Shepherds College: Systematic Theology 2025-2026, Session 3

The Doctrine of God part 2, 23 September 2025 The God who isn't: "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism" Two sociologists have given us the category "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism," which, they say, largely dominates the religious life of American young people from a wide variety of religious affiliations. I suspect that MTD, as it is called, captures a much wider span of ages than youth alone. The five tenets of MTD are: 1. A God exists who created and orders the world and watches over human life on earth. 2. God wants people to be good, nice, fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions. 3. The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself. 4. God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem. 5. Good people go to heaven when they die.1 The Communicable Attributes of God Explanation and Scriptural Basis Attributes describing God's Being Spirituality Invisibility Mental Attributes Knowledge (or Omniscience) Wisdom Truthfulness (including Faithfulness) The Communicable Attributes of God Moral Attributes Goodness (including Mercy, Grace) Love Mercy (Grace, Patience) Holiness Peace (or order) Righteousness (or Justice) Jealousy Wrath The Communicable Attributes of God Attributes of Purpose Will (including Freedom) Freedom Omnipotence (or Power, including Sovereignty) "Summary" Attributes Perfection Blessedness Beauty Glory Scriptures supporting the Communicable Attributes From Grudem's ST pp 220-231 Communicable Attributes Spirituality John 4:24 John 4:21 Psalm 139:7-10 1 Kings 8:27 Exodus 20:4-6 Exodus 20:5 Deuteronomy 4:23-24 1 Corinthians 14:14 Philippians 3:3 1 Corinthians 6:17 Romans 8:16 Luke 23:46 Ecclesiastes 12:7 Hebrews 12:23 Philippians 1:23-24 Invisibility John 1:18 John 6:46 1 Timothy 1:17 1 Timothy 6:16 1 John 4:12 Matthew 11:27 Jeremiah 29:13 Exodus 33:11 Exodus 33:20 Exodus 33:21-23 Genesis 1:27 Psalm 19:1 Romans 1:20 Genesis 18:1-33 Genesis 32:28-30 Exodus 13:21-22 Exodus 24:9-11 Judges 13:21-22 Isaiah 6:1 John 14:9 Colossians 1:15 Hebrews 1:3 Psalm 145:3 Matthew 5:8 Revelation 1:7 Revelation 1:4 Revelation 4:2-3 Revelation 4:5 Revelation 5:6 1 Corinthians 13:12 1 John 3:2 Revelation 22:3-4 2 Corinthians 3:18 Psalm 16:11 Mental Attributes: Knowledge: Omniscience Job 37:16 1 John 3:20 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 1 John 1:5 Hebrews 4:13 2 Chronicles 16:9 Job 28:24 Matthew 10:29-30 Isaiah 46:9-10 Wisdom Romans 16:27 Job 9:4 Job 12:13 Psalm 104:24 1 Corinthians 1:24 1 Corinthians 1:30 1 Corinthians 1:18-20 1 Corinthians 1:21 1 Corinthians 1:27 1 Corinthians 1:29 Romans 11:33 Ephesians 3:6 Ephesians 3:9 Ephesians 3:10 Romans 8:28 Romans 8:29 2 Corinthians 12:7 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 James 1:5 Psalm 19:7 Deuteronomy 4:6-8 Psalm 111:10 Proverbs 9:10 Proverbs 1:7 Proverbs 11:2 James 3:13 James 3:14-18 1 Peter 4:19 Deuteronomy 29:29 Proverbs 3:5-6 Truthfulness and Faithfulness Jeremiah 10:10-11 John 17:3 1 John 5:20 Job 37:16 Deuteronomy 32:4 Numbers 23:19 2 Samuel 7:28 Psalm 141:6 Titus 1:2 Hebrews 6:18 Psalm 12:6 Proverbs 30:5 John 17:17 Psalm 139:17 Colossians 3:10 Colossians 3:9-10 Ephesians 4:25 2 Corinthians 4:2 Proverbs 4:24 Psalm 19:14 Exodus 20:16 Psalm 15:2 Proverbs 13:5 Zechariah 8:17 Proverbs 12:22 Isaiah 59:3-4 John 8:44 Revelation 21:8 C: Moral Attributes: Goodness Luke 18:19 Psalm 100:5 Psalm 106:1 Psalm 107:1 Psalm 34:8 Genesis 1:31 Psalm 119:68 Psalm 104 Psalm 106 Psalm 107 Romans 12:2 James 1:17 Psalm 145:9 Acts 14:17 Psalm 84:11 Romans 8:28 Romans 8:32 Matthew 7:11 Hebrews 12:10 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Galatians 6:10 Luke 6:27 Luke 6:33-35 2 Timothy 3:17 Psalm 73:25-26 Psalm 16:11 Psalm 42:1-2 Love 1 John 4:8 John 17:24 John 3:35 John 14:31 1 John 4:10 Romans 5:8 John 3:16 Galatians 2:20 Matthew 22:37 Matthew 22:39 1 John 5:3 1 John 2:15 1 John 4:19 Isaiah 62:5 Zephaniah 3:17 1 John 4:11 John 13:35 John 15:13 Romans 13:10 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Hebrews 10:24 John 17:26 Romans 5:5 Matthew 5:43-48 Mercy, Grace, Patience Exodus 34:6 Psalm 103:8 2 Samuel 24:14 Matthew 9:27 2 Corinthians 1:3 Hebrews 4:16 Hebrews 2:17 James 5:11 Matthew 5:7 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Exodus 33:19 Romans 9:15 Psalm 119:132 1 Peter 5:10 Romans 3:23-24 Romans 11:6 Romans 4:16 1 Corinthians 15:10 Acts 14:26 Romans 1:7 Romans 16:20 1 Corinthians 1:3 1 Corinthians 16:23 2 Corinthians 1:2 2 Corinthians 13:14 Galatians 1:3 Galatians 6:18 Numbers 14:18 Psalm 86:15 Psalm 145:8 Jonah 4:2 Nahum 1:3 Romans 2:4 1 Timothy 1:16 Romans 9:22 1 Peter 3:20 James 1:19 1 Peter 2:20 Ephesians 4:2 Galatians 5:22 Romans 8:25 1 Corinthians 13:4 Colossians 1:11 Colossians 3:12 2 Timothy 3:10 2 Timothy 4:2 James 5:7-8 Revelation 2:2-3 Romans 8:28 James 5:8 Holiness Exodus 26:33 Psalm 24:3 Exodus 20:11 Genesis 2:3 Exodus 29:44 Exodus 30:25-33 Psalm 71:22 Psalm 78:41 Psalm 89:18 Isaiah 1:4 Isaiah 5:19 Isaiah 5:24 Isaiah 6:3 Psalm 99:9 Psalm 99:3 Psalm 99:5 Psalm 22:3 Leviticus 19:2 Leviticus 11:44-45 Leviticus 20:26 1 Peter 1:16 Exodus 19:6 Hebrews 12:14 Hebrews 12:10 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 2 Corinthians 7:1 Romans 12:1 Ephesians 2:21 Ephesians 5:26-27 Zechariah 14:20-21 1 Corinthians 14:33 2 Corinthians 6:5 Romans 15:33 Romans 16:20 Philippians 4:9 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Hebrews 13:20 Ephesians 2:14 2 Thessalonians 3:16 Psalm 29:11 Isaiah 48:22 Isaiah 57:21 Isaiah 59:8 Isaiah 54:11 Isaiah 54:11-12 Isaiah 55:12 Psalm 85:8 Psalm 119:165 Proverbs 3:17 Isaiah 9:6-7 Isaiah 26:3 Isaiah 57:19 John 14:27 Romans 8:6 Galatians 5:22 Acts 9:31 Psalm 121:4 John 5:17 Galatians 5:22-23 Righteousness, Justice Deuteronomy 32:4 Genesis 18:25 Psalm 19:8 Isaiah 45:19 Romans 3:25-26 Romans 9:20-21 Job 40:2 Job 40:8 Job 40:9 Job 38:12 Job 38:34-35 Job 39:19 Job 39:26 Job 40:4 Galatians 5:23 Romans 14:17 Jealousy 2 Corinthians 11:2 Exodus 20:5 Exodus 34:14 Deuteronomy 4:24 Deuteronomy 5:9 James 4:6 1 Peter 5:5-6 1 Corinthians 4:7 Revelation 4:11 Isaiah 48:11 Wrath Exodus 32:9-10 Deuteronomy 9:7-8 Deuteronomy 29:23 2 Kings 22:13 John 3:36 Romans 1:18 Romans 2:5 Romans 2:8 Romans 5:9 Romans 9:22 Colossians 3:6 1 Thessalonians 1:10 1 Thessalonians 2:16 1 Thessalonians 5:9 Hebrews 3:11 Revelation 6:16-17 Revelation 19:15 Hebrews 1:9 Zechariah 8:17 Ephesians 2:3 Romans 5:10 Romans 3:25-26 Psalm 103 Psalm 103:8-9 Romans 2:4 2 Peter 3:9-10 The Trinity The Trinity: Council of Nicea: 325 and 381 Also, see article by Bojidar Marinov, The Filioque Cause: Why the West is West and the East is East. https://theaquilareport.com/the-filioque-cause-why-the-west-is-west-and-the-east-is-east/ The Threat of Arianism Filioque Controversy The Trinity: The Nicene Creed I believe in one God the Father Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried; and the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spake by the Prophets. And one Holy Catholic (universal) and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. We may define the doctrine of the Trinity as follows: God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is one God.2 Explanation and Scriptural Basis The Doctrine of the Trinity is Progressively Revealed in Scripture. Partial Revelation in the Old Testament More Complete Revelation of the Trinity in the New Testament Three Statements Summarise the Biblical Teaching God is Three Persons Each Person is Fully God There is One God Simplistic Solutions Must All Deny One Strand of Biblical Teaching All Analogies have Shortcomings God Eternally and Necessarily Exists as the Trinity Trinity Errors Have Come By Denying Any of the Three Statements Summarizing the Biblical Teaching Modalism Claims That There Is One Person Who Appears to Us in Three Different Forms (or "Modes") Arianism Denies the Full Deity of the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Arian Controversy Subordinationism Adoptionism The Filioque Clause The Filioque Controversy Issues: Subordinationism, spirit-nature dualism. "Latin" church is the Western Church. Trinity Tritheism Denies that there is only One God The Importance of the Doctrine of the Trinity Trinity What are the Distinctions Between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? The Persons of the Trinity have Different Primary Functions in Relating to the World The Persons of the Trinity Existed Eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit What is the Relationship between the Three Persons and the Being of God? Erroneous Understandings of the Trinity A Helpful Illustration Application Trinitarian thought and the shaping of culture Trinitarian thought and the nature of God, and the love of God Salvation depends upon getting Christ right: 1 John 2:18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 1 John 2:22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 1 John 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 2 John 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 1 D. A. Carson, The Intolerance of Tolerance (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, UK: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2012), 114. 2 Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 269. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ 2