Sermon Tone Analysis

ORDINATION PAPER

 

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A Paper

Presented to

Dr. Jeffrey Bingham

Dallas Theological Seminary

 

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In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Course

RS 102 Summary of Doctrine

 

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by

Gregory A Hinton

April 2008

\\ The purpose of this paper is to discuss my personal positions on eight key areas of Christian doctrine based on scriptural and traditional evidence for each.

The doctrines that will be discussed in this paper are:  Inspiration of Scripture, Inerrancy of Scripture, the Trinity, the Person of Christ, the Work of Christ, Humanity, Sin, and Salvation.

!! Inspiration of Scripture

I believe that the whole of Scripture is divinely inspired by the Triune God.

The Holy Spirit of God is the means by which the Word of God, as Scripture, is communicated to mankind.

The most referred to text in support of this is 2 Timothy 3:16.

The verse begins with the statement, “All scripture is inspired by God (God-breathed).”

This idea presents one major critique though.

We believe that Scripture is inspired based on its own claims of being inspired.

This creates a circular argument for the primary means that our faith is based upon.

We bring the presupposition of inspiration to all discussions based on the claims that Scripture makes about itself.

The extent of inspiration covers both the Old and New Testaments.

The NT testifies to the inspiration of the OT.

Paul (2 Timothy 3) and Peter (2 Peter 1:16-21) spoke of the holy writings and words of the prophets as being trustworthy and coming not from human initiative, but divine inspiration.

They are encouraging the people of their time to continue to trust the OT writings in light of the ministry and work of Christ.

The NT also testifies of its own inspiration as well.

Peter testifies of Paul’s letters being of the Lord (2 Peter 3:14-16) and that they are included within Scripture.

Paul speaks of the authority and inspiration of his own writing and preaching as well (1 Thessalonians 2:1-13).

The conclusion then is that all of Scripture, both that which was spoken and that which has been written, is divinely inspired by the Godhead through the means of the Holy Spirit.

!! Inerrancy of Scripture

I believe that Scripture, in the original manuscripts, contains nothing in the text that deceives.

Grudem defines inerrancy as, “Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything which is contrary to fact.[1]

Since we know that God is entirely true, we can affirm that His Word in the same respect is entirely true.

The Bible’s usage of the ordinary language of the day that it was written is also included in the idea of inerrancy.

Science or history may “disprove” a thought or “fact” that was written, but the idea was communicated accurately within the text according to the author’s or speaker’s perspective.

Some will attack these instances in Scripture to refute inerrancy, but their argument holds no weight.

Scripture was not intended to communicate in a scientifically accurate way being written by a society that existed before the scientific revolution.

Scripture can also hold “loose” or “free” quotations within the text and still be inerrant.

The purpose and perspective of the quotation and the speaker is important to explain such instances.

The major issue that lies with the denial of inerrancy is that those who choose to do so replace the Holy Spirit with human understanding.

These people have decided that they are a better judge than the Holy Spirit of what is Scripture and what is not.

If one is able to pick and choose what parts of the Bible are to be considered Scripture, then we have just allowed for a million different religions and forms of “Christianity.”

It is logical that one must accept the whole of Scripture or none of Scripture.[2]

!! The Triune God

The One true God is eternally existent in three persons;[3] Father, Son, & Holy Spirit; each being separate from the other, but existing as One God.

God is transcendent over all creation and cannot understand God except from that which He has revealed about Himself through various forms of divine revelation.

The primary and most specific form of revelation is the Word of God, through which man learns what He is and what He is not.

God exists as Spirit in form;[4] He is most holy; infinite; eternal; self-existent;[5] self-sufficient; free to do whatever He pleases; omniscient; omnipotent; omnipresent; immutable and impassible; wise; faithful; just; merciful and gracious; Creator of all things; good; a jealous God; righteous; and sovereign.

Christ the Son exists eternally with the Father; fully God and fully man; His deity is undiminished and His humanity perfect.

He is one with the Father and the Spirit.

His two natures exist co-equally within the one person.

Conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin mother.

While becoming fully human He emptied Himself of His divinity; knowing and comprehending His own deity He chose to be a man.

The Son is impeccable and incapable of sin.

He foreknew His death and understood it to be expiatory.

He was betrayed, beaten, and crucified by the very men He came to save.

He died, and for three days remained in the grave.

On the third day He rose from the dead, not a spiritual resurrection, but a physical bodily resurrection from the grave.

He appeared to many people after the resurrection before ascending to the Father’s side.

He will one day fulfill the angel’s words and “return in the same way He left.”

He currently sits at the Father’s side as the head of His church preparing a place for all who trust in Him.

When He returns He will rule the world from David’s throne, as Lord of All.

The Holy Spirit eternally exists as God, one with the Father and Son.

He exists as His own separate person of the Godhead and not an essence or emotion between the Father and Son.

!! The Person of Christ

I believe Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ is the second person (not in rank, or authority) of the Triune Godhead.

He is co-eternal and co-equal with the Father and Holy Spirit; not created.[6]

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of Mary—a virgin.

He is perfect humanity and undiminished deity, united together as the perfect Son of God.

He emptied himself of his deity (Philippians 2:5-11), not becoming any less God but choosing not to exercise some of his divine attributes.

He cannot become less God, or he would not be God.

He made himself so mankind could see and comprehend him.

He lived his earthly life without sin, and upon the Cross of Calvary was the perfect sacrifice to atone for the sin of all mankind.

He died on the cross, was buried, and physically rose on the third day.

After his resurrection, he was seen by many people and then ascended into heaven where he now sits at the right hand of the Father.

He will physically return to earth one day in the same way that he ascended.

By faith in Jesus Christ alone can mankind be saved from eternal damnation and separation from God.[7]

!! The Work of Christ

The work of Jesus Christ was to accomplish the Father’s purpose in atoning for the sin of mankind.

The death of Jesus Christ was the accomplishment of this purpose.

At his death he became final atoning sacrifice for the sin of mankind and will forever be the mediator between God and man.

He was the ultimate fulfillment of the OT sacrificial system.

His death claims final and complete victory over sin.

His death justifies the Believer before God.

We are able to approach God and enter into communion with him because of Christ’s death.

The physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is the landmark of our faith.

As his death signaled victory over sin, his resurrection claimed victory over death.

This great event gives those who place their trust in Christ for salvation the hope of resurrection from the dead.

We believe and hope that just as Christ rose from the dead, we will one day as well.

His preaching, teaching and miracles were a demonstration of his power and authority as God incarnate.[8]

He also left a model of obedience for those who would follow him.[9]

He now holds the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King for all Believers in him.

He acted as prophet during his earthly ministry, communicating God’s revelation to us.

This ministry continues through the Holy Spirit and the Word.

As Priest he is our Advocate before God.

He makes it so we are able to approach the Holy One.

As King he rules and reigns alongside the Father.

He is spiritual King over the church and the universal King over all things.[10]

!! Humanity