Theology

Today we are going to talk theology

Today we are going to talk theology

What is theology?

Good question

Theology is the systematic study of the concepts of God

In systematic theology one isolates a certain themes and subjects

When one wants to study Jesus they take out all of the scripture about Jesus and that’s called Christology.

Bibliology - the study of the Bible.

Pneumatology - the study of the Holy Spirit.

Anthropology - the study of humanity.

Angleology – Study of angle

Ecclesiology - the study of the Church.

Eschatology - the study of last things or end times.

So…

Theology Proper – would be the study of the doctrine of God.

Theology come from the greek word

Theos God, a god:—divinely(1), God(1267), god(6), God’s(27), God-fearing(1), godly(2), godly*(1), gods(8), Lord(1).

Now this word also speaks of the entirety of God.

Not just the Father but the Holy Spirit and Christ Jesus

Now remember Tozer words when we says,

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. A.W. Tozer

Every Christian should know some theology.

The question becomes;

The question becomes,

Where do be begin in our study of God?

Let me just say there are certain rule that we must follow as we study God’s word especially in the context of systematic theology

Now I will give you some rule here to understanding and studying the bible

I am going to give you

6 rules of interpreting the bible

1. Interpret grammatically

2. Interpret contextually

3. Interpretation must keep a sound historical basis

4. Interpret by comparing Scripture with scripture

5. Base all interpretation in original language

6. Interpret with the idea in mind that the bible is a revelation to be understood.

Now we are going to practice one law of Studying the word it called The law of first mention

It says that truth is set forth clearly the first time it is mentioned.

Another definition says

The Law of First Mention may be said to be the principle that requires one to go to that portion of the Scriptures where a doctrine is mentioned for the first time and to study the first occurrence of the same in order to get the fundamental inherent meaning of that doctrine.

So we are studying God right?

Lets look at the 1st time he is mention in the bible.

Genesis 1:1 NASB95

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

This 10-word verse is back with so much truth and power concerning God.

Notice in the beginning God created. Not in the beginning God was created.

The writer here separated God existence from the time beginning to make the point that God himself was not created but rather was the source of creation.

God is the source of creation.

In the beginning there was God. Meaning that before time was created God was already God.

And that He was not created in time, but outside outside of it. Meaning, He is not limited to and greater than time.

Time does not begin with God because but time begins with God’s creation of it and here we find that times starts when God creates the heavens and the earth.

3 absolutes

1. God had no beginning he is uncreated

We have already looked at the Greek word for God. Now lets look at the Hebrew word.

Elohim

This is name of God which stresses His majesty and omnipotence. The “im” ending here is the Hebrew plural ending, so that elohim can actually mean gods.

This does not suggest.. many gods but the plurality of the trinity,

The Father… The Son.. And The Holy Spirit

All three were responsible for creation.

The Father

Ephesians 3:14–15 NASB95

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,

The Son

John 1:1–3 NASB95

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

(NASB95)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

The Holy Spirit

Job 26:13 KJV 1900

13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; His hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

KJV

13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens;

what I am about to say next will totally go again the world view of Pantheism which Teaches that the material universe is an extension of God.

I will say today that,

God is a Personal Being that created the material world and gave life to everything in it.

Where did God come from?

Good question

God always was.. He call himself “I AM.”

The name “I AM” indicates the existence of a personal being who is unlike and set apart from all other beings

He alone exist and His existence is without beginning or end. He is eternal. He is, “I AM”

Genesis 21:33 NASB95

Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.

Abraham called him the Everlasting God. Because,

In

He is timeless

Abraham called him the Everlasting God. Because he is timeless

Jesus says in john 4 God is a spirit meaning he is not subject to decay

In the beginning God Created

2. God is creature

The Word here for created is Bara

The word appears 55 times and always means instant, miraculous creation of something which had not previous existence.

Creation out of nothing.

Out of nothing God created 3 things

The Heavens

The Earth

Time

1. Heaven

Shamayim…. Plural heavens or heaven based on the context

This does not mean stars that was created on the 4th day.

But rather… space it self.

2. the earth

this speaks of the ground or land

3. time

because creation mark the beginning of time not God’s beginning because God has no beginning

Henry Morris the writer of “The Genesis Record” concludes this, “ refutes all of man’s false philosophies concerning the origin and meaning of the world.”

“ refutes all of man’s false philosophies concerning the origin and meaning of the world.”

He list 7 things genesis one refutes

1. it refutes atheism because the universe was created by God

2. it refutes pantheism the belief that everything composes an all-encompassing, immanent God, or that the universe (or nature) is identical with divinity. Pantheists thus do not believe in a personal god. Because God is transcendent to and separate from what He created

3. It refutes polytheism, for one God created all things.

4. It refutes materialism the belief that the only thing that exists is matter or energy. Because all matter has a beginning

5. It refutes dualism, which holds to the belief that there are two elements of existence: Physical and Spiritual.

6. It refute humanism because God not man, is the ultimate reality and creature

7. It refute evolution because God created all things

Why are we talking about creation when we are studying God?

We anser that question with this one,

What does creation say about God?

3rd truth

3. Creation expresses a personal God

God is a personal being

Dr. Carrol Thompson says,

Evolution and atheism says, “Once there was absolutely nothing and now there is something.” Pantheism declare, “everything began with an impersonal something.’ The modern theologian speaks words about God but does not know whether anyone is back of the word. But the Christian affirms, “Everything began with a person being.” Dr. Carrol Thompson

Revelation 4:11 NASB95

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

(NASB95)

Revelation 4:11 (NASB95)

11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

Here we see the reason of Creation was for the will of God.

His desire to be intimate and person to His creation.’

Ill ask a question now..

Now next week we will talk about some of those question that we talk about last week

And I will add a couple others

Such as what is evil?

Where did it come from?

Ill ask a question now..

What is the primary purpose of God?

What is his main purpose in the earth?

John 17:3–5 NASB95

3 This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

(NASB95)

To know God to reveal his glory.

3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

4 “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.

5 “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

To know God to reveal his glory.

This is important to understand because through creation we see that God is personal

Ill close with this thought

Dr. Carrol says

“, does not depict a beginning with nothing before it. Creation speaks of God existence, His character, and His goodness.” Carroll Thompson

So in verse 3 and 4 when he creates light he declares that it is God!

Because what come from God is always Good!

And what does not is the essence of Evil.