New Testament Week 1 Audio.
Introduction - Fundamentals of the New Testament

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New Testament Course

Pastor John Clark, Sr., is currently presenting a New Testament study course. As each study class is completed the audio recording of the class and the hand-out notes will be made available here for listening and/or download. A summary outline of each set of hand-out notes will be provided here. The complete notes may be downloaded (link at left) in pdf format for viewing or printing.

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Class 1 - Summary Outline

The New Testament:
An Introduction

A “testament” can refer to two things:

  1. A will, by which one gives instructions, usually in writing, concerning the disposal of his possessions after death. In Hebrews 9, “testament” is used with the meaning of “will”, as in “last will and testament”, but that usage is rare in Scripture.
  2. A covenant between God and man. In the Bible, the word “testament” is almost always used in this second sense of “a covenant between God and man”.

What is the New Testament (NT)? How does one enter into this covenant between God and man? Why is there a need for a new covenant to replace the old one God made with Israel at Mount Sinai? When did this NT begin, and what were the conditions of it? As with everything concerning the kingdom of God, we must allow God Himself to answer these questions.

  1. What is the New Testament?

    The New Testament, by God’s definition, is the indwelling presence of God’s holy spirit, bringing the knowledge of God’s law into our hearts.

  2. How does one enter into this covenant between God and man?

    One enters into the NT between God and man by believing on the name of Jesus and receiving the spirit of God.

  3. Why was there a need for a new covenant to replace the old covenant that God made with Israel at Mount Sinai?

    The reason a new covenant was needed is that the old covenant, being on the outside of us, was incapable of purging us from sin and making us holy.

  4. When did this New Testament begin, and what were its conditions?

    The NT began in Acts 2, when the spirit of God was first given to men, and its conditions can be summarized by saying that we are to love God and keep His commandments.

Fundamentals of the New Testament

The following truths are essential to a right understanding of the New Testament. No one can understand the New Testament of Jesus Christ without understanding these simple truths:

Fundamental #1

Jesus Lived and Died under the Old Covenant, the Law (Gal. 4:4).

The New Covenant did not begin until after these things happened:

  1. Jesus died (Heb. 9:16-17) (This was in reference to the necessity of Jesus’ death in order for the NT to be established.)
  2. Jesus rose from the dead (1Cor. 15:13-17):
  3. God’s spirit was sent from heaven and given to man (Heb. 8:8-10, quoting Jer. 31):

The New Testament was not in effect during the events described in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the first chapter of Acts.

Fundamental #2

No One Understood What God Was Doing In Christ While Jesus Was Here on Earth.

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