ect Flashcards
How is the Bible divided up into sections?
The Old Testament (OT) – This includes the Hebrew Scriptures and covers the history, law, poetry, and prophecy of the Hebrew people.
It is divided into:
The Torah (Law): Genesis to Deuteronomy
The Historical Books: Joshua to Esther
The Wisdom Books: Job to Song of Solomon
The Prophetic Books: Isaiah to Malachi
The New Testament (NT) – This includes the Christian Scriptures and focuses on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and the early Church.
It is divided into:
The Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
The Acts of the Apostles: Acts
The Epistles (Letters): Romans to Jude
The Revelation: The book of Revelation
What does Canon mean?
Canon refers to the official list of books that are considered authoritative and divinely inspired as part of the Bible. The term comes from the Greek word kanon, meaning “rule” or “measuring stick.” The Canon of the Bible is the collection of books deemed to be sacred and of divine origin.
What were the steps by which the OT canon was established?
Recognition – The books were recognized by Jewish leaders as inspired by God. They were accepted based on their divine authority, teaching, and use in worship.
Acceptance – Over time, Jewish communities accepted certain books, and these became widely acknowledged as sacred.
Closure – By the end of the 1st century AD, the canon of the Hebrew Scriptures was essentially closed, with most Jewish communities agreeing on the same set of books.
How was the NT canon established?
Apostolic Authorship – Books were accepted based on their connection to the apostles or those directly associated with them (like Mark and Luke).
Orthodoxy – The books had to be in line with the essential teachings of the Christian faith.
Universal Acceptance – The books were widely recognized and accepted in churches across the Roman Empire.
Use in Worship – Books that were used in Christian worship and teaching were more likely to be included.
Formal Recognition – Councils like the Council of Carthage (397 AD) and the Council of Hippo (393 AD) formally recognized the NT canon.
What is the definition of the Canonization Model?
The Canonization Model refers to the process by which books of the Bible were recognized and accepted as authoritative and inspired by God. It involves the recognition of divinely inspired texts and the formation of an official list (canon) of those texts.
What are the three components of the Canonization model?
Inspiration – The belief that the books were divinely inspired by God.
Recognition – The acknowledgment by the community that certain books were authoritative and aligned with God’s will.
Collection – The process by which these recognized books were gathered into a cohesive, authoritative canon.
What are the five stages in the Authority of Scripture?
Inspiration – The belief that the Scriptures are divinely inspired and authored by God.
Inerrancy – The belief that the Scriptures are without error in their original manuscripts.
Authority – The belief that the Scriptures are the final authority for faith and practice.
Illumination – The belief that the Holy Spirit helps believers understand and apply the Scriptures.
Preservation – The belief that God has preserved His Word throughout history, ensuring it remains intact and trustworthy.
What does Revelation mean?
Revelation refers to God’s act of making Himself known to humanity. It is the process by which God reveals His will, nature, and truth to His creation.
What does General Revelation mean?
General Revelation is the knowledge of God available to all people through nature, history, and conscience. It reveals aspects of God’s character and power but does not provide the detailed salvation knowledge found in the Bible.
List the four key passages concerning General Revelation.
Psalm 19:1-6
Acts 14:15, 17
Acts 17:24-28
Romans 1:18-20
What are the two channels through which God reveals Himself to all mankind?
Creation (Nature) – God’s power, divine nature, and eternal attributes are evident in the created world.
Conscience – God’s moral law is written on human hearts, leading people to a sense of right and wrong.
What does Special Revelation mean?
Special Revelation is the specific and direct revelation of God to certain individuals or groups. It includes the Bible, God’s personal interaction with His people, and the ultimate revelation through Jesus Christ.
List the two key passages concerning Special Revelation.
2 Timothy 3:15-17
2 Peter 1:20-21; 3:16
What are the three distinctives of Special Revelation?
Direct – Special Revelation is a direct communication from God.
Redemptive – It conveys God’s plan of salvation and reveals specific truths necessary for salvation.
Progressive – Special Revelation unfolds over time, with later revelations building upon earlier ones (e.g., Old Testament leading to the New Testament).
What are the three purposes of Special Revelation?
To Reveal God’s Nature and Will – Special Revelation helps us understand who God is and what He desires for humanity.
To Reveal Salvation – Special Revelation reveals the way of salvation through Jesus Christ and the Gospel.
To Guide Humanity – It provides specific direction and instruction for how people should live according to God’s will.
What does Inspiration mean?
Inspiration refers to the divine process by which God guided human authors to write the Scriptures, ensuring that their writings were exactly what God wanted to communicate, while still using their own personalities and styles.
What is the most important passage regarding the inspiration of Scripture?
The most important passage is 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (NIV)
What does Verbal Inspiration mean?
Verbal Inspiration means that every word of the Bible is inspired by God. God not only inspired the ideas but also the specific words used by the human authors.
What does Plenary Inspiration mean?
Plenary Inspiration means that all parts of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, are equally inspired by God. Every part of the Bible is fully inspired, not just certain sections.
What does Inerrancy mean?
Inerrancy refers to the belief that the Scriptures, in their original manuscripts, are without error in everything they affirm, including historical and scientific details.
What does Infallibility mean?
Infallibility refers to the belief that the Bible is incapable of leading people into error or falsehood in matters of faith and practice.
What does Preservation mean?
Preservation refers to the belief that God has ensured the accurate transmission of His Word throughout history, preserving it from corruption and error.
What does Illumination mean?
Illumination is the work of the Holy Spirit in helping believers understand and apply the Scriptures, making them clearer and more meaningful.
What does Hermeneutics mean?
Hermeneutics is the science and art of interpreting the Bible. It involves understanding the original context, language, and meaning of the text in order to apply it correctly today.
Memorize this statement:
“If the normal sense makes sense, seek no other sense.”
What are the four Presuppositions regarding the Bible?
The Bible is the Word of God – It is divinely inspired and authoritative.
The Bible is true and reliable – It is inerrant, without error in the original manuscripts.
The Bible is sufficient for life and godliness – It contains everything necessary for salvation and living a Christian life.
The Bible is understandable – Through the Holy Spirit, believers can understand the teachings of Scripture.
What is the key passage regarding Miracles?
John 20:30-31 – “Jesus performed many other 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 Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (NIV)
What are the three basic principles regarding Hermeneutics?
Historical Context – Understand the historical background and circumstances in which the text was written.
Literary Context – Interpret the passage based on the type of literature (e.g., poetry, narrative, law, prophecy).
Grammatical Context – Understand the meanings of words, phrases, and sentences in their original languages, including grammar and syntax.
What would you describe Worldview?
A worldview is a comprehensive perspective through which individuals interpret and understand the world, shaping their beliefs, values, and actions.
What are the three Methods for studying the Bible and describe each method in a sentence?
Exegesis – Interpreting the text by drawing out the meaning from the Bible itself, based on its historical, literary, and grammatical context.
Eisegesis – Reading into the text one’s own ideas or biases rather than understanding the author’s intended meaning.
Topical Study – Studying a specific topic or theme throughout the Bible, examining verses that speak to the subject.
What are the three major elements of a worldview?
Metaphysics – The nature of reality and what exists.
Epistemology – The nature of knowledge and how we know what we know.
Ethics – The nature of right and wrong, and how we ought to live.
Name the four key Atheists.
Richard Dawkins
Christopher Hitchens
Sam Harris
Daniel Dennett
Name the two passages that support Theism.
Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
Romans 1:20 – “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Name the two Polytheistic religions mentioned.
Hinduism
Ancient Greco-Roman Religion
Name the three Monotheistic religions.
Judaism
Christianity
Islam
Name the religion that deals with the impersonal aspect of God.
Deism – The belief in an impersonal God who created the world but does not intervene
in it.
Name the verses that show that God is personal.
John 17:3
1 John 5:20
List the verses that emphasize God’s unity.
Deuteronomy 6:4 – “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”
Isaiah 45:5 – “I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.”
List the verses that emphasize God’s plurality.
Genesis 1:26 – “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.’”
Isaiah 6:8 – “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’”
List the verses that show the equality of the Trinity.
Matthew 28:19 – “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
John 14:16-17 – “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.”
Define Panentheism.
Panentheism is the belief that God is in everything and that everything is in God, but God also transcends the universe. It is the view that God is both immanent and transcendent.
List the verses that show the transcendence of God.
Isaiah 55:9 – “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
1 Kings 8:27 – “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!”
List the verses that show the knowableness of God.
truth being communicated from God to man (Heb 1:1)
Exodus 33:11: direct speech
Exodus 31:18: direct writing by God
Daniel 7:1: dreams
Ezekiel 1:1: visions
What is relativism?
Relativism is the belief that truth and moral values are not absolute but are relative to individuals, cultures, or societies. What is considered true or right depends on one’s perspective or context.
List the three ethical strains of relativism today.
Cultural Relativism – The belief that moral standards and values are culturally determined and can vary from one culture to another.
Moral Relativism – The idea that moral judgments are not universally valid, but are relative to individual preferences or societal norms.
Situational Ethics – The belief that the morality of an action is determined by the situation, and the best course of action is the one that most maximizes love.
List and define the three strains of absolutism today.
Moral Absolutism – The belief that moral truths are objective and apply universally, regardless of individual preferences or cultural context.
Theological Absolutism – The belief that divine commands are fixed and unchanging, grounded in the nature of God.
Epistemological Absolutism – The belief that certain truths about knowledge and reality are universally valid and unchanging.
Regarding the three strains of absolutism, what do you believe and why?
What are the names of God in the OT?
YHWH (Yahweh) – “I AM” or “LORD”
Elohim – “God” (used to denote God’s power and majesty)
Adonai – “Lord” or “Master”
El Shaddai – “God Almighty”
El Elyon – “The Most High God”
El Roi – “The God Who Sees”
Jehovah Jireh – “The LORD will provide”
What are the names of God in the NT?
Theos – “God”
Kyrios – “Lord”
Jesus – “Savior”
Christos – “The Anointed One, Christ”
Immanuel – “God with us”
