Discovering Our Roots, Establishing Our Legacy

By Patrick Blewett

This question-answer format study guide helps Christ followers gain an understanding of basic biblical literacy and historic Christian beliefs in an easy reading style. Some would call this an evangelical catechism.

Are you looking for a basic resource to help you find in scripture where basic Christian beliefs are found and what

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Mar 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9781647736811

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Trilogy Christian Publishers

A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Trinity Broadcasting Network

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Copyright © 2020 by Dr. Patrick Blewett

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version. Cambridge Edition: 1769.

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Trilogy Disclaimer: The views and content expressed in this book are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views and doctrine of Trilogy Christian Publishing or the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN 978-1-64773-680-4 (Print Book)

ISBN 978-1-64773-681-1 (ebook)

Contents

*

Preface

Part I: Basic Christian Beliefs

1. Is There an Introduction to This Study Guide?

2. What Is the Ultimate Purpose for Humankind?

3. What Book Records God’s Word for Mankind And What Specific Books within Scripture Are Considered God’s Word for Christians?

4. How Should One Read Scripture?

5. Who Is God, And Is There More Than One?

6. Since Names Reflect One’s Character in Scripture, What Are Some of the Names or Appellations Attributed to God in Scripture?

7. How Should One Describe the Personhood Of God?

8. What Are the Decrees of God, and How Does God Fulfill His Decrees?

9. In Reviewing the Genesis Account, What Aspects of Creation Were Spoken into Being on Each Day?

10. How Did God Create Humankind and What Is the Relationship God Established with Humans?

11. Did Adam and Eve Continue in the Freedom of Their Covenant Relationship with God after They Sinned?

12. What Is Sin According to Scripture?

13. Did All Humankind Become Sinners When Adam and Eve Sinned without Any Hope of Freedom from Sin, and Did God Leave Humankind Free from Sin?

14. What Is Divine Justice within the Christian Tradition?

15. What Commandments Did God Give His People Israel through Moses in Order to Help People Understand His Expectations?

16. How Did Jesus, Being God, Become a Human Being?

17. What Did Jesus Teach People about Happiness and Fulfillment?

18. In Addition to Jesus Christ Being Our Savior, What Other Specific Roles Did Jesus Fulfill?

19. Who Is the Redeemer of Humankind?

20. What Attitude Did Jesus Have When Living Life, and How Should His Attitude Affect Believers Today?

21. What Is God’s Calling for Christ Followers?

22. How Are We Made Partakers or Heirs of the Redemption Purchased by Christ, and How Are We Redeemed?

23. Are All People on Earth Automatically Redeemed by Christ?

24. In Scripture, Many Times God’s People (i.e., the Redeemed) Were Compared to Sheep; What Perspective Does Psalm 23 Provide about How God Cares for His Flock?

25. What Are Some Aspects or Components of Salvation?

26. What Does the Holy Spirit Do for People Who Trust Christ for Salvation?

27. What Covenants or Promises Did God Make with His People Down through the Centuries, and What Do They Tell Us about His Character?

28. What Does God Require of His People?

29. How Did Jesus Teach His Disciples to Pray?

30. Is Anyone Able to Keep All the Commands of God?

31. When We Sin or Miss the Mark of God’s Standard, How Can Believers Regain Intimate Fellowship with God?

32. How Are Believers Empowered to Do Good Works?

33. What Are Spiritual Gifts, and Where in Scripture Does It Talk about Them?

34. Good Works Are Only Impressive When Done with Right Attitudes, and the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 Describes A Better Way Than Simply Using or Abusing One’s Spiritual Gifts; What Does the Scripture Say About This Better Way?

35. What Are the Biblical Characteristics of a Spirit-Filled Believer?

36. What New Testament Organism or Organization Did Christ Establish for His Followers?

37. Are There Created Spirit-Creatures in Our World, and What Do They Do?

38. Who Are Saints According to Scripture?

39. Who Are Some of the Heroes of the Faith in Scripture?

40. How Does a Person Enter into a Relationship with Jesus Christ?

Part II: Overview and Structures of Scripture

41. What Are the Writings of Moses?

42. Who Are the Patriarchs of Israel, and What Are Their Significance?

43. Who Are the Twelve Sons of Israel, and Why Are They Known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel?

44. Israel’s Exile in Egypt and Its Exodus Is a Significant Story in Israel’s History; What Does It Tell Us?

45. What Is the Tabernacle in the Old Testament, and Why Is It Important to Christians?

46. What Are the Major Feasts and Sacrifices in Israel?

47. What Are the Seven Deadly Sins Declared in Scripture?

48. Who Are the Judges of Israel, and Where Does One Find Israel’s History Recorded?

49. Who Were the Three Kings of the United Kingdom Era, and How Do Christians Describe the Other Aspects of Israel’s History?

50. How Do Christians Organize Our Thinking Regarding the Kings of Israel and the Kings of Judah During the Divided Kingdom Era?

51. What Are the Poetic or Wisdom Books in the Old Testament?

52. What Part of Scripture Is Considered Prophetic Literature?

53. Who Are the Writing Prophets in the Old Testament?

54. Who Are Jesus’s Disciples?

55. Who Are Key Women of the Old and New Testaments?

56. What Are the Gospels, and What Do They Tell Us about Jesus?

57. What Are the Acts of the Apostles?

58. What Are the Letters of the Apostle Paul?

59. Who Are the Authors of the Other New Testament Letters?

60. What Is the Revelation of Jesus Christ?

Part III: Additional Christian Beliefs

61. What Does Scripture Say about Healing?

62. What Does Scripture Say about Suffering and Persecution?

63. How Does One Become Holy or Sanctified?

64. What Is Human Life, and Why Is It Sacred?

65. What Is Marriage According to Scripture?

66. What Does Scripture Say about My Human Identity in Christ?

67. What Does Scripture Say about Physical Work?

68. What Does Scripture Say about Heaven and Hell?

69. What Authorities or Leaders Are Called Gifts from Christ to the Church?

70. What Terms Are Used in the New Testament to Describe a Spiritual Leader or One Who Leads the Church on Behalf of Christ?

71. What Other Term Is Used in the New Testament to Describe Faithful Servants Who Assist Church Leaders?

72. Besides Faithfully Walking with the Lord through Life, What Is the Main Thing the Lord Wants Believers to Do?

73. What Does Scripture Say about Child Training?

74. What Are the Two Primary Holy Ordinances within the Church?

75. What Does Spirit-Filled Worship Look Like in Scripture?

76. How Does a Christ Follower Share with Others What Jesus Has Done in One’s Life?

77. What Is the Great Commandment, and What Is the Great Commission for Christians?

78. What Principles Should Guide a Believer When Giving to the Lord?

79. How Are Decisions Made Regarding the Operations of a Local Church?

80. How Should Christians Relate to Governmental Authorities and Its Decisions in Peacetime as Well as in Times of War?

81. How Can One Know if He or She Has Eternal Life?

82. What Is the Believer’s Blessed Hope?

83. What Happens to the Believer in Jesus When Death Comes?

84. What Are the Two Major Future Judgments Described in Scripture? (One for Believers, and One for Nonbelievers)

85. How Does One Judge if Something Is True or Real?

86. What Were the Primary Creeds and Theological Councils in Early Church History That Provide Perspective for Believers Today?

87. Where Is the Promised Land in Scripture?

88. What Is a Generalized Church Calendar (Sometimes Called a Liturgical Calendar) for Christians?

Part IV: Scripture on Other Topics

89. How Should Christ Followers Treat Strangers, Foreigners, and Immigrants?

90. Do Christians Fast Like Other Religious People?

91. How Should Christians Look at Issues Like Fear and Anxiety?

92. What Does Scripture Say about Poverty and Wealth, Including How to Treat People?

93. What Are the Primary Realms of Spiritual Warfare?

94. Why Is Jesus Considered the Messiah of Israel?

95. What Does Revival Mean in Christian Circles?

96. What Does Scripture Say about the Use of Alcohol?

97. How Diverse Will Heaven Be?

98. What Does It Mean to Be a Peacemaker in Scripture?

99. What Types of Prayer Are Mentioned in Scripture?

100. What Does the Bible Say about Binding and Loosing?

101. Who Teaches Believers How to Follow the Lord?

102. What Is the Glory of God, and How Do People Glorify Him?

103. How Did Jesus and His Disciples Interact with and Treat People Who Were Different?

104. What Does Scripture Say about Freedom?

105. What Does Scripture Say about Human Perfection?

106. What Were the Last Statements of Jesus Christ on the Cross?

107. What Does It Mean to Walk in the Spirit?

108. What Does Scripture Say about Human Speech and Communications?

109. What Does It Mean to Abide in Christ?

110. Where Does Scripture Speak about Obedience Being Better Than Sacrifice?

111. How Should I Look at Further Study of Scripture?

Overview of the Bible Sections in Text Table Formats

A. Overview of the Pentateuch

B. Overview of the Historical Books

C. Overview of the Poetic Books

D. Overview of the Prophetic Books

E. Chronological Overview of the New Testament

Selected Resources

Endnotes

Endorsements

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* Note: The chapter numbers listed in this table of contents also reflect the numbers for each question being asked in this evangelical catechism.

Preface

Most of us are not looking for long treatises in theology. Instead, we want to know what Scripture says about basic topics. In this book, we will ask a question and then attempt to provide a short response that is rooted in Scripture. This learning format is called a catechism. Catechisms historically used rote memory of questions and answers within a statement of faith, a creed, or portions of Scripture so that an individual could be examined and confirmed within a church or monastery. Often it was more about doctrine than practical Christian living.

Our goal is to balance biblical literacy with practical principles for Christian living. Together, knowledge helps one establish a healthy Christian worldview and walk with God. We have not linked this study with any specific historical creed or catechism, but you may find similarities between some of the historic questions and responses. We have not focused on creeds or statements of faith; rather, we explore what Scripture says about various questions. If one wants to explore some of the historic catechisms, we have listed below several that fit within Protestant circles.

The Basel Catechism by Johannes Oecolampadius (AD 1526) (This is closely linked to the Protestant reformer Ulrich Zwingli)

Luther’s Catechisms (Large and Small) by Martin Luther (AD 1529)

The Genevan Catechism by John Calvin (AD 1545)

The Heidelberg Catechism by Zacharias Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus (AD 1562)

The Westminster Catechism (Larger and Shorter) by the Church of England and the Church of Scotland (AD 1648)

An Orthodox Catechism by Hercules Collins (AD 1680)

A Baptist Catechism by Benjamin Keach (AD 1693)

A Puritan Catechism by C. H. Spurgeon (AD 1855)

A Brief Catechism for Bible Doctrine by J. P. Boyce (AD 1874)

A Catechism for Bible Teaching by John Broadus (AD 1892)

A Wesleyan Catechism by Ryan Kiblinger (n.d.)

The Evangelical Catechism Revisited (1972) by Walter Brueggeman

A Modern Catechism by Steve Clinton (AD 1978)

Evangelical Catechism (1987) for Evangelical Lutherans

The Catechism of the Methodist Episcopal Church (2006)

For a more comprehensive understanding of Christian catechisms, one may also wish to read other catechisms within the broader faith community. These may include the following:

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, promulgated by Pope John Paul 2 for the Roman Catholic Church (AD 1992)

A Longer Catechism of the Orthodox, Catholic, Eastern Church (translated into English) (AD 1845)

We recognize that catechisms for the English-speaking world have gone out of vogue during the past century or two, but this does not mean that this format has lost its value in helping individuals develop a healthy Christian worldview, including growth in one’s biblical literacy. We hope this study has practical benefit in lives as one meditates on the practical nature of God’s Word.

Part I

Basic Christian Beliefs

1

Is There an Introduction to This Study Guide?

This book seeks to provide a Christian perspective on faith, spirituality, and religious practice. It is not an exhaustive study; rather, it provides one basic perspective deeply rooted in Christian scriptures. We recognize that other perspectives exist. Not written as an academic book or as an attempt to address contemporary issues or culture, this study guide should help one find key scriptures related to historic topics associated with Christian beliefs. People who desire to know God and to understand the Bible should find that it provides a knowledge base on which to establish an authentic Christian life. Biblical literacy is the foundation to build a Christian worldview.

This book consists of over one hundred questions serving as an introduction to the Christian faith. By using questions, this study tool is similar to an old-fashioned catechism that many historical groups used to help individuals learn about the faith. The beliefs can be summarized by the five statements of the Heidelberg Catechism of 1563:

Sola Scriptura (Latin for Scripture Alone). Christ followers believe Scripture alone is the highest authority.

Sola Fide (Latin for Faith Alone). Christ followers believe we are rescued from sin through faith alone in the finished work of Christ.

Sola Gratia (Latin for Grace Alone). Christ followers believe we are rescued from sin by God’s grace alone, not by our works.

Sola Christus (Latin for Christ Alone). Christ followers believe Christ alone is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King.

Sola Deo Gloria (Latin for Glory to God Alone). Christ followers believe we live for the glory of God alone.

We recognize that knowledge does not equate to spiritual maturity, but we want to emphasize that Scripture can transform the mind in order for us to know God’s will. Paul says, Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:1–2). Most of the time, our challenge is not knowing God’s Word; our challenge is believing it and obeying it!

We have deliberately not put these questions in a chronological order through the Old and New Testaments or through a traditional systematic theology format. Instead, we have randomized the sequencing so that through the studying of these questions and answers, we build on basic concepts to more complex topics. The questions in Part I plus questions from Part III reflect many basic beliefs seen frequently in Christian catechisms. The difference is our intent to incorporate Scripture systematically and to address one’s walk with God, not just beliefs.

Be assured that this book is not a quick read. Time is a valuable commodity in the meditation and maturation process. Our desire is for the reader to take a question and ponder it before moving onto the next question. Realistically, if one takes time to reflect on the scriptures, reading perhaps two questions per week, this book should take about a year to finish. At times, one will have a question identified in the table of contents that is addressed in the book, and one may want to explore the topic out of sequence. For these times, please see the book as a resource, allowing you to jump around in the book.

This study has quoted a significant number of scriptures; we recommend that you consider memorizing verses cited. In addition to the verses cited, we have referenced considerably more scripture; these references serve as a guide for you to examine the Bible for yourself. For the sake of standardization, scripture quoted within these studies will be from the New International Version of the Holy Bible (NIV). Permission has been granted by the copyright owner (Biblica, formerly known as the International Bible Society) to print verses according to their policies.

2

What Is the Ultimate Purpose for Humankind?

Each believer’s ultimate purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy God forever (Isaiah 43:7; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 11:36; Psalm 73:25–28, 144:15; 1 Peter 4:11; Jude 24; Revelation 21:3–4). By glorify we mean that we exalt or raise up God’s name or reputation before those who see or know us. Literally, we brag about God and enjoy our relationship with Him. We recognize that He is the Creator and Sustainer of all and we are His creation. The people around us can see the integrity and consistency of our lives and hear our words about our great God. To know more about glorifying God, see question no. 102.

The apostle Paul affirms this statement this way: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

He also said, For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen (Romans 11:36).

The apostle Peter states, If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God, if anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen (1 Peter 4:11).

The psalmist finishes Psalm 144 with these words that reflect on our enjoyment of God: Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord (Psalm 144:15). God’s people are contented and happy people!

3

What Book Records God’s Word for Mankind And What Specific Books within Scripture Are Considered God’s Word for Christians?

The Bible, which is called the Word of God, written as the Old Testament and the New Testament, serves as our guide for faith and practice. It has multiple names: Scripture, the Holy Bible, God’s Word,