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Acts 242 Church of Christ

Lesson 2 of 7 — Discipleship

Word of God

Making the Bible Your Standard for Life

Every person lives by a standard. This lesson helps you build conviction about the Bible as the Word of God and make it your standard for life.

Purpose

To help you decide to make the Bible your standard for life and to build conviction about what the Bible says about itself.

Following along in the printed booklet? Foundation Guide, pp. 19–31

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Lesson Two

WORD OF
GOD

Making the Bible Your Standard for Life

Acts 242 Foundation Guide · Edition 1 · 2026
Lesson 2 of 7
Title1 / 25
Purpose

To help you decide to make the Bible your standard for life and to build conviction about what the Bible says about itself.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
Book p. 19
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Purpose2 / 25
Main Question

What is your standard in life?

Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God? Do you trust it enough to follow it?

Lesson 02 · Word of God
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Main question3 / 25
Intro

Every person lives by a standard. Some follow:

personal opinion
culture
emotions
traditions

If the Bible is truly the Word of God, then it must become our final authority.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
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Intro4 / 25
Your Answer

Before we open the Bible

Illustration

If you wanted to measure something accurately, you would need a standard like a ruler. Without a standard, everything becomes a guess.

What is the standard of measurement in your life?

Write down what has actually decided right and wrong for you until now.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
Book p. 20
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Before we open the Bible5 / 25
Background

Facts About the Bible

01
Written by around 40 authors
02
Written in three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek
03
Written across three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe
04
Written over a period of about 1,500 years
05
Contains hundreds of prophecies fulfilled in Jesus
06
No proven contradiction despite its complexity
07
More ancient copies than any other historical document
Lesson 02 · Word of God
Book p. 21
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Facts about the Bible6 / 25
Scripture

All Scripture Is God-Breathed

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Do you believe that all Scripture is from God?

Lesson 02 · Word of God
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2 Timothy 3:16-177 / 25
Understand

The Bible is useful to teach, correct, rebuke, and train, so that a person may be fully equipped. It is not just for information. It is meant to transform your life.

To accept the Bible as God’s Word means:

allowing it to correct you
allowing it to change your thinking
allowing it to guide your decisions
Lesson 02 · Word of God
Book p. 22
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Understand: transform8 / 25
Scripture

Alive and Active

Hebrews 4:12–13 NIV

12 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. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from Godʼs sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
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Hebrews 4:12-139 / 25
Understand

The Word of God is living and active. It exposes the human heart. The Bible is like a mirror. It reveals:

motives
intentions
hidden attitudes

Sometimes it is uncomfortable, but it is necessary for growth.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
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Understand: the mirror10 / 25
Truth

The goal is not just to read the Bible, but to let the Bible change you.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
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Truth: let it change you11 / 25
Warning

Three things that take away from God’s Word

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Warning12 / 25

1 · INTERPRETATION

2 Peter 1:19–21

The Bible is meant to be understood as God intended, not adjusted to fit our opinions.

2 · EMOTIONS

John 8:31–32

Feelings do not determine truth. You can feel right and still be wrong. Truth comes from God’s Word.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
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1 Interpretation, 2 Emotions13 / 25
Ask

Which of the two has had more influence on what you believe, your own reading, or how you felt at the time?

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Question: reading or feeling14 / 25

3 · TRADITIONS

Mark 7:1–13

Religious or cultural traditions can override God’s Word.

Example

Following tradition instead of obeying Scripture.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
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3 Traditions15 / 25
Warning

If we are not careful, we may follow what is familiar instead of what is true.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
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Warning: familiar not true16 / 25
Scripture

Life and Doctrine

1 Timothy 4:16 NIV

16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

What is more important: life or doctrine?

Both are equally important. You must guard what you believe (doctrine) and how you live (life). Wrong beliefs lead to wrong actions.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
Book p. 26
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1 Timothy 4:1617 / 25
Scripture

The Bereans

Acts 17:10–11 NIV

10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Acts 242 Summary

The believers in Berea received Paul’s message with great eagerness, and examined the Scriptures every day to see whether what he said was true.

Do not rely only on what others say. Study the Bible for yourself.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
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Acts 17:10-11 Bereans18 / 25
Scripture

Do What It Says

James 1:22–25 NIV

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Listening without applying leads to self-deception. It is not enough to hear, read, or agree. You must obey.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
Book p. 27
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James 1:22-2519 / 25
Scripture

The Word That Judges

John 12:48 NIV

48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.

Key Truth

You will not be measured against your own reading of Scripture. You will be measured against Scripture.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
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John 12:4820 / 25
Ask

From today, what will be your standard?

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From today, what will be your standard21 / 25
Reflect

Answer Honestly

What has been my standard in life?
Do I follow God’s Word or my own opinions?
Am I willing to let the Bible correct me?
What is one thing I have believed that I have never checked in Scripture?
Lesson 02 · Word of God
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Reflect22 / 25
Challenge
01
Read the Bible daily
02
Begin with the Gospel of John
03
Apply what you learn
04
Make God’s Word your standard
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Challenge23 / 25
Prayer

God,

Help me to trust Your Word completely.

Teach me to follow Your truth, not my own understanding. Give me a heart that is willing to obey and be changed.

Amen.

Lesson 02 · Word of God
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Prayer24 / 25
Next

Lesson 3
Discipleship

Following Jesus with commitment and obedience

Acts 242 Church of Christ · acts242churchofchrist.com
Acts 2:42
Closing25 / 25
Download slides (PDF) ↓25 slides · A4 · for printing and offline reading

Purpose

To help you decide to make the Bible your standard for life and to build conviction about what the Bible says about itself.

Main question

What is your standard in life? Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God? Do you trust it enough to follow it?

Explanation

Every person lives by a standard. Some follow personal opinion, culture, emotions, or traditions. But if the Bible is truly the Word of God, then it must become our final authority. The Bible was written by around 40 authors, across three continents, over about 1,500 years — and it contains hundreds of prophecies fulfilled in Jesus. The goal is not simply to read the Bible, but to let the Bible change you.

Key Passages

2 Timothy 3:16–17

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.

Hebrews 4:12

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.

James 1:22

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Understand

God's Word Transforms

The Bible is not just for information. It is meant to transform your life. To accept the Bible as God's Word means allowing it to correct you, allowing it to change your thinking, and allowing it to guide your decisions.

The Bible Reveals the Heart

The Word of God is like a mirror. It reveals motives, intentions, and hidden attitudes. Sometimes it is uncomfortable, but it is necessary for growth. The goal is not just to read the Bible, but to let the Bible change you.

Obey, Not Only Hear

It is not enough to hear, read, or agree. You must obey. Listening without applying leads to self-deception. Watch your life and your doctrine closely, because both are equally important. Study the Bible for yourself and do not rely only on what others say.

Reflection

What has been my standard in life? Do I follow God's Word or my own opinions? Am I willing to let the Bible correct me?

Challenge

Read the Bible daily. Begin with the Gospel of John. Apply what you learn. Make the Word of God your standard.

Prayer

“God, help me to trust Your Word completely. Teach me to follow Your truth, not my own understanding. Give me a heart that is willing to obey and be changed. Amen.”

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