FBI Semester 1 THEOLOGY

Jesus' statement in John 10:30

"I and my Father are One"

I John 5:7

"There are three...The Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are One"

Luke 24:39

"a Spirit hath not flesh and bones"

ETERNAL

God is the One and only Being Who has existed for all of Eternity Past, Who will exist for all Eternity Future, and Who actually exists outside of and beyond the realm of time, as the Creator, not the servant of time. --discussed: God's eternal nature is also distinct --explained: God does not exist within linear time. He exists above time.

1611 KJV of the Bible

It was probably the only translation in which no parties involved has an axe to grind. The goal was to produce a non-sectarian Bible to unite the Christians of England. The stress was therefore on accuracy, not promoting a certain doctrinal viewpoint. The scholarship of it translators is also beyond dispute. It is still considered the height of English literature. *translation work was actually done by 47 scholars divided into six groups working at Westminster, Cambridge, and Oxford *Each translator's work was examined by every member of his committee. Each committee's work was then examined by all of the other committees *the KJV rests on the Greek text compiled by Erasmus, known as the texts Receptus or Received Text. This is based upon the Traditional text or Majority text of the NT *It was also produced with the former translations. The translators availed themselves to and built upon the scholarship which had produced the Bishop's Bible, Tyndale's, Matthew's and Coverdale's version, the Great Bible and the Geneva Bible *Reprinting took place to fine tune the accuracy of the KJV in 1629, 1638, 1762, and 1768. Changes were minor in nature and only concerned such details as printing errors and updated spelling *The Majority and Minority texts: The KJV was translated from the Majority text, a body of over 5,000 Greek manuscripts. This was indisputable the accepted Standard Greek Text for almost all Bibles from the 400's to early 1900's --2 distinct families of Greek text had already come into existence by AD 300's. Scholars are generally agreed that most corruptions of the text occurred during the first 100 years after the originals were written. The Christian churches of these early centuries examined both of these text families and came to the firm conclusion that one should be rejected as corrupt and the other was the preserved Word of God --from this point on, all Greek texts and practically all translations were based upon this text. this text is called the Majority text, the Received text, the Traditional text and the Byzantine text --the KJV was therefore based upon what was the accepted Greek text for over 1,200 years of Christian history. Assuming that the church fathers were indeed correct that this text was the preserved Word of God, then this text reflected all 1,500 years of church history before the KJV was produced in 1611 *In the late 1800's the Greek text unquestionably accepted by the true churches since the 300's was challenged by those who argued that since Codexes Sinaiticus (AD 330), Vaticanus (AD330) and Alexandrinus (AD 450) predated most of the Greek manuscripts of the Majority text, then they should be accepted as superior *An eclectic critical text was prepared by a committee lead by Westcott and Hort. This text was based upon these 3 manuscripts and a small number of other sources. This critical text is the foundation of the Greek text underlying almost all new Bible versions today. --The Minority texts are thus a very small number (primarily just 3) of older manuscripts, some of which have been discovered since the translation of the KJV. These texts were incomplete and have as much disagreement between them as they do with the Majority text --If the Minority texts are corrupt or inferior, then so are all the modern translations based on these texts *The chief claim to superiority by the advocates of the Minority text has always been that it relies upon manuscripts which are older (and therefore supposedly closer to the originals) than the manuscripts of the Majority text --this claim is now completely false because of many discoveries such as the Papyri. The Papyri are older than any of the manuscripts upon which the eclectic Minority text was originally based. These papyri do represent both text types, but the majority of the manuscripts consistently reveal that the Majority text (KJV) readings are both older and correct --the latest edition of the eclectic Critical Text has had to make 500 changes back to the Majority text reading because of discoveries from the Papyri. --therefore the Majority text now stands as both the majority of Greek texts and as the oldest extant Greek text

2 Peter 1:21

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

FAITHFUL

God always keeps HIs promises. He never fails to love, tend, and care for the needs of His children and His creation

John 4:24

God is a Spirit"

Trinity

God is a Trinity - there is one God, who exists in a union of three individual and distinct personalities, who co-exist in a perfect unity as three co-equal and co-eternal persons

HOLY

God is absolutely separate from and exalted above all His creatures (and creation) and He is equally separate from all moral evil and sin

OMNISCIENT

God is all-knowing. God has always perfectly known all that can be known. --God has absolute, perfect, and total knowledge of all that has been, that is, that will be, that could have been and that can be. --An interesting thought here is that God cannot learn, for He already knows all that there is to be known. God never has, never will, and cannot learn, for to learn implies that there has been a time at which God did not know all --Much confusion has surrounded the nature of God's omniscience concerning the future, God's foreknowledge. The question is "If we cannot choose other than what God already knows we will choose, then are we truly able to choose?" Some have imagined the solution to this apparent tension between God's foreknowledge and man's free will is to conclude that man cannot choose. They have concluded that God knows all because He causes all. --The problem is that if God can't know all unless He causes all things then He cannot fore-know the sinful choices of men and angels unless He causes all these sinful choices. This view blasphemously makes God the author of sin.

OMNIPOTENT

God is all-powerful. He has incomprehensible and absolute power. --God can do anything that is consistent with His Own nature. God cannot be other than He is. He is true to Himself. He cannot be ungod-like. God cannot lie or sin. --The question is often asked "Can God do anything?" The Scriptural answer is clearly: No. There are no limits to His power, but "God cannot be tempted with evil." He cannot contradict His Own nature.

OMNIPRESENT

God is present everywhere with His whole being at the same time at all times --a sharp distinction must be drawn between the Bible doctrine of God's omnipresence and the Hindu and New Age heresy of pantheism. God is indeed everywhere, but Pantheism wrongly declares that God is everything or that everything is God.

Reason we reject the Apocrypha is because....

it was not until 1596 at the Council of Trent that the Roman Catholic Church officially recognized these books, basically in an attempt to strengthen their position, which had been grievously weakened by the great reformer Martin Luther

Polycarp, Ignatius, and Iraneus (all associated with the Apostle John)

list all but one NT book (3 John)

INCOMPREHENSIBLE

no finite being can ever hope to even remotely grasp or begin to understand the infinite God -this is why all attempts to really picture God are always idolatrous

Number of Greek manuscripts

over 5,800

Evidences and references for the Trinity

Matthew 28:19-20 The command to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit Jesus' statement in John 10:30 "I and my Father are One" I John 5:7 "There are three...The Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are One" Hebrews 1:5-8 the Father commands the angels to worship the Son, and calls Him God and Lord The statement in John 5:18 that to be God's Son makes One equal with God

MERCIFUL

Mercy is that eternal principle of God's nature which leads Him to seek the temporal good and eternal salvation of those who have opposed themselves to His will, even at the cost of infinite self-sacrifice --mercy is not getting what we deserve, namely hell

First written list of NT books

Muratorian Canon (includes 3 John)

Number of early versions of manuscripts

over 25,000

John Wycliffe

translated the 1st whole English Bible

Reasons for rejecting the Apocrypha

--the Apocrypha was never included in the OT canon by any recognized Jewish authorities, such as the Pharisees or by the inspired prophet Ezra --Some books teach false doctrines, such as praying for the dead (Maccabees) --It was not until AD 1596 at the Council of Trent that the Roman Catholic Church officially recognized these books, basically in an attempt to strengthen their position, which had been grievously weakened by the great reformer Martin Luther.

Supernatural proofs of the Bible (SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY the fact that)

-the earth is round -the earth is suspended in space -the stars are innumerable -there are mountains and canyons in the sea -there are springs and fountains in the sea -there are watery paths (ocean currents) in the seas -all living things reproduce after their own kind -the facts involved in health, sanitation and medical science -the facts involved in the two laws of thermodynamics

Supernatural proofs of the Bible (UNITY is achieved in spite of)

-the many authors (40) and their various occupations (approx 19) -the long period of time involved in its writing -different geographical places where the Bible was written -many different styles of its writing -different types of times of writing -3 different languages in which it was written -various religious backgrounds of the writers -hundreds of controversial topics covered -How could such a book possibly be a Unified Whole? Only if one supernatural author were behind its writing!

The Bible's amazing circulation:

-#1 best seller of all time -was the 1st major book ever translated -has been translated into more languages than any other book - over 1,000 more languages than #2 -was the 1st book ever put into Codex (modern book) form, which was actually developed for the Bible -was the 1st book ever printed -contains the oldest written history in existence -is the foundation of the modern scientific method -was the 1st book taken to and read from space

Personal Evidences

--Changed lives - when millions of people century after century profess to the total life changing power of the New Birth, the wise will stop and listen --Personal relationship - millions of believers can profess what love, joy, peace, and sense of God's presence and providence a daily personal relationship with God brings them --Answered prayer - hundreds of millions of testimonies could be given of amazing supernatural and natural answers to specific prayers

The languages of the Bible-entire NT written in Greek

--Greek was an intellectual language, possessed a technical precision and was nearly universal --Greek was the perfect language to carry the Gospel to the world

The languages of the Bible-OT written in Hebrew

--exceptions appearing in Aramaic: Ezra4:8-6:18; 7:12-26; Jeremiah 10:11; Daniel 2:4-7:28 --Why did God choose Hebrew? It is a pictorial and personal language --Hebrew was a language restricted only to the Jewish people, keeping them separate from the world

Reasons for believing that inspiration is complete:

--the warning of God not to add to His Word in the Bible's final chapter --the declaration of Jude 1:3 that "the faith" was once for all time delivered to the saints. "The Faith" refers to the Christian faith and doctrines. This Greek tense here literally speaks of "the faith which was once for all time never to be repeated again delivered unto the saints." This clearly speaks of a completed process --the declaration of Hebrews 1:1-2 that God has given his final and highest revelation through His Son Jesus Christ ***the NT superseded the OT because it was the higher revelation of Christ and the Gospel ***What other higher revelation could possibly supersede the revelation of Christ? What other testament could transcend the testament of His blood? --the 2,000 year gap since anything has been added to the Scripture is also good evidence that the message of God is complete --incomplete inspiration would mean that the Bible is not sufficient. If the Scriptures are not complete, then the inspiration we have already received, the Bible, is not all we need to make Christians 'perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

Dead Sea Scrolls

--they are a collection of OT manuscripts discovered in 1947, which date back to the 2nd century BC --they were hidden in caves by a Jewish group known as the Essenes. --they contain manuscripts from every OT book except Esther and were 1,000 years older than any existing OT manuscripts --skeptics and false religions had long claimed that in the centuries of copying and recopying, the text of the OT had sustained so many mistakes, errors and revisions as to make it completely unreliable --discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls has silenced them. Has our Bible changed through time due to copying? A comparison of these manuscripts with our oldest copies of the OT show that the copying process was absolutely accurate.

Evidences that God is three

--they have individual locations - the baptism of Christ when all Three appeared separately --they have individual wills --they pray to one another - when Christ prayed to the Father "not My will, but Thine" in the Garden of Gethsemene

SCIENTIFIC INACCURACIES (Muslim Quran)

-Alexander the Great followed the setting sun and found that it went down into the waters of a muddy stream -the moon is larger than the sun and shines by its own light -Mohammed thought that Miriam (Moses' sister) was the same person as Mary (mom of Jesus), a 1,500 year mistake -contrary to the Quran: Jesus was crucified, Jesus did not speak from the cradle, Christian trinity is not comprised of the Father, the Mother and the Son, the flood did not take place at the time of Moses, the ark did not land on Mt. Judi, along with many other fallacies

3 primary names of God

-Elohim (God) -Jehovah (LORD)(I AM)(Yahweh) -Adonai (Lord)

Supernatural proofs of the Bible

-Unity -Indestructibility -Scientific Accuracy

NEW TESTAMENT

-even if all the manuscripts of the NT were lost, the entire text could be recovered from quotes in the writings of the early church Fathers, over 36,000 quotes in the 1st 3 centuries alone -the text could also be completely recovered from the thousands of early Lectionaries (books used for corporate Bible reading in the early church) -when any cult, liberal, or skeptic claims that we cannot be sure if we have what was originally written, you can be sure that they don't have the faintest idea of what they are talking about!

Supernatural proofs of the Bible (INDESTRUCTIBILITY is achieved in spite of)

-political persecutions (such as from Roman Emperors) EXAMPLE: in AD 303 Emperor Diocletian thought he had destroyed every hated Bible. After years of ruthless slaughter, he erected a column over a burned Bible. The title on the column read: "Extinct is the Name of Christian." Twenty years later, Emperor Constantine asked for Bibles and within 24 hours, 50 were brought to him and Christianity was declared the official religion of Rome. -religious persecutions -intellectual persecution

Summary of the Trinity

-the Bible clearly teaches that there is only One God -Yet the Bible also teaches that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are each God -The Bible also teaches that these Three are distinct persons or personalities -Therefore there must be One God, Who exists as Three distinct Persons, and the doctrine of the Trinity is true -The Father is God -The Son is God -The Spirit is God

Scripture's prophetic accuracy:

-the Bible has some 10,000 fulfilled prophecies in the OT alone -over 135 fulfilled prophecies in Daniel 11 alone -over 100 just about Babylon -over 333 about Christ -1/4 of the Bible was predictive prophecy when written and 1/2 of these have already been fulfilled -took only 1 false prophet to make a false prophet -Josiah and Cyrus were prophesied by name centuries before their births

SCIENTIFIC INACCURACIES (Hindu Vedas)

-the moon is 50,000 leagues higher than the sun and shines by its own light -night is caused by the sun's setting behind a huge mountain -the earth is flat and triangular

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Denials of the Trinity

Cultist: Jehovah Witnesses, Christian Science and Mormonism. There are also major world religions that believe in one God, but reject the Deity of Christ and the Trinity Tri-Theists: teaches that the Trinity consists of three separate Gods. Many groups who reject the Trinity often falsely accuse or misunderstand those who believe in the Trinity as holding this position Oneness, Jesus Only or Jesus Name Movement also know as Modalism: they accept God is One, but deny that He is Three. They say there is one God and that He does not exist as three distinct personalities. They teach that the Father, Son and Spirit are simply three distinct personalities. They teach that the Father, Son ad Spirit are simply three roles (or modes) by which the One God reveals Himself. He may appear at one time as the Father, another time as the Son, and another time as the Spirit, but He is not three separate persons. This teaching is held by the United Pentecostal, the Apostolic Church, and others who deny that God is Three.

Mechanical dictation theory of Inspiration

Definition: God coldly and woodenly dictated the Bible to the human writers who were just secretaries writing down word for word what God said Refutation: The Holy Spirit moved on the personality of the writer and guided (not dictated) every word in such a way that every word of Scripture is both from God and from the human author, and yet none of the frailties or faults of the human writer are included

Content (or concept) theory of Inspiration

Definition: only the main thoughts of the verse, paragraph or chapter are inspired - not every word. One factor that is often overlooked is that the various methods of translation are influenced by the various views of Inspiration. Refutation: If only the main thoughts of each passage are inspired, then it is perfectly appropriate to merely paraphrase the main thought of each passage. If the very words of Scripture are inspired, then the proper method of translation is to translate the very words themselves, as much as is possible in that language.

Verbal plenary position (this is the correct position) of Inspiration

Definition: that all (plenary) the very words (verbal) of the Bible are completely and perfectly inspired by God Himself Exactly what is meant by inspiration is clearly defined in Matthew 4:4 "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." theopneustos-"God breathed"

Spiritual-rule-only theory of Inspiration

Definition: the Bible is not infallible in historical and scientific statements. Refutation: It must be understood that since the Bible is clearly revealed as God's Word, for one to claim that it contains errors or lies is to directly assault the character of God. One who tells lies is a liar and one who makes mistakes is fallible.

IMMUTABLE

God is unchangeable in His essence, character, attributes, and purpose. --God is above even the possibility of change. --Change must be either for the better or worse, both are impossible with God. There is nothing better than what He is and He cannot become less and still be God. Absolute infinite perfection cannot change in a neutral way, for there is no other state in which God could exist which is equal with Himself.

INFINITE

God is unlimited in time, space, power, presence, knowledge, essence, love, grace and moral perfection --God has no external limitation outside of His Own Holy Nature. God is measureless.

INSCRUTABLE

God is unquestionable in His inexplicable and mysterious ways. --this attribute is similar to incomprehensibility, but it carries this truth one step further. Theoretically God could be beyond our understanding, but not always do what is best. But God is both incomprehensible and inscrutable.

SELF-EXISTENT

God's existence is uncaused and arises from His own eternal nature, God is not dependent upon any outside source or creative force. God is origin- less and simply exists because He exists. --elaborated: God is not dependent upon any outside source for His thoughts, decisions, power or counsel --discussed: the answer to the question "Where did God come from?" is-God. There is and can be no further answer.

SELF-SUFFICIENT

God's infinite divine nature is so perfect that He has no spiritual, emotional, mental, relational, physical or material need outside of His Own divine being. --God's self-sufficiency is related to His divine self-existence. God has never had and never will have in the present, in Eternity Past, or in Eternity Future, a single need of any kind that is not entirely within His Own infinite and perfect Being.

GRACIOUS

God's unmerited favor, goodness, and blessings manifested toward the undeserving --grace is that which is given freely. It is God's undeserved love for us. It is His unmerited favor. The favor of God is not restricted to salvation itself. When God grants favor in life, this favor extends to every area of life --grace is God giving us the favor and salvation in heaven that we do not deserve.

FREE

God's will and purpose are unlimited by any outside force and He is unrestrained in His will and plans, except by His own nature. --Whereas God's freedom is part of His divine and holy nature, freedom is therefore a good and holy virtue. The God who is free exercises His sovereignty over his creation, while at the same time extending freedom to His subjects. God is not a dictatorial tyrant who robs man of free will --God created man in His own image. One aspect of this creative act is that man is created with free will. God created man with the ability to freely accept and love God or to reject and rebel against God --God's creation of both man and angels with free will provided the ultimate answer as to why there is sin and suffering in God's once perfect creation. --there are only 2 alternatives to the question of evil. Either God gave free will and then angels and men chose sin or God controls and causes all things and is therefore the author of all sin. There is no third alternative. --We do not exalt God by over emphasizing one of His perfect attributes at the cost of deemphasizing other of His attributes. The attributes of God are in perfect unity and balance. There is no conflict or tension between the perfect attributes of God.

WISE

God's wisdom is His ability to apply omniscience in such a way that He always chooses the highest good for the greatest number for the longest time and the most excellent means to accomplish that purpose. --God's wisdom has practical meaning for us in that we can always trust His will to be far better than our will

GOOD

Goodness is the eternal principle of God's nature which leads Him to communicate of His own life and blessedness to those who are like Him in moral character --The goodness of God is that which disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good will toward men. He is tenderhearted and of quick sympathy. By His nature He is inclined to bestow blessedness and He takes holy pleasure in the happiness of His people

In stating the revelation and inspiration have ceased, it is important to note that this does not mean that the Holy Spirit no longer communicates with the human heart.

He does so through His continuing ministries such as illumination, conviction, leading and calling(to salvation and ministry). All of these ministries are, however, vastly different in nature than Revelation or Inspiration. All of these ministries are more general in nature and are dependent upon the receptivity and sensitivity of the human heart for their accuracy. They are therefore not guaranteed to be free from error in all cases Illustration: The Spirit may lead a pastor to preach a specific message from His Word, guide him in exactly what text to use and even prompt him to use specific illustration but this is vastly different from saying that he received this message by divine revelation or inspiration, which would guarantee that every word of the sermon was directly from God and was therefore not only free from all error, but also as authoritative as the Holy Scriptures.

LIGHT

He is both the source and strength of all illumination. This is true not only to those golden beams of energy radiating from the sun and stars, but also of the moral, mental, and spiritual rays of information and inspiration."

JUST AND RIGHTEOUS

His perfect moral nature of always perfectly dealing rightly and justly with all that is holy and unholy, of justly punishing all evil and rewarding good

Jehovah

I AM (the self-existent God, the Ever-loving One)

Argument from Morals

If the universe and man were merely random chance arrangements of atoms and chemicals, then no morality would exist. Yet absolute morals do exist --It is admitted by those on both sides that there is no logical basis for any absolute morals if there is no Creator or God --Therefore, we can only reject the existence of God as we are willing to reject the existence of all absolute morals. This is not only admitted by atheists, but for many, the desire for freedom from absolute morals is the very reason they embrace atheism. --The fact that absolute morals do and indeed must exist implies a moral Maker, Lawgiver, and Judge

God is Spirit

Jn 4:24 Lk 24:39 Mt 16:17

Argument from consciousness or mind

Man's mind, rationality, and self-consciousness could not arise by chance from mere molecules. Man's self-conscious, rational nature implies a self-conscious, rational Source or Creator-God

Adonai

Master (emphasizing God's Authority)

3 ministries of the Holy Spirit concerning the Bible:

Revelation -the impartation of the message from God to Man. -this ministry is complete and has ceased -it was perfect and without the possibility of error Inspiration -the impartation of the message from man to scripture. -this ministry is complete and ceased. -it was perfect and without the possibility of error Illumination -the impartation of the message from scripture to man's heart. -this ministry is continuous and ongoing. -this ministry is dependent upon the response of the human heart and is therefore not infallible or without the possibility of error

Ontological argument for the existence of God

Since the concept of God is infinitely greater than man's finite mind, it cannot have come from man's finite mind and therefore must have been revealed by God Himself --This argument is especially potent in light of our natural antagonism to the moral restrictions that God's perfect nature places upon us. if we had imagined God, we would not have imagined the perfect God of the Bible, but one far less demanding, restrictive and hard to understand --Skeptics often propose that it was man who created God, rather than God who created man. If man had created God from his own imagination, what kind of god would he have created? The answer is clear. Man would have created gods made in man's image or in the image of things man can see. This is exactly what has happened in the pagan cultures of the world. Immoral finite men would have created gods who were merely exalted men.

El

Strong One

El-Shaddai

The Almighty (the Oak), the All-Sufficient One, the Breasted One, our intimate nourisher

Elohim

The Strong One Who keeps His covenant

Matthew 28:19-20

The command to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit

Greek word for inspired

Theopneustos literally means 'God breathed'

Geneva Version (AD 1557)

This version was translated in Geneva, Switzerland during the viscious persecution by Mary Tudor in England. It was translated by William Whittingham, brother-in-law to John Calvin. This version was important for several reasons. --it was the first English version to divide the text into verses --it was the first complete English version to omit the Apocrypha --it was the most loved Bible of the common people and went through over 1600 editions --it was the Bible of John Bunyan, Shakespeare (he quoted it), and the pilgrims of the Mayflower (1st Bible brought to America)

Unity

achieved in spite of the : -many authors (40) and their various jobs (19) -long period of time involved in its writing -different geographical places where the Bible was written -different styles of its writing -different types of times of writing -3 different languages in which it was written -7 various religious backgrounds of the writers -hundred of controversial topics covered

Evidences for Supernaturalism

all evidence of miracles, fulfilled Bible prophecies, the inspiration of the Scriptures, and the resurrection of Christ are ultimately evidences for the existence of God

Cosmological argument for the existence of God

based on the law of cause and effect --if there is no God, then the question must be asked "Where did everything come from?' An infinite creation demands an infinite cause, an all powerful, all knowing, uncaused first cause, or simply put - God --Just as the existence of a watch logically demands the existence of a watchmaker, the existence of Creation demands the existence of a Creator

Ezra (aided by Haggai and Zechariah)

established the OT Canon Jesus accepted the same 39 OT books we have today

William Tyndale

flooded England with the 1st printed New Testaments

Torah

is the books of Genesis-Deuteronomy (the Law)

The statement in John 5:18

that to be God's Son makes One equal with God

Hebrews 1:5-8

the Father commands the angels to worship the Son, and calls Him God and Lord

Matthew 16:17

the Father is not "flesh and blood"

Jehovah Rapha

the LORD our Healer

Jehovah Jireh

the LORD will provide

TRUE

the attribute of the divine nature in virtue of which God's being and God's knowledge eternally conform to each other --truth is therefore anything factual about God --God is the ultimate and only source and standard of truth. This is why the Bible describes the "God that cannot lie" and concludes that it is utterly "impossible for God to lie"

SOVEREIGN

the authority of God over all things is absolute. He is the sole ruler over all that exists. God is in control. He is on the throne. He rules as Life. --if God is sovereign how do we explain the presence of sin and evil? God has allowed for (but not arranged or caused in any way) sin to enter this universe because He has allowed both men and angels to possess free will

If all manuscripts from the NT were lost...

the entire text could be recovered from quotes in the writings of the early church fathers, over 36,000 in the first 3 centuries. The text could also be completely recovered from the thousands of early lectionaries (books used for corporate Bible reading in the early church).

Design/Teleological argument for the existence of God

the existence of design implies a designer. The intelligent design, purpose, and order of the universe indicate an intelligent designer

Argument from Man's Conscience and Moral Nature

the existence of man's conscience and moral nature demands a self-conscious and moral Maker. Though man's conscience is often weak or ignored and may even become seared, it nonetheless exists in all men and tells us we ought to do right. This implies a moral God who planted a moral nature within us.

The Innate Knowledge or Universal Belief argument for the existence of God

the fact that mankind's innate knowledge of God's existence is a universal phenomenon is evidence that this knowledge was placed in us by God Himself --all of humanity has an innate knowledge of the existence of God. This is true of all civilizations and cultures world-wide, including completely isolated tribes. --This is because God has placed the knowledge of His existence "in them"

Revelation

the impartation of the message from God to Man, man perfectly hears what God wants written

Inspiration

the impartation of the message from man to scripture, man perfectly writes what God wants written described in 2 Tim 3:16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God..." the Greek word used here is theopneustos, literally means God-breathed (straight from the mouth of God)

Illumination

the impartation of the message from scripture to man's heart, man understands and is enlightened by that which God has written

Preservation

the impartation of the message from the original manuscripts to today's Bible

LOVE

the manifested unconditional and unselfish concern of God in emotion, volition and action for man's highest good