Throughout the New Testament the vital relationship of Jesus’ person and His works constantly is brought before us The life and ministry of Christ is an enigma if His divinehuman nature is denied Miracles are signs of revelation from God The New Testament abounds with miracles, most of them performed by Christ Their basic purpose was to be signs, or revealing truths For example, John writes that the miracles of Jesus were signs attesting who He was, “the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31; cf Mark 8:27-29) There are secondary purposes in the New Testament miracles, such as alleviation of pain in healing a disease, or in iction of judgment for sin, but the primary purpose is to reveal truth about the miracle worker, Christ The Holy Spirit is an active worker in this age All Persons of the Trinity are always ministering in behalf of every creature Their ministries are equally important, though of di erent character The Old Testament records many of the Holy Spirit’s ministries for the non-elect, and the New Testament teaches His manifold work mainly in the experience of Christians Walvoord compares the two eras (Old and New Testament) concerning the Holy Spirit’s work: “… the age of grace shines with all the more brilliant luster, the exceeding abundance of all the ministries of the Spirit to all saints constituting a display of the grace of God such as the world has never seen before.”47 You will nd in your study of the New Testament many extended passages about the person and work of the Holy Spirit (e.g., Romans 8) All world history moves onward to the last days All world history is in God’s sovereign control He directs or permits the course of events in a person’s or nation’s career according to His sovereign and perfect will And all will culminate at the climactic event of the enthronement of Jesus Christ (Read Philippians 2:9-11.) The historical periods of New Testament history are these: HISTORY N T COVERAGE the life of Christ Gospels the birth and first years of the church Acts 1-12 the church’s early years of expansion Acts 13-28; Epistles; Revelation 1-3 world history of end times Revelation 4-21 A quick scanning of the New Testament shows that very few details of world history are prophesied concerning the two millennia before end times But grand truths, which give deep and wide and far-reaching perspective, appear in the Bible text from time to time For example, “all things … whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities … have been created through Him and for Him” (Col 1:16) It is important for the Bible student not to demand (and so invent) detailed descriptions of history, whether predicted or reported He should embrace the grand truths, and interpret and apply them as they were intended by God When he does that, the full su ciency of New Testament history and prophecy will be apparent D ACCEPT THE NEW TESTAMENT AS GOD’S FINAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIVING It is possible for Christians to live lives pleasing to God.48 If that were not so, all the New Testament’s commands, exhortations, promises, and helps would be one vast fraud ... behalf of every creature Their ministries are equally important, though of di erent character The Old Testament records many of the Holy Spirit’s ministries for the non-elect, and the New Testament. .. the exceeding abundance of all the ministries of the Spirit to all saints constituting a display of the grace of God such as the world has never seen before.”47 You will nd in your study of the. .. 2:9-11.) The historical periods of New Testament history are these: HISTORY N T COVERAGE the life of Christ Gospels the birth and first years of the church Acts 1-12 the church’s early years of expansion