Lu 1:4  that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

2Ti 3:14  you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them

I. Has the Creator communicated?  The Inspiration of Scripture

A. If the universe and man are not eternal nor self-caused nor self-sustaining, then it is more reasonable to believe in a Supernatural Creator, than not (Laws of Thermodynamics matter/entropy; hydrogen, Big Bang, slowing down).

B. A God with the power to create would have the power to communicate in history and preserve that record so His creatures could trust and comprehend it. Lu 21:33  "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.   Jn 12:48 last day

The same Word that tells us God is love and Jesus died for our sins/salvation, also tells us re: future judgment & how God expects us to live.

C. Ten classical authors (Plato, Aristotle, Caesar) avg 1000 year gap, avg 10 copies, Homer 95% accurate

NT: 100 year gap, 10,000 manuscripts, 99.5 % accurate; OT Dead Sea Scrolls (350BC 1300AD)  2Tim 3:16; 

II. Who is Jesus?  The Deity of Christ/Virgin Birth/Trinity

A. Unity & Plurality (Gen 1:1,26; Isa 6:8;  Dt 6:4; Ps 110:1; Mt 28:19);  See OLB Torrey Topics #634, #584

Eternal Ro 16:26 Re 22:13 Heb 9:14; Omnipresent Jer 23:24 Eph 1:23 Ps 139:7; Omnipotent Ge 17:1 Re 1:8 Ro 15:19 Jer 32:17 Heb 1:3 Lk 1:35; Omniscient Ac 15:18 Jn 21:17 1Co 2:10,11; Creator Ge 1:1 Col 1:16 Job 33:4 Ps 148:5 Jn 1:3 Job 26:13  Salvation

A1. The Father is God (Eph 4:6-4)  Isa 44:6 "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:

‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God. Cf Rev 22:13

A2. The Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4) 2Cor 13:14;  Eph 1

A3. Jesus is God (Jn 1 “Word became flesh”; 8:58 “I am” {Ex 3:14}; 10:30 “I and the Father are One”; 20:28;  Rm 8:9; Heb 1:8) 

B. In order to be a sinless sacrifice for man, Jesus had to have human flesh without tainting of original sin (seed )

C. OT Promised Anointed One:  Prophet, Priest, and King

III. Why did Christ Die?  The Substitutionary Atonement

Isa 53:4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6  All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,  

Rom 3:23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24  being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25  whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26  to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

IV. On What is the Christian Hope based?  The Resurrection of Christ

1Cor 15:17 if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable

V. What will happen in the Future?  The Return of Christ

1Cor 15:22 as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive 23…Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. Why is it vital to have a firm, assured grip on the Truth? What happens when someone believes something that isn’t true?

2. Which of the Fundamentals is most important? Which are most assailed by our culture? Why should you defend your faith?

3. What’s the danger of being a bulldog about dogma? Did Jesus “allow” people to continue in error? What was his method?

4. Do people make decisions based on reason or emotion? On what basis do folks endure tough times and persevere? Why do they quit?

5. Are you convinced of the certainty of what you’ve believed? Why are you tempted to act contrary to your beliefs?