Featured Lesson
The lesson on July 25, 2021, was part 7 of the "Bible Inspiration and Preservation" study. In this lesson, we get a good review of why having the right Bible is important particularly with the Acts perspective when the Jew was first. In this case, there is so much that is unique during the Acts for the Jew. This included doctrine like signs, wonders, various prayer promises and ordinances. That would include water baptism and the Lord's Supper. This ties in with our modern Bible study because the word broken does not exist in the modern Bibles and it is so crucial to understand that the broken body of Jesus is reflected in the broken bread and communion for the Christians during the Acts period. We must use right division to make since of the doctrines that we find in scripture! Without right division, it is all a combination salad. That is why when we receive from PAul the one baptism is a spiritual work by God the Father where you are identified with Christ and are made complete. We learn of that in Colossians 2:8-15 KJV. We reviewed 1 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV "13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." We want to do an effectual work! This comes from believing in God's word! The modern Bibles cause unbelief! We reviewed 2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV where PAul wrote "16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." The preserved word of God that we believe allows us to perform these good works. We reviewed page 3 of The identity of the NT Text by Pickering that said "In very broad and over-simplified terms, one camp generally follows the large majority of the MSS (seldom less than 80 and usually over 95 percent) which are in essential agreement among themselves but which do not date from the before the fifth century A.D., while the other generally follows a small handful (often less than ten) of earlier MSS (from the third, fourth and fifth centuries) which not only disagree with the majority, but also disagree among themselves (which obliges the practitioners to be more or less eclectic). The second camp has been in general control of the scholarly world for the last 130 years, at least." The scripture reading was from Matthew 5:17-18 KJV
Featured Study
This study started on June 6, 2021 and is on the Bible, its Inspiration and more importantly its Preservation. This study is so important to Christianity today because the Bible is under attack. Each Christian who attends a Bible Study and experiences the issue when you have those in attendance read scripture and they don't have the same Bible. In newer Bibles some verse have been omitted or reworded because they have been created from "a better manuscript", which is the explanation that is given for the omission or change. Wayne will look at what has happened to the text of the Bible.
Featured Content
The lesson on September 12, 2021, was part 8 of the "Bible Inspiration and Preservation" study. Wayne opened thanking everyone for the prayers he received while he recovered from COVID-19. Wayne still is not back to 100% but is glad to get back to this important study. We looked at the preface to the Revised Standard Version and the New International Version from the book by Pickering "The identity of the New Testament Text" and saw that they supposed relied on "better texts" and the principles of textual criticism to come up with the better translation of the Greek. Wayne refutes this. We also looked at quotes from other scholars like Robert M. Grant and Kenneth W. Clark who believe that "... we may be pursuing the retreating mirage of the "original text"" and "it is generally recognized that the original text of the Bible cannot be recovered". Wayne disagrees with these scholars of the "better texts" because the Bible is not only inspired but preserved! How could we rely on the scriptures if it was not so. He used Colossians 1:24-2:3 as an example of how important this is for our proper walk. Wayne then shared what me must do in the coming lessons in that we must find a way to identify the New Testament text that is consistent with what we understand about God’s ways. The scripture reading was from Colossians 2:1-6 KJV