A Short Quiz For A Two-Part Men's Bible Study

Millions have read and appreciated Sarah Young's numerous devotional  books, the first of which was her best-selling daily devotional, Jesus Calling. In each of her published works she has Jesus personally addressing individual believers with promises and blessings based on selected scriptures.

As a part of the Men's Bible Study group that meets Tuesday mornings at the Park View Mennonite Church, I'm to lead a two-part series on Christian citizenship on October 27 and November 3 (my apologies for this being for men only, but that's another subject). 

My objective in this study is to show how the Bible, much as it is intended to bless individual believers, is largely addressed to whole communities of people ("you all"), and that our primary identity and mission has to do with our membership in our family, our faith family and the worldwide family of God's reign on earth.

We will also note that we are to be responsible citizens of our local communities, of our city or county, and of our state and our nation. In short, each of us is our brother's and sister's keepers, and none of us live only as autonomous individuals, but are responsible both to God and to our neighbors.

As a teaching device, I'm using this "Short Quiz For Christian Citizens, Part I," for this Tuesday's 7 am lesson, which is preceded by a simple breakfast at 6:45. 

(Part II, for the following week, will focus on New Testament texts)

T F 1. The word citizen comes from a word for city, and refers to “a resident member of a community, town, city or nation.”

T F 2. The word political has to do with the polity (policies), civic affairs and governance of a community, town, city or nation of which we are inevitably a part.

T F 3. The Bible is non-political, in that it deals with the inner spiritual life of individuals in preparation for the kingdom to come, while politics is about our public life in the here and now, governed by secular authorities ordained by God.

T F 4. The first civil entity God ordained is the family, a small civilization whose members (citizens) are to honor their elders and freely help and support each other.

T F 5. Both male and female citizens made in God’s image are to exercise responsible sovereignty over, and stewardship of, the earth on God’s behalf.

T F 6. Adam’s companion, taken from his side, is created as a “helper suitable for him,” the word helper being the same Hebrew word as in the psalmist’s, “The Lord is my helper.”

T F 7. The majority of the 39 books that make up the First Covenant are addressed to, and are about, God’s called out people (and sometimes to the people of surrounding nations).

T F 8. Many of our Old Testament books were written during and/or are about times when God’s people were without their own land, and highlight stories of key leaders in exile like Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Jeremiah and others.

T F 9. The Shepherd’s Psalm (23), while usually read as the personal experience of an individual believer, uses the metaphor of sheep, which are always a part of a flock or herd (as in the word shepherd), and describe our being a part of a blessed and forever house (household) of God.

T F 10. The oft quoted phrase “Be still and know that I am God,” is best understood as an invitation for individual believers to take time for quiet meditation and reflection on God in a way that restores inner peace (Psalm 46).

T F 11. The Isaiah 1:18 text that offers forgiveness and salvation even if our sins “are like scarlet” and “red like crimson,” refers primarily to our need for personal repentance.

T F 12. Jeremiah 29:11 (“I know the plans I have for you…”) is one of many examples of God affirming the first of Bill Bright’s “Four Spiritual Laws,”“God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your (individual) life.”

T F 13. Hymn #173 in Voices Together (The Lord Your God Is With You) is based on a text in the Bible,

Zephaniah 3:17, that is focused on God’s personal, rather than communal, care for us.

T F 14. In the First Testament God’s people are to pledge their allegiance and loyalty to God’s heaven-governed nation alone, and are never to become actual citizens, but only resident aliens and ambassadors, of any other nation in which they might temporarily live (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, etc.).

T F 15. God’s people are commanded to provide help and hospitality to citizens of any other nations who live among them as immigrants and strangers.

T F 16. The descendants of Abraham, the people of Israel, are blessed in order to become an agent of God’ salvation and blessing to all nations in the world.

T F 17. Stories in the Hebrew Bible of people’s direct encounters with God usually have to do with their being called out as prophets and leaders of God’s people.

T F 18. Most adults in Bible times were literate and had access to their own copy of the Torah.

T F 19. God’s eternal empire/reign is God’s priority. All other nations are as a ‘drop in a bucket.’

20. Underline the Old Testament books you see as addressed primarily to individual believers.

Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy
Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra
Nehemiah Esther
Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs
Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi

Key: 1. T, 2. T, 3. F, 4. T, 5. T, 6. T, 7. T, 8. T, 9. F, 10. F, 11. F, 12. F, 13. F, 14. T, 15. T, 16. T, 17. T, 18. F, 19. T, 20. some of the Psalms, much of Proverbs