Theology Final

Know the definition of "biblical authority"

"The authority of Scripture means that all the words in Scripture are God's words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God.

Know the definition of "pantheism"

"pan" means "all" or "every" The universe IS God God has no distinct personhood God is therefore: Changing Partially evil

Know the definition of "dualism"

2 ultimate forces in the universe in an eternal conflict that presents them as evenly matched.

Know the definition of "doctrine"

A doctrine is what the whole Bible teaches us today about some particular topic. . . . a doctrine is simply the result of process of doing systematic theology with regard to one particular topic.

Know the 8 indications of distinct marriage roles before the Fall claimed by Complementarians (be able to write out 3)

Adam was created first, then Eve (1 Timothy 2:13) Eve was created as a helper for Adam Adam named Eve God named the human race "man," not "woman" God spoke to Adam first after the fall Adam, not Eve, represented the human race The curse brought a distortion of the previous roles, not new roles Redemption in Christ reaffirms the creation order

Know the sense in which humanity CAN carry out the original responsibilities of the Image after sin

All Humanity CAN carry out their Eternal 7th Day responsibilities in a lesser, imperfect sense that in the end, leads only to God's judgment.

Know the definition of "Arianism"

Also maintains an emphasis on God's Oneness by denying the full divinity of the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Know the definition of "angels"

Angels are created spiritual beings with moral judgment and high intelligence but without physical bodies.

Know the 5 points about the place of angels in God's purposes

Angels show the greatness of God's love and plan for us We are made as the image/representative of God, angels are not We are not assigned to serve angels, angels are assigned to serve us We can be saved from our sin, angels cannot be Angels remind us that the unseen world is real

Know the definition of "systematic theology"

Any study that answers the question, 'What does the whole Bible teach us today?' about any given topic

Know the 4 key questions concerning actual sin in our lives

Are infants guilty before they commit actual sins? Can infants who die be saved? Does our ability limit our responsibility? Are there degrees of sin?

Know the 3 points additional points about what angels are (beyond their names)

Beings who appear to relate to God and to one another in an orderly, hierarchical manner. Beings assigned by God to protect God's people in general, even if not assigned to individuals as their "guardian angel". Beings powerful in intellectual, will, and ability to act; more powerful than human beings.

Know the definition of "modalism"

Claims that there is one person who appears to us in three different forms (or "modes") at different times. In this error, the appearance of Threeness or Diversity of Persons is only an illusion and does not reflect God's reality

Know the 2 key truths about the Trinity that the Complementarian position believes are reflected in God's design for husband and wife relationships

Complementarian Position: Like in the Trinity of God's own self, full equality of individual personhood IS compatible with genuine distinctions of role and functional authority

Know the other evidence that undergirds our confidence in Scripture

Convinced by its claims as we read it Other evidence undergirds our confidence in Scripture, BUT can never be fully conclusion and irrefutable (Historically accurate, Internally consistent, Prophetic fulfillment, Influence on history, Changed lives, Beauty and depth) We begin with Scripture as our ultimate authority - self-attesting

Know the definition of "demons"

Demons are evil angels who sinned against God and who now continually work evil in the world

Know the 3 additional points about demons and their origin

Demons oppose and try to destroy every work of God Demons are limited by God's control and have limited power Demons cannot read our minds, know our thoughts, or know the future precisely, even if they have great predictive and observational powers.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Righteousness/Justice"

God always acts in accordance with what is right and is himself the final standard of what is right.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "concurrence"

God cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do. (Inanimate Creation, Animals, Random Chance, Affairs of Nations, Events are Fully Caused by God AND man) God uses all things to fulfill his purposes and even uses evil for his glory and for our good.

Know why and for what role God created humanity

God did not need to create man, yet he created us for his own glory.

Know the 4 key points about the origin of sin

God did not sin and cannot sin There is no power equal to or able to challenge God God ordained that sin would come into the world through the voluntary choices of moral creatures, but God is not morally culpable for that sin The first human sin characterizes all human sin to some degree

Know the definition of God's attribute of "omnipresence"

God does not have size or spatial dimensions, and is present at every point in space with his whole being, yet God acts differently in different places

Know the definition of God's attribute of "independence"

God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything, yet we and the rest of creation glorify him and bring him joy.

Know the definition of "Trinity"

God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is one God.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Omniscience"

God fully knows himself and all things actual and possible in one simple and eternal act

Know the definition of God's attribute of "government"

God has a purpose in all he does in the world and providentially governs or directs all things in order that they accomplish his purposes.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "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.

Know the definition of "deism"

God involved in the initial creation of the universe Since creation, God now uninvolved in creation, which instead merely runs according to its original design God is transcendent but NOT immanent

Know the definition of God's attribute of "providence"

God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that he 1. Keeps them existing and maintaining the properties with which he created them; 2. Cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do; 3. Directs them to fulfill his purposes.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "unity"

God is not divided into parts, yet we see different attributes of God emphasized at different times.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "unchangeableness"

God is unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises, yet God does act and feel emotions, and he acts and feels differently in response to different situations. Evidence in Scripture of God's "Immutability."

Know the definition of God's attribute of "preservation"

God keeps all created things existing and maintaining the properties with which created them.

Know some of the reasons for the importance of human action

God works THROUGH human actions in his providential management of the world. We are still responsible for our actions Our actions have real results and do change the course of events. Prayer is one specific kind of action that has definite results and that does change the course of events We must act!

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Beauty"

God's beauty is that attribute of God whereby he is the sum of all desirable qualities.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Blessedness"

God's blessedness means that God delights fully in himself and in all that reflects his character.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Faithfulness"

God's faithfulness means that God will always do what he has said and fulfill what he has promised.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "invisibility"

God's invisibility means that God's total essence, all of his spiritual being, will never be able to be seen by us, yet God still shows himself to us through visible, created things

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Jealousy"

God's jealousy means that God continually seeks to protect his own honor.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Love"

God's love means that God eternally gives of himself to others.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Omnipotence"

God's omnipotence means that God is able to do all his holy will.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Perfection"

God's perfection means that God completely possesses all excellent qualities and lacks no part of any qualities that would be desirable for him.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "spirituality"

God's spirituality means that God exists as a being that is not made of any matter, has no parts or dimensions, is unable to be perceived by our bodily senses, and is more excellent than any other kind of existence.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Truthfulness"

God's truthfulness means that he is the true God, and that all his knowledge and words are both true and the final standard of truth. (Objectively true from all eternity)

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Will"

God's will is that attribute of God whereby he approves and determines to bring about every action necessary for the existence and activity of himself and all creation.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Wisdom"

God's wisdom means that God always chooses the best goals and the best means to those goals

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Wrath"

God's wrath means that he intensely hates all sin.

Know the senses in which humanity CANNOT carry out the original responsibilities of the Image after sin

Humanity no longer can carry out their Eternal 7th Day Responsibilities as originally intended (Functional Image) Representative Rulership over Creation? The Serpent rules over them (3:1-7); power struggle in the home (3:16); the ground is cursed (3:17-19) Image Multiplication Pain in childbirth (3:16); Multiplying broken mirrors Dependent Sonship Broken family relationship; we are "by nature children of wrath" (Eph 2:3); adoption necessary in the future Priestly Worship in God's Presence Barred from God's Garden-Temple Presence

Know the 2 basic evidences for the existence of God

Humanity's Inner Sense of God Believing the Evidence in Scripture and Nature

Calvinist Theory

Humans are born with a corrupt nature AND actual guilt (evidenced by the fact that we die)

Arminian Theory

Humans are born with a corrupt nature but not with actual guilt; prevenient grace is extended by God to all humans, neutralizing the corruption received from Adam.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Immanence"

Immanent within and throughout all of his creation and always actively sustaining and ruling over all of his creation, guiding it according to his purposes, both revealed and hidden.

Know some different ways to organize the attributes of God

Incommunicable and Communicable Incommunicable (less a response of imitation and more a response of adoration) Absolute (not related to time and space) and Relative (related to time, space, creation & humanity) Natural (non-moral) and moral Greatness and goodness

Know some biblical examples of God using human evil for good

Joseph,

Know the 5 obstacles to sharing knowledge clearly

Language; Culture; Time; Human finitude; Human fallenness

Know the two kinds of freedom

Libertarian or Contra-causal freedom. Humans choose freely when they could have chosen otherwise. Compatibalist freedom. Humans choose freely when they choose to do what they desire.

Know the 3 key points concerning "man AS the image of God"

Mankind is designed to be God's mirror image who represents God and is like God in some ways. We were made to be the visible representatives of the invisible God. We were designed to dwell in God's presence, beholding and reflecting his glory in the Eternal 7th Day

Know the 4 reasons given for studying a systematic theology like Grudem's?

More carefully organized by topics More detailed More accurate More comprehensive

Know the 4 answers given by Dr. Wind to the question, "Why study systematic theology?"

NOT as an end in itself! This motive leads to pride and to "a state of self-satisfied, self-deception." To Obey Jesus God's unifed yet diverse written Word demands it To Receive the Benefits (Correct our wrong thinking, Improve our overall ability to discern biblical truth in a pluralistic world, To be a better theologian, To Grow as a Christian, To Know and Enjoy God more - Worship!)

Know the three kinds of revelation

Nature Revelation; Event Revelation; Text Revelation

Pelagianism

Newborn human soul is free from any corruption or guilt; humans have no natural inclination toward sin and are able to fulfill God's commands

Know some of the implications of pantheism

No basis for human personhood & individuality

Know some of the implications of dualism

No clear sense that the forces of good will ever decisively win or evil ever be completely removed The physical world in this view is typically more associated with the forces of evil God is NOT ruler over his creation Creation was NOT originally "very good"

Know the labels for the 3 main theories of original sin

Pelagianism, Arminian Theory, Calvinist

Know the basic biblical elements of prayer

Praise and adoration for who God is (His nature) Thanksgiving for what God does (His actions) Confession of our sin before a Holy God and reaffirmation of Christ & the Gospel Requests for self (petition) Requests for others (intercession)

Know the definition of "prayer"

Prayer is personal communication from us to God.

Know the 6 questions that lead people to misunderstand and disagree about the Bible in spite of the Bible's clarity

Questions concerning our hearts Questions concerning the proper rules of interpretation (hermeneutics) Questions concerning the proper process of interpretation (exegesis) Questions concerning mistaken interpretive conclusions (doctrine) Questions not addressed clearly, directly, or exhaustively by Scripture. Questions concerning our ability to know

Know some of the imperfect analogies used to communicate the Trinity

Represent the unity of the Trinity but misrepresent the full diversity and distinctions Three leaf clover Three forms of water Three roles of one man Three parts of an egg Represent the diversity and distinctions within but misrepresent the full unity (and divinity) Three branches of US government

Know the 4 primary responsibilities of the Image in the Eternal 7th Day

Representational Rulership Image Multiplication Dependent Sonship Priestly Worship in God's Presence

Know what position of "monism" gets right and what it gets wrong

Rightly emphasize the unity of the human nature. Inadequately accounts for the many biblical passages that indicate the ability of a person's immaterial self to exist independently (for a time) apart from the material self.

Know Grudem's definition of "sin"

Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.

Know the definition of sin as "Natural Desires Fulfilled Wrongly"

Some desires, natural and not sinful in and of themselves, when fulfilled outside of God-designed purposes and limitations, become sinful.

Know how we should explain and respond to unanswered prayer

Sometimes we do not know God's will and therefore do not know how to pray as we ought to. God's timing and method of answering is not always our preferred timing and method But we must continue to pray and pray boldly. (Jesus in the Garden)

Know some of the various names the Bible uses to refer to angelic beings

Sons of God" (Job 1:6; 2:1) Holy ones" (Ps 89:5,7) Spirits" (Heb 1:14) Watchers" (Dan 4:13,17,23) Thrones," "dominions," "principalities," "authorities" (Col 1:16) Powers" (Eph 1:21) Cherubim" (Gen 3:24; Ps 18:10; Ezek 10:1-22) Seraphim" (Isa 6:2-7) The living creatures" (Ezek 1:5-14; Rev 4:6-8)

Know the 7 reasons that the doctrine of the Trinity is important

The Atonement is at stake. Justification by faith alone is threatened. Worshipping and praying to Jesus is questionable. Giving Christ credit for salvation is dubious. God's relational personhood is dependent upon creation rather than eternal. The unity of the universe in its diversity is in doubt. The doctrine of the clarity and sufficiency of Scripture is questioned.

Know three things for which the Bible is necessary

The Bible is necessary for the knowledge of the Gospel & Salvation The Bible is necessary for maintaining spiritual life The Bible is necessary for certain knowledge of God's will

Know the current challenges to inerrancy

The Bible is only authoritative for "faith and practice." The term inerrancy is a poor term. We have no inerrant manuscripts; therefore, talk about an inerrant Bible is misleading. The biblical writers "accommodated" their messages in minor details to the false ideas current in their day and affirmed and taught those ideas in an incidental way. There are some clear errors in the Bible.

Know some of the actions of the Holy Spirit that exhibit the full personhood of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit exhibits full personhood in: Teaching, Interceding, Searching, Knowing, Distributing, Forbidding, Speaking, Evaluating, and Being Grieved by Sin.

Know the 7 major doctrinal areas for this semester

The Word of God God Humanity Christ The Application of Redemption The Church The Future

Know the definition of the "clarity" of Scripture

The clarity of Scripture means that the Bible is written in such a way that its teachings are able to be understood by all who will read it seeking God's help and being willing to follow it.

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Goodness"

The goodness of God means that God is the final standard of good, and that all that God is and does is worthy of approval.

Know the definition of "inerrancy"

The inerrancy of Scripture means that Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything which is contrary to fact.

Know the definition of "materialism"

The material universe is all there is; no spiritual realm exists. Other terms that can also describe this view include: Naturalism, Scienticism, Athiesm, & Empiricism

Know the definition of the "necessity" of Scripture

The necessity of Scripture means that the Bible is necessary for knowledge of the gospel, for maintaining spiritual life, and for certain knowledge of God's will, but is not necessary for knowing that God exists or for knowing something about God's character and moral laws.

Know the definition of the "sufficiency" of Scripture

The sufficiency of Scripture means that Scripture contained all the words of God he intended for his people to have at each stage of redemptive history, and that it now contains everything we need God to tell us for salvation, for trusting him perfectly, and for obeying him perfectly.

Know some of the arguments of the Arminian position

The verses cited by Calvinists as examples of God's providential control are exceptions and do not describe the way God ordinarily works in human activity. The Calvinist view wrongly makes God responsible for sin. Choices caused by God cannot be real choices. The Arminian view encourages responsible Christian living, while the Calvinistic view encourages a dangerous fatalism

Know the 4 reasons God wants us to pray

To learn actively to trust him in our personal relationship with him To learn actively to love him and have personal fellowship with him To be his active agents of accomplishing his will and being personally involved in work that is eternally significant To give God more praise and glory in our relationship with him.

Know the definition of "incommunicable attributes"

Traits he doesn't share with humans.

Know the definition of "communicable attributes"

Traits that he shares with humans.

Know the definition of "Tri-theism"

Tritheism denies that there is only one God. Plurality without true Unity.

Know the definition of "incomprehensibility"

Unable to be FULLY or EXHAUSTIVELY understood

Know the 3 ways that God is shown to be unchangeable in Scripture

Unchangeable Being (Unchangeable in life and character) Unchangeable Purposes (Unchangeable in His ways) Unchangeable Promises (Unchangeable in His truth and in His commitments)

Know the 3 points about our relationship to angels

We SHOULD be aware of angels in our daily lives, even if they should not be our focus. We should beware of receiving false doctrines from angels. We should NOT worship, pray to, or seek angels.

Know the definitions of "inherited guilt"

We are counted guilty because of Adam's sin

Know 4 practical applications of the sufficiency of Scripture

We can search the Bible for answers and find answers (sola scriptura), even if not an answer or as complete an answer as we might like to every question. We must NOT add to Scripture, including more rules and revelation We must NOT consider other sources of authority as equal to Scripture We must be content with Scripture

"inherited corruption"

We have a sinful nature because of Adam's sin.

Know the 3 key questions to answer in interpreting Genesis 1

What is the genre? What is the time-frame? What is the method by which God creates?

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Transcendence"

before, over, and beyond his creation; Distinction From

Know the definition of God's attribute of "Holiness"

he is separated from sin and devoted to seeking his own honor.

Know the 4 statements, "The Bible can be inerrant and still . . ."

speak in the ordinary language of everyday speech. use various literary forms with their own particular rules of meaning. include loose or free quotations. use unusual grammatical constructions