Introduction

• How can God allow suffering to occur?

God allows us the freedom of choice

• Genesis 2:16-17; 3:6 – Adam and Eve had the freedom of choice.

• Joshua 24:14-15

• If there were no consequences, it wouldn’t really be freedom of choice.

• Luke 23:39-43

• Sometimes the choices of others cause our suffering. Sometimes it is our own choices.

• I Peter 4:14-16

• We need to make the right choices!

  • I Timothy 4:8

  • II Timothy 3:12

The world is a temporary stop on the way to eternity.

• Hebrews 11:13-16
• Eternity will far outshine whatever suffering we endure here.
• I Peter 2:11
• Job 3:17
• Romans 8:17-18 – Suffer now, glory later.
• II Corinthians 4:17-5:1

If our attitude is right, we benefit from suffering.

• James 1:2-4
• I Peter 1:6-9
• When did you pray the hardest? When you were suffering!
• Psalms 119:65-68
• There is good that can come from suffering.
• II Corinthians 12:7-10 – We can get to the place Paul was if we have the right attitude.
• II Corinthians 1:8-10

Jesus suffered.

• I Peter 2:21-23
• Jesus suffered for a time and now I suffer for a time.

Conclusion

• Let us not let suffering be a stumbling block!

What is the most foundational pursuit?

• To love, seek, and do what is true.
• John 3:16-21
• John 4:1

Culture of truth

• Context of truth is universal.
• Truth is loved, sought, held to
• Encourage honest discussions
• Questions answered with truth in a spirit of love
• Never settle
• All levels of seekers welcome
• Spread culture to all spheres of influence

Questions

• How do you teach someone the gospel if they don’t believe there is a God or the Bible is His word?
• What evidence convinces you the Bible is from God and that there is a God?
• What evidence is there that the texts are the words of God and have been copied accurately?

How were the Bible texts originally composed?

• Hebrews 1:1-2 – Transmission history of about 1000 years (1000 years for the Old Testament, 50 years for the New Testament).
• How?
  • God speaking to us through prophets, Jesus, and apostles.

Composition of the Old Testament

• Purpose of the New Testament
• Ten commandments – Deuteronomy 10
• Moses wrote the words of the law in a book.
• The “law of Moses” became a formal law.
• Torah (first 5 books)
• Historical books – 1, 2 Samuel, 1, 2 Kings, 1, 2 Chronicles
• The proverbs
• The psalms
• Writings of the prophets

Composition of the New Testament

• Christians did not have a compiled New Testament for about 400 years after Jesus’ time.
• At first, the gospel spread orally.
• Move from oral to written transmission follows the needs of the church
• Period of composition: 30s AD to just before the end of the first century
• Authors: primarily apostles
• Purpose of the writings

The “Original Bible”

• Production of the autographs was recorded in the Bible.

• The Old Testament and New Testament both state they were inspired by God

  • I Chronicles 28:19

  • Jeremiah 21:1; 36:1-2

  • II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 3:15-16

• Why don’t we have the originals?

  • Original materials wore out.

Witnesses to the Old Testament text

Greater weight:

Primary sources; Copies of ancient Hebrew manuscripts

Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic text

Secondary sources; Versions: ancient translations into other languages

Septuagint; Latin vulgate

Tertiary sources: Paraphrase of the Hebrew text

Lesser weight:

Quaternary sources: Quotations of the Hebrew text in Greek

Dead Sea Scrolls

• Probably produced in Hasmonean period (152-63 B.C.) and early Roman period (63 B.C. – 68 A.D.).

Witnesses to New Testament text

Greater weight

Manuscripts

Written in Greek

To date, 5745 known manuscripts.

New Testament versions

Translations into other languages

15,000-20,000 such documents, ranging in date from 3rd to 16th centuries AD

Lesser weight

Citations

Citations of the New Testament in sermons, commentaries, letters, etc.

Over 1 million known citations, ranging in date from 1st to 13th centuries AD

Textual criticism

• Process of diligent appraisal and comparison of texts.

Recovering the Old Testament text

• Two basic steps:

  • Look at Masoretic text

  • Compare Dead Sea Scrolls

Recovering the New Testament text

• Compare available manuscripts

Reference materials

• Randall Price, Searching for the Original Bible

Conclusion

• III John 1:1-4

What does entitlement mean?

• I deserve something. Society owes me.

Does our society struggle with the concept of entitlement?

• Yes!

Parenting – raising our kids and avoiding entitlement.

• Disciplining a child can help guide the child away from entitlement.
• Hebrews 12:3-11

Our society – dealing with entitlement in others!

• II Timothy 1:7
• Pursuing contentment rather than happiness?
• I Timothy 6:6-12
• Hebrews 13:5-6

Our spiritual family – keeping the entitlement culture out!

The church and its members

Biblical description of the church

• Universal

  • Hebrews 12:15-24 – Old Covenant vs New Covenant

  • Acts 9:31 – The size of the church (in the universal sense) multiplied.

• Local church

  • Galatians 1:21-24

  • I Corinthians 1:1-3

Universal church

• Jesus said He would build it – Matthew 16:18
• Bought it with His blood – Acts 20:28
• Loves it and gave Himself for it – Ephesians 5:25-29
• Wants it pure, blameless, holy – Ephesians 5:27
• Maintained in His word – John 17:17
• His body – Romans 12:4-5

Church – body of Christ

• We are not just individuals
• Members of each other
• One body – I Corinthians 10:16-24
• Seek our neighbors’ good
• Desire that all be pure – Colossians 1:21-23
• All the saved are added to it – Acts 2:41, 47

Local church

• Where all collective activities are undertaken – Acts 20:7

  • Saints have much or most Christian associations – Acts 2:44-47

  • Analogy of the body – I Corinthians 12:12-27

    • Baptized, obedient believer is member of the body

    • We all work together – Philippians 2:1-4

      • Single-minded purpose

      • Part of a whole, each member has a purpose, value – Ephesians 4:11-16