- God
"that being than which none greater can be conceived." (St. Anselm of Canterbury)
- Immanence
- Transcendence
- Sprirituality
- Aseity
He is self-sustaining, self-existent.
- Personality
- Infinity
- Omniprensence
- Eternality
- Omniscience
- Omnisapience
"All-wise"
- Omnipotence
- Freedom
- Immutability
"unchanging"
- Analogy
A comparison based on similarity.
- Metaphor
One thing conceived as representing another.
- Anthropopathism
Refers to God having human emotions.
- Theophany
An appearance of God to a human; a divine manifestation.
- What is the basic argument for the Trinity?
- Know some scriptures supporting this argument:
- I Cor. 8:6 - "But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him."
- Jn. 1:1-17 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (6) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. (7) The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. (8) He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. (9) That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (10) He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (14) 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. (15) John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. (16) And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. (17) For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
- Acts 5:3-5 - "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? (4) Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. (5) And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things."
- Matt. 28:19 - "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"
- II Cor. 13:14 - "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen."
- Is the Trinity a rational doctrine? If not, why should one believe it?
- Foreordination
Although some theologians use this as a synonym for predestination, others use it to refer to “God’s predetermination of every event in history,” which is the way we will use the term
- Predestination
God’s election of certain individuals to salvation and others to reprobation.
- Election
God’s positive choice of individuals or groups of people to eternal fellowship with him.
- Reprobation
God’s choice of some to suffer eternal damnation.
- Calvinism
in brief, the position that regeneration logically precedes conversion. (The Calvinist typically holds that depraved persons cannot have faith unless God overcomes their depravity. Faith occurs in the hearts of all those whose depravity God has chosen to overcome.)
- Arminianism
in brief, the position that conversion logically precedes regeneration. (The Arminian typically holds that God has made faith possible for all depraved people, and that God responds to the faith of those who trust him by saving them.)
God is Father of:
- Christians
- All of creation
- Israel: Jer. 31:9
"They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn."
- Jesus Christ: Mt. 3:17
"And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
- Elohim: God (Gen. 1:1)
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
- Jehovah/Yahweh: LORD (Ex. 3:14)
"And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you."
- Adonai: Lord (Gen. 15:2)
"And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?"
- These are often combined with other words to produce compound names of God.
- Ex. 20: 7: “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”
- Creation ex nihilo
Creation out of nothing.
- The day-age theory
The days mentioned in Gn 1 refer to long periods of time rather than 24-hour days.
- Fiat creation
God created everything that is and ever will be; nothing ever evolves.
- Theistic evolution
God created the first organic forms and uses evolution to create other life forms from these.
- Progressive creation
At various times in history God created new life forms and used these along with evolution to bring about additional life forms.
- Mature creationism
The physical worls was created with the appearance of age (maturity) at some time in the recent past.
- Divine Providence
- Divine Preservation
- Divine Governance
- Does God direct every detail of history, or only certain events of his choosing?
- If God directs every detail of history, how can this be reconciled with his opposition to sin?
- If God has an unchanging plan for the future, than how can prayer actually change anything?
- Know the biblical and theological arguments for his deity.
- Jn. 6:38 - "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me."
- Know the biblical and theological arguments for his humanity.
- Jn. 8:40 - "But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham."
- Know the biblical and theological arguments for the unity of the divine and human natures in one person.
- Jn. 1:14 - "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."
- Know whether Jesus the Christ could commit sin (per our class discussion)
- Know Christ’s three offices.
- Prophet
- Priest
- King
- Know the two temporal stages of his ministry and the major events in each.
- Know what a Christophany is.
An appearance of Christ, as to his disciples after the crucifixion.
- Nestorianism
The two natures intersect but are not united in the person of Christ.
- Eutychianism
Jesus’ humanity was so absorbed into his deity that it was virtually eliminated.
- Kenoticism
At the incarnation, God emptied himself of some of his attributes to temporarily become human, and then took them up again at the resurrection. Thus Jesus was not completely divine: he did not have all of the divine attributes.
- The Orthodox View
Jesus was fully God and fully human, united in one person, without the loss of either divine or human attributes (though he surrendered the independent exercise of some divine attributes).
- I Tim. 3:16, “…God was manifest in the flesh…”
- If Jesus is the eternal God, how can he die?
- What is death?
- Death = separation.
- Separation of the body and the spirit.
- Separation of the spirit and God.
- Death = separation.
- How did Jesus die?
- His body and spirit separated.
- Perhaps his spirit separated from the Father’s (Mt. 27.46).
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
- Atonement
A reparation made for an injury or wrong.
- Substitute
A person or thing acting or serving in place of another.
- Redemption
The act of recovering something through payment.
- Sacrifice
The surrender or destruction of something prized or for the sake of something considered as having a higher value or more pressing claim.
- Propitiation
That which makes one favorably inclined toward one who was viewed with animosity; appeasement; conciliation.
- Reconciliation
The reestablishing of cordial relations between two estranged parties.
- OT prefiguration: OT sacrifices
- Is. 53: 5, 6 - "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
- Lev. 4:24-26 - "And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the Lord: it is a sin offering. (25) And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering. (26) And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him."
- NT Data:
- Jesus’ view of himself:
- Luke 22:37 - "For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end."
- John the Baptist
- Jn. 1:29 - "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
- The apostle Paul
- Rom. 3:23-25 - "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (24) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;"
- Hebrews 9:6-16 (provides a detailed summary) - "Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. (7) But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: (8) The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: (9) Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; (10) Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. (11) But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; (12) Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (13) For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: (14) How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (15) And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. (16) For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator."
- Confirms God’s holiness.
- Confirms human depravity.
- Confirms that salvation is by grace.
- Confirms that Jesus is both infinite God and finite human.
- Emphasizes the unimaginably great worth of our salvation.
- Humiliation:
- Incarnation
- Death
- Exaltation
- Resurrection
- Ascension
- Session
- Second coming
- Intercessor: he intervenes on our behalf (Heb. 7:25).
"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."
- Advocate: he represents us before the throne of God, defending our status as righteous in him (I Jn. 2:1).
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"
- The Kingdom of God
God’s entrance into history to reign over his creation
- Consistent Eschatology
God’s kingdom is entirely future.
- Realized Eschatology
God’s kingdom was realized during Jesus’ earthly life.
- Delayed Parousia
The second coming, and with it the inauguration of God’s kingdom, has been delayed for 2000 years.
- The kingdom is present:
- Matt. 12:22-28 -"Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. (23) And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? (24) But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. (25) And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: (26) And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? (27) And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. (28) But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you."
- The kingdom is future:
- Matt. 6:9-10 - "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (10) Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
- Conclusion: some aspects of the kingdom are present, and some are future.
- It’s importance in Jesus’ thought:
- Mt. 10:28 - "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
- The entrance requirement for the Kingdom of God.
- It is a belief and trust so deep that it transforms your life, sometimes in unpleasant ways.
- Mk. 10:17-21 - "And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? (18) And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. (19) Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. (20) And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. (21) Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me."
- It is loving God with all your being…
- Mk. 12:28-30 - "And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? (29) And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: (30) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment."
- which results in a changed life of total commitment…
- Lk. 14:25-27 - "And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, (26) If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (27) And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."
- And loving everyone else.
- Mk. 12:31 - "And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."
- Four First-Century Options:
- Annihilation
- Immortality of the soul
- Resurrection of the body
- A combination of two and three
- Which was Jesus’ view?
- We are more than merely physical:
- Mt. 26:41 - "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
- The spiritual aspect can survive death:
- Mt. 10:28 - "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
- There is also a physical resurrection:
- Mk. 12:18-27 - "Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, (19) Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. (20) Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. (21) And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. (22) And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. (23) In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. (24) And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? (25) For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. (26) And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? (27) He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err."
- There will be separate futures for the righteous and the wicked:
- Mt. 25:31-46 - "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: (32) And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (33) And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. (34) Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (35) For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: (36) Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. (37) Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? (38) When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? (39) Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? (40) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (41) Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (42) For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: (43) I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. (44) Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? (45) Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. (46) And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
- For a variety of reasons, many people fear death.
- Habermas writes, “The death and resurrection of Jesus, viewed along with the heavenly perspective that these events provide, ultimately supply the chief answer to our dilemma” (175).
- I Corinthians 15:55-57 - “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- I Cor. 10:13 - “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will no suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to excape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
- Step 1: He examines Job’s suffering.
- Step 2: He considers Jesus’ resurrection.
- Step 3: He realizes Jesus’ love.
- Step 4: He trusts in God’s providence.
- Step 5: He corrects his thinking.