Chapter 2 - The Word of God

April 29th 2018 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC CHAPTER 2 – The Word of God Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem Outline • What are the different forms of the Word of God? The Word of God is a phrase that refers to several different things in the Bible, including the Son of God, the decrees of God, God's words of personal address, God's words spoken through human lips, and God's words in written form, the Bible. It is this last form of the word of God that is the focus of systematic theology, since it is the form that is available for study, for public inspection, for repeated examination, and as a basis for mutual discussion. EXPLANATION AND SCRIPTURAL BASIS A. “The Word of God” as a Person: Jesus Christ Sometimes the Bible refers to the Son of God as “the Word of God.” Revelation 19:13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 1 John 1:1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— B. “The Word of God” as Speech by God 1. God’s Degrees A decree of God is a word of God that causes something to happen Genesis 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. Genesis 1:24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind”; and it was so. Psalms 33:6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host. Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 1 of 6 April 29th 2018 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC 2. God’s Words of Personal Address A form of God's word in which he speaks directly to people on earth. Genesis 2:16-17 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” Genesis 3:16-19; Exodus 20:1-3; Matthew 3:17 3. God’s Words as Speech Through Human Lips Frequently in Scripture God raises up prophets through whom He speaks. Deuteronomy 18:18-20 I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ Jeremiah 1:9; Jeremiah 1:7; Exodus 4:12; Numbers 22:38; 1 Samuel 15:3, 18, 23; 1 Kings 20:36; 2 Chronicles 20:20; 25:15-16; Isaiah 30:12-14; Jeremiah 6:10-12; 36:2931. § § Punishment for false prophets – Ezekiel 13:1; Deuteronomy 18:20-22 God’s words spoken through human lips were considered to be just as authoritative and just as true as God’s personal address. Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 2 of 6 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC April 29th 2018 4. God’s Words in Written Form (the Bible) In addition to God’s words of decree, God’s words of personal address, and God’s words spoken through the lips of human beings, we also find in Scripture several instances where God’s words were put into written form. § Ten Commandments – Exodus 31:18; 32:16; 34:1 Deuteronomy 31:9-13 So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. Then Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of remission of debts, at the Feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place which He will choose, you shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and the alien who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the Lord your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law. Their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live on the land which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.” § § Other examples – Deuteronomy 31:24-26; Joshua 24:26; Isiah 30:8; Jeremiah 30:2 cf. Jeremiah 36:2-4, 27-31; 51:60 New Testament examples – John 14:26 cf. John 16:12-13; 1 Corinthian 14:37 cf. 2 Peter 3:2 Once again it must be noted that these words are still considered to be God’s own words, even though they are written down mostly by human beings and always in human language. Still, they are absolutely authoritative and absolutely true: to disobey them or disbelieve them is a serious sin and brings judgment from God 1 Corinthians 14:37; Jeremiah 36:29-31 Benefits of the Written Word of God 1. Much more accurate preservation of God’s word for subsequent generations. (cf. Deuteronomy 31:12-13) 2. The opportunity for repeated inspection of words that are written down permits careful study and discussion, which leads to better understanding and more complete obedience 3. God’s words in writing are accessible to many more people than they are when preserved merely through memory and oral repetition. Note: In addition to the forms of God’s Word mentioned above, God communicates to people through different types of “general revelation” — that is, revelation that is given not just to certain people but to all people generally. General revelation includes both the revelation of God that comes through nature (see Psalm. 19: 1 – 6; Acts 14: 17) and the revelation of God that comes through the inner sense of right and wrong in every person’s heart (Rom. 2: 15). These kinds of revelation are nonverbal in form and have not included them in the list of various forms of the Word of God discussed in this chapter. (See chapter 7, pp. 122 – 24, for further discussion of general revelation.) Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 3 of 6 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC April 29th 2018 C. The Focus of Our Study Of all the forms of the Word of God, the focus of our study in systematic theology is God’s Word in written form, that is, the Bible. This is the form of God’s Word that is available for study, for public inspection, for repeated examination, and as a basis for mutual discussion. Psalms 1:1-2 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 4 of 6 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC April 29th 2018 SPECIAL TERMS • • • Decrees of God – The eternal plans of God whereby, before the creation of the world, he determined to bring about everything that happens. Word of God – A phrase that refers to several different things in the Bible, including the Son of God, the decrees of God, God's words of personal address, God's words spoken through human lips, and God's words in written form, the Bible. It is this last form of the word of God that is the focus of systematic theology, since it is the form that is available for study, for public inspection, for repeated examination, and as a basis for mutual discussion. Personal address – A form of God's word in which he speaks directly to people on earth. SCRIPTURE MEMORY PASSAGE Psalms 1:1-2 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. HYMN 599 “Break Thou the Bread of Life” "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 5 of 6 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ April 29th 2018 Page 6 of 6