Theology (Dogmatics - I) God

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Theology I – God

  1. Theology

Theology is the study of God, God’s character, God’s actions in relation to the cosmos, and especially God’s relationship to humanity (the character and history of humankind) in its responsive relationship to God within the panorama of the world and history, space and time. 

the study of God, God’s character, God’s actions in relation to the cosmos, and especially God’s relationship to humanity (the character and history of humankind) in its responsive relationship to God within the panorama of the world and history, space and time. 

What would you say is the single most outstanding thing about God?

  • Exodus 34:6-7
    • His divine providence and glory
    • God proclaimed his mercy, truth, etc.
  • Exodus 33:13
    • Show me now your way
    • Finding grace to be the people of God
    • Fruit of the Spirit; vs. 6

 

  1. The Existence of God
  • See slideshow summary questions
  • To whom will you liken God? Isaiah 40:18-19;
  • Slide 9 – Natural Knowledge of God (take your time here.)
    • Romans 1, Romans 2:14-15; Acts 17:27-28

 

  1. Ontological proof – Studies the nature of existence or being; metaphysical or what applies to natural being. See I Cor. 15:37-41
    1. All things that consist in this world, consist because of a God that exist and a God that gave it, its own body. 
    2. Earth, life and eternity is only made possible by a living, existing God.
    3. Vs. 44 A natural body and a spiritual body
    4. Vs. 45 a living soul and a quicken spirit
    5. Nothing and no one can bring you into a spiritual existence out of an earthen existence. Nothing and no one can number the hair on your head but a living God. No one can count the sand on the shores of beaches, nor the stars of heaven.
  2. Cosmological proof – relates to the original and development of the universe. {The question of origin is fundamental: Where did everything come and how did it get like it is? Put away the cosmogonic myths. No one can is able to go back to the beginning of time. (Job 38:1) God asked Job, where were you?..
    1. The Bible, and only the Bible, starts with the special creation of all things by an eternal, omnipotent, personal God. “…an infinite and eternal… an adequate cause to explain space and time; a,' omnipotent God can account for the vast sources of power and matter in the cosmos, an omniscient God can explain the innumerable evidences of intelligence and order; a personal God is capable of creating life and personality in His creatures;
    2. Primeval chaos and colliding atoms are capable of explaining none of these things.
  3. Teleological proof – referred to the doctrine of design and purpose in this material world. What purpose does all things consist can only be explain in full by the Bible. We know in part but God knows all the details we may never fully discover.  But we do know that all things consist because of God.  {The belief is that everything has a purpose.}
    1. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. Colossians 1:16-17 (KJV)
  4. Moral proof – When they knew His…. Rom. 1
  5. Historical proof – Documented Evidence handed down from dispensation to dispensation; generation to generation since the beginning (Genesis 5)

 

  1. Theological proof – Biblical Evidence, God speaks
    1. “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, 9  remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10  declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ 11  calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it” (Isaiah 46:8-11). (ESV)

 

  1.  The Trinity Controversy and Terminology
  1. {The question of love, holiness and relationship}: Very significantly, the answer lies in the trinitarian being of God. Love is the epitome of all virtue and the highest expression of holiness. And God should not have to depend upon his creation to actualize his capacity to love, for that would make creation as important as the Creator because the Creator would be incomplete without his creation. But the Bible introduces love as an interpersonal quality requiring a subject-object relationship that is available in the Trinity because of the Father-Son relationship through the Holy Spirit. The trinitarian God is complete in his love relationship without reference to his creation. The Father loves the Son before the creation of the world (John 17:24). The infinite personal medium through whom this love is communicated is the Holy Spirit, and he is the one who pours the love of God in our hearts as well (Romans 5:5).
  2. Doctrine of the Holy Trinity (Emphasis) Slide #3 and Slide #7
  1. {Summary Questions} I am the Lord God, I am the Lord your God,

As we look at Genesis to Malachi every testimony of the servants of God lifts Him high and above all things in the universe. Majority of the emphases comes from the men and women of God; they are true and reliable.

  1. The term Trinity originated from Council of Bishops called the First Council of Nicaea (present day Turkey) around 325 AD when Constantine was Emperor of Rome.
    1. What does the Emperor of Rome have to do with the word Trinity? It was convened by the emperor Constantine who confess to being a Christian, leaving paganism around 312 AD.
    2. What purpose does the word Trinity serve? The Council of Nicaea was the first council in the history of the Christian church that was intended to address the entire body of believers. It was convened by the emperor Constantine to resolve the controversy of Arianism, a doctrine that held that Christ was not divine but was a created being
    3. The Council declared that the Son was true God, coeternal with the Father and begotten from his same substance, arguing that such a doctrine best codified the Scriptural presentation of the Son as well as traditional Christian belief about him handed down from the Apostles.
    4. This would lead to the Nicaean Creed.
    5. Controversy of Trinity (Emphasis) Slide #6 & #7
  2. God’s essence and Manifestations: Often times when people want to explain God or belief according to Christianity, they refer to the concept of Trinity
    1. Father; Creation of all things, the preeminent command authority of the universe.
    2. Son; Redemptions, redeemer and giver of life whose granted all authority in heaven and in earth. All is made alive!
    3. Holy Spirit; Regeneration, the restoration of life that leads into all truth. The power and authority to become a new creature. (See Titus 3:5.)

 

  1. God’s Essence and Attributes (Neg)
    1. What is the greatly emphasized about God from the NT?  God’s will…
    2. Gospel we are told that we must love with all our heart…
    3. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” Luke 9:35 (ESV)
    4. Jesus ministry began with repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand and it is written…
    5. In acts we are told to repent and be baptized,
    6. In the epistles we are to strive for profession, putting away the former things.
        1. How do we define God’s attributes from the scriptures? {ascribed, accredited, characteristic and traits} –
    7.  All the fruits of the Spirit are of God’s traits and characteristics, he is holy and righteous.
    8. Almighty is all knowing and all powerful; I Am that I Am!
      1. The compound names of God reference his might, ways word, and works.
      2. His testimonies are true.
      3. He is the testimony of the world through Creation.
  2. God’s Essence and Attributes (Pos)
  1. Everywhere we mention the word “divine” it is also associated with His “sovereignty”.
  2. The Lord (God) Reigns: This indicates that God (the king) is on his throne and rules over the entire world.
    • This gives us a clear picture of His Essence.
    • That’s why we sing the song “He Got the Whole World in His Hand”.
  1. The Lord is Sovereign in Righteousness and justice (ps. 96:10-13).
  2. The Lord is Sovereign over the God’s /idols (Ps. 96:4-6).
  3. The Lord is Sovereign in Creation (Ps. 98:7-9).
  4. The Lord is Sovereign in Eternity (Ps. 93:2).
  5. The Lord is Sovereign in His choice/care of Israel (Ps. 95:6-7).
  6. The Lord is Sovereign over Nations (Ps. 47:2-3, 7-9).
  7. The Lord is Sovereign in Judgment (Ps. 96:13, Ps. 98:9).
  8. The Lord is Sovereign in His Holiness (Ps. 93:5, 99:3-9).
  9. The Lord is Sovereign over the future (Ps. 97:2-7, Ps. 98:9).
  10. The Lord is Sovereign in Love (Ps. 23:6).

 

  1. God’s Devine Decrees
        1. What does the OT say about God’s will?
          1.  God’s will is his command, in the five books of Moses its all about God’s will to show mercy, provisions, protection, to take delight in His people, etc.
          2. He also as a command will give the conditions and standards to men in His will to choose but at this same time He gives everyone the answer to the test, before there is destruction.
          3.  His will in the OT is to prosper all of His creation.
          4. God in His will covenant with men to hold them accountable.

Genesis 6:13 – Deut. 31:6 – Deut. 32:43 - Joshua 1:5

 

        1. There are Man’s decrees and there is God’s divine decrees.
  2. Affirmation of Faith and what it means is the question. What do we affirm an how do we affirm?
    1. The Affirmation of…
    2. Statement of Faith (Faith leaders)
    3. Nicene Creed (according to church affiliates/denomination)
    4. Apostles Creed (according to church affiliates/denomination)
    5. Social Affirmation (according to church affiliates/denomination)
  3. Statement of faith, declarations, unity gatherings of rituals, and theological doctrines… all of which have good intensions in serving a religious cause. While the affirmation is filled with all good intent and purpose, we can never omit that the Lord God seeks to be worshipped in spirit and in truth, even as He searches every heart and soul.
  4. Some faiths and ministries have all the outer performance, fashion, words, and religious articles that puts religion on total display, garments, chains, crosses, hats, colors, etc.
  5. Decrees more time than naught becomes rituals and rituals will build false pretense and illusions, questions, and confusion rather than justification, mercy and faithfulness.
  6. Decrees
    1. Is a collaboration (spiritual alliance) among faith and religious visionaries to put in motion what they believe/(deem) to be truth toward worship and holds the idea that all others of lack faith should follow this spiritual guidance.
    2.  Decrees are instrumental tools that causes people to be of likeminded in following doctrines that are presented.
    3. Decrees are meant to be a declaration of trust, faith, and hope.
    4. Decrees signify special rituals both good and bad.
      1. Decree of Creation
      2. Decree of Redemption
      3. Decree of Predestination: Job 2:3 God foreknows; have you considered…
  1. Doctrine of Creation
        1. What does the NT say about God’s will? We will reference creation in dealing with this question.
          1. Luke 10:21 (His gracious will.)
          2. The life of the creation must be maintained in vital union with that of the Creator. The Spirit of God must move over the creation and must indwell it and empower it.
          3. Creation is His divine will to do as he please.
          4. Mark 10:6 (Created male and female.)
          1. Rom. 1:20 the invisible things of God are shown.
            1. Man has always recognized that somehow God must and does reveal himself in human dimensions, so that man can see and discern the nature and purpose of his Creator.
          2. Rev. 3:14 Christ in the beginning
        2. The overarching theme in creation reference God’s eternal purpose toward men:
          1. Deut. 4:7
          2. Someone may ask the question who called for all this rain? It was ordered by God in creation to serve. Likewise, men were created to serve, as well as worship the Creator and has more value than the elements that are to serve men to include the earth.
  2.  Creation of the Six Day
        1. What does creation say about God?
  1. For consideration; Isaiah and Job are books that speaks of God creation from God and creation itself declares His handiworks…and 2 Peter 3:4-8 (ESV)
  2. Man came into existence by God breath of life… First taking the substance in the earth and forming it, and then breathing into the earthly body the breath of life. Man did not exist on day1 thru day 5. Man, then would only live one day before he died a spiritual death and never knew the seventh day of rest until Christ came into the world; Lord of the Sabaoth.

 

{Many infallible Proofs, Pg. 110-12; First Cause; See pg. 150, Henry Moris}

First Cause: First Cause is the observation of or observed as the Law of Cause and Effect.  Every observed phenomenon is an effect, and its cause must be adequate to produce it.

  1. The existence of moral and spiritual realities in the universe proves the First Cause to be essentially moral and spiritual.
  2. Everywhere and always in space and time phenomena of energy and matter and motion.
  3. The First Cause of limitless space must be infinite in extent.
  4. First Cause must be omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient.
  5. The First Cause is infinite and eternal.
  6. The First Cause of consciousness must be personal.
  7. The First Cause of feeling must be emotional.
  8. The First Cause of will must be volitional.
  9. The First Cause of ethical values must be moral.
  10. The First Cause of religious values must be spiritual.
  11. The First Cause of righteousness must be holy.
  12. The First Cause of beauty values must be holy.
  13. The First Cause of justice must be just.
  14. The First Cause of love must be loving.
  15. The First Cause of life must be living.

XI.       Creation an External Act of God

  • Weekly Question: How does God’s providence reflect on Creation, Humans and in the Bible?
    • Creation: It is ignited with a divine purpose from the heavens
    • Humans: Created to serve. Created to serve God and man. I know the plan I have for you…
    • 2 Corinthians 1:18-20 (ESV)

By examining these questions, we do not only want to learn about God’s rest and/or the 7th day (Sabbath) but in all of this we know his creation testifies of God and God testifies of all His works in creation that it was good before he entered His rest.

  1. The rest was the 7th day which is declared completeness. Completeness is borne out of goodness.
  2. In like manner man may be defined by their works but not just by their works but in good faith. Men are defined by their character at the top level be good or bad, the works of Man’s hand declares who they are and if they are a complete person in faith or are they are incomplete.
  3. See. I Cor. 3:12-      
    1. Man must finish the course, complete the work that is before.
    2. Let your character, works of faith, and gratitude testify in your behalf.
    3. Many testified of Christ because of the work on the cross saying, surly he was the Son of God.

 

  1. Creation an External Act of God

The Bible: God of the Bible is God of his word… God and His word will never change -Unique Preservation, a true shield of protection - God’s covenants are with men, not animals, rocks, birds, beast, principalities, and powers. Man is place in the most unique situation to enter God’s rest.

There are natural branches of heaven and there are earthly branches waiting to be inaugurated such as you and I. The natural branches are there by God’s choice and the earthly branches that enters the kingdom of heaven will choose God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (A Covenant Way).

      1. Job 36:22-34
      2. Isaiah 40:13-14
      3. Isaiah 29:16
  2. The external acts of God’s Creation:
        1. A reflection of Himself in power (He is not like unto the things he created to support and meet the needs of men, such as beast, animals, etc.)
        2. Glorification of His greatness.
        3. Men as an external act of God were to be the Sons of God, to reflect his image, greatness, and power in demonstration, having the ability to care for all the earth (earthly creation).
        4. His external acts of creationism of men is that men inwardly would reflect the holiness of God outwardly.

(Summary questions)

  1. What do we learn about God concerning the seventh day of His rest and/or the Sabbath?
  2. What is unique and important about the seventh Day?
  3. How is it that men did not enter the seventh day of God’s rest?
  4. What does it mean to enter God’s rest?
  5. What does the number seven refer to?
  6. What is the Sabbath and why did Jesus say he was Lord of the Sabbath? (Mark 2:28)
  7. On the internet I came across statements, saying “your soul is yours, but the spirit belongs to God”. What is the problem with this statement? Explain –

Ezekiel 18:4

 

  1.  Divine Providence
        1. How does God’s providence show grace through each dispensation?

When we bring dispensations, creations, and mankind together a great phenomenon is connected that is spurned from dispensation to dispensation in all of God creation with mankind being the pivotal point having the power of choice.  God has never taken away the power of choice form men, although we are commanded to obey His voice.

Dispensation is a system of revealed commands of the providence of God regulating human’s affairs.  It is God dispensing the way of life by a system of rules for ordering affairs.  These affairs are committed in God's on time.  Time is one of the major factors God use to administer his ways to men.  Some theologians argue that time does not have a part in dispensation, but I strongly disagree.  It was God bring time into existent for the sake of man. A dispensation can be given to a man to conduct a specified work by God in a specified period.  The seven dispensations are not given to one man by any means.

    During each dispensation man is proved in respect of obedience and to some specific revelation of the will of God.  The will of God is handed down (revealed) to man in each dispensation.

 

  1. Life and Salvation is given with hope of eternal life for all men.
  2. God covenants are made with mankind (humans).
  3. Unconditional covenants: There are standards that are already in place before mankind exist in that God is holy.
  1. {Foresight and Driven Will of God}

God is the basis of all reality. Thus, what he is like in his being and through his activity should provide an adequate explanation for all that we see and experience. The aspects of God that have the most fundamental applications for apologetics are his being (identity), character, and knowledge. In the amazing providence of God, he stands revealed not in platitudes and abstract universals, but in a breathtaking narrative recorded for us in the Bible that outlines God’s encounter with his people in creation and redemption history.

  1. Divine Providence
  1. Genesis 22:13 – The Lord Will Provide
  2. Genesis 30:30 – When shall I provide for my own house
  3. Luke 10:7, 12:32-33  - Toward Ministry and God’s good pleasure to give you…
  4. I Cor. 10:13 – A way for escape

I Tim. 5:8 – It is in God’s providence that men provide for its own specially those of his own house. God uses men to carry out his will in the church and in the family, things are not just happening by coincidence we

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