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These outlines are an introduction to the Christian faith from an objective standpoint. They are investigative and deductive in nature.
Scripture: Heb. 11:6; Rom. 1:19-20
I. Where does the creation come from?
А. Does evolution explain the creation? Give evidence, such as the laws of nature, to show that the theory of evolution is unreliable.
B. There has to be a Creator in the universe. Perhaps you regard Him as the Supreme Being, God, the Divine Force, or the Mighty One; nevertheless, He is the Creator. Use the Bible to prove this point. The Bible says that the universe is created by God.
II. The basis of the Christian faith is that God is:
А. From the existence of the universe deduce the origin of the universe.
B. From the origin of the universe deduce the existence of God.
Scripture: Heb. 1:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:16
I. God desires to have fellowship with man:
Since there is a God in the universe, this God must have a relationship with His creatures. Since He is a Being with much intellect, emotion, and affection, naturally He would like to fellowship with His creatures. Among the creation the best object of fellowship is man. Hence, God would have fellowship with man.
II. How does God fellowship with man?
Men fellowship among themselves mainly through speaking and writing. The fellowship between God and man is also in these two ways. When it is possible, He communicates with man face to face. When this is not possible, He conveys His thoughts to man through writing.
III. God fellowships with man through the Bible:
А. Among all the writings of the human race there is only one book given by God to man. In the entire history of mankind no book except the Bible was written by God. Strongly emphasize that the Bible is inspired by God.
B. Is the Bible inspired by God? If the Bible is written by God, it must contain the following few points:
1. It must claim that it is a book written by God Himself to man.
2. It must reveal the origin and the consummation of the universe.
3. It must speak of the relationship between God and man.
4. It must present the highest standard of morality.
5. It must be powerful.
6. Its prophecy has to be fulfilled.
C. No other classic satisfies the above six requirements. Only the Bible is qualified. Hence, the Bible is the unique book written by God to man. (See The Normal Christian Faith, by Watchman Nee, ch. 3.)
Scripture: John 1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16
I. Two reasons why God came to man:
А. He came that man may approach Him.
B. He came that man may understand Him. In order to do these two things, God had to become a man. (Relate the story in The Normal Christian Faith, ch. 4.)
II. God coming among man:
Throughout these six thousand years, only one person has ever been God among us. From Adam to Moses there is only one person — Jesus of Nazareth — who claimed to be God. If He is God, He must have the following qualifications:
А. He must tell us that He is God.
B. He must be superior in words and deeds.
C. He must have supernatural power.
D. He must have the words of His prophecies fulfilled.
Only the Lord Jesus satisfies the above four requirements. Hence, the Lord Jesus is God coming to man as a man.
God, coming among man to have contact with him, would naturally encounter much difficulty on man’s side. This is because the nature of man is corrupted, and the behavior of man is sinful. He, being a holy God, has to solve these two problems before He can fellowship with man.
Scripture: Rom. 3:24; 2 Pet. 1:4
Since the righteous God wants to fellowship with man, and since man is sinful and corrupted, He needed to find a way to solve the problem of both man’s sinful acts and man’s sinful nature. In order to solve this problem, He shed His blood for man so that man might be redeemed from sin. God also gave His very life to man so that man might be free from his sinful nature. So His way of salvation needed to be one that, on the negative side, redeemed man from sin and, on the positive side, imparted life to man. The salvation mentioned in the Bible is indeed of this nature.
Scripture: Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38; 16:31; Rom. 10:9-10
God has completed the work of salvation. Surely He wants man to receive this, since all that He has done is for man. The way to receive this salvation is by repentance and believing.
Scripture: Mark 16:16; Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:10
God’s salvation is, on the one hand, real, and on the other hand, it is already accomplished. When man receives it, he will be immediately saved.
Scripture: Luke 19:8-9
Use examples to prove this both from the Bible and from what you have seen and experienced. One good example is the case of Zaccheus.
