Faith Bible Church. Questions? These slides will be available at Pastor Don

Transcription

1 Faith Bible Church John 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him (the Person behind the realities of cosmology, teleology, man s rationality/morality/existential knowledge of God, and the power behind Christ s own resurrection, and the Author of human history).... And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us, and we beheld His glory (our current study), glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. Questions? These slides will be available at Pastor Don 8/10/2011 1

2 Philosophical/Theological/Doctrinal & Spiritual Foundations Eschatology Thanatology Ecclesiology Israelology Dispensationalism Doxology Hodology Soteriology Hamartiology Natural Law (DE, Gvt, Econ.) Anthropology Angelology Pneumatology Christology Paterology Trinitarianism Theology Proper Bibliology Prolegomena: logic (11) Broad and deep understanding of Epi-BD Enough BD to be overcomer; DV Lacks BD, DV 1 Cor. 2:16. We have the mind of Christ 1 John 2:14, you are strong, and the word of God abides in you Eph 4:14, tossed here and there by waves, & carried about by every wind of doctrine. Mature Believer Mind of JC, OWC, PLG Great depth of BD Supergrace life Fantastic blessedness Phenomenal Stability +H - Prime of life Great Divine Production Absolute Confidence Adolescent Overcomer of KD Committed to BD Not into religiosity Babe Still has a lot of philosophical HV Follows God for self/blessings Lacks capacity for God /POG Sensitive, defensive Can only handle baby food Dominated by DOL. Seeks approbation/entertainment 8/9/2011 2

3 Eschatology Thanatology Ecclesiology Israelology Dispensationalism Doxology Hodology Soteriology Hamartiology Natural Law (DE, Gvt) Anthropology Angelology Pneumatology Christology Paterology Trinitarianism Theology Proper Bibliology Prolegomena: logic (11) Mind On Logic, HS & BD Mind OSHGEN, Pomo & Emos 3

4 Advanced Neo- Analytical Logic 8/9/2011 4

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6 Prolegomena: Logic and the Foundations of Truth 1. Logic is an expression of the very nature of God it is even in the esteemed title of the second member of the Trinity, the Logos of John 1:1-2. God is the standard of Truth by which all other claims have to be measured. This requires logic. Without logic there is no truth. 2. All attacks on Truth are necessarily attacks on logic. 3. The philosophies and religions that are most opposed to the God of the Bible and BD have always had a distaste and rejection of logic. 4. Satan s strategy against all Truth includes attacks on logic (cf. Wormwood in Screwtape Letters, modern philosophy, false religions, emotional and mystical religions, and the occult). Satan loves it when people get caught up in feelings instead of Reality. He is always against a rigorous analysis of Reality. Satan did not stand in the truth, has nothing to do with Truth, and there is no truth in him (John 8:44). 8/9/2011 6

7 5. To learn and practice the principles of logic is to build muscles for your mind. (Relax, I am not going to move into advanced symbolic logic with its complex equations). My goal is to orient us to reality and understand basic concepts of intentional logic as they relate to Reality as such. You actually exercise muscles when doing syllogisms; it makes you sharper in all of your thinking and conversations with others. Gives clarity for ST. 6. Logic, unlike most other disciplines, often seems like a tedious waste. It may seem pedantic to learn about syllogisms and distributed middles. However, you always gain mental skills in the three acts of your mind (apprehension/terms, judging/propositions, and reasoning/arguments) regarding Reality 7. Apart from logic it is impossible to move into the metaphysics of not only developing, categorizing, but checking various doctrines for yourself. You cannot move beneath the surface apart from logic and abstract thinking. 8/9/2011 7

8 8. Apart from logic it is impossible to go from the mundane to the abstract for accurate conceptualizing of the nature of God. Surface understanding of BD might be able to provide a temporal solution, but apart from moving into metaphysics you will never grow in your understanding of the true nature and essence of God. 9. There are hundreds of practical applications in gaining skills of thinking more definitively: e.g. ability to put more order to your thoughts, persuade others, write and read well, handle objections, discover error in sermons and by salesmen, win an argument for Christ and Christianity, gain wisdom, grow in faith as you are able to categorize and better conceptualize the Christian faith, and to greater appreciate the grand metaphysical realities beneath the surface of all of those doctrines you learn. 8/10/2011 8

9 10. Logic can serve as a great guard against error. With logic you will not be razzled dazzelled by the smooth talkers or by your own emotions. It is one thing to get ripped off regarding a lemon. However, the stakes are simply too high to allow yourself to get ripped off because of an false gospel, false doctrine, or false mechanics of the spiritual life. Further, it is impossible to do systematic theology or apologetics apart from logic. 11. The kosmos is filled with all kinds of rhetorical flurries and fig leaves. Even if you are taught Bible doctrine, different rhetorical environments can cause misapplications. Logic will make you mentally sharper and more confident and minimize ability of people to use you and hide behind rhetorical fig leaves. The body stops growing at about age 30, but the mind never stops growing (except when there are brain issues). This is the most remarkable thing about mankind in distinction to all animals. However, the mind can atrophy, like muscles, if it is not used. Atrophy of the mental muscles is the penalty we pay for not mentally exercising. This is why so many people go downhill after retirement, they no longer are kept alive by the demands of work on their minds, and the other stimuli are not enough. 8/9/2011 9

10 12. Bottom line: People reject logic because they really are not interested in personally discovering or knowing Truth/Reality. Man wants to feel the way he wants to feel, believe what he wants to believe, do what he wants to do (e.g. morality issues), wants someone else to do his thinking for him (he has lost confidence in ever personally finding truth as per pomoism), control what he wants to control, and not be held accountable. 13. You can think and do almost anything with opinions and suppositions. This is a luxury that logic and truth do not provide. 14. Regarding Modus Ponens and Modus Tollens and their pseudocounterparts, here is a mnemonic device to help you remember them: AA and DC for the two valid forms. DA and AC for the two invalid forms questions on logic: What is the fallacy of thinking that you are funnier than you really are? How do you syllogism people upside their heads? 8/9/

11 Resurrection Special #38: A Walkthrough of the Resurrection Narratives, 2 (Marching toward the Cross: Gethsemane, part 1 We are here Marching Forward to the Cross: Gethsemane Resurrection & the Spiritual Life in the Epistles A Walkthrough of the Resurrection Narratives 6 Ways of Falsifying Naturalism A Walkthrough of Accounts The Failure Falsifying of All Alternate Naturalism Theories Alternate Theories Bedrock Facts Historiography: Resurrection of Jesusistd Bedrock Facts: Death of JC & Multiple Appearances Historiography: Establishing Historical Proof for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ 8/9/

12 4 Judas arrives with an arresting party, consisting of member of the Temple guard and soldiers from the Roman garrison, stationed at the Antonia Fort to the north of the Temple Tomb 5 11 escape to Bethany 8 John takes Peter to his home, where Jesus mother & others await them. 6, 7 Jesus is taken back to the city; Peter and John return. Peter denies Jesus 3 They enter Gethsemane, Jesus prays 2 Jesus, the 11, and Mark leave the house and cross the Kidron valley. Jesus warns them that the Shepherd will be struck down and the sheep scattered. Bethany 1 Jesus eats the Passover with the 12 disciples. Judas leaves to arrange his arrest. 8/9/

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14 Matthew 26:30-50, from the Lord s Supper to Gethsemane 8/9/

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16 Mount of Olives Today 8/10/

17 Mount of Olives 8/9/

18 Kidron Valley (cf. John 18:1) 8/9/

19 Kidron Valley 8/9/

20 Kidron Valley 8/10/

21 Garden of Gethsemane 8/9/

22 Garden of Gethsemane 8/10/

23 Garden of Gethsemane 8/10/

24 Garden of Gethsemane 8/10/

25 Our Lord in Gethsemane, Mat 26: The Lord s twofold prediction of Christ the Great Prophet, Matt. 26: First, all would desert Him before the night was over. Second, Christ would be raised from the dead. 2. Peter s ugly sin of presumption, 26: You can bet that at the moment Peter meant every word. He had an intense desire to remain loyal. Peter not only denied the Lord s statement, he thought he was superior to the other disciples (ἐγὼ οὐδέποτε). All of this in spite of the Lord s constant warning about pride and the need for genuine humility. 8/10/

26 Our Lord in Gethsemane, Mat 26: Note the exceeding sorrow of the Man of Sorrows (cf. Isa 53:3). Matthew 26:36-39, Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. 38 a. grieved (λυπέω/lupeo). Distress. b. distressed (ἀδημονέω/ademoneo). Very strong word for intense mental suffering. He knew the limits of human endurance and He was very close to complete exhaustion at the thought of bearing all of the sins of the world before the perfect righteousness and wrath of God. c. deeply grieved (περίλυπός) to the point of death. This grief was not shrinking mere physical shrinking from death. If so, this would be very embarrassing. The physical death was nothing compared to what lay before Him; it was the least bitter of the components of the cup. 8/10/

27 d. What lay before Him was not merely death, but the death which was to atone for a world s sin, and in which, therefore, the whole weight of sin s consequences was concentrated, John 1:29. e. What we have here is Jesus contemplation of the PPOG in the Garden Press, and specifically the Father placing on Him the iniquities of all of mankind as outlined in Isaiah 42-53: (1) His special relationship with God and demeanor, Isaiah 42:1-7. (2) His mission to the world, 49:1-6. (3) His impending physical sufferings, 50:4-9. (4) His atonement for the world, 52:13-53:12 (the summit passage on the suffering, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ). 8/9/

28 f. Matt. 26: Note Christ s communication of His situation is to those He loved so very much. Out of the darkness of the Garden He reaches a hand to feel for friends, not for help, but that they would stay with Him. Not that they could bear the weight, but that their presence could provide some solace. He knew that His agony must be borne alone. All He asks is that they could watch with Him. That comfort is all He asks. No word came from them. Not a thought of Scripture. They were only occupied with the DOL. 8/9/

29 4. Christ s Threefold Prayer, Matthew 26: a. The intensity is expressed in Luke 22:44, And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. 45 And when He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow. b. The focus of the prayer is God the Father s will. This is the key to a successful prayer life. Natural instinct must never get in the way of God s will. Natural instinct is one thing, but the controlling will is another. His fixed purpose to die for the world s sins never wavered. If it be possible means possible in view of the great purpose for which He came. 8/9/

30 c. Christ actually prayed Himself into the perfect peace and strength through complete and perfect surrender to God. Each prayer brought Him closer to accepting God s will regarding the horrors of the Cross until He accepted it with peace as His own will. d. Christ is both the High Priest and Sacrifice as offers Himself as the victim with this prayer of consecration. He submits and accepts the Cross. e. Christ s prayer was not for the passing of the cup, but that the will of God might be done in and by Him, and He was heard in His reverence for God not by being exempted from the cross, but by being strengthened through submission for submission: Hebrews 5:7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. 8/10/

31 Principles on Prayer 1. Christ s prayer is the pattern for all true prayer. There are human wishes ( if it be possible, the shrinking from the painful), but in the end all prayers must be followed by nevertheless not our wills but His. 2. The meaning of prayer is not to force our will on God s, but to bend our wills to His; and it is always answered as we bow in submission to the Lord. 3. As illustrated by the perfect humanity of Christ, those who cease from their own works [wills], do enter into His rest. The only place of peace is in the will of God. This is the only place of victory and blessings. This is where you find real peace and power in life. So many of the agitations of life are defeated by simply submitting to God s will. There is always peace when we resign ourselves to the will of God. This is the only place of perfect calm. 4. For Him, as for us, the crosses accepted cease to be a pain in our wills, and the cups are no more bitter when we are content to drink them. 5. It is important to be completely honest with God in prayer. 8/9/

32 6. Note the sad yet gentle rebuke with the drowsy three, Matt. 26:40. Peter is address personally. Of course he was the one who bragged about how he would never deny the Lord just a few hours hence. They were worn out from emotional roller coaster they had been on. What a revelation of lack of personal love for Jesus Christ at such a critical juncture. None were there for sympathy. They had no clue. What utter loneliness He must have felt beneath the gnarled olive trees. 7. Watchfulness and prayer are inseparable. The one discerns the danger, the other arms against them. Watchfulness keeps us prayerful, and prayerfulness keeps us watchful. To watch without praying is presumption, to pray without watching is hypocrisy. The eye of doctrine can see the dangers and will turn to God in prayer. This is key in overcoming difficulties in life. Failure to watch is to fall into many temptations. This is a lesson that is for a wider circle than the sleepy three. 8/9/

33 8. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. By watching and praying we recognize the weak flesh. Recognizing our weak flesh will spur us to be more prayerful regarding the issues of life. The flesh is weak toward good, and is strong to evil. 9. However, they did not heed the words of verse 41. His Word had no effect on them. He did not even wake them up the second time. The relapse is even worst than the original evil. We do not know how long this lasted, though the whole period in the Garden must have been measured by hours. 10.Vs. 45. What love and divine patience and perseverance. He wakes them, not to run from His enemy, but to His enemy. He will go out and meet His traitor. Escape would have been easy. His prayer was not in vain, He now proceeds. 8/9/

34 Jesus and Judas, Mt 26:50 1. Christ calls Judas, companion (ἑταῖρος)! Matthew 26:50. We are accustomed to think of the betrayer of our Lord as kind of a monster, complete with horns who will be shunned even in Hell. However, remember when the Lord declared that one would betray Him, no one had a clue. It was Judas who said, Lord, is it I? No suspicion lighted on Judas. His corruption was unseen by all except for Jesus Christ. Judas grew darker and darker with each passing day--- unbeknownst to everyone but Jesus. 2. The term companion is not as strong as friend (philos). However, it should have cut Judas to the core as to what he was about to do. 8/9/

35 3. Mark the patience of Christ s love for Judas, do what you have come for. What an attempt to reach Judas, to remind him of the nature of his sin. Many would have been convicted and shrunk from the deed. This is the last effort of Christ s personal longsuffering love and grace to Judas. The last effort of divine patience to win back even the traitor. Note the lack of agitation (or shock of disbelief) from Christ. 4. This love is the very love of God instantiated. Incarnated! He who has seen me has seen the Father, John 14:8-9. We see the loftiest, clearest, and authentic revelation of God Himself. If anyone could have been excluded from the love of God, it would have been Judas. If the heart of Christ was closed to anyone, it would have been to closed Judas. We see the truth here that the love of God is extended to us all, and cannot be made to turn away from us by any sins of ours. The universal love of God cannot be turned away. Further, it cannot coerce volition to accept God either. The love of God abides on every single person in the same way. Is there a worse man on earth at this moment? If there be, he, too, has as share in that love. All are objects of God s love, John 3:16. This love is not an aggregate love. He loves all because He loves each. He loved us with exceeding love while we were dead in trespasses, Rom. 5:10 and not because of anything in us. No matter how awful, God loves all because He loves each. God repays evil with good, scorn with love. God s love is mightier than all of our sins put together. 8/9/

36 5. Though one cannot stop the love of God, one can reject that love. Here with Judas we have the mysterious and awful power of frustrating the counsel of God. A finite will can rear itself against the Infinite Will of the loving Maker and Benefactor: I will not! God pleads with man constantly, but man can say, NO! Man cannot cease to be the objects of His love, but he can refused to be the recipient of its most precious gifts. 6. All one has to do to be condemned to Hell is nothing, John 3:36. What did Judas in response to Christ s words to him? Nothing; it was enough. He merely held his peace no more. He did not have to reject His Lord with wild cursing. All one has to do is be passive. Man need not clench his fists to reject God. 7. Judas will not be able to say, I did this in ignorance like the Apostle Paul, 1 Tim. 1: God always calls out to every man: Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. It is always about the grace of God. 8/10/