Christian Spirituality Teaching Materials

Topic 5 Study Guide This study guide is optional. It is not an assignment and cannot be submitted. The purpose of the study guide is to prepare for the topic quiz. The more answers you find in the topic reading, the better you will be prepared. All answers can be found in the topic reading. The quiz will be graded for accuracy, so take time to seek the correct answers for this topic study guide before you attempt the quiz. Once you start the quiz, do not exit the quiz until the entire quiz is completed. Exiting out of the quiz before it is complete may result in a zero grade. Please type your answers below each question. 1. Read Romans 3:20-26. What are the main points? • Justification: The event in which God regards a sinful human being as righteous on account of their faith in the work of Jesus Christ, which was done on their behalf. • Romans 3:20-26: Laws bring awareness to our sins, everyone sins 2. Summarize Matthew 5:44. The work of the Holy Spirit to recreate a fallen human being, usually pictured as a rebirth • John 3:1-8: Born of water and spirit to see the kingdom of God 3. According to the textbook, in addition to faith, hope, and love, what else should characterize a Christian's life? The Bible does not separate spiritual forgiveness from actual costly forgiveness of others; if one cannot sacrifice him or herself for the sake of restoring another person, especially a person who has wronged him or her, one simply does not have faith in God's forgiveness as it really is 4. Describe the Christian view of salvation and how it differs from the views of other religions. God taking a person on as his own beloved child who will inherit the spiritual benefits of Jesus Thus, when it comes to exclusive claims, Christianity is not alone. In Christianity, exclusivity means that personal faith in Jesus Christ is the only way one can be saved. 5. What three words beginning with "R" used in the lesson and overview summarize the gospel message? Rescue, redemption, and renewal 6. Briefly summarize Isaiah 53:4-6. Atonement: The reconciliation and restoration of a relationship between previously alienated parties; in Christian theology, it usually has either a cosmic/ontological or a legal context in view. • Substitution: to take the place of something or someone • Isaiah 53:4-6: Jesus experienced pain for us & brought us peace by it 7. What is the mark of a Christian according to Jesus in John 13:35? © 2021. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved. love 8. Read Hebrews 9:24-28. Briefly state the point in each of the last three verses (26-28). Christ died for us once for all of our sin by sacrificing himself. People die once m just like JC, then face judgment, and he will appear again to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him 9. What are two appropriate responses to the message of the gospel according to our textbook? Repentance is a necessary response to the gospel, as it is the condition for forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Repentance is said to "lead to life" Faith includes mentally agreeing with certain doctrinal truths about God, such as God's existence and attributes 10. How does our textbook describe repentance? Turns away from sin, act of rebellion against God. 11. According to Ephesians 2:8-10 and the overview, how does one gain salvation, and what is the role of our good works? Christianity offers certain salvation through trusting in Christ’s good works. or by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing;it is the gift of God,not a result of works,so that no one may boost. 12. Read John 20:24-29. What is the significance of this passage for Christians today? John 20:24-29: Won't believe unless he can see him and put his hand into his side They don't have to see him to believe Summarize Romans 6:5-8. Define and discuss the phrase "union with Christ" from the textbook or the PowerPoint presentation • Union With Christ: The uniting of a person to the identity of Jesus through the work of the cross and resurrection • Union with Christ though resurrection and death as those that have died are freed of sins Summarize Romans 8:1 and Ephesians 4:24. Define the term "sanctification" from the PowerPoint presentation and discuss its significance for the Christian life. • Sanctification: The process of the Holy Spirit forming a Christian into the image of Christ through gradual maturing • Romans 8:1: No punishment for those who are in Christ • Ephesians 4:24: Created to be like God What two realities did Jesus' resurrection accomplish? No punishment and the Great Exchange Define the concept of "illumination" according to the PowerPoint presentation and discuss its importance for Christians. 2 The work of the Holy Spirit to teach a person the truth about God so that they trust Christ Summarize the textbook's emphasis on Christian ethics. How did Jesus define the greatest commandment, and why is his definition significant? Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Romans 3 teaches that Jesus' death is important for the restoration of humanity because: Jesus' death on the cross satisfies the punishment that stood against humanity for its failure to keep God's laws. Greever, J. (2020). The wisdom and power of God. In Grand Canyon University (Ed.), The beginning of wisdom: An introduction to Christian thought and life (3rd ed.). https://lc.gcumedia.com/cwv101/thebeginning-of-wisdom-an-introduction-to-christian-thought-and-life/v3.1/#/chapter/6 McLendon, J. (2020). Obstacles to wisdom. In Grand Canyon University (Ed.), The beginning of wisdom: An introduction to Christian thought and life (3rd ed.). https://lc.gcumedia.com/cwv101/the-beginning-ofwisdom-an-introduction-to-christian-thought-and-life/v3.1/#/chapter/8 3 Chapter Review 6 Main Ideas      Repentance is a turning away from sin, and faith is a turning toward God. They form the necessary response to the gospel and are the means by which a person benefits from Christ's redemptive work. The object of one's faith determines the effectiveness of one's faith. When people belong to Jesus by faith, all his redemptive work is infallibly applied to them, such as justification in God's sight, adoption as God's children, life as a new creation in God’s image, and consecration to God's service. When people belong to Jesus by faith, their life is transformed. They live for Jesus in every area of life, and they seek to become more like Jesus. The means of grace are God's gifts to his people through his Spirit that strengthen and confirm their faith in Christ as well as enable them to worship him in the right ways. Two corporate means of grace are baptism and communion. Two other personal and corporate means of grace are the Word of God and prayer. The Christian hope for final restoration is based on God's character and promises; therefore, it is sure and certain. The Christian longs for Jesus's return, the final judgment, and the new heaven and the new Earth. Key Terms         Adoption: The event in which God adopts a person into his family by faith in Christ alone, such that the person is an heir of God's saving promises and is brought into ties of kinship with God's people. Baptism: A nonrepeatable means of grace done in water at the beginning of the Christian life that symbolizes cleansing from sin in which the sinner, in the context of the church, publicly confesses faith in the Lord and prays for a good conscience and in which God declares to his people his promise to forgive and cleanse sins because of Christ's redemptive work; it is associated with faith, conversion, and participation in the life of a local church. Communion: A repeatable means of grace; a fellowship meal of bread and the fruit of the vine in the context of a local church in which God declares his new covenant presence to his people because of Christ's redemptive work and Christians celebrate their new covenant relationship with God and one another and proclaim the Lord's death until he comes; also known as the Lord's Supper or the Eucharist. Conversion: The change from unbelief to belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Faith: Trust in and loyalty to a set of core worldview beliefs or in a person; within the Christian worldview, it is the act of trusting in Jesus Christ to define one's self, which constitutes a transformation of a person's spirit from selfishness to selflessness. Fruit of the Spirit: The list of characteristics or attributes of the Holy Spirit's work in a Christian's life, found in Galatians 5:22–23—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; the sense of the term refers both to the gradual, hidden work of the Holy Spirit to form Christian character and to the evidence of that work. Holiness: Related to creatures, it refers to devotion or consecration to God and his purposes in every area of life; allows one to enter God's presence; and is often associated with the temple, sacrifices, the priesthood, worship, and prayer. Image of God: The biblical description of humanity in the creation account, found in Genesis 1:26 as well as later revelation throughout Scripture; the sense of this phrase shows that humanity is God's representative in his creation. 4         Justification: The event in which God regards a sinful human being as righteous on account of their faith in the work of Jesus Christ, which was done on their behalf; it is the final, end-time verdict of not guilty declared to the sinful person now. Means of Grace: A gift of God to his people through his Spirit that strengthens and confirms their faith in Christ and enables them to worship him in the right ways. New Creation: The event in which God creates anew, whether in a personal or cosmic sense, on the basis of Christ's redemptive work; in a personal sense, it chiefly refers to God's gift of a new worldview, new desires or affections, and a new will in which a person is freed from their slavery to sin and is freed to live in new ways for God's glory. Prayer: A form of communication between God and humanity, and Jesus taught that God is the focus of prayer. The Christian worldview teaches that God hears and answers prayers. Repentance: The inward turning away from sin, in recognition of sin's heinousness and idolatrous character, which is expressed outwardly in righteous actions; it is definitive at conversion and then is ongoing in a Christian's life. Restoration: When people have been freed from sin to new life, Jesus continues to work in their lives, healing the scars of sin and brokenness and making them new. They become restored to wholeness, and their lives become marked by grace and love. God is not only restoring individuals but also all of creation, fixing brokenness in the world. This process will continue until the eventual restoration of all things when everything is made new—new heavens, new Earth, and new bodies for people. Union With Christ: The relationship and fellowship a Christian has with Jesus through the Holy Spirit by faith alone in which a Christian belongs to Jesus such that Jesus's redemptive benefits belong to the Christian. Word of God: That special revelation from God that reveals God's character and actions in history; it can refer to Jesus as the living Word or the Bible as the written Word. Application of Knowledge     Because of Christ's redemptive work, people should repent of their sins and trust fully in the sufficiency of Christ alone. They should humble themselves and reject self-management techniques and self-help efforts as a source of righteousness before God. The basic confession of Christianity is that Jesus is Lord. As a result, Christians should live in every area of life in obedience to Jesus's commands and for Jesus's glory. By faith they should persist in pursuing holiness and greater conformity to Christ. Consider how this will look in various aspects of life. The basic corporate and personal means of grace are baptism, communion, the Word of God, and prayer. Christians should pursue these means of grace by participating in the life of a local church and by regularly reading the Bible and praying. To help here, join a local church that faithfully teaches the Bible. The hope of Christianity is the return of Christ and final judgment and salvation. Instead of seeking their final joy here on Earth, people should seek their final joy in the Lord, for he alone can satisfy and save, and his kingdom will never pass away. Chapter Review 8 Main Ideas  The Bible affirms that Jesus is the only way to salvation. 5       Faith is the transfer of trust from one person or object to another. Faith carries with it an element of steadfastness or endurance. Doubt is a common factor for Christians and non-Christians. The presence of sin explains the universal presence of suffering and evil. Every worldview must account for the cause and solution to suffering and evil. The presence of suffering and evil are ultimately overcome through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Key Terms              Cognitive Dissonance: An uncomfortable state in which a person holds inconsistent or contradictory ideas or beliefs, particularly in relation to morality and conduct. Evil: Something that is immoral, bad, and/or causes harm. Exclusivity: In Christianity, the belief that personal faith in Jesus is the only way one can be saved. Faith: Trust in and loyalty to a set of core worldview beliefs or in a person; within the Christian worldview it is the act of trusting in Jesus Christ to define one's self, which constitutes a transformation of a person's spirit from selfishness to selflessness. General Revelation: Refers to the means God has used to reveal himself universally to humanity through nature, history, science, and reasoning. Hypocrisy: The dichotomy between one's faith and one's actions. Omnipotent: To be all-powerful. Omniscient: To be all-knowing. Omnipresent: To be all-present. Religious Pluralism: The view that holds that all religions hold a piece of the puzzle. Special Revelation: Refers to the means God has used to reveal himself specifically to people through the Bible, the person of Jesus Christ, and to individuals as they seek him in prayer and devotion. Suffering: Pain or agony that can be experienced physically, mentally or spiritually. Theodicy: The Christian defense of God's infinite goodness and power despite the presence of evil and suffering. Application of Knowledge     Intellectual and experiential obstacles to Christianity are common for seekers and skeptics. Thus, any perceived obstacles should be cause for further deliberation into Christianity's claims. Christianity is built upon Jesus mediating reconciliation between God and man. Because of his sinless life, his perfect sacrifice, and his victorious resurrection and ascension, Jesus is the only provider of salvation. Faith, while it can be as simple and pure as that of a child, is rich and vibrant. It is the transfer of trust from one person or object to another. Biblical faith is not blind faith, and any faith is only as good as its object. Because Christianity rests on faith in the triune God, it is strong enough to save and sufficient enough to keep one saved. Sin's entrance into the world brought forth the universal consequences of evil and suffering. Every worldview requires a robust intellectual and experiential wrestling with the problem of evil and suffering. Christianity addresses these issues substantively and panoramically. In the end, King Jesus will make all wrongs right, and justice will be served. 6