MBS 106 - Christian Theology 1

THE DOCTRINE OF GOD

The definition of theology is the study of God. There are different categories of theology, some such being natural or revealed theology. One can also study Biblical theology, Historical theology, or Systematic theology. Some of the different perceptions that are used in the study of theology are rationalism, empiricism, and faith. Different views on God also abound in this type of doctrine. Such false theories can include atheism, agnosticism, materialism, polytheism, deism, and tritheism.

The definition of theology is the study of God. There are different categories of theology, some such being natural or revealed theology. One can also study Biblical theology, Historical theology, or Systematic theology. Some of the different perceptions that are used in the study of theology are rationalism, empiricism, and faith. Different views on God also abound in this type of doctrine. Such false theories can include atheism, agnosticism, materialism, polytheism, deism, and tritheism.

Christians are of the belief that there only one God and he is ruler over all things. We cannot prove he exists but evidence can be given to back up this argument. This evidence can be divided into two categories: natural evidence and revealed evidence. Natural evidence states that all of the worlds creations are proof that God exists. Revealed evidence refers to revelations given to man from God.

One such Proof under the naturalistic argument is the moral argument. Man has a moralistic nature which allows us to believe in God and to know right from wrong. Argument by design and the cosmological argument are two other proofs. The universe was created in a logical fashion and follows orderly rules, thereby pointing to an intelligent creator. Man also knows there is a supreme being without being told this, also proving there is a God. Man cannot be saved by natural evidence but it can lead him to seek further information.

One of the main sources of revealed evidence is the Holy Bible. God revealed His word to the Biblical authors to be written down and passed onto mankind. Within the Biblical stories, God also spoke to different people and revealed certain things to them. Unlike natural evidence, we can be saved by this type of revelation.

What is God like? It is a question asked by many on a daily basis. We can not accurately define God but we can describe him in limited human terms. Some times He his portrayed in an impersonal fashion. Other times it is in a more personal way. The Bible tells us that "God is Spirit. He is a living and active divine person who is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being."

For the Christian, we must see God in a personable way. Although He is transcendent and immanent, we can still connect with Him. Like us, God has self-consciousness, He is intelligent, He has His own will, and He can feel emotion. This is important for us to realize for several reasons. First, without a personable God, we are left with the impression that we were created for no special reason. Also, we would not have any reason to fear Him. As well, it gives us comfort to know that He can love us and protect us as His creation. God also exists as spirit and truth without any bodily substance but does so in the form of the trinity as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Bible speaks of different attributes that relate to the nature of God. He has some incommunicable attributes such as His self-existence, His eternal nature, His unity, His infinity, His immutability, His omnipresence, His omniscience, His omnipotence, and His sovereignty. Some of His communicable attributes include His holiness, His righteousness, His justice, His goodness, His love, and His truthful nature.

The Bible also expands on the nature of God by revealing different names for Him. Each different name shows a different side of God that we can come to know. Some such examples are Elohim, El Shaddai, El Elyon, Yahweh, Adonai, Theos, Kurios, Despotes, and Father.

It is one thing to know about God but we must also know what God is doing and what His plan for us is. God has a master plan for all creation that he is accomplishing. This plan existed before the end of time and it is "for His own glory." His plan is perfect and wise. Nothing else is possible from a being that is all knowing and all seeing. God is perfect and only seeks perfection.

When it comes to Gods plan with mankind, His decrees are viewed in three different ways: the overruling will of God, the permissive will of God and the directive will of God. His overruling will is carried out directly by Him and for His own purposes. His permissive will means that God allows certain morally wrong things to occur that coincide with His master plan. Finally, Gods directive will utilizes mankind and mans decisions to further Gods plan. The main purpose of Gods plan is "the praise and manifestation of the glory of God."

The essence of God is another way to describe who He is. God told Moses, "I shall be who I am." The scripture sometimes refers to Gods essence as light and glory. The Bible tells us that God is infinite. Within this infinity He is also spiritual. John 4:24 states "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must do so in Spirit and truth." He is also eternal. Psalm 90:2 tells us "Before the mountains were born, or you gave birth to the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God." God can also be considered immeasurable. 1st Kings 8:27 states "Behold, the heavens, even the entire universe, cannot contain you." He is also a unique being. Isaiah states "With whom will you compare Me that I should be equal?" God can even be called omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.

Gods character is also perfect. Jesus commands us to "be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect." Within His perfection, God is also good. The Psalms tells us "The Lord is good to everyone." He is also holy. This is referenced by numerous passages, one being "Be holy, for I am holy." God can be considered faithful and true. Isaiah says to God "Thy counsels of old are faithfulness ant truth." He is often called a sovereign being in scriptures. Psalm 9 states "the Lord shall be seated as king forever." Another of Gods many attributes is that He is the personification of love. 1st John tells us "God is love." The Bible also tells us that the Lord is just and He is life.

Another important theological subject of great importance that should be addressed when referring to God is the doctrine of the trinity. The Bible states that God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are three separate beings but one at the same time. One way to describe this is one in essence and three in person. It is not easy to describe what the trinity actually is but there are certain things that it is not. Although God is one in essence, this does not limit only one part of the trinity being a deity. God is three persons in one and all three are divine. They are the same but separate all at once. The Bible tells us that all three persons are God. Also, God is one in essence but that doesnt mean the trinity is a single person. The trinity is three people who are considered one unit. Thirdly, the trinity consists of three people but no one part of the trinity is any less important than the other parts. There is no hierarchy in the trinity. As well, just because God is three persons, that does not mean there are three different gods. There is one God who is manifested as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Because the concept of the trinity is a hard one to grasp, people have attempted to create analogies to make it easier to understand. Some such examples are the trinity triangle, the illustration of the family of man, the illustration of the human mind, illustrations from the world of nature, and illustrations from the physical realm. To understand the trinity, one should first delve into the separate parts of the Trinity and try to understand each person before studying the concept of the three being as one.

The New Testament is able to give us a good picture of the nature of the trinity. Matthew states "Now once Jesus had been baptized, He immediately came down out of the water, and behold, the heavens opened for Him, and He saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and lighting upon Him. And behold, a voice from heaven was saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." This passage shows the three separate parts of the trinity acting as different people: Jesus, the Spirit, and the voice which belonged to God.

John 1 states "And I will ask the Father and He will give you a Comforter, that He may be with you forever." Here Jesus is speaking and he says he will ask God to send the Holy Spirit to the people so that he may be with them forever. 2 Corinthians also says "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." Again we see the New Testament talking about the three separate parts of the trinity being different but at the same time equal.

Each part of the trinity also has different roles to play within the world. With Gods plan, it is authorized by the Father, carried out by Christ, and administered through the wisdom of the Spirit. With creation, it was directed by the Father, carried out by the Son, and empowered by the Spirit. In regards to salvation, the Father directs the son to go on the mission, Christ completes the mission, and the Spirit supports the mission during and afterwards. With the spiritual gifts of the believer, they are given by the Holy Spirit, with certain ministries assigned by Christ and ordered by the Father.

The idea of the trinity is also mentioned in the Old Testament but not as clearly defined as in the New Testament. The image of the Son as the Messiah is spoken about several times in the Old Testament. It is foreshadowed in the references to blood sacrifices, the prophecies, and the appearances of Christ in the Old Testament.

With regards to Christ appearing in the Old Testament, some would argue that it is the Father that appears and not the Son, but there are several proofs which state it was Christ which appeared. One such proof is that the Bible teaches that God is invisible and therefore sent the Son to be visible on His behalf. Also, we cannot come to the Father without first going through Christ, so we cannot see God directly. Some examples of where Christ appears on behalf of the Father in the Old Testament would be many cases where "the angel of the Lord" appears, the angel of the Exodus, the "man" who wrestles with Jacob, the "man" who appeared to Abraham, the "man" who appeared to Joshua, and the angel of the Lords appearance to Samson.

In conclusion, man can never really know the nature of God. All we can do is look at the evidence that is around us and try to put what we know and feel into human terms. We can never do justice to God by describing how we think He really is, but because He gave us the ability to think and reason and know Him, all we can do is try our best and live for the glory of God.

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ATONEMENT

Christs atonement can be described as his substitutionary death to absolve the world of sin. When it comes to the idea of the necessity of the atonement of Christ, there are certain issues which need to be addressed. The first is the fact that because God is perfect and does only what is right, His nature dictated that He help mankind in regards to sin. God demands that sin be punished because He expects nothing less. To allow mans sins to be forgiven and brought closer to God, He gave His son to be sacrificed for all mankind. This also leads to the fact that God is Holy. He hates sin and will not condone it. So to enable man to strive for holiness like God requires, a means had to put forth to forgive man of sin. The means given to us first was animal sacrifice, but eventually Christ became the ultimate sacrifice. The sanction of Gods law also shows why the atonement was needed. Gods commandments were given because He deemed these rules the most important laws to follow. So if we break these laws, we are acting against God. The atonement was necessary to forgive us of these actions that commit on a daily basis.

God also requires a perfect righteousness from his people. Because we cannot attain this level of perfection, Christ was sent to be a replacement for us and to be perfect in our place. His death therefore ended his life, a life which was lived without sin. This death enables us to come to God through Christ, who is perfect. Finally, the Gospel teaches us that the atonement was necessary. The Gospel is the Word of God and because it teaches that Christ had to die for us, then this fact shows the atonement was something that had to happen for mankind to be redeemed.

When it comes to the death of Christ, the nature of the atonement is another topic which is important to speak about. One important part of the death of Christ is that it was used as a substitute for our own death. Because the Bible teaches the wages of sin is death, Christ died so we did not have to. Also, only Christ could have died on the cross for us. The Bible teaches a sacrifice has to be pure which Christ was in countless ways. As well, Christ was God, so he is able to bear the sins of the world, something no mortal man could do. Another characteristic of the atonement is that it removes the guilt of sin. He did this by suffering and dying on a cross for us.

The manner in which Christ died is also important. He died on a cross, which is one of the worst ways in which to die. He shed his blood, which signifies the cleansing of sin. Because he did die, the sacrifice was completed on our behalf. He also suffered on the cross so we would not have to. There was also the propitiation of God, reconciliation of sin, and redemption before the Lord.

Another important point to note about the atonement of Christ is that it was perfect. It was no more and no less than what needed to be done. He died for our sins and lived the perfect life and attained the perfect death for what was needed.

Although Christianity teaches the atonement of Christ is a necessary event, Judaism denies the importance of the crucifixion. They teach that good deeds are enough to be forgiven of sins, while the Bible teaches that salvation through Christ is the only way to be saved. They also believe that repentance before God is another way to be forgiven of sins. But the New Testament teaches that no one comes to the father except through Christ. To repent and be forgiven of sins, we must first realize the sacrifice that Christ made for us and ask forgiveness in his name, so that he may bring our sins before the Father to be forgiven. Some Jews also believe that blood sacrifice is still needed to achieve atonement. They do not realize that Christ was sent to be the final sacrifice so animals did not need to be slaughtered after that point. One final sacrifice was made for all mankind to take advantage of for all time.

Jewish apologists also reject the idea that Isaiah 53 refers to Christ. Until the death of Jesus, Jews saw this scripture as referring to the coming Messiah. But when Christ died and the prophecy was fulfilled, some rabbis changed their views and stated the passage referred to the nation of Israel and not a particular person.

The judicial and substitutionary nature of the atonement is another important part of the death of Christ. One question we need to ask is "from what does Jesus save us and in what way has he done so?" The Bible teaches that Christ has saved us from sin, guilt, and wrath. We are saved from the sins that we committed and will commit. We are saved from the guilt of having committed sin. As well, we are saved from the wrath of God, because Christ has died as a substitute to intercede in Gods wrath. We are also saved from being condemned because of the atonement of Christ. Jesus became the ultimate substitute for man when he died on the cross. He gave us an opportunity to be saved from our sins and not be condemned to damnation. We are also judicially cleared from being sentenced to hell because of the actions of Christ. Gods law dictates that sinners be punished. But because Christ acted on our behalf, he saved us from the Lords eternal punishment.

In conclusion, the atonement of Jesus Christ is an integral part of Christianity. Without the death of Christ on our behalf, we would have no way to be forgiven of our sins. God’s plan to send His son to die on a cross for mankind was a perfect plan for a world of sinners. He gave us a simple and easy way to be forgiven of our sins and be saved. It is only up to us to accept this gift and receive eternal salvation.

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BIBLICAL SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY

Biblical Systematic Theology can be defined as "the knowledge of God and His relations to the universe, derived from the Biblical revelation, and logically arranged to form an ordered system." To arrive at this definition, one must break the term "Biblical Systematic Theology" into its three parts. The main idea in Biblical Systematic Theology is theology. The Bible describes theology as "the knowledge of God and His relations to the universe." In scripture it is sometimes called "The Truth," "The Gospel," or "The Faith." Biblical Systematic Theology is also a systematic field. This type of study tries to harmonize different truths so they can work with each other to form a greater truth. Finally, Biblical Systematic Theology must also utilize the Bible to be complete. Only the Bible can give one the truths needed to know God and how he deals with the universe.

Biblical Systematic Theology is different from other forms of theology. In Biblical Systematic Theology, two sources are used in this field and they hold it apart from other forms of systematic theologies. Biblical Systematic Theology utilizes nature and the Bible to look for the truths we need to know God. These sources can be broken down further into the topics of natural theology and revealed theology. Natural theology is knowing that all things in nature have an order and all things are created by God. It is there to give us proof of Gods existence but it is not enough to save us.

Revealed theology is also from God and it is the knowledge that God has given man directly or indirectly. The result of all revealed theology can be found in the Bible, as it documents Gods dealings with man throughout history. Sometimes revealed and natural theology can be merged into one and this idea can be broken down even further. Some topics of study in this field can be historical theology, systematic theology, practical theology, and Biblical systematic theology.

The existence of Biblical Systematic Theology is important for several different reasons, all of which are explained in the Bible. The New Testament explains that because God teaches us theology, then it must be a necessary thing for us, since nothing God does is unnecessary. The only way to be saved is by following the Biblical system of truth and following the teachings of Christ. The book of Matthew tells us to guard against wrong doctrine as this can lead us down the wrong path. Christ also said that he would hold everyone accountable who taught false doctrine, thereby making doctrine and theology an important part of life.There are also several beliefs that must be in place for those who follow Biblical Systematic Theology. The first is that of the basic one. This means that to be a student of Biblical Systematic Theology, one must be a Christian, hence the Biblical part of Biblical Systematic Theology.

Another characteristic is that one must believe in the inerrancy of the Bible and the Word of God. Third, one must be a logical person, so as to keep the "systematic" in Biblical Systematic Theology. They must be able to read and analyze scripture with an open mind. Finally, one must be able to find a method develop and prove ones Biblical Systematic Theology, because if your ideas cannot be proven they are of no use to anyone.

There are two sources available for one who is studying Biblical Systematic Theology. The first one is the Bible. It contains all the truths and information needed for Biblical Systematic Theology. With the help of the Holy Spirit, one should be able to read and understand the Bible to the best of their ability. The second one is the individuals reason. Without reason, the Holy Spirit will not help to understand what we are reading in the Bible and make it clear to us. One must use reason when reading and studying the Bible.

Certain characteristics must also exist within the student of Biblical Systematic Theology to make it a worthwhile past time. The person must have strong mental faculties. This means they should be logical, love studying, have a good background in education, and a balanced mind. They should also have strong morals. This means a love of the truth, an obedient heart for God, patience when investigating within Biblical Systematic Theology, and humility. Finally, they must also be a spiritual person, showing love for God and divine illumination.

Even though Biblical Systematic Theology is a powerful thing, it still has limitations. We are hindered mentally, as we can only know something as far as human understanding will allow. We only have a limited knowledge of the Bible and can make inferences with it that should not be made. Humans can also misapply rules of interpretation, thereby causing a false reading of the scriptures.

There are also language limitations within Biblical Systematic Theology. The Bible was written in a different time and language than we are used to, so how it was written and how it is read can be an issue. Also, there can be personal limitations, such as the lack of illumination by the Holy Spirit or taking the needed time to study. Finally, there can be a limitation within scripture. This could be anything from what the Bible does not tell us about a certain topic to the paradoxes that exist within the Christian traditions.

In conclusion, the study of Biblical Systematic Theology is one that is not for everyone. Only the devoted Christian who is willing to put the time and effort into Biblical Systematic Theology should partake in such deep study. Although all Christians do partake in some form of Biblical Systematic Theology, they should realize their limitations and ask for the Holy Spirits help when studying the Scriptures.

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COVENANTS

A covenant is a pact between two parties which is for life and cannot be broken. Several times in the Bible God made covenants with man in an effort to keep him on the righteous path. Sometimes man followed the covenant and other times he did not.

The first pact God made with mankind was the Edenic Covenant, which can be found in the book of Genesis. God made a covenant with Adam. He told him that if he obeyed God, then he would live. If he did not obey then he would be punished. He was also commanded to be fruitful and multiply and take lordship over all the creatures of the earth. God choose to make this pact with Adam and he agreed. But it was not long before he broke the rules of the agreement by eating of the forbidden fruit.

After Adam was cast from the garden, God then instituted the Redemptive Covenant. He cursed Satan for leading Adam and Eve into sin. God then told Eve that she would be blessed by being able to bear children, but her punishment would be the pain of child birth. As well, she is to submit to her husband and he is to rule over her. Finally, God addressed Adam and told him he would have food to eat but he would have to work the soil to achieve it. He also condemns

him to have a life span, which would not have been the case if he resisted temptation. But God does promise them that their seed would crush the head of the serpent, which is a foreshadowing of Christ defeating the sin of the world. The world then fell further into sin and God covered the earth with the great flood. Only Noah and his family were spared, so God made a new covenant with him. After the waters receded God promised Noah that he would never again cover the earth with water to kill all mankind. God also tells mankind not to kill or they too shall be killed. As a sign of this covenant, God placed the rainbow in the sky to remind man of the promise he made to them.

The next covenant made with man after the covenant with Noah was the Abrahamic Covenant. The book of Genesis quotes God as saying to Abraham, "To your descendants I give this land," thereby making a promise to him and all his offspring. God gives Himself as the sign of the covenant to show that the deal is made. He says "I am your shield, your very great reward." God then blessed Abraham with children and told him to circumcise all the males in his family as a sign of the covenant to show they are Gods chosen people.

Moses is the next person the Bible mentions God making a covenant with. Exodus states that God told Moses "if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession...you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." So God is telling Moses that if he obeys Gods commands, the Hebrews would be blessed by Him.

It is the first time that God gave man an option as to whether to enter into the covenant with him as opposed to telling man that it would be done regardless. Moses and the Hebrews accept the covenant and God leads them out of slavery. They also agreed to follow whatever commandments the Lord set out for them as part of the pact. Although the Jews broke the covenant time and again, God still blessed them as He had promised to do.

The Davidic covenant is the next type of promise that God made with man which the Bible speaks about. He promises David that one of his descendants will be the son of God and this comes true in the person of Jesus. David is also promised that his descendants would endure forever, promising the immortality of Christ. God reaffirmed this promise with Davids son Solomon, telling him "I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father."

The final covenant that God made with man is The New Covenant which was made through Christ. God tells His people in Jeremiah "The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with the house of Judah...because they broke my covenant," showing them that the Davidic covenant will eventually change into something different because they failed to follow the terms set out by Him.

This new covenant was sealed with the blood of Christ on the cross so mankind would have a vessel to ask for the forgiveness of sins. God kept making pacts with mankind in an attempt to keep him on the path to holiness. But because we are weak, we could not do what God wanted. So in a final show of mercy, He sent his son to die for us in the hopes we would finally get the message. This new covenant therefore negates all covenants before it by rolling them all into one.

In conclusion, the history of Gods covenants with man is an important part of the Biblical story. Each pact that God made with mankind was agreed upon by the people of the day but they eventually fell into sin and broke the covenant with Him. In the end, God had to sacrifice his own son because of our weakness and inability to refrain from sinning. The final covenant has been made with the blood of Christ and it is everyones responsibility to respect the terms of this covenant and repent of our sins and follow the commands of God.

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SIGNS OF THE END TIMES

The Bible tells us that the end days will not come until three different events have taken place: the falling away from faith in the Lord, the removal of what is holding back the anti-Christ, and the revealing of the anti-Christ. There are many signs in society which tell us that these events will appear in the near future. Paul tells us in the book of Timothy that men will become lovers of their own selves. This is predominant in society today. Psychology preaches self love as does most advertising seen around the world. Paul also says that men will be covetous and this is prevalent today, as everyone wants money and will do anything to get it.

Jesus tells us that as in the days of Noah, so it will be in the last days. During Noahs time, mankind was evil, corrupt, and violent. Today, we see the same things happening all over, except that God will not send a flood as he did with Noah, but instead will send his son Jesus. Christ also said that the end times would be like Sodom. Sodom was popular for homosexuality and the acceptance of homosexuality is becoming more main stream every day.

There are also signs in religion which point to the coming of the last days. The book of Zephaniah tells about such a time. It speaks about the popularity of the occult which will eventually be cut off because of its wickedness and today this sort of doctrine is popping up everywhere. There is also mention of those who have "turned back from the Lord," which is occurring more often in todays society and can be seen in the decline in church attendance in recent times. Physical signs are appearing within society and this also shows the coming of the end of the age. Jesus tells us that we will see famines, wars, and diseases. Famines are becoming more frequent in the Eastern world and wars are staring all over the place. As well, new diseases are being found every day and the scientific community is having a hard time keeping up with cures for many of them.

The role of the church within the realm of end time prophecies is one which has been debated many times. Prophecy tells us that the church age is about to end. Paul tells of a time when the church will split and people will believe in spirits and devils, which some could argue is occurring today. The Bible also speaks of when man will become stagnant in spirit and deny Gods power, two things that are happening more all the time.

Although the term "Christianity" is meant to mean "a follower of Christ", this term is meaningless without the fruits of the spirit to go along with it. Just as in Jesus time, people claiming to be Christians who fight against injustice and immorality can be just as immoral and unjust as the people they are speaking out against.

Another important topic when it comes to the last days is the doctrine of the Rapture. The Rapture refers to "a sudden removal of followers of Christ from the world into Heaven." Different theologians argue different time frames for the rapture. Some would say it will not occur until the anti-Christ enters the temple. Others may say it will not be until the end of the Tribulation. To understand the time frame of the rapture more clearly one must realize that the rapture was foretold in the Old Testament and explained more in depth in the New Testament.

Several foreshadowings are made in regards to the rapture in the Old Testament. In the story of Enoch, the Bible tells us that "he was not seen and God took him." So the Bible says that because Enoch was a godly man, God did not let him die and took him to heaven before his death. Also, with the prophet Elijah, 2 Kings states "Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven." Again, we see a man of God taken up to heaven before he dies. Both of these figures were brought to heaven before their deaths, foreshadowing the rapture of the end times.

With regards to the Tribulation, there is evidence in other parts of the Bible which may show when it may occur in the future. During the days of Noah, because man had become so ungodly, God limited mans number of years to 120 and caused a flood that killed all of mankind. During the time of Sodom, God warned Lot to flee the city and destroyed everyone else because they would not follow Gods ways.

So it seems because God rewards his people and does not want to see them suffer, it is likely that the rapture will occur before all the terrible events of the end times. Several different stories in the Bible tell of Gods people being spared from pain and suffering, so this is what will undoubtedly happen in the future. Paul states that we will not know the time or date of the rapture, but it will happen suddenly and without warning.

In conclusion, we do not know when the end times are coming. The Bible tells us to obey Gods word and be diligent. The world could end at any time and Christ could return in the blink of an eye. If we do what is taught in the Bible and keep to the Lords word, we may be taken up in the rapture and get to miss all the trials and tribulations of the end times. If we do not, then we may be tested in ways that we could never image or dream of.