theology 101 (english version)

7/30/2019 Theology 101 (English Version)

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Theology 101

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2009 Christianity Today International ChristianBibleStudies.com

Study Through the Bible

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INTRODUCTION

Study 1: The DOCTRINe O The BIBle

Leaders Guide Participants Guide

Study 2: The DOCTRINe O GOD


Study 3: The DOCTRINe O MaNkIND


Study 4: The DOCTRINe O ChRIST aND SalvaTIONLeaders Guide Participants Guide

Study 5: The DOCTRINe O The hOly SpIRIT aND The ChURCh


Study 6: The DOCTRINe O The UTURe

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Introduction

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Introduction

Defnitions

The word theologyis derived rom two Greek words:

*Theos(God)

*Logos(speech or reason)

Thereore, theology in its simplest terms is rational discussion about God.

In Greek, the word theologiareerred to discussions amongst the philosophers about divine

matters. Plato called the stories o the gods theologies. Aristotle considered theology to

be the greatest o all scientic studies since its subject, God, was the highest reality. MarkBatterson would echo Aristotles thoughts in his claim that every -ology is a branch o

theology.

B. B. Wareld promoted a classic denition as ollows: Theology is the science o God

and his relationship to man and the world. In greater detail, it is the discipline which 1)

presents a unied ormulation o truth concerning God and his relationship to humanity

and the universe as this is set orth in divine revelation; and 2) applies such truths to the

entire range o human thought and lie. (Evangelical Dictionary of Theology)

Theology: the contents o the Christian aith as set orth in orderly exposition by theChristian community. (Renewal Theology, J. Rodman Williams)

Theology: the attempt to reduce religious truth to an organized system. (Evangelical

Dictionary of Theology)

Systematic theology: any study that answers the question, What does the whole Bible

teach us today? This denition indicates that systematic theology involves collecting and

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We wont be

tossed and blown about by every wind o new teaching. We will not

be inuenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they

sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing

in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head o his body,

the church. EphEsians 4:1415, nLT


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Introduction

understanding all the relevant passages in the Bible on various topics and then summarizing

their teachings clearly so that we know what to believe about each topic. (Bible Doctrine,

Wayne Grudem)

Doctrine:What the whole Bible teaches about some particular topic. (Bible Doctrine,

Wayne Grudem)

Major Doctrine: one that has a signicant impact on our thinking about other doctrines

or that has a signicant impact on how we live the Christian lie (examples: authority o the

Bible, deity o Christ, justication by aith).

Minor Doctrine: one that has very little impact on how we think about other doctrines

and very little impact on how we live the Christian lie (examples: diering views o theuture, orms o church government, orms o communion and baptism).

Paradox: a seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true (example: the

doctrine o the Trinity).

Other DisciplinesBiblical Theology: historical development o theology throughout Scripture.

Historical Theology: study o Christian doctrines as they have been considered at dierent

points in church history.

Philosophical Theology: a study o theological topics largely without the use o the

Bible. Instead, philosophical tools, resources, and methods are used to organize theological

thought (example: Paul Tillichs Systematic Theology).

Narrative Theology: a 20th-century development o theological thought predicated on

the idea that the Bible should be considered as narrative more than a system o theological

truth.

Dogmatic Theology: a study o theology as set orth in the creeds, dogmas, and

pronouncements o the church.

Apologetics: a deense o the Christian aith or the purpose o instructing believers or

convincing unbelievers.

Ethics: the application o Gods Word to real lie situations, problems, and questions.


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Introduction

Three Sources o Authority

* Biblical*

Traditionalist

*Subjectivist

Initial PresuppositionsPresupposition: an assumption that orms the beginning point o any study.

*The Bible is true and is the absolute standard o truth.

* The God o the Bible exists, and he is who the Bible says he is.

Why Study Theology?It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some

to be pastors and teachers, to prepare Gods people or works o service, so that the body o

Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the aith and in the knowledge o the Son o

God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure o the ullness o Christ. Then we will

no longer be inants, tossed back and orth by the waves, and blown here and there by every

wind o teaching and by the cunning and cratiness o men in their deceitul scheming. Instead,

speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is,Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows

and builds itsel up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:1116)

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an inant, is not acquainted with the teaching about

righteousness. But solid ood is or the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to

distinguish good rom evil. (Hebrews 5:1314)

*Clarication (Ephesians 4:14)

*Correction (1 Timothy 1:3; 2 Timothy 4:35; Hebrews 5:1314)

* Declaration and Unication (Ephesians 4:13)

*Obedience (Psalm 119:11; Matthew 28:1920; 1 John 2:3)

*Growth (Ephesians 4)

*To love and gloriy God (Matthew 22:37; Philippians 1:911)

How Should We Study Theology?


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Introduction

*Biblically (2 Timothy 3:1617)

* Guided by the Holy Spirit (John 14:17; 16:13)*

Humbly (2 Timothy 2:2325; 1 Peter 5:5; James 1:1920)

*With discernment (1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 1:1719)

*In community (Proverbs 11:14; 1 Corinthians 12:2728)

*Prayerully (Psalm 119:18)

*With application to lie (1 Timothy 6:3; Titus 2:1)

*With reerence to church history (context and perspective)

*With worship and praise (Deuteronomy 6:19; Psalm 119:14, 103, 111, 162)

T toog boos tt r quotd trougout tis stud r:

*Bib Doctrin, Wayne Grudem, Zondervan (July 1, 1999). Bible Doctrinetakes a

highly commended upper-level textbook on systematic theology and makes it accessible

to the average reader. Abridged rom Wayne Grudems award-winningSystematic

Theology, Bible Doctrinecovers the same essentials o the aith, giving you a rm grasp

on seven key topics.

*Toog or t Communit o God, Stanley Grenz, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

Company (2000). Stanley Grenz presents the traditional themes o Christian doctrine

within an emphasis on Gods central program or creation, namely, the establishment

o community. Masterully blending biblical, historical, and contemporary concerns,Grenzs respected work provides a coherent vision o the aith that is both intellectually

satisying and expressible in Christian living.

*engic Dictionr o Toog, ed. Walter A., Elwell, Baker Academic; 2nd

edition (2001). EDT is a work o responsible evangelical scholarship, judicious, and

generally air to all sides. It has no ax to grind, though it does have a position to present.

And happily, this it does with an acceptable condence.Christianity Today.

*Sstmtic Toog: pntcost prscti, Stanley M. Horton, Logion Press

(1994). I you are looking or a theology book that tells what the Assemblies o God

believes, then consider getting this book.


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L e a d e r s G u i d e


The Bible is Gods word to us. The Old and New

Testaments are verbally inspired by God, the only

written revelation rom God to man. The Bible is

inallible and the authoritative rule o aith and

conduct or mankind (2 Timothy 3:1517;

1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21). 1

The Bible is the inspired Word o God.

T h e o l o g y 1 0 1

The Doctrine of the BibleL e a d e r s G u i d e

The Doctrineo the Bible

Scr ipture :2 T imothy 3 :1617; 1 Thessalonians 2 :13; 2 Peter 1 :21

Based On:Theology 101, by Heather Zempel , wr itten forNat ional Community Church.

1 From National Community Church Statement o Belies.


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part 1 Identiy the Issue

N o t e t o l e a d e r : P r o v i d e e a c h p e r s o n w i t h t h e P a r t i c i p a n t s G u i d e ,i n c l u d e d a t t h e e n d o f t h i s s t u d y .

Wayne Grudem says in his bookBible Doctrine, The authority o Scripture means that all

the words in Scripture are Gods words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey any word o

Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God.

We accept the authority o the Old Testament because:

*The religion o ancient Israel was ounded upon the written words o the Old Testament.

* The concept o written revelation may have derived rom Gods inscribing o the TenCommandments.

*Hundreds o Old Testament writings begin with Thus says the Lord (examples: Exodus

4:22; Joshua 24:2; 1 Samuel 10:18; Isaiah 10:24).

*Old Testament writings oten indicate that God spoke through prophets (Jeremiah 37:2;

Zechariah 7:7).

*Jesus viewed the Old Testament Scriptures as authoritative (Luke 24:25; John 5:4547).

*2 Timothy 3:16: All Scripture is inspired by God and protable or teaching, or reproo,

or correction, or training in righteousness. (The word Scripturecomes rom the Greek wordgraphe, which occurs in the New Testament 51 times. In each instance, it reers to the Old

Testament writings.)

We accept the authority o the New Testament because:

*1 Timothy 5:18: For the Scripture says, (a) You shall not muzzle the ox while he is

threshing, and (b) The laborer is worthy o his wages.

(a) is rom Deuteronomy 25:4; (b) is rom Luke 10:7. Both are reerred to as Scripture.

* 2 Peter 3:1516: And regard the patience o our Lord as salvation; just as also our belovedbrother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters,speaking in them o these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which

the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest o the Scriptures, to their own

destruction.

Peter speaks o Scripture and Pauls letters, showing a willingness to classiy Pauls letters

as Scripture.


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*1 Corinthians 14:37: I anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that

the things which I write to you are the Lords commandment.

This verse is evidence that some New Testament writers were aware that their own writings were

the words o God. It seems that there was a general awareness that additions were being made

to Scripture during the writing o the New Testament. See also 2 Peter 3:2 and 1 Thessalonians

4:15.

Discussion Questions:

[Q] Do you accept the Old and New Testaments as the Word o God? Why or why not?

[Q]What questions do you have about the reliability o Scripture?

part 2 Discover the Eternal Principles

Tcing point On: T ho Sirit conincs us tt Scritur isutoritti.

The Westminster Conession o Faith includes the ollowing:

We may be moved and induced by the testimony o the Church to an high and reverent

esteem o the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness o the matter, the ecacy o the

doctrine, the majesty o the style, the consent o all the parts, the scope o the whole

(which is, to give all glory to God), the ull discovery it makes o the only way o mans

salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perection thereo,

are arguments whereby it does abundantly evidence itsel to be the Word o God: yet

notwithstanding, our ull persuasion and assurance o the inallible truth and divine

authority thereo, is rom the inward work o the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and

with the Word in our hearts (bold mine).

[Q] I you can, give an example o when youve been persuaded by the Holy Spirit that aScripture passage is true.

[Q] Do you think the above statement is a circular argument? Why or why not?

Tcing point Two: T utorit o t Bib cn b summd u btr in words.


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T irst o ts in words is insird.

[Q] How would you dene the inspiration o Scripturewhat do you think it means?

Inspiration reers to the act that the words o Scripture are spoken by God (Grudem, Bible

Doctrine). The Evangelical Dictionary of Theologysays that inspiration is a supernatural infuence

o the Holy Spirit upon divinely chosen men in consequence o which their writings become

trustworthy and authoritative.

The word inspiredcomes rom the Greek word theopneustos, which literally means God-

breathed. Read 2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; and 2 Peter 1:21.

[Q] I Scripture is God-breathed, how do you think he communicated it to the writers?

[Q] How does knowing that Scripture is God-breathed aect that way you read the Bible?How does it aect the way you interpret what the Scriptures mean?

Hebrews 1:1 says, In the past God spoke to our oreathers through the prophets at many times

and in various ways. So, what was the method?

*God spoke directly to the writer (Rev. 2).

*The author researched (Luke 1:13).

* The Holy Spirit reminded the writer o events (John 14:26).Lead er s No te: T her e ar e o ther views. T o r esear ch two o f these, see thew r i t i n g s o f S c h l e i e r m a c h e r a n d K a r l B a r t h .

T scond in word is inib.

The Evangelical Dictionary of Theologydenes inallible this way: As it is wholly trustworthy

regarding its truth, so must it be wholly reliable regarding its acts. And because it is both, it is

our divine authority in all things that pertain to lie and godliness.

Inallibility is the idea that Scripture is not able to lead us astray in matters o aith and

practice (Grudem, Bible Doctrine).

Jesus said, Sanctiy them by the truth; your word is truth (John 17:17). The word Jesus uses

here is the noun aletheiaand not the adjective alethes(true), meaning that Gods Word is not

just true but the truth.

Read Proverbs 30:5.


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[Q] What would you say is the dierence between Scripture being the truth rather thansimply true?

[Q] How would you describe the dierence between inspired and inallible? Why do weneed both terms to help describe our view o Scripture?

T tird in word is inrrnt.

Inerrancy is the view that when all the acts become known, they will demonstrate the Bible in

its original autographs and correctly interpreted is entirely true and never alse in all it arms,

whether that relates to doctrine or ethics or to the social, physical, or lie sciences. (Evangelical


Wayne Grudem says, Inerrancy is the idea that Scripture in the original manuscripts does notarm anything that is contrary to act (Bible Doctrine).

Inerrancy emphasizes truthulness. Inallibility emphasizes trustworthiness. Read Numbers

23:19; Hebrews 6:18; and Titus 1:2.

[Q] Try to describe inerrancy in your own words.

Lead er s No te: Yo u m ay want to m e ntio n tha t o ther s, who d o no t

b e l i e v e i n i n e r r a n c y , m a y a d o p t p o i n t s o f v i e w t h a t i n c l u d e :

P lu r alis m

Postmodernism

Seeing t he B ible as au t hor it at ive only for fait h and pr act ice(not s it rts to t soci, sic, or i scincs)

Cons ider ing iner r ancy a poor t er m

Believing there are no inerrant manuscripts, and there ares om cr r r or s in t B ib

Tcing point Tr: T crctristics o Scritur incud crit,

ncssit, nd suicinc.

1. Crit

The clarity o Scripture means that the Bible is written in such a way that its teachings are able

to be understood by all who read it seeking Gods help and are willing to ollow it. (Grudem,

Bible Doctrine)

Read Psalm 19:7; 119:130; and 1 Corinthians 2:14.


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The doctrine o clarity does not mean that all believers everywhere will agree in their

interpretations o the teachings o Scripture (Acts 15:7; Galatians 2:1115). However, the

doctrine does tell us that the problem lies not with Scripture itsel, but within ourselves.

The doctrine o clarity also arms that the writings o Scripture will not be clear to those who

are unwilling to receive them or obey them (1 Corinthians 1:1825; James 1:56).

[Q] Why would the doctrine o clarity be important to our view o Scripture?

[Q] Can you remember a time when you encountered a Scripture passage that youunderstood, and that spoke directly to what you were experiencing at the time?

[Q] Can you remember a time when you encountered a Scripture passage that you did not

understand? What did you do then, and what methods have you ound now to help uncoverthe meaning o dicult texts?

[Q] I the doctrine o clarity is true, why do Christians come up with so many dierentinterpretations?

L e a d e r s N o t e : Q u e s t i o n s t o c o n s i d e r w h e n f a c e d w i t h i n t e r p r e t a t i o nd i f f e r e n c e s a r e :

Am I trying to make a statement on an issue where Scripture iss i nt ?

Have I made a mistake in interpretation? Is there a personal inadequacy (moral, sin, or personality issue)or c o r r u s t u d ?

2. Ncssit

The necessity o the Scripture means that the Bible is necessary or knowledge o the gospel,

or maintaining spiritual lie, and or certain knowledge o Gods will, but it is not necessary

or knowing that God exists or or knowing something about Gods character and moral laws.

(Grudem, Bible Doctrine)

Read Romans 10:1317.

General Revelation vs. Special Revelation

*General Revelation is the knowledge o God rom general observations o nature (Rom.

1:1820) or rom ones own conscience (Rom. 2:14).

[Q] Give an example o how God has revealed himsel to you via General Revelation.


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*Special Revelation is Gods words addressed to a specic people (Scripture).

The tension can be ound in passages such as John 14:6 and Hebrews 11:6.

[Q] Give an example o how God has revealed himsel to you via Special Revelation.

Lead er s No te: Y o u m ay want to no te that ther e ar e o ther views, whichi n c l u d e :

Inclusivism it is possible to be saved through Christs work if on is s incr o ow ing t r igion on now s .

Universalism God will eventually save everyone.

3. Suicinc

The suciency o Scripture means that Scripture contained all the words o God he intended

his people to have at each stage o redemptive history, and that it now contains everything we

need God to tell us or salvation, trusting him perectly, and obeying him perectly. (Grudem,

Bible Doctrine)

Read 2 Timothy 3:1617 and Psalm 119:9.

[Q] What might this tell us about the things God is silent about in Scripture?

part 3 Apply Your Findings

There are our ways to learn the Scriptures:

*Reading devotional reading allows us to grasp the big picture o the biblical story by

reading large chunks o Scripture in one sitting.

*Study the systematic dissection o Scripture through a process o observation,interpretation, and application.

*Meditation the process by which we allow Scripture to dissect us as we let Gods Word

soak into our imaginations. It is not a process o emptying the mind but o lling it withGods truth.

*Memorization enables the Word to become a living and active part o our lives, and

we grow closer to God as we internalize his truth.


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action point: Rd nd mditt on psm 119 c d tis w. as: Wtdos tis ctr s bout t utorit, insirtion, inibiit, inrrnc,

crit, ncssit, nd suicinc o Scritur?


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P a r t i c i p a n t s G u i d e

T h e o l o g y 1 0 1

The Doctrine of the BibleP a r t i c i p a n t s G u i d e

The Bible is Gods word to us. The Old and New

Testaments are verbally inspired by God, the only

written revelation rom God to man. The Bible is

inallible and the authoritative rule o aith and

conduct or mankind (2 Timothy 3:1517;

1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21). 1

The Bible is the inspired Word o God.

The Doctrineo the Bible

Scr ipture :2 T imothy 3 :1617; 1 Thessalonians 2 :13; 2 Peter 1 :21

Based On:Theology 101, by Heather Zempel , wr itten forNat ional Community Church.



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Wayne Grudem says in his bookBible Doctrine, The authority o Scripture means that allthe words in Scripture are Gods words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey any word o

Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God.

We accept the authority o the Old Testament because:

*The religion o ancient Israel was ounded upon the written words o the Old Testament.

*The concept o written revelation may have derived rom Gods inscribing o the Ten

Commandments.

* Hundreds o Old Testament writings begin with Thus says the Lord (examples: Exodus4:22; Joshua 24:2; 1 Samuel 10:18; Isaiah 10:24).

*Old Testament writings oten indicate that God spoke through prophets (Jeremiah 37:2;

Zechariah 7:7).

*Jesus viewed the Old Testament Scriptures as authoritative (Luke 24:25; John 5:4547).

*2 Timothy 3:16: All Scripture is inspired by God and protable or teaching, or reproo,

or correction, or training in righteousness. (The word Scripturecomes rom the Greek word

graphe, which occurs in the New Testament 51 times. In each instance, it reers to the Old

Testament writings.)

We accept the authority o the New Testament because:

*1 Timothy 5:18: For the Scripture says, (a) You shall not muzzle the ox while he is

threshing, and (b) The laborer is worthy o his wages.

(a) is rom Deuteronomy 25:4; (b) is rom Luke 10:7. Both are reerred to as Scripture.

*2 Peter 3:1516: And regard the patience o our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved

brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters,

speaking in them o these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which

the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest o the Scriptures, to their own

destruction.

Peter speaks o Scripture and Pauls letters, showing a willingness to classiy Pauls letters

as Scripture.

*1 Corinthians 14:37: I anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that

the things which I write to you are the Lords commandment.

This verse is evidence that some New Testament writers were aware that their own writings were


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1


the words o God. It seems that there was a general awareness that additions were being made

to Scripture during the writing o the New Testament. See also 2 Peter 3:2 and 1 Thessalonians

4:15.


Tcing point On: T ho Sirit conincs us tt Scritur isutoritti.

The Westminster Conession o Faith includes the ollowing:

We may be moved and induced by the testimony o the Church to an high and reverent esteem

o the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness o the matter, the ecacy o the doctrine, the

majesty o the style, the consent o all the parts, the scope o the whole (which is, to give all

glory to God), the ull discovery it makes o the only way o mans salvation, the many other

incomparable excellencies, and the entire perection thereo, are arguments whereby it does

abundantly evidence itsel to be the Word o God: yet notwithstanding, our ull persuasion and

assurance o the inallible truth and divine authority thereo, is rom the inward work o the

Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts (bold mine).

Tcing point Two: T utorit o t Bib cn b summd u btr in words.

T irst o ts in words is insird.

Inspiration reers to the act that the words o Scripture are spoken by God (Grudem, Bible

Doctrine). The Evangelical Dictionary of Theologysays that inspiration is a supernatural infuence

o the Holy Spirit upon divinely chosen men in consequence o which their writings become

trustworthy and authoritative.

The word inspiredcomes rom the Greek word theopneustos, which literally means God-

breathed. Read 2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; and 2 Peter 1:21.

Hebrews 1:1 says, In the past God spoke to our oreathers through the prophets at many times

and in various ways. So, what was the method?

*God spoke directly to the writer (Rev. 2).

*The author researched (Luke 1:13).

*The Holy Spirit reminded the writer o events (John 14:26).


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T scond in word is inib.

The Evangelical Dictionary of Theologydenes inallible this way: As it is wholly trustworthy

regarding its truth, so must it be wholly reliable regarding its acts. And because it is both, it isour divine authority in all things that pertain to lie and godliness.

Inallibility is the idea that Scripture is not able to lead us astray in matters o aith and

practice (Grudem, Bible Doctrine).

Jesus said, Sanctiy them by the truth; your word is truth (John 17:17). The word Jesus uses

here is the noun aletheiaand not the adjective alethes(true), meaning that Gods Word is not

just true but the truth.

T tird in word is inrrnt.Inerrancy is the view that when all the acts become known, they will demonstrate the Bible in

its original autographs and correctly interpreted is entirely true and never alse in all it arms,

whether that relates to doctrine or ethics or to the social, physical, or lie sciences. (Evangelical


Wayne Grudem says, Inerrancy is the idea that Scripture in the original manuscripts does not

arm anything that is contrary to act (Bible Doctrine).

Inerrancy emphasizes truthulness. Inallibility emphasizes trustworthiness. Read Numbers

23:19; Hebrews 6:18; and Titus 1:2.

Tcing point Tr: T crctristics o Scritur incud crit,ncssit, nd suicinc.

1. Crit

The clarity o Scripture means that the Bible is written in such a way that its teachings are able

to be understood by all who read it seeking Gods help and are willing to ollow it. (Grudem,

Bible Doctrine)

Read Psalm 19:7; 119:130; and 1 Corinthians 2:14.

The doctrine o clarity does not mean that all believers everywhere will agree in their

interpretations o the teachings o Scripture (Acts 15:7; Galatians 2:1115). However, the

doctrine does tell us that the problem lies not with Scripture itsel, but within ourselves.

The doctrine o clarity also arms that the writings o Scripture will not be clear to those who

are unwilling to receive them or obey them (1 Corinthians 1:1825; James 1:56).


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1


2. Ncssit

The necessity o the Scripture means that the Bible is necessary or knowledge o the gospel,

or maintaining spiritual lie, and or certain knowledge o Gods will, but it is not necessaryor knowing that God exists or or knowing something about Gods character and moral laws.

(Grudem, Bible Doctrine)

Read Romans 10:1317.

General Revelation vs. Special Revelation

*General Revelation is the knowledge o God rom general observations o nature (Rom.

1:1820) or rom ones own conscience (Rom. 2:14).

3. Suicinc

The suciency o Scripture means that Scripture contained all the words o God he intended his

people to have at each stage o redemptive history, and that it now contains everything we need

God to tell us or salvation, trusting him perectly, and obeying him perectly. (Grudem, Bible

Doctrine)

Read 2 Timothy 3:1617 and Psalm 119:9.


There are our ways to learn the Scriptures:

*Reading devotional reading allows us to grasp the big picture o the biblical story byreading large chunks o Scripture in one sitting.

*Study the systematic dissection o Scripture through a process o observation,interpretation, and application.

*Meditation the process by which we allow Scripture to dissect us as we let Gods Wordsoak into our imaginations. It is not a process o emptying the mind but o lling it with

Gods truth.

*Memorization enables the Word to become a living and active part o our lives, and wegrow closer to God as we internalize his truth.

action point: Rd nd mditt on psm 119 c d tis w. as: Wtdos tis ctr s bout t utorit, insirtion, inibiit, inrrnc,crit, ncssit, nd suicinc o Scritur?


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Scr ipture :Deuteronomy 6 :4 ; Genesis 12; Matthew 28:19

Based On:Theology 101, by Heather Zempel , wr itten forNat ional Community Church

God is called by many dierent names because o

the dierent dimensions o his personality, but

God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4). God is super-

dimensional and eternally sel-existent (John

8:5459). God is omniscient, omnipresent, and

omnipotent. He is the creator o the heavens and the

earth (Genesis 12). While God is one, he has revealedhimsel in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). 1

There is one true God.

T h e o l o g y 1 0 1

The Doctrine of GodL e a d e r s G u i d e

The Doctrineo God



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Does God exist? From the Middle Ages and into the Enlightenment, Christian thinkers

developed three basic types o theistic proos:

*Ontological Argument the idea that God must exist; his nonexistence is inconceivable.

Man cannot consider the nite without at the same time thinking o the innite, which

bounds and determines the nite. Devised by Anselm. 2

*Cosmological and Teleological Argument God must exist as the cause o the world or

as the cause o what we observe in the natural world. Thomas Aquinas used this argument inSumma Theologica.

*Moral Argument the practices o all social communities reveal a universal code o

morality. Immanuel Kant was the rst major philosopher to use the moral argument. The

moral argument has been popularized in modern times by C. S. Lewis.


[Q]Which o the three theistic proos do you nd most convincing? Why?

[Q] I you have ever tried to convince someone o the existence o God, what kind oargument did you use? Was it eective?

[Q] Read Romans 1:1920. What light does this passage throw on the subject?


Tcing point On: T doctrin o t Trinit s us undrstndGod.

May the grace o the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love o God, and the ellowship o the

Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

2 Georg Hegel, The Phenomenology of the Mind; Stanley Grenz, Theology for the Community of God.


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The concept o tri-unity lies at the heart o the Christian understanding o God and

thereore is necessary in order to maintain the central message o the Bible. 3

Trinity: The term designating one God in three persons. Although not itsel a Biblical term,

the Trinity has ound a convenient designation or the one God sel-revealed in Scripture as

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It signies that within the one essence o the Godhead we have to

distinguish three persons who are neither three gods on one side, not three parts or modes o

God on the other, but coequally and coeternally God. 4

The concept o the Trinity is not clearly spelled out in Scripture. However, this truth is revealed

in various parts o Scripture. The ollowing passages illustrate the Trinity:

* Creationread Genesis 1:2, 26 and John 1:3.

*Birth o Jesusread Luke 1:35.

*Baptism o Jesusread Matthew 3:1617 (see also Mark 1:911; Luke 3:2122; John

1:3234).

*Great Commissionread Matthew 28:19.

*Pauls Blessingread 2 Corinthians 13:14.

*Salvationread John 14:26 and Ephesians 1:1314.

* Book o Juderead Jude 2021.

What is the content o the doctrine o the Trinity?

*God is oneDeuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Romans 3:30; Ephesians

4:6; 1 Timothy 1:17.

*God is threeJohn 1:14; 20:28; Acts 5:34; 1 Corinthians 2:1011; 12:46 (Holy

Spirit is God); Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:8 (Jesus is God).

*God is a diversityMatthew 11:27; John 14:26; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 1:2.

*God is a unityJohn 17:2223.

The early church armed the truth o the Trinity. The First Ecumenical Council o Nicea

conrmed the deity o Christ in 325ad. The Second Ecumenical Council o Constantinople

agreed on the deity o the Holy Spirit in 381ad.

3 Stanley Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, p. 54.4 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, p. 112.


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[Q]Why is the Trinity so essential to our understanding o who God is?

[Q]What happens to our view o God i we do not accept the Trinity?

There are at least three Trinitarian heresies:

*Tritheismthere is not one God. God is three persons and each person is ully God.

*ModalismGod is one person who appears to us in three dierent orms or modes.

*Arianism Jesus and the Holy Spirit are not eternally and ully God.

[Q]What makes these three heresies unacceptable according to Scripture? Explain how eachone varies rom what the Bible teaches.

Tcing point Two: W cnnot undrstnd wo God is witoutundrstnding is ttributs.

A. W. Tozer said, What comes to mind when you think o God is the most important thing

about you.

The characteristics o God are sometimes divided into two categories: incommunicable

attributes and communicable attributes.

Incommunicb ttributs are aspects o Gods character that he less ully shares withus. 5 These can include sel-existence, immutability, innity, and unity. 6

Communicb ttributs are aspects o Gods character that he more ully shares orcommunicates with us. 7 These arise out o Gods spiritual, intellectual, and moral nature and

include knowledge, wisdom, truthulness, goodness, holiness, righteousness, and sovereignty. 8

We can also divide the attributes into categories o eternality and goodness.

attribut o trnit:

God is present in all time, and thereore all time is present to God. (Grenz)

God, being eternal, has no beginning or end or succession o events in his own being.

(Grudem)

5 Grudem, Bible Doctrine, p. 486.6 Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, p.90.7 Grudem, Bible Doctrine, p. 481.8 Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, pp.9091.


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God is the one and only reality that is without beginning, middle, or end. (Williams)

Read Psalm 90:2; 102:27; Isaiah 57:15; 1 Timothy 1:17.

attribut o indndnc:

God does not need us or the rest o creation or anything. (Grudem)

Read John 5:26 and Acts 17:2425.

attribut o bing ininit:

God is unlimited, unbounded. There is no connement, no limitation. He transcends

everything in his creation. (Williams)

Read Genesis 14:1822; 1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 145:3; Nehemiah 9:5; Romans 11:33; 1

Corinthians 2:1012.

attribut o bing uncngb:

God is unchanging in his being, perections, purposes, and promises, yet God does act and

eel emotions, and he acts and eels dierently in response to dierent situations. Also called

immutability. 9 There is dependability, constancy, and stability in all that he is and does. 10

Read Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17.

attribut o bing siritu:

God exists as a being that is not made o any matter, has no parts or dimensions, is unable

to be perceived by our bodily senses, and is more excellent than any other kind o existence.

(Grudem)

The Bible doesnt give us a denition o spirit, but it does give us descriptionsimmortal,

invisible, eternal. (Horton)

Read John 4:24.

attribut o bing inisib:

Gods total essence, all o his spiritual being, will never be able to be seen by us, yet God still

shows himsel to us through visible, created things. (Grudem)

Read Exodus 33:20; John 1:18; 6:46; 1 Timothy 6:16.

9 Grudem, and Louis Berkho, Systematic Theology, p.58.10 Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, pp.9091


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attribut o bing omnirsnt:

God does not have size or spatial dimensions, and is present at every point o space with his

whole being, yet God acts dierently in dierent places. (Grudem)

All things are present to God in o themselves, whether they be events past, present, or uture.

(Grenz)

Read 1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 139:710; Jeremiah 23:2324; Colossians 1:17.

attribut o Omniscinc:

God ully knows himsel and all things actual and possible in one simple and eternal act.

(Grudem)

The divine mind perceives the entire temporal sequenceall eventssimultaneously in one act

o cognition. (Grenz)

Read Job 37:16 and 1 John 3:20.

attribut o Omniotnc:

God is able to do all his holy will. (Grudem)

The word Almighty (el sadday) occurs in the Old Testament 48 times; thirty-one o those

times are in the book o Job. (Williams)

Omnipotence is Gods ability to bring completion to his design or creation. (Grenz)

Read Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 19:26; Ephesians 3:20.

attribut o Goodnss:

God is, by his very nature, inclined to act with great generosity toward his creation. 11

*HolyGod is separated rom sin and devoted to seeking his own honor. (Grudem)

Read Exodus 3:5; Leviticus 11:44; Psalm 71:22; Isaiah 6:3; 43:3; Luke 4:34.

*Moral StandardRather than being ruled by some moral concept, God is the standard

by which we will be judged and we are to judge all human conduct. (Grenz)

Read 1 Peter 1:16 and 1 John 3:16.

11 Stanley Horton, Systematic Theology, p. 127.


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*KnowableHumanity will never be able to ully comprehend God. However, he has

shown himsel at dierent times and in various ways, indicating that it is his will or us to

know him and to be in right relationship with him. (Horton)

He wills to be known by personal names, he shows himsel to be the one who enters into

personal relationships with man, he is revealed uniquely in the person o Jesus Christ, and his

character is deeply personal. (Williams)

Read Psalm 46:10; Jeremiah 9:2324; John 1:18; 17:3; Philippians 3:10; 1 John 2:13; 5:20.

*WiseGod always chooses the best goals and the best means to those goals. (Grudem)

The Hebraic understanding o wisdom was both intellectual and practical.

Read Job 9:4; Romans 8:28; 16:27; James 1:5.

*TruthulGod is the true God, and all his knowledge and words are both true and the

nal standard o truth. (Grudem)

Gods truthulness means he also demonstrates complete integrity, dependability, and

aithulness. (Williams)

Read Numbers 23:19; Psalm 141:6; Jeremiah 10:10; John 1:14; 1 Thessalonians 1:9.

*GoodGod is the nal standard o good, and all God is and does is worthy o

approval. (Grudem)

Read Psalm 100:5; 106:1; Luke 18:19.

*LoveGod eternally gives o himsel to others. (Grudem)

God is centrally the God o love. Love is the very essence o the divine nature. (Williams)

Read John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:8.

*Righteous and JustThese two terms are actually the same word in both Old

Testament

Hebrew and New Testament Greek. God always acts in accordance with what is right and is

himsel the nal standard o what is right. (Grudem)

Read Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 25:8; 89:14; 97:2.

*JealousGod continually seeks to protect his own honor. (Grudem)


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Read Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 4:24; Isaiah 48:11; Revelation 4:11.

*WrathulGod intensely hates all sin. (Grudem)

Read Exodus 32:910; Deuteronomy 9:78; Romans 1:18; 3:2526; Colossians 3:6; 1

Thessalonians 2:16; Revelation 6:1617.

[Q]As a group, walk through three or our o Gods attributes and discuss how it relatesto your daily lie. For example, what dierence does it make to your daily lie that God is

eternal, and so on.

Tcing point Tr: God irst rd ims to us s Crtor

(Gnsis 1:1).

*God created out o nothing (ex nihilo)Psalm 90:2; John 1:3; Colossians 1:17.

*God created by speaking the world into existenceGenesis 1; Psalm 33:6, 9; Hebrews

11:3.

*God created Adam and Eve in a unique wayGenesis 2:7, 2123.

*Jesus and the Holy Spirit played a role in the creationGenesis 1:2; 1 Corinthians

8:6; Colossians 1:16.

*God is distinct rom creation, but he is involved in creation and creation is

dependent upon himEphesians 4:6; Acts 17:25, 28.

*God created the universe to show his gloryIsaiah 43:7; Psalm 19; Revelation 4:11.

So what is the relationship between Scripture and the ndings o modern science? There

are several creation theories that seek to answer two basic questions regarding creation: 1)

Agehow old is the earth? and 2) Methodhow was the earth created?

*Young Earth Viewthe days in Genesis 1 are literal, successive 24-hour periods o time.

Thereore, the world is no more than 10,000 years old.

*Day-Age Viewthe days in Genesis are best understood as indenite periods o time.

*Restoration Viewalso called the gap theory, this theory argues that a large gap o

time occurred between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. The original creation, thereore, may

be very old, and the days o Genesis may be either literal 24-hour days or more indenite

ages.

*Literary Framework Viewthis theory proposes that a literal reading o the text as


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1


a chronological order o events is not the purpose o the text. Rather, the purpose o the

creation account was to establish monotheism in a polytheistic context. The creation account

is organized thematically, not chronologically.

*Theistic EvolutionGod directed the evolutionary process to bring about all lie orms

on earth.

While the various arguments or the two basic views o the age o the earth are complex and

our conclusions are tentative, at this point in our understanding, Scripture seems to be more

easily understood to suggest (but not to require) a young earth view, while the observable acts o

creation seem increasingly to avor an old earth view. 12

A good overview o these theories can be ound in the bookAcross the Spectrum.

[Q]Which creation theory do you lean toward and why?

[Q] Is this something you can agree to disagree on with those who hold to a dierentcreation theory than you do? Why or why not?

[Q] How do you think we should talk about creation with those who arent Christians?

Tcing oint our: God is roidnti.

prsrtion is an aspect o Gods providence whereby he keeps all created things existingand maintaining the properties with which he created them. Read Hebrews 1:3 and Colossians1:17.

Concurrnc is an aspect o Gods providence whereby he cooperates with created thingsin every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do. Read

Ephesians 1:11; Psalm 148:8; Matthew 6:26; 10:29.

Gornmnt is an aspect o Gods providence that indicates that God has purpose in all hedoes in the world and that he providentially governs or directs all things so they accomplish his

purposes. Read Psalm 103:19; Romans 8:28; 11:36.

[Q] How do these three aspects o Gods providence aect how you relate to him?

12 Wayne Grudem , Bible Doctrine, p. 139.


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1



action point: M ist o t ttributs o God w discussd in tissson. In t ws d, t n ttribut c d nd tin bout wtdirnc tt ttribut ms in our i. aso, considr wtr ou odn s ids bout God tt contrdict tt ttribut.


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1

The Doctrine of GodP a r t i c i p a n t s G u i d e

Scr ipture :Deuteronomy 6 :4 ; Genesis 12; Matthew 28:19

Based On:Theology 101, by Heather Zempel , wr itten forNat ional Community Church

God is called by many dierent names because o

the dierent dimensions o his personality, but

God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4). God is super-

dimensional and eternally sel-existent (John

8:5459). God is omniscient, omnipresent, and

omnipotent. He is the creator o the heavens and the

earth (Genesis 12). While God is one, he has revealed

himsel in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). 1

There is one true God.

The Doctrineo God



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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1



Does God exist? From the Middle Ages and into the Enlightenment, Christian thinkersdeveloped three basic types o theistic proos:

*Ontological Argument the idea that God must exist; his nonexistence is inconceivable.

Man cannot consider the nite without at the same time thinking o the innite, which

bounds and determines the nite. Devised by Anselm. 2

*Cosmological and Teleological Argument God must exist as the cause o the world or

as the cause o what we observe in the natural world. Thomas Aquinas used this argument in

Summa Theologica.

*Moral Argument the practices o all social communities reveal a universal code omorality. Immanuel Kant was the rst major philosopher to use the moral argument. Themoral argument has been popularized in modern times by C. S. Lewis.


Tcing point On: T doctrin o t Trinit s us undrstndGod.

May the grace o the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love o God, and the ellowship o the HolySpirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

The concept o tri-unity lies at the heart o the Christian understanding o God and thereore

is necessary in order to maintain the central message o the Bible. 3

Trinity: The term designating one God in three persons. Although not itsel a Biblical term,

the Trinity has ound a convenient designation or the one God sel-revealed in Scripture as

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It signies that within the one essence o the Godhead we have to

distinguish three persons who are neither three gods on one side, not three parts or modes o

God on the other, but coequally and coeternally God. 4

The concept o the Trinity is not clearly spelled out in Scripture. However, this truth is revealed

in various parts o Scripture. The ollowing passages illustrate the Trinity:

*Creationread Genesis 1:2, 26 and John 1:3.

2 Georg Hegel, The Phenomenology of the Mind; Stanley Grenz, Theology for the Community of God.3 Stanley Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, p. 54.4 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, p. 112.


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*Birth o Jesusread Luke 1:35.

*Baptism o Jesusread Matthew 3:1617 (see also Mark 1:911; Luke 3:2122; John

1:3234).

*Great Commissionread Matthew 28:19.

*Pauls Blessingread 2 Corinthians 13:14.

*Salvationread John 14:26 and Ephesians 1:1314.

*Book o Juderead Jude 2021.

What is the content o the doctrine o the Trinity?

*God is oneDeuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Romans 3:30; Ephesians

4:6; 1 Timothy 1:17.

*God is threeJohn 1:14; 20:28; Acts 5:34; 1 Corinthians 2:1011; 12:46 (Holy

Spirit is God); Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:8 (Jesus is God).

*God is a diversityMatthew 11:27; John 14:26; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 1:2.

*God is a unityJohn 17:2223.

The early church armed the truth o the Trinity. The First Ecumenical Council o Nicea

conrmed the deity o Christ in 325ad. The Second Ecumenical Council o Constantinopleagreed on the deity o the Holy Spirit in 381ad.

There are at least three Trinitarian heresies:

*Tritheismthere is not one God. God is three persons and each person is ully God.

*ModalismGod is one person who appears to us in three dierent orms or modes.

*Arianism Jesus and the Holy Spirit are not eternally and ully God.

Tcing point Two: W cnnot undrstnd wo God is witoutundrstnding is ttributs.

A. W. Tozer said, What comes to mind when you think o God is the most important thing

about you.

The characteristics o God are sometimes divided into two categories: incommunicable

attributes and communicable attributes.

T h e o l o g y 1 0 1



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Incommunicb ttributs are aspects o Gods character that he less ully shares withus. 5 These can include sel-existence, immutability, innity, and unity. 6

Communicb ttributs are aspects o Gods character that he more ully shares orcommunicates with us. 7 These arise out o Gods spiritual, intellectual, and moral nature and

include knowledge, wisdom, truthulness, goodness, holiness, righteousness, and sovereignty. 8

We can also divide the attributes into categories o eternality and goodness.

attribut o trnit:

God is present in all time, and thereore all time is present to God. (Grenz)

God, being eternal, has no beginning or end or succession o events in his own being.(Grudem)

God is the one and only reality that is without beginning, middle, or end. (Williams)

Read Psalm 90:2; 102:27; Isaiah 57:15; 1 Timothy 1:17.

attribut o indndnc:

God does not need us or the rest o creation or anything. (Grudem)

Read John 5:26 and Acts 17:2425.

attribut o bing ininit:

God is unlimited, unbounded. There is no connement, no limitation. He transcends

everything in his creation. (Williams)

Read Genesis 14:1822; 1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 145:3; Nehemiah 9:5; Romans 11:33; 1

Corinthians 2:1012.

attribut o bing uncngb:

God is unchanging in his being, perections, purposes, and promises, yet God does act andeel emotions, and he acts and eels dierently in response to dierent situations. Also called

immutability. 9 There is dependability, constancy, and stability in all that he is and does. 10

Read Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17.

5 Grudem, Bible Doctrine, p. 486.6 Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, p.90.7 Grudem, Bible Doctrine, p. 481.8 Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, pp.9091.


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attribut o bing siritu:

God exists as a being that is not made o any matter, has no parts or dimensions, is unable

to be perceived by our bodily senses, and is more excellent than any other kind o existence.

(Grudem)

The Bible doesnt give us a denition o spirit, but it does give us descriptionsimmortal,

invisible, eternal. (Horton)

Read John 4:24.

attribut o bing inisib:

Gods total essence, all o his spiritual being, will never be able to be seen by us, yet God still

shows himsel to us through visible, created things. (Grudem)

Read Exodus 33:20; John 1:18; 6:46; 1 Timothy 6:16.

attribut o bing omnirsnt:

God does not have size or spatial dimensions, and is present at every point o space with his

whole being, yet God acts dierently in dierent places. (Grudem)

All things are present to God in o themselves, whether they be events past, present, or uture.

(Grenz)

Read 1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 139:710; Jeremiah 23:2324; Colossians 1:17.

attribut o Omniscinc:

God ully knows himsel and all things actual and possible in one simple and eternal act.

(Grudem)

The divine mind perceives the entire temporal sequenceall eventssimultaneously in one act

o cognition. (Grenz)

Read Job 37:16 and 1 John 3:20.

attribut o Omniotnc:

God is able to do all his holy will. (Grudem)

The word Almighty (el sadday) occurs in the Old Testament 48 times; thirty-one o those

times are in the book o Job. (Williams)

9 Grudem, and Louis Berkho, Systematic Theology, p.58.10 Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, pp.9091


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1


Omnipotence is Gods ability to bring completion to his design or creation. (Grenz)

Read Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 19:26; Ephesians 3:20.

attribut o Goodnss:

God is, by his very nature, inclined to act with great generosity toward his creation. 11

*HolyGod is separated rom sin and devoted to seeking his own honor. (Grudem)

Read Exodus 3:5; Leviticus 11:44; Psalm 71:22; Isaiah 6:3; 43:3; Luke 4:34.

*Moral StandardRather than being ruled by some moral concept, God is the standard

by which we will be judged and we are to judge all human conduct. (Grenz)

Read 1 Peter 1:16 and 1 John 3:16.

*KnowableHumanity will never be able to ully comprehend God. However, he has

shown himsel at dierent times and in various ways, indicating that it is his will or us to

know him and to be in right relationship with him. (Horton)

He wills to be known by personal names, he shows himsel to be the one who enters into

personal relationships with man, he is revealed uniquely in the person o Jesus Christ, and his

character is deeply personal. (Williams)

Read Psalm 46:10; Jeremiah 9:2324; John 1:18; 17:3; Philippians 3:10; 1 John 2:13; 5:20.

*WiseGod always chooses the best goals and the best means to those goals. (Grudem)

The Hebraic understanding o wisdom was both intellectual and practical.

Read Job 9:4; Romans 8:28; 16:27; James 1:5.

*TruthulGod is the true God, and all his knowledge and words are both true and the

nal standard o truth. (Grudem)

Gods truthulness means he also demonstrates complete integrity, dependability, and

aithulness. (Williams)

Read Numbers 23:19; Psalm 141:6; Jeremiah 10:10; John 1:14; 1 Thessalonians 1:9.

*GoodGod is the nal standard o good, and all God is and does is worthy o

approval. (Grudem)

Read Psalm 100:5; 106:1; Luke 18:19.

11 Stanley Horton, Systematic Theology, p. 127.


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1


*LoveGod eternally gives o himsel to others. (Grudem)

God is centrally the God o love. Love is the very essence o the divine nature. (Williams)

Read John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:8.

*Righteous and JustThese two terms are actually the same word in both Old

Testament

Hebrew and New Testament Greek. God always acts in accordance with what is right and is

himsel the nal standard o what is right. (Grudem)

Read Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 25:8; 89:14; 97:2.

*JealousGod continually seeks to protect his own honor. (Grudem)

Read Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 4:24; Isaiah 48:11; Revelation 4:11.

*WrathulGod intensely hates all sin. (Grudem)

Read Exodus 32:910; Deuteronomy 9:78; Romans 1:18; 3:2526; Colossians 3:6; 1

Thessalonians 2:16; Revelation 6:1617.

Tcing point Tr: God irst rd ims to us s Crtor

(Gnsis 1:1).

*God created out o nothing (ex nihilo)Psalm 90:2; John 1:3; Colossians 1:17.

*God created by speaking the world into existenceGenesis 1; Psalm 33:6, 9; Hebrews

11:3.

*God created Adam and Eve in a unique wayGenesis 2:7, 2123.

*Jesus and the Holy Spirit played a role in the creationGenesis 1:2; 1 Corinthians

8:6; Colossians 1:16.

*God is distinct rom creation, but he is involved in creation and creation isdependent upon himEphesians 4:6; Acts 17:25, 28.

*God created the universe to show his gloryIsaiah 43:7; Psalm 19; Revelation 4:11.

So what is the relationship between Scripture and the ndings o modern science? There

are several creation theories that seek to answer two basic questions regarding creation: 1)

Agehow old is the earth? and 2) Methodhow was the earth created?


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1


*Young Earth Viewthe days in Genesis 1 are literal, successive 24-hour periods o time.

Thereore, the world is no more than 10,000 years old.

*Day-Age Viewthe days in Genesis are best understood as indenite periods o time.

*Restoration Viewalso called the gap theory, this theory argues that a large gap o

time occurred between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. The original creation, thereore, may

be very old, and the days o Genesis may be either literal 24-hour days or more indenite

ages.

*Literary Framework Viewthis theory proposes that a literal reading o the text as

a chronological order o events is not the purpose o the text. Rather, the purpose o the

creation account was to establish monotheism in a polytheistic context. The creation

account is organized thematically, not chronologically.

*Theistic EvolutionGod directed the evolutionary process to bring about all lie orms

on earth.

While the various arguments or the two basic views o the age o the earth are complex and

our conclusions are tentative, at this point in our understanding, Scripture seems to be more

easily understood to suggest (but not to require) a young earth view, while the observable acts

o creation seem increasingly to avor an old earth view. 12

A good overview o these theories can be ound in the bookAcross the Spectrum.

Tcing oint our: God is roidnti.

prsrtion is an aspect o Gods providence whereby he keeps all created things existingand maintaining the properties with which he created them. Read Hebrews 1:3 and Colossians

1:17.

Concurrnc is an aspect o Gods providence whereby he cooperates with created thingsin every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do. Read

Ephesians 1:11; Psalm 148:8; Matthew 6:26; 10:29.

Gornmnt is an aspect o Gods providence that indicates that God has purpose in all hedoes in the world and that he providentially governs or directs all things so they accomplish his

purposes. Read Psalm 103:19; Romans 8:28; 11:36.


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action point: M ist o t ttributs o God w discussd in tissson. In t ws d, t n ttribut c d nd tin bout wtdirnc tt ttribut ms in our i. aso, considr wtr ou odn s ids bout God tt contrdict tt ttribut.


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Scr ipture :Genesis 1:26; 2:17; 3:6, 1419, 23; Romans 3:23;5 :1219; Ephesians 2 :1118

Based On: Theology 101, by Heather Zempel , wr itten forNat ional Community Church.

Man was created in the image o God (Genesis 1:26).

However, by a voluntary act o will, Adam and Eve

disobeyed God (Genesis 3:6). That frst sin had

several repercussions. Man was excommunicated

rom the garden o Eden (Genesis 3:23), a curse was

pronounced (Genesis 3:1419), the process o physical

death began (Genesis 2:17), and man died spiritually (Romans 5:1219).Sin separated humankind rom God (Ephesians 2:1118) and let man

in a allen or sinul condition (Romans 3:23). 1

Adam and Eve sinned, aecting us all .

The Doctrineo Mankind

T h e o l o g y 1 0 1

The Doctrine of MankindL e a d e r s G u i d e



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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1




We may encapsulate our human identity as Gods creatures in three postulates: We are the

good creation o God, we are marred through our all to sin, but we are also the objects o Gods

redemptive activity. 2

Read Genesis 1:2631; 2:1825.


[Q] How are we the good creation o God, even though we are marred by sin?

[Q]What is your understanding o how God has taken care o our sin?


Teaching Point One: We were created for Gods glory.

The rst question in the Westminster Larger Catechism is, What is the chie and highest end

o man? The answer is, Mans chie and highest end is to gloriy God, and to ully enjoy him

orever.

Wayne Grudem says in Bible Doctrine, When we realize that God created us to gloriy him, and

when we start to act in ways that ulll that purpose, then we begin to experience an intensity o

joy in the Lord that we have never beore known.

Read Isaiah 43:7 and 1 Corinthians 10:31.

[Q]What do you think it means to gloriy God in our daily lives?

[Q] Do you enjoy God? Why or why not?

[Q] I not, what do you think needs to change in order or you to do so?

Teaching Point Two: We were created in Gods image.

2Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, p.125.


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1


We are created in the image and the likeness o God. Read Genesis 1:2627.

Since we are created in Gods image, we learn more about ourselves as we learn more about God.

[Q]What dierence does knowing we were created in Gods image make in the way youview yoursel and others?

There are three views o what it means to be created in Gods image:

T Substnti viw: This view holds that the image o God is located in our essenceor beingthat humans alone stand above the rest o creation in the possession o an eternal

soul. Within our soul lies our ability to reason, to communicate, to love, to sense God, and to

make moral judgments. This view locates the divine image in what God has called us to be.

Theological proponents o this view include St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and John Calvin.

T unction viw: The image o God lies within our God-given authority. This viewlocates the image o the divine essence in what we are called to do. This view is refected in

Genesis 1:28 and Psalm 8:46.

T Rtion viw: The image o God is our relationality. Martin Luther advocated thisposition. It is refected in two places in the creation account: let us make man in our image,

and it is not good or the man to be alone. Also read John 17:2023.

[Q]What are some o the strengths and weaknesses o each o these views?

[Q]What ethical or moral implications are inherent in each?

Tcing point Tr: Tr r t st tr iws s to wt msu umn ntur.

The bookAcross the Spectrum summarizes the ollowing views o what makes up human nature:

T Tricotomist viw: The belie that the human sel is composed o three distinctconstitutive elements: body, soul, and spirit. This view had many advocates in the early church,

including Clement o Alexandria, Origen, Gregory o Nyssa, and Didymus the Blind. Read 1Thessalonians 5:23 and Hebrews 4:12.

T Dicotomist viw: A view o the sel that states that the human person is composedo two undamental substances: body and soul. The dichotomist view dominated the early

church ater the Council o Constantinople in 381. Theologians that have embraced this view

include John Calvin, Charles Hodge, and A. H. Strong. The dichotomists believe that the

spirit and soul are used interchangeably in Scripture and are indistinguishable in nature and


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1


unction. Scriptures that speak o both soul and spirit (Luke 1:4647) are employing a Hebraic

literary device called parallelism.

T Monistic viw: The view o the human that asserts that there can be no naldistinction between the body, soul, and spirit o a human being. A human being is

undamentally one unitary entity. The monists build their argument on the premises that

Scripture says that the deceased are sleeping (Acts 13:36; 1 Cor. 15:6), there is no conscious lie

ater death (Job 17:1316; Ps. 6:5; 30:9; Isa. 38:18), and the hope given to Gods people is not

ound in immediate lie ater death but in a nal resurrection o the dead (1 Thess. 4:1617).

[Q] Read the ollowing verses and share which view they promote in your thinking:Ecclesiastes 12:7; Matthew 10:28; 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6; Philippians 1:2324.

[Q] Is this debate on the constitution o mankind important? Why or why not?

Tcing point our: God g umns crtin rsonsibiitis.We were created to know God and to enjoy him orever. Related responsibilities include the

ollowing:

*To refect Gods image and likeness (Gen. 1:2627; Eph. 4:2324)

*To represent God on Earth (Gen. 1:28; 2 Cor. 5:20)

*To be stewards and caretakers o creation (Gen. 1:26; Ps. 8:6)

*To live in community with others (John 17:2023).

[Q] Give practical examples o how we can refect Gods image and likeness.

[Q] How can we represent him on Earth?

[Q]What does it mean to be stewards and caretakers o creation?

[Q] How does it gloriy God when we love others?

Tcing point i: Sin ntrd t word wn adm nd edisobd God in Gnsis 3:119.

Adam and Eves sin was rooted in three areas:

*It struck at the basis o knowledge by giving a dierent answer to the question, What is

true? (Gen. 2:17 vs. Gen. 3:4)


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1


*It struck at the basis or moral standards by giving a dierent answer to the question,

What is right? (Gen. 2:17 vs. Gen. 3:5)

*It struck at the basis or personal identity by giving a dierent answer to the question,

Who am I? (Gen. 1:26 vs. Gen. 3:5)

[Q] How have you seen these three things maniested in your lie?

Grudem says in Christian Beliefs, Sin is any ailure to conorm to the moral law o God in act,

attitude, or nature.

Horton and Grenz say that:

The Old Testament word or sin, chatha, means to miss the right point, to deviate rom

the norm, erroneous action, and to depart rom Gods purpose. It reers to specic

actions, whether o thought, word, or deed. Only rarely does it describe a state o being.

Other Hebrew words or sin include awon, meaning crooked or twisted, avar, meaning

the crossing o a boundary, and reshameaning wrong or injustice. 3

The New Testament word or sin, hamartia, means to miss the mark. According to

Gottried Quell in the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, the word reers to an

oense in relation to God with emphasis on guilt. Hamartiacan reer to a specic act

(Mark 1:5; Acts 2:38; Gal. 1:4; Heb. 10:12) and to the deective, internal dimension o the

human person (Rom. 6:6; Heb. 12:1). 4

As both chatha and hamartia suggest, sin is primarily missing the mark or alling short. It

entails our inability to be what God desires us to be, our ailure to ulll Gods intention or us. 5

There are two classes o sin:

Sin o commission: an active sin, doing something that is wrong.

Sin o omission: a passive sin, not doing the right thing (Luke 10:3037; James 4:17)

[Q] Do you struggle more with sins o commission or omission? Why?

[Q]What is your understanding o how Christians should deal with the sin in their lives?

The immediate eects o sin are recorded in Genesis 3:1419. Salvation through Christs

sacrice corrects our legal standing beore God, but sin continues to damage our relationship to

3Horton, Systematic Theology, p. 274; Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, p. 183.

4Horton, p. 275; Grenz, p. 184.

5Grenz, p. 184.


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1


God, our relationship to our physical surroundings, and our relationship to others.

* Sin damaged our legal standing beore God. However, when a Christian sins, his legalstanding beore God is unchanged (Rom. 8:1).

*Sin damaged our relationship with God (Eph. 4:30; Isa. 59:2).

*Sin damaged our relationship with our physical surroundings (Gen. 3:1619).

*Sin damaged our relationship with others (Gen. 3:16).

The concept o original sin reers to a sin that dwells in our hearts (Mark 7:1423; Matt. 12:33

37). Grenz says, The theological concept o original sin, thereore, carries several connotations.

It reers to the original or rst sin. It denotes the depraved nature or pollution that orms the

origin or source o our own sins. And it can encompass the origin or ground or the declaration

o condemnation, the guilt that hangs over us. 6

Sin entered the world through Adams disobedience. Because o Adams sin, we are counted

guilty (Rom. 5:12, 19). We have inherited and are born with a sinul nature (Rom. 7:18; Ps.

51:5; 58:3; Isa. 64:6).

[Q] Do you think there are varying degrees o sin? Read John 19:11 and James 3:1 beoreanswering.

part 3 Apply Your Findingsaction point (ic on or mor o t oowing to do on our own tis w):

Pray the prayer found in Psalm 139:2324 and confess any sins to God.

Does your view of yourself reflect that you have been created in Godsimg? I not, ow cn ou bgin to iw ours dirnt?

Think through what Scripture says are the responsibilities of Godso. how r ou uiing tos rsonsibiitis? Wt cn ou bginto do now to ui tos rsonsibiitis?

6Grenz, p. 190.


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1

The Doctrine of MankindP a r t i c i p a n t s G u i d e

Scr ipture :Genesis 1:26; 2:17; 3:6, 1419, 23; Romans 3:23;5 :1219; Ephesians 2 :1118

Based On: Theology 101, by Heather Zempel , wr itten forNat ional Community Church.

Man was created in the image o God (Genesis 1:26).

However, by a voluntary act o will, Adam and Eve

disobeyed God (Genesis 3:6). That frst sin had

several repercussions. Man was excommunicated

rom the garden o Eden (Genesis 3:23), a curse was

pronounced (Genesis 3:1419), the process o physical

death began (Genesis 2:17), and man died spiritually (Romans 5:1219).Sin separated humankind rom God (Ephesians 2:1118) and let man

in a allen or sinul condition (Romans 3:23). 1

Adam and Eve sinned, aecting us all .

The Doctrineo Mankind



45/88



We may encapsulate our human identity as Gods creatures in three postulates: We are thegood creation o God, we are marred through our all to sin, but we are also the objects o Gods

redemptive activity. 2

Read Genesis 1:2631; 2:1825.


Teaching Point One: We were created for Gods glory.

The rst question in the Westminster Larger Catechism is, What is the chie and highest end

o man? The answer is, Mans chie and highest end is to gloriy God, and to ully enjoy him

orever.

Wayne Grudem says in Bible Doctrine, When we realize that God created us to gloriy him, and

when we start to act in ways that ulll that purpose, then we begin to experience an intensity o

joy in the Lord that we have never beore known.

Read Isaiah 43:7 and 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Teaching Point Two: We were created in Gods image.

We are created in the image and the likeness o God. Read Genesis 1:2627.

Since we are created in Gods image, we learn more about ourselves as we learn more about God.

There are three views o what it means to be created in Gods image:

T Substnti viw: This view holds that the image o God is located in our essenceor beingthat humans alone stand above the rest o creation in the possession o an eternalsoul. Within our soul lies our ability to reason, to communicate, to love, to sense God, and to

make moral judgments. This view locates the divine image in what God has called us to be.

Theological proponents o this view include St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and John Calvin.

T h e o l o g y 1 0 1


2Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, p.125.


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1


T unction viw: The image o God lies within our God-given authority. This viewlocates the image o the divine essence in what we are called to do. This view is refected in

Genesis 1:28 and Psalm 8:46.

T Rtion viw: The image o God is our relationality. Martin Luther advocated thisposition. It is refected in two places in the creation account: let us make man in our image,

and it is not good or the man to be alone. Also read John 17:2023.

[Q]What are some o the strengths and weaknesses o each o these views?

[Q]What ethical or moral implications are inherent in each?

Tcing point Tr: Tr r t st tr iws s to wt msu umn ntur.

The bookAcross the Spectrum summarizes the ollowing views o what makes up human nature:

T Tricotomist viw: The belie that the human sel is composed o three distinctconstitutive elements: body, soul, and spirit. This view had many advocates in the early church,

including Clement o Alexandria, Origen, Gregory o Nyssa, and Didymus the Blind. Read 1

Thessalonians 5:23 and Hebrews 4:12.

T Dicotomist viw: A view o the sel that states that the human person is composedo two undamental substances: body and soul. The dichotomist view dominated the early

church ater the Council o Constantinople in 381. Theologians that have embraced this view

include John Calvin, Charles Hodge, and A. H. Strong. The dichotomists believe that the

spirit and soul are used interchangeably in Scripture and are indistinguishable in nature and

unction. Scriptures that speak o both soul and spirit (Luke 1:4647) are employing a Hebraic

literary device called parallelism.

T Monistic viw: The view o the human that asserts that there can be no naldistinction between the body, soul, and spirit o a human being. A human being is

undamentally one unitary entity. The monists build their argument on the premises that

Scripture says that the deceased are sleeping (Acts 13:36; 1 Cor. 15:6), there is no conscious lieater death (Job 17:1316; Ps. 6:5; 30:9; Isa. 38:18), and the hope given to Gods people is not

ound in immediate lie ater death but in a nal resurrection o the dead (1 Thess. 4:1617).

Tcing point our: God g umns crtin rsonsibiitis.We were created to know God and to enjoy him orever. Related responsibilities include the

ollowing:


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T h e o l o g y 1 0 1


*To refect Gods image and likeness (Gen. 1:2627; Eph. 4:2324)

* To represent God on Earth (Gen. 1:28; 2 Cor. 5:20)

*To be stewards and caretakers o creation (Gen. 1:26; Ps. 8:6)

*To live in community with others (John 17:2023).

Tcing point i: Sin ntrd t word wn adm nd edisobd God in Gnsis 3:119.

Adam and Eves sin was rooted in three areas:

*It struck at the basis o knowledge by giving a dierent answer to the question, What is

true? (Gen. 2:17 vs. Gen. 3:4)

*It struck at the basis or moral standards by giving a dierent answer to the question,

What is right? (Gen. 2:17 vs. Gen. 3:5)

*It struck at the basis or personal identity by giving a dierent answer to the question,

Who am I? (Gen. 1:26 vs. Gen. 3:5)

Grudem says in Christian Beliefs, Sin is any ailure to conorm to the moral law o God in act,

attitude, or nature.

Horton and Grenz say that:

The Old Testament word or sin, chatha, means to miss the right point, to deviate rom

the norm, erroneous action, and to depart rom Gods purpose. It reers to specic

actions, whether o thought, word, or deed. Only rarely does it describe a state o being.

Other Hebrew words or sin include awon, meaning crooked or twis

theology 101 (english version)

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