Prayer Service 3-5-25
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18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Kay Orr and family in their bereavement of Leuna
The Family of Bobby McGuire in their bereavement
The Family of Silas Riddle in their bereavement.
Continue to lift up the Kamps Family and Destinee’s family
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Allen: Recovery from surgery, clots
Ginger Claybon: Broken Ribs
Michael Carroll: Vocational/Financial Provisions
Layce’s Cousin, Crystal: Cancer in Spine
Junior Garland: Brain Tumor
Braden Long: Recovery from surgery and Vocational Provision
Chaplain McGuffee: Loss of protective detail/assistant
Eleea, Erica, Brooke, and babies
Hope, Iva Lee, Ty Benton, Flood and Fire Victims, others?
1 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
Help for our Nation
Help for our Community
Help for “our” local church
Help for our families
Help for this upcoming study
Others?
Historical Theology
Historical Theology
Introduction:
What is it?
Why should we study it?
How should we study it? (next week?)
Following the general outline of this book:
(show photo)
What is Historical Theology?
What is Historical Theology?
Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Chapter 1: Introduction to Historical Theology
Historical theology is the study of
Nelson’s New Christian Dictionary historical theology
Branch of theology concerned with the
This one elaborates a great deal on that idea:
A Compendium of Christian Theology Theology Scientific
HISTORICAL THEOLOGY embraces ecclesiastical history
A Compendium of Christian Theology Theology Scientific
including all that belongs to the Church, its antiquities, ceremonies, and jurisprudence, but
Any Questions on what it is?
Why Should We Study It?
Why Should We Study It?
1.) Defending its Propriety
2.) Examining its Practical Benefits
#1 Reason for me:
The Holy Spirit is always at work in the church of Jesus Christ!
DON’T MISUNDERSTAND!!!!
God’s authoritative self-revelation in the Holy Scriptures...
Has been completed!
THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE IS CLOSED!
There is no new revelation from God!
Why?
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son...
3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature...
That’s Why!
But:
5 But now I am going to him who sent me...
6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment...
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Probably a specific reference to the apostolic deposit of truth...
But, there’s also this:
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
He goes on:
23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him...
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
So, we’re clear:
9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
So, while the Spirit’s work in the church...
...doesn’t always manifest itself...
...through an infallible inspiration of Scripture...
...like it did through the apostles...
He still, nevertheless, has in some capacity, been...
Steering the ship
Collectively guiding her into truth
Collectively protecting her from error
...throughout the entirety of her formal existence.
And there’s a lot we can learn...
...by examining that process.
Kenneth Kantzer wrote:
“While it is not infallible, it must be acknowledged as God’s guidance of his people in accordance with his promise to the church of all ages.” — Kenneth Kantzer
Can we learn from that?
Yes!
Provided that we keep this in mind:
Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Chapter 1: Introduction to Historical Theology
At the same time, church tradition must always have reference to Scripture; hence, historical theology must be either approved or chastened by the Word of God...
Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Chapter 1: Introduction to Historical Theology
As J. I. Packer . . . articulated: “Scripture must have the last word on all human attempts to state its meaning … and tradition . . . has a ministerial rather than a magisterial role.”
Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Chapter 1: Introduction to Historical Theology
In determining doctrine and practice, the magisterial, or authoritative, role
Practical Benefits to the Study of Historical Theology
Practical Benefits to the Study of Historical Theology
#1 It helps us to distinguish between orthodoxy, and heresy or heterodoxy.
#1 It helps us to distinguish between orthodoxy, and heresy or heterodoxy.
-And that is something that...
...the Word of God calls us to do:
Let me show you:
3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,
That’s the Greek word behind our word “heterodoxy”
“heteros” = different
“didaskalos” = teaching or doctrine.
The charge, then is to...
...not let false teachings be taught in the church, right?
-Now, “Different” implies a standard, right?
So, what’s the standard?
What is the church’s doctrine to be judged by?
There, the apostles’ teaching
Essentially the New Testament
“The Apostolic Deposit of Truth”
-Paul goes on:
4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith...
6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion,
7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully,
9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers,
10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,
There’s our concept of “orthodoxy”
Literally, “Healthy Teachings or Doctrines”
Again, how is that determined:
11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
The church has a responsibility to...
...measure every doctrine against...
...the Apostolic Deposit of Truth...
And affirm what is true
Discard and Denounce what is false
This is a biblical REQUIREMENT.
Again:
13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
The pronouns here are singular
(It’s an individual Christian responsibility too)
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus...
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
5 As for you, always be sober-minded...
This requires:
A commitment to the word of God
The ongoing examination of proposed doctrines by it.
Again, watch Paul’s charge...
...to the overseer’s of the church:
7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach...
9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.
11 They must be silenced...
13 ...Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. . .
1 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.
This isn’t really an optional discipline
-Consider these warnings as well:
2 ...Teach and urge these things.
3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,
4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing...
3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ...
We have a mandate from the Holy Spirit...
...to mark and avoid:
False Teaching
False Teachers:
How does historical theology...
...help us to do this?
Chiefly in this:
It helps us to discern...
...the collective witness of the Holy Spirit...
...on major doctrinal matters!
(There’s strength in numbers)
“Heresy is the progeny of novelty” — Sam Waldron
(Give examples)
This is exactly what most of Historical Theology is.
The observing of the collective Christian effort, to...
Affirm what is true
Denounce what is false.
Is that going to be beneficial to us?
Let’s finish with this:
Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Chapter 1: Introduction to Historical Theology
Historical theology helps the church recognize sound doctrine and distinguish it from false doctrine because,
Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Chapter 1: Introduction to Historical Theology
“that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by everyone”—that is, what the church has historically believed and held as its doctrine—corresponds to orthodoxy, and whatever has been traditionally rejected by the church corresponds to heresy.
A preview to whet your appeitites:
Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Chapter 1: Introduction to Historical Theology
For example, the belief that the Word of God who became incarnate as Jesus Christ (
Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Chapter 1: Introduction to Historical Theology
In accordance with all the teaching of Scripture, the church has always believed that the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, was, is, and always will be fully God, equal in all respects to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Chapter 1: Introduction to Historical Theology
A study of historical theology that rehearses the development of doctrine helps churches today to identify and embrace orthodoxy and to reject and correct heresy.
That’s what we’re going to see a lot of.
Questions?
Pray
