\ Pastor David Bardowell Institute Of Spiritual Advancement at The Gate S.E.E.D. (Seminary of Education, Empowerment, and Deployment) 1
Theology: The Doctrine Of God The fool says in his heart, There is no God. Psalm 14:1 The word Theology comes from the Greek word theos, meaning God, and logos, meaning word or message ; hence theology is the message or teaching (doctrine) of God. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20 (NASB95) How Does God Reveal Himself To Us? General Revelation: Revelation as seen through God s creation Specific Revelation: Revelation as seen through God s Word Anti-Theistic Views Atheistic View: The term atheist comes from the Greek word theos, meaning God, and the prefix a, which negates the preceding statement. Therefore, it means someone who does not believe in God. Agnostic View: The term agnostic comes from the Greek gnosis, meaning knowledge, accompanied by the a prefix. Therefore, an agnostic means one who lacks knowledge of God. Hence, an agnostic is one who says we cannot know that God even exists. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father s side, he has made him known. John 1:18 (ESV) Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. Psalm 90:2 (NASB95) The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms Deuteronomy 33:27 (ESV) Of old You founded the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 26 Even they will perish, but You endure; And all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. 27 But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end. Psalm 102:25 27 (NASB95) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 (NASB95) Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it, Isaiah 42:5 (NASB95) 2
He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them - he remains faithful forever. Psalm 146:6 (NIV) But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, Why did you make me like this? Romans 9:20 (NIV) God Is Still Active In His Creation For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:16 17 (NASB95) God s rule and authority were ultimately to be manifested in the physical world. Salvation for a Jew was not primarily some mystical deliverance for the spirit to enter a private communion in the world beyond, but the manifestation on earth of God s authority over the universe and the setting right of all that was wrong (Christopher Rowland, Christian Origins [Augsburg, 1984], 135). For the LORD is a great God And a great King above all gods, 6 Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. Psalm 95:3, 6 (NASB95) which He will bring about at the proper time - He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 1 Timothy 6:15 (NASB95) The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all. Psalm 103:19 (NASB95) God s Kingdom In Scripture Mark Saucy 3
The Already Not Yet Of God s Kingdom: The trinity is composed of three united Persons without separate existence so completely united as to form one God. The divine nature subsists in three distinctions Father, Son, and Holy Spirit In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, Let there be light ; and there was light. Genesis 1:1 3 (NASB95) After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased. - Matthew 3:16 17 (NASB95) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19 (NASB95) Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:4 5 (NASB95) Wayne Grudem F = whole circle S = whole circle HS = whole circle 4
The Attributes Of God (The Revelation Of His Nature) Incommunicable and Communicable Incommunicable attributes of God are ones that are less shared with us, and communicable attributes are more shared with us. Incommunicable Attributes of God Independence (aseity): God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything (Acts 17:24-25). Unchangeableness (immutability): God is unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises, yet he acts and feels emotions in response to different situations (Psalm 102:25-27). Eternity: God has no beginning, end, or succession of moments in his own being, and he sees all time equally vividly, yet God sees events in time and acts in time (Psalm 90:2). Omnipresence: God does not have size or spatial dimensions and is present at every point of space with his whole being, yet God acts differently in different places (Psalm 139:7-10). Unity (simplicity): God s attributes are not divided into parts, yet we see different attributes emphasized at different times (Exodus 34:6-7). Communicable Attributes Of God Attributes of Being - Spirituality: God is not made of matter, has no parts or dimensions (John 4:24). - Invisibility: God s total essence, all of his spiritual being, will never be able to be seen by us, yet he shows himself to us through visible, created things (1 Tim. 1:17). Mental Attributes - Knowledge (Omniscience): God fully knows himself and all things actual and possible (past, present, and future) in one simple eternal act (1 John 3:20). - Wisdom: God always knows and chooses the best goals and the best means to them. Wisdom is a moral and intellectually quality (Rom. 16:27). - Truthfulness: God always represents things as they really are. All of God s knowledge and words are true and the final standard of truth (Jer. 10:10-11). - Faithfulness: God will always do what he has said and fulfill what he has promised (Num. 23:19). 5
Moral Attributes - Goodness: All that God is and does is worthy of approval, and he is the final standard of goodness (Luke 18:19). - Love: God is freely and eternally giving of himself for the good of others (1 John 4:8). - Mercy: God s kindness toward those in misery and distress (2 Sam. 24:14). - Grace: God s kindness toward those who deserve only punishment (Rom. 9:15). - Patience: God s kindness in withholding punishment of those who sin over a period of time (Ex. 34:6). - Holiness: God is separated from sin and devoted to seeking his own honor (Isa. 6:3). - Peace (order): In God s being and actions he is separate from all confusion and disorder, yet he is continually active in innumerable well-ordered, fully controlled, simultaneous actions (2 Cor. 14:33). - Righteousness (justice): God always acts in accordance with what is right and is himself the final standard of what is right (Deut. 32:4). - Jealousy: God continually seeks to protect his own honor (Isa. 48:11). - Wrath: God intensely hates all sin (Rom. 1:18). Attributes of Purpose - Will: God approves and determines to bring about every action necessary for the existence and activity of himself and all creation (Eph. 1:11). - Freedom: God does whatever he pleases (Ps. 115:3b). - Omnipotence (power): God is able to do all his holy will (Matt. 19:26). Summary Attributes - Perfection: God completely possesses all excellent qualities and lacks no part of any qualities that would be desirable for him (Matt. 5:48). - Blessedness (happiness): God delights fully in himself and in all that reflects his character (1 Tim. 6:15). - Beauty: God is the sum of all desirable qualities (Ps. 73:25). - Glory: The created brightness that surrounds God s revelation of himself (Ps. 24:10). Extra-biblical Resources Used: Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology. Zondervan, 2000 Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook Of Theology. Moody Publishers, 1989, 2008 6