StaffordSymbols10 Lessons for Beginning Bible Study

Dr. Stafford North says that he works at OC because, "My best way to serve the Kingdom of God.  Opportunity to influence Christian youth for lives of service and to train church leaders."  Dr. North is a member of the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame.  His main academic research is eschatology--the final events in the history of the world.  His favorite memory of OC was "working with students in Songs America Sings."  His wife is Jo Anne and they have one son named David, and three daughters: Julie Anderson, Linda Parker, and Susan Moran.  Dr. North is an Elder at Memorial Road Church of Christ.  He is also a Bible class teacher, and he is involved in preaching seminars.  Dr. North is also involved in prison ministry.by Dr. Stafford North, created here by his permission.

 

NOTE: Printing each lesson allows you to use the lesson as it was intended.

 

This lesson and the next nine will each tell one part of the message of the Bible--so the Bible story is told in ten parts or steps.


With each part of the story will be a simple drawing to help you remember it. When you come to the last lesson, you will be asked to draw all ten of the simple pictures to show you remember the message. You will also be asked to provide as brief sentence explaining what each picture means. This will be easy to do once you have studied these lessons. With each part in the story, one or two scriptures will be given, some from the Old Testament, some from the New Testament. You will be asked to read these scriptures and then to answer some questions about them.

For each of the ten steps in God’s plan, then, you should learn (1) a drawing, (2) a brief sentence statement that explains the drawing, and (3) a verse or two of scripture you would use to explain what each means.

For Part 1 of the Bible story read Genesis 1:1, 27.

Fill in the blanks in the sentence below:
God made the heavens and the __________. He also made human beings of two kinds--_________ and ________________.

God placed the man and the woman He had made in a beautiful place called the Garden of Eden. He told them to care for the garden and to eat from the trees in the garden. God had a close friendship with these two whose names were Adam and Eve. Genesis 3:8 says that God walked in the garden and talked with Adam and Eve. They enjoyed being with each other.
The picture below represents how it was when everything began.

The "G" stands for God, the happy face for people. God and people were friends with each other when God created humans. And each of us starts life in this same close relationship with God.

God and people start as ________________. Genesis 3:8.

Practice by drawing the picture that represents this first step of the 10 steps. Also write under it the statement and scripture that go with it.

 






Used by permission from Stafford and Jo Anne North

 

 

  1. In Lesson 1 we learned that God and people begin as close friends. As a review, draw the picture that represents this idea.





  2. Here is part two of the message of the Bible. Read Genesis 2:15-17. Write a brief answer to the following questions:
    1. Could Adam and Eve eat of every tree in the garden?
    2. Of which tree could they not eat?
    3. What would be the result if they ate what they were told not to eat?
  1. From this story we learn something about the nature of humans.
    God made us to have a choice!
  2. Adam and Eve could choose whether they would obey ________ or would not __________ God. This idea may be pictured like this.


    God made people to have a choice. Genesis 2:15-17. This is step 2. Draw the picture and put the statement and scripture below.





Used by permission from Stafford and Jo Anne North 

 

  1. To the right, draw the pictures that go with each of the following ideas.

    God and people begin as close friends.





    God made people to have a choice.





    People have chosen to sin.




  2. What happened to Adam and Eve after they chose to sin? Read Genesis 3:22-24 and answer the following:
    1. As a result of their sin, God sent Adam and Eve out of the ____________ of _______.
    2. This meant they could no longer eat of the tree of ________. They would also come to a time when they would ________.
    3. In addition, because of their sin, Adam and Eve were also ________________ from God. Find the word for this blank in Isaiah 59:2.

       

Look at this drawing for Step 4 and explain it.

 

  1. Has this separation from God happened only to Adam and Eve? Read Romans 3:23.
    1. How many people have sinned?
    2. The result of sin for all who do it is __________. The word "death" here means to die spiritually--always being separated from God.
    3. All who sin are separated from God. Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:23. This is step 4.
    4. Draw the picture you have just learned about that represents this idea. Put the statement and the scriptures with it.

Used by permission from Stafford and Jo Anne North

 

  1. Draw the two pictures that represent the first two parts of the Bible story we have studied.








  2. In the beginning, God made people and put them in the Garden of Eden. He said they could eat of every tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Thus, God gave them a choice to obey or not to obey.
  3. Read Genesis 3:1-6. Now answer the questions below:
    1. Satan came to Eve looking like what?
    2. What did Satan say to Eve about the consequences of eating the fruit that was different than what God had said about it?
    3. What had God said would happen if they disobeyed Him?
    4. What three reasons led Eve to eat the fruit?
    5. Did Adam also eat the fruit?

     

  4. Now read Genesis 3:22-24 and answer the following:
    1. God gave Adam and Eve a _____________.
    2. They chose to ___________ (obey or disobey).
    3. When one disobeys God, he or she has _______________.
    4. Sin means to do what ______ said not to do, or not to do what _______ said to do.

     

  5. Step 3 of the Bible story may be represented with the following picture:

    The S stands for ________ and the pointer means to _________________.

     

  6. So Adam and Eve choose to ________.

     

  7. Are they the only ones who have chosen sin? Read Romans 3:23 and answer below:
    1. How many people have sinned?
    2. Does that include me?

     

  8. Draw below the picture for Step 3 to show that people have chosen sin. Put the statement and scripture with it.

 Used by permission from Stafford and Jo Anne North

  1. So far we have learned the following:
    1. God and people start as _________________.
    2. God made people to have a _______________.
    3. All people have chosen to _________.
    4. Sin _____________________ people from God.
    1. Once we are separated from God by our sins, can we ever be back with God again? That is a question God must answer since we can do nothing to take our own sins away. God must make the next move. Shall he punish our sins by keeping us separated from Him or shall He forgive our sins and bring us back as friends again? God loves us and wants to bring us back. But God also is just (righteous) and must punish our sins.

       

    2. God’s choice, Step 5 in the Bible story, may be represented like this:

       

    3. Answer the following questions?
      1. Do our sins separate us from God? (Isaiah 59:2)
      2. Does God want us to remain away from Him so that we will be lost eternally? (2 Peter 3:9)
      3. Can God forgive our sins and not punish them? Is it lawful for a judge to turn a convicted criminal free with no punishment for what he has done? If God did so, He would not be a just or righteous judge. So can God be just and not punish sinners?


        Read Romans 3:23 and Ezekiel 18:4.

    1. So God is just and must punish our sins. But we learn in John 3:16 that God loves us and wants to forgive us, not wanting any to be lost eternally. Here God’s wisdom enters the story. God found a way to do both--both to punish and to forgive. This is the gospel, the good news the Bible brings! Read Romans 3:24-25.


      Now look at Romans 3:26--"And God gave Jesus to show today that God does what is right. God did this so that he could judge rightly and also make right any person that has faith in Jesus." So God "judged rightly" --that is He punished sin. But he also "made right"--that is He forgave sinners through the righteousness act of Jesus Christ who died for them. Read 2 Corinthians 5:21.

    2. Based on what you just learned, answer these questions.
      1. Does God’s justice demand that all sins be punished?
      2. Does God's love and mercy want to forgive all sins?
      3. Does God want people to stay separated from Him?
      4. Why does God want people to be able to come back to Him?
      5. So does God punish sins, forgive sins, or do both?
      6. How does he do both?
    1. Fill in rest of the words by the P and F that tell us that God found a way to do both:


      God will both ___________ and ____________.

       

       Used by permission from Stafford and Jo Anne North

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