Chapter 1 - Introduction to Systematic Theology

April 18th 2018 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC CHAPTER 1 – Introduction to Systematic Theology Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem Outline • • • What is systematic theology? Why should Christians study it? How should we study it? EXPLANATION AND SCRIPTURAL BASIS A. Definition of Systematic Theology Systematic theology is any study that answers the question, “What does the whole Bible teach us today?” about any given topic. 1. Relationship to Other Disciplines. • Historical theology – a historical study of how Christians in different periods have understood various theological topics. • Philosophical theology – studying theological topics largely without use of the Bible, but using the tools and methods of philosophical reasoning and what can be known about God from observing the universe. • Apologetics – providing a defense of the truthfulness of the Christian faith for the purpose of convincing unbelievers. • Old Testament theology – study of the teaching of the individual authors and sections of the Old Testament, and of the place of each teaching in the historical development of the Old Testament. • New Testament theology – study of the teaching of the individual authors and sections of the New Testament, and of the place of each teaching in the historical development of the New Testament. • Biblical theology – study of the teaching of the individual authors and sections of the Bible and of the place of each teaching in the historical development of the Bible. 2. Application to Life. Systematic theology focuses on summarizing each doctrine as it should be understood by present-day Christians. Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 1 of 6 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC April 18th 2018 3. Systematic Theology and Disorganized Theology. How Systematic Theology differs from other types of theology studies • It treats biblical topics in a carefully organized way to guarantee that all important topics will receive thorough consideration. • It treats topics much more details than most Christians do. • A formal study of systematic theology will make it possible to formulate summaries of biblical teachings with much more accuracy than Christians would normally arrive at without such a study. • A good theological study must find and treat fairly all the relevant Bible passages for each topic. 4. What Are Doctrines? A doctrine is what the whole Bible teaches us today about some particular topic. Doctrines or Areas of Study: Part 1: The Doctrine of the Word of God Part 2: The Doctrine of God Part 3: The Doctrine of Man Part 4: The Doctrines of Christ and the Holy Spirit Part 5: The Doctrine of the Application of Redemption Part 6: The Doctrine of the Church Part 7: The Doctrine of the Future Those topics included in this study generally meet at least one of the following three criteria: 1) They are doctrines that are most emphasized in Scripture. 2) They are doctrines that have been most significant throughout the history of the church and have been important for all Christians at all times. 3) They are doctrines that have become important for Christians in the present situation in the history of the church. 5. Systematic theology vs Christian ethics The emphasis of systematic theology is on what God wants us to believe and to know, while the emphasis in Christian ethics is on what God wants us to do and what attitudes he wants us to have. Christian ethics is any study that answers the question, “What does God require us to do and what attitudes does he require us to have today?” with regard to any given situation. Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 2 of 6 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC April 18th 2018 B. Initial Assumptions of This Book We begin with two assumptions or presuppositions: (1) that the Bible is true and that it is, in fact, our only absolute standard of truth; (2) that the God who is spoken of in the Bible exists, and that He is who the Bible says He is: the Creator of heaven and earth and all things in them. C. Why Should Christians Study Theology? 1. The Basic Reason. The basic reason for studying systematic theology, then, is that it enables us to teach ourselves and others what the whole Bible says, thus fulfilling the second part of the Great Commission. Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:1; 1 Corinthians 14:37; John 14: 26; 16: 13; 1 Thessalonians. 4: 15; 2 Peter 3: 2; Revelation. 1: 1 – 3 2. The Benefits to Our Lives. (1) Overcome our wrong ideas. (2) To be able to make better decisions later on new questions of doctrine that may arise. (3) Help us grow as Christians. 1 Timothy 6:3; Titus 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:10 A major doctrine is one that has a significant impact on our thinking about other doctrines, or that has a significant impact on how we live the Christian life. A minor doctrine is one that has very little impact on how we think about other doctrines, and very little impact on how we live the Christian life. D. A Note on Two Objections to the Study of Systematic Theology 1. “The Conclusions Are ‘Too Neat’ to be True.” 2. “The Choice of Topics Dictates the Conclusions Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 3 of 6 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC April 18th 2018 E. How Should Christians Study Systematic Theology? 1. We Should Study Systematic Theology with Prayer. Psalm 119:18; 1 Corinthians 2:14 cf. Ephesians 1:17-19 2. We Should Study Systematic Theology with Humility. 1 Peter 5:5; James 1:19-20; James 3:13, 17-18; 1 Corinthians 8:1 3. We Should Study Systematic Theology with Reason. “We are free to use our reasoning abilities to draw deductions from any passage of Scripture so long as these deductions do not contradict the clear teaching of some other passage of scripture” Professor John Frame 1 Corinthians 1:3; John 20:28; Titus 2:13; Acts 5:3-4; Deuteronomy 6:4; James 2:19; Isaiah 55:8-9; Psalm 119:160 4. We Should Study Systematic Theology with Help from Others. 1 Corinthians 12:28 5. We Should Study Systematic Theology by Collecting and Understanding All the Relevant Passages of Scripture on Any Topic. a. Find all the relevant verses. b. Read and make notes on and summarize the points made in the relevant verses. c. The teachings of the various verses should be summarized into one or more points that the Bible affirms about that subject. 6. We Should Study Systematic Theology with Rejoicing and Praise. Deuteronomy 6:5; Psalm 139:17; Psalm 19:8; Psalm 119:14; Psalm 119:103; Psalm 119:111; Psalm 119:162; Romans 11:32-36 Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 4 of 6 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC April 18th 2018 SPECIAL TERMS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Apologetics – The discipline that seeks to provide a defense of the truthfulness of the Christian faith for the purpose of convincing unbelievers. Biblical Theology – The study of the teaching of the individual authors and sections of the Bible and of the place of each teaching in the historical development of the Bible. Christian Ethics – Any study that answers the question, "What does God require us to do and what attitudes does he require us to have today?" with regard to any given situation. Contradiction – A set of two statements, one of which denies the other. Doctrine – What the whole Bible teaches us today about some particular topic. Dogmatic – Another term for "doctrine." The word is often used to refer more specifically to doctrines that have official church endorsement. Dogmatic Theology – Another term for "systematic theology." Great Commission – The final commands of Jesus to the disciples, recorded in Matthew 28:18-20. Historical Theology – The historical study of how Christians in different periods have understood various theological topics. Major Doctrine – A doctrine that has a significant impact on our thinking about other doctrines, or that has a significant impact on how we live the Christian life. Minor Doctrine – A doctrine that has very little impact on how we think about other doctrines, and that has very little impact on how we live the Christian life. New Testament Theology – The study of the teaching of the individual authors and sections of the New Testament, and of the place of each teaching in the historical development of the New Testament. Old Testament Theology – The study of the teaching of the individual authors and sections of the Old Testament, and of the place of each teaching in the historical development of the Old Testament. Paradox – A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true; an apparent but not real contradiction. Philosophical Theology – The study of theological topics that primarily employs the tools and methods of philosophical reasoning and what can be known about God from observing the universe. Presupposition – An assumption that forms the beginning point of any study. Systematic Theology – Any study that answers the question, "What does the whole Bible teach us today?" about any given topic. SCRIPTURE MEMORY PASSAGE Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 5 of 6 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC April 18th 2018 HYMN “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” – Charles Wesley "Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. www.Lockman.org" Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 6 of 6