Doctrinal Positions

Description

The name comes from byblos, which denoted the papyrus plant that grew in marshes or river banks, primarily along the Nile. Writing material was made from the papyrus plant by cutting the pith of the plant in one foot strips and setting it in the sun to dry. Eventually, the plural form biblia was used by Latin-speaking Christians to denote all the books of the Old and New Testaments.

This is described as a scientific investigation into what may be known of the existence, persons, and characteristics of the Triune God.

Christology is the study of the doctrines concerning Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, His person and His work

The study of the third person of the Holy Trinity.

The word anthropology is ultimately derived from a combination of the Greek words anthropos ("man") and logos ("science," "doctrine" or "study" as used in this connection). Therefore the etymological idea of anthropology is the science of man or man-study.

The problem of sin is of such a magnitude that it requires separate and special attention. Apart from a careful biblical study of the doctrine of sin, the nature and destiny of man cannot be properly understood, and the need for divine salvation cannot be truly appreciated.

The gospel that Jesus proclaimed was a call to discipleship, a call to follow him in submissive obedience, not just a plea to make a decision or pray a prayer. Jesus’ message liberated people from the bondage of their sin while it confronted and condemned hypocrisy. It was an offer of eternal life and forgiveness for repentant sinners, but at the same time it was a rebuke to outwardly religious people whose lives were devoid of true righteousness. It put sinners on notice that they must turn from sin and embrace God’s righteousness.

There is a great need today to understand the essential nature of the church from what Scripture teaches and not firstly from the role some claim she ought to play in society. We cannot continue to define the church existentially, that is, by the way she interacts with the world and the resultant changes she undergoes. We must begin with the word of God in order to get a sense of the kind of entity she is, and from there we can decide on the kind of tasks she ought to be engaged in.

The term “eschatology” comes from two Greek terms e[scato" and lovgo" meaning (roughly speaking) “last, end, or final” and “study of,” respectively. Theologically speaking, then, the term eschatology refers to “the study of final things” in the Bible. It concerns both personal eschatological issues such as death and the intermediate state as well as themes with a more general or corporate focus. The latter would include such ideas as the return of Christ, resurrection, judgment, tribulation, the millennial kingdom, and the eternal state.