1. Faith 101 Discovering the Faith
Lesson One
I Believe in God the Father Almighty
- But who is He?

2. Class Outline Purpose and Expectations Content Schedule
Purpose: to present the major teachings of the Christian faith, as the Lutheran church understands and teaches them.
After the class, you will be offered the chance to join the church, which implies that you agree with what has been presented.
If something I say does not seem right, or does not make sense, please ask me. This is your chance to explore and ask questions. I expect and want questions.
Please be in attendance.
Content: Broad overview, like looking out the window at 35,000 ft. Cover lots of ground, without many interesting details. Basically squeezing three years of Confirmation into ten weeks.
Please be in attendance. Make up sessions in person, or borrow CD of class.
Based on the Apostle’s Creed, and following the structure of Luther’s Small Catechism.
But not a line by line study. Not memorization and recitation.
Class will hopefully teach you how to THINK as a Lutheran, not just recite Lutheran answers
Schedule: See schedule in front of book, Faith 102, New Member Sunday, Evening with Pastors

3. Three Things Only God Can Provide
Identity
Security
Meaning
This is why all people everywhere, in every time, have searched for God.

4. How do you know? Moderns: Post-Moderns: Is it true? Is it true for me?
Examine the sources, manuscripts, archaeology, apologetics
There is ample evidence that Christianity is true and reliable.
Post-Modern:
Does it work? Will it change my life? Is it working for you? How has it changed your life?
Truth is experienced and lived out in life.
Class privileges the Modern approach. This class, and Christianity in general, struggles to answer PM questions.

5. Natural Knowledge of God
Hints and Traces of God
Found in
Creation
Conscience
How do you feel about this? True, good, right, or not so sure?
The Creation Challenge: What we call traces and patterns are really just random events that we assign meaning to, just as we see pictures in clouds.
Answer: 1. Always need an ultimate source for creation. 2. All cultures have recognized this pull to see divine action. 3. Mt. Rushmore vs. the Indian face—just too obvious
The Conscience Challenge: What about Hitler, the Aztecs, barbaric cultures who seem to contradict our notions of right and wrong?
Answer: C.S. Lewis points out that values may vary in degree, but not in kind. No culture values murder. They just differ as to who deserves protection. Hitler protected the Aryans, just not the Jews.

6. Natural Knowledge of God
Tells us there Is a God
Tells us that He is Powerful
DOESN’T tell us WHO He is
DOESN’T tell us if He loves us

7. Revealed Knowledge of God
God Makes Himself Known
In His Son Jesus
KEY: This is the primary source for Lutherans. We believe the Bible because of Jesus Christ, rather than believing in Jesus Christ because of the Bible.
In His Written Word = The Bible

8. Revealed Knowledge of God
The Revealed knowledge of God makes known to us who God is and that He loves us!
We cannot completely know God apart from his revelation to us in the person of Christ working through the Holy Spirit.

9. Revealed Knowledge of God
The Wesleyan Quadrilateral
-Tradition -Experience
-Reason -Scripture OR
Scripture Alone

10. Revealed Knowledge of God
Do we believe in Christ because of the Bible, or
Do we believe in the Bible because of Christ?
Cyclical. But give the Bible a fair chance, just neutral, and it will reveal enough about Christ for us to believe in him.
Then, with faith in Christ, we can believe his statements about Scripture, and come to believe in the Bible.

11. How do we study the Bible?
Some Lutheran presuppositions:
Scripture interprets Scripture
Interpret Scripture in Context
Literally, but not Literalistically
Man has fallen away from God and evil pervades all of human life, including our study of Scripture
How we study the Bible is crucial. It accounts for most, if not all, of the denominational differences.
Literal: raining cats and dogs

12. God Reveals Himself in His Law
Curb
Design of class is first to explain connection of law and gospel, SOS, mirror and savior
Enough to know that we are not perfect and need savior.
Now that we know we are saved, we can study the law as a guide, as we try to grow in our faith
Mirror
Guide

13. God Reveals Himself in Law and Gospel
Law Gospel
What we must do What God has done
Shows Our Sin Show Our Savior
Condemns Forgives
Kills Gives Life
For Secure Sinners For Alarmed sinners
Walther says this is the easiest thing to understand, and the hardest thing to apply in life.

14. Who is He? Eternal Unchanging Reliable All powerful Present everywhere
Knows all
Holy
Perfect
None like him
Compassionate
Gracious
Forgiving

15. Who is He? God is Triune Tri/Une 3 Persons in One God Father – Creator
Son – Redeemer
Holy Spirit - Sanctifier

16. Holy Trinity – Three Persons in One God
Father is God
Son is God
Holy Spirit is God
Father is Not Son or Spirit
Son is Not Father or Spirit
Holy Spirit is not Father or Son
There are not three Gods but only one
The Christian Church has developed three creeds to help explain the Trinity, but they still don’t fully capture it.
Imperfect analogies, but they do show us some measure of understanding, however imperfect.
Apple analogy: skin, flesh, core
CD Player analogy: Core—the source, the Father; the headphones are the Son, part of the CD Player, but distinct from the base, reveals the heart of the father. Music, the Spirit, flowing from the heart, through the headphones, into us.

17. Holy Trinity Father is neither begotten nor Proceeding
Son is begotten but not proceeding
Holy Spirit is not begotten but proceeds from the Father and the Son
Note Picture: from baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3
Note presence of Father in light and voice, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit in Dove