Introduction to Systematic Theology (Ch 1)

Challenge sharing the gospel in 5 minutes. Going around the room.

There are two things that I believe are very important to the life of a believer.

“How you view God is the most important thing about you.” -AW Tozer

How you view God will effect how you view yourself.

A right view of God is essential to be the foundation of our worship, our obedience, and our relationship with God.

When I say “right”, I don’t mean right according to my opinion or your opinion. But right according to what can be known about God’s revelation of Himself.

I would argue that often my opinion or your opinion of who God is can often be the “wrong” view of God.

A wrong view of God can lead you to worship false truths, false attributes and false doctrines about God and can lead you completely astray.

A wrong view of God can lead to disappointment when God doesn’t “perform” how you expect Him to, anger when He allows something that you think He shouldn’t and can lead to questioning His existence.

A right view of God, viewed through a humble and submissive heart, will understand who God has revealed Himself to be regardless of how we have been taught or how we think God should be.

The truth should and will always trump our thoughts and perspectives.

How often do you think about the revealed attributes of God?

What are some of the dangers of “your opinion” of who God is?

It is a dangerous ground to stand on thinking that you know how God should behalf, respond or be in certain situations.

I corrected my daughter the other day because in a discussion about predestination, she said the phrase, “I don’t think that God would…” And I cautioned her about that phrase that she was thinking about how God would do this or that out of what she thinks He should or would do.

Another cautious thought, that I have heard before is, “If I were God, I would do it this way…”

We should be cautious thinking that we would do something differently that God. The first being that did that was cast out of heaven and is now the enemy to God and His church.

What should be our basis for everything that we think about God? How we think God should respond in certain situations?

How has God revealed Himself in His Word is the ultimate authority of who God is. If our opinions are not based on the revealed Word of God, then we are in danger.

What is the difference between Theology and Doctrine?

Theology means “theo” – God, “ology” – study of. Theology basically means the study of God.

It is the limited study of who God has revealed Himself to because it is impossible for God to be fully comprehended or understood by His own creation.

God is infinite in all of His attributes. Who can fully understand that?!

Romans 11:33–34 ESV

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”

Isaiah 55:8–9 ESV

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

AW Tozer says that to apply words like “boundless”, “unlimited” and “infinite” can only be accurately applied to God, Himself.

He says, “There is nothing boundless but God and nothing infinite but God. God is self-existent and absolute; everything else is created and is contingent and relative. Everything else can be weighed and measured.”

Humanity, science and even our culture today says that if I cannot fully understand it, I reject it.

We must be cautious in allowing that thought to be applied in our hearts and minds when it comes to God.

However, not everything about God is hidden and must be taken solely on blind faith.

Praise be to God that He HAS revealed a great deal of Himself to us in creation, in His Son, Jesus Christ and in His Word!

The pursuit of knowing God has the understanding that there are things that are too great for our finite minds to comprehend about an infinite God. While passionately pursuing that which God has, by His grace and mercy, revealed to creation for us to worship, know and enjoy.

Have you ever thought about your life’s purpose being to pursue knowing God?

I’m not just talking about having a relationship with Him and getting to go to heaven. I’m talking about a lifetime finding more and more out about Him?

Doctrine means the concept of “what the entire Bible teaches us today about some particular topic.”

Doctrines cover a wide range of topics.

Like the doctrine of the church. What does the entire Bible teach us about the church today?

Or the doctrine of the last day. What does the entire Bible teach us about the end times and Christ’s second return?

There are doctrines of sin, man, grace, the Holy Spirit and so on and so on.

Personally, I love studying doctrine. It fills me not only with knowledge but it aids my thoughts and minds to have right perspectives of who God is, who I am without Christ and in Christ.

And its not just a one verse glance at a top. Its the look through the whole Bible to see what it says as a whole about a topic.

Its not wise to base a doctrine or theology off of a singlular verse. Unless there are no other verses in the entire Bible to challenge or reinforce that verse.

Cherry picking verses can be dangerous and lead you astray. Taking a verse out of context can be dangerous and lead you astray.

Let me give you an example.

Who here knows this verse?

Matthew 18:20 ESV

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

How do we use it today in our lives today?

Did you know that Jesus isn’t talking about church or small group or Men’s Bible study?

Let’s read the full passage.

Matthew 18:15–20 ESV

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

The context is talking about church discipline. When there is an offense against someone. Talk to them person to person.

If that doesn’t work, take one or two others to confront that person.

Jesus is talking about when 2 or 3 people gather to confront a person about their sin, Jesus is going to be with them in that conversation and confrontation.

Is it true that Jesus dwells with His people when they gather? Absolutely!

Is it also true that Jesus dwells with you in your quiet time alone with Him? Absolutely!

Using this verse out of context though can imply to to someone that God may not be though!

And it is also robbing the verse of its primary meaning. Jesus is with us when we practice accountability and church discipline.

Anyone want to do Jeremiah 29:11?? And yes, I realized that this was the verse from yesterday’s reading.

Any thoughts on doctrines and cherry picking scripture?

So, let’s circle back to the first main point. What you think about God is the most important thing about you?

What is the Doctrine of God?

What does the whole Bible say about God?

Let’s walk through some passages through the whole Bible and see if you can figure out what attribute of doctrine about God?

Exodus 3:14 ESV

God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”

Exodus 33:19 ESV

And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.

Exodus 34:6–7 ESV

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

These are three different times that God revealed who He is from His mouth to Moses.

God is who He is. Our opinions matter not.

Moses’ response in Exodus 34:8 “And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.”

God is who He is regardless of our opinion.

Let us look at some examples of people finding that out in the Bible.

The Lord’s response to Job’s questioning of all that the Lord allowed Satan to do to him was essentially, “Were you there when I built the Earth? Were you there when I created all things?” All of Job 39 is the Lord explaining to Job that He is God, the creator of all things and He can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants, to whomever He wants.

He asks Job, Job 40:8 “Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?”

Do you see the danger of putting our opinions on who God is or how we think He should treat us or respond?

Job’s response should be our response in studying theology, doctrine, salvation and seeking a right view of God.

(Me read)

Job 42:1–6 ESV

Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

How did Job respond to God calling him out for questioning God’s plan and what He allows to happen to him or on the Earth?

Job humbled Himself to repent in dust and ashes for his false views of who God is and what Job and his friends thought God should have done.

How about Nebekeneezer’s praise after God sent him to

English Standard Version Chapter 4

ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws

Daniel 4:35 ESV

all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

Now, let’s look at some of the things that God says that He has complete control over.

How about Romans 13:1

Romans 13:1 ESV

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

How about creation?

“In the beginning…”

(me read)

Matthew 8:27 ESV

And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

Colossians 1:16–17 ESV

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Everyone turned to

Isaiah 46:10 ESV

declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

Everyone turn to

Ephesians 1:4–5 ESV

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

Ephesians 1:11 ESV

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

What attribute of God are we highlighting here tonight?

The sovereignty of God.

I start out our Tuesday night study with this discussion

Is there any instances in your walk with the Lord that your eyes have been opened up and you saw God in a way that was not the way that you thought He was or how you were taught that He was?

What was the effect on your life when you saw the truth?

(The approachability of Jesus after sinning. My mom’s anger and staying away from her. His heart being drawn towards sinners, not repulsed by us.)

Its so important to look at scripture as a whole when it comes to topics that effect our view of God, Jesus, and salvation.

Which leads me to what the Lord has laid on my heart for us to study together.

Soteriology- The study of the doctrine of salvation

For this study, I will be using Wayne Grudem’s Making Sense of Salvation. It is really just Part 5 of Grudem’s Systematic Theology. Grudem is world renowned as a lead theologian of our day.

He was born in 1948 and is still alive.

He is known as an American Reformed Baptist theologian and New Testament scholar. He is Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary, Phoenix, Arizona. He has published twenty-two books.

He is a reformed theologian and we are talking about salvation. So, we will wrestle with topics like predestination and freewill together.

Just like with Straunch’s book, we want to see what the Word says and not everything Grudem says is accurate. But I will say this, he is thorough and backs everything he says with scripture.

The study of Salvation is going to reveal so many amazing truths about who God is. We are going to see His mercy and grace on display. While also seeing His justice and wrath.

The study of Salvation will show us truly who we were before Christ and who we are now that we are “in Christ”!

Salvation is where the revelation of God directly effects your life, your heart, your soul.

Salvation is where theology and doctrine becomes personal.

A few weeks back, I preached a sermon about making the gospel the cornerstone of your life.

We talked about how we as believers might have a hesitancy to share the gospel because we may not understand the gospel or truly appreciate the gospel.

I pray that this study helps you better understand the gospel, better appreciate the gospel, feel more prepared to share the gospel and help you see God and yourself more Biblically.

Let me start with a little overview of what we are going to study over the coming weeks.

Grudem has what he calls the Order of Salvation.

Election (God’s choice of people to be saved)

The Gospel call (proclaiming the message of the gospel)

Regeneration (being born again)

Conversion (faith and repentance)

Justification (right legal standing)

Adoption (membership in God’s family)

Sanctification (right conduct of life)

Perseverance (remaining a Christian)

Death (going to be the Lord)

Glorification (receiving a resurrection body)

Do any of those topics excite you or make you curious?

Now, this study is going to get, in the words of Josh Howerton, a little bit spicy. We can have some disagreements in here. I believe that we saw with the last study that we are close enough and man enough to keep it civil.

Let us all approach this study from the mindset that we started talking about.

Let us not tell God what we would do.

Let us know bring our opinions into it.

Let’s talk about what we have been taught but let’s allow the revealed Word of God show us what God wants to see about Him and His will.

Know this too, your responsibility is to take what you learn here home.

I want to encourage you to have conversations about these topics with your spouse.

My wife and I have been discussing this topic for the past few weeks and we have had a lot of fun and grown a lot together.

So, my challenge to you is to take what you learn here and explain it to her.

Lastly, let’s talk about it. If you have questions, or your spouse raises a good question at home, bring it up!

Most of you have my number and email. Let’s talk it out.