Treasury of Bible Studies

and Bible Teaching Notes

Description of Bible Studies

Giving Glory to God in the Gospel of Jesus Christ Through the Power of the Holy Spirit

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Description of Bible Studies

A complete description of each of the Bible Studies is located at the bottom of this page.  The Bible  Studies can be downloaded for immediate use by clicking on the "Order Form for Studies" button on the left.

The Best in Bible Doctrine Explanation

These Bible  Studies contain an explanation of each of the Scriptures from which a Bible doctrine is derived.  They are complete, concise and expository.  If you are looking for the best in explanation of Bible doctrine -- this is it!

Plan of the Bible  Studies

Each Study is topical in nature and ranges from 5 to 35 pages in length.  Each Bible passage in a Study has concise explanatory comments.  Similar passages are grouped together under headings and conclusions are drawn under each heading and for the topic as a whole.  Some of the Bible Studies are part of a series covering a broad topic, for instance, there is a series on the content of  the gospel message called Gospel Focus which is made up of many separate Bible Studies.

Free Title

To receive this month's free title (Bible teaching Notes or Bible Studies) please click on the "E-Mail the Editor" button on the left, put "Free Title" in the subject line and include your first and last name and e-mail address.  The description of the free title is on the Index Page.  You’ll receive it by return e-mail.

How to Use the Bible  Studies

The pace at which each Bible  Study should be taught will depend upon how the Lord leads the teacher to move through the material in order to meet the needs of the students.  Each Bible  Study could represent a class presentation time of two to five hours depending on the teaching techniques used.  Communicating God’s truth is an “art” that requires careful thought and planning.  Good teaching techniques which can be used to customize a Bible  Study include: handouts; overhead transparencies; oral questions and answers; memory verses; written pre-quizzes or post-quizzes (with true/false, multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, or short essay questions); or short homework assignments.  These Bible  teaching techniques can be used to: 1) set the stage for what will be taught,  2) help teach the material, or  3) test afterward, to see how well the material has been communicated and if further instruction is needed.

For Assistance With Bible  Teaching

For assistance with questions on Bible  teaching techniques or about the content of the material to be taught, please e-mail the Editor by using the button on the left to arrange for a phone conference.  Only imagination limits the way in which the Bible  Studies can be taught.  Ask God for his direction!

List of Bible  Studies by Categories (see the description of each Bible  Study below)

Note: There are 17 lessons available in THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD series of Bible teaching Notes.  Click on the Descritp. of Notes button on the left to see a description of each of the titles.  These are available in Lecture or Discussion format.

Description of the Bible  Studies

OF SALVATION

Christ’s Atonement: the Design of His Death and Success of His Sacrifice   The death of the Lord Jesus Christ is the focal point of authentic religion: momentous questions attend it.  Was it an unfortunate, unforeseen occurrence due to the treachery of a close friend, the plotting hatred of the religious Jews, and an unlawful execution by the Romans?  Did it catch God off guard?  Or, was there a grand design and purpose for Christ’s death?  Was it God’s "will" that Jesus should die?

      Christ’s death and atonement are at the heart of the relationship between God and men; and, the two most important concepts about atonement are: 1) what did Christ’s death do? and, 2) who did he die for?  Fortunately, there is an abundance of Biblical evidence which addresses these issues.  In this Study we will analyze all of the evidence, in order, to answer the following questions.

      What plan did God design to nullify the effects of sin?  When did he design it?  How and when did he reveal what he was planning to do?  What was Christ’s part in God’s design to overrule sin, and what was Christ’s attitude about his role?

      What does God required in order for sins to be forgiven and what does blood have to do with it?  Did Jesus actually pay for sins when he died on the cross, or did his death just make the forgiveness of sins a possibility? What happens when sins are remitted? What does it mean that Jesus has redeemed and ransomed people by his blood?  How does Christ’s blood cleanse and purge sin?  What does propitiation mean and how did Jesus do it?  How are men brought to a state of being at peace with God, justified from their sins, and saved from God’s wrath?  How are people who were aliens and enemies to God made holy and unblamable in his sight?  What does it mean to be reconciled to God and receive atonement?

      What is the significance of the facts that: Jesus died once unto sin, that he bore sin in his body, and that there is no more offering for sin?  Did he accomplish the purpose of his death?  Were sins completely paid for in Christ’s death, or is something else necessary?  Was his payment conditional?  Did God intend Christ’s atonement to be "limited?"  If so, how and why?

      What does the "all inclusive" New Testament language mean which indicates that Christ’s death forgives the sin of all the world?  Because God is "not willing that any should perish," isn’t it true that Jesus paid for everyone’s sins?  Did Jesus die for, and pay sin’s penalty for, each and every single person in the world?  Because Christ’s death was "sufficient" to pay the sin debt for all the world does that mean that that’s what God intended?  Has God done all he can do to save every single person in the world?  Is there some part of salvation which requires an exercise of human will or other "work?"  Did God intend Christ’s atonement to be "universal?"

      The gospel is, without question, the most important of all the biblical doctrines. It is the principal message of the Scripture. It has been received by the church as a direct revelation from God (GAL 1:11-12). It is a "trust" which God has committed to our care (1 THES 2:4). It is the power of God for the salvation of souls (RM 1:16). It is the reason we can stand before God in righteousness and holiness (1 COR 15:1). Consequently, the purity of the gospel message is essential.

      Any change to the message perverts the truth and makes it "another" gospel (GAL 1:6-7). God has given the church the responsibility to guard all biblical truth and especially the truth of the gospel. It is "the pillar and ground of the truth!" (1 TIM 3:15). It must continually prove all things and hold fast to that which is good so that we can walk uprightly according to the truth of the gospel (1 THES 5:21, GAL 2:14).

      Does "God loves you" belong in the gospel message? Today the church answers with a resounding yes, of course it does! God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life! The "traditional" gospel inevitably proclaims God’s love for the individual unbeliever. "God loves you!" But, are there examples of the gospel being preached like this in the Bible? Did Jesus preach "God loves you?" Did the apostles and prophets? When the Bible explains the gospel to believers does it include "God loves you?"

      In our day, the bedrock truth of the gospel has been severely eroded away through the prolonged influence of deeply held religious traditions which have left us with only a hollow shell of the authentic message. The success of the kingdom of God on earth, and revival in our land, depend upon the church recapturing the legitimate gospel message. These 14 pages could change forever your understanding of the gospel and your approach to evangelism. Does the genuine gospel contain the message: "God loves you?" Read this and find out!

       Today, critical facts about God are absent from our gospel!  We have excluded crucial truth about him from the message.  We don’t tell unbelievers about his mighty acts in creation; his power in sustaining life; nor his plan and accomplishment of salvation.  All these are considered to be unimportant to the "gospel" which is commonly preached today.  Nonetheless, this is the exact information which should be the starting point of a biblical gospel presentation.  Instead, it is omitted from the message.  The "gospel" which the modern church has to offer to the lost world is primarily focused upon men.

       This man-centered gospel is woefully inadequate.  It emphasizes man and his "needs" and makes these the pivotal issue of the gospel message.  It doesn’t give God the glory he deserves and his rightful first place, as the biblical gospel does.  It passes over God and his attributes.  It starts in the wrong place, with a distorted message.  It’s ineffective in converting souls, changing lives, and building up the church.  Today’s defective gospel message simply does not possess the New Testament "power of God unto salvation" (RM 1:16).  One of the reasons for this is that, by and large, it has left out essential information about God.

       This Study details the set of specific facts about God which must be given the initial place in the gospel message.  It is the duty of the church, when we preach to lost souls, to first proclaim these primary truths about God as the creator and sustainer of life and the author and finisher of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Gospel Focus: Sin, Law, and Punishment Within the Gospel Message

       These three items, which make up the second major element of the biblical gospel message, are largely absent from the "gospel" which is preached today.  We don’t aim at conviction of sin; the law is missing; punishment of sin is unheard of!

        But, the true gospel employs all of these to take aim squarely at an unbeliever’s heart in order to produce conviction of sin.  It first employs God’s law as the standard for human thought and behavior; then, it shows men that they are personally guilty of breaking the law, and that they will receive eternal punishment for their sin.

       Thus, the stage is set for the rest of the gospel message concerning repentance and faith in Christ by a powerful proclamation of sin, law, and punishment.  Without these, unbelievers can’t correctly understand the good news because the bad news hasn’t been properly presented.  The good news isn’t good without the bad news first!

       The true gospel is powerful to save lost sinners, but today’s gospel is deficient in this area and powerless.  Sin, law, and punishment are almost totally omitted.  All Christians should be concerned about this!  This is an area which desperately needs rethinking and revision.  In order to positively affect the world for God we must reform the gospel which we preach by returning to the scriptural standard for sin, law, and punishment.

       This Study clearly explains the host of biblical passages which support the use of sin, law, and punishment within the gospel message.  It is a "must-read" if you are at all concerned about advancing the kingdom of God on earth through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Gospel Focus: Jesus: Messianic Prophecies, Deity, and Miracles

       Jesus is the heart of the gospel message.  Proclaiming the proper information about him is crucial to the New Testament gospel.  This Study looks at three of the specific truths about Jesus which form the core of the gospel message.  Each of these is often overlooked today in our hasty effort to get an unsaved person to make a “decision” for Christ.  However, they form the backbone for understanding the essential information about Jesus which is necessary for intelligent, saving faith.

       First, the New Testament gospel information about Jesus begins with the Old Testament messianic prophecies which are fulfilled in him.  They form a bridge between the Old and New Testament.  The New Testament gospel has its roots in the Old Testament messianic prophecies.  Jesus understood the prophecies in this way.  They were all about him and they were fulfilled in him.  Thus, they occupy a large portion of Christ’s gospel message and that of the apostles and prophets.  He fulfilled each of the messianic prophecies down to the minutest detail.

       Second, the deity of the Lord Jesus is carefully recorded in the New Testament gospel message.  There is within it an abundant proclamation that Jesus is sinless, the Christ, and that he is God.  His sinlessness qualified him to be both the sacrifice for sin and the great High Priest who offered the sacrifice.  He was the Christ, the anointed Messiah, God’s chosen savior: “God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (ACTS 2:36)  Plus, he was God.  He made “himself equal with God.” (JN 5:18)  He claimed to be “one” with the Father (JN 10:30).  He claimed that seeing him was seeing God (JN 12:45).  And, he claimed that he could forgive sins and give eternal life.  Thus, he both announced that he was God; and, he did things which only God could do!

       Third, the authority and genuineness of the gospel message in the New Testament was authenticated by the fact that, at the time the message was given, miracles, signs, and wonders were performed by those who preached it.  Proclaiming these miracles goes along with the New Testament gospel message and authenticates it.  They are proof that the gospel which Jesus and the apostles and prophets preached was from God.

       This Study develops these three essential elements of the gospel about Jesus by collating them from all the places in the Bible where the gospel is preached.

Gospel Focus: Jesus: Death, Resurrection, and Forgiveness of Sins

       Nothing is more important than these are in the gospel.  They are the core of the message, its focus.  Jesus died, was buried, and rose again from the dead.  Upon these facts rests the forgiveness of sins.

       The prophecies of Christ’s death were promises from God which transpired exactly according to God’s plan.  Jesus carefully told his disciples all that would happen to him.  He was rejected by his own people and nation.  He was tried on trumped up charges, beaten, and condemned to die in spite of the fact that his innocence was recognized by all his judges.  He suffered a cruel death with criminals and was buried in a borrowed tomb.

       But, death could not hold him; the third day he rose from the dead exactly as promised.  He appeared for forty days to witnesses prepared before hand by God and convinced them that he was alive.  Then he ascended into heaven.

       These events were designed by God in order to forgive sins.  Jesus was the great High Priest who made the offering for sin in heaven.  He was, himself, the sacrifice which accomplished the forgiveness of sins once and for all.  His death paid the ransom for sins.  He was the “propitiation” which satisfied God’s wrath against sin.

       This Study delineates the scores of Scriptures which give the account of the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.  It also contains abundant evidence of how these facts were used by the eye witnesses to preach the gospel of salvation to the lost world.  Peter said it best: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (ACTS 4:12)

Gospel Focus: Jesus: Exaltation to Heaven and His Return in Judgment

       These two topics are noticeably absent from the gospel which is preached today!  It does not included Christ’s exalted position in heaven, nor does it include his return to earth in judgment; but, we shall see that the biblical gospel message does include both!

       After his death Jesus was resurrected, seen for forty days on earth by God’s pre-selected witnesses, and then he ascended into heaven.  But, this is not the end of the narrative of the facts about Jesus contained in the scriptural gospel account.  Today’s gospel stops here; but, the biblical gospel reveals two more important aspects about Jesus.  It explains what he is doing in heaven and what will happen when he comes back to earth.

       The gospel record is clear: in heaven, Jesus occupies the exalted position of power at God’s right hand.  He is seated there awaiting his final return to earth and his coming in judgment over all mankind.  From his seat in heaven he exercises dominion over all human and spiritual affairs.  He completed the work of redemption as our great High Priest, his blood accomplished the forgiveness of sins, and he sat down at God’s right hand.  From there he sent the Holy Spirit into the world to apply the gospel to the hearts of men.  As well, as he sits in this prominent place, his enemies are being made his footstool while he builds up his church.

       Then, upon his return, on the Day of Judgment, God has given him the task of judging the world.  The gospel is definite: every person who has ever lived will have to give an account of himself to Jesus.  He will judge righteously, based on faith in his gospel, and nothing will be hidden from him.  His judgment will be final and eternal, there will be no appeal.  He will reward believers with eternal life, but unbelievers will suffer everlasting destruction from his presence.

       This Study develops these two subjects by examining all of the places they are recorded as part of the gospel in the Bible.

      The impurities, additions, and changes which have been introduced into the gospel which is preached today have largely gone unnoticed.  We have "improved" upon the message to make it softer, more palatable, and easier to hear.  Hardly anyone notices that the gospel we preach is altogether different than the one which God gave to the New Testament church through the apostles and prophets.  Errors have been passed down to us as truth without ever being examined in the light of the Scripture.  As a result, these errors have become an untouchable part of the gospel message.  The object of this Study is to analyze all of the Biblical evidence in order to answer the following questions.

      Is the purity of the gospel essential, if so why?  How did we get the gospel?  In what way is God connected to the gospel?  What happens if we don’t keep the gospel correctly in memory?  What does a perverted gospel do to the Church and to those who preach it?  Can you preach a gospel which pleases men and also serve God at the same time?  What are the six things which men do to handle the gospel incorrectly?  How do Satan and his human agents attack the gospel and what should be the response of the Church to this attack?

       It is not surprising that there is a war raging today for the truth of God’s word, as a whole, and for the truth of the gospel in particular.  Satan continues the same relentless attack upon the gospel as he has from the beginning of the New Testament era (GAL 1:6-7).  To make things worse, the church in our day hasn’t even shown up for the battle.  We are not involved in this conflict for truth.

       Our "truth" is our tradition.  We are self-satisfied: we don’t question or examine our gospel doctrine against the standard of Scripture.  We trust that others have done that for us.  We don’t have our churches set up to do that sort of thing.  Instead, doctrine is a dirty word.  We already know what we believe (our tradition) and we won’t allow anything to question it or to rock the boat.  Instead of receiving continuous scrutiny, our doctrine is not open for examination at all.  We are satisfied that we know the gospel already and only wish to stay within the comfortable bounds of what we already know.  Sadly, the church today is not set up to handle the truth correctly.  We are non-functional in the realm of biblical truth even while we take great pains to enforce our own traditions.  The church just doesn’t do truth!

       In this Study we will analyze all of the Biblical evidence in order to answer the following questions.  What is the church’s responsibility with regard to the truth of the gospel?  How should a church discharge its responsibility?  Why has God given the church this responsibility?  How should the church deal with people outside of the church who hold false doctrine?  How should the church deal with false doctrine, and the people who hold it, within the church?

      Anyone who preaches the gospel must recognize the dire warning from God against those who add anything to, or remove anything from, the content of the gospel message. As a consequence, the pastor is responsible to God to preach a pure gospel. His job is to "study" to make sure his ministry is approved by God by accurately communicating the truth of the gospel. He is also responsible to God for the "order" of the church and the quality of its doctrine: that it completely agrees with the Scripture. He is to labor in doctrine and guard the truth against attacks: when sound doctrine is popular and when it’s not. His salvation and the salvation of those who hear him depends upon the his proper use of sound doctrine. In addition, he is to withdraw fellowship from people who teach contrary to the words of the Lord Jesus and godly doctrine.

      In this Study we will analyze all of the Biblical evidence with respect to the following questions. What are the ways in which the pastor is responsible for the purity of the gospel?

What happens to those who preach an incorrect gospel? What function does the pastor serve with respect to the gospel, the truth, and sound doctrine within the church? How does salvation depend upon the pastor’s use of sound doctrine? What responsibility does he have with respect to those who teach contrary to the truth?

      The three lists given in this Study divide the verses in the Bible, about the gospel, into categories. Section 1 lists verses which occur prior to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Section 2 lists verses which occur after the resurrection and which are a direct presentation of the gospel to unbelievers. Section 3 also lists verses which occur after the resurrection, but in these, the content of the gospel message is explained to believers.

      These lists do not include verses where the gospel is just mentioned but not preached to unbelievers or explained for the understanding of believers. In other words, the verses listed in all three sections explain the gospel and give its content.

Food, Dieting, and Being Overweight   Our society is obsessed with food.  Frankly, we rank as one of the most overweight generations in history in spite of the myriad of diet plans available.  Every sort of food compulsion, disorder, addiction and abuse abounds.  What is God’s viewpoint about the fascination that our society has with food and diets.

      This Study deals with the following questions.  Is there a relationship between our need for food and being dependent upon God?  What does being properly connected to God have to do with having the right attitude about food?  In what way can we be sure that God will meet our daily need for food?  When we are independent from God what happens to us in the area of food?  Where does spiritual lethargy lead with food?  What are the consequences of sin with food?  In what way is physical hunger a spiritual test?  What, in place of food, should receive the emphasis in our lives?  In what way does God want us to be fat?  In the area of being overweight, is it "food," as such, that is the problem?

Homosexuality  God’s view of homosexuality is certainly different than the popular "politically correct" view.  Many educators and most in the media would have us believe that homosexuality is just another acceptable life style choice.  But what is the truth about what God thinks?

      This Study will answer these questions.  What is God’s view of homosexuality?  Does God punish homosexuality?  Do homosexuals go to heaven?  What is God’s intention for sexuality?  What should be the attitude of Christians toward homosexuality?

Sex: What God Expects  The world system, set up by the god of this world, gives us constant, incorrect messages about sexual conduct.  Sex sells everything!  From books to movies, motor oil, beer, magazines, you name it.  The message is the prosperity of impurity.  But the reality is that sexual impurity ruins society and lives.  In addition, living a sexually pure life is a constant struggle in this impure world.

      This Study will discuss God’s standards of purity in dating, living together, and marriage; plus the consequences of personal immorality and immorality in the Church.  What are God’s standards for sexual conduct?  What does God expect in dating situations?  How does God feel about "living together?"  What is the proper place for the expression of sexuality?  Is it possible to hide sexual sin from God?  What are the consequences of sexual sin?  How should the Church handle those caught up in sexual sin?

Borrowing, Lending, and Cosigning a Loan  Often you’ll hear Christians speak negatively about borrowing money - as if God looks down upon it and the Bible condemns it.  But is this true?

      This Study discusses the following questions.  Does the Bible teach that Christians should not borrow?  What are the dangers in borrowing money?  From God’s viewpoint, is there anything wrong with lending money?  Are there rules for lending to Christians and non-Christians?  Is it proper to cosign for someone else’s loan?

The Purpose of the Church in a Sin-filled World   God has designed the Church, taking sin into consideration, with specific purposes in mind for witnessing, relating to government, and evangelism.

      In order to understand how to fulfill these purposes this Study will address the following questions.  What purpose does the Church serve in relation to sin in the world?  What two things are required of the Church in order to serve this purpose?  What kind of relationships with unbelievers are forbidden, and why?  What are some examples of being "in" but not "of" the world?  What does being a "light," a "city on a hill," and a "candle" have to do with the way we live in the world with respect to unbelievers?  What is the proper Christian attitude toward earthly government?  When is it proper to disobey government?  Why and how is the Church supposed to reach unbelievers?  Is the Church promised success in evangelism?  What means are "lawful" in evangelism?

The Husband’s Relationship With His Wife  The disintegration of the family is a major problem facing society.  It causes untold damage to husbands, wives, and children.  God, however, intended that the family be one of the major units of stability for society.  Not surprisingly, the husband’s relationship with his wife is an essential ingredient of the glue that holds the family together.

      This Study will discuss the following questions.  How does God look upon a man taking a wife?   How should a man establish his relationship with his wife?  What primary needs should a man look to his wife to fulfill?  How long should marriage last?  What is a husband’s duty as far as providing for his wife?  How can a husband avoid sexual sin in his marriage?  Why is the husband the "head" of his wife?  In what practical ways should a husband love his wife?

The Wife’s Relationship With Her Husband  Our society has defined the role of women in marriage in direct opposition to what God intended.  Our culture encourages independence, rebellion, and immorality.  These destroy rather than build up a home.  This Study, however, will reveal the biblical evidence for what God intends the wife’s relationship to be to her husband.

      The following questions will be discussed.  What is the most fulfilling role for a wife in relationship to her husband?  What is God’s design for submission of the wife to her husband?  What are the benefits to the wife of submission?  How can older women help younger women in their role as wives?  How can a wife help her husband avoid sexual sin?  What is the wife’s responsibility in getting along with her husband?  What are the characteristics of a virtuous wife and how does she build up her home?

Baptism  The subject of baptism has long divided the Church into two camps.  Those who baptize babies (paedobaptists) and those who baptize believers.  Of course, who to baptize depends of what God intends baptism to do or be.  What baptism means and who the candidates are for baptism will be the subject of this Study.

      The following questions will be discussed.  Why baptize in water?  Is baptism symbolic?  What is the meaning of water baptism?  Who are the candidates for water baptism?  What is the mode of baptism?  What words should be said during water baptism?

Baptism and Salvation   What baptism actually does is an extremely important question.  Especially, what part baptism plays in salvation.  Denominations are built upon erroneous understandings of this topic.

      This Study will discuss the following questions.  Is water baptism necessary for salvation?   Does it save?  Does it wash away sins?  Does it contribute in any way to the new birth?  How is a person saved from their sins?  Are there "works" that we can do which add to the salvation accomplished by Christ on the cross?  How does the Bible define a "work?"  Is baptism a work?  Does making baptism necessary for salvation by faith make any difference in the gospel?  Are there specific examples in the New Testament of people being saved apart from water baptism?  What do the verses mean which seem to tie baptism to salvation?

Baptism and the Holy Spirit   Some denominations teach that the Holy Spirit is given at the same time and as a result of water baptism.  Is the physical act of baptism and the appearance of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life connected?

      This Study will discuss the following questions.  When the gospel is presented in the New Testament is the Holy Spirit promised as a result of water baptism?  Are there examples in the Scripture of the Holy Spirit being given during, and because of, water baptism?

Elder / Bishop / Pastor: Qualifications For Office  Qualified men in the office of pastor are essential for the prosperity of the local church.  The selection process for this office should be based on the qualifications laid down in Scripture.  What is required of a man to hold this office?

      This Study will discuss the following questions.  What do the terms elder, bishop, and pastor mean?  Does the New Testament use the terms synonymously?  What part does having a desire for the office play in being qualified to serve?  In what way is the elder / bishop / pastor accountable for his service in office?  What ability should this man have to teach God’s Word and how is it to be used?  How should he get along with people; and especially, how does he deal with anger?  What sort of reputation must he have inside and outside of the Church, why?  Is there a period of time necessary to meet these requirements in order to be qualified to serve?  What should his attitude be about money?  What are the requirements of self control for the elder / bishop / pastor?  What does the husband of one wife qualification mean?  What about drinking alcohol?  To what end does he use hospitality?  What is required of his children? What is required of his wife?

Deacon: Qualifications For Office  Qualified men in the office of deacon are essential for the prosperity of the local church.  The selection process for this office should be based on the qualifications laid down in Scripture.  What is required of a man to hold this office?

      This Study will discuss the following questions.  What does the term deacon mean?  What sort of reputation must a deacon have with those inside and outside of the Church, why?  Is there a period of time necessary to meet the requirements for being a deacon before beginning to serve?  What are the requirements of self control for the deacon?  What does the "husband of one wife" qualification mean? What about drinking alcohol?  What is the deacon’s attitude toward faith and how does it effect his life?  What is his attitude about money?  What can be said of the motive behind a deacon’s speech?  What is required of his children and home?  What is required of his wife?

Can Elders and Deacons be Divorced?  Much has been made of a cursory reading of just a couple of verses in order to exclude any man with a divorce in his background from holding offices in the Church.  But what does an in-depth examination of the biblical evidence reveal?

      Does the Bible teach that to be qualified as an elder or deacon a man must not be divorced?  What does it mean to be the "husband of one wife?"  Is the husband of one wife someone who has only been married to one woman, or is there more to it than that?  What does the qualification of being "blameless" mean for the office of elder or deacon?  Must a candidate have a blameless past to qualify for office?  Are there past circumstances which conflict so greatly with being "blameless" that they forever disqualify a man from serving as an elder or deacon?  Does being "blameless" mean that an elder or deacon can not be divorced?  Are there examples in the Scripture of men who overcame their past circumstances and sin in order to do great service for God?

The Role of Women in the Church   Women pastors?  Women prophets?  What is the proper role for women in the Church?  Does God intend that roles within the Church should be based on gender?  Does the Bible have anything to say about this?  You bet it does!

      Here are some of the questions answered in this Study.  Is there any difference, from the viewpoint of the Bible, between the salvation of men and the salvation of women?  Why does the Bible teach that husbands are to "rule over" their wives?  What male-female authority structure has God set up for the Church age, and why?  When is it proper for women to pray or prophesy?  Are there limits on women speaking in the Church?  When can a woman teach a man spiritual things?  As far as being taught by a woman, when does a boy become a man?  Can women be pastors?  How did women prophesy before the beginning of the Church age?  How are women to exercise the gift of prophecy during the Church age?  What responsibilities do women have in the Church in these areas: singing, serving, marriage and family, physical appearance, internal godliness, holy living, and teaching?

The Death of Truth and the Responsibility of the Church   What has happened to truth in our day?  Society has declared that truth is dead and any attempt to live a moral life based on standards of objective truth is laughed at.  Nothing is right or wrong in and of itself.  There are only subjective preferences.  This has led to chaos and confusion in our society.  It has had a profound impact in areas such as economics, law, and social behavior.

      The following questions will be addressed in this Study.  What is Postmodernism and relativism?  How do these views define truth?  What have been their results in our society?  How does the Scripture define truth?  How does truth relate to Jesus and the word of God?  What is the result of truth in the life of the believer?  How long will truth last?  Why is discerning the truth in the Scripture important?  How is it done?  What part does God expect the local church to play in relationship to the truth and correct doctrine?  What happens if a local church doesn’t perform this function correctly?  What responsibility does the pastor have to sound doctrine and what happens when he successfully performs this function?  Who or what are the enemies of the truth?  How do they impede the progress of truth in our lives?  What types of sin results from disregarding the truth?  What are the mental attitudes of people who disregard the truth?  What is their relationship with God like?  What conclusions does God reach concerning those who disregard truth?  What is his opinion of their worship?  What kinds of teachers do they prefer?  When people change the truth into a lie, what does God do in their lives?

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