2009-08-23, Ronnie Stevens, Acts 4:12

THE SCANDAL OF PARTICULARITY

Part 2

Acts 4.12

I.  The Doctrine Preached by Peter has provoked the ‘The Scandal of Particularity’

A.  ‘Scandal’ in this case means the offense caused to unbelievers by the doctrine

B.  ‘Particularity’ refers to biblical claims that Jesus ALONE can save

II.  The Doctrine Opposed by Human Logic

A.  The Impulse to Overrule God

      (The Prejudice which Overestimates Human Capacity)

B.  The Impulse toward Self-Salvation Strategies

     (The Prejudice which Underestimates Human Depravity)

C.  The Absurdity of Democratic Theology

III.  The Theological Necessity of the Doctrine

A.  Because there is only One God

B.  Because God has only One Son

C.  Because of the Enormity of Christ’s Sacrifice.

IV.  The Biblical Emphasis of the Doctrine

A.  In the First Commandment  

“You shall have no other gods before Me”

Exodus 20:3

B.  In the Shema                                 

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is One!”

Deuteronomy 6:4

C.  In the Claims made by Jesus

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me.”

John 14:6

D.  In the Claims made about Jesus

“…through Whom He also made the world.”

Hebrews 1:2

“He left nothing that is not subject to Him.”

Hebrews 2:8

“For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus.”

I Timothy 2:5