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Bible Course Introduction
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Introduction and Purpose for the Intercontinental Church of God Bible Correspondence Course
It is our purpose in "feeding the flock" to study in-depth the
Systematic Theology Project produced by Worldwide Church of God in
1978. With the exception of a few areas edited or left out the body of
the work is unchanged. I would like to quote some of the "Organization
and Purpose" for you students. Even though it was written in 1978 it
applies to the present:
"The Bible alone is God 's written revelation to man.
This systematic theology is simply an attempt to explain our
comprehension of God 's Word as believed, taught, expounded and applied
by the Church. It is written by men for men-and is consequently not to
be put on a par with God 's Holy Word. The systematic theology
[Correspondence Course] is not to replace the Bible nor to supersede or
overshadow it. The point of view is that of looking up toward, and not
down upon, God 's Word. Although we are building a superstructure, the
Bible will always remain the foundation. The readership of this
theology [Correspondence Course] is cautioned not to lose this
perspective.
"The best way to keep our doctrinal focus sharp and
clear is to stay finely tuned to the central figure of the entire
Bible: Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is both the focal point and the
'big
picture' of the entire Bible-He is the overview of both testaments. The
Old Testament is the story of His creation and government (Colossians 1:16),
His dealings with Israel (1 Corinthians 10:4) and His laws; it also records His
ancestry and the detailed prophecies of His first and second comings.
The New Testament is the story of His life and message, the
magnification of His laws, the beginning of His Church and the
announcement of His coming Kingdom. If Christ did not exist, there
would be no Bible-there would be no point to it. Jesus Christ is the
Word of God; and since the Bible is God 's written word, it is, in a very
real sense, the embodiment of Jesus Christ in verbal representation on
the printed page.
"In accordance with the focal point and overview of the
Bible, this systematic theology [ICC Correspondence Course] stresses
Jesus Christ-past, present and future. It tells of His life, His works,
His message, His 'good news, ' His teachings, His instructions, His laws,
His way of life, His admonitions, His corrections, His rebukes, His
love, His mercy, His forgiveness, His people, His friends, His
covenants, His Church, His Kingdom, His promises, and His salvation.
The focus is on Jesus Christ, as these statements represent His
doctrines which we have attempted to present in an organized and
systematic manner. No one keeping close to the trunk of this tree will
ever get caught out on a limb. No one following the foundational
doctrines of Jesus Christ will ever suffer doctrinal tunnel vision and
the resultant spiritual blindness that such tunnel vision can cause.
"Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong has always emphasized the
fundamental 'trunk of the tree ' doctrines of the Church. These deal
with two essential elements: 1) God 's purpose for human existence; and
2) the plan by which He will accomplish that purpose. ...
"God 's purpose for mankind offers the most
incredible possible potential that can be imagined. Indeed, it
stretches the imagination beyond its limit, for God states that every
human being can eventually be born into God 's own Family, with God
Himself as his or her real Father. Man was created to actually become
God, just as God Himself is God, with the same qualities of existence
such as immortality and eternal life. Man was designed to become a full
member of the God Family, just as our elder brother, Jesus Christ is God
and part of that Family. This is mankind 's ineffably awesome
potential-a spectacular destiny which will eventually include the entire
universe as part of our inheritance.
"God 's plan for accomplishing this purpose for
mankind is equally breath-taking. God will make His truth known to all
human beings from all time and every place and give to each of them
individually a full opportunity for salvation. God is not willing that
any should perish and has structured a plan which will make available to
all people the full knowledge of His purpose and way (though what they
do with this knowledge will be a product of their independent minds to
which God has given free moral agency).
"This, then, is the essential foundation of biblical
doctrine as believed and taught by the [Intercontinental] Church of
God-that all mankind, every human being who has ever lived, will
eventually have the opportunity to become born of God into the Family of
God, to literally become God. Around this fundamental concept every
other biblical doctrine must revolve and relate."
May God bless you as you embark upon this very exciting
Correspondence Course!
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