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BIBL 104
DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to create a
thread in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. The student will complete 4
Discussions in this course. The student will post one thread of at least 450 words by 11:59 p.m.
(ET) on Thursday of the assigned Module: Week. The student must then post 2 replies of at least
250 words each by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of the assigned Module: Week. The student is
required to support the content of both their thread and response posts with direct, specific, and
properly cited quotations from the assigned textbook reading.
ANSWER:
Module 1: Week 1
Discussion Thread: How to Look at the Bible.
“First, the Bible is a story. More specifically, the Bible is a book of stories that are
woven together to tell one complete story. It is essential to remember this as you study
the Scriptures in their various genres”. (Cartwright and Hulshof, p. 3).
This quote is a reminder to us that just because you may read the Scripture, does not necessarily
mean that you retained the meaning or purpose. We as humans are quick to interpret things and
how we want to preserve them. We must continue to study the Scripture and read it with an open
heart and mind as to what it means to our life as Christians.
“God’s story details his plan. There should be a certain level of comfort in those five
words. When we read the Bible, we are not reading a recap of a supreme being who is
making it up on the fly. Instead, we are reading the plan of God as he works his will out
in the lives of the numerous characters of the Bible. There are no random personalities,
events, or circumstances.
There
are
no
unexpected
situations.
(Cartwright
and
Hulshof,
p. 4).
This quote gives comfort in knowing that there is a plan for every event that happens in our life. We
as Christians are not supposed to question God, but many of us, me included, do so when horrible
things happen. This is a reminder to us that there is a greater purpose in His plan, and we need to
have faith that everything does indeed happen for a reason.
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BIBL 104
“We are unable to live the kind of life required by God. We cannot live a life of total
obedience at every turn and in every moment. In short, we are unrighteous. However,
Jesus Christ can and did live a perfect and sinless life. He is righteous”. (Cartwright and
Hulshof, p. 6).
This quote speaks volumes for all Christians. We were made in His image, but we as humans will
never live a sinless life. This doesn’t mean throwing your hands up and giving up a Christian way of
life, it means striving harder to live the life God intended for His children.
“The outcome of God’s plan was to restore the relationship between him and the crown
of his creation, human beings. The relationship that was severed in the garden was
restored through the life and work of Jesus Christ. We could easily assume that since we
fractured the relationship, God is willing to restore it to its former significance. But this is
not the case. While human beings
are
covenant
breakers,
God,
the
grand
covenant
keeper, remains faithful to the relationship he has restored”. (Cartwright and Hulshof, p.
7).
This quote is to remind us that no matter how badly we think we may have damaged our
relationship with God, his love is endless. We all fall short of His glory at some point in our day-to-
day lives, but that doesn’t mean God doesn’t love us. We should also carry this love in us. lives by
way of forgiveness and loving our neighbor the way God forgives and loves us.
“Having a basic grasp of how the Bible fits together is incredibly important. An
understanding of the historical framework of the Bible will provide you with a better
perspective on any book or passage you study. It will also enable you to understand
how each book, chapter, passage, verse, event, or individual fit into God’s big story”.
(Cartwright and Hulshof, p. 16).
The keywords in this quote that stood out to me the most are understanding and perceiving. It has
often been difficult for me to understand the historical framework of the Bible, or even perceive it in
the way in which it was written. This put the importance of that order into perspective that I need to
change the way I study the bible and that will help me understand the Scripture more efficiently.
“Those who study a New Testament passage need to identify its category of the genre.
A correct understanding of each genre helps set expectations for how a passage should
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BIBL 104
be interpreted. Genre, then, becomes one of the multiple aids to properly understanding
the meaning of a biblical text”. (Cartwright and Hulshof, p. 22).
This quote resonated with me the most. I have always seemed to fall short in understanding the
exact genre and biblical text resulting in further research to fully appreciate the Scripture. I would
often be too embarrassed to ask questions during Sunday school for fear I was alone and not
fulling understanding. This is a reminder that it is ok to ask for help from your Pastor or other
church members in developing a better understanding of the different genres of the Bible.
“There are some common mistakes that readers of the Old Testament make. The first
mistake is to approach the stories as primarily about us in the twenty-first century.
Certainly, there are applications to be made from Old Testament stories”. (Cartwright
and Hulshof, p. 23).
I, for one, am guilty of this. When I go to the Bible for guidance, I tend to read Scripture in the Old
Testament in a modern-day approach. While there is a Scripture for every issue, the times are far
from the same. Although the Old Testament was intended only for Israel, this reminds us that God
uses the Word to guide us in understanding the historical context and events so that we can stray
from making the same mistakes.
“Whereas the rest of the Bible is often appropriately described as God’s Word to us, the
Psalms are written to God. Therefore, the Psalms stand as unique among the rest of the
literary categories, making it very important to understand how to interpret and use
them”. (Cartwrightand Hulshof, p. 25).
Growing up in church, it was always taught that you sing to praise God. One of my favorite worship
songs has always been “Praise Him in this Storm” (Casting Crowns, 2005). After reading this
chapter I was reminded that singing in praise came from Psalms and more importantly, God himself.
This was an amazing reminder of God’s power and unconditional love and how we should sing from
the rooftops in praise to Him for our blessings.
“We should not be afraid of being honest with God. Not only does he already know how
we feel, but also it is through these moments of emotional honesty that God can use the
Psalms in our lives”. (Cartwright and Hulshof, p. 25).
This quote reminds us that while it may be difficult to confess our sins, God knows our next move
before we even make it. We must be trusting that God will use our honesty to turn a poor choice
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BIBL 104
into a learning experience and, in some instances, something beautiful. It is important, to be honest
with God, trust His guidance, and know we are always forgiven and loved.
“One of the biggest mistakes that someone can make when approaching the wise
sayings of Proverbs is to see them as legally binding promises”. (Cartwright and
Hulshof, p. 26).
This quote reminds us that we should not take the wise sayings of Proverbs as legally binding
promises. While the wisdom is sound, it is not legally
binding.
For
example,
one
may
be
deemed
below par if one works in a fast-food restaurant, whereas one who works for a large corporation
may be deemed prestigious. In the two scenarios, they could shift in an instant with the fast-food
worker being the superior of the party working for the large corporation. This proves that there are
exceptions to every situation and things can shift.
