1. Resources: Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem & A Theology for the Church, ed. Daniel Akin CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE

2.  Theology- Theo: God; -logy: study of  Why have a systematic theology?  To be able to answer the question:  “What does the Bible teach us today?”  Concerning any topic.  It applies to your life.  Brings together the different teachings of the bible to create principles to stand upon.  What more do we need today?  Gives us the practical value for living the Christian Life. PURPOSE OF BIBLE DOCTRINE

3.  What the whole bible teaches us today about some particular topic.  Topics include:  The Bible  God  Jesus  The Holy Spirit  Man  Sin  Heaven  Salvation DEFINITION OF DOCTRINE

4. 1.To obey the command of Jesus.  Mt. 28:19-20  A part of the Great Commission is to teach all that Jesus has commanded.  Doctrine helps to brings all the commands of Jesus into a narrow scope. 2.Helps us to better understand God and His Word.  Helps to fix wrong or misled ideas/beliefs we have.  Helps to make better decisions: Personally, Family, Church, Secular WHY SHOULD WE STUDY THEOLOGY?

5.  The truth is we all do systematic theology as believers.  We all form theological statements, or belief statements, about everything in life.  This is a part of our worldview, which can be a major influencer on your theology.  Have you every said, “The bible says__________________.”?  That is a theological statement. EVERYONE IS A THEOLOGIAN

6. THE BIBLE

7.  Different meanings to this question.  As a Person: Jesus Christ  Revelation 19:13- The name by which he is called is The Word of God.  John 1:1- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  These two verses, along with 1 John 1:1 are the only three instances the Word of God refers to Jesus.  Speech by God  God’s decrees: God speaking directly into history. (Gen. 1:3)  Personal Address: God speaking directly to a person. (Gen. 2:16-17)  Through Human Lips: Speaking through His chosen leaders/prophets. (Deut. 18)  Written Form: The Bible WHAT IS THE WORD OF GOD?

8.  Old Testament Canon  What we have today has been the accepted writings for centuries.  Other writings, such as the Apocrypha, were known but never given the same authority.  Catholic church did not make it a part of the OT canon until 1546  Why not the Apocrypha? 1.They do not claim to have the same authority as the OT writings 2.Were not regard as God’s words by the Jewish people. 3.Not considered Scripture by Jesus or NT authors. 4.They contain teachings inconsistent with the rest of Scripture. THE CANON: WHAT BELONGS IN THE BIBLE AND WHAT DOES NOT BELONG?

9.  New Testament Canon  Writings of the Apostles.  They claim their authority is God given. (2 Peter 3:2; 1 Cor. 2:13; 1 Cor. 14:37)  Gospels are claimed to be Scripture.  Paul quotes Luke 10:7 in 1 Timothy 5.  Five books not written by apostles.  Mark- Written by Peter’s writer.  Luke, Acts- Eyewitness accounts and closely stayed with Paul  Hebrews- Authorship is unknown, but has intrinsic qualities of being from God.  Jude- similar to Hebrews, and close connection to James the brother of Jesus.  AD 367 Athanasius gives the accepted books of the NT we have today. THE CANON: WHAT BELONGS IN THE BIBLE AND WHAT DOES NOT BELONG?

10.  Understanding the Bible can be broken down into four separate categories:  Authority  Clarity  Necessity  Sufficiency THE BIBLE

11.  If the Bible was not the Words of God would you trust it?  Could it truly tell us what we can or cannot do if it is not the Words of God?  Could any real gain come from the Bible if it was not the authority in our lives?  Is the Bible your authority? THE BIBLE: AUTHORITY

12.  Definition:  the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle issues or disputes; jurisdiction; the right to control, command, or determine.  How does the Bible have the right to be authority?  Scripture is the Word(s) of God.  Bible claims this itself  Uses: “Thus says the Lord”  Used many times in the Old Testament  Num. 22:38 &Ezek. 2:7  God’s words are spoken through these prophets.  2 Timothy 3:16-17  Probably the most important verse in the New Testament for the Bible being the words of God. THE BIBLE: AUTHORITY

13.  God is the highest authority and He claims Scripture as His words.  However the Holy Spirit creates the conviction from the Bible.  The Holy Spirit does not make them the words of God, but changes the person reading them.  Only the Spirit allows a person to understand God’s Word.  Scripture is truth itself. All other truth is gauged against it.  If Scripture is truth than it is authoritative.  The Bible is authoritative for contemporary cultural issues, as well as for ethics and decision making. THE BIBLE: AUTHORITY

14.  “If the Bible does affirm something contrary to fact, then it cannot be trusted. And if the Bible cannot be trusted, then God himself cannot be trusted.” (15)  So if the Bible are the Words of God we must desire to know them, study them, and to follow them.  To do otherwise shows we do not really believe His word can be trusted and ruler of our lives. GRUDEM ON AUTHORITY

15.  Scripture is clear only to genuine believers.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, the Bible has been put together so that even the simple can understand it.  Psalm 19:7  Psalm 119:130  Even the simple and foolish can understand the message of the Bible with the illumination of the Spirit.  “The Bible clearly states what it takes to be a Christian, live as a Christian, and grow as a Christian.” (16)  There is a difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge.  Many claim knowledge of the bible but few truly understand it. THE BIBLE: CLARITY

16.  What happens when things are not clear or we get it wrong?  Usually there is an issue with the person’s spiritual condition.  Are they trying to read something into the Bible?  Are they attempting to use it to justify their own sin?  Also there are times when people just get it wrong.  Scripture has no errors, but we do.  We can easily make the mistaken in interpreting the Bible. THE BIBLE: CLARITY

17.  Why must we say the Bible is necessary?  Can someone know God without the Bible?  Can someone be saved who has never heard God’s Word? THE BIBLE: NECESSITY

18.  Either reading or hearing the Word of God is required for salvation.  You cannot be saved apart from hearing the gospel.  Romans 10:14-17  2 Timothy 3:15  Not only must you hear it to be saved, you also need it to grow and become strong as a Christian.  Without daily study of the Word we do not grow properly in Christ. THE BIBLE: NECESSITY

19.  The Bible is also necessary to have clear and proper commands of God.  Scripture is not confused on the plan for our lives.  Glorify God  Love God  Love others  Share the gospel  Grow in Christ  Strengthen his church THE BIBLE: NECESSITY

20.  What is the Bible not necessary for?  To know about God  His Character  His Moral Laws  Psalm 19:1  Romans 1:19: Even the wicked know about God. THE BIBLE: NECESSITY

21.  Two types of revelation  Revelation: disclosure: the speech act of making something evident  General Revelation:  It is given to all people in general.  Creation  Conscience  Special Revelation:  God’s special revelation given to specific people.  We did not receive the original revelation, but God has preserved it so we can have it.  We need to share it with all people. THE BIBLE: NECESSITY

22.  Is the Bible all we need for life?  Can we live without other literature or ideas in this world?  Is it sufficient for us today? THE BIBLE: SUFFICIENCY

23.  “God has given us instructions that equip us for “every good work” that he wants us to do.”  The Bible is all we need to know Christ as to live as he would want us to live.  No other work is needed.  Contrary to many other beliefs systems. THE BIBLE: SUFFICIENCY

24.  The Bible is all that is needed to know what God would have us understand about a topic.  It may not give us the exact answer, but it does tell us how to work through that topic or situation.  Abortion  Creation  Does not depict each creation separately.  When we do not find the exact answer we can not add to Scripture.  Even when it may be true.  The believer is not lacking adequate revelation since the inspired Bible itself provides all the revelation necessary for knowing and living as God intends. THE BIBLE: SUFFICIENCY

25.  Questions: 1.Why must the Bible be the basis of our beliefs? 2.Does the Bible clearly and definitively answer every question we ask? 3.Topic the Bible is clear on? 4.Not so clear topic? 5.How much emphasis should be placed on topics that are not clear? THE BIBLE