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Online Bible Study |
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Online Bible Study |
The Bible Truths Online Bible Study Course
(Scroll down for Lesson One)
By Don Martin
Lesson One (Creation) |
Lesson Two (The Bible) |
Lesson Three (Authority) |
Lesson Four (Christianity) |
Lesson Five (Church) |
Lesson Six (Salvation) |
Lesson Seven (How to live) |
Lesson Eight (The Hereafter) |
This course consists of eight lessons designed to be taken "online." After each lesson, you will find the corresponding questions. Simply type in the answers and click on the submit button. Be sure to also fill in the form, providing your name and e-mail address. Under normal circumstances, your answers will be reviewed and graded within a short time. Your grade will then be returned to you by e-mail. Please do not proceed to the next lesson until your grade has been returned. Also, please take the tests in sequential order. You are encouraged to make use of the Archives for additional study material. (All biblical quotations are from the King James Version).
This course endeavors to be entirely accurate relative to the truths found in the Bible. We are under the obligation to present only God's word, without change (Gal. 1: 6-9, Rev. 22: 18, 19). It is the truth that sets free, error condemns (Jn. 8: 32; 2 Jn. 9). Therefore, you are urged to study these lessons with discernment, paying close attention to the scriptures (I Jn. 4: 1, Acts 17: 11). Each lesson shall consist of material on the subject being studied. Please carefully study this material before proceeding to the answers.
Lesson One - Creation
Multiplied millions of dollars are being spent by the government and the scientific community in an effort to learn the origin of man and the universe. All types of hypothesis have been advanced from the big bang "theory" to theistic evolution to explain the beginning.
The beginning began with God. "In the beginning God…" (Gen. 1: 1). Beloved, life begets life and design implies a designer. It is unthinkable to even imagine that man and the universe just happened! "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Ibid.). The Bible purports to be of God (2 Tim. 3: 16, 17, 2 Pet. 1: 21). The Bible has stood the test of time, being subjected to every internal and external test to determine its authenticity. The Bible says God created the heaven and the earth!
"By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast" (Ps. 33: 6-9).
The "gradation" and nature of creation. Creation is divided into six days (Gen. 1: 3-31). These days are evidently twenty-four hour periods (vs. 5, "evening and the morning were the first day"). On the first day of creation "light" was created and divided from darkness. Notice, "God divided the light from the darkness" (vs. 3, 4). God made the firmament and divided the waters…and God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day" (vs. 7, 8). Separation of water and land, grass, herb yielding seed, etc. occurred on the third day (vs. 9-13). The perfection of God's creation is seen in the expression: "God saw that it was good" (vs. 12). The sun, moon, and stars were created by God on the fourth day (vs. 19). Fish, fowl, etc. were created by God on the fifth day (vs. 20-23). On the sixth day, cattle, creeping things, etc. were created (vs. 24, 25).
"And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day." (Gen. 1: 31).
The climax of God's creation is seen in verses 26-28: "And God said, let us make man in our image…." To man God assigned dominion over creation (vs. 26). God created man "male and female created he them " (vs. 27). As in the other cases of creation, God decreed that man should multiply (vs. 28). All of this - creation of formless heaven and earth to man - was created by God in the six day period (vs. 31). Regarding the totality of His creation God said, "it is very good" (vs. 31).
"And 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" (Gen. 1: 26).
The Genesis' account of creation is not isolated or independent from the remainder of the Bible. Many other writers, inspired men, including Jesus allude to and affirm the Genesis' account (Matt. 19: 4-6, I Cor. 11: 7-12).
Some observations regarding the Genesis' account of creation. The material universe was created from nothingness. God was in "the beginning." God did not put certain laws into motion and inject certain basic substances and chemicals and allow a natural process to develop the world. God "spoke it into actual existence (vs. 3, etc. also see "Theistic Evolution" in Archives). All of God's creation was created mature. By this I mean the living things had reproductive capabilities and man and woman were physically mature. In this vein, God also created the two essential genders in order for there to be reproduction. Man did not simply evolve and "thousands" of years later woman happened to evolve! After God's initial and miraculous creation (no natural laws or evolutionary processes), God then put into place natural laws, such as reproduction, etc. It is also apparent that man, as created by God, is different from all the rest of creation. Only to man did God say, "let us make man in our image, after our likeness…" (vs. 26, "man" is inclusive of "woman," vs. 27). Woman was expressly made by God for man (2: 18 ff) and is "the glory of the man" (I Cor. 11: 7). Therefore, man and woman are vastly different anatomically, emotionally, and psychologically. We need to also appreciate God made woman for man - not another man! (See Leviticus 18: 22).
"And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him" (Gen. 2: 18).
"And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?" (Matt. 19: 4, 5).
Upon still closer examination of the Genesis' account of creation we see multiple forces, if you will, being operative in the creation. "The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters," for instance (vs. 2). Also, God (Elohim, vs. 1) is plural. Paul later taught that Jesus Christ did the actual creating (Col. 1: 16, Jn. 1: 3). All divine entities comprising the Godhead, therefore, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are seen in Genesis one (see "The Godhead" in this section). The Father did the providing, Jesus (the word) did the actual creating, and the Holy Spirit did the organizing. The same truth is seen regarding spiritual creation (Jn. 3: 16, chs. 14-16).
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Gen. 1: 1, 2).
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen." (2 Cor. 13: 14).
Dear student, for man to be complete he must understand his origin. As we read God's Book, we also discover our purpose and our destiny (Eccl. 12: 13, 14, Matt. 25: 46). The God who created us certainly has the authority to tell us what is best for us.
Questions for Lesson One
Please fill in the answers referring back to the study material. Be sure to supply your name and e-mail in the provided form. Remember to click on the submit button and allow a day or two, normal circumstances, for the reviewing of your answers and return of your grade.
