The Open Word

We continue our discussion of the creation of man in Genesis Chapter 2. We look at the uniqueness of man's creation as we have been made in the image of God.

In this session we focus on the creation of Man, God's crowning achievement. Secular scholars and scientists want to make man nothing more than the end product of evolution - an intelligent primate. the Bible paints a much different picture. Man is made in the image of God, which sets him apart from all of the rest of creation.

We complete our study of creation week by focusing on Days 6 and 7. On day 6, God created the land animals and man, and on day 7 He rested from all His work. This was not the rest of exhaustion, but the rest of accomplishment.

In this session we examine the first five days of creation: the creation of night/day, the atmosphere and separation of the waters, the emergence of dry land and vegetation, the sun, moon, and stars, and the creation of insects, birds, and swimming creatures. 

Although Genesis 1 goes to great lengths to portray the days of creation as literal 24-hour periods of time, many try to explain them away as long geological ages, or just figures of speech. In this session, we examine this question to show that the best way to view the days of creation as literal 24-hour days.

One of the common arguments for an old-earth view is radioactive dating techniques. In this session we look at the top three: Uranium-Lead, Potassium-Argon, and Carbon-14. We examine the presuppositions of each of the models to show their respective weaknesses, and make the case that they are not reliable indicators of age.

For those who hold to a creationist viewpoint, one of the arguments is whether the earth is as old as evolutionary models believe, or if the earth is only about 6,000 years old, as a clear reading of the Bible would indicate. In this session we look at this debate to make the case that the biblical record of 6,000 years is congruent with the teachings of Scripture. 

In the second session on the book of Genesis we explore various theories on the origin of the universe, including the Big Bang, Steady State, and Supernaturalistic views.

We begin a new series looking at the book of Genesis. In this session, we introduce the book, explore its background and importance in the canon of Scripture, and take a quick tour through it topics.

Paul finishes his conclusion to the book of Romans with some final exhortations regarding false teachers and those who cause division, followed by some final greetings to individual believers in Rome.

Paul continues his lengthy conclusion in Romans 16:1–16 by naming many of the people with whom he ministered and asks for greetings to be sent to them. Of note is Phoebe, whom Paul describes as a servant of the church in Cenchrea, the sister city of Corinth and the location that many think Paul wrote the letter of Romans from. Two other co-workers are noted, Priscilla and Aquila, who were fellow t...

Paul ends his letter to the Romans with an extended discussion of his plans to visit Rome along with personal greetings and a final exhortation. In this section of Scripture, he focuses on the first theme, that of his desire to visit Rome after taking aid to the saints in Jerusalem as the result of a famine in the late 50's AD (see 2 Corinthians regarding the collection he took for this relief eff...

Paul continues his defense of his ministry to the Gentiles, proclaiming that he had faithfully carried out God's commission to him as the Apostle to the Gentiles, of which the church in Rome was a recipient.

In this short section of Romans, Paul speaks of his ministry to the Gentiles by quoting several passages in the Old Testament that speaks of God's blessings being poured out on Gentiles, not just the Jewish nation. The Jewish nation had assumed, wrongly, that they were the only recipients of God's blessings, however, God had never intended His blessings to end with Israel, but to encompass all peo...

Paul encourages those who are strong in the faith to bear with the failings of the weak, not too see them as a burden. Christ did not come to please Himself, but to minister to others, and in the same way those who are strong believers are to help those weaker or more immature in their faith as an act of love to them so that together both the strong and weak may glorify God.

We complete our look at Romans 14 by examining the responsibility we have to not cause our brothers and sisters in Christ to stumble over those things that are no essential. The central theme is that we are to consider others over ourselves, because what may be fine for us is sin for others since whatever we do that is not of faith and violates our conscience is sin.

We continue our look at Christian liberty in Romans 14 by looking at the freedom we have in Christ which is bounded by the reality that someday we will all stand before Him and give an account. Our actions in the gray areas are not going to be evaluated by other believers, instead they will be evaluated by Christ. So instead of comparing ourselves to others, we need to compare ourselves to Christ...

How can a believer exercise their Christian liberty while at the same time considering those who still feel many things are off limits for believers? We continue our discussion of this important topic in Romans 14, in which Paul instructs those that are mature in Christ to not look down on others and pass judgment on them because they have not yet understood their freedom in Christ.

In Romans 14, Paul turns his attention to the exercise of personal liberties and disputes over doubtful things. We begin our study of this topic by introducing this concept and how to practice it in the body of Christ.

We complete our study of Romans 13 in which Paul exhorts his readers to be alert, because the night is gone and the day is at hand. It is no time to be complacent, rather it is time to put off the works of darkness, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ so that we can walk in the day.

Paul continues his discussion of Christian virtues by discussion the golden rule in Romans 13:8-10. He points out that we should owe no one anything, except to love them and consider others over ourselves. In fact, love is the fulfillment of the law. If we love our neighbors and God as we should, then keeping the Ten Commandments becomes a by-product of that love, and not a duty.

We continue our discussion of the Christian and government. Paul indicates that God has ordained government to provide stability in a society, and that the Christian is responsible to be submissive, pay their taxes, and show honor to those in authority.

We continue our discussion of the believer's response to governmental authorities by exploring the statement of Paul that all authorities, even those that are godless, are appointed by God and as such we are to be good citizens of whatever nation we find ourselves living in.

We begin a new section and topic in the Book of Romans which is the believer's response towards governmental authorities, even those that may not reflect a Christian worldview. This is an important topic, because the New Testament makes it clear that the believer is to be a model citizen, and is to obey governmental authority unless that authority specifically prohibits that which God commands.

Paul completes his discussion of our Christian duties by focusing on how we are to treat our enemies.