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The Bible

The Bible. Its Authority and Interpretation. Table of Contents. Systematic Theology Overview The Canon Old Testament New Testament. Systematic Theology. Theology. Greek theos – God Greek logos – reason or speech Result – “Rational discussion about God”. Systematic Theology.

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The Bible

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  1. The Bible Its Authority and Interpretation

  2. Table of Contents • Systematic Theology • Overview • The Canon • Old Testament • New Testament

  3. Systematic Theology

  4. Theology • Greek theos – God • Greek logos – reason or speech • Result – “Rational discussion about God”

  5. Systematic Theology The attempt to reduce religious truth to an organized system. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Walter A. Elwell, Editor Involves collecting and understanding all the relevant passages in the Bible on various topics and then summarizing their teachings clearly so that we know what to believe about each topic.

  6. “Systematic” • Requires careful organization by topic • Requires finding and fairly treating ALL relevant Bible passages • Requires that summaries be accurately formulated

  7. All Christians Practice Systematic Theology • “The Bible says that everyone who believes in Jesus Christ will be saved.” • “The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the only way to God.” • “The Bible says that Jesus is coming again.”

  8. “God gives the truth in single threads which we must weave into a finished texture.” - Origen

  9. What are Doctrines? • What the Bible teaches us today about some particular topic • Example: Bibliology • Example: Soteriology • Example: Ecclesiology • Example: Eschatology

  10. Why Should Christians Study Theology? • We are not trying to “improve” on Scripture • We are not denying the clarity of Scripture • “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)

  11. Branches of Theology • Systematic theology • Exegetical theology • Biblical theology • Historical theology • Practical theology

  12. Exegetical Theology Unfolds the meaning of specific biblical texts and so provides systematic theology with its basic building blocks.

  13. Biblical Theology Sets forth the doctrinal message of the books of the Bible in their historical setting.

  14. Historical Theology Traces the science of God through the various eras of the church’s history. (chronological rather than topical or logical)

  15. Practical Theology Applies the results of systematic theology to preaching, teaching, and counseling.

  16. Systematic Theology • Incorporates the data of exegetical, biblical, and historical theology to construct a coherent explication of the Christian faith. • Systematic theology claims that God can be known and truths about God communicated in meaningful everyday language.

  17. Application to Life • Summarizes doctrines so as to be understood today • Summarizes doctrines creating new words not found in Scripture: trinity, incarnation, deity of Christ

  18. Bibliology • The Authority of the Bible • The Interpretation of the Bible

  19. Revelation

  20. Revelation • Everything we know about Christianity has been revealed to us by God. • Reveal = unveil, uncover • Idle speculation about God is a fool’s errand. If we wish to know Him in truth, we must rely on what He tells us about Himself. from Essential Truths of the Christian Faith, R.C. Sproul

  21. How God Revealed Himself • Nature • Dreams/visions • History • Scripture

  22. The Zenith of God’s Revelation The incarnation of Jesus Christ “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” Hebrews 1:1-2

  23. Two Chief Types of Revelation • General Revelation • Special Revelation

  24. General Revelation General Revelation is “general” in two respects – • General in content • Revealed to a general audience

  25. General Revelation: Content “The heavens declare the glory of God; The skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; Night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language Where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, Their words to the ends of the world.” Psalm 19:1-4

  26. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 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. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” Romans 1:18-23

  27. General Revelation “Revelation in nature does not give a full revelation of God. It does not give us the information about God the Redeemer that we find in the Bible. But the God who is revealed in nature is the same God who is revealed in Scripture.” - R. C. Sproul

  28. General Revelation: Audience • The entire world is a stage for God. • “Hearers” include those who have not read the Bible or heard the gospel.

  29. Denial of General Revelation • The atheist • “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” – Psalm 14:1 • The agnostic • Declares that there is insufficient evidence to decide one way or the other about God’s existence.

  30. General Revelation • Mediate • Immediate

  31. Mediate General Revelation • Transmitted through an intermediary • A medium • For example, the heavens declare God’s glory

  32. Immediate General Revelation • God revealing himself directly to the human mind • “That there exists in the human mind, and indeed by natural instinct, some sense of Deity, we hold to be beyond dispute, since God himself…has endued all men with some idea of his Godhead, the memory of which he constantly renews and occasionally enlarges.” John Calvin

  33. “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.” Romans 2:12-16

  34. Special Revelation

  35. “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:14-17

  36. Special Revelation and the Bible “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.“ Matthew 4:4 • The Bible is the Word of God

  37. General Revelation To all Special Revelation

  38. Inspiration

  39. Inspiration “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 • Human authors, but the ultimate source and superintendent is God.

  40. GOD Inspiration Human Authors Bible

  41. Inspiration • God did not dictate his word to human authors; they wrote through their own personalities • The Bible is infallible and inerrant • Original autographs no longer exist • Today’s translations • It is true and trustworthy

  42. Inspiration Inspiration is . . . Verbal: Extends to the very words of Scripture, not just teachings. Plenary: Extends to everything in the Bible, not just parts that speak on matters of faith and practice.

  43. Illumination

  44. Key Terms Revelation: The act whereby God reveals truth to mankind through both special revelation (Scripture) and general revelation (nature, conscience, etc.) Inspiration: The act whereby God guided the writers of Scripture, giving them His words while fully using the human element within man to produce the Scriptures. Illumination: The act whereby God enlightens people to understand His revelation and its relevance to their lives.

  45. Illumination Inspiration Revelation

  46. The Bible • Life comes with an instruction manual • Do not attempt to live life without reading the instruction manual • If the Bible is not from God, then God is irrelevant -- He doesn’t care anyway. • BUT -- God has spoken!

  47. The Canon of Scripture

  48. “Canon” • Canon = the list of all books that belong to the Bible • Means “rule” or “measuring rod” • God determines the canon

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