THY WORD IS TRUTH
PURPOSE:
To understand the nature of God’s word and consider what is an appropriate response to it.
DISCUSSION:
1. What two facts are assumed in every biblical passage?
2. For what two reasons does God speak?
3. What is the threefold character of God’s torah? (If the meaning of any of the three terms is unclear, see examples on pp. 112-113.)
4. What does Packer mean when he says “God sends his word to us in the character of both information and invitation”? Why does God do this?
5. How does Genesis 1-3 portray God’s creative word? his word of command? his word of testimony? his word of prohibition? his word of promise?
6. Why could God tell Jeremiah that Jeremiah would establish and destroy kingdoms?
7. What did God say through Isaiah about his word?
8. What is the proper response to God’s word? What is an impious response? How would you characterize your own response?
9. We should believe and obey God’s word primarily because it is a true word. What is truth in the Bible?
10. Why are God’s commands described as true? What is the result of disobeying God’s commands?
11. According to Samuel Clark, what should be some practical consequences of knowing that God’s promises are true? What specifically can we do to reclaim the benefits of God’s promises?
12. In the “Believe and Obey” section, what definition of a Christian does Packer propose? How does his extended description describe or not describe you?
SUMMARY:
How would you characterize God’s Word?
