Our History

On June 14, 1953, a group of Christians, who had been meeting in private homes for a year as the Pumpkin Center Mission organized as trinity Baptist Church.  The organizational meeting was held in the Hollis Store Building which together with five acres of land, was donated to the church by the heirs of the Richard Martin Hollis family.  Reverend Bill Trimble who had been working with the mission was elected as Trinity’s first Pastor.  Additional rooms were added to the old store building to serve as classrooms.  Two or three of the original charter members are still members of Trinity Baptist Church.  They include Eugene Traylor and Louise Traylor.

On October 17^th 1953 the church voted to build and auditorium.  Tress were donated, sawed and cut into lumber at Mr. Bill Bignar’s saw mill.  This building was occupied in late 1954 and served as Trinity’s auditorium until August 1981.  In 1956 a parsonage was constructed followed by a classroom annex in 1961 and the Eula Mae Beall Memorial Youth Center in 1976.  On August 8, 1979 the church approved construction of a new two story metal building to be used as an educational space and an interim auditorium.  The first worship service in the building was held on August 30, 1981.  The former auditorium was converted into a fellowship hall, offices, nursery and three classrooms.

In 1996 the church once again approved construction of a new building to be used as an auditorium.  The fellowship building was demolished and our current Worship Center was built in its place.  This building houses the sanctuary, choir room and two classrooms.  The first worship service was held in the building on March 1999.  The two-story metal building was then remodeled to house the nursery, pastor’s office, secretary’s office and several classrooms.

Trinity Baptist Church has a rich tradition in reaching the area and uttermost parts of the world for Jesus.  Trinity has supported numerous foreign missionaries directly and sending tens of thousands out in missionary offerings.  Some missionaries have even come from within the church.  This continues until this day.  Trinity also has a heart for planting churches.  Crossroads Church in Hammond was once a church plant that Trinity helped to plant and support.  It continues to be a light for the lost in Hammond.

In the aftermath of the floods in 2016 the true nature of the church was seen.  The members of the church all worked tirelessly together to restore the church from the devastating effects of the massive flood.  Not only was the church concerned with itself, the church helped many congregants with its time and money.  Any member effected by the flood with a need was helped financially.

There are many things that Trinity has been known for over the years.  They have been known as a church that loves music.  Their music ministry has been a very important aspect of this church.  Yearly musicals for adults and “5^th Sunday Singings” have been a staple for years.  The children have been doing a Christmas musical for years that is a blessing for everyone who attends.  Besides music, the church has in years past used its softball field for outreach.  In some years the softball ministry was very effective in bringing men and women closer to Jesus and each other.  But, if you were to ask Trinity people what stands out the most about their church, they would say we love people.  Although not perfect, Trinity Baptist Church is a very family oriented and people loving church.  The church is very open to making new people part of their family.  Today the church is as focused as ever on growing into a church that honors God by being a gospel driven church devoted to ¹God’s Word, ²Prayer, ³Fellowship, ⁴Love, ⁵Generosity, ⁶Service, and ⁷Disciple-Making to the ends of the World!

Motto

“Come Grow With Us” 

We want people to know they are welcome.  We also want people to know we want them to be a part of what we are doing.  We are not yet the church we want to be, but we are working toward that goal.  We do not want people to think we believe we have it all figured out and there is no room to grow.  When a person comes to Trinity Baptist Church they are coming to a church that is still a work in progress.

 Mission Statement

Purpose Statement: We exist to bear the image of God for the Glory of God.

            We were created in the image of God to bear the image of God.  God’s plan for man since the fall has been to restore man from their fallen state.  Romans 8:29 reminds us that God’s plan for His people is to conform them to the image of His Son.  Therefore, in all we do we ought to desire to bear the image of God in such a way that it brings glory to God.  Bringing glory to God is simply exalting His name in our life.  This is done through our actions and our words.  God’s name is worthy of being glorified (lifted up, exalted, bragged on).  We were created to bear the image of God, but to bear it in such a way that it honors and exalts the name of God.  Therefore, in all we do we seek to bring glory to the name of God.

Vision Statement

Vision Statement: To be a gospel driven church devoted to God’s Word, prayer, fellowship, love, generosity, service, and disciple making to the ends of the earth.

Biblical Background:

Acts 2:42-47 ⁴² And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. 

Matthew 28:18-20 ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” 

John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

Where we are now:

Vision can be such a misused term within the church.  When we say “vision” we want you to know specifically the direction we are going at Trinity Baptist Church.  We know we are not a perfect church.  This is why one of the more common things you will here from us is: “Come Grow With Us”.

Our Goal is to grow.  But, it is not to grow just for the sake of growing.  We want to grow into a church that closely resembles God’s design for church.  Therefore, our Vision Statement brings together three passages from the Bible that give us a blueprint to follow as a body of believers.  With this Vision Statement, we are welcoming our people to evaluate our church.  We want to ask the hard questions.  We want to be held accountable to growing as a church that resembles this vision.

By-Laws

.

Leaders/Teachers/Officers Document

.

Committees and Members Document

Church Governance

Pastor Led Congregationalism:

            Congregationalism is the understanding that the congregation is the final court of appeal for the local church.  We do not answer to the Southern Baptist Convention, Northshore Baptist Association or any other national assembly.  The church is the one that handles disputes among brothers and other big issues within the church.  Doctrine, membership and discipline come under the authority of the church as a whole.  This does not always mean the congregation is always right.

Pastor Led means the church looks to its pastors to provide biblical protection, provision, leadership and direction.  We function here at Trinity Baptist Church with Pastors and Deacons.  They have been put in place by the prayers and prudence of the congregation as a whole.  Their role is to help lead the church.  Although the congregation in many ways has the last say on certain issues, they are encouraged by the author of Hebrews to “obey and submit” to their leaders.  If a congregation has trouble trusting their leaders, they need new leaders or members need to examine their own hearts.

Therefore we function like this:  The Pastors lead and the deacons serve them and the church in helping get things accomplished.  Major issues are brought to the church for vote.  It is encouraged that church members pray about decisions and take part in business meetings.

For more information on roles in the church see Paul’s writings to Timothy and Titus and his qualifications for Elders and Deacons.

Why Membership?

Because it is in the Bible:

First Corinthians describes our membership in the universal body of Christ.  Although this is referring first of all to the body of Christ, Paul was writing to the local church.  Therefore, we believe this applies to each church individually as well.  We are a body.  We are the body of Christ.  Because of this, we believe this should be reflected in how we operate as a church.  God has made Christians to exist in community, not on their own.  There should be no Lone Ranger Christians.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 ¹² For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.  ¹⁴ For the body does not consist of one member but of many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?  ¹⁸ But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. ¹⁹ If all were a single member, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, ²⁴ which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, ²⁵ that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

1 Corinthians 12 – We are all Members

• We are one body with many members
  • For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body
• No matter our gifting, we all belong
  • ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
• God has chosen us all for specific purposes
  • ¹⁸ But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
• We are to be a unified and loving family
  • ²⁶ If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Some are considered “in” the church and others “outside” of the church

1 Corinthians 5:12 ¹² For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?

     This verse is in reference to church discipline.  Although no one likes the idea of church discipline, Jesus and Paul both spoke on this issue. It was important to both of them.  Being “put out” (excommunication) is a very real issue in the New Testament. The members that make up the church are responsible for the purity of the church.  Jesus spoke about it in Matthew 18.  We will talk more about Church Discipline later. But for now, notice the authority of the church.  They seem to be an organized body. They also seem to be a group that is mature enough to handle such a sensitive and weighty matter.

Matthew 18:15-17 If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Believers became part of the church

Acts 2:41  So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls….. ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Although the Bible does not give us a lot of details in regards to how people become members of the church, the proof of church membership is obvious. We see in Acts 2 that the Lord added to their number daily.  It seems like they kept up with who their members were.  Also in Acts we see that there seemed to be a list of widows within the church.  A group of them were being neglected.  The disciples encouraged the church to set apart 7 men from among them to take care of this problem.

Besides this, most of the epistles were written to individual churches that had members.  When Jesus speaks to the 7 churches in Asia Minor He was speaking to a specific group within those cities.  He seemed to be speaking to them as a whole and as individual Christians. There is also the call for Christians to submit to their leaders in Hebrews 13 and 1 Thessalonians 5.  This only makes sense if it is inside the context of a church that kept up with membership.  Shepherds are required to pay careful attention to their specific flock.

For these scriptural reasons and many other reasons based off of wisdom and prudence, we encourage Christians to become church members. We encourage them to take church membership seriously and as an honor. We do not believe that membership in the local church is synonymous with membership into the Kingdom of God.  We believe faith is the way to become children of God and therefore members of His household.  But, as leaders of this church we believe it is our responsibility to protect and disciple this local church.  We believe our church should only consist of people who have been born again.  The purpose of this class is to help teach prospective and current members who we are, what we believe, what we expect from our membership as well as what they should expect from the church as a whole.

 

To Become a Member in this Local Church:

• • 1) Confess Jesus as Lord – (Having Repentance and Faith)
  • 2) Be Baptized as a Believer (Preferably by Immersion)
  • 3) Have an Interview with a Pastor (Share you Conversion Experience)
  • 4) Complete Membership Class (This is not an absolute requirement. Highly encouraged)
  • 5) Affirmation by Church

Lee Lannom video on Church Membership: http://vimeo.com/4328734

The Gospel

Romans 1:16 “I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.”

Why is understanding the Gospel so Important?

• It is the Power of God for salvation to all who believe.
  • This means there is power from God in the Gospel.
• Without the Gospel, no one would gain eternal life.
  • Ephesians 1:13-14 ¹³ In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
• Without a biblical understanding of the Gospel you can’t lead others to Jesus.
  • It is the responsibility of the believer to understand and to be able to explain the Gospel to others.
    • 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ¹ Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, ² and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. ³ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

So, What is the Gospel?

Gospel means good news!  It is also described in Acts 20.24 as a Gospel of grace.  Grace meaning unmerited favor, or God giving us everything, even though we deserved nothing! The Gospel of Grace can be summed up thusly:

• The Holy God made us in His image to know Him
  • Genesis 1:26-28 ²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. …²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. ²⁸ And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it …”
  • In Gen 3:8 we read that “the LORD God walked in the garden in the cool of the day”
    • We see the fellowship between man and God.

• The Fall – Man Sinned
  • In Genesis 3 we see the account of man’s first sin.
    • Genesis 3:11-12 ¹¹ He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” ¹² The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”
  • The Bible teaches that sin passed from Adam to all men.
    • Romans 5:19a ¹⁹ For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners,
  • Condemnation and Death came to All:
    • Romans 5.16b… For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, …
  • We have all sinned Willfully and with Knowledge it is sin.
    • Rom 3.23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
  • Our Judgment would be Eternity in Hell
    • Revelation 20:15 ¹⁵ And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

• God Became a Man in Jesus

• • • • John 1:14 ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

• • Lived a Perfect Life
    • Hebrews 7:26 ²⁶ For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
  • Died on the Cross, Fulfilling the Law of God
    • 1 Cor 5.7 For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
    • Romans 8:3-4…By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us,…
  • Took on the Punishment for Man’s Sins
    • 1 Peter 2:24 ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
  • Eternal Life and Forgiveness Comes to Believers through Jesus
    • Romans 5:18-19 ¹⁸ Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. ¹⁹ For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
    • John 1:12 ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

• Jesus Rose from the Grave
  • Acts 2:24 ²⁴ God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
  • Romans 4:25 ²⁵ who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

• Men are Called to Repent and Trust in Christ (A person must actively BELIEVE on Jesus)
  • Acts 17:30 ³⁰ The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
  • Acts 2:38 ³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
  • John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
• Gathering a People for Himself
  • Ephesians 2:22 ²² In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

John Piper’s book, God is the Gospel has this nugget –

““Gospel” means good news—but what makes the good news good?  What is the goal of the gospel?  It is that Christ’s death brings sinners to God!  Were it to bring us anywhere else we would be left hopeless. But the gospel is that God gives us himself—Christ died to give us Christ—and this self-giving is his highest mercy to us and the best news for us!”

Do not Corrupt the Gospel

One major aspect of the gospel is that it is of Faith and not Works. Let us always make sure the gospel we believe, teach and love is the one true gospel given to us within the Bible.  Paul warns us to not corrupt it.   “⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. – Gal 1.8

Never Stop Learning about the Gospel!

Beliefs

Church Ordinances

We believe God has ordained two ordinances for us to follow.  These ordinances are a sign of the new covenant we have with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We call them ordinances because Jesus told us to do them.  He “ordained” us to do them.

• 1) Baptism
  • We are told to be baptized upon our salvation
    • Jesus was baptized:
      • Matthew 3:13-15 ¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” ¹⁵ But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.
    • Peter told those that wanted to be saved they must be baptized
      • Acts 2:37-38 ³⁷ Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
    • Baptism identifies us with Jesus in similar way that circumcision was a sign of the Old Covenant between God and Israel.
    • Baptism is a symbol of the death of our old nature and the resurrection of our new nature.

• • Our Belief on Baptism
    • It is a profession of Faith
    • Only people who have been saved should be baptized
    • It is to be done by immersion (There are many Christian people that do not hold to this view.)

• 2) Lord’s Supper
  • Jesus instituted this supper before His death
  • Jesus told us to take of this supper in Remembrance of Him
  • Our taking of the Lord’s Supper is a Proclamation of the Death of Jesus
  • It is also a consistent Profession of one’s faith in Christ
  • It also serves as a means to Examine one’s walk with Christ
    • 1 Corinthians 11:24-26 ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

• Our Belief on the Lord’s Supper
  • That it is a symbol of the death of Jesus
  • It is to be done only by Born Again Christians

Our Statement of Faith

The 2000 Baptist Faith and Message

As a Southern Baptist Church we are in agreement with this statement of faith, not because we are made to agree, but because we agree that this statement of faith is a proper representation of our biblical beliefs. The committee that was charged with revising the 1963 statement of faith, had this to say about it. :

“Baptists cherish and defend religious liberty, and deny the right of any secular or religious authority to impose a confession of faith upon a church or body of churches. We honor the principles of soul competency and the priesthood of believers, affirming together both our liberty in Christ and our accountability to each other under the Word of God.   Baptist churches, associations, and general bodies have adopted confessions of faith as a witness to the world, and as instruments of doctrinal accountability. We are not embarrassed to state before the world that these are doctrines we hold precious and as essential to the Baptist tradition of faith and practice.”

• It is important for us to know that, we as a Southern Baptist church are autonomous, meaning we are independent of any authority other than Christ as head of our Church. That being said, we have purposely joined together with other Southern Baptist churches to work together for the Kingdom of God.
• Our Statement of Faith is one that identifies us biblically. It states what we believe about certain doctrines within the Bible.
• There are other very good statements of faith, creeds, and confessions that have been written throughout history. Some of the more well known are:
  • New Hampshire Confession of Faith from 1853
  • Gospel Coalition Confessional Statement
  • The Westminster Confession of Faith

Please see your Copy of Baptist Faith and Message

Essential Doctrines

Why is Doctrine Important?

Doctrine is just a fancy word for “teachings” of the Bible.  Throughout the Bible there are certain topics that are spoken of frequently and with great importance.  When you put together all the teachings on a particular subject, you refer to that as a doctrine.  Correct Doctrine is important because the Christian should be armed with the truth of God.  It is very easy for Christians to be led astray and follow false doctrines.  When this happens, the church suffers greatly.  More importantly, people are led away from God instead of to God through Jesus.  A proper understanding of the teachings of the Bible was important to Jesus, so it should also be important to His children.

I. Trinity

DEFINED:  “GOD ETERNALLY EXISTS AS THREE PERSONS, FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT, AND EACH PERSON IS FULLY GOD, AND THERE IS ONE GOD.” – WAYNE GRUDEM

Key Truths:

• There is One God
  • “. . . the LORD is God; there is no other besides him” ( 4:35).
  • “. . . there is no god beside me” ( 32:39).
  • “. . . you alone are God” ( 86:10).
  • “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me” ( 43:10).
  • “I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God” ( 45:5).

• The Father is God
  • “God the Father” (John 6:27).
  • “. . . there is one God, the Father” (1 Cor. 8:6).

• Jesus is God
  • “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14).
  • “Truly, truly, I [Jesus] say to you, before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).
  • “Thomas answered him [Jesus], ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:28).
  • “. . . Christ who is God over all” ( 9:5).
  • “. . . our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
  • “. . . Jesus Christ. He is the true God” (1 John 5:20).

• The Holy Spirit is God
  • “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17–18).
  • “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? . . . You have not lied to men but to God’” (Acts 5:3–4). 

Living it Out:

Within the Trinity, we see a loving, humble, relational, worshipful, unified, diverse, submissive, and joyful life.  When we live out this truth in our lives, all of our relationships will be transformed. 

II. Revelation

DEFINED: “REVELATION IS THE WAY GOD HAS CHOSEN TO CLEARLY COMMUNICATE TO US, THROUGH WHAT HE HAS MADE AND WHAT HE HAS WRITTEN.  THE 66 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE ARE GOD’S SPECIAL AVENUE TO COMMUNICATE HIS TRUTH TO MAN.”

Key Truths:

Speculation is Not Enough

Throughout human history, men have attempted to figure out who God is and what He desires from men.  Often this speculation has been done by philosophers and slowly trickled down into the mass population.  Still many today believe the best way to find out truth about God, death, eternity, and purpose is to look within their own mind and heart.  This leads to endless speculation, contradicting ideas, and confusion.  Speculation is completely inadequate to inform us of truth.  We need something that comes from an outside and greater source.  We believe this is the Bible.

The Bible is unique because of its hundreds of perfect prophecies, some that date thousands of years before the event occurred.  It is amazing to see how detailed the fulfillments are.  Let’s stop our speculation and trusting in man to tell us who God is, and let us go to God himself and find the truth.

Jesus is the Word of God

• Not only is God’s Word spoken through the eternal Jesus, it is understood through Him. Scriptures say in John 1:1-2  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God.
• The Author of Hebrews writes inspired by God, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, …” (Heb. 1:1-2)

Scriptures Were Breathed out by God (Verbally Inspired)

• All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

• For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21).

Scriptures are Without Error (infallible) in Original Writings

• The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. (Psalm 12:6)

• Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away (Matthew 24:35).

The Bible is All We Need to:

• Truly know God
• Know how to gain salvation
• Be Equipped for Righteous living

We Should Never Infer Something From the Text That Was Not Meant

In other words, it is important for us to “rightly divide” the word of God and find the true intentions of the author.  The text means what it intends to mean, although there may be many applications.

Living it Out:

When we read the Bible, we are reading the very Word of God.  It is by reading the Bible that we learn who God is, what God wants, and how we are to live.  The more we read and understand the Bible, the more we know God.

III. Creation

DEFINED:  “IN THE BEGINNING, GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH OUT OF NOTHING.  HE SIMPLY SPOKE IT INTO BEING.  GOD DID THIS IN 6 DAYS AND HE RESTED ON THE SEVENTH AS A SABBATH.”

Key Truths:

There is More Than One “Christian” View of Creation

I say this because there are many God fearing, Bible believing people that hold to different views of Creation.  On the main points they agree, yet their interpretations may be different.  Since we were not there in the beginning to watch, we must do our best when studying this.

Some of the Theistic (God Made it) Views of Creations are:

• Young Earth Creationism – Highly Regarded
• Historic Creationism – Highly Regarded
• Gap Theory
• Literary Framework View
• Day Age View
• Theistic Evolution (Very Unbiblical)

Creation is one of the most fascinating things to study in the whole Bible.  Some would say why spend so much time on something that even the smartest and godliest scholars disagree on.  I would say because it glorifies God for us to learn of Him and His ways and His creation.

The important thing is that these views do not bring division among believers.  There are obviously some views that are very faulty when investigating them through the scriptures. So, it is important to check the whole of the Bible when studying this topic.

Young Earth and Historic Creationism are very close in their understanding of Creation.  These two views are more widely accepted as true interpretations of the Genesis story.

Creation was Not Evolutionary

The theory of Evolution is built upon thousands of years of death and natural selection.  According to the Bible, death did not enter the world until after the sin of Adam.

The Point of the Creation Story is:

It is about the God that made the world, more than it is about the creation itself.  It is meant to reveal the God of creation. The emphasis of the creation story in Genesis is on God himself and not what God made. As one example, Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”

Living it Out:

Believing that there is a loving God who created all things has all sorts of applications.  The only other alternative is that everything is random chaos.  Knowing God made all things keeps man accountable for his actions.  There is a profound sense of self-worth knowing we belong to God, are loved by God, exist for God, and will one day be with God.

IV. Fall

DEFINED:  “THE FIRST MAN, ADAM, WHO WAS CREATED PERFECT AND WITHOUT SIN, FELL FROM HIS PERFECT STATE WHEN HE SINNED AGAINST GOD AFTER BEING TEMPTED BY SATAN.  THIS SINNED CAUSED HIS PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL DEATH AND HAS PASSED DOWN TO ALL HIS DESCENDANTS.   THIS SIN HAS CAUSED MAN’S SEPARATION FROM GOD.”

Key Truths:

The Story of the Fall

• God Makes Man in His Image
  • Genesis 1:26-27 ²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” ²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
  • Genesis 2:7-9 ⁷ then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. ⁸ And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. ⁹ And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

• God’s Instructions
  • Genesis 2:15-17 ¹⁵ The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, ¹⁷ but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

• Started with Satan
  • Isaiah 14:12-15 ¹² How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! ¹³ You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; ¹⁴ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ ¹⁵ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.

• Satan Tempted Adam and Eve
  • Genesis 3:1-7 ¹ Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” ² And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, ³ but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” ⁴ But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. ⁷ Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

• Satan, Women, Men, and Earth are Cursed (Gen 3:14-19)
  • The Serpent/Satan is Cursed
    • We know the serpent was Satan
      • Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
    • Satan tempted Eve through the serpent
    • God curses the serpent to crawl on his belly all his days and eat of the dust of the earth.
    • Tells Satan that the seed of the woman will crush him one day
  • The Woman is Cursed
    • Genesis 3:16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
  • Man and Earth are Cursed
    • The ground is cursed to bring up thorns and thistles
    • Man must survive by the sweat of His brow
    • Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

The Fall was Foolish

In light of the goodness of the Creator, our sin was extremely foolish.  God creates a perfect world and hands it over to man.  He gives us great abundance with only one stipulation. He says you can eat of all the trees and plants, except one.  In our ignorance we could not see the abundance we had been given because of the one thing we could not have.

The Results

Adam and Eve are ultimately kicked out of the garden and no longer have access to the tree of life.  They have fallen from grace and now are corrupted in every aspect of their life: physically, mentally, volitionally (desires and choices), emotionally, spiritually, and condemned finally and irrevocably to death.

Sympathize with God, not Sinners

What else should we have expected God to do on our behalf?  Often we think it unfair for God to pass a judgment down to man.  The truth is that He went above and beyond to give to us, and we threw it all away. Because of His nature of Holiness, God must punish and destroy sin.  If God does not take a hard stand against that which is wrong, He would not be considered Holy.

Amazing Grace

The amazing thing is God created us knowing we would sin against Him.  God created us knowing He would have to provide the sacrifice to cover our sins.  The Bible teaches us that Jesus was ordained to come and die before God laid the foundations of the earth.  What love!

Living it Out:

Repentance should be the response of men when they see their fall and offense to God.  God’s love and grace should lead us to agree with God and recognize our sinful nature.  Our fall into sin should lead us to fall into God for mercy.

V. Incarnation

DEFINED:  THE 2^ND MEMBER OF THE GODHEAD BECOMES FLESH.  THE SON OF GOD, BEING EQUAL TO THE FATHER AND SPIRIT, BECOMES A MAN.  JESUS IS GOD INCARNATE, OR GOD IN HUMAN FLESH.  JESUS IS THEREFORE GOD AND MAN, HAVING TWO NATURES.

Key Truths:

Incarnation

The word literally means to become meat.  It is significant because God, through the Son takes on an additional nature.  The Incarnation of God could be viewed as the greatest of all miracles.  That God would humble and limit himself in human flesh is a fantastic moment in history.

Prophesied

In hundreds of places throughout the Old Testament scriptures, the coming of Jesus was prophesied.  These prophecies possibly date back as far as 4,000 years before His birth.  When a statistician looked at the probability of even 8 of these prophecies being true in one person in history, he found it to be an impossibility outside of the supernatural.

In Isaiah 7:14, written 700 years before Jesus was born he writes, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.  Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

The Virgin Mary and Birth of Jesus

Matthew 1:18-25 ¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. ²⁰ But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ²³ “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). ²⁴ When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, ²⁵ but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

The Apostle John’s Understanding of the Word (logos)

The apostle John may have been the closest apostle to Jesus while Jesus walked the earth.  In at least 5 instances in the Gospel of John, John describes himself as “the disciple Jesus loved.”  So, John gives us a great eye witness account of the life of Jesus.

John 1:1-3 ¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

Always Been

The Word, or “logos” in Greek is in reference to Jesus.  “In the beginning” is a reference to a time before time.  When John writes “was the Word” the verb form of “was” indicates a continued existence.  So John is really saying that from eternity the Word has been always.

With God

John then makes a distinction between the Word and God.  He tells us that the Word (Jesus) was with God.  John is saying they were both there in the beginning.

Is God

Then John goes another step and says the Word was God.  So, he separates Jesus from God, and then says that He is God.  This may seem a little confusing, but understanding God as the Godhead or Trinity makes it a little easier.

To illustrate this, or explain it a little bit, look at what David says in Psalm 110, “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”

It is interesting and noteworthy to see the communication within the Trinity.  Although the concept of God, and the reality of God are too much for us to ever comprehend, God has still gone to great lengths to let us in on who He is and what He is like.

Jesus is God

• The Father Said He Was
  • Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
• Jesus Claimed it
  • Matthew 26:63-65 ⁶³ But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” ⁶⁴ Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” ⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy.
  • See also: John 6:38, 41-46; John 14:6; Mark 10:17-18
• People Worshipped Him as God
  • John 14:13; 15:7; Acts 7:59-60; Matt 15:25; John 5:23; Matt 21:15-16
• Demons Knew it
  • Luke 4:34 Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.
  • See also: Mark 1:24, Luke 4:40-41
• Crucified Because of This Claim
  • Look back at Matt 26:63-65

Humility of it All – Becoming a Man

One thing that stands out above all else is the humility of God.  Although He is Creator and has all power over all things, He made himself nothing as a man because of the great love He has for His children.  Paul speaks of this and the ensuing exaltation of Jesus in Philippians 2:6-11: “⁶ Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

See also: 1 John 4:2-3 and all four gospels that clearly state He was a man.

Lord, Liar, or Lunatic?

C.S. Lewis and Josh McDowell have both used logic to prove the validity of Jesus’ claims.  Their argument is:  Jesus is either Lord, Liar, or a Lunatic.  As a liar, Jesus went around making crazy claims about being God and forgiving sins, etc.  But then they argue, if He was a liar, He would not have died for something He knew to be a lie.  Yet we see Jesus continued His claims unto death.  This leaves us with another option of Lunatic.  Jesus must have been crazy.  This explains why He made all these claims, and also explains why He did not recant before His death.  He really believed these things about Himself.  Given the depth and wisdom of His works and teachings, this option seems highly unlikely.  The only other option that makes any sense is that He is indeed Lord!

Living it Out:

Humility is the first thing we should think of when we think of this doctrine.  The incarnation of Jesus should lead us to live lives of humility that reach out to others with the gospel, because Jesus came to give the gospel.  It should also lead us to be devoted to the church and the global extension of the gospel.

VI. Jesus’ Death

Defined:  The death of Jesus Christ is THE means in which God’s wrath toward sinful man was appeased.  The death of the Son of God makes possible the salvation of ungodly and rebellious man.

The Death of Jesus Christ is the most celebrated event within all of Christianity, and rightly so.  His death is written about, sung about, preached about, and its symbol is worn around our necks and placed everywhere a person can place it.  Sadly, it may be the most misunderstood event in all of Christianity.  So often Christians, although knowing Jesus died, fail to understand the implications of His death.  Most simply say, “Jesus died for our sins.”  This is a very true statement, but we owe it to our life-sacrificing Savior to understand His death a little more deeply.

Key Truths:

Jesus Death was Predetermined Before Man was Created

Revelation 13:8 And all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

• According to this verse, there was a Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain, written before the world was even made.
• This shows us that God made man, knowing he would sin against Him and that He would have to send His Son to die for us.

Ephesians 1:4 Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love…

• We were chosen for salvation before the world was even made. 

Jesus’ Death Only Applies to Those Who Have “Repentance and Faith”

Acts 2:37-38 ³⁷ Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

• The blood of Jesus is only for those who believe on Him.
• It is important to realize that although Jesus died for everyone, not everyone will be saved.
• The death of Jesus is sufficient for all mankind, and offered to all mankind.
• But, His death is only efficient for those who believe on Him.
• It is the same principle as in Exodus when the Israelites had to place the blood of a lamb on their doorposts, or their firstborn would die. Only the homes that did this were safe.

Jesus’ Death Makes Us Right with God (Justification)

Romans 3:23-26 ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. ²⁶ It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Justification Defined: An act of making right or just.  It is a righteous act that sets free and gives life.

• Vs 24 teaches us that we are justified by His grace.
• This grace is through the redemption that is in Jesus.
• The death of Jesus was to show that God was just, since He punished sins. He did not just punish the sinner, but the Son.
• The death of Jesus shows God to be just, but it also makes Him the justifier of those who come to Him in faith.
• The death of Jesus makes us right with God, while satisfying God’s law of sin being punished.

Romans 3:28  For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

• We are not made right in God’s eyes by our works, rather it is because we have faith. (We believe with trust.)

Jesus Death was a Ransom

1 Timothy 2:5-6 ⁵ For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

Matthew 20:28   Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Ransom Defined: a price paid for release from captivity or slavery

• This ransom was not paid to Satan, instead it was the cost to set man free from the curse of sin and death that was handed down by God Himself.

Jesus Redeemed us by His Death

Galatians 3:13  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.”

Redeemed Defined: by payment of a price to recover from the power of another, to ransom, buy off.

Jesus was Victorious in His Death

1 Corinthians 15:54-57 ⁵⁴ When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” ⁵⁵ “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Propitiation – Learn What it Means!

1 John 4:10  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

God Hates Sin:  To understand propitiation we must know the level of hatred God has toward sin.  He hates it enough to say He hates the wicked.  Sin is not an abstract thing floating around in space.  It is something that man does.  Because of this, God’s wrath comes upon sinful man.  God’s wrath shows up in man’s death and destruction in Hell.  Since we have all sinned, God’s wrath rested upon us all.  This is where Jesus is our help.

God Gives Mercy to Sinners:  Although God hates sin, and His wrath is to be poured out on the sinner, Jesus can change God’s demeanor to us.  Without Jesus, God’s face is upon us in wrath, but through Jesus, God’s face shines upon us in favor and great love.

• Jesus took the wrath of God upon himself on the cross in order to cause God to look upon us in favor. In Jesus’ torture and death, God’s wrath was propitiated (passed over, diverted).
• It is the means of putting away sin and establishing righteousness. God is never presented as changing His mind toward the sinner or the sin that estranged the sinner from Him. Man is never said to be able to appease God with any of his offerings, as in the heathen religions where man offered gifts in an attempt to accomplish this.

Propitiation Defined:  to appease.  In the case of Jesus, He appeases the wrath of God, and is also the appeasement.  (He diverts the wrath of God, by taking it himself.  God looks on us with mercy now and not wrath.

Living it Out:

The death of Jesus should completely transform the way we live and relate to others.  In regards to sin, his death should be a deterrent and cause us to flee from sin.  In regards to others, we should be loving and quick to forgive since Jesus offers forgiveness to us.  This is all possible through His death.

VII. Jesus’ Resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

DEFINED:  SIMPLY STATED, IT MEANS COMING BACK TO ACTUAL LIFE AFTER BEING TRULY DEAD.  JESUS LITERALLY DIED ON THE CROSS, WAS DEAD FOR THREE DAYS, AND THEN ROSE FROM DEATH TO BE ALIVE.  IT DOES NOT REFER TO SIMPLY EXISTING AFTER DEATH.

Key Truths:

Jesus Really Died on the Cross

He was crucified by a professional executioner, who knew how to put people to death.  After being beaten and whipped almost to the point that He was unrecognizable, Jesus was nailed to the cross.  While hanging on the cross, He eventually died.  To make sure of this, He was stabbed with a spear through His side up into His heart. Blood and water flowed from Him.  He was then pronounced dead.  Immediately, He was wrapped in grave clothes and placed into the well known tomb of a rich man named Joseph of Arimathea.

Jesus Himself Rose from the Grave

John 2:19  Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

• Jesus tells them He will raise His body…
• We know it was through the power of the Holy Spirit this was done.

Luke 24:1-7 ¹ But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ² And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. ⁵ And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here, but has risen.  Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”

• The stone was rolled away from the tomb Jesus was placed in at His death. This is a marvelous feat considering the size of the stone and the guards standing watch.

Acts 2:32  This Jesus, God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.

1 Corinthians 15:6  Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

• There were a number of eyewitness accounts of Jesus alive and well after His crucifixion.
• Some argue Jesus never died, but he passed out or was in shock.
• This does not answer how He was so quickly able to appear to His people in full health, being completely healed.
• The answer is a supernatural God.

 

Jesus’ Resurrection Means:

He is God – Only God has the power over life.  Jesus’ resurrection through the power of the Holy Spirit proves His claims of being God.

We Will be Raised With Him  –  2 Corinthians 4:14  Knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

Proof:

Advanced Prophecies of Old Testament  and Jesus

Isaiah 53:8-10 ⁸ By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? ⁹ And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth ¹⁰ Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

• He was dead, but he shall see His offspring, he shall prolong His days…

Mark 8:31  And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.

• Jesus foretold his death and resurrection.

Change

The disciples scattered at the arrest of Jesus.  Peter even denied that he knew Jesus.  They locked themselves in rooms and were afraid of the Jewish leaders.  Shortly after, they begin to preach of Jesus everywhere with no regards for their life.  Something had happened to them.  They had seen Jesus risen from the grave.

They were all either martyred or tortured for teaching and preaching about Jesus.  Logic tells you no one would do this if the resurrection was not true, unless they were loons.  Their teachings, love, and compassion argue that they were amazing men.  They died because what they believed was true.

Jesus’ own mother worshipped Him as God.  His brothers, who formerly did not believe in Him, believed on Him as God noticeably after He had risen from the grave.

Living it Out:

The proof we have of the resurrection should increase our faith exponentially.  Christians should live with such hope and faith that nothing causes them to waver.  The resurrection should help us remember we have great power from God to conquer the sin in our life, and stand in the roarings of persecution.

VIII. Church

DEFINED:  THE CHURCH CONSISTS OF ALL PEOPLES WHO HAVE PLACED THEIR FAITH IN JESUS FOR SALVATION.  THESE BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN REGENERATED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.  THE CHURCH FUNCTIONS AS A GROUP OF BELIEVERS THAT GATHER TOGETHER TO STUDY GOD’S WORD, PRAY FOR GOD’S WILL, ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER, GROW IN PERSONAL HOLINESS, WORSHIP JESUS WHO BOUGHT THEM, AND TO FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION OF GOING OUT INTO THE WORLD TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL.

Key Truths:

The Church Started With Jesus

Jesus Was the Light Shining in the Darkness (The First Missionary)

The Apostle John in his gospel says of Jesus, “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world….¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  John 1:9,14

Jesus Prepared the Church

John 17:18  As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

• In the same way the Father sent Jesus into this world to give light to it, Jesus sent the church into the world.

Acts 1:4-5 ⁴ And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Acts 1:8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

• Jesus told them to wait until He left and He would send His Holy Spirit.
• After they received the Spirit, they were to go and be witnesses of the gospel throughout the earth.

The Holy Spirit Filled the Church, Giving it Power

Acts 2:1-4 ¹ When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

• The day of Pentecost marked the filling of the church with the power the Holy Spirit.
• When this occurred, the apostles were able to preach, and people of different languages heard them.
• Many people believed as the Holy Spirit moved in their hearts through the preaching of the Word of God.

The Church’s Function

Acts 2:42-47 ⁴² And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

• Very early on we see how the church functioned. They were taught and they learned.  They ate together and prayed together.
• The church also reached out to those around them. Many people came to believe on Jesus through the church.
• They also gave of their possessions for each other, and for those around them. The praised God and worshipped together.
• The church grew significantly during this time.

Matthew 28:19-20 ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

• This is what we call the Great Commission
• This is what we see as the church’s mission in this world

The Church’s Future

Colossians 1:22  He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. 

Revelation 21:2-4 ² And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. ⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

• We have a glorious future with God. He is working in us to make us Holy, although our position in Christ is holy.
• The church is the bride of Christ. One day in the future, the church can look forward to dwelling in the presence of God.

Living it Out:

We can live out this doctrine by being faithful to live within the community of believers.  If we will live our lives in such a way to grow the church in a healthy way while bringing others to Christ, God is glorified.

IX. The End Times – A New Beginning

DEFINED:  THIS DOCTRINE BEGINS WITH THE RETURN OF JESUS TO THE EARTH, HIS DEFEAT OF SATAN, HIS RULE ON THIS EARTH, THE FINAL JUDGMENT OF MEN AND ANGELS, AND THE CREATION OF A NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH WHERE GOD WILL DWELL WITH HIS PEOPLE.

***Disclaimer:  This is a very brief recap of the End Times.  The intention is just to give some general information about the future.  All these things are written within the Bible, and they are highly debated as to what exactly is meant.  The purpose here is not to put it all in a box, but to give you some Biblical truth to chew on.  Enjoy!

Key Truths:

First Things First

The End Times is about Jesus.  The book of Revelation centers around God, not man.  There is a judgment of man, but the glory, worship and attention are focused on Jesus, who is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

What Happens When We Die

What doesn’t happen

#1 Reincarnation teaches that after we die we come back in some form and continue doing so until we get it right.  Heb. 9:27 teaches it is appointed unto man once to die and then comes the judgment.

#2 Purgatory is a temporary place for people to go and pay for their sins through pain.  Heb 9:27 answers this faulty view also.  Jesus’ all sufficient work on the cross negates the need for us to suffer punishment for our sins.

#3 Soul Sleep is the view that our souls sleep after we die.  We wake up at the resurrection of the dead.  Paul answers this in Phil. 1:23 when he says if he dies he will be with Christ.  Additionally, Jesus’ story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16 place one in hell and one in paradise immediately.

#4 Universalism teaches that all spiritual roads lead to heaven.  This means that no matter what we believe, we are going to make it to the same place.

#5 Annihilation teaches that good people go to heaven, and everyone else will be annihilated (they will completely cease to exist).

Daniel 12:2 refutes these last two saying, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Biblical Answer of our Future

After our death, our body goes to the ground, but the soul goes to either heaven or hell.  2 Cor. 5:8 teaches that we can be away from our bodies, but present with the Lord.

One day our body will be resurrected and joined with our soul again.  1 Thesselonians 4:16 says “…the dead in Christ will rise first.”  Rev 20:13-14 teaches that the ungodly will also have their bodies resurrected.  In this case, they are cast into torment.  Additionally, Jesus teaches that God has a future plan for our bodies in John 5.

 John 5:28-29 ²⁸ Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Another proof to teach us what is coming is the example of Jesus.  When Jesus’ body died, His soul continued.  Upon His resurrection He was reunited with His body.  It was a magnificent body.  Paul teaches in 1 Cor. 15 that although we do not know what we will be like, we know we will be like Christ in our resurrection.

Jesus’ Second Coming

Zechariah 14:4  On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.

Rapture

The Rapture is probably the most debated End Times issue within Christianity.  The word rapture is not found in the Bible; but it is a word that describes a real biblical event.  It means “to be caught up.”

1 Thessalonians 4:17  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

There are 3 views of the rapture; Pre, Mid, and Post Tribulation Rapture.  This is to say, it happens before, in the middle, or at the end of the tribulation God is going to send to mankind.

Great Tribulation

This begins with the Lamb of God opening up the scroll with seven seals that are seven judgments on the world.  Following these judgments, there are 7 trumpets blown announcing seven increasingly difficult judgments in the unbelieving world.  Finally, the Tribulation ends with 7 bowls that represent the wrath of God, being poured out onto the earth as the judgments continue to get more unbearable.

Matthew 24:21   For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

Battle of Armageddon and Rule of Christ

Revelation 16:16   And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

 

Revelation 19:19-21 ¹⁹ And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. ²⁰ And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. ²¹ And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

 

• Jesus returns triumphantly, and puts an end to the rebellion of Satan and man. Following this triumph, the Bible teaches that Jesus will rule on the earth.

The Millennium

1,000 years

Revelation 20:1-3 ¹ Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. ² And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, ³ and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

 

The Millennium is also another widely debated issue.  There are three main views of the 1,000 years mentioned in the book of Revelation.

#1 Premillennial teaches that the tribulation occurs closely before the 1,000 year earthly reign of Christ.  It teaches that Jesus’ return is prior to the 1,000 years.

#2 Postmillennial teaches that Christ will return after the 1,000 years.  It also teaches that these 1,000 years are not literal, but an era in which there is an increase in the advancement of the gospel.

#3 Amillennial teaches that Christ’s reign began after His victory on the cross over Satan.  This view does not take the 1,000 years literally.  His reign has begun even now.

Loosing of Satan

This is one of those things we will never really understand.  We do not know why God allows Satan to roam free again, we only know that He does.  God has a purpose in all things.

The Final Battle

Revelation 20:9-10 ⁹ And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, ¹⁰ and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The New Heaven and New Earth

Revelation 21:1-4 ¹ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ² And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. ⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

• There is much to be said here, but not enough time or space to do so. If you are interested in more info on Heaven, Pastor Avery has a sermon series you can get upon request.

Living it Out: 

The practical application for the doctrine of the End Times is one of peace and hope.  If we truly know and understand that our God wins in the end, and if He wins, we win, then, this should produce great peace in our lives and create a joyful hope as we wait for the return of our King.

Credits:

Christian Theology – Millard Erickson

Systematic Theology – Wayne Grudem

Doctrine – Mark Driscol

Baptist Faith and Message

The Bible

Dual Expectations

Trinity Baptist Church is:

            The born-again believers in Jesus Christ.  Our church is not the building, it is not the leaders, it is all the members of our church.  Our head is Jesus, and we are to serve Him together.  The church is a living, breathing, moving organism that seeks to do the will of God.  As members of this church, and as members of the body of Christ, we have expectations of each other.  These expectations are neither burdensome nor legalistic.  Rather, they are for the good of the church as a whole, the benefit of the individual Christian, and the glory of Jesus Christ.

As church members there are dual expectations.  Expectations the church as a whole has on its members and expectations the members have toward the church as a whole.  Our expectations should center on our Vision Statement that has been pulled from the Scriptures:

To be a gospel driven church devoted to God’s Word, prayer, fellowship, love, generosity, service, and disciple making to the ends of the earth.

Let’s consider some ways we can help make this Vision Statement true at Trinity.  Remember, we belong to each other.  Paul states this in Romans 12.4-5 “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

We expect of Each Other:

1) Attend Regularly

Because it aids your growth:

Attendance is important because it aids in your spiritual growth.  If a person is not attending, they do not hear the Word of God every week.  Lack of attendance means no Bible Study with each other and no prayer for your needs and the needs of others.  When we do not come, we are also unable to serve.

Prayer is Important

We believe it is of the utmost importance for our people to take attendance seriously.  If a member does not come, they are not consistently praying with their fellow Christians for the needs of the church in its aim to bring glory to the name of God.

Jesus Calls us to Sacrifice

Mark 8:34-35 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.

The Early Church Came Together:

Acts 2:46-47 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

2) Serve Each Other

We have been called by Jesus to love one another as He loved us.  Jesus’ love towards us showed in His service to those around Him, and then in giving up His life for His friends.  Peter tells us we should use our gifts for others.  If a member is not serving, he is not using his gifts to glorify God.

1 Peter 4:10 ¹⁰ As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:

 

3) Give as God Leads

Giving is one of those things that is either talked about too much, or not enough.  Talking about giving can be taboo in our culture today.  This is probably because so many have taken advantage of others by asking for money they did not need or did not use wisely.

The truth about giving is that it is a spiritual gift that God has called us to practice for the glory of His name.  It is true the church “needs” money to operate and giving helps the church function within its community.  The reality is that giving ALWAYS benefits the giver more.  God never needs our money since He owns heaven and earth.  We need to give more than God needs our giving.

The Proper Heart of Giving

The churches in Macedonian got it right as we read what Paul told the Corinthians, “² for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. ³ For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, ⁴ begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 2 Cor. 8:2-4

God has asked for Everything

We cannot tell you what or when God will ask for us to give, only that He always does.  He has called us to be willing to give up all that we have for His sake.  It is important for us to see everything we have been given has been given to us by Him.

Luke 14:33 “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.”

Matt 6:19-20 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: ²⁰But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

We Practice Tithing

Although there is some debate over how much we are called to give.  Most Christians believe that our giving starts with the tithe.  The word tithe means 10%.  When we give above our tithe it is considered an offering.  Abraham gave a tithe to the priest Melchizedek in Genesis 14 before the law was given.  The Israelites practiced tithing throughout their history.  God tells Israel in Malachi 3:8,10-11   Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. ¹⁰ Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

Those who tithe encourage others to do so as well.  This is not simply coming from Pastors.  Christians all over the world commend tithing because they have seen God’s hands of blessing on them because of their giving habits.  In the end, giving is about faith.  Do we trust God to provide when called to give?  Will He provide for us as He promises when we “seek first the kingdom of God?”  That is a promise in Matthew 6:33. He then promises to provide what we need.

4) Seek Biblical Purity

2 Tim 3:16-17¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Morally

1 Timothy 5:22b … keep yourself pure.

Romans 12:1-2 ¹ I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Doctrinally

2 Timothy 2:15 ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

5) Trust and Pray for your Church Leaders

     Consider what the author of Hebrews teaches.  Hebrews 13:17 ^“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

Hopefully, no leaders at Trinity Baptist Church are on a power trip.  We serve because God has called us and equipped us to do so.  We respect the thoughts and opinions of others.  We value them.  We need them.  We want what is best for the church as a whole and our members individually.  We try to make decisions with both in mind and ask for you to pray that we have wisdom.  We ask for you to encourage us and work alongside of us.

We strongly discourage negative attitudes about church leadership.  We hope that if any issues arise people will pray and then speak with leaders about them.  Talking negatively within the body can have very damaging consequences that are usually never intended.  Please keep in mind we are called to keep watch over your souls.  We take this seriously.  We want to serve the body for their advantage.  We love joy much more than groaning!!

 

6) Many Others

Also:  Accountability, Seeking Unity, Praying for each other, Helping Spread the Good News

7) Areas at Trinity that you can Serve:

1. 1. Ministries
      1. Men, Women, HIS KIDS, Youth, Children, Choir, Missions, Outreach, Building and Grounds
   2. Committees/Teams
      1. See List of Committees and Teams that we currently have.

Unity

Ephesians 4:1-6  ¹ I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

 Why is Unity within the Church so important? 

• When there is a lack of unity within the church, divisions rise. When divisions rise it means Satan has entered our ranks.
• When Satan is working within our body, we become weakened and ineffective as a church. This means the work the church was left to do goes undone.
• The works of evangelizing the lost, teaching believers, helping others, and worship of our God are all compromised.
• The name of our precious Savior is not honored or glorified.

Priority # 1 for unity:  One must be a true follower of Jesus Christ.  The Spirit of God does not dwell within unbelievers.  Our unity is to come through the Spirit of the living God.  This is why we can so easily agree on what we believe and what we are to do as a church.

• King David says “ Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”- Psalm 133:1
• Paul’s desire for Corinth was, “…I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,” – Phil 1:27

Deeper Look into Ephesians 4

• I Urge You:
  • Paul is begging us to be unified
• Without Unity:
  • We are not walking in a manner worthy of our calling!
• To Achieve Unity We Must:
  • Walk in humility
  • a lowliness of mind, not thinking too highly of one’s self.
  • Gentleness
    • meek, mild-spirited and self controlled
    • Ex: Of a wild horse that has been tamed, although it still possess its spirit and strength, just under control.
  • Patience
    • endure hardships and frustrations without giving in
  • Bearing with one another in love
    • this kind of love will take abuse from others while continuing to love them.
    • 1 Peter 4:8 says it, “…covers a multitude of sins.”
  • Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
    • This is done within the Christian, by the Spirit.
    • When, humility, gentleness, patience, and love are practiced, this unity and peace are achieved.

• How Do We Apply This?
  • Pray diligently for these imperatives to come alive in you
  • Recognize them in their positive and negative forms
  • Practice them in your life
• We Have Unity in:
  • One Body
    • All true born again believers in Jesus Christ
    • This body is “invisible” throughout the world
    • It is not identified by denomination or church building
  • One Spirit
    • This is the Holy Spirit of God that lives within Christians
      • Ephesians 1:14 describes Him as our pledge of inheritance
      • Ezekial 36 God says He is placed within us
      • Ephesians 2:22 “…being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit”
    • One Hope
      • In Salvation to be revealed
      • Our Hope is that Jesus is coming back, when we die we go to be with Him, and that we will be with Him reigning eternally
    • One Lord
      • Jesus is our Lord
      • He must be believed on as He is,
      • In truth… not a false Jesus
      • “For the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him” ( 10:12).
    • One Faith
      • Our Faith is in Jesus Christ as Savior
      • Our One Faith is that He saves sinners when they:
        • Repent and Trust in Him
      • One Baptism
        • Baptism is our identification with Jesus as His followers
        • This is a water baptism, although we are baptized with the Spirit as well.
        • We are Baptized in the name of the Triune God; Father, Son and Spirit.
      • One God and Father:
        • This is the Father, the first person of the Trinity.

• Our Unity is Summed up in the Gospel
  • Our very first Foundational teaching was on the Gospel.
  • We all must be united in the facts:
    • We were lost in our sins and worthy of God’s wrath.
    • Jesus came of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died to bear our sins in His body, and rose from the dead.
    • A person must repent of their sins, and trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

• Can we have Unity even though we Disagree on some things?
  • YES!
    • Because of our different levels of maturity, knowledge of the scriptures, and background; there will always be differences within the church.
    • One day this will not be so – when Jesus comes again.
  • There are certain doctrines that Christians must believe to be unified in the church.
    • Without unity in certain areas of the Bible, a person may fail to truly be a believer thus making impossible priority # 1. The person must be born-again.
  • Closed and Open handed issues
    • Some doctrines are to be held firmly within a clenched fist, others are debatable and to be held in a loose hand.
  • Closed Handed Issues (Some, not all)
    • Jesus is the only source of Salvation
    • Salvation is by Faith Only
    • God is three in One (Trinity)
    • The Whole Bible is Inspired by God, perfect and fully trustworthy in its original writing.
    • Jesus was Virgin Born, Sinless, Died, and Rose bodily from the grave.
    • God Created all things
    • Jesus is Coming Back
  • Open Handed Issues (Some, not all)
    • Rapture
    • How God created
    • Predestination (what is meant by it)
    • Baptism (Hard not to close this hand)
  • When there are disagreements:
    • Ephesians 4 should be our guide.
    • “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
      • If We Walk Like That…..We will certainly have unity!

Church Discipline

“Since all of us are imperfect, we all need correction and discipline as we grow in Christ”

Leadership’s Desire in Discipline:

            “Our hope is that we learn more than the facts about church discipline.  We want you to know more than the steps and teachings about church discipline.  It is important to know the purpose of discipline, but we hope for more than that.  Our prayer is that we understand the heart of discipline, and that wisdom and love will rule our ways as we practice this ordained spiritual ‘discipline’.”

Discipline is Good

Hebrews 12:7-11 ⁷ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. ¹¹ For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

What is Church Discipline? (Most of this is taken from 9marks.com)

• Anything that teaches, trains, corrects, instructs, builds up, refines, purifies, assists, or improves is discipline.
• In the broadest sense, church discipline is everything the church does to help its members pursue holiness and fight sin. Preaching, teaching, prayer, corporate worship, accountability relationships, and godly oversight by pastors and elders are all forms of discipline.
• In a narrower sense, church discipline is the act of correcting sin in the life of the body, including the possible final step of excluding a professing Christian from membership in the church and participation in the Lord’s Supper because of serious unrepentant sin (see Matt. 18:15-20, 1 Cor. 5:1-13).

Does the Church have the right to discipline?

1 Corinthians 5:12 ¹² For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?

Matthew 18:15-17 ¹⁵ “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

What is the purpose and benefit? (Most of this is taken from 9marks.com)

To many, church discipline (excluding a professing Christian from membership in the church and participation in the Lord’s Supper because of serious unrepentant sin) sounds downright mean. Yet the Bible portrays discipline as an act of love (Heb. 12:6-11). Here are several benefits:

1. Church discipline calls a professing believer out of sin. For instance, a man in the Corinthian church was having an affair with his father’s wife, and the church approved of it. Paul commanded the church to exclude the man so that the man might repent, be saved, and come back to the church (1 Cor. 5:5).
2. Church discipline warns other Christians about the danger of sin. Paul told Timothy that if a leader sins, he should be rebuked publicly “so that the rest may stand in fear” (1 Tim. 5:20).
3. Church discipline purifies the church as a whole. Paul writes, “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” (1 Cor. 5:7). Excommunicating an unrepentant member keeps sin’s destructive influence from spreading and results in a purer, holier, healthier church.
4. Church discipline presents non-Christians with a more faithful corporate witness. Would you be surprised to learn that church discipline can be a powerful evangelistic tool? When a whole community lives in a way that’s radically different from the world, people notice and wonder why (Matt. 5:16, John 13:34-35).
5. Church discipline promotes the glory of God. Christians should be conspicuously holy, not for our own reputation but for God’s (1 Peter 2:12). As the church increasingly reflects God’s loving and holy character, we put God’s glory on display for all to see. Like a billboard! This is why God made us (Gen. 1:27, Isa. 43:6-7, Eph. 3:10)!

Kinds of Discipline: (adapted from 9marks.com)

• Formative: The New Testament speaks about formative discipline in countless passages about pursuing holiness and building one another up in the faith, such as Ephesians 4:11-32 and Philippians 2:1-18

Ephesians 4:15-16 ¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Philippians 2:4-5 ⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

• In fact, we could consider the New Testament epistles as presenting examples of formative discipline, since the apostles wrote the churches to help inform them in what to believe and how to live.

• Corrective: The New Testament commands and depicts corrective discipline in passages like Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, 2 Corinthians 2:6, and 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15.
  • Matt 18 teaches three steps:
    • Privately go to the person
    • Then, take someone with you
    • Lastly, bring it before the church
    • The person is then as an unbeliever
      • And should be evangelized
    • 1 Corinthians 5 teaches:
      • Remove the sexually immoral person from the church.
      • Because he claims to be a brother, yet is rebellious, have nothing to do with him.
    • 2 Corinthians 2:6 teaches:
      • There is a time for forgiveness/restoration
    • 2 Thessalonians 3 teaches:
      • Have nothing to do with him, so he will be ashamed
      • Do not regard him as an enemy, rather warn him as a brother
      • 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 ¹⁴ If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. ¹⁵ Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

The Bottom Line:

It is a joy to teach and learn and grown in the faith.  Discipline in this form is normally always seen as something good.  When the believers have to “call someone out” because of their lifestyle, it can quickly become a very messy ordeal.

Proverbs 28:23 ²³ Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than he who flatters with his tongue.

In Discipline, always remember:

Love:  1 Peter 4:8  Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Remove Plank: Matthew 7:3-5 ³ Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Be Prepared for Stripes: They will come!

Proverbs 23:9  Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.

General Examples (adapted from 9marks.com)

Example 1:

John sees his brother in Christ, Matt in some sort of perpetual sin.  This is not just a slip up that Matt recognizes and repents of, but a consistent lifestyle of sin that is contrary to his claim of being a Christian.

What should John do?  If He keeps silent, Matt may never see the folly of his way and continue to bring to disgrace to the name of Jesus.  If John truly cares for his brother he will lovingly pull him to the side in private and lovingly rebuke him.  His correction should come from the scriptures and from a heart that recognizes that He himself is a sinner that can fall into sin.

If all goes well, Matt will appreciate John’s efforts and repent of his sin.  Normally the person being rebuked will be a little defensive at first, but quickly realize it is true, if the Holy Spirit lives within him.

Example 2:

Layla goes to her sister in Christ, Miley and lovingly rebukes her of a grave sin she is caught up in.  Miley listens to her, but does not repent of her sin.  After a considerable amount of time, there is still no repentance.

Following the lead of Matthew 18, Layla brings another believer with her to speak with Miley, but Miley will still not turn from her sin, even though she admits it is wrong.  The sin is bringing shame to her, to the name of Jesus, and to her church.  Layla continues to pray and mourn over her friend who will not repent.  She waits for her to see her sin.  After a considerable amount of time, she still does not.

What should Layla do?  The very hard, but biblical answer is that she brings Miley (who claims to be a Christian) before the church for church discipline.  At this time, if she is still unrepentant, she should be placed under the discipline of the church, and she is no longer considered a member.  She is unable to participate in the Lord’s Supper, and she should be viewed as an unsaved person.  She is to be loved and invited to attend church so the gospel will penetrate her heart.

Always remember grace and love.

Covenant

We have a church covenant, but it is not currently in use.  Leadership is aware of this and is patiently waiting and working on this important document.