BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY VOLUME II: THEOLOGICAL BEGINNINGS © BIBLE STUDY LESSONS REVEALING THE THEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ASPECTS OF GOD’S PLAN FOR MAN NOTICE OF COPYRIGHTS This work is dedicated to the public domain by TWFTT-GKS 2017 Table of Contents Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................... i Lesson 1: ANGELS .................................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1 KEY SCRIPTURES ........................................................................................................................ 1 THE PRINCIPLES ......................................................................................................................... 2 Angels are Created Beings ........................................................................................... 2 Classes of Angels .......................................................................................................... 2 Rank .............................................................................................................................. 3 The Ministry of Angels ................................................................................................. 4 Angels as Watcher of Men ........................................................................................... 5 THE ANGEL OF THE LORD (Jehovah) ........................................................................................ 6 STUDY QUESTIONS .................................................................................................................... 7 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................. 9 FOR FURTHER STUDY ................................................................................................................ 9 Lesson 2: LUCIFER, ALIAS SATAN ........................................................................................................ 10 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 10 KEY SCRIPTURES ...................................................................................................................... 11 THE PRINCIPLES ....................................................................................................................... 11 The Origin of Satan ..................................................................................................... 11 Names of Satan........................................................................................................... 15 Satan, the Ruler and Deceiver of the world. ............................................................. 16 The New Age View of Satan and the Bible ................................................................ 18 STUDY QUESTIONS .................................................................................................................. 21 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... 24 FOR FURTHER STUDY .............................................................................................................. 25 Lesson 3: THE ANGELIC CONFLICT ...................................................................................................... 26 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 26 KEY SCRIPTURES ...................................................................................................................... 26 THE PRINCIPLES ....................................................................................................................... 27 The Angelic Fall ........................................................................................................... 27 The Angelic Rebellion ................................................................................................. 28 God's Judgment of the Fallen Angels ........................................................................ 29 The Issue: Who do you believe? ................................................................................ 31 Jesus in Hades ............................................................................................................. 35 i STUDY QUESTIONS .................................................................................................................. 36 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... 38 FOR FURTHER STUDY .............................................................................................................. 39 Lesson 4: CREATION ............................................................................................................................ 40 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 40 KEY VERSES .............................................................................................................................. 41 THE PRINCIPLES ....................................................................................................................... 41 1. Creation of the Universe (Gen. 1:1) ....................................................................... 41 The Genetic Code: ...................................................................................................... 44 The Big Bang and the Cosmological Constants: ........................................................ 45 2. Renovation of the Earth (Gen. 1:2-10) .................................................................. 47 3. Creation of Vegetation (Gen. 1:11-13) .................................................................. 49 4. Exposure of the Heavens (Gen. 1:14-19) ............................................................... 49 5. Creation of Sea Creatures and Birds (Gen. 1:20-23) ............................................. 50 6. Creation of Land Animals (Gen. 1:24-25) .............................................................. 51 7. Creation of Man (Gen. 1:26-30) ............................................................................. 51 8. Sovereignty and Volition: Divine Institution No. 1 ................................................ 54 9. The Perfection of Creation (Gen. 1:31) ................................................................. 55 10. The Sabbath (Gen. 2:1-3) ..................................................................................... 55 11. History (toldot) of the Heavens and Earth (Gen. 2:4-7ff) ................................... 56 STUDY QUESTIONS .................................................................................................................... 58 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................ 61 APPENDIX 1 : Christian Historiography ...................................................................................... 61 Lesson 5: EDEN ...................................................................................................................................... 63 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 63 KEY VERSES ............................................................................................................................... 63 THE PRINCIPLES ........................................................................................................................ 63 The Garden of Eden: Perfect Environment (Gen. 2:8-14)............................................... 63 Man in the Garden and the Edenic Covenant (Gen. 1:28-30; 2:15-17 ............................ 64 Creation of Woman (Gen. 2:18-23) ............................................................................... 65 Marriage: Divine Institution No. 2 (Gen. 2:23-25).......................................................... 65 STUDY QUESTIONS .................................................................................................................. 67 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... 69 FOR FURTHER STUDY .............................................................................................................. 69 Lesson 6 : THE FALL OF MAN ................................................................................................................. 70 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 70 ii KEY VERSES ............................................................................................................................... 70 THE PRINCIPLES ........................................................................................................................ 71 Background for Gen. 3 .................................................................................................