Theology and the Doctrine of Revelation
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What is Theology
What is Theology
Definition of Theology:
“The Study of God”
“Systematic theology is the discipline of reflecting on the attributes and activities of the Triune God revealed in the Bible so that we can formulate a comprehensive, robust Christian understanding of reality.” - Rhyne Putnam
Systematic Theology
“Christian Theology is generally understood to mean the systematic study of ideas of the Christian Faith” - Alister McGrath Christian Theology
Issues Theology Explores
Issues Theology Explores
Foundations
Look at the sources of theology such as the Bible, tradition, reason and experience.
Development
Tracks how an idea has emerged over time. Christian theology is likened to a blossoming Rose. Sometimes it grows and other times it needs pruning.
Relationships
How do Christian ideas relate to each other. Our doctrine of the Trinity directly impacts our doctrine of Christ. Christian theology is a web of belief that work together for the benefit of the believer.
Applications
Theology helps us see ourselves and the world God has created. It affects our prayer our worship and very being. C. S. Lewis“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen - not only because I see it, but because by it, I see everything else.”
Systematic Theology
The study of the doctrines of scriptures as they were thematically assembled and organized data throughout the entire Bible.
This can be shaped by the culture, in that culture has different issues they challenge and change and so theology reacts to it by stating or restating its beliefs. (Example, the homosexual debate)
This can be problematic in that the system can overtake the Bible and instead of reading the Bible and letting the system be produced, we read our system back into the Bible.
We need Biblical theology as well.
Biblical Theology
This is the raw data of scripture.
The scripture was written over 2 millenia and so different authors relay different views about God and his people. Each verse can speak for itself.
Each author will illuminate different doctrines.
Focuses on the individual author in his own historical setting.
Historical Theology
This is the main emphasis of the development of Christian theology. This looks into the debates and the struggles that have happened in church history. It involves church councils, great theologians and not so great theologians.
Philosophical Theology
It involves issues like epistemology (How can we know) ethics (the problem of evil) and religion.
Why is Theology Important
Why is Theology Important
“It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you trust in Jesus and love each other!”
Theology and Doctrine help us define what we mean by Belief, Jesus, Love and Other!
Theology helps us see what is false and what is true.
It helps us understand what we mean when we say Jesus.
And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”
Who do you say that I am?
Culture has all sorts of view about who Jesus is, how are we to distinguish which one is true?
Some say he is a Mythical figure used to inspire a new form of Judaism; some say he is creation of the Romans to settle the Jewish revolution in Palestine. Still others say Jesus was a historical figure who didn’t actually do all the things the Bible records (Thomas Jefferson). Still others think Jesus was misunderstood by his apostles and turned into the Messiah and this became the prominant view in Church History. And still others say, like Peter, Jesus is “the Christ” the Savior of the world.
It tells us how to think about Jesus
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Theology helps us understand what Jesus intended to do.
Theology doesn’t just tell us what to believe; it is meant to affect our behavior.
Orthodoxy produces Orthopraxi - Alister McGrath
What does this mean?
Orthodoxy is correct Christian Belief and correct belief produces orthopraxi
What does this look like at New Life?
Our Beliefs (Doctrines) produces our Core Values
This is important for you as well because you behave in a way that is consistent with your beliefs.
Example, if we an incorrect view of God it will affect our surroundings.
If you believe God is Pantheistic then you will see God in everything. I had a lady say to me one time, God is the moon and God is the Sun. This is not Christian, God is not a physical substance or a spirit that inhabits everything in the universe. This is something that needs to be corrected. God created every physical thing and while he is omnipresent that doesn’t mean he is the world that the Avatars inhabit. This is a very popular view, just open up the paper and check your astrological readings.
If you do not view God correctly then you will not relate to Him correctly.
The Doctrine of Revelation
The Doctrine of Revelation
How does God Reveal Himself to us?
How does God Reveal Himself to us?
Revelation is not referring here to the book of Revelation but rather to the concept of God revealing himself to humanity.
Revelation = ἀποκάλυψις = apokalypsis
making fully known, revelation, disclosure
Apokalypsis is a picture of a wife coming down the aisle in a veil so the soon to be husband can see the figure of his bride to be but not the face. When she arrives at the altar the husband gets to lift up the veil and see the face of his bride. She has been revealed to him.
When we talk about the revelation of God we are talking about His self-revelation to humanity.
General and Special Revelation
General and Special Revelation
General Revelation = God revealing Himself through the created order
General Revelation = God revealing Himself through the created order
Scriptural Data
Scriptural Data
Sources of General Revelation:
Creation
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Conscience
For God shows no partiality.
For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
Reason
Paul reasons with the Athenians about the “altar of the unknown God”. He reasons with them in order to lead them to his presentation about Christ and his resurrection.
Other References for General Revelation
God exists - ;
God is uncreated -
God is Creator -
God is Sustainer - ;
God is Universal Lord -
God is self-sufficient -
God is Transcendent -
God is Immanent -
God is Eternal -
God is Great -
God is Majestic -
God is Powerful 0 ;
God is Wise -
God is Good -
God is Righteous -
God has a Sovereign Will -
God has standards of right and wrong -
God should be Worshipped - ;
Man should perform the Good -
God will judge Evil -
In sum: God’s Glory; divine nature; and moral demands are to some extent known through general revelation. (Erickson, pg 128)
Humans have an innate desire to believe in God.
“Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for these desires exist. A baby feels hunger; well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim; well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire; well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, 120)
Theological Considerations
Theological Considerations
Theological Considerations
Theological Considerations
Point of Tension
Point of Tension
Point of Tension - Can Salvation come through General Revelation?
Point of Tension - Can Salvation come through General Revelation?
Can a person come to the knowledge of Salvation through general Revelation?
Can Salvation come through General Revelation?
What doesn’t General Revelation tell us?
General Revelation is enough to condemn us.
Read through
The predicament we are in with sin
Give us the solution to our sin problem.
Something more is needed
Theological Questions and Answers
Theological Questions and Answers
Question #1 - Can General Revelation Save us?
Answer -
yes
Question #2 - What about people in the Old Testament?
Answer -
Question #3 - What about unreached people groups?
Answer -
- Have people read through the text and then allow them to answer the question.
Remember all people have knowledge of God. No one seeks God, no one seeks heaven.
William Lane Craig - How does God judge people who has never heard the Gospel? God judges people based upon the information they have. , they will be judged on the basis of how the responded to God’s general revelation. Any man can know there is an eternal and powerful deity. the Law is written on our heart and our conscience. this does not mean someone can be saved apart from Christ’s work but rather the benefits of Christ’s death can be applied to someone without their conscious knowledge of Christ. He if recognizes he has sinned against this God and flung himself upon this God. Are there people like this? Hopefully, but tells us the chances are slim. People make themselves gods all the time so we should not be too hopeful of this possibility.