A Course in
BASIC THEOLOGY
of
THE CROSS 
By: Pastor Max Solbrekken 

The little book I wrote in 1980 was called The Truth Shall Make You Free! We printed 10,000 copies of that edition and they were given out as quickly as we could supply them. Now, 18 years later we are reprinting this fine booklet, but under a different title.

I felt  A Course in Basic Theology   was a more appropriate title. May the Lord bless this book and bring deliverance and healing to multitudes.    ~ Max Solbrekken  Edmonton

DEDICATION

I wish to dedicate this book to all serious Bible students who desire God's power in their lives with which to bring liberation, divine healing & deliverance to their fellowman!

Also to all who are hurting because of Satan's snares, entrapments and torments. May each reader appropriate the promises of God found in this book and be liberated from sin, fear, sickness, disease, poverty & untimely death. And from demon possession!  Amen.

PREFACE:  THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE

"Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)

The truth liberates the soul, the conscience and the mind of man! The truth breaks the chains of darkness, superstition and fear. It opens the prisons of doubt and unbelief! The truth removes mountains of discouragement, negativism and oppression! The truth defeats giants of despair, heartbreak and loneliness, and opens within us wells of joy, rivers of peace and floodtides of love! Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free!"

Free from all bondage, sickness & sin Free from fears & the troubles within: Free from the devil and his evil power Delivered by Jesus in this very hour

JESUS PRAYED: "THY WORD O LORD IS TRUTH."

Jesus prayed: "Thy Word O Lord is Truth." (John 17:17) Our Lord said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." (John 14:6) The Bible teaches that the Word of God is Spirit and Life, (Phil. 2:16) and that Jesus also is the Word of God. (Rev. 19:13)

THE BIBLE & OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ARE BOTH REFERRED TO AS THE WORD OF GOD

Both the Bible and our Lord Jesus Christ are referred to as the Word of God and only Jesus and the Word has the power to make people free! The Bible is the written Word of God and Jesus is the Living Word of God! And if you will believe it my friend, Jesus Christ will come out of the pages of this book and enter your heart! Our Lord Jesus Christ made the statement, "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house forever, but the son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:34-36)

ANYONE WHO COMMITS SIN IS THE SERVANT OF SIN AND IS NOT FREE

The Bible states that anyone who commits sin is the servant of sin and is NOT FREE, but thanks to God, THE TRUTH WILL LIBERATE THEM! The Apostle John wrote, "If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)

Here are some very important facts about the TRUTH of GOD.

WE MUST HEAR THE TRUTH

 "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." (Romans 10:17)

WE MUST BELIEVE THE TRUTH

"How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14)

WE MUST HOLD FAST TO THE TRUTH

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)  "Take heed unto thyself, and unto doctrine; continue in them; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." (1 Tim. 4:16)   "Buy the truth and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction and understanding." (Proverbs 23:23)

WE MUST TELL THE TRUTH

"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His Majesty." (2 Peter 1:16)

"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; rebuke,  time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears." (2 Timothy 4:2-3)

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

WE MUST OBEY THE TRUTH

"If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)

"If ye abide in Me and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." (John 15:7)

"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed." (John 8:31)

"If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am a minister;" (Colossians 1:23)

"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20)

SATAN IS A LIAR AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM

Jesus called the devil a liar and a murderer: "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it." (John 8:44)

SATAN IS A COLOSSAL DECEIVER AND LIAR AND 
THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM

He may tell some truths or half truths in order to deceive and enslave the human race, but he himself is TOTAL DARKNESS AND THERE IS NO LIGHT OR LIFE IN HIM!

When you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, you say farewell to the kingdom of darkness and you are automatically translated into God's glorious Kingdom!

"Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints. Which is Christ in you the hope of Glory." (Colossians 1:26-27)

YOU ARE PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE, BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

The Bible says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (1 John 1: 1-5) "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)

The Scriptures declare that sinful men rejected Him because their deeds were evil! They hated the Light and loved the darkness. (John 3:19) The Bible says, "In Him (Jesus Christ) was Life and the Life was the Light of men." (John 1:4) Again the Scripture says, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36)

WHEN THE LIGHT IS SWITCHED ON, THE DARKNESS FLEES AND WHEN JESUS COMES INTO A LIFE IN HIS GREAT POWER, ALL SIN, FEAR, OPPRESSION, SICKNESS, DISEASE AND EVIL POWERS LEAVE! PRAISE GOD!

There are five glorious truths that I wish to set forth in this lesson, to help build your faith! As a stone mason lays block upon block, so I present these truths 'Scripture upon Scripture',  knowing that the Word of God creates faith in our hearts and faith gets the job done! Praise God!

#1 - GOD HAS NOT CHANGED, CANNOT CHANGE 
AND WILL NEVER CHANGE

"I am the Lord, I change not." (Malachi 3:6a)

Here, the Living God makes one of His most significant statements of fact. He is changeless, always constant and timeless! Nothing can alter that great truth! Men are born, live, pass on and are gone like the grass of the field, but God remains the SAME.

The Bible says, "And Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but Thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt Thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail." (Hebrew s 1:10-12)

WE MUST OBEY THE TRUTH

(1)  GOD IS ETERNAL

 God is eternal - without beginning or end - everlasting and always God.

The Psalmist David wrote: "Lord, Thou has been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God...

"For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." (Psalms 90:1-4)

"The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms..." (Deuteronomy  33:27)

(2) GOD IS OMNIPOTENT

God is omnipotent (meaning)  - He is all powerful.

"I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known Me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me. I am the Lord, and there is none else." (Isaiah 45:5-6)

"I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded."  (Isaiah 45:12)

Jesus said: "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." (Matthew 28:18)

(3) GOD IS OMNISCIENT

GOD IS OMNISCIENT (meaning) - He is all wise & all knowing!

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

"For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

"But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (1 Corinthians  2:18-25)

"To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen." (Rom. 16:27) If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5)

(a)  GOD HAS NOT CHANGED:  

From eternity to eternity He is God! He was the same in the beginning of man's existence, He is the same today and He will be the same throughout eternity! Praise God!

(b)  GOD CANNOT CHANGE:

It is impossible for God to be anything but Who and What He is today - kind, loving, generous, good, holy, just and true.

(c)  GOD WILL NOT CHANGE IN THE FUTURE:

The Bible says: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8)

"And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands: They shall perish; but Thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt Thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail." (Hebrews 1:10-12)

(d)  GOD IS IMMUTABLE:

He is perfect in all things; totally truthful, and since He never makes a mistake He doesn't need to apologize for error. There is no error in God. If He has said it, that settles it. God is God and is changeless and unalterable. The "immutability of His Word" speaks of the permanent character of His Word. Since God and His Word are one, He is permanently error-free, righteous and perfect! Glory to His Name. You can believe unreservedly on Him with total trust. (Hebrews 6:13-18)

BECAUSE GOD HAS NOT CHANGED

(1) God still answers prayer: "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jeremiah 33:3)

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Matthew  7:7-8)

(2) God still forgives the sinner: "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Acts 2:21) "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (l John 1:7-9)

(3) God still brings peace to the troubled and removes guilt: "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in Me. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:1, 27)

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans  5:1; 8:1)

(4) God still cares: "And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of My people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites." (Exodus 3:7-8)

"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

(5)God still meets our needs: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house. And prove Me herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

"And I will rebuke the destroyer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts."  (Malachi 3:10-11)

"But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)

(6)God still heals the sick: "And these signs shall follow them that believe; in My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." (Mark 16: 17-18)"

"IS ANY SICK AMONG YOU? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." (James 5:14-15)

(7) God still fills believers with the Holy Spirit: "Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:38-39)

"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?” (Luke 11:13)

(8) God still blesses and loads us with benefits: "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases." (Psalms 103:1-3)

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."  (3 John 1:2)

GOD STILL PROTECTS US FROM DANGER, EVIL AND SATAN

(9) God still protects us from danger, evil and Satan: "There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." (Psalms 91:10-11)

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." (Isa. 41:10) "Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies." (Psalms 103:4)

"And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name." (Luke 10:17)

(10) God still leads, guides & directs us: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

"The Spirit (Himself) beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together."  (Romans 8:14-17)

(a) We know what God will do in the future by what He has done in the past, because He has not changed. He has always told the truth for He is the truth and since it is impossible for God to lie, we know we can put our trust in Him as God.

(b) He is too good to do anything wrong. He is too wise to make a mistake. He is too powerful to allow Satan to harm His children who call upon His Name in faith and who trust in His truth.

(c) He is too conscientious and correct to lose our number, forget us or leave us to aimlessly drift on the sea of life and death without His divine guidance and direction.

(d) The Scripture emphatically declares: "God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent (change his mind) hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good? (Numbers 23:19)

Samuel the Prophet declared: "And also the Strength of Israel will not lie or repent: for He is not a man, that He should repent." (1 Samuel 15:29)

You can believe the Word of God because it is ever and always the same. St. James said, "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways!" He admonishes us to ask God for our needs, in faith. And He assures us that our needs will be met, because we are dealing with one Who is always the same and Who is liberal in His giving.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17)

St. Paul, in writing to Titus made the great declaration that I am now making - "God cannot lie." (Titus 1:2)

Since it is impossible for God to lie, His nature is totally against falsehood and His commandments all demand truth and condemn lying.  We can rest assured that His promises are trustworthy.

The Bible says, "I hate every false way." (Psalm 119:104) 

"Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are His delight." (Proverbs 12:22), 

"And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." (Revelation 21:5) 

Our Lord Jesus Christ stated, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." (John 14:6)

God has never lied, cannot lie and will not lie, for He not only speaks the Truth but HE IS THE TRUTH!
                                                     

                                     CONTINUE TO:
                                      Basic Theology of the Cross  -  Part  2