bsf-review.weebly.comBible Study Fellowship (BSF) Class Lessons and Notes - BSF and Christian Zionism - Review of Bible S

Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) Class Lessons and Notes - BSF and Christian Zionism BSF Bible Study Lesson Notes and Questions - a review * NEW * An Illustrated Perspective - Christian Zionism Christian Zionism is not Biblical Who are God's Chosen People? Scripture vs Premillennial Dispensationalism Overall Message of the Bible A Review of the BSF Bible Study Program NOTE: All BSF lesson notes quoted on this site are accurate as of the 2011/12 class cycle when this review was written. They may have been revised since then. Introduction: _ Bible Study Fellowship or BSF as it is referred to by many, is one of the more popular Bible study programs around. Many people enjoy the discipline of the Bible study, the structure, the detailed class notes, the fellowship, and the overall commitment displayed by the leadership team. I served as a leader for many of the years I spent with BSF and I am acquainted with most of the studies ever produced by BSF. However, over the years, I became increasingly uncomfortable with the very thing I took for granted in the early classes I attended - their beliefs and consequently what they actually teach through their lectures and questions/notes. Ultimately, I left because I do not see myself teaching what I came to realize as serious errors of doctrine and theology. It was my involvement with BSF that also motivated me to continue to study God's Word outside of these lessons. It was through my own studies and investigations that I began to have serious concerns about what BSF is teaching. There are a number of areas that you, the BSF class member should know about. Before you are quick to say "no organization is perfect" (and this is true), I would suggest that you read on. For those of you who have been involved with BSF for some time, you too may not even be aware of these concerns that I have discovered. Someone once pointed out that rat poison is mostly food and a little bit of poison. My aim here is to share my discoveries that you may form your own convictions. BSF Lesson Notes and Discussion Questions - BSF lesson notes in blue _ The best approach that I can think of is to show you what BSF have written in the distributed lesson notes, because these are self-explanatory: Isaiah Bible-Study (Lesson 28, Pg 4, ref Isaiah 60 ‘the Glory of Zion’): “ Isaiah 60:12 is crucial to this chapter; “the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined.” The “you” here is Israel. Their attitude toward the people of God would determine how they stood with God “ The “you” here is most certainly Christ and NOT Israel. God’s Word appears to have been hijacked, replacing Christ for Israel. Here in chapter 60, Isaiah was prophesying the coming promised Messiah Jesus Christ, the light of the world (John 8:12). Note BSF’s comment that our attitude toward Israel determines our standing with God. This is obviously contrary to what Jesus taught. It is our attitude towards our Lord Jesus (not Israel) that should determine how we stand with God. Genesis Bible-Study (Lesson 12, Pg 3, ref Gen 12:3 ‘blessings and curse’ : “ God promised that Abraham should be so identified with Him that for anyone to be kind, good, or generous to Abraham would be considered as being kind, good, or generous toward God …. When God blesses us, He also blesses those who belong to us because He considers us His own – a part of Himself … that actually to curse Abraham deliberately is almost the equivalent of cursing God. Throughout history, this prophecy has continued even in regard to Abraham’s seed, the Jewish nation. “ Abraham was not God, and the tying of Abraham and (as BSF interprets it) his “seed” the Jewish nation, to the equivalent of God, is a blasphemous idea. Further along in Gen 22, God's repeated call to Abraham included the word "offspring" or "seed" (depending on translation): and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed Gen 22:18 The term ‘ nations’ refer to the peoples whom God had not yet made himself known to, will be blessed through the peoples whom God had made himself known (Abraham and his descendants). Note carefully that the above verse refers to a certain single offspring (or seed) that will be the means by which God will fulfill His plan. This is explained by the writer of Acts 3 with: And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, “Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.” When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways. Acts 3:25-26 These verses from Acts 3 affirm that the ‘offspring’ will first be sent to the people God initially revealed himself to (to turn them from their wicked ways), and this offspring will be the promised blessing to all the peoples on earth. The offspring is Christ and the blessing is God’s salvation plan through Christ: The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds’, meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed’, meaning one person, who is Christ. Gal 3:16 BTW, ‘nations’ interpreted from the original refer to those whom God had not yet revealed Himself to, i.e., ‘Gentiles’. Here is another verse that affirms this: Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’ Gal 3:8 Now, "Abraham's seed" is also used to refer to all who come to Christ in faith: If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise Gal 3:29 Therefore, all true Christians today are “Abraham’s seed” certainly NOT the “Jewish nation” as BSF stated. This grossly distorted interpretation comes straight from the Scofield notes and is widely used by Christian Zionist organizations to promote their cause to support the modern day nation of Israel. Christians, stay away from this unsavory agenda! On blessings and curses: The book of Amos makes it explicitly clear that it was God Himself who severely punished Israel for unrepentant sin. Even within the Isaiah study, the BSF class member would have noted that the prophet Isaiah had also warned Israel of impending judgement from God. This of course went unheeded as we read from scripture. Their punishment came in the form of the Assyrian and the Babylonian conquests. For the LORD God Almighty declares, “I will stir up a nation against you, O house of Israel, that will oppress you all the way from Lebo Hamath to the valley of the Arabah.” Amos 6:14 The above is just one verse from the book of Amos, but the entire book is a “must read” for anyone who still harbors the wrong understanding. “Throughout history” (to borrow BSF’s use of the term) of the ancient Israelites, God had used the evil nations (whom He later also punished for their own evil) to inflict judgement upon Israel. Evil does not escape God’s judgement. There are no favorites with God. He is fair and just. We should also recall the story of pharaoh of Egypt and how God used him against Israel (Exodus). One of the best ways to illustrate this is to use the Hebrew narrative of Joshua 5:13-15 which teaches us that God is not on anybody’s side, ours or those we consider our enemies (He is just and fair). We need to be on God’s side by being righteous before Him. BSF’s message on the other hand is, to paraphrase, “remember what happened to those nations that tried to do evil to Israel in the past” Clearly a very different kind of message from what we find from the Bible. Matthew Bible-Study (Lesson 28, Pg 5, ref Matt 25:31-46 ‘sheep and goats’): “ As proof of the regenerated character of these persons who Jesus knows as His “sheep”, Jesus enumerates their deeds of kindness done to “these brothers of mine” which he treats as though such deeds were done to Him personally. …. Whereas the blessing is prepared for the sheep, everlasting fire is prepared only for the devil and his angels...