy of the
Jewish Bible for the new library he was building in Alexandria. The king welcomed a team of seventy-
two Jewish scholars from Jerusalem. That is why it is referred to LXX (70) because about seventy
scholars worked for it, though it was rounded-off. They began to translate the Hebrew Bible in Greek
while enjoying the king's hospitality. Aristeas tells how the translators divided into working groups and

AMCC Academy P a g e 20 |
then compared their results until everyone was happy. This picture is the kind of practice we can see in
the making of modern translation today.

A Modern Latin Translation: Going Back to the Hebrew Original Behind the Greek

As the Romans conquered the Greek empire, it also

introduced its local language. Latin (local language of
the Romans) has now taken center stage with the
Greek language. This time, two languages took a stand;
however, the Latin language later won over the Greek
word.

At the time of Jesus and the Apostles, Greek was still

famous even under the Romans. John 19:20 tells that
the inscription of Jesus' cross was written in three
languages: Hebrew (the local language), Latin (the
language of the new Roman Empire), and Greek (the
still-popular language from the previous empire).
Greek was still the most popular language since the New Testament was written in Greek.
Years later, the Greek was finally changed into the language of the Romans. Just as the Jews wanted a
Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, so Christians of the Roman Empire began asking for Bible in Latin.
Readings in Old Latin sprang up all over the place. By A.D. 400, so many Old Latin translations of the
Bible had appeared, which was all based on the Greek Bible (Septuagint or LXX), some quite poorly
done, that scholars and bishops longed for an excellent reliable Latin translation that could be used
everywhere.

Jerome, a Christian monk with remarkable language skills, took on the task. He was so serious in his
work that he went to Jerusalem to study the Hebrew language. Jerome was working on the translation.
He discovered that the Septuagint or the Greek Bible, from which the Old Latin had been based on, had
different meaning compared to the original Hebrew Bible. He finished his work, and it was known as the
Latin Vulgate. The protest began like a firestorm. The Vulgate was based on the original Hebrew
language caused a lot of changes from the previous translations and was widely accepted by the Church.
In the end, they rejected Jerome and his work because they didn't want them to go back to the original
meaning. After all, it wasn't their familiar Bible. "What we know is what we want. Don't change it," they
said.

Reformation Bible: Forward to the Language of the People, Back to the Language of the Originals

Time flew so fast that Jerome's Latin Vulgate eventually won over the Septuagint. But as the world
moved forward to the Reformation, Latin was not the commonly used language anymore. Ordinary
people need to have a Bible translated into their language. But at this time, the Church would not allow
any translation of the Latin Bible. The Church controlled the truth so that the people will not question,
and the result was deadly.
As the Reformers struggled to give the Bible back to the people, they stood firm for two fundamental
principles that the official Church had long resisted:

A. The Bible must be in the hands of the ordinary people in a language they can understand.

AMCC Academy P a g e 21 |
 B. New translations must be based on the best manuscripts in the original languages, rather than
on the Latin.

It is still evident that the Church wanted the Latin version over other versions, even if it's the Bible's
original language. The people prefer the truth that they knew rather than the truth from the original
version of the Bible.

Good Reasons for Translating the Bible

Translating one language to another means change. But for the Christians, the Holy Spirit can bless the
change and keep the meaning faithful so that more people can hear God's voice in Scripture. Here are
four reasons why new translations are reasonable, we discover that they all have something to do with
the desire to share God's Word with people.

1. A new translation makes it possible to share the gospel with PEOPLE WHO SPEAK A DIFFERENT
LANGUAGE from the original language or the language in which the Bible has been available.
-It is easier for us to share God’s Word if there is an available translation of the Bible in the
language of the people we are reaching.

2. A new translation makes it possible to share the gospel more effectively with PEOPLE WHOSE
LANGUAGE HAS CHANGED OVER TIME.
-When people's language changes, having different translations will make it easier for them to
understand the message of the Bible by comparing the two or more translations of the Bible.

3. A new translation can take advantage of the DISCOVERY OF BETTER AND MORE ANCIENT
MANUSCRIPTS.
-Generally, the older the manuscript, the better it is. Archaeologists continue to discover older
and more reliable copies of the Bible (such discoveries of earlier texts of the Scripture were
found hidden in some storeroom or library) having new translations will lead us to a closer
understanding of the motive of the original writers of the Bible. That is why modern translations
today have a more precise way of translating the Bible because recent findings showed a clearer
understanding of the writers' intentions. However, the New King James Version does not use
any of these discoveries because of its desire to be faithful to the King James Version.

4. A new translation can take advantage of RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES THAT EXPLAIN
STRANGE BIBLICAL WORDS AND CUSTOMS.
-Having discoveries will give us a better understanding of some words that were hard to
understand and practices that were questioned before. Making a new translation will lead to
apply these discoveries and make it part of the Bible in which it is more accurate and more
precise than those translations made prior.

Which Translation is Best?

To answer such a question, we need to ask several questions to get the proper answer.

AMCC Academy P a g e 22 |
 1. Does the translation present a FORMAL Equivalence or DYNAMIC Equivalence?

A. Formal Equivalence refers to a literal word-for-word translation. An example of this is the

New American Standard Bible. The translators of this type seek to find the closest word or
phrase to match the word or phrase of the original language. However, the disadvantage of
a word-for-word translation is it is only suitable for helping in studying the Bible, for it can
produce a problematic sentence structure that doesn't fit the modern language.

B. Dynamic Equivalence refers to an expression that gives the thought of the original
language that has the same impact or feeling to the new reader than the first reader or
hearer of the word. Thus, the translators of this type have more freedom in expressing the
meaning of the word or phrase. Moreover, this is often done phrase by phrase. The
disadvantage is that the new can be very different from the original. But on the positive
side, it is easier to read and understand. J.B. Phillip's New Testament paraphrase is an
excellent example of dynamic translation.

2. Was the translation produced by a committee or by an individual?

Generally, the translation done through a working committee is much more reliable than an
individual did it. Why? Simply because in a committee, various people tried to study and
evaluate the outcome, whether faithful to the original language. If an individual only does it,
personal biases will most likely be encrypted and tend to go away from the original writers'
original motive. Committees made most of the modern translations. Phillip's New Testament,
Kenneth Taylor's Living Bible, and William Barclay's New Testament are examples of individual
translations.

3. Did some particular interest groups produce the translation or not?

An excellent example of this is the New World Translation produced by the Jehovah's
Witnesses. Since they believed that Jesus is not equal to God, they changed what the Bible said
that Jesus was the same with God. In John 1:1, it means, "and the Word was "a" God" instead
of the original "and the Word is God." This tendency is often done when a specific group of
translators works out in translating the Bible. Personal biases are often put into the texts.

4. What is the technical difference between a version and a translation?

A version is simply a revision of a previous translation. For example, the NKJV is a new version
of the KJV. On the other hand, translation is a new translation not based on other translations
done in the past. The New International Version is not tied to KJV; therefore, it is a new
translation and not a new version. The Jerusalem Bible is a new translation by Roman Catholic
scholars.

Conclusion

Which Bible is best for you? One that warms your heart and feeds your soul. But remember, a Bible
should encourage you to think, to act, and to worship God. It will lead you to a transformative life that

AMCC Academy P a g e 23 |
you would follow God with all your heart. In determining the truth, translations that are close to the
original language will help you. But always seek what God's Word will tell you and keep it within your
heart.

Answer the apply the concepts activities in the workbook.

Lesson 7. The Bible: Its Study

MEMORY VERSE:
“These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on
whom the ends of the ages have come” 1 Corinthians 10:11 NRSV

MEET YOUR TARGETS

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Analyze the importance of studying the Bible personally, objectively, and within context.
 Apply tools, methods, and guidelines for Bible study to personal Bible study and devotions.

VENTURE WITH ME

WHY STUDY THE BIBLE?

Do this!

A. List the reasons why a Christian should study the Bible.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

B. List the reasons why Christians cannot spend time studying the Bible.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What is your evaluation to your answers above?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

AMCC Academy P a g e 24 |
Guide questions:
a. Why is studying the Bible very important?
b. Is your answer inclined to the negative or the positive side of the Christian life? Why?
c. What do you think is the reason why Christians have lesser time with God?

Many Christians have struggled to have a quality time with God. Maybe because of a hectic schedule, an
emergency, or probably have the feeling that time with God is not very much essential and just a waste
of time. It calls for us reevaluate our relationship with our God.

In this lesson, we will understand more profound the importance of having a quality time with God and
also learn new ideas and ways to deepen our devotional habits.

CHAT WITH THE EXPERT

THE DEVOTIONAL HABIT

Habit means a settled tendency or usual manner of

behavior. Christians often think of developing the
habit of staying in close contact with God by having
quality time reading God's Word, the Bible.
However, not all those who claim Christians give
priority of taking a habit to spend time with God. In
this lesson, we will help you find good reasons for
the excellent habit of studying the Bible. If you
already have the habit, it's okay. You can add more
good reasons for keeping it.

In Ellen G. White’s little book, Steps to Christ, she implied three essential things a Christian should do:
pray, study, and share. Others may take this to be God's requirements for us to gain His favor. If you
have this kind of mindset to do these things for us to be saved or receive God's blessings, then we tend
to do it out of favor from God instead of having quality time with a friend. You see, the goal is not to
comply with God's requirements but to have a meaningful relationship with God. Something that you
wanted to do as Christian and not just doing it for the sake of compliance.

The holy life refers to a time (even better, an attitude) when you and God are on the same wavelength
when you are talking, sharing, and listening. It is the quality of time you spent together just as you spend
it with a friend. And studying the Bible is one way of having this kind of time with God.

Now, we will have two tools that we can use as we do our devotional life—first, your head, or your
power of reason. As you have your devotional life, remember that your mind has control over your
thoughts. However, even the wisest and spiritual individual relies not only on the power of the brain, for
our brains are also affected by sin. Hence, it is inclined to think selfishly and tends to desire evil than of

AMCC Academy P a g e 25 |
the good. Indeed, the brain is an essential tool in a holy life, but to make it reliable and has the proper
guidance of the thought, we need the second tool.
Second is the power of prayer. The sinful brain may tend to be selfish, but when the thoughts are
submitted to God through prayer, this impaired brain will be made whole in the influence of the divine
power. However, we are not after the act of prayer but for the person behind it, the Holy Spirit. Prayer is
only our way of submitting our thoughts to His influence. "The Spirit makes it safe to use our heads
when we study the Bible. But He only comes from our invitation."

Now, you’re ready for a lively three-way conversation: your Bible, you (or your mind), and the Holy
Spirit. Remember, the solution in life's problems is already in the Bible, but we can only find it by having
the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If the Spirit is absent, most likely, we misinterpret the Bible because we
tend to put our own biases (for we are selfish) into what the Bible means.

Furthermore, it is also wrong to think that we substitute our heads with prayers that, instead of using
our heads, we just depend on our prayers. Prayers do not think, but then it sets the mind to submit to
the Spirit's influence. It will make us use our brains more and not less because the Holy Spirit will guide
us to the principle of God's kingdom. The Bible, your mind, and the Spirit all work together, and this will
make a meaningful Bible devotional habit.

STUDYING THE BIBLE: THE HOW, THE WOW, AND

THE DO
Different Methods for Different Purposes

We have three essential categories in the Christian

life: the How, the Wow, and the Do. These three
categories will give us ideas on how the Bible can be
most useful for each. But let us summarize the
meaning of each category.

The How. This refers to various ways of studying or

analyzing the Bible as a book, as history, as
literature. In other words, we look into how it was
written or its overall background as a book. Does it
include who wrote the book? For whom was it
written? When was it written? Or Where did they live? Their customs, culture, language, manuscripts,
translations are all part of the How.

The Wow. This is the worship side of our Christian life. It has to do with awe, wonder, joy, and fear
(reverence) in God's presence. It is our encounter with Christ as our risen Lord and Savior. Naturally, it is
where we express our gratitude, praise, confessions, laments, and complaints to God as our friend. Yes,
charges and laments are included here because, in the Wow category, it is here that we look on God as
the only person who understands us and has the way out from our troubles.

The Do. This is the hands-on part of the Christian life. Here we learn about sharing with others what God
has done for us and helping others in trouble. Here we can decide what we should do and what we
shouldn't do. We seek God for guidance and then get out and do what we believe He has asked us to do.
Now, let us understand that there should be a balance of each category in our Christian life. For
example, if we only focus on the How, we may overlook or probably lose the sense of praising God and

AMCC Academy P a g e 26 |
enjoying His love because we are so focused on the background instead of the main person. If we only
focus on the Wow, we may not understand and accurately make the right decision in real life. Why?
Because we are not familiar with the background and the proper application of the message. If we only
focus on the Do, then we may not fully grasp the motive of the action in the story, and it will make us
legalistic and judgmental since we only focus on the actions.

BASIC BIBLE-STUDY TOOLS

Listed below are some standard references works that can help us study and understand the Bible:

1. Concordance. Good for doing word studies based on the way a word is used in the Bible. It is an
alphabetical list of words used in the Bible.
2. Bible Dictionary. It contains articles on the Bible characters, places, and names. A good
dictionary will include articles on every important word, person, place, and concept found in the
Bible.
3. Atlas. The geographical map during Bible time. A functional atlas will give us maps and brief
articles explaining various plans connected with the Bible stories.
4. Commentary. Commentaries will help us interpret a passage in a particular book. A review on a
specific book can be constructive. Very sophisticated commentaries expect the reader to know
Greek and Hebrew, the language in which the Bible was originally written.

PLANNING YOUR OWN BIBLE STUDY

A. The Story of Jesus. Since Jesus is the most apparent revelation of God, a generous dose of the
Gospels is very important as the first step in any Bible-study plan.
B. Bible Characters. Studying essential characters in the Bible is essential. You can list their good
qualities as well as the bad ones. And you can take lessons that apply to your life.
C. Prayers in the Bible. You list some prayers in the Bible and try to analyze the construction of
their prayers. Also, identifying them as prayers of praise, thanks, cries, or complaints will make it
very interesting.
D. Books of the Bible. Here, you can summarize the text in your own words. To do this, it will need
time. So, you can start by outlining each book for you to have a better output of your summary.
E. Great Miracles of the Bible. It is the kind of study that will help you feel the Wow. You may start
searching for miracles in the Bible and try to see what miracles God does today.
F. Great Themes of the Bible. You can start by studying essential themes, such as salvation, sin,
forgiveness, love, deliverance, hope, faith, and many more. Having thought of a good theme will
spike your interest in the study of God's word. The Bible dictionary and commentaries will help
you here.
G. Word Studies. The concordance will help you in this way. You can look words in the Bible and
know how it was used in its context.

The Bible is a great resource book. It is the test of all that we do and believe. But it's not enough to know
the Bible; we need to know the God revealed in Jesus Christ (John 17:3). That's why the three-way
conversation is so meaningful. Your Bible, you, and the Spirit. By inviting God to be with you through His
Spirit, you will get to know God.

Answer the apply the concepts activities in the workbook.

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