Getting Started
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:14–17
(Jesus speaking) “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:17–19
Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Hebrews 4:11–13
Resources
Bible
Video: Why I believe the Bible –Vodie Baucham
Video: Is the Old Testament Reliable? 3 Solid Evidences
Video: Is the NewTestament Reliable?
Background Information
During this field seminar, the weekly devotions will focus on aspects of a Biblical worldview that are vital to a framework of ethical and moral decision making for Christian social workers. The goal of the Christian, through the help and power of the Holy Spirit, is to align his or her thinking and lifestyle with God’s truth which is His word and His Son who is the Truth and is revealed in the scriptures. Therefore, it is vital that Christians have confidence in the Bible as the communication and revelation of God as Jesus did and are not afraid to affirm and uphold its teaching, morals and principles. Believing in the authority of the Bible as the revealed truth, word and promises of God is foundational to the Christian faith.
The Bible is also the foundation for ethics and moral decision making for Christians and the guide and source of God’s revealed truth to humankind by which all other truth claims and ideas must be measured. The Christian faith proclaims the Bible is the word of God and therefore has authority in life over everything. Christians also believe that although the Bible contains different forms of literature in 66 books written by more than 40 authors over the course of more than 1,000 years, it is historically accurate and reliable and has yet to be proven otherwise. Written human policies, decrees, and codes have come and gone in history, but Jesus tells us that God’s Word never will pass away. If God is alive and real, then He is certainly capable of communicating with the people He created and establishing a book to ensure that His will and character can be readily and consistently understood. But how can we be sure that the Bible is God’s Word and that it is reliable and trustworthy as the authority for our lives and decision making in every area? How do we respond to questions or challenges we or others may have to the authority of the Bible? You will consider the trustworthiness of the Bible in this week’s devotional to help increase your confidence as you consider ethical decision making.
When we understand that the Bible is God’s words, promises and perfect guide for living containing His message of abundant life, hope, and redemption for us and the world, it changes everything. It becomes our framework for all decision making both personal and professional and the place we go to hear our Father’s voice and draw close to Him.
Pray
God, if You are God, then You are certainly capable of speaking into our world and showing us the truth that we should live by. Thank you for the amazing consistency and accuracy of the Bible over time. And thank you for coming as the Word made flesh so that we could both hear Your words and see what they really mean through Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Instructions
Watch following:
Voddie Baucham, “Why I believe the Bible” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15EoR6O-rUA)
Video: Is the Old Testament Reliable? 3 Solid Evidences (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCwrXcC52Co)
Video: Is the New Testament Reliable? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs4s2i_bWEw)
In a two-three page, APA-formatted document, use the information in the videos to answer the following prompts:
What challenges to the authority of the Bible as God’s word or truth have you heard, encountered, or struggled with? Identify at least one. Based on your experience, describe the impact of this challenge to the Bible on you personally, someone you know, or our culture. Why should the authority of the bible matter to Christian social workers?
Identify and discuss 2 items from the video that you chose to watch and that you found noteworthy or important regarding the trustworthiness of the Bible. How do these ideas affect your current view of the Bible?
Discuss your current view of the authority of the Bible versus the authority of the NASW Code of Ethics for you as a social worker and how you will navigate your view of the authority of these documents in your professional life. If you believe that the Bible has authority over the code of ethics, what will you do if an ethical issues brings your social work ethics into conflict with your Biblical ethics?
What questions do you have, if any, about the authority of the Bible, its message or morals, and how will you seek to resolve your questions as you seek to integrate your faith and social work practice?
Before finalizing your work, ensure that you:
Follow the assignment instructions carefully.
Use the computer’s spelling and grammar check.
Use APA Style for organization, style, and source credits, including:
12-point, double-spaced Times New Roman font
One-inch margins on all sides
Normal character spacing
In-text citations
Title page and reference page (not included in the required page count)
Properly formatted headings
