04/11/19 OVER VIEW OF LAST EVENING'S STUDY SESSION

04/11/19 OVER VIEW OF LAST EVENING'S STUDY SESSION
 
I used my "Essential Questions" (post) as starter for Study Time last night. Exercise in personal witness and Apologetics.

I focused the lesson on the young people. They jumped right in.
They said they knew they were saved.
I asked how they knew.
They went from, "the Bible says he saves," to, "God (Jesus) says so."
I agreed that God's word is the basis and authority, but I wanted them to tell me how they knew personally.
They responded with their own personal belief, faith.
I pointed out that the witness of God's word and our own faith gives us assurance.

I used my earlier post concerning God's steps in reliably giving us His word.
I added short comments (points) to what I had written.
As I addressed the REVELATION step I explained the Firsthand and Eyewitness importance of New Testament record. I also addressed the untold numbers of written (as well as oral accounts) of the life of Christ, and the Secondhand reports. I explained the validity of the sources and reports, being so well known by so many people. And then I focused on the fact that the New Testament writers were chosen, called, equipped and led (guided) by God concerning what to write, what not to write and how to write, what they wrote.

I addressed other issues as well, such as the importance of a hard copy Bible (rather than just a digital Bible).
I also addressed the fact that the message of the New Testament existed before the New Testament was written. This does not negate or lessen the authority of the New Testament.
I pointed out that the truth of God predated God's written record of the life, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension of Jesus and also predates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the spread of the Gospel, the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Peter, Jude concerning the doctrines and events of the apostles, which is the foundation of New Testament and Christian beliefs.
I also pointed out that the New Testament was written in Greek and the autographs (original written records of the apostles and N. T. prophets) no longer exists. However, the thousands and thousands of copies make it possible to know what those original documents said.
I explained that the Bible has been translated from Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek into other human languages. I pointed out that the work of translation is a very exact and demanding endeavor.
I pointed out that the King James Bible of 1611 was not the first written record of God's word.
I pointed out that the KJV 1611 had major problems, which were corrected (to a great degree, over several editions).
I pointed out that there are obvious translation problems with the KJV, even today, such as translating PASSOVER as EASTER.
I also say that the KJV is one of the very best English translation available. It is my translation of choice with one other FORMAL TRANSLATION.
I also say that we can compare translations, word studies and ancient manuscripts, which allows us to eliminate known discrepancies.
Not only did God's word exist before 1611, it exists in other languages. Other people of the world have the word of God in their own language.
Unlike Islam, Christianity does not require that the Bible be read in the original languages or read in English or read in 1611 KJV English.
WE CAN REST ASSURED THAT WE HAVE GOD'S WORD, but we must not lose God's word by allowing any translation to replace the word of God.

It i was a good and important session.