Condensed Theology Lecture 17

8/6/2019 Condensed Theology Lecture 17

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Condensed Theology

A Primer in Systematic Theology


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Theology Proper:

The Doctrine of God

What does the Bible teach about

God?


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Where Were Going

Twelve lectures covering four subjects:

The existence of God

The attributes of God God as Trinity

Gods works of creation & providence


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God as Trinity


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God as Trinity: The Propositions

1. There is only one true and living God.

2. God exists in three persons.

3. The three persons are each fully God.


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Old Testament Seeds

The doctrine of the Trinity is not as explicitin the Old Testament as it is in the New

Testament The Old Testament gradually unfolds the

doctrine of the Trinity


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Old Testament Seeds

A Threefold Cause


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Old Testament Seeds:

A Threefold Cause Of Creation

God creates by his word and his Spirit

Gen 1:2: The earth was formless and void,and darkness was over the surface of thedeep, and the Spirit of God was moving overthe surface of the waters. Then God said, "Letthere be light"; and there was light.

Ps 33:6: By the word of the LORD theheavens were made, And by the breath of Hismouth all their host.


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A Threefold Cause Of Redemption

God saves by his word and his Spirit

Ps 107:20: He sent His word and healed them, Anddelivered them from their destructions.

Hag 2:5-6: 'As for the promise which I made youwhen you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding inyour midst; do not fear!' "For thus says the LORD of

hosts, Once more in a little while, I am going to shakethe heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dryland.


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A Threefold Cause Of Redemption

God saves by his word and his Spirit Isa 63:9-12: In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel

of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He

redeemed them, And He lifted them and carried them all thedays of old. But they rebelled And grieved His Holy Spirit;Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy, He foughtagainst them. Then His people remembered the days of old, ofMoses. Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with theshepherds of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit in

the midst of them, Who caused His glorious arm to go at the righthand of Moses, Who divided the waters before them to make forHimself an everlasting name.


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Old Testament Seeds

The Angel of the Lord


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The Angel of the Lord Although there are many passages in the

Old Testament that describe the angel of

the Lord as nothing more (or less) than amessenger of Yahweh

There are nearly an equal number of textswhich blur the distinction between the Lord

and this angel such that they are identifiedwith one another


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The Angel of the Lord Gen 16:11-13: The angel of the LORD said to

her further, "Behold, you are with child, And youwill bear a son; And you shall call his name

Ishmael, Because the LORD has given heed toyour affliction. He will be a wild donkey of a man,His hand will be against everyone, Andeveryone's hand will be against him; And he willlive to the east of all his brothers." Then she

called the name of the LORD who spoke to her,"You are a God who sees"; for she said, "Have Ieven remained alive here after seeing Him?"


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The Angel of the Lord Exod 23:20-22: Behold, I am going to send an

angel before you to guard you along the wayand to bring you into the place which I have

prepared. Be on your guard before him andobey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him,for he will not pardon your transgression, sinceMy name is in him. But if you truly obey his voice

and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy toyour enemies and an adversary to youradversaries.


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The Angel of the Lord Judg 2:1-2: Now the angel of the LORD

came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And hesaid, "I brought you up out of Egypt and

led you into the land which I have sworn toyour fathers; and I said, 'I will never breakMy covenant with you, and as for you, youshall make no covenant with the

inhabitants of this land; you shall teardown their altars.' But you have notobeyed Me; what is this you have done?


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Historical Denials of the Trinity

Throughout the history of the church, oneor more of the three Trinitarianpropositions have been denied

In addition, these denials have resurfacedoutside of orthodox Christianity in a varietyof cults, non-Christian religions, and

professing evangelical (mainlyCharismatic) churches.


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Historical Denials:

There Is Not Only One God Tritheism (late 4th cent. AD)

Identified with the Cappadocian Fathers: Basilof Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, andGregory of Nyssa.

Imagine three human beings, each is distinct,but they share a common humanity.

So it is with the Trinity. There are threedistinct persons, yet they share a commondivinity.


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Historical Denials of the

Trinitarian Propositions

God Does Not Exist in Three

Persons


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Historical Denials: God Does Not

Exist in Three Persons Sabellianism (2nd-3rd cent. AD)

Modalistic Monarchianism

Sometimes called Modalism, this position suggeststhat the three persons are three modes of Godrevealing himself either in succession throughoutredemption history, or with respect to differentactivities in redemption history.

A form of Modalism is called Patripassianism,which teaches that the Father in the form/mode ofthe Son suffered on the cross.


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Historical Denials: God Does Not

Exist in Three Persons Sabellianism (2nd-3rd cent. AD)

Dynamic Monarchianism/Samosatianism

The Word, the divine Logos, though divine andconsubstantial with the Father is not personal;

Rather, the Word is simply the impersonal rationalpower of God.

The Spirit is defined simply as the grace of the

Father


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Each Person Is Not Fully God


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Historical Denials:

Each Person Is Not Fully God Dynamic Monarchianism (3rd quarter of the

3rd cent. AD)

The impersonal Word of God, the divineLogos, penetrated the man Jesus more andmore, divinized him so much that Jesusbecame worthy of divine honor, though notGod in the strict sense of the word.


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Historical Denials:

Each Person Is Not Fully God Arianism (4th cent. AD)

Five additional heresies have been influencedby Arianism:

Adoptionism: This position suggests that Jesusbecame Christ at his baptism, and was adopted bythe Father after his death.

Semi-Arianism: Christ is of a similar essence with

the Father, but divinely subordinate to him. Macedonianism (Pneumamatomachism): The Holy

Spirit is a created being.


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Historical Denials:

Each Person Is Not Fully God Arianism (4th cent. AD)

Five additional heresies have been influencedby Arianism:

Socinianism (late 16th, early 17th cent. AD): TheSon is a holy human being who was created byGod through immediate supernatural conception,but did not exist until that conception. The purposefor his creation was to teach mankind a new law.

After completing that task, he was elevated to aposition in heaven, where he became a partaker ofdivine grace.

The Holy Spirit is no more than divine power.


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The Niceno-ConstantinopolitanCreedal Rejoinder

(381 AD)


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Historical Denials Put to Rest:

The Nicene Creed And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of

God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God ofGod, light of light, very God of very God, begotten, notmade, being of one substance with the Father by whom

all things were made; who for us men, and for oursalvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnateby the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man,and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. Hesuffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again

according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven,and sits on the right hand of the Father. And he shallcome again with glory to judge both the quick and thedead, whose kingdom shall have no end.


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Historical Denials Put to Rest:

The Nicene Creed And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver

of life, who proceeds from the Father andthe Son, who with the Father and the Son

together is worshipped and glorified, whospoke by the prophets. And we believeone holy catholic and apostolic church.We acknowledge one baptism for the

remission of sins. And we look for theresurrection of the dead, and the life of theworld to come. Amen.


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The Resurgence of Heresies

The resurgence of Tritheism:

Mormonism: There are three gods, separatein personality, united in purpose, plan, andattributes of perfection. Like the Arians,Mormons teach that Jesus was created. Andlike the Semi-Arians and Subordinationists,they also teach that the son is divinely

subordinate to the Father.


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The resurgence of Sabellianism:

Oneness Pentecostalism (early 20th century):Jesus is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.Father, Son, and Spirit are modes of Godsoperation.


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The resurgence of Arianism: Socinianism (late 16 th, early 17th cent. AD): The Son

is a holy human being who was created by Godthrough immediate supernatural conception, but did

not exist until that conception. Unitarianism (still in existence:

www.biblicalunitarian.com): The Unitarians believethat the Holy Spirit is another name for God theFather (like Dynamic Modalism, a form ofSabellianism, as well)

Jehovahs Witnesses: Jesus is not one God with theFather; the Holy Spirit is Gods active force in theworld; Jesus was created.


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Whats at Stake?

THE CHRISTIANFAITH ITSELF!

The doctrine of the

Trinity is not an areathat we might call anon-essential, anarea in which weought to show

doctrinal latitude. Christianity stands or

falls on its truth.


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Whats at Stake?

First of all, we should say that if the Bible teaches thedoctrine of the Trinity, then it is of supreme importancebecause it concerns the nature of God himself.

Put differently, since God is triune and since the universe

can only be properly be understood with reference toGod (Rom 11:36), then we can say that the universe canonly be properly understood with reference to the Trinity.

In other words, since nothing makes sense without God,nothing makes sense without the Trinity.

Thus we can say that our very existence is at stake; for ifGod is not God, then nothing is certain.


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Whats at Stake?

Second, we have no salvation apart from the doctrine of the Trinity.

Each of the members of the Godhead plays an irreplaceable role inthe salvation of men and women.

The Father chooses a people for himself and sends the eternal Son

to accomplish redemption for them. The eternal Son submits to the Father by becoming obedient to the

point of death, even death on the cross (and everything before andafter!).

God the Holy Spirit applies the work of redemption to those whom

the Father has chosen to send the Son. Thus we can say that our salvation is at stake; for if God is not the

triune God, then there is no choosing or sending or applying Godssaving work on behalf of his people.


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Whats at Stake?

Take the second member of the Trinity asan example:

If Jesus is not fully God and merely acreature, then Christianity is an idolatrousreligion; for we are commanded andcommended for worshipping the Lord JesusChrist (cf. Rev 5:12-14).


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Whats at Stake?

THE CHRISTIAN FAITHITSELF!

The doctrine of the Trinityis not an area that we

might call a non-essential, an area inwhich we ought to showdoctrinal latitude.

Our existence and our

salvation stands or fallson the doctrine of theTrinity.

Condensed Theology Lecture 17

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