Christian Doctrine midterm 1
why is there a doctrine of creation in the Bible at all?
- Huge number of texts describing creation: (Gen. 1-3; Prov. 8:22- 36; Pss. 8, 19, and 148; Gen. 9:8-17; Job 38-42; Isa. 40:9-31) run a broad stylistic gamut, drawing from both the wisdom and prophetic traditions. This diversity testifies to the doctrine's dynamic and practical nature. The Bible's discussions of Creation always have a larger purpose: to inspire worship, to encourage the weak, to call for holiness, and to offer reassurance in times of trouble. -Christian doctrine of creation puts Christ at the center of the universe. Jesus is the image of the invisible God. (Wilkinson) - God is the sole creator that means he is without any competitors. God is the source of all creation and created it ex-nihlo (out of nothing). -God is also sustainer of what he created. In Collisian's Paul explains that in Jesus "all things hold together" (1:17). Creator God is known supremely in Christ. -Creator is also redeemer. -If the same God who created the world has redeemed it, then creation, despite its present bondage to sin and decay, must ultimately be good. Otherwise, it would not have been worth redeeming. And if creation has been redeemed, then we can look forward to a new creation, the "new heaven and new earth" described in Revelation 21. God intends to redeem creation. Given its redeemed status and promised transformation, the created order is not to be written off as evil or unimportant, but rather to be cared for, respected, and delighted in. (Wilkenson) -Human beings as the image bearers of God, concept of image, refers less to the characteristic features of humanity than to its distinctive place within the created order. Bearing God's image is about relationship with God more than any specific human attribute or pattern of behavior. This relationship involves sharing in the creative, sustaining dominion of God, and thus acting as the visible representatives of his benevolent care for creation. (Wilkenson)
what is the kingdom of God?
-For Mary, Zechariah, and John the Baptist, Kingdom was a community ruled by a King, the messiah... kingdom isn't just a state of affairs, like justice and peace and love and holiness... it's a community made up of 4 features that shape the entire story of Israel: God, king, citizens, and land (the land is where the followers of Jesus embody the kingdom of God) § Jesus is at the center of the kingdom of God - Jesus self-promotes; he believe the KOG was breaking into history in/through himself - he houses the kingdom § Jesus nominates himself for Israel's president
what is the Gospel?
According to McKnight, the gospel is the Story of Israel being fulfilled by the Story of Jesus
how is creation described in the OT?
Genesis 1-3 -polemic against polytheism, nature worship, fatalism -often gods were seen as parts of nature: moon, sun gods. Genesis is specifically against this. This is a bad idea. Describes sun and the moon as light bulbs, not as gods, not as controllers of our destiny. Nature worship= same type of deal. -They are described this way partially because many of the cultures around were polytheistic. Only one God used in the Old Testament. - displays God as personally invested; not chance/outside force (making man in his own image) -God's ultimate purpose: God describes nature as "good." God intends to bring nature back to himself and He will embrace it. Against the idea of fatalism. Whatever it is that makes us made in the image of God points us back to God. God's ultimate purpose will embrace all creation, for it is originally "good". Genesis 9:8-17 ·Illustration of judgment, mercy, and promise. The purpose is to illustrate God's judgment, mercy, and promise. God just judged the Earth. God makes promise to Noah about never destroying the Earth with a flood again. Psalm 8: song of praise - humans should be stewards of God's creation. Psalm 8: "You have set your glory in the heavens..." Pslam 19: song of praise -Creation reflects and attests to God's glory Psalm 148: song of praise -all things were created to praise the Lord. Proverbs 8:22-36: Poetic life instruction - creation intended to turn our eyes to worshipping/obeying God -Wisdom- life according to God's will- is embedded in the nature of things Job 38-42: Debate over the meaning of suffering - the impressive nature of creation reflects the glory/power of God - God's power and purposes are not subject o human control or comprehension. Isaiah 40:9-31: polemic (strong written attack) against idolatry and unbelief - there is no comparison between the Creator/created
why is it important that Jesus is a Jew (i.e. a member of the people of Israel)?
It shows the grand revealing of God's Plan of History - from the beginning of creation and on into the future, everything is woven together -- the Jews are God's elected/chosen people, chosen to bless the nations/world around them. Jesus being a Jew shows that he comes from the "royal" lineage, but is also blessed by God -- it shows that the Bible isn't just some random occurrence (e.g. Mormonism)... everything is connected and flows - it makes sense
what is faith?
YouCat = "faith is knowledge and trust; has 7 characteristics: it's a sheer gift from GOd, it's a supernatural power necessary to be able to receive salvation, requires free will, absolutely certain b/c of Jesus, incomplete unless it leads to active love, grows when we learn more about God's Word and in prayer, and is a foretaste of the joy of heaven. ~involves two aspects: knowledge (it not just that things are true) and trust (complete commitment of your whole life to something or someone) (Youcat, p. 25). The trust part of faith means assurance. But faith also has a communal aspect. No one can believe alone, by himself. We receive faith from the Church. We enter into faith by entering into community; we enter into community by experiencing baptism. But it's a community of faith, faith involves believing certain things and seeing your life transofrmed in certain ways. You can see why many Christian churches through the ages when people are baptized have to memorize and profess a statement of faith. Faith also has the following aspects: ~faith is a gift from God ~faith is supernatural power necessary to attain salvation ~faith requires free will and understanding ~faith is absolutely certain because He guarentees it ~faith is incomplete unless it leads to active love ~faith grows as we come to understand/interact with God more through the Bible and prayer ~faith=foretaste of Joy of heaven
how is the Gospel described by the Bible as a whole?
it's constantly referenced throughout the Old Testament (i.e. the whole OT predicts, foreshadows, hints at what's coming → Jesus!). The Bible "knew its purpose" and overarching message, even before the New Testament came around.
how does the creedal tradition describe the gospel?
o "creed" and "gospel" are intimately connected - the creed is the gospel o "Rule of Faith" - developed into becoming the 3 principle creeds of Christianity: apostles, Nicene, Chalcedon definition à the early chrsitians were developing a "gospel culture" § 1 Cor 15 led to development of rule of faith, leading to creeds, leading to gospel statements § creeds clarify, expose the gospel traditions as given by Paul § creed = gospel: Jesus' entire life is at work: incarnation, birth, passion, resurrection, ascension, and future appearing · creeds also have their basis in the scriptures/OT - they have apostolic gospel tradition
how is the church important for the gospel?
o Jesus chooses exactly 12 disciples - this is meant to show that His story is to be fitted to the Israel story § Nearly everyone at the time of Jesus believed that part of the Jewish hope was for the 12 tribes to be reunited with God wrapped up his plans and sent the messiah... § Many times in the OT the number 12 means the covenant people of God in their fullness or totality... when Jesus chooses 12, he promises the 12 will sit on 12 thrones - Jesus evokes both israel's prophetic expectations and the fullness of God's covenant people · Jesus doesn't include himself in the 12! · He's above them, the messiah! § He chooses 12 to embody the hope for a reunited 12 tribes - Jesus is "preaching the gospel" because in that very action he sees the story of Israel coming to its completion in the 12 apostles, and he sees himself both as the appointer of the 12 and the Lord over the 12 § The 12 = the beginning of the church!! Thus, the church is meant to be the continuation of the story § Part of redemption of the usurpers is that God chose to let them be people of the kingdom, called the Church, and he summoned them to believe in Jesus, to turn from their usurpations, and identify with Jesus so that they would enter into his death and resurrection and thus find new life § Holy Spirit: transforms the people of the kingdom into the visible likeness of Jesus himself - the old usurpers didn't have this!
how do the gospels describe the Gospel?
o Paul's gospel was the Story of Jesus completing Israel's story, and the reason the early Christians called Matthew, Mark, Luke John "The Gospel according to ____" is because they knew each of those Gospels told that very same story (completion!) o Outline of gospel § Jesus' royal birth secured his claim to the eternal throne promised to King David § Jesus' miracles pointed to the presence of God's kingdom in the person of the Messiah § His teachings sounded the invite of the kingdom and laid down it's demands § His sacrificial death atoned for the sins for those who would otherwise be condemned at the consummation of the kingdom § His resurrection established Him as the Son whom God appointed to judge the world and Lord of the coming kingdom o The four Gospels and the gospel are ONE § Early Christians: there's ONE gospel, four different versions - no plural "gospels" · The authors didn't see themselves as biographers, rather witnesses to the ONE gospel § The Gospels are about jesus, they tell the Story of Jesus, and everything in them is about Jesus... to gospel is to tell his story! · They narrate the story of Jesus in a way that shows that Jesus completes Israel's story as a SAVING story · Each of the 4 writers have their own styles, but they all reference the Old Testament o Jesus preached Jesus, Paul preached Jesus, the apostles preached Jesus, thus preaching Jesus is preaching the gospel § To respond to the gospel is to respond to Jesus!
what are some things that can be done to support a gospel culture?
o The goal: the gospeling of Acts, because it declares the saving significance of Jesus, Messiah and Lord, summons listeners to confess Jesus as Messiah and Lord § In Acts, it wasn't driven by the salvation story or the atonement story or God's wrath - it was driven by the Story of Israel § Telling the story of Jesus is anointed by God to awake sin in the person who hears the story of Jesus - instead of focusing on their sin, the Jesus story awakens a consciousness of skin and a need for Jesus to be their messiah o Creating a gospel culture § Become people of the story - immerse ourselves into the story of Jesus · Soak ourselves in the story of Jesus by reading, pondering, digesting, mulling over in our heads and hearts the 4 Gospels - it makes it make sense § The church models Jesus' life - e.g. the church calendar mimics Jesus' life · Become people of the church's story à the story continues in the story of the church! o Begins with fresh commitments to read the apostolic writings in the NT... - see them as continuations and fresh applications of the Story of Jesus in new contexts § Develop counter stories - counter the stories that bracket our story and that reframe our story - our culture skews Christianity (e.g. individualism, consumerism, nationalism, new age, etc. · Baptism = public declaration of the saving story of Jesus · Communion - gospeling the saving story o These let us embody the Story of Israel finding completion in Jesus § Embrace the story · *a gospel culture is a church culture, and it is a church culture that is being transformed together into a gospel culture · summons us to be in a life of communication with God, listing and speaking to him, and serve others in love and compassion • 1.) Become People of the Story -by... immersing ourselves into the Bible, reading Scripture, showing the nations what God is like, spreading this gospel * Become "People of the Story" - since the gospel = the Story of Israel coming to resolution in the Story of Jesus, we should be "People of the Story-that-is-complete-in-Jesus" (153) *We need to immerse ourselves in the story of Jesus. "We need to soak ourselves in the Story of Jesus by reading, pondering, digesting, and mulling over in our head sand hearts the Four Gospels." Mulling over the story of Jesus leads us to the Story of Israel because it is only in that story that the Story of Jesus makes sense. (153) - example: temptation of Jesus is not just about how to endure temptation; it refers in a way to Adam and Eve, but mostly it is connected to Israel's exile in the wilderness in Deut; Jesus is the "Second Israel" - Our behavior must reflect the story: e.g. Ten Commandments? -We can use the church calendar. This means to participate (putting your whole story in the context of the story of Jesus). - fighting idolatry/other false stories of our culture: Individualism, consumerism, relativism, etc.
how is sin important for the gospel?
o a central theme of the gospel according to Paul = "Christ died for our sins" - gospels have to speak about sin. Jesus means "Yahweh for salvation" - by naming him Jesus, Joseph named him "Savior" - saving from sins § Israel is struggling... and has been for a long time. Jesus redeems all their brokenness & screw ups o The Last Supper narrative: "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for mnay for the forgiveness of sins" - Jesus came to deliver Israel from her sin, but also to wipe out sin from the world § Jesus forgives by vitue of his self-offering on the cross § * death became effective over sins because of the resurrection of Jesus himself from among the dead - our sins bring death, Jesus' death enters into our death, that death is reversed into life by the resurrection - In that resurrection, Jesus' death became effective to unleash the new creation · ** the cross gospel requires a resurrection gospel o human assignment: to be eikons (in the image of God) and govern creation. The Fall wasn't just an act of sinning against God's command, but a betrayal of our fundamental kingly and priestly roles - we weren't just sinners in the garden with the serpent, we were usurpers à Adam and Eve tried to elevate themselves to God's level/role § God forgave us, so he instead sends us out of the garden and into the world to again trie to rule... but we usurp again... so he transferred the role to Abraham and to Israel, and to Moses... but Israel fails to be a priestly kingdom again. He tries with the Kings, e.g. David, but things just kep failing. · * Not only is Jesus the Messiah, but over and over again in the NT Jesus is the one true Eikon of God - the original role for humans is transferred and perfectly fulfilled by Jesus - the messiah! à we miss ALL this by belittling the gospel to "Salvation Culture" § God transferred the governing assignment given to Adam and Eve to Abraham to Israel. As the original Eikons were to govern this world on God's behavl, so Abraham and Israel were to bless the nations. They did this well at times, but other times they acted like usurpers and chose their own way · Jesus actually entered into their usurpations and the death they deserved for their sins... he was raised from the dead to prove that the usurpers didn't have the last word, and to show that descendents could have a whole new creation lineage!
what is the importance of bodily resurrection for human beings?
~ God redeems our entire body and soul, he does not just redeem man's spirit. In JC, God himself took on "flesh" in order to redeem mankind. "Flesh" characterizes man as weak and mortal, but God does not regard human flesh as something inferior and he REDEEMS!
how is the Holy Spirit important for the gospel?
~"the apostolic gospel promises forgiveness, the gift of God's Holy Spirit, and justification."
what is the overall structure of the Christian Bible?
~46 books of the OT -historical books: Genesis through Esther -wisdom books: Job to Ecclisiastes -the prophets: Isaiah to Zachariah ~27 books of the NT -Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John -Acts of the Apostles -the letters of Paul: 14 total -Catholic letters: 7 total -Revelation
what are some historical examples of Christian creeds?
~Apostle's Creed: typically functioned as a way for Christians to be welcomed into the community ~Nicene Creed: another creed, this time created by the early church in order to unify core beliefs. Slightly longer than the Apostle's Creed.
what is the value of Biblical literacy (familiarity with the Bible)?
~Biblical literacy allows us to understand the bigger purposes of the Bible and the gospel message. Aka: Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days, we should see the bigger meaning of this. It's not just an example of how to resist temptation. It's not just a reference to Adam and Eve's temptation and sin. It's a reference to Deuteronomy, where Israel was exiled in the wilderness for 40 years; Jesus is the second Israel and is obedient. Israel was a usurper.
what is the purpose of catechesis?
~Christian doctrine is not intuitive; it needs to be taught ~catechesis: teaching of the Christian faith; meant to define Christian doctrine ~teaching so that the material may "resound," may continue and be echoed
what is the purpose of creeds?
~Creeds allow all believers to share a common profession of faith. They allow for acceptance of believers into the church. in the early church when adults came into the community through baptism, they were asked to recite the creed.
what is the basic idea of the doctrine of the Trinity?
~Father, son, and Holy Spirit. All distinct, but form one substance. They coexist of God in his entirety ~we believe in one God in three persons (trinity). God is threefold and yet remains one. the Trinity is made of God (Father), Jesus Christ (Son), and the Holy Spirit. that is why we are baptized "in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt. 28:19). men cannot deduce the fact that God is a trinity by means of their own reason. they acknowledge this mystery when they accept God's revelation in Jesus Christ (Youcat 34).
how are faith and reason related?
~God intended reason so that we might recognize the rational structures of this earth. Faith exists so that we might know things that are not apparent to reason yet are real above and beyond reason. There is only one truth, on which faith and scientific reason refer. Faith reminds scientific reasoning that it is subservient to God and cannot take the place of God.
why is the church important?
~God is using the Church to establish His Kingdom -Israel and the Church serve the same purposes ~The Greek word for church is "ekklesia", which means those who are called forth. the Church is God's presence among us men. God wills the church because he want to redeem us, not individually, but together He wants to make all mankind his people (Youcat p. 76). the church serves the kingdom of God. She must carry on what Jesus started. She should act as Jesus would act.
how does roman catholic christianity describe the church's nature and structure?
~In the Church there are the laity and clerics. They are equal but different positions: the mission of the laity is to direct the whole world toward the kingdom of God and the mission of the clerics is to perform duties of ecclesiastical governance, teaching, and sanctification. The Church has a hierarchical structure - the gradated structure of the Church under Christ. Christ acts in the church when ministers cannot perform sacraments alone. The collegial structure in the Church consists in the fact that Christ entrusted the entire faith to a group of 12 apostles, whose successors govern the Church. The Pope is the successor of St. Peter and the head of the college of bishops. The Pope is the source and guarantor of the Church's unity and is the supreme pastoral authority and the final authority in doctrinal and disciplinary decisions.
what are the major titles for Jesus? what do they mean?
~Messiah - savior of Israel Christ - anointed with Holy Spirit Only begotten son- more than human relationship with God Lord- form of addressing God
what areas of Christian faith and life is doctrine concerned with?
~Prayer, Belief, Behavior, Literacy and Community ~belief (claims about what is true) ~behavior (the way we live and act) ~worship/liturgy (things Christians do together - singing, communion) ~prayer (individual, interacting with/experiencing God, experiencing transcendent reality) ~the gospel at the center
how does roman catholic christianity describe purgatory? for what reasons?
~Purgatory, often imagined as a place, is actually a condition. Someone who dies in God's grace but who still needs purification before he can see God face to face is in purgatory. Only after a purifying pain - which will happen when the Lord looks at us full of love and we experience shame and remorse over our unloving behavior - will we be able to meet God.
how does roman catholic christianity describe its relation to other branches of christianity?
~The Church respects everything in other religion that is good and true. She respects and promotes freedom of religion as a human right. Yet she knows that Jesus Christ is the sole redeemer of all mankind. He alone is "the way, the truth, and the life." Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all monotheistic religions. Muslims revere God the Creator and Abraham as their father in faith. They consider Jesus as a great prophet, etc. Jews are the "older brethren" of Christians, because God loved them first and spoke to them first. JC was a Jew so we are united with them! We are separated from the Jews because they do not recognize JC as the Son of the living God, but in waiting for the final coming of the Messiah we are one. Jewish faith is the root of our faith, we have their Sacred Scripture as our OT
what is the work of the Holy Spirit?
~The Holy Spirit called Jesus to life in the womb of the virgin Mary (Mt 1:18), endorsed him as God's beloved Son, guided him, and enlivened him to the end. (Youcat page 73) In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit spoke through prophets (Youcat page 74). On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit transformed fearful apostles into courageous witnesses to Christ (Youcat page 75). ~The Holy Spirit builds up the church and reminds the church of its mission. He leads us deeper into communion with God (Youcat 75). The Holy Spirit works in the sacraments and brings Sacred Scripture to life for us. He gives the gifts of grace (Youcat page 76).
how does roman catholic christianity describe Mary? for what reasons?
~They describe Mary as the Mother of God, Mother of Jesus. She was united with Jesus on earth as no other human was or could be; she was in an intimacy that does not cease in heaven. Mary is the Queen of Heaven, and in her motherhood she is quite close to us. We do not worship Mary but she can help us. Mary is our Mother and she stands up for us/pleads for us.
why does Christian faith center on the person Jesus?
~Through Jesus Christ, God became man. Through Jesus the invisible God becomes visible. this shows how far God's love goes: he bears our whole burden. he walks up every path with us. he is there in our abandonment, our suffering, our fear of death. he is there when we can go no farther, so as to open up for us the door leading into life. with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the revelation of God is perfect and complete. to make it comprehensible to us, the Holy Spirit leads us ever deeper into the truth. God's light breaks so forcefully into the lives of many individuals that they "see the heavens open..." (Youcat, p.18)
what are some historical examples of Christian catechisms?
~Westminster: 1700s in England, "what is the chief end of man?" "to glorify God and enjoy him forever." -written in order to help people learn the essentials of the Christian faith ~Heidelberg: 1500s, "what is your only comfort in life and death?" "my only comfort is that i belong...not to myself, but to my faithful saviour, Jesus Christ." ... it uses the word "YOUR" ~New City: contemporary by Timothy Keller -built so that adults & kids can read it in a year & possibly memorize a question per week
what are some names and descriptions of God in the Bible? what do they mean?
~YAWH: This means "I am who I am." God makes it possible for his people to address him, but he still remains the hidden God, the present mystery (Youcat 31). Whatever God tells Moses about his name is something about who God is. God reveals that He is the ultimate authority. He is who He is. God reveals a little bit of himself. ~Adonai: substituted for YHWH, which was too holy to pronounce ~Lord: English translation of Adonai
what is the importance of saying that God is the creator?
~brought the universe into existence. Therefore, he is eternal and in ultimate control being worthy of our praise and worship. ~God is the sole creator that means he is without any competitors. God is the source of all creation and created it ex-nihlo (out of nothing). God is also sustainer of what he created.
what is catechesis? what is catechism?
~catechesis is the process of transmitting the Gospel as the Christian community has received it, celebrates it, understands it, and lives it. In Greek it is "katecheo", which means "echo" (resound) and is meant to be an interactive process between the proclaimer, the receiver, and the Holy Spirit. to think of a catechism is an echo. it is not simply that the one who is doing catechesis is trying to teach to you but also to make you able to teach. it is echoing back the foundation of beliefs of the body of Christ. catechism is a teaching document of the Christian faith. it is formatted as a set of questions and responses.
what is the meaning of Jesus' death?
~chose Passover to be a symbol for the people of Israel for what was going to happen through his death and resurrection. → as the people of Israel were free, now we are free from sin. The cross was the most degrading abandonment possible.
what, if anything, gives the Bible unity?
~connecting thread between authors and genres gives unity → narrative that runs throughout: God, creation, destiny ~God: God is mentioned in every book except Esther; overwhelming witness to the importance of God in the Bible ~Creation: this shows up in different ways throughout the Bible ~Destiny (purpose): God had an intent when he created the universe. God wanted the creatures he created to be in relationship with one another and himself. He furthermore wanted Adam to govern. God works by a certain modus operandi (method of operation) of electing (choosing) the insignificant. God chooses the small and insignificant. God had the job that he wanted everyone to do. Throughout the Bible, we see God electing the little people. Eventually, He elected Jesus and he didn't screw up. ~the unity of the Bible is that it is one single story, one single narrative. You can identify a narrative even if you only have diary, a transcript, and a shopping list. It might be possible to gather them together and reconstruct a narrative that fits them all. The Story of Israel, or the Bible, is the sweep of how the Bible's plot unfolds: the creation of the world as God's temple, the placing of two little Eikons - Adam and Eve as divine image-bearers - in the garden temple of God (called Eden) to represent God, to govern for God, and to relate to God, self, others, and the world in a redemptive way. God made Adam and Eve to rule but they failed so God sent His Son to rule.
how is the Bible diverse?
~due to the many different interpretations and opinions by authors and genres, and the underlying differences between time and circumstances. ~when we refer to the diversity of the Bible we are referring to a huge diversity of authors from Moses to Paul. Times in which the Bible was written was vastly separated from one another. Moses (thought to be author of the NT) wrote sometime around (1500 BC). 1000 BC writings about David and Saul. Whereas NT documents were thought to be composed no later than 1500 AD in a period of about 30-40 years. ~written under many different circumstances -under David and Saul: Israel = military power -while Jews were exiled ... etc. while Jews were under Roman occupation, as in Jesus time ~many different purposes: -proverbs gives advice/wisdom -Gospels talk about the life of Jesus ~many different genres - Psalms are poetic -proverbs are wisdom literature -historical? (e.g. Acts)
what is original sin?
~first sin (satan or Adam/Eve), Christian way of thinking that everyone is somehow affected by sin ~the first sin refers to the fact that everyone (but Jesus) is somehow affiliated with sin, commonly confused with the first sin
what is the structural logic underlying the Youcat?
~four parts: 1. "what we believe" (belief) 2. "how we celebrate the Christian mysteries" (worship/liturgy) 3. "how we are to have life in Christ" (behavior) 4. "how we should pray" (prayer)
what is a creed?
~lays out clarity, true beliefs, specifying a particular relationship with God and the world. → embedded into a network of relationships and community that is active in its beliefs. ~the word creed comes from the latin word credo which means "i believe." a creed is a statement of faith (or formula of faith)
what is the meaning of Jesus' ascension?
~must worship it like God, it is another counselor: gives assurance of joy without it we can't understand Jesus. Pentecost: 50 days after Jesus' resurrection the Lord sent the Holy Spirit upon the disciples → age of the church (making us receptive to God). Holy Spirit allows immediate experiences of God, and draws people into a belief of God. ~in the NT, the ascension of Christ marks the end of 40 days during which the Lord was especially close to his disciples. at the end of this time, Christ, together with his whole humanity, enters into the glory of God. Jesus Christ is now with the Father, and from there he will come one day "to judge the living and the dead". Christ's ascension into heaven means that Jesus is no longer visible on earth yet is still present (Youcat, p. 70).
how can people know anything about God?
~our knowledge is based on what God wants us to know. We must be careful to not try and make him human → He is the creator, He values order, He is eternal, sovereign, and Holy. ~humans can know the existence of God through reason. The world cannot have its origin and its destination within itself. In everything that exists, there is more than we see. The order, the beauty, and the development of the world point beyond themselves towards God (Youcat, p. 15). ~although, man can know God through reason, he is still unable to ascertain who God really is. Hence the reason God revealed himself. just as in human love one can know something about the beloved person only if he opens his heart to us out of love. from creation on, through the patriarchs and the prophets down to the definitive→revelation (opening up of God) → God has spoken again and again to mankind. In him he has poured out his heart to us and made his inmost being visible to us. Jesus is the incarnation of God.
what was the primary focus of Jesus' life and ministry? why is this important?
~the primary focus of Jesus' life and ministry on earth was declaring the Kingdom of God. Jesus declared himself the King of this kingdom through his life and ministry. kingdom is a community made up of four features that shape the entire Story of Israel: God, King, citizens, and land. The king is Jesus, the citizens are those who follow Jesus, and the land is the place where they will embody the kingdom. kingdom is what God wants to do through the whole of Israel.
what is the structural logic underlying many Christian creeds?
~the structural logic follows gospel events, some of which have not occured yet. for example, Jesus coming to judge the living and the dead. "To recite the creed (Nicene Creed) for early Christians was not to dabble in the theologically arcane but to articulate and confess - aloud and often - the gospel itseld. To deny these creeds was to deny the gospel." (McKnight, p. 69). ~1 Corinthians 15 functioned as the Genesis of the great Christian creed. Creeds were birthed from 1 Corinthians 15, where Paul defines the gospel. Apostolic gospel of Paul concerned these main events of Jesus' life: that Christ died; that Christ was buried; that Christ was raised; that Christ appeared
what is the relation of human beings to other creatures, including angels?
~unlike all other creatures, humans are made in the image of God. this means that we desire relationship (Wilkenson). in the beginning, God made us stewards of creation so we are to care for and tend the Earth as all God's creation was declared "good" and he intends to redeem it. angels are spiritual creatures of God who have understanding and will. they have no bodies, cannot die, and are usually not visible. they live constantly in God's presence and convey God's will and God's protection to men. -angels are more powerful than humans but are meant to serve -Jesus is above all
what are human beings created for?
~we are here on earth in order to know and love God, to do good according to His will, and to someday go to heaven. to be a human being means to come from God and go to God. we come from God, in whom all the happiness of heaven and earth is at home, and we are expected in his everlasting infinite blessedness. ~Westminster Catechism: What is the chief end of man? -To glorify God and enjoy him forever. ~Lewis talks about how we have a hidden desire for affirmation and how we wish to be "fully known." We desire recognition and affirmation from God. We desire to be not only to know God but also to be "known by Him." (as Paul writes in Corinthians). This desire is an integral part of what it means to be human. We are created, desiring glory. But in order to receive this glory we must glorify the one who created us. And it is through glorifying him we find our purpose.
how does the preaching of the apostles in acts describe the gospel?
§ They don't = evangelistic sermons, rather Gospel summaries. § Peter and Paul framed their gospeling through the grid of Israel's story coming to its destination in the story of Jesus § * what God has promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus -- this is the framing story of the gospel for the apostles · the apostles declare the whole story of Jesus as the gospel, and gave emphasis to his resurrection - the point is the empty cross and empty tomb! · Jesus died with us and instead of us and for us, but that same God raised Jesus from the dead, and that resurrection unleashed the power of the Stronger Man to those who will enter that story of Jesus - the Stronger Man brings victory through his death and resurrection · For the apostles, it's all about King Jesus à they're saying that the story they were telling of Jesus was the old, old story of Israel now coming to its resolution point because he was the TRUE king of Israel · Apostles = to gospel is to declare the royal truth of King Jesus
how does Paul (e.g. in 1 Corinthians 15) describe the gospel?
· 1 Corinthians 15: the one place in the whole NT where someone actually comes close to defining the word gospel o Apostolic tradition § 1 Cor 15 - lifts up curtain in early days of church, epitome of apostolic gospel tradition · before there was an NT, before apostles wrote letters, before gospels were written, there was a GOSPEL (Paul) o Paul's 3 parts of 1 Cor 15: § A = intro; Paul connects himself to the Corinthians by means of the gospel - "good news that I proclaimed"... it's all about the gospel § B = Paul defines gospel as "...Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the 3rd day according to the scriptures, ...and then to the twelve disciples." · Part B elaborates Part A via the word "you received" à refers to the authorized tradition of the apostles that they had mastered, and that Paul himself received the gospel and is passing it on now...(he's not the innovator) · The authentic apostolic gospel: concerned that Christ died, he was buried, he was raised, that Christ appeared! · The gospel is the story of the crucial events in the life of Jesus; instead of "4 spiritual laws", the earliest gospel cares about 4 events/chapters in the life of Jesus · The word "gospel" was used in the world of biblical Jews to announce something - the point is to announce the good news about key events in Jesus' life - thus, Paul's goal § C = interruptions and continued "gospel statement" · "for since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead come also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive... for he has put everything under his feet - this doesn't include God himself, who put everything under Christ" · the gospel story of Jesus resolves/brings to completion the story of Israel as founded in the scriptures à apostolic gospel is "according-to-scriptures telling of the story of Jesus · Paul quotes OT more than 100x - Paul's gospel is rooted in the OT o Thus, the story of Jesus isn't a story that came out of nowhere, it makes sense! The gospel is the resolution and fulfillment of Israel's story and promises · Salvation is the intended result of the gospel story of Jesus that completes story of Israel in the OT o Jesus died for us, instead of us, with us... Jesus' death AND resurrection leads us into the very presence and life of God o It's not just a "Good Friday story" - dies, buried, resurrected, reappears - death is just the first part! o The 4 steps show that God had a Plan for History that arrives at its destiny after this long journey, when all things are in their proper place as God rules · Jesus is at the core of Paul's gospel; to him, the gospel = Jesus as Messiah, Jesus as Lord, Jesus as Savior, and Jesus as Son o Messiah = king or ruler; Lord = Lord, Son = the anointed king of Israel · Final point: the story will end with God the Father being God for all in all and through all, and his Son will be glorified o **1 Cor 15 completes the task God gave to humans in the opening chapter of the Bible on day 6 (creation of humans) - created to govern the world as God's representatives; in 1 Cor 15, when we are finally connected to God in this eternal union with God through his Son, humans will be doing EXACTLY what they were created for. God will be God, we will be his people § Paul summary: · Gospel for Paul is the salvation-unleashing Story of Jesus, Messiah-Lord-Son, that brings to completion the story of Israel as found In the scriptures/OT. To "gospel" is to announce - he was announcing the good news of Jesus' key events in his life, and a story that saves us from our sins o The story begins at creation & finds consummation when God is all in all
what are the difference and relation between a "gospel culture" and a "salvation culture"?
· Salvation culture: focuses on and measure ppl on the basis of whether they can witness to an experience of personal salvation; "are you in or out?" § In thinking our salvation culture is identical to GC, we betray a profound lack of awareness of what the gospel means and what GC might mean for our world today o The Decided vs. The Discipled... a GC encompasses it all and leads The Members into The Discipled because it equates the former with the latter o Faith should lead to discipleship o *a SC doesn't require the Members or The Decided to become The Discipled for salvation... it's not about the decision! o The gospel of Jesus and that of the apostles, both of which created a GC, was a gospel that carried within it the power, capacity, and requirement to summon people who wanted to be "n" to be the Discipled... "it swallowed up SC into a GC" § SC minimizes the resurrection gospel... it loses the public announcement that Jesus is LORD and KING, it doesn't directly invite to the church, it doesn't involve a promise of the 2nd coming
what is the problem with a "salvation-only" or soterian approach to Christian faith?
· evangelicals mistakenly equate the word gospel with the word salvation - thus, we're really "salvationists"... o Soterian = "Good Friday story" only... we need a whole-life-of-Jesus gospel! o "if we believe in Jesus we'll go to heaven" - but what does believe mean? o The difference between trusting Christ, the real person Jesus, with al that that naturally involves, versus trusting some arrangement for sin-remission set up through him --- trusting only his role as a guilt remover o "Gospel of sin management" presumes a Christ with no serious work other than redeeming mankind... § we don't need to ditch the salvation culture, just start from the BEGINNING and add on
