Theology Proper
1B. This is
described as a scientific investigation into what may be known of the
existence, persons and characteristics of the triune God.
2B. A definition of
God - God is personal, spirit, infinite, and perfect.
1B. God is
incomprehensible (Job. 11:7, 8; Rom. 11:33, 34).
Therefore it is
impossible for us as finite creatures to have complete, unexhausted knowledge
of God. God cannot be grasped in His entirety.
2B. God is knowable
(1 John 5:20).
Christ has come
that we might know Him. As far as His person is revealed, there is no hidden
sides of His personality, but the depths are incomprehensible (Jer. 9:23, 24;
17:5-8).
3B. The knowledge of
God
1C. The source of man's knowledge
of God
Ultimately all
knowledge about God is derived from Himself. He has revealed Himself.
2C. The reception of the knowledge
of God
1D. Innate (inborn,
not derived from external senses) knowledge of God
1E. Definition: A belief which
springs from a persons mind rather than something which is learned.
2E. Proofs of an innate knowledge
1F. Scriptural testimony
Rom. 2:14, 15
"They show the work of the law written in their hearts."
2F. Universal belief in God.
All individuals throughout
history have had a belief in God. Plato said all people act as if God exists.
2D. Acquired knowledge of God
1E. Tradition - Something passed on
from generation to generation. That which was passed on from Adam - Noah -
Abraham - to Moses.
2E. Natural revelation (Rom.
1:19-21) - The creation of the world shows us God.
3E. Supernatural revelation - The
Canon of Scripture - The Bible.
1B. The naturalistic theistic arguments (theories) - to try and show there is a God.
1C. The cosmological argument (Power)
1D. The argument:Cause and Effect. This says that every effect must have a cause sufficient to produce it. For this argument you have to stop some place as you go backward with your cause and effect.
There must be a first cause, which we would say is God.
2D. The resultant evidence:(Col. 1:16, 17) The material Universe appears as an interacting system (gravity, seasons, growing) which would argue for a unitary agent, and therefore would argue for a causative power which would produce these effects.
2C. The teleological argument (Intelligence)
1D. The argument: The world reveals intelligence, order and harmony, and therefore this would argue for an intelligent purposeful being.
2D. The resultant evidence: Ps. 94:9. Therefore there are marks of design in the constitution of the human being which would point to an infinite designing mind of a creator.
3C. The anthropological or moral
argument (Personality)
1D. The argument: A person's intelligence and morality must have had for it's author an intelligent and moral being.
2D. The resultant evidence
1E. A person's intelligence - an individual's intellectual capacity of
reason, conscience, and volition do not allow material and unconscious forces
to be a sufficient cause.
2E. A person's morality (Rom. 2:14-16). Our innate law argues for a law
giver.
3E. Never has something impersonal brought into existence something
personal. God is not just a force, but has personality.
4E. No one can have an original thought. If there is the idea of a God
therefore one must exist
4C. The ontological argument
(Existence)
1D. The argument:
1E. All individuals possess the
idea of a perfect being in their minds.
2E. Descartes - "We have an
idea of God, where did we get it - from God."
3E. Anselm - perfection indicating
the existence of a perfect being.
For more information, see C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
5C. Conclusions
1D. These arguments are not proofs but rather presuppositions.
2D. They are also confirming evidence for our belief in God.
3D. They are a value to the unbeliever - preparatory to faith.
2B. The antitheistic
theories - theories against what was just covered.
1C. Atheism - "A"
(negation), "theism" (God).
1D. The definition - the denial of the existence of a personal creator (could leave off the idea of "personal").
1E. The practical Atheist - one who
would live as if there was no God.
2E. The dogmatic Atheist - one who
bases denial upon study. Would also be a practical Atheist.
2D. Arguments against the atheist position.
The first step is
to move the atheist to an agnostic position. Question to ask: Do you really
know all there is to know. Each persons knowledge is just a drop in the vast
sea of knowledge (Ps. 94:11).
1E. Empiricism (Atheistic position) - "We believe only what we can
prove by our senses" - is where the atheist begins.
2E. Rationalism (Agnostic position) - "We work through the problem
with our mind." But the Christian can say that we can not understand
everything.
3E. Faith - This is partial knowledge, but which is also real knowledge.
2C. Agnosticism - "A"
(negation), "gnosis" (knowledge).
1D. The definition - the existence or nature of God can/is not known. The dogmatic agnostic would emphasize that it cannot be known.
1E. We just can not prove that there is a God.
2E. What we know about God will probably change within a few years.
Therefore we can not really know God.
2D. Basic types of agnosticism.
1E. Positivism - We can only
understand phenomena which is empirically (observable) known.
2E. Pragmatism - All truth is in process.
3D. What arguments are possible against the agnostic position?
Question to
ask: Can you comprehend or have complete
knowledge of anything. An agnostic usually assumes that we only know that which
we grasp in its entirety. Partial knowledge can be real knowledge.
3C. Pantheism - "Pan" (all, everything), "theism"
(God).
1D. The definition -
Everything is God. All phenomena is an aspect of God. Nature worshippers.
2D. Basic types of pantheism
1E. Materialism - Matter is the
cause of all life and mind. Whatever is reality is matter. Mother Nature.
2E. Neutralism - Ultimate reality
in life is a neutral stuff between mind and matter. Mind and matter are
appearance or aspects of this stuff. Something beyond mind and matter which we
would call God.
3E. Idealism - The reality of life (the universe) exist as immaterial or
the mind (our thoughts). Everything is in the mind.
3D. What are the errors of pantheism in all its forms?
1E. It destroys morality. If there is good and evil, then God must be
both. Otherwise you would have to discard (deny) evil.
2E. It destroys individual personality. Everything is God.
3E. It would be necesitarean - no freedom or responsibility. No sense of
reward or responsibility.
4C. Polytheism - "Poly"
(many), theism (God)
1D. Definition - a
belief in many gods. The Hindu pantheon (collection of gods) has 330 million
deities.
2D. Is there any
reality behind the various gods which men worship?
1 Corinthians 10
says there is really nothing to the idols. But there is demonic reality behind
the external example. Do not underestimate the power of evil against the
Christian.
5C. Dualism - "Dua" (two),
1D. Definition - Ultimately there are two irreducible principles in the
universe - good and evil.
2D. Early forms of religious dualism. These were 2nd. Century movements
which were heretical and rejected by the church. They developed after the New
Testament Scriptures were written. Some of the beginning heresies were dealt
with in 1 John 4:1-3 and Col. 2:16-23.
1E. Gnosticism - the immaterial is good, the material is evil. Out of
this comes a doubt of the hypostatic union (God as immaterial good becoming a
man as material bad). People who hold this view typically practice asceticism.
2E. Libertinism - the body is evil, but just let it go and do what it
wants. First Cor. 15 spoke against this.
3E. Zoroastrianism - had the idea of two gods, more than the immaterial
versus the material.
3D. What is the Christian answer to the problem of evil which gives rise
to dualism?
1E. To say that one is bad or the other good, would demand a higher
standard to make that determination. Therefore it cannot be a question of an equal
good versus an equal bad. One must be higher to make a determination (C. S.
Lewis).
2E. "Badness" is dependant upon goodness. Badness for the sake
of badness does not exist. A person is bad or evil to get satisfaction and
pleasure (good in one sense). There can not be evil unless there is good.
6C. Deism - Latin for "god." It has the same basic meaning as
"theism," but has taken on a more technical meaning.
1D. Definition - God is aloof from creation. Deism holds that God
created the universe and endowed it with laws for its continual operation, and
He has never intervened in any way since the beginning.
2D. The main tenets of deism.
1E. They believe in the being of God. He is actual.
2E. The have a deity to worship.
3E. There is a divine way to live.
Possibly found in the Bible.
4E. It is duty to repent and
forsake sin.
5E. They believe in divine retribution. God will reward and punish.
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