This was for a class... it doesn't cover all the major doctrines. These views are viewed from a standpoint of looking at the whole Bible on a given subject.
Systematic Theology seeks truth that begins with and is subject to a comprehensive study of the Bible; historically informed, communicated and defended in an accurate, precise, consistent, and relevant fashion that portrays the heart of God on any given issue to the end of effective evangelism and a growing Christ-likeness of His Church corporately and individually. ST can utilize a number of sources; reason, history/tradition, Scripture. While these and others have been suggested the Bible holds preeminence while the others can only aid in our understanding of how to communicate what God has already revealed. While the Bible is our only definitive source for theology, other elements naturally act as vehicles directing us to what we are to seek the heart of God about in the Bible.
ST is the product of the other branches of theology combined and it dives back into those branches to answer the question for which it is employed. I will do Theology with a comprehensive approach. I'm sure (seeking pastoral ministry) much of my theology will be initiated in response to questions, counseling, and sermon prep. I will approach theology with the desire to see what the Bible teaches in totality about a given subject. The question may not be about whether theology matters, but how much theology bears in on different situations. We are always doing theology in the way we live, think, make decisions, interact with people, and filter life experiences. These things are an overflow of internal theological roots that guide the lens through which we see the world and respond to it. The question becomes to what degree or what branch of theology is more or less relevant at a given time. This comes with an acknowledgment of the above reality and the wisdom.
General revelation is that which the world can know only know before salvation. People can see the intricate created order and see there is a creator (Romans 1:18-32, Psalm 19:1-6) and He has given us a conscience to know right from wrong (Romans 2:14-15). These things tell humanity there is a God but they are not enough for them to know Him personally. They need direct/special revelation. This is God's specific involvement through Christ, Scripture itself, Theophanies, angels, etc. It's the way God has specifically shown Himself and His will to man. It can be loosely described in the oft quoted apolgetical explanation that "religion is man working his way to God and Christianity is God working His way to man" through the above means.
I believe every and all words of Scripture are inspired by God (Verbal-Plenary) (Luke 24:25-27, Matthew 22:41-45). God "superintended" the writings of men to communicate His truth being in total control of the process but without the human authors' role being violated (2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible is completely without error (not just simply trustworthy) in the original autographs and in manuscripts and translations as it is interpreted correctly. The Bible affirms nothing false and only all that is true. Scripture holds absolute authority because it is the very Word of the only true God (Matthew 4:4,7,10; John 10:35).
Illumination is the supernatural internal revelation by the Holy Spirit in the heart of a person whom God has drawn to Himself to spiritually open their blind eyes unto salvation (Colossians 2:13, Eph. 2:4-5) and it's how believers "in right relation to God" (Barbieri) understand biblical truth. Canonicity begins with God's inspiration of the specific books first and their recognition by men second. The key thing to remember is that it begins with God. There were specific criteria in determining which books were inspired that reasonably eliminated the pseudepigrapha, apocrypha, and everything else (The Gospel of Thomas: Women become men to be saved? Not!). We also see the early church councils in the forming stages beginning to validate the canon we now have today.
God has revealed Himself logically and biblically (Psalm 105:4) as a Spirit, infinite (1 Kings 8:27), eternal (Psalm 90:2) and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. His attributes are not component parts of God. Each describes His total being. God's attributes are incommunicable and communicable. Some of them can be seen in us insofar as we are a mere reflection of His image. Others we cannot possess; omnipresence (Acts 17:24-28), omniscience (Psalm 147:4), omnipotence (Genesis 17:1).
The Trinity is the doctrine that there is one God who exists eternally as three persons; Father (John 6:27), Son (John 20:28), and Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4), yet of one substance, fully God (Deut. 6:4, Matt. 28:19). The person of Jesus Christ has existed before His earthly birth and will exist forever (John 8:58, Isaiah 9:6). The apostles testified to the deity of Christ (Hebrews 1:1-3). He has performed divine works of creation, preservation, revelation, forgiveness, raising of the dead, and sending the Holy Spirit. He also displays the divine attributes of immutability, omnipresence, and omnipotence. He is not only fully God, but fully man.
He had to be God in order to bear the world's sin upon Himself and He had to be man to be a sufficient sacrifice on behalf of the human race (Heb. 10:1-10). Christ was born of a virgin (Matt. 1:22-23). Christ came "in the flesh" (incarnation) and is one person yet with two natures; He has undiminished deity (100% God) and perfect humanity (100% man). The "kenosis" (to empty, emptying) is Christ's condescension in taking the likeness of sinful flesh (Phil 2:7). In doing so He voluntarily chose not to use some of His attributes on earth. The Holy Spirit is not an "it" but is revealed as a person in that He has intellect (Rom. 8:27), emotions (Eph. 4:30), and will (Acts 16:6-11). He is included with the other members of the Trinity (Matt. 28:19). He has titles reminiscent of deity (Heb. 9:14). He displays divine attributes (Job 33:4). He performs divine works (Gen. 1:2) and He is called God (Acts 5:3-5). The decree of God is His eternal purpose, according to His own will, where for His own glory, He has foreordained whatever comes to pass (Eph. 1:11). This may or may not be plan 297. The book of 2 Opinions implies it is plan 293. God is completely sovereign over His decree (Acts 4:27-28) for this world. He is owner and operator in a very tangible sense (Proverbs 21:1).
Angels were created in eternity before our existence (Job 38:4-7). They were originally created good (Col. 1:16). They are called "ministering spirits" (Heb. 1:14) and therefore are eternal spirit-beings (Luke 20:36). Sin entered the angelic realm when Lucifer said "I will" (Isaiah 14:14). I believe Satan is a real person (Job 1) who was once an angel that fell from heaven (Ezek. 28:16). He does not possess the divine attributes of omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. He can be resisted by believers (James 4:7). He has already been judged (Gen. 3:14-15, John 12:31) and will be barred from heaven completely and cast into the lake of fire that was prepared for him and his angels (Rev.12:10,20:10). Satan tempted Christ and does the same with believers. He blinds the minds of unbelievers to the gospel and uses them to his own ends of opposing God's work.
Demons are also fallen angels from heaven (Matt. 25:41) and that too means they are spirit beings (Eph. 6:12). Demons aim to thwart the purposes of God (Dan. 10:10-14 ;
Rev. 16:13-16). They extend Satan's authority (Col. 2:15) and influence. They can be used by God for His purposes (2 Cor. 12:7). They spread false doctrine (1 Tim. 4:1). They may foretell the future and are involved in spiritism and the occult (Gen. 44:5, Acts 8). They can also possess animals and people. Demonic possession is very specifically only able to occur in unbelievers (1 John 4:4). There are two aspects to this however. Demons are able to possess and to influence others. Demonic influence can take a number of forms; they can be manifested in physical illness (not always true), sometimes mental derangement, great psychic or occult powers, divine strength, uncontrolled cussing, fits of rage, depression, and even physio-emotive responses (the Mormon "burning in the bosom" is a physical experience that confirms Mormonism to people... this is obviously not from God).
The earth and all that is in it was created in six literal 24 hour days (Gen. 1). This view has also been called "the Literal Hermeneutic View" because it relies upon a plain reading of the text and interprets the six days by the words in the first chapter of Genesis that interpret for us; "morning and evening" after each day. This is also supported by the example of the sabbath in Exodus 20:11. It was easily understood as weekdays in the practical lives of the Jews of Jesus' day. The Pharisees knew the day of the sabbath (while they misapplied it) well enough to rebuke Jesus' disciples (Luke 6:2). While the heavily disputed word for "day" can mean "period," whenever it is used in the rest of the OT connected to a number (4th day, etc.) it always refers to a literal solar day.
Humanity's creation was a direct and personal act from God without any help from evolutionary processes. Man was made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). This means man was made to be like God and to represent God on this earth. It seems most appropriate to conclude that the image of God in man can be understood in a combination of three ideas; mankind is given dominion over the world (this is something man does), man relates with God and other beings (this is a relationship man has), and the image is inner quality like reason or personality (this is something man is). There is some truth to each of these aspects. The fall of man did not erase the image of God in men. It was still partly retained, but it was marred after the fall (Gen. 5:1). The image can be partially restored through salvation through Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:10).
Humans are made up of essentially two parts; a material part and an immaterial part. This is a lot less complicated then people try to make it. Humans consist of "body and soul." These terms are used synonymously in some places of Scripture (compare Genesis 41:8 with Psalm 42:6; Hebrews 12:23 with Revelation 6:9). In Matthew 10:28 the whole person is described by "body and soul." Because God cannot create an imperfect sinful being that is not "good" the soul itself is not created, but rather is transmitted through the parents as the life-force of a child at conception (Psalm 51:5, Romans 5:12, Hebrews 7:10. This view is logical for the transmission of original sin through birth.
Sin is transgression of the moral law of God (1 John 3:4). It is however more than this because not everything God calls sin is specifically found in the law and it's certainly more than outward acts. Sin must be understood from the standpoint of God, whom it is against. "Sin is [fundamentally] any lack of conformity to the character of God" - Lewis Sperry Chafer. The remedy for personal sin is forgiveness (Eph. 1:7) and justification (Rom. 3:23-25a) through Christ alone by repentance and faith toward God (Eph. 2:8-9, Acts: 26:20). Sin originated with Adam's willful disobedience (Gen. 3, 1 Tim 2:13-14). Because of Adam's sin the sinful nature was passed on through all generations and to every individual at birth after him (Romans 5, Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:23). The imputation of sin brought spiritual and physical death.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Genesis 19: 1st Person Dramatic Monologue Manuscript
(Reading of 2 Peter 2:1-9) The next person you'll hear is Lot himself...
(Sitting) Good morning. My presence has been requested here from a time long ago, from a place you haven't known, a place... you don't want to know... from a city in the land of the plain of the Jordan River near the valley of salt. As I'm sitting here I wanted to share with you about another time I was sitting... sitting at the gate of Sodom. But before I do that I must say something strange happened to me this morning. I was walking around this place you apparently call a... school? a campus? and a man approached me with authority in his eyes asking, "Do you have your ID?" I was puzzled. I asked, "What is an... ID?" He asked my name and I told him my name is Lot, son of Haran. He said, "Oh I know you and he opened a book turning to.. what was it... Genesis 19? It was amazing! It recorded the whole story I've come to share with you today. We talked briefly and he gave me this (visitor's pass). I guess I don't need it now.
Where was I? I was sitting at the gate of Sodom. People came and went at the gate. Business was as usual. There was much noise in the place... booths were setup lining the path through the gate; one sold meat for special occasions, another handled olive oil, and others (perhaps the busiest) dealt in the sale of beans and lentils to provide the affordable common family meal. I've had a lot of beans and lentil soup. The gate also brought its' share of beggars grasping for a few coins of pity amidst their despondency. The elders also sat there ready to handle the disputes of the people. I wonder how good a job they're doing considering the reputation of Sodom. The king sometimes visits this gate. The gate was the best choice for a prophet of Yahweh to come and draw a crowd to speak to the people. God's messengers were needed in a city like this. Oh! Oh look we had more visitors... two men. Something was different about them I tell you. That's strange. They have no belongings. A hush swept through the multitude of the gate at their arrival. Could it be? They were men of God! It wasn't hard to notice them in a city like Sodom. Oh I go to them. They're not safe here!
(Relocating and bowing face-down) Oh my lords! Please come to your servant's house. Stay the night. Wash your feet. You can go on your way in morning. (pause) Oh no! you can't spend the night in the square. Please! come! I am also a servant of Yahweh. Please... stay the night. They accepted my offer. I showed them my home. My wife and I prepared a feast to honor such men of God, some unleavened bread, and we ate. I shared with the men about my uncle Abraham. My uncle was kind enough to take custody of me when my father died. He watched over me for a time and we grew very close. He even permitted me herds, flocks, and tents of my own. There came a point however that our possessions were so great that my uncle suggested we part ways. It seemed a fair decision and he was wiser than I was. He told me to choose which way I would go and he would go the opposite. I looked out into the valley of the Jordan and saw that it was good for farming; well watered... in fact it was like the garden of the Lord. I would live there. So my uncle mounted his camel, took his entourage, and disappeared over the hill headed toward Canaan while I pitched my tent near Sodom. I eventually made my way here. I told the visitors of my uncle Abraham's kindness to me. He rescued me you know. Foreign kings had taken me captive in a raid on Sodom, but my uncle pursued me with a band of men and won my freedom. I respect my uncle. He is a man of courage.
Well (pause)... the hour grew late and I'd done enough talking for one night. I saw my daughters to bed and walked back into the common room to attend to my visitors and there arose a sound outside. There were voices... male voices.. lots of them. It was as if there was a large growing crowd, a riot even. They were shouting something. (loudly) "Lot! Where are those men we saw earlier today? Bring them out to us so we may have our way with them." Just as soon as the words left their mouths my mind flashed through all that I'd seen and heard through my days in this place. These men and their lusts! My mental journey then jolted to reality as the shouts outside my door grew louder. What am I going to do? These two innocent men haven't even been here a day and they want to have sex with them! Why did I ever move into this city? This has got to stop! (exits room via door and re-enters) As I stepped outside and stood at my doorway looking out into the road, to my left, to my right... we were surrounded. It had to be men from every corner of the city. I could see their faces in the flicker of light from their torches. It reminded me of the fires of Hell spitting forth evil... young and old, all thirsting for sin.
Brothers, please! Don't do this wicked thing! I have 2 daughters that have never been with a man. I'll bring them out to you... do whatever you want to them, but please! Don't touch these men. They've come under the shelter of my roof! I didn't know what to do. I didn't want them to have my daughters. What do I do?! But they didn't listen to me. (Change character to the mob) "Stand aside. This one came to live among us as a foreigner and now he's trying to be our judge. Now we'll treat you worse than those men." (Change character back to Lot) And they pressed me to the door. I was losing my footing. They were going to break the door down. Then suddenly my visitors pulled me into the house and STRUCK their eyes with blindness. They were so evil! They wearied themselves searching for the door... even in their blindness. They couldn't find it. The men in my house said to me, (Change character to the angels) "Who else do you have in this city? A son in law, children, take them from this place for the sin of this city has become so great the Lord has sent us to destroy it. (Change back to Lot) So I quickly ran through the mob of confusion and terror to find my sons-in-law and I pleaded with them. Come, we must go. They're going to destroy the city! But they laughed in my face. I made my way back up to the house. Then the crowd began to dissipate. I looked outside and noticed morning was beginning to dawn. It was clear to me now these men weren't just godly, they weren't prophets, they were more than that.
And when morning dawned they said to me, (Change character to angels) "Take your wife and your daughters and go or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city." (Change back to Lot) What do I do? What about my sons-in-law? What's going to happen to them? I don't know what to do... and time stood still. But God had compassion on me in this moment, because the men seized my hands and the hands of my family and put us outside the city. But this is where the real challenge came. The men spoke once again, (Change to the angels) "Escape for your life! Do not look back, do not stay in the valley, go to the mountains or you will be swept away." (Change back to Lot) Oh no my lords, thank you for your mercy and kindness, but the mountains are only a mile away. The disaster will overtake me. I'll die! Please! There's a town about 7 miles down here. It's near enough for me to flee to and it's small. Please let me go there. (pause) Thank you! We ran as fast as we could until our legs gre weary and then we ran again and again until... my wife began to lag behind. Then suddenly we heard a scream! I held my daughters close and I said, "Don't...look...back. Don't...look...back." We kept...on...moving. Fire and brimstone rained down as justice Himself touched Sodom that morning. The smoke chased the sky as the smoke of a furnace. We made it to the city. As the terror died down and we mourned the loss of wife and mother... my heart was grieved. What have I done? Those men were able to strike men with blindness, they destroyed an entire city, and they even had compassion on me in my time weakness and I didn't trust them to protect me in the mountains?! I couldn't take God's messengers at their word. What have I done? I've disobeyed my Lord. The fear of the Lord was the beginning of my wisdom. I took my two daughters and we stayed up in the mountains in the wet darkness of a cave. It was not a home of convenience by any means, but it was a home of obedience.
You may have a question. He was there for you Lot. Will He be there for me? I am a man, a simple servant of Yahweh... like yourself. Your book calls me a righteous man. If you also are righteous men and women before our God... then you know even the righteous can experience weakness. Even the righteous can be faithless. Even the righteous can fear their circumstances above their God. If He is MY God through faith, He is yours as well. He will never leave you nor forsake you.
What I've come to share with you today is not merely my story, but the truth that When you are faithless... He is faithful. When you are faithless, He is faithful. So remember His faithfulness to you in the past. Remember His compassion to you... and store it up here (the mind). So that when you face those times of crisis, those times of weakness, those times of fear... your fear will not be of your circumstances, but of your God... and you CAN RUN TO THOSE MOUNTAINS... the first time. Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
Well, my time is up. I must go...
(Sitting) Good morning. My presence has been requested here from a time long ago, from a place you haven't known, a place... you don't want to know... from a city in the land of the plain of the Jordan River near the valley of salt. As I'm sitting here I wanted to share with you about another time I was sitting... sitting at the gate of Sodom. But before I do that I must say something strange happened to me this morning. I was walking around this place you apparently call a... school? a campus? and a man approached me with authority in his eyes asking, "Do you have your ID?" I was puzzled. I asked, "What is an... ID?" He asked my name and I told him my name is Lot, son of Haran. He said, "Oh I know you and he opened a book turning to.. what was it... Genesis 19? It was amazing! It recorded the whole story I've come to share with you today. We talked briefly and he gave me this (visitor's pass). I guess I don't need it now.
Where was I? I was sitting at the gate of Sodom. People came and went at the gate. Business was as usual. There was much noise in the place... booths were setup lining the path through the gate; one sold meat for special occasions, another handled olive oil, and others (perhaps the busiest) dealt in the sale of beans and lentils to provide the affordable common family meal. I've had a lot of beans and lentil soup. The gate also brought its' share of beggars grasping for a few coins of pity amidst their despondency. The elders also sat there ready to handle the disputes of the people. I wonder how good a job they're doing considering the reputation of Sodom. The king sometimes visits this gate. The gate was the best choice for a prophet of Yahweh to come and draw a crowd to speak to the people. God's messengers were needed in a city like this. Oh! Oh look we had more visitors... two men. Something was different about them I tell you. That's strange. They have no belongings. A hush swept through the multitude of the gate at their arrival. Could it be? They were men of God! It wasn't hard to notice them in a city like Sodom. Oh I go to them. They're not safe here!
(Relocating and bowing face-down) Oh my lords! Please come to your servant's house. Stay the night. Wash your feet. You can go on your way in morning. (pause) Oh no! you can't spend the night in the square. Please! come! I am also a servant of Yahweh. Please... stay the night. They accepted my offer. I showed them my home. My wife and I prepared a feast to honor such men of God, some unleavened bread, and we ate. I shared with the men about my uncle Abraham. My uncle was kind enough to take custody of me when my father died. He watched over me for a time and we grew very close. He even permitted me herds, flocks, and tents of my own. There came a point however that our possessions were so great that my uncle suggested we part ways. It seemed a fair decision and he was wiser than I was. He told me to choose which way I would go and he would go the opposite. I looked out into the valley of the Jordan and saw that it was good for farming; well watered... in fact it was like the garden of the Lord. I would live there. So my uncle mounted his camel, took his entourage, and disappeared over the hill headed toward Canaan while I pitched my tent near Sodom. I eventually made my way here. I told the visitors of my uncle Abraham's kindness to me. He rescued me you know. Foreign kings had taken me captive in a raid on Sodom, but my uncle pursued me with a band of men and won my freedom. I respect my uncle. He is a man of courage.
Well (pause)... the hour grew late and I'd done enough talking for one night. I saw my daughters to bed and walked back into the common room to attend to my visitors and there arose a sound outside. There were voices... male voices.. lots of them. It was as if there was a large growing crowd, a riot even. They were shouting something. (loudly) "Lot! Where are those men we saw earlier today? Bring them out to us so we may have our way with them." Just as soon as the words left their mouths my mind flashed through all that I'd seen and heard through my days in this place. These men and their lusts! My mental journey then jolted to reality as the shouts outside my door grew louder. What am I going to do? These two innocent men haven't even been here a day and they want to have sex with them! Why did I ever move into this city? This has got to stop! (exits room via door and re-enters) As I stepped outside and stood at my doorway looking out into the road, to my left, to my right... we were surrounded. It had to be men from every corner of the city. I could see their faces in the flicker of light from their torches. It reminded me of the fires of Hell spitting forth evil... young and old, all thirsting for sin.
Brothers, please! Don't do this wicked thing! I have 2 daughters that have never been with a man. I'll bring them out to you... do whatever you want to them, but please! Don't touch these men. They've come under the shelter of my roof! I didn't know what to do. I didn't want them to have my daughters. What do I do?! But they didn't listen to me. (Change character to the mob) "Stand aside. This one came to live among us as a foreigner and now he's trying to be our judge. Now we'll treat you worse than those men." (Change character back to Lot) And they pressed me to the door. I was losing my footing. They were going to break the door down. Then suddenly my visitors pulled me into the house and STRUCK their eyes with blindness. They were so evil! They wearied themselves searching for the door... even in their blindness. They couldn't find it. The men in my house said to me, (Change character to the angels) "Who else do you have in this city? A son in law, children, take them from this place for the sin of this city has become so great the Lord has sent us to destroy it. (Change back to Lot) So I quickly ran through the mob of confusion and terror to find my sons-in-law and I pleaded with them. Come, we must go. They're going to destroy the city! But they laughed in my face. I made my way back up to the house. Then the crowd began to dissipate. I looked outside and noticed morning was beginning to dawn. It was clear to me now these men weren't just godly, they weren't prophets, they were more than that.
And when morning dawned they said to me, (Change character to angels) "Take your wife and your daughters and go or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city." (Change back to Lot) What do I do? What about my sons-in-law? What's going to happen to them? I don't know what to do... and time stood still. But God had compassion on me in this moment, because the men seized my hands and the hands of my family and put us outside the city. But this is where the real challenge came. The men spoke once again, (Change to the angels) "Escape for your life! Do not look back, do not stay in the valley, go to the mountains or you will be swept away." (Change back to Lot) Oh no my lords, thank you for your mercy and kindness, but the mountains are only a mile away. The disaster will overtake me. I'll die! Please! There's a town about 7 miles down here. It's near enough for me to flee to and it's small. Please let me go there. (pause) Thank you! We ran as fast as we could until our legs gre weary and then we ran again and again until... my wife began to lag behind. Then suddenly we heard a scream! I held my daughters close and I said, "Don't...look...back. Don't...look...back." We kept...on...moving. Fire and brimstone rained down as justice Himself touched Sodom that morning. The smoke chased the sky as the smoke of a furnace. We made it to the city. As the terror died down and we mourned the loss of wife and mother... my heart was grieved. What have I done? Those men were able to strike men with blindness, they destroyed an entire city, and they even had compassion on me in my time weakness and I didn't trust them to protect me in the mountains?! I couldn't take God's messengers at their word. What have I done? I've disobeyed my Lord. The fear of the Lord was the beginning of my wisdom. I took my two daughters and we stayed up in the mountains in the wet darkness of a cave. It was not a home of convenience by any means, but it was a home of obedience.
You may have a question. He was there for you Lot. Will He be there for me? I am a man, a simple servant of Yahweh... like yourself. Your book calls me a righteous man. If you also are righteous men and women before our God... then you know even the righteous can experience weakness. Even the righteous can be faithless. Even the righteous can fear their circumstances above their God. If He is MY God through faith, He is yours as well. He will never leave you nor forsake you.
What I've come to share with you today is not merely my story, but the truth that When you are faithless... He is faithful. When you are faithless, He is faithful. So remember His faithfulness to you in the past. Remember His compassion to you... and store it up here (the mind). So that when you face those times of crisis, those times of weakness, those times of fear... your fear will not be of your circumstances, but of your God... and you CAN RUN TO THOSE MOUNTAINS... the first time. Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
Well, my time is up. I must go...
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