1. I I Popular Views Of The Bible 1. Irrelevant Age. Ac.17:20-21 “New Age” Content. Ac.7 Rivals. Is.8:19-20Horoscopes 0.011% “accuracy”

2. Jn.12:48 2. Irritating, Jn.12:48 Bad news – good news What about poor innocent natives? Ro.3:23 But they never rejected Jesus! Ro.1:28 What if they don’t know the Father? External: Ps.19:1-4; Ro.1:18-20 Internal: Ro.2:14-15

3. 1. Irrelevant 2. Irritating 3. Inaccurate * Jacob’s branches, Gn.30:25-43 31:7, 9, 12 * Flat earth * Josephus Silence proves nothing What he says, skeptics reject

4. 1. Irrelevant 2. Irritating 3. Inaccurate 4. Influence a. Inquisitions (Mt.26:51-52; 2 Co.10:3-5) b. Legalism

5. Legalism “…an improper fixation on law or codes of conduct, or legal ideas, usually implying an allegation of misguided rigor, pride, superficiality, the neglect of mercy, and ignorance of the grace of God or emphasizing the letter of the law over the spirit”

6. NT Condemns “Legalism” Mt. 5:20 Col. 2:16, 18, 21-23 Loving obedience is not legalism Col.2:11-13; 3:16-17 Is illegalism better than legalism?

7. 4. Influence a. Inquisitions b. Legalism c. Bibliolatry Mt.4:3 What passage criticizes one who tries too hard to obey God? Mt.23:23

8. 5. Ignorance “I follow Jesus, not the Bible” Jew Jew: “I follow Moses, not Law” Driver Driver: “I obey police, not stop signs” How to know Jesus w/o His word? Jn.12:48 2 Co.11:1-4

9. 6. Inaccuracy, 2 Co.3:6 Spirit, not letter of the law a. Inconsistent b. Paul does not contrast experience over the word, or allegory over literal (1:13), but: Superiority of new covenant over old (6-9)

10. The letter and the Spirit Letter = Old Law; written on stone Kills (6, 7): exposes guilt Spirit = New Law; governs from w/in Jer.31:31-34; Jn.1:17

11. The Law The one the other not but “The Law finds a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath and stones him. Grace finds thousands of robbers and murderers, illuminates them, and gives them life. The one turns a living man into a dead one; the other out of dead men makes living ones. Christ says, ‘Come unto Me all ye who are heavy laden,’ not ‘and I will punish you,’ but ‘and I will give you rest’” –Chrysostom

12. II II There Is A Pattern 2 Co.3:18, Jesus (Lord) 4:1, connects w. 3:18: ministry (3:6) 4:2, not handling Word deceitfully; manifesting truth 4:3, our gospel; 4, light of gospel (6) 4:5, preach Christ Jesus 4:7, treasure… (Mt.13:44)

13. NT Pattern 2 Tim.1:13, Paul’s words 1 Tim.1:16, Paul’s conversion Show = point out Pattern = as a model, prototype An example for all to follow

14. 2 Tim.1:13 A pattern of sound words… A standard No one was left to invent his own religion according to his own desires Only God knows what pleases Himself Hold fast! (3:14)