| Q&A 1
Why did God create people? God created people to glorify Him and
enjoy Him forever.
Q&A 2
What guidebook has God given us so we may know how to glorify and
enjoy Him? God has given us the Bible to teach us how to glorify
and enjoy him.
Q&A 3
What is the Bible? The Bible is God's Holy Word in written form.
Q&A 4
What is the major message of the Bible? The major message of the
Bible is that God loves us and has made a way for us to be saved
from sin through His Son Jesus Christ.
Q&A 5
How were the books of the Bible written? The books of the Bible
were written by human authors who wrote under the inspiration of
God.
Q&A 6
What do we mean when we say that human authors wrote under the
inspiration of God? When we say that human authors wrote under
the inspiration of God we mean that through the Holy Spirit God
instructed these men to write and that He guided their minds and
hearts as they wrote.
Q&A 7
What does "plenary inspiration of the Bible" mean? "Plenary in-
spiration of the Bible" means that every part of the Bible was
inspired by God and is "God's Word."
Q&A 8
Why did God give us the Bible? God gave us the Bible to guide us
to a true and saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Q&A 9
How can we be sure the message of the Bible is true and free from
error? We can be sure the message of the Bible is true and free
from error because the Spirit of God inspired all of the writ-
ings of the Bible and faithfully uses them to bring us to a sav-
ing knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Q&A 10
[I do not know what happened to this
question. I have perhaps lost it. but
I thought this could be an
unanswerable question! ;-) ]
Q&A 11
How long has God lived? God has always lived and will never stop
living.
Q&A 12
Why is God greater than any other being? God is greater than any
other being because His power, knowledge, and goodness are un-
limited.
Q&A 13
What do we mean when we say that God is the creator of everything?
When we say that God is the creator of everything we mean that
God made from nothing everything that exists.
Q&A 14
What do we mean when we say that God is at work in our universe?
When we say that God is at work in our universe today, we mean
He holds the world together and keeps it operating according to
His laws.
Q&A 15
Is there more than one God? There is only one true and living God.
Q&A 16
What is the Trinity? Trinity means "three" There is only one God,
but he exists in three persons; God the Father, God the Son, and
God the Holy Spirit.
Q&A 17
How may we describe God's nature and character? We may describe
God's nature and character as "holy love."
Q&A 18
What do we mean when we say that God is holy? When we say that
God is holy, we mean that He is completely without sin.
Q&A 19
What do we mean when we say that God is love? When we say that
God is love, we mean that he desires the highest good for every
person and that He continually works to bring this about. God es-
pecially showed His love to us by sending Jesus Christ into the
world to be our Savior.
Q&A 20
How does God make himself known to us? God makes himself known
to us through various ways, but chiefly through Jesus Christ, the
Bible, and the Holy Spirit.
Q&A 21
Who is Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God,
the Savior of the world.
Q&A 22
Is Jesus Christ God? Jesus Christ is God, the second person of
the Trinity.
Q&A 23
How long has Jesus lived? Because He is God, Jesus Christ has al-
ways lived and will never stop living
Q&A 24
What do we mean when we say that Jesus Christ "became incarnate"?
When we say that Jesus Christ became incarnate we mean that even
though Jesus is God, He became a human being.
Q&A 25
How did Jesus become incarnate? Jesus became incarnate when he
was born of the Virgin Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Q&A 26
What do we mean when we say that Jesus if the "God-man"? When we
say that Jesus is the "God-Man" we mean that He is perfect in na-
ture both as God and as man.
Q&A 27
Why do we say that Jesus is our Savior? We say that Jesus is our
Savior because he suffered and died on the cross for our sins.
Q&A 28
Why could only Jesus be our Savior? Only Jesus could be our Sav-
ior because He is the only Person to be born without sin and to
live a sinless life.
Q&A 29
What happened after Jesus died on the cross? After Jesus died on
the cross, God raised Him from the dead on the third day. Jesus
remained on earth for 40 days and then ascended into heaven.
Q&A 30
Where is Jesus now? Jesus is now in heaven, where he helps us to
live as Christians by interceding for us and giving us the Holy
Spirit.
Q&A 31
Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, the
Christian's Helper who comes to us through faith in Jesus Christ.
Q&A 32
Is the Holy Spirit God? The Holy Spirit is God, the third Per-
son of the Trinity.
Q&A 33
How long has there been a Holy Spirit? Because He is God, the Holy
Spirit has always been and always will be.
Q&A 34
Where is the Holy Spirit now? The Holy Spirit is everywhere in
the world and especially in the life of every Christian.
Q&A 35
Does the Holy Spirit work in the lives of those who are not Chris-
tians? The Holy Spirit works in the lives of those who are not
Christians to show them they are sinners and to lead them to God.
Q&A 36
What does the Holy Spirit do when a person becomes a Christian?
When a person becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit gives him new
spiritual life so that he becomes a child of God.
Q&A 37
What does the Holy Spirit do in the life of a Christian? The Holy
Spirit helps the Christian to know that he is a child of God, teaches
him the truth, helps him to live as a Christian, and leads him
into the experience of entire sanctification.
Q&A 38
What do we mean when we say that the Holy Spirit sanctifies the
Christian? When we say that the Holy Spirit sanctifies the Chris-
tian we mean that He cleanses the Christian from inbred sin and
makes it possible for him to love God completely.
Q&A 39
What do we mean when we say that people are created "in the im-
age of God?" When we say that people are created "in the image
of God" we mean that man is a never-dying spirit, that he is morally
responsible before God, that he is capable of living in fellow-
ship with God, and that he can reflect God's nature of Holy love.
Q&A 40
Were Adam and Eve, the first people, like God in any other way?
In the beginning, Adam and Eve were holy and without sin.
Q&A 41
What is sin? Sin is a spirit of rebellion against God in which
a person places his own will above God's will and chooses to dis-
obey God.
Q&A 42
How did sin enter the world? Sin entered the world when Adam and
Eve rebelled and disobeyed God's command.
Q&A 43
What happened when Adam and Eve sinned? When Adam and Eve sinned,
they became separated from God because they were no longer holy.
Pain and death also entered their lives.
Q&A 44
How did the sin of Adam and Eve affect people who were born later?
Every person born since Adam has a sinful nature that causes him
to turn away from God. The sinful nature is known as "original
sin."
Q&A 45
What are the results of original sin? Because of original sin,
man commits acts of sin and is not able to turn from sin to righ-
teousness by himself.
Q&A 46
What has God done to save people from sin? God sent Jesus Christ
into the world to die on the Cross so people could turn to God,
be forgiven of their sins, be cleansed from the sinful nature,
and live the Christian life.
Q&A 47
What did God do to make it possible for people to be saved from
sin and live in fellowship with him? God sent His Son, Jesus Christ,
to make atonement for sin.
Q&A 48
What do we mean when we say that Jesus made atonement for sin?
When we say that Jesus Made atonement for sin we mean that he suf-
fered and died on the Cross so wee could have our sins forgiven.
Q&A 49
Is there any way a person can be saved from sin except through
the atonement Jesus made? Jesus atoning death is the only way a
person can be saved from sin.
Q&A 50
For whom did Jesus die? Jesus died for every person, but only those
who repent and believe will be saved.
Q&A 51
What does it mean to repent from sin? To repent from sin means
a person admits he has done wrong, feels sorry for disobeying God,
asks God to forgive him, and determines not to keep on sinning.
Q&A 52
What happens when a person repents of his sins? When a person re-
pents of his sins, God forgives him and enables him to believe
that he has been forgiven.
Q&A 53
What [three] words do we use to describe what happens to a per-
son when he believe and is saved? We use the words justification,
regeneration, and adoption to describe what happens to a person
when he believes and is saved.
Q&A 54
What is justification? Justification is an act of God by which
he pardons the repentant sinner from the guilt and punishment of
his sins.
Q&A 55
What is regeneration? Regeneration is an act of God by which he
gives new spiritual life to the repentant sinner so he is able
to stop sinning and live the Christian life.
Q&A 56
What is adoption? Adoption is an act of God by which he makes the
repentant sinner his very own child.
Q&A 57
When do justification, regeneration, and adoption take place? Jus-
tification, regeneration, and adoption all take place when a sin-
ner repents, believes, and receives Jesus as Savior.
Q&A 58
How can a person know he is saved? The Holy Spirit tells the per-
son who has trusted Jesus to save him that he is God's child. This
is called the "witness of the Spirit."
Q&A 59
Can a person who has once been saved ever be lost? A person who
has once been saved will be lost if he returns to a life of sin
and refuses to repent.
Q&A 60
What do we mean when we say that a Christian must live a holy life?
When we say that a Christian must live a holy life, we mean that
he is to love God completely, love others as himself, and express
this love by living righteously.
Q&A 61
What makes it difficult for the Christian to live a holy life?
The sinful nature makes it difficult for the Christian to live
a holy life.
Q&A 62
What do we mean by the "sinful nature?" By the "sinful nature"
we mean the tendency within a person to want his own selfish way
rather than God's way. This tendency remains in the Christian even
after he has been saved.
Q&A 63
Is it possible for a Christian to be free from the sinful nature?
When Jesus died on the Cross for our sins, He also made it pos-
sible for us to be free from the sinful nature.
Q&A 64
How can the Christian be freed from the sinful nature? The Holy
Spirit can cleanse the Christian's life from the sinful nature,
cause him to love God completely, and give him power to live with-
out sinning. This act of God is known as "entire sanctification"
and "being filled with the Spirit."
Q&A 65
Does this mean that the entirely sanctified Christian will never
again do anything wrong? The Christian who has been entirely sanc-
tified may sometimes make a mistake and do wrong, but this is not
through deliberate disobedience against God.
Q&A 66
What must the Christian do to be entirely sanctified? To be en-
tirely sanctified, the Christian must give himself completely to
God, believe that the Holy Spirit will cleanse him from all sin,
and receive this cleansing by faith.
Q&A 67
How can a person know he has been entirely sanctified? After a
person trusts the Holy Spirit to cleanse him, the Spirit speaks
to his heart and tells him he has been entirely sanctified.
Q&A 68
How does the Holy Spirit work in the Christian's life after he
has been entirely sanctified? The Holy Spirit teaches and guides
the Christian, helping him to grow more and more like Christ.
Q&A 69
What must the sanctified Christian do to keep his heart free from
sin? The sanctified Christian must rely continually on the power
of the Holy Spirit to help him love and obey God completely.
Q&A 70
Who is a Christian? A Christian is a person whose sins have been
forgiven and who has spiritual life because he has received Je-
sus Christ into his heart.
Q&A 71
What is the Christian's goal in life? The Christian's goal in life
is to love God and to glorify Him in thought, word and deed.
Q&A 72
How can a Christian increasingly love God and glorify Him? A Chris-
tian increasingly love God and glorify Him as he grows in grace.
Q&A 73
What does it mean to "grow in grace?" To grow in grace means that
a person becomes more and more Christ-like as he learns what God
wants him to do and does it.
Q&A 74
What are some special practices that help the Christian grow close
to God and live the Christian life? Studying God's word, talk-
ing with God in prayer, and worshiping God regularly help the Chris-
tian draw closer to God and live the Christian life.
Q&A 75
What should a Christian do if he sins? If a Christian sins he should
immediately confess his wrongdoing to God, ask for forgiveness,
and continue to rely on God for help to overcome sin.
Q&A 76
What special helper does the Christian have to help him grow spir-
itually and live for God? The Holy Spirit helps the Christian to
grow spiritually and live for God.
Q&A 77
What is the Church universal? The Church universal is made up of
all people whose sins have been forgiven and who trust in Jesus
as their Savior.
Q&A 78
Who is the head of the church? Jesus Christ is the head of the
church.
Q&A 79
What is the mission of the church? The mission of the church is
to glorify God and advance his kingdom on earth.
Q&A 80
How does the church carry out its mission? The church carries out
its mission by leading the unsaved to Christ, strengthening be-
lievers, and by demonstrating God's love to all people.
Q&A 81
In what other ways do we use the word church? We use the word church
to mean a house of worship, a local congregation, and a denom-
ination.
Q&A 82
What is a local congregation? A Local congregation is a group of
Christians who hold the same basic beliefs and regularly meet to
worship God together.
Q&A 83
What is a denomination? A denomination is a group of churches that
share similar beliefs, standards, worship practices, and have joined
together to better accomplish the church's mission.
Q&A 84
What is a sacrament? A sacrament is a way Jesus taught us to show
outwardly what God has done for us spiritually. It is also a way
God pledges His faithfulness to His people.
Q&A 85
What two sacraments do we observe? The two sacraments we observe
are baptism and the Lord's supper, which is also called commu-
nion.
Q&A 86
What is believer baptism? Believer baptism is the sacrament that
uses water to show that the believer's sins have been washed away,
that he has left his old life or sin, and that he now belongs to
Christ.
Q&A 87
What is infant baptism? Infant baptism is the sacrament that uses
water to show that the child is a member of God's family until
he becomes aware of his need for salvation.
Q&A 88
How may a person be baptized? A person may be baptized by immer-
sion, sprinkling, or pouring.
Q&A 89
What is the Lord's Supper? The Lord's Supper is a sacrament that
reminds us that Jesus died for our sins and that he is present
with us now to strengthen and help us spiritually.
Q&A 90
What do the bread and the grape juice used in the Lord's Supper
mean? The unleavened bread reminds us of Jesus' sinless body that
was broken on the Cross. The grape juice reminds us of Jesus' blood,
which was shed for our salvation.
Q&A 91
Who may take part in the Lord's Supper? Anyone who trusts in Christ
as Savior may take part in the Lord's Supper.
Q&A 92
What is divine healing? Divine healing is an act of God by which
He cures sickness in answer to the prayer of faith.
Q&A 93
Does a belief in divine healing mean that Christians should not
seek medical help when they are sick? Christians should seek med-
ical help when necessary because this is one way God brings about
healing.
Q&A 94
What does the Bible teach about Jesus' second coming? The Bible
teaches that Jesus will return to earth as he promised.
Q&A 95
What will happen after Jesus comes again? After Jesus comes again,
the bodies of all people-both good and evil-will be resurrected
and reunited with their spirits.
Q&A 96
what will happen after the resurrection of the dead? After the
resurrection of the dead, every person will appear before God to
be judged for the way he has lived his life on earth.
Q&A 97
What reward will be given to those who trusted in Jesus as their
Savior and lived a Christian life? Those who trusted in Jesus as
their Savior and lived a Christian life will live eternally with
the Lord in heaven.
Q&A 98
What will happen to those who refused to trust Jesus as their Sav-
ior and continued living in sin? Those who refused to trust Je-
sus as their Savior will be separated from God and suffer eter-
nal punishment in hell.
Q&A 99
Does anyone know when Jesus will come again? No one knows when
Jesus will come again.
Q&A 100
If we do not know when Jesus is coming again, how can we be ready
when He comes? We can be ready for Jesus' second coming by liv-
ing godly lives while we are on earth.
|
| Hi Mark,
A few comments about your Catechism:
>> Why is God greater than any other being? God is greater than any
>> other being because His power, knowledge, and goodness are un-
>> limited.
God is greater than any other being because he IS being. God is
who he is because his essence IS his existence (I am who Am).
God is not greater than any other being because of his power,
knowledge, and goodness - He's greater because he IS power,
knowledge, goodness. God is simple, not composite - You can't
seperate God from his attributes.
>> What is regeneration? Regeneration is an act of God by which he
>> gives new spiritual life to the repentant sinner so he is able
>> to stop sinning and live the Christian life.
I had to smile at this one: "Stop sinning and live the Christian
life" (???) Just because someone becomes a christian doens't mean
he stops sinning - it means he turns to God and asks for forgiveness
when he does sin. Sure, we are supposed to turn away from sin, but
christian life goes hand in hand with the sinner. In my own christian
life, the deeper my relationship becomes with Christ the more I realize
how much of a sinner I really am! I guess its the wording I have the
problem with; it will probably breed a whole new generation of people
who feel guilty just because they're human. ;*) ;*)
>> What do we mean by the "sinful nature?" By the "sinful nature"
>> we mean the tendency within a person to want his own selfish way
>> rather than God's way. This tendency remains in the Christian even
>> after he has been saved.
You've redeemed yourself a bit, but the question is a bit contradictory
compared to former question. :*)
>> Is it possible for a Christian to be free from the sinful nature?
>> When Jesus died on the Cross for our sins, He also made it pos-
>> sible for us to be free from the sinful nature.
Hmmm, that's sounds like Pelagianism (sp?) with a twist. What happens
to grace? What role does it play when a person is "free from the
sinful nature." My idea has always been its a life-long process.
>> Does this mean that the entirely sanctified Christian will never
>> again do anything wrong? The Christian who has been entirely sanc-
>> tified may sometimes make a mistake and do wrong, but this is not
>> through deliberate disobedience against God.
Huh? When a person makes a mistake (ie; sin) why is it not disobedient
against God?
Overall, pretty interesting stuff. Why do you think the Nazarene's
have put out a Catechism? Do you think its a good idea?
Peace,
Jeff
|
| Note 255.2 NEMAIL::WATERS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> Why is God greater than any other being? God is greater than any
> >> other being because His power, knowledge, and goodness are un-
> >> limited.
>
> God is greater than any other being because he IS being. God is
> who he is because his essence IS his existence (I am who Am).
> God is not greater than any other being because of his power,
> knowledge, and goodness - He's greater because he IS power,
> knowledge, goodness. God is simple, not composite - You can't
> seperate God from his attributes.
God is not power, Jeff. God *has* power, in unlimited quantity because
of who He is. God is Who He is and there is none like Him. We agree.
You are correct to say you cannot separate God from His attributes, but
do not confuse this to mean that God is His attibutes, because god *has*
these attributes. God is a Person and has these attributes.
For example, you are a person with attributes. Let's say you are tall.
Tall is an attribute you have, but you are not tall (for all people and
for everything that is tall).
> >> What is regeneration? Regeneration is an act of God by which he
> >> gives new spiritual life to the repentant sinner so he is able
> >> to stop sinning and live the Christian life.
>
> I had to smile at this one: "Stop sinning and live the Christian
> life" (???) Just because someone becomes a christian doens't mean
> he stops sinning - it means he turns to God and asks for forgiveness
> when he does sin. Sure, we are supposed to turn away from sin, but
> christian life goes hand in hand with the sinner. In my own christian
> life, the deeper my relationship becomes with Christ the more I realize
> how much of a sinner I really am! I guess its the wording I have the
> problem with; it will probably breed a whole new generation of people
> who feel guilty just because they're human. ;*) ;*)
Have you not read in the Bible where God says he can keep you from
sinning? You do not HAVE to sin. People CHOOSE to sin.
Now let me clarify: with the sinful nature, we are predisposed to sin.
When we are "born again," we are born of the Spirit, and our NEW nature
wars with our old nature. The Spirit indwells the penitent sinner so
that temptation to sin comes from the outside and NO LONGER from the
inside. (It doesn't mean temptation is going to be easy; it only means
that we have the Holy Spirit to help us "grace sufficient" to turn from
temptation and NOT SIN!) If people sin, it is because they choose to do
so in the face of what they know and what the Spirit tells them.
But the Bible is clear that you can be free from the bondage of sin and
live a holy life, as God has commanded ("Be ye holy, as I am holy.")
Being human is an excuse by many not to resist temptation and the devil,
after all, "I'm only human." Instead, be called of God to be holy, and
"resist the devil and he will flee from you." You do not need to sin any
longer!
> >> What do we mean by the "sinful nature?" By the "sinful nature"
> >> we mean the tendency within a person to want his own selfish way
> >> rather than God's way. This tendency remains in the Christian even
> >> after he has been saved.
>
> You've redeemed yourself a bit, but the question is a bit contradictory
> compared to former question. :*)
See the scripture about "war within my members." We cannot win the war
by ourselves. The indwelling Spirit must help us overcome the tendency
so we "must decrease" while "Christ must increase." It is a process of
sactification, being set apart and holy for God's use and pleasure.
> >> Is it possible for a Christian to be free from the sinful nature?
> >> When Jesus died on the Cross for our sins, He also made it pos-
> >> sible for us to be free from the sinful nature.
>
> Hmmm, that's sounds like Pelagianism (sp?) with a twist. What happens
> to grace? What role does it play when a person is "free from the
> sinful nature." My idea has always been its a life-long process.
It is! Being free from the sinful nature is not a "only-once" occurrence.
Let me quote from the Article of Faith on Entire Sanctification to
clarify:
" We believe that the grace of entire sanctification includes the
impulse to grow in grace. However, this impulse must be consciously
nurtured, and careful attention given to the requisites and pro-
cesses of spiritual development and improvement in Christlike-
ness of character and personality. Without such purposeful en-
deavor one's witness may be impaired and the grace itself frus-
trated and ultimately lost. "
Being free from sin is an effort and a life-long process.
To illustrate further, the Scripture that says, "be filled with the Holy
Spirit," is the same idea that it is not a once-only filling, but a
continual filling of the Holy Spirit. "Be [continually being] filled
with the Holy Spirit."
Will we make mistakes? Almost certainly! But these can become fewer and
fewer as we grow and mature in grace, "consciously nurturing" our
regenerated life. Reliance and dependence on the Spirit Who gave us
new birth is essential to realizing that we can live through a day
without sinning.
> >> Does this mean that the entirely sanctified Christian will never
> >> again do anything wrong? The Christian who has been entirely sanc-
> >> tified may sometimes make a mistake and do wrong, but this is not
> >> through deliberate disobedience against God.
>
> Huh? When a person makes a mistake (ie; sin) why is it not disobedient
> against God?
The definintion of sin is willful disobedience to God. Sometimes, we
broaden that definition to include such errors of tact that hurt people's
feelings, for example, which though unintentional, require some
forgiveness on the part of the person who unintentionally committed the
faux pas. The person did not willingly hurt someone else, but did
nonetheless. Understand the difference?
Should these mistakes be addressed? Yes! Of course, when brought to the
attention of the person (by the Spirit, usually) that what was done was a
misdeed. Mistakes are not intentional rebellions against God.
So perhaps this is where the rub is. My OSAS friends may classify these
as sins and thus say that we sin everyday in word, thought, and deed.
God seeks to continually improve and refine my Christian character, and
knows my heart, and knows when I have deliberately disobeyed Him, and
when I've just stepped into another opportunity for growth in grace.
I am accountable for those mistakes that are brought to my attention
because to not act on that knowledge THEN becomes willful disobedience
(and sin). If my heart is clear, and a mistake (in someone's perception)
does not come to my attention, is it a sin and am I accountable for it?
If such a case exists, I am not accountable as a sin against me.
> Overall, pretty interesting stuff. Why do you think the Nazarene's
> have put out a Catechism? Do you think its a good idea?
It depends on the slant you place on the word catechism. In .0, I said
that I used to think it was a Catholic thing. The word only means
"Questions and Answers."
How does your church educate its people in its doctrine? Some churches
have a class given by the Pastor for people who have come into the church
new and go through what the local church body holds doctrinally before
they can be accepted into membership. Some do so only from the pulpit.
"Putting out a catechism" is merely formalizing many of the questions
people may have about the doctrine of the Church of the Nazarene.
Further, the catechism is specifically geared for a certain audience: 6th
graders. These pre-teens have often grown up in the church, but haven't
had a class into "why we believe what we believe." This is an age where
people define themselves and their beliefs; an age where they test, and
accept or reject the faith of their parents, on whom they have relied
for faith definition. It is at this age where most people have most of
the questions about God and doctrinal issues - hence the format of
questions and answers.
I would hope that the catechism is sufficient to answer most of the
questions one might have about the doctrine of the Church of the
Nazarene, which is pretty well stated in the 16 Articles of Faith it has
stated. I'm sure that 100 Q&As do not cover all the questions one might
have about God and Bible doctrine.
Anyway, the points you brought out may be largely a difference in jargon
between brothers and these notes can help to ensure that we communicate
with the same ideas and not just the same words.
Mark
|