The Earnest Contender

Monday, December 18, 2006

Theology Proper 1

A Study of Systematic Theology

Theology Proper or The Doctrine of God (Primarily God the Father)

In Theology Proper I plan to affirm some basic ideas for getting to know and understand our Lord in a closer more intimate way. That's what Theology is all about! I will cover several aspects of Theology Proper if God permits.

The introduction will help to fine tune our reception and focus on the reality of the God of the Bible. It will be an expansion of these earlier posts on Prolegomena:

Blogging on Prolegomenon

Prolegomenon: Introduction to Systematic Theology 1

Prolegomenon: Introduction to Systematic Theology 2

Prolegomenon: Introduction to Systematic Theology 4

Prolegomenon: Introduction to Systematic Theology 5

The existence of God will pertain to certain arguments, and views concerning the existence of God. Do you think you heard them all before? Maybe you have so you may as well join the discussion when we get there.

We will work our way through to the attributes of God, here we will draw attention to God and offer some practical applications that correspond with each one of His attributes. You did know that theology is practical didn't you?

We will then examine Trinitarian doctrine, both true and false views. You wont want to miss this one, it should give you the tools needed to tenderly refute Unitarian and Polytheistic philosophies among others false ideas about the Trinity.

Finally I will round off this section of Systematic Theology highlighting six facets of the Fatherhood of God.

The aim is to bring us to a place where we not only get to know our God better but also provide tools to continue our journey in desiring God more and more in our life. When we realize the gift we Christian's possess why wouldn't we want to tell others about it?

Brother John

10 Comments:

Now I know this study is where your heart is.

By Rose~, at 18/12/06 5:48 PM
Thanks for reading DF,

I added links to those Prolegomena posts.

Rose~ Thanks for your encouragement.

Brother John

By J. Wendell, at 19/12/06 7:36 AM
Yes, the only good starting point.

You always know you may be in the wrong theological study when one starts with the base of doubting Thomas. We were having Sunday School classes on that in my old Church. One lady was a bit discouraged who had just come out of the Methodist denomination where they always seemed to extol the passage often and seem to be examining this from the aspect of virtue.

You must always start where you are starting here. The disciples...all of them believed and followed God at first and then fell into confusion. That is so important to note. They all started hearing the voice from John "Behold the Lamb of God" and seeing Him.

It is important also to note that the weaknesses the disciples faced being assaulted with doubt came later...but the foundation had been established as they forsook all to follow Him. It is also important I think to note that the more experiential their faith got...the weaker it seemed to become, hence a physical sign from the resurrection was demanded from doubting Thomas but in the darkest hour when Thomas doubted and the disciples fled...Two theologians took great courage and removed Jesus from the cross and buried him. Their faith based on Scriptural truth came forth when the ones with more experience and enlightment walking with Jesus himself grew dim.

Hence we have Peter saying that we have a more sure word in the Scriptures then even that of the Transfiguration. I am not trying to downplay finding Noahs Ark or trying to convince man by means of physical tangible evidence like creation research but we must beware that we do not establish a scientific mind over faith...but what I am trying to get across is that it is Scripture and apprehension of believing in the way the Roman Centurion in Matthew 8 did that is the foundation that we must strive to call men to. It would seem that Israel would have been all ears since Jesus had just told them in the prior chapter: "Not everyone that sayeth unto me Lord Lord will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven" Remember this fact and it is important to note...He was an outsider and a Gentile with more faith than anyone in Israel. He also had an established view of being under a Sovereign head as well as being a ruler himself. If we start from the lowest point and try to work our way up we are often going to find ourselves in a quagmire and walking the road that Billy Graham has rationalized over. We then start taking great pillars of truth that give birth to faith like the Virgin Birth or the Deity of Christ and diminishing them and the danger is we risk comforting a conscience that is condemned and skeptical.

Pray about this brother. I am very burdened about this. The Church I left got upset with me because I was challenging their view that you can still doubt the Virgin Birth and have true faith or other such things. I then later found out that my pastor was the nephew of the man that headed up the Good News translation that took a reductionist stand and eliminted the Virgin Birth from its translation as well as the blood of Christ. I was greatly disturbed. My pastor kept telling me that the more doctrine we tell them the more we will confuse them from believing and that they need to grow in these understandings and that this was the quest of the Good News translation as well and that it was in his opinion the best transtation around because it was trying to reach the people in the ghetto with watered down truth to lead them to real truth. I don't share that view and it concerns me whenever I see it. I have spent much time in anguish over this, but I know God has placed this on my heart and that it is true.

May God bless your endeavor here.

I heard a preacher say that the woman that followed Paul around kept saying that he was showing "A" way of Salvation. I looked at the text though and it looks like she say "The". I don't know if he was a Greek fella or something but let me just say either way...well, Years ago Josh McDowell wrote a play called truth slayers...but I am convinced more than ever that Satan is a truth sifter not a truth slayer. Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses by mimicking him closely.

Many Consevative men in these mainline denominations today are saying..."Oh we believe in the deity of Christ and the Virgin Birth" and so on...but then they are saying we are just saying you don't have to believe those things in order to be a believer.

You know if its not true for them why would it be true for others? Then I begin to hear that arguement that reverberates more and more that God only holds us accountable for the light we receive. Well punitively for degrees in eternal hell and punishment that may be, but in the matter of the Son Of The Living God who saves our souls...well we are not to dabble in that area of unwarranted theology but to call men to faith by the foundation He has laid and told us to call men to faith by.

It was not long ago I heard Joe Jordan from Word Of Life saying that years ago he went into the offices of the American Bible Society I think it was and challanged the Good News Bible as apostate. Then he said that a false teacher may not know he is one. Near the same time my (former) pastor stated that he believed the Good News to be the best translation and was good for reaching people. I soon discovered that he was taught this by his family memeber who wrote the book on dynamic theory in translation.

It was a scary revelation and I didn't know what to do. I have spent so much time weeping and in anguish over this and I don't know whether to take people like Billy Graham or others who dabble in this area as joking around or being serious...but I know this is no coincidence and that this thought is not from Paul who warned that men would fall away and refuse to love the truth. WE must call men to truth...it is the most loving thing we could do. Keeping them in partial light will only enlighten them partially. We must needs ensure that we are calling men to the whole counsel of God. It will be a woefull day if we don't. Not for our salvation but for others. Remember that David thought numbering the people would be of little harm, but his unwillingness to even hearken to a wicked man named Joab that knew better led to thousands of deaths.

Sometimes I think we need a bit of that slap in the face from the means that men like Joab used to try to wake us up...although not always. I am certainley not advocating it as a good means always as we are to be seasoned with grace....but oh that I could go back and somehow wake up all of my former friends from where I used to go or even my former Pastors...I would, but God had to let me know...I've got to let them go. I can't help them. They will have to find out for themselves.

I'll never forget the first night I went into Brooklyn and Queens. I had studied my maps carefully but then I came into a low clearance sign that caused me to slow down. Another driver came behind me and told me not to worry and that it was an old sign from back in the 1940's or something. He guided me around and really helped get me through a scary situation, but then we came up on an exit he wasn't paying attention to and it was a bit foggy that night and the signs were frosted up. I told him I thought that was the right exit, but he argued with me. He was more experienced than I was, but I had really studied that map and I was convinced this was the exit. He wouldn't listen to me and I had to take a leap of faith and exit. He then asked me if it was right and I told him it was. I heard him on the CB in great anguish crying and saying he was in so much trouble. Around those parts you don't miss the right exit.

The man that first trained me over the road said that the minute you get comfortable in a big truck is the minute you need to get out. He also told me that when you get comfortable with your experience you begin to miss things. That must have been what happened as he should have known better than the rookie green horn I was...but I had fearfully studied the map. Those old signs from back years ago that never got taken down was where I needed his guidance and the Lord sent him to guide me through that confusion. It is the way I feel now about my old church...they helped me with so much, but I am puzzled with why they can't see what is plainly in Scripture and why they are unwilling to square with truth or the whole ecumenical movement and mainline denominations for that matter but I can't worry about it anymore. In deep grief I must move on and only hope they one day see that an old bag of rags like myself should have been listened to. I hope they see one day, but I have to let them go...I tried and did all I could. Unfortunately the pull is so strong and everyone is heading in this direction and reasoning the same rationale that a man of God like Billy Graham is rationalizing. I don't know what the price will be, but I fear God will have to wipe our tears away as David needed when thousands died because of his unwillingness to listen to simple truth.

I often get told that I am deep, but in reality I think I am trying to proclaim simple truth that seems deep because everyone is drunk with human reasoning. Jesus even once told a parable where he asked something like, "Am I unrighteous because your eye is evil?"

By Bhedr, at 19/12/06 5:29 PM
Hi Brian,
Thanks for reading and taking time to comment here.

I want you to know that I will pray for your former Pastor. It seems he is a bit biased. When I was a kid in the UPUSA we used the Good News Bible at summer camp. We had fun. I think it would be difficult as a Fundamentalist to preach from such a skewed paraphrase. I think I still have it around somewhere.

My aim for this series is to bring us to a position where we not only discern
the things of God but also provide good doctrinally sound tools to continue our journey in yearning for our Lord more and more in our life.

God bless you brother,
John

By J. Wendell, at 21/12/06 9:14 AM
Thanks brother. thanks for letting me solidify some of my thoughts as to why these truths are so important to start with.

Are we having a baby? Tick Tick Tick:-)

By Bhedr, at 21/12/06 11:05 AM
Yes we are!

By J. Wendell, at 21/12/06 11:14 AM
Congratulations John (and Rose)!

By Anonymous, at 21/12/06 11:15 AM
Thanks Earl!

By J. Wendell, at 21/12/06 11:58 AM
Congradulations brother!! We celebrate with you!!!

By Bhedr, at 21/12/06 12:06 PM
Thanks brother!

By J. Wendell, at 22/12/06 8:19 AM