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Nothing Less - Class Outline.md

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Nothing Less - Class Outline.md

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Overview

A study of the intersection of doctrine and belief and how it affects our witness for Christ in the post-modern age, particularly across intergenerational lines, with the need for the church to maintain relevance for future generations and to attract and keep young members (young adults, families with school-age children, etc.). Specifically, we look at how the church can and should respond to a rapidly changing world, while staying true to Christ and His teachings. Many of the topics are difficult and uncomfortable for "traditional" minds, but they are vital to carrying out Jesus' commandment to "go and make disciples" (Matthew 28:18-20).

While not a study based directly on any of these books, it takes many ideas and concepts from them:

Notes

Principles/Core Concepts

  • Christianity is:
    • a coherent, self-sufficient worldview
    • a lifestyle and not a "religion"
  • Allegiance to Christ over faith in Christ
    • What is the difference?
    • Does the difference matter?
    • Is allegiance a Biblical concept/principle?

Class Outline

Week 1 - "Nothing Less"

  • "My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less"
    • How many of you have sung this song?
    • How many have sung it more than 10 times in your life (or at least since you were baptized)?
    • Have you thought about the meaning and theological implications of the words? Moreover, do you believe, truly believe, those words?
    • "Theological entrapment"
      • Entrapment - Leading someone into doing something that under normal circumstances they wouldn't otherwise do for the purpose of causing them to do something wrong or criminal.

Week 2 - "Of First Importance"

  • "Of first importance..." - 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (ESV)
    • that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures (v. 3)
    • that he was buried (v. 4)
    • that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (v. 4)
    • and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve (v. 5)
    • Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time (v. 6)
    • Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. (v. 7)
    • Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (v. 8)
    • In vs. 1-2, Paul goes so far as to say that this gospel is what saves us and that if it is not this gospel that we follow, then our belief (faith/allegiance!) is in vain!
  • So where is... ?
    • Baptism
    • Non-instrumental music
    • Etc.
    • Aren't those important too? Indeed, some of those things are very important, but they are simply of first importance.
  • Does this mean that some beliefs and practices are of more importance than others?
  • Are there ranks or gradations of importance? And, if so, how do we decide what beliefs belong in each of them?
    • Theological "triage"
      • importance (or "essentiality")
      • urgency
  • Could what is important (other than of "first importance", of course!) change over time? Are some of the things that we have considered important historically, less important (or perhaps even unimportant) now?
  • Ortlund's principles
    1. first-rank doctrines are essential to the gospel itself;
    2. second-rank doctrines are urgent for the health and practice of the church such that they frequently cause Christians to separate at the level of local church, denomination, and/or ministry;
    3. third-rank doctrines are important to Christian theology, but not enough to justify separation or division among Christians; and
    4. fourth-rank doctrines are unimportant to our gospel witness and ministry collaboration.

Week 3 - "Faith or Allegiance" (or "Faith versus Allegiance")

  • Gk. pistis
  • Latin fidelis
    • semper fidelis - Marine Corps motto
    • "Adeste fidelis" - "O Come All Ye Faithful"
  • "I pledge allegiance to the flag..."
    • What do we mean when we say those words?
  • I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb
    • Ray Boltz - 1994
    • One of the "classics" of "early" contemporary Christian music.
    • Chorus
      I pledge allegiance to the lamb
      With all my strength
      With all I am
      I will seek to honor His commands
      I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK4Tn1lLBDI
    • Does it matter that Ray Boltz is gay? Does that change the meaning of the song?

Week 4 - "Love Thy Neighbor" - Part 1 - "Love"

  • 28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, wthe Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ [Deut. 6:4-5] 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ [Lev. 19:18] There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31, ESV)
  • Context of the parable of "The Good Samaritan".
    • In ancient Israel "neighbor" had a far different meaning than our 21st-century perception. The verse that Jesus quotes in

Week 5 - "Love Thy Neighbor" - Part 2 - "Thy Neighbor"

  • Who is my neighbor?
    • Are people who I disagree with my neighbors?
    • Are people who look, talk, believe, etc. my neighbors?
  • Why is Jesus statement an imperative? What does that mean?

Do we really believe that Christ is sufficient? If so, then why do we repeatedly fall back on the old covenant?

  • The old coventant is obsolete. It was good, holy, and purposeful, but is no longer in effect.
  • The old covenant is not for us. The purpose of the covenant that God established with Israel was to establish a nation to blessed by God based on conditional blessing until something better came.