Condensed Theology Lecture 4

8/6/2019 Condensed Theology Lecture 4

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Condensed Theology

A Primer in Systematic Theology


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Bibliology:

The Doctrine of Scripture

What does the Bible teach about

itself?


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Where Were Going Six lessons on the Bible Addressing the following subjects:

Revelation & Inspiration

Authority Sufficiency

Unity

Necessity Power

Truthfulness Inerrancy

Infallibility

Clarity Illumination

Hermeneutics Grammatico-historical exegesis

Canonical interpretation

Redemptive-historical interpretation Canonicity


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Topics for Discussion

1. The sufficiency of Scripture

2. The unity of Scripture

3. The necessity of Scripture4. The power of Scripture


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The Sufficiency of Scripture


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Defining Scriptures Sufficiency:

What It Is The sufficiency of Scripture may be

defined as the principle that the Bible

contains all things necessary for life andsalvation


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What It Is Not To say that the

Scripture is sufficientfor faith and life does

not mean that it issufficient for allknowledge of everysubject

You wont learnGeneral Relativityfrom the Bible


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Scripture is sufficientfor faith and life does

not mean that itanswers everyChristian religiousquestion we may

have Did Adam have a

belly-button?

John 21:25: And there are alsomany other things which Jesus

did, which if they were written indetail, I suppose that even theworld itself would not contain thebooks that would be written.


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Scripture is sufficientfor faith and life

should not beconstrued to implythat we do not needtools outside of

Scripture forunderstanding it

Language

History

Geography Culture


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What It Is The sufficiency of Scripture may be

defined as the principle that the Bible

contains all things necessary for life andsalvation


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Understanding Sufficiency

Biblically


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Understanding Sufficiency Biblically

2 Tim 3:15-17: and that from childhoodyou have known the sacred writings which

are able to give you the wisdom that leadsto salvation through faith which is in ChristJesus. All Scripture is inspired by Godand profitable for teaching, for reproof, for

correction, for training in righteousness; sothat the man of God may be adequate,equipped for every good work.


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2 Tim 3:15: and that from childhood youhave known the sacred writings which

are able to give you the wisdom thatleads to salvation through faith whichis in Christ Jesus.

It is the Scriptures that lead to salvation


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2 Tim 3:17 so that the man of God maybe adequate, equipped for every goodwork.

The word translated adequate does notmean enough to get by; it is a ;r t i o j(rtios), and means pertaining to beingqualified to perform some function.Helpful glosses include fully qualified orproficient.


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2 Tim 3:17 so that the man of God may beadequate, equipped for every good work.

The word translated equipped is evxh r t i s me,n o j

(exrtismnos), and means to make someonecompletely adequate or sufficient for something.Helpful glosses include, to make adequate, orto furnish completely, or to cause to be fully

qualified.


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2 Tim 3:17 so that the man of God maybe adequate, equipped for every goodwork

. The Scripture is all that we need forobeying him perfectly; we need nothingmore for the performance of good works


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Ps 19:7-11: The law of the LORD is perfect, restoringthe soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, makingwise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right,rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is

pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD isclean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD aretrue; they are righteous altogether. They are moredesirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeteralso than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keepingthem there is great reward.

Ps 119:1: How blessed are those whose way isblameless, Who walk in the law of the LORD.


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Josh 1:7: Only be strong and very courageous;be careful to do according to all the law whichMoses My servant commanded you; do not turn

from it to the right or to the left, so that you mayhave success wherever you go.

Prov 30:5: Every word of God is tested; He is ashield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not

add to His words Or He will reprove you, andyou will be proved a liar.


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Deut 4:2: You shall not add to the word which Iam commanding you, nor take away from it, thatyou may keep the commandments of the LORD

your God which I command you. Deut 12:32: Whatever I command you, you shall

be careful to do; you shall not add to nor takeaway from it.

Deut 29:29: The secret things belong to theLORD our God, but the things revealed belongto us and to our sons forever, that we mayobserve all the words of this law.


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Rev 22:18-19: I testify to everyone whohears the words of the prophecy of thisbook: if anyone adds to them, God will addto him the plagues which are written in thisbook; 19 and if anyone takes away fromthe words of the book of this prophecy,

God will take away his part from the tree oflife and from the holy city, which arewritten in this book.


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Christ rebukes the Pharisees for their recourse totradition outside of Scripture. This, by implication, pointsto the sufficiency of Scripture to furnish one for everygood work.

Mark 7:5-8: The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him,Why do Your disciples not walk according to thetradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impurehands? And He said to them, Rightly did Isaiahprophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people

honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away fromme. But in vain do they worship me, teaching asdoctrines the precepts of men. Neglecting thecommandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.


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When we speak of the sufficiency of Scripturewe refer to the inspired Bibles uniquecapacity for leading people to salvation and

for fully qualifying the believer and forfurnishing him or her completely with all he orshe needs to perform every good work.

We need nothing more and nothing less thanthe teaching, reproof, correction, and trainingin righteousness that comes from Scripture


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Sufficiency and Redemption

History


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Sufficiency and Redemption

History The doctrine of sufficiency does not imply thatGodcannot add any more words to what he hasalready authoritatively communicated to us in hisword; instead, it implies only that human beings

cannot do so This is why we can read commands in both

Deuteronomy andRevelation not to add to thewords which God has given

The amount of Scripture given at each stage ofredemption history was sufficient; that is, itrepresented all the words that God intended forhis people to have for each era


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The Unity of Scripture


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Unity Inferred from Sufficiency

2 Tim 3:15: and that from childhood you haveknown the sacred writings which are able to giveyou the wisdom that leads to salvation through

faith which is in Christ Jesus. If the Scripture is sufficient for salvation at each

stage of redemption history, and if salvation isnever by works, but by faith alone in the

promises of God, then it must be that themessage of the Scripture is unified, centering onthe gracious saving work of God in the gospel


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Unity Inferred from Sufficiency

The Bible:

Sufficient forsalvation at

each stage ofredemption

history

Salvation:By grace

alone throughfaith alone inChrist alone

The Bible

teaches onemessage


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Unity Inferred from Inspiration

2 Tim 3:16: All Scripture is inspired byGod [= God-breathed] and profitable forteaching, for reproof, for correction, fortraining in righteousness

Since the Bible has a single, divine author,it follows that the Bible is a unity


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Unity Inferred from the Character of

God Titus 1:2: in the hope of eternal life,

which God, who cannot lie, promisedlong ages ago.

Since the single, divine author is incapableof lying or contradicting himself, theScripture cannot lie or contradict itself


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Biblical Affirmations of Unity The unity that we may legitimately infer from

sufficiency, inspiration, and the character of Godonly goes so far

We read that we cannot add any words to Gods

word, yet Scripture continued to be produced We read that certain dietary and domestic duties

were necessary for Gods people to obey, andwe see them roundly dismissed elsewhere in the

same unified Bible. How are these notcontradictions?

What, then, is it that ties the two testamentstogether as one uniquely Christian book? Orbetter, who is it?


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Biblical Affirmations of Unity: Unity

in Christ John 5:39-46: You search the Scriptures because youthink that in them you have eternal life; it is these thattestify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me sothat you may have life. I do not receive glory from men;but I know you, that you do not have the love of God inyourselves. I have come in My Father's name, and youdo not receive Me; if another comes in his own name,you will receive him. How can you believe, when youreceive glory from one another and you do not seek theglory that is from the one and only God? Do not thinkthat I will accuse you before the Father; the one whoaccuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope.For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for hewrote about Me.


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in Christ Luke 24:27: Then beginning with Moses and

with all the prophets, He explained to them thethings concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

Luke 24:44: Now He said to them, These areMy words which I spoke to you while I was stillwith you, that all things which are written aboutMe in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and

the Psalms must be fulfilled.


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in Christ Heb 1:1-2: God, after He spoke long ago

to the fathers in the prophets in manyportions and in many ways, in these last

days has spoken to us in His Son, whomHe appointed heir of all things, throughwhom also He made the world.

Rom 10:4: For Christ is the end of the lawfor righteousness to everyone whobelieves.


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Biblical Affirmations of Unity

Acts 8:26-35: But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, Getup and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem toGaza.So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopianeunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, whowas in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem toworship, and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and wasreading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go up and

join this chariot. Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah theprophet, and said, Do you understand what you are reading? Andhe said, Well, how could I, unless someone guides me? And heinvited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage ofScripture which he was reading was this: He was led as a sheep toslaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he does not

open his mouth. in humiliation his judgment was taken away; whowill relate his generation? For his life is removed from the earth.The eunuch answered Philip and said, Please tell me, of whomdoes the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else? ThenPhilip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture hepreached Jesus to him.


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Rom 4:23: Now not for his sake only wasit written that it was credited to him

Rom 15:4: For whatever was written inearlier times was written for ourinstruction, so that through perseveranceand the encouragement of the Scriptures

we might have hope.


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1 Cor 9:9-10: For it is written in the Law ofMoses, You shall not muzzle the ox whilehe is threshing. God is not concernedabout oxen, is He? Or is He speakingaltogether for our sake? Yes, for our sakeit was written, because the plowman ought

to plow in hope, and the thresher to threshin hope of sharing the crops.


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1 Cor 10:6, 11: Now these thingshappened as examples for us, so that wewould not crave evil things as they alsocraved.11Now these things happened tothem as an example, and they werewritten for our instruction, upon whom the

ends of the ages have come.


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The Necessity of Scripture


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General and Special

Revelation

To understand the Bibles necessity,we must first understand that there are

two kinds of revelation


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General Revelation

Ps 19:1-6: The heavens are telling of the glory of God;And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night revealsknowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words;

Their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out throughall the earth, And their utterances to the end of the world.In them He has placed a tent for the sun, Which is as abridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as astrong man to run his course. Its rising is from one end of

the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them; Andthere is nothing hidden from its heat.


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General Revelation

Rom 1:18-21: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven againstall ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truthin unrighteousness, because that which is known about God isevident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since thecreation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power anddivine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood throughwhat has been made, so that they are without excuse. For eventhough they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or givethanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolishheart was darkened.

Rom 1:28: And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God anylonger, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those thingswhich are not proper,

Rom 1:32: and although they know the ordinance of God, that thosewho practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do thesame, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.


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General Revelation

Though God has certainly revealed himselfthrough creation, such knowledge of Godthrough general revelation is not sufficient to

give us the knowledge that leads to salvation. Itis sufficient to condemn us in our idolatrousunbelief and to leave us without excuse at the

judgment; but nothing more.

Therefore, Scripture (a special revelation of

God) is necessary for a saving knowledge ofGod. Without it, we would not be able to knowGod.


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The Necessity of Special

Revelation


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Necessity of Special Revelation

Rom 1:21: For even though they knew God, they did nothonor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futilein their speculations, and their foolish heart wasdarkened.

Eph 4:17-19: So this I say, and affirm together with theLord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles alsowalk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in theirunderstanding, excluded from the life of God because ofthe ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of

their heart; and they, having become callous, have giventhemselves over to sensuality for the practice of everykind of impurity with greediness.


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1 Cor 1:18-23: For the word of the cross is foolishness tothose who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it isthe power of God. For it is written, I will destroy thewisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever i willset aside. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe?

Where is the debater of this age? Has not God madefoolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom ofGod the world through its wisdom did not come to knowGod, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of themessage preached to save those who believe. For indeedJews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we

preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and toGentiles foolishness. Because of the darkness of our hearts, we would not and

could not reason our way from General Revelation to theLord


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Rom 10:13-17: For Whoever will call on thename of the lord will be saved. How then willthey call on Him in whom they have notbelieved? How will they believe in Him whom

they have not heard? And how will they hearwithout a preacher? How will they preach unlessthey are sent? Just as it is written, Howbeautiful are the feet of those who bring goodnews of good things! However, they did not all

heed the good news; for Isaiah says, Lord, whohas believed our report? So faith comes fromhearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.


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Necessary for Maintaining

Spiritual Life


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The Bible Is Necessary for

Maintaining Spiritual Life Deut 32:47: For it is not an idle word for

you; indeed it is your life. And by this wordyou will prolong your days in the land,

which you are about to cross the Jordan topossess.

Matt 4:4: But [Jesus] answered and said,"It is written, Man shall not live on bread

alone, but on every word that proceeds outof the mouth of God.


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The Bible Is Necessary for

Maintaining Spiritual Life Ps 19:7-11: The law of the LORD is perfect, restoringthe soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, makingwise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right,rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD ispure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD isclean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD aretrue; they are righteous altogether. They are moredesirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeteralso than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keepingthem there is great reward.

1 Pet 2:2: like newborn babies, long for the pure milkof the word, so that by it you may grow in respect tosalvation.


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The Power of Scripture


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Heb 4:12: For the word of God is livingand active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the

division of soul and spirit, of both jointsand marrow, and able to judge thethoughts and intentions of the heart.

Jer 23:29: Is not My word like fire?

declares the LORD, and like a hammerwhich shatters a rock?


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1 Cor 14:24-25: But if all prophesy, andan unbeliever or an ungifted man enters,he is convicted by all, he is called toaccount by all; the secrets of his heart aredisclosed; and so he will fall on his faceand worship God, declaring that God is

certainly among you.


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1 Thess 2:13: For this reason we alsoconstantly thank God that when you received theword of God which you heard from us, you

accepted it not as the word of men, but for whatit really is, the word of God, which also performsits work in you who believe.

Jas 1:18: In the exercise of His will He brought

us forth by the word of truth, so that we would bea kind of first fruits among His creatures.


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Acts 7:38: This is the one who was in thecongregation in the wilderness together with theangel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai,

and who was with our fathers; and he receivedliving oracles to pass on to you.

1 Pet 1:23: For you have been born again not ofseed which is perishable but imperishable, that

is, through the living and enduring word of God.


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Conclusion


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Conclusion

1. The Scripture is sufficient

2. The Scripture is unified

3. The Scripture is necessary4. The Scripture is powerful


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Glossary


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General Revelation: The knowledge ofGod that is evident in and throughcreation. Such knowledge is sufficient to

condemn, but not sufficient to save. Special Revelation: The knowledge of God

that has been made known through hisword (in all its formsremember our first

lecture on bibliology). Such knowledge issufficient both to condemn and to save.

Condensed Theology Lecture 4

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