THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE

WHAT IS THEOLOGY?

Theology comes from two Greek words: theos (God) and logos (thoughts)

Theology

Theology means “thinking about God” or “the study of God”

1) Theology is about seeking God

Matthew 22:37 ESV

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Acts 17:26–27 NIV

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

Matthew 22:27

2) Theology is about knowing God

Matthew 22:37 ESV

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

3) Theology is about encountering God

John 4:24 ESV

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

WHAT IS DOCTRINE?

Doctrine comes from a Latin word meaning “group of teachings”

If theology is thinking about God, then doctrine is putting those thoughts together

There are ten major doctrines of Christianity...

1) BIBLIOLOGY: the study of the Bible

2) THEOLOGY PROPER: the study of God

3) ANGELOLOGY: the study of angels & demons

4) ANTHROPOLOGY: the study of mankind

5) HAMARTIOLOGY: the study of sin

6) CHRISTOLOGY: the study of the Son of God

7) SOTERIOLOGY: the study of salvation

8) PNEUMATOLOGY: the study of the Holy Spirit

9) ECCLESIOLOGY: the study of the people of God

10) ESCHATOLOGY: the study of end times

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

Gospel comes from a Greek word meaning “good news”

The Gospel refers to God’s plan of salvation for mankind through Jesus Christ

There are ten major doctrines that make the Gospel possible...

1) The inerrancy of Scripture

2) The triunity of God

3) The virgin birth of Christ

4) The deity of Christ

5) The sacrifice of Christ

6) The resurrection of Christ

7) The necessity of grace and faith

8) The return of Christ

9) The promise of heaven

10) The reality of hell

HOW DO I STUDY THEOLOGY?

1. Theology is for the spiritual

1 Corinthians 2:12–14 ESV

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Cor 2:12-

2. Theology is for the humble

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.

3. Theology is for the flexible

2 Peter 3:15–16 ESV

And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

4. Theology is for the worshipful

Colossians 3:16 ESV

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

4. Theology is for the flexible

2 Peter 3:15–16 ESV

And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.