Bible Question:
Dear Saints and fellows, Again I ask for help in creating a primer for new Christians and those 'on the brink.' The first class will be Christian-Bible terminology. I would like to give basic definitions pertinent to starting a life in Christ Jesus. Please rememeber that I am living in a country with less than 1 percent Christian population (Japan), and very little knowledge of things many would take for granted. A few terms I would like to bring up are: God, Holy Spirit, Trinity, Messiah-Christ, heaven, hell, salvation, justification, redemption, Bible-Old Testament-New Testament, prophecy, ministry, faith, baptism...etc. Please give me a definition of one or more of the above, with a clear Bible reference (Not too many!) Let me know what you might want to add to the above list. Please, do not 'wax poetic' or philosophize. Also, don't refer me to another book or web-site...tell me what YOU think. Be brief; I want to give a list of basic definitions, explain the basics, then have some free discussion, all in about 90 minutes. Think what is most important to you. Thank you all for you help. I plan on publishing the course outline on my homepage as an 'open source.' I pray that it will be a blessing to many in non-Christian nations, and maybe in some so-called 'Christian nations' as well. Blessing to all in Christ Jesus, charis |
Bible Answer: Is 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. Dear Charis, Although I agree with Joe, I’ll make this suggestion, if you insist on re-inventing the wheel. My suggestion is based on the idea of the catechism, Francis Schaeffer (sp?) and a pattern that I see in Christ. The catechism is a series of biblically based questions and answers. It is interesting how the questions of the catechism came up later in my Christian life, even though at the time I studied it, they weren’t questions that I had personally. This is true in other areas of instruction. The young student will not see the relevance of what he’s being taught sometimes until much later in life. The pattern that I see in Jesus is that he both taught and he answered questions – questions that were from his own and questions from hostiles, questions that were informed and questions that were based on misunderstanding of the Scriptures and the power of God (Mat. 22:29), questions sincere and those intended to entrap. He used them as opportunities to expose error and teach truth. So, my suggestion is to build a primer based—no, not based. It should be based on the Word alone—rather, structured around the questions the Japanese (both inside the church and in the Japanese culture) are asking, friendly and hostile, those based on misunderstanding and informed, sincere and insincere. Of course, there will be questions that they will fail to ask that they ought to ask. (John 16:5 "But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?') This is where your leadership and experience will have to ask and answer the questions for them, even though they may not see the immediate relevance. So, what are the questions of Japanese believers? What are the questions (issues) of the Japanese culture, and how does God’s Word address and answer them? I know this will take a lot of time and research. But your fifteen years there should help. The university you’re close to should be an excellent source of questions. And just like it took courage for Paul to preach the gospel, it will take courage to give what may be unpopular yet true answers from the Word of God. But we can pray God’s speed and success to see “as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself” in Japan. (Acts 2:39) Peace, Lionstrong |