Week 3

Question 1

Leviticus

Answer 1

1-10 - Cultic Sacrifices (Approaching God)
11-16 - Cleanness Codes (Imitating God)
17-27 - Holiness Codes (Being like God)

Question 2

Numbers

Answer 2

1-25 - Death of the Exodus Generation in the Wilderness
26-36 - A New Start for Israel on the Border of the Promised Land

Question 3

Deuteronomy

Answer 3

1-4 - Farewell Sermon 1 - Keep the Law
5-28 - Farewell Sermon 2 - Loyal to God
29-30 - Farewell Sermon 3 - Covenant Ratification
31-34 - Epilouge and Benediction

Question 4

Name the general divisions of the Old Testament, and the books in each.

Answer 4

1-Pentateuch/Torah/Law- Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (5)
2-Pre-Exilic History - Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles (9)
3-Post-Exilic History - Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (3)
4-Wisdom/Writings - Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon (5)
5- Major Prophets - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel (5)
6-Pre-Exilic Minor Prophets - Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Naum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (9)
7-Post-Exilic Minor Prophets - Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (3)

Question 5

Give a general outline of Old Testament history, including key dates.

Answer 5

Creation & Fall - 4004 BC
Flood - 2348 BC
Babel - 2234 BC
Patriarchs - 1921 BC - 1706 BC
Descent to Egypt - 1706 BC
Exodus - 1491 BC
Judges - 1394 BC - 1095 BC
United Monarchy - 1095 BC - 975 BC
Division of Kingdom - 975 BC
Exile of Israel - 722 BC
Exile of Judah - 586 BC
Restoration of Judah - 538 BC
Close of the OT Canon - 400 BC

Question 6

Give a general outline of Old Testament history from the perspective of the covenant, including key passages.

Answer 6

Adamic Covenant: Genesis 1:27-28; 2:16-17
Introduction of the Covenant of Grace: Genesis 3:15
Noahic Covenant: Genesis 6:18; 8:20-22; 9:8-17
Abrahamic Covenant: Genesis 12:1-9; 15; 17
Mosaic Covenant: Exodus 20 (10 Commandments); 21-23 (Stipulations of the Covenant); 24 (Confirmation Ceremony of the Covenant).
Davidic Covenant: 2 Samuel 7
New Covenant Foretold: Jer. 31:31-34 (cf. Hebrews 8); Ezekiel 36

Question 7

What is God?

Answer 7

“God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth” (WSC 4).

Question 8

Briefly explain and defend (including Scripture proofs) the doctrine of the Trinity.

Answer 8

“There are three Persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these Three are One God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory” (WSC 6).

Question 9

The Oneness of God

Answer 9

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, besides me there is no God.”

Question 10

The Deity of the Father

Answer 10

1 Corinthians 8:6: “Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist…”

Question 11

The Deity of the Son

Answer 11

John 1:1-3: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him…”
John 8:58: Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I am,” invoking the divine name “I AM” (Exodus 3:14).

Question 12

The Deity of the Holy Spirit

Answer 12

Acts 5:3-4: Peter says to Ananias, “…you have lied to the Holy Spirit… You have not lied to men but to God.”
2 Corinthians 3:17: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

Question 13

What are the attributes of God? Be prepared to offer scripture proofs?

Answer 13

Omniscience - Psalm 147:5: “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.”
Omnipotence - Revelation 19:6: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.”
Omnipresence - Jeremiah 23:23-24
Eternality - Revelation 1:8: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Immutability-Malachi 3:6: “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.”
Holiness-Isaiah 6:3
Righteousness and Justice- Deuteronomy 32:4: “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.”
Love-1 John 4:8
Mercy and Grace- Ephesians 2:4-5
Sovereignty- Ephesians 1:11

Question 14

Which are communicable?

Answer 14

Holiness -Isaiah 6:3
Love - 1 John 4:8
Mercy and Grace- Ephesians 2:4-5
Righteousness and Justice- Deuteronomy 32:4
Wisdom - James 1:5
Goodness- Galatians 6:10
Faithfulness-Galatians 5:22-23
Patience- Galatians 5:22-23

Question 15

Which are incommunicable?

Answer 15

Omniscience - Psalm 147:5
Omnipotence - Revelation 19:6
Omnipresence - Jeremiah 23:23-24
Eternality - Revelation 1:8
Immutability-Malachi 3:6
Self-Existence (Aseity)- John 5:26
Simplicity - Exodus 3:14
Sovereignty- Ephesians 1:11

Question 16

What are the decrees of God?

Answer 16

“The decrees of God are, His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, whereby, for His own glory, He hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass” (WSC 7)

he ordained everything that came to pass for his purpose and will

Question 17

What is the difference between infralapsarian and supralapsarian views of God’s decrees?

Answer 17

Infralapsarianism is the position that God decreed election and reprobation after He decreed Creation and the Fall. Supralapsarianism is the position that God decreed election and reprobation before He decreed Creation and the Fall.

Question 18

What is an Amyraldian view of God’s decrees?

Answer 18

Universal atonement: God decrees that Christ’s atonement is sufficient for all people. In this sense, God’s intention in sending Christ was to make salvation available to everyone.

Election: After decreeing the universal atonement, God then decrees to elect those who would, through His grace, actually believe in Christ. Therefore, the benefits of Christ’s atonement are applied only to the elect.

Question 19

How does God execute His decrees?

Answer 19

God executeth His decrees in the works of Creation and Providence” (WSC 8).

Question 20

What is God’s work of creation?

Answer 20

The work of creation is God’s making all things of nothing by the word of His power in the space of six days, and all very good” (WSC 9).

1- creation ex nihilo
2- 6 days
3- all good

Question 21

Briefly discuss the length of the days of creation.

Answer 21

Genesis 1-2, Exodus 20, Exodus 31, Deuteronomy 5 indicate that by “yom” is meant a 24-hour period, or regular calendar day.

Question 22

Evaluate biblically the theory of evolution.

Answer 22

First, a belief in a “common ancestor” of all sentient life on Earth denies the uniqueness of Man as bearer of the imago dei. Second, evolutionists almost uniformly deny the historical Adam and Eve. Christian evolutionists are forced to weaken Adam’s role as federal head of the human race, as well as our involvement in the guilt of Adam’s first sin. If all are not made guilty in, by, and through Adam’s first sin, then Christ’s penal substitutionary atonement is meaningless.

1- Not imago dei due to common ancestor
2- deny historial adam, leads to denial of adam federal headship, leads to weaken Christ penal atonement

Question 23

What are God’s works of providence?

Answer 23

God’s works of providence are His most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures, (ordering them) and all their actions (to His own glory)” (WSC 11

Question 24

What is a miracle?

Answer 24

“God, in His ordinary providence, maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at His pleasure” (WCF V.3).

Question 25

Do miracles occur today? Explain.

Answer 25

Yes, miracles occur today in those rare instances when God works without, above, and against those means of His ordinary providence. Apostolic gifts of miraculous healing, inspired speech, and speaking in tongues have not continued beyond the lifetimes of the Apostles.

Question 26

Is God responsible for sin?

Answer 26

God is not responsible for sin.

Question 27

Did he decree it? Did he permit it?

Answer 27

He decreed man’s fall in that He permitted it to happen, and man freely chose to fall into sin.

Question 28

Who is the ultimate cause of all things?

Answer 28

God is the ultimate/first cause of all things.

Question 29

What is theodicy?

Answer 29

Theodicy is the vindication of divine goodness and providence in view of the existence of evil in the human experience.

Question 30

If God is good and all-powerful, explain the existence of evil.

Answer 30

From where came our concept of good and evil in the first place? The moral/ethical shadows we detect prove the light of divine goodness and perfection. Disasters, pandemics, and violence are all the result of God’s curse on creation for Man’s fall into sin and rebellion. His permitting of evil should not cause us to question His existence, but rather should lend urgency to our search for Him.

Question 31

Discuss the biblical teaching regarding predestination, election, and reprobation.

Answer 31

God creation all things for His own glory. God elects some to everlasting life for His own glory in the revelation of His infinite mercy and grace. God condemns the reprobate to everlasting death in Hell for His own glory in the revelation of His perfect justice and righteousness, and for the vindication of His name. Predestination is a term that encapsulates both election and reprobation. Romans 9 is the locus classicus for this doctrine, and especially verses 13-23.

Question 32

Distinguish the Reformed and Arminian understandings of these doctrines (predestination, election, and reprobation).

Answer 32

The question is one of initiative and ability. Reformed thinkers give God all the initiative, and deprive men of even the spiritual ability to seek salvation on their own. Arminian thinkers hold man responsible to seek salvation from God, and also grant man the ability to do so.
Reformed thinkers believe that God predestines individuals, whereas Arminians understand predestination, election, and reprobation in very generic terms, leaving it to individual men to exercise saving faith on his own.

Difference in Initative and Ability

Question 33

Are these doctrines (predestination, election, and reprobation) compatible with belief in real human choice and responsibility?

Answer 33

(WCF 11.1). As sinful men, we actively, responsibly, and really choose and are rightly held responsible for those courses of sin which we desire, will, and are attracted to.

Question 34

What should be some of the practical results of believing the doctrine of election?

Answer 34

Strong belief in the doctrine of election should encourage assurance of God’s grace in our salvation, confidence in evangelism and missions, and doxology to God alone for saving us.

1- assurance of salvation
2-assurance in evangelism/missions
3- doxology (worship to God alone)

Question 35

Is there a real, personal devil? Explain from Scripture.

Answer 35

The devil is clearly a real, personal figure. In Genesis 3, he makes his opening appearance as a serpent who dialogues persuasively with Eve. In Matthew 4, Luke 4, and Mark 1:12-13, Jesus personally confronts Satan in the wilderness. In Job 1, Satan stands to accuse Job (and God).

Question 36

What is the visible church? Who are its members?

Answer 36

The visible church consists of all those who make profession of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, together with their children. The visible church includes all those denominations which maintain the Word and Sacraments in their fundamental integrity.

Question 37

What is the power of the church? How does it differ from that of the state?

Answer 37

Ecclesiastical power, which is wholly spiritual, is twofold. The officers exercise it sometimes severally, as in the preaching of the gospel, administering the Sacraments, reproving the erring, visiting the sick, and comforting the afflicted. The power of the church is exclusively spiritual; that of the State includes the exercise of force.

Question 38

What is a particular church?

Answer 38

A particular church consists of a number of professing Christians, with their children, associated together for divine worship and godly living, agreeable to the Scriptures, and submitting to the lawful government of Christ’s Kingdom. Its officers are its teaching and ruling elders and its deacons.

Question 39

What is a mission church?

Answer 39

It is distinguished from a particular church in that it has no permanent governing body, and thus must be governed or supervised by others. However, its goal is to mature and be organized as a particular church as soon as this can be done decently and in good order.

Question 40

What two kinds of members does the church have? What are their respective rights and privileges?

Answer 40

1. The children of believers are, through the covenant and by right of birth, non-communing members of the church. Hence they are entitled to Baptism, and to the pastoral oversight, instruction and government of the church, with a view to their embracing Christ and thus possessing personally all benefits of the covenant.
2. Communing members are those who have made a profession of faith in Christ, have been baptized, and have been admitted by the Session to the Lord’s Table.
3. All baptized persons are entitled to the watchful care, instruction and government of the church, even though they are adults and have made no profession of their faith in Christ.
4. Those only who have made a profession of faith in Christ, have been baptized, and admitted by the Session to the Lord’s Gable, are entitled to all the rights and privileges of the church.

Question 41

Outline of BCO

Answer 41

-Preface & Principles: Preface - Chapter 1
-The Church & Its members: chapter 2-6
-Church officers: Chapter 7-9
-Church courts: Chapters 10-15
-Church orders: Chapters 16-24
-Congregational meetings/Amending the Constitution: Chapter 25-26
-Principles of Discipline: Chapters 27-30
-The process of Discipline: chapters 31-38
-Review and Control Jurisdiction: Chapters 39-46
-Directory of Worship: Chapter 47-63