The Doctrine of God (2)

D. The Incommunicable Attributes of God

1. Independence

• God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything, yet we and the rest of creation glorify him and bring him joy.
  
• God is absolutely independent and self-sufficient.

2. Unchangeableness

• God is unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises, yet God does act and feel emotions, and he acts and feels differently in response to different situations.
• Psalm 102:25-27
• Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but youe endure; they will all wear out like a garment. You change the like raiment, and they pass away; but you are the same, and your years have no end.
• God existed before the heavens and earth were made, and he will exist long after they have been destroyed.
• The Bible teaches that God is both infinite and personal. He is infinite in that he is not subject to any of the limitations of humanity, or of creation in general. He is far greater than everything he has made, far greater than anything else that exists. But he is also personal in that he interacts with us as a person, and we can relate to him as persons.

3. Eternity

• God has no beginning, end, or succession of moments in his own being, and he sees all time equally vividly, yet God sees events in time and acts in time.

4. Omnipresence

• God does not have size or spatial dimensions, and is present at every point of space with his whole being, yet God acts differently in different places.
• Psalm 139:7-10
• Wither shall I go from your Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven , you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
• God can be present to punish, to sustain, or to bless.
• God is present in different ways in different places.
• Herman Bavinck, in The Doctrine of God, writes
• "When you wish to do something evil, you retire from the public into your house where no enemy ay see you; from those places of your house which are open and visible to the eyes of men you remove yourself into your room; even in your room you fear some witness from another quarter; you retire into your heart, there you meditate: he is more inward than your heart. Wherever, therefore, you shall have fled, there he is. From yourself, whither will you flee? Will you not follow yourself wherever you shall flee? But since there is One more inward even than yourself, there is no place where you may flee from God angry but to God reconciled. There is no place at all whither you may flee. Will from him? Flee unto him."

5. Unity

• God is not divided into parts, yet we see different attributes of God emphasized at different times.
• He is the same God always, and everything he says or does is fully consistent with all his attributes.
• It is God himself in hiw whole being who is supremely important, and it is God himself in his whole being whom we are to seek to know and to love.
  

The Doctrine of God (1)

The Character of God: "Incommunicable" Attributes

A. The Existence of God

• How do we know God exists?
• First, all people have an inner sense of God.
  
• Second, we believe the evidence that is found in Scripture and in nature.

1. Humanity's inner sense of God.
2. Believing the evidence in Scripture and nature

B. The Knowability of God

1. We can never fully understand God

• Because God is infinite and we are finite or limited, we can never fully understand God.
• It is not true to say that God is unable to be understood, but it is true to say that he cannot be understood fully or exhaustively.
• Psalm 145:3, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable."
• Psalm 147:5, "Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure."
• This doctrine of God's incomprehensibility has much positive application for our own lives. It means that we will never be able to know "too much" about God, for we will never run out of things to learn about him, and we will thus never tire in delighting in the discovery of more and more of his excellence and of the greatness of his works.

2. Yet we can know God truly

• Although we cannot know God exhaustively, we can know true things about God. All that Scripture tells us about God is true. God is love, that God is light, that God is spirit, that God is righteous, and so on.
• Jeremiah 9:23-24
• Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practice steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, says the Lord.

C. Introduction to the Study of God's Character: God's Attributes

• Incommunicable attributes
  
• God's eternity - God has existed for all eternity but we have not
• Unchangeableness - God does not change but we do
• Omnipresence - God is everywhere present but we are present in only one place
• Communicable attributes
• Love - God is love and we are able to love as well
• Knowledge - God has knowledge and we are able to have knowledge as well
• Mercy - God is merciful and we are able to be merciful
• Justice - God is just and we, too, are able to be just
• However, there is no attribute of God that is completely communicable, and there is no attribute of God that is completely incommunicable. God's wisdom for example would usually be called a communicable attribute, because we also can be wise but, we will never be infinitely wise as God is.
  

The Doctrine of the Word of God (5) ?s

Review Questions

1. Define systematic theology.

• Systematic theology is any study that answers the question, "What does the whole Bible teach us today?" about any given topic.
  

2. Give four reasons why Christians should study systematic theology.

• Studying theology helps us overcome our wrong ideas
• Studying systematic theology helps us to be able to make better decisions later on new questions of doctrine that may arise
• Studying systematic theology will help us grow as Christians
• The most important reason for studying systematic theology is that it enables us to obey the command of Jesus to teach believers to observe all that he commanded
  

3. Name six attitudes or activities that should characterize or accompany the study of systematic theology.

• We should study systematic theology with prayer
• We should study systematic theology with humility
• We should study systematic theology with help from others
• We should study systematic theology with reason
• We should study systematic theology by collecting and understanding all the relevant passages of Scripture on any topic
• We should study systematic theology with rejoicing and praise
  

4. Defend the following statement: "All the words in Scripture are God's words."

• This is what the Bible claims for itself
• We are convinced of the Bible's claims to be God's words as we read the Bible
• Other evidence is useful but not finally convincing
• The words of Scripture are self-attesting
  

5. What is meant by the idea that the words of Scripture are "self-attesting"?

• Since the words of Scripture are "self-attesting," they cannot be "proved" to be God's words by appeal to any higher authority. If we make our ultimate appeal, to human logic or to scientific truth to prove that the Bible is God's Word, then we assume the thing to which we appeal to be a higher authority than God's words and one that is more true or more reliable.
  

6. How can we know that God's words are truthful?

• God cannot lie or speak falsely
• Therefore, all the words in Scripture are completely true and without error in any part
• God's words are the ultimate standard of truth

7. Define the term inerrancy and discuss how this idea can be consistent with the Bible's use of the language of ordinary, everyday speech.

• The inerrancy of Scripture means that Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything which is contrary to fact. The Bible can speak of the sun rising and the rain falling because from the perspective of the speaker this is exactly what happens. From the standpoint of the speaker, the sun does rise and the rain does fall. Same thing goes for measurements. If a reporter can say that 10,000 men were killed in a battle without thereby implying that he has counted everyone and that there were not 9,999 or 10,001.
  

8. List and respond to three objections to the concept of the inerrancy of Scripture.

• The Bible is only authoritative for "faith and practice."
• The Bible repeatedly affirms that all of Scripture is profitable for us and that all of it is "God-breathed" To say that the major purpose of Scripture is to teach us in matters of faith and practice is to make a useful and correct summary of God's purpose in giving us the Bible. But as a summary it includes only the most prominent purpose of God in giving us Scripture.
• The term inerrancy is a poor term
• The word has been used by scholars for more than a hundred years, and they have always allowed for the "limitations" that attach to speech in ordinary language. Furthermore, it must be noted that we often use nonbiblical terms to summarize a biblical teaching. The word Trinity does not occur in Scripture, nor does the word incarnation. Yet both of these terms are very helpful because they allow us to summarize in one word a true biblical concept.
• There are some clear errors in the Bible.
• Where? If people will mention one or more specific passages where, they claim, there are errors, a close examination of the biblical text itself will bring to light one or more possible solutions to the difficulty.
  

9. Name four possible problems that may result from a denial of biblical inerrancy.

• If we deny inerrancy a serious moral problem confronts us: May we imitate God and intentionally lie in small matters also? In Ephesians 5:1 it tells us to be imitators of God. But a denial of inerrancy that still claims that the words of Scripture are God breathed words necessarily implies that God intentionally spoke falsely to us in some of the less central affirmations of Scripture.
• If inerrancy is denied, we begin to wonder if we can really trust God in anything he says. If we become convinced that God has spoken falsely to us in some minor matters in Scripture, then we realize that God is capable of speaking falsely to us.
• If we deny inerrancy we essentially make our own human minds a higher standard of truth than God's Word itself. We use our minds to pass judgment on some sections of God's Word and pronounce them to be in error. That is like us saying that we know truth more certainly and more accurately than God's Word does, at least in these areas.
• If we deny inerrancy, we must also say that the Bible is wrong not only in minor details but in some of its doctrines as well. A denial of inerrancy means that we say that the Bible's teaching about the nature of Scripture and about the truthfulness and reliability of God's words is also false.
  

The Doctrine of the Word of God (4)

B. The Necessity of Scripture

• The necessity of Scripture means that the Bible is necessary for knowledge of the gospel, for maintaining spiritual life, and for certain knowledge of God's will, but is not necessary for knowing that God exists or for knowing something about God's character and moral laws.

1. The Bible is necessary for knowledge of the gospel

2. The Bible is necessary for maintaining spiritual life

3. The Bible is necessary for certain knowledge of God's will

4. But the Bible is not necessary for knowing that God exists or for knowing something about God's character and moral laws

• Romans 1:19-21
• For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened.

C. The Sufficiency of Scripture

1. We can find all that God has said on particular topics, and we can find answers to our questions.

2. The amount of Scripture given was sufficient at each stage of redemptive history

3. Practical applications of the sufficiency of Scripture

a. An encouragement to search the Bible for answers

• The sufficiency of Scripture should encourage us as we try to discover what God would have us to think or to do .
  

b. A warning not to add to Scripture

• The sufficiency of Scripture reminds us that we are to add nothing to Scripture, and that we are to consider no other writings of equal value to Scripture.
  

c. A warning not to count any other guidance from God equal to Scripture.

• The sufficiency of Scripture shows us that no modern revelations from God are to be placed on a level equal to Scripture in authority.
  

d. A warning not to add more sins or requirements to those named in Scripture

• With regard to living the Christian life, the sufficiency of Scripture reminds us that nothing is sin that is not forbidden by Scripture either explicity or by implication.
  

e. An encouragement to be content with Scripture

• The sufficiency of Scripture reminds us that in our doctrinal ethical teaching we should emphasize what Scripture emphasizes and be content with what God has told us in Scripture.
  

The Doctrine of the Word of God (3)

I. Explanation and Scriptural Basis

A. The Clarity of Scripture

1. The Bible frequently affirms its own clarity

• Psalm 19:7
• Psalm 119:130
• Deuteronomy 6:6-7

2. The moral and spiritual qualities needed for right understanding

• Scripture is able to be understood by all unbelievers who will read it sincerely seeking salvation, and by believers who will read it while seeking God's help in understanding it.

3. Definition of the clarity of Scripture

• The Bible is written in such a way that its teachings are able to be understood by all who will read it seeking God's help and being willing to follow it.
• We must also recognize that many people, even God's people, do in fact misunderstand Scripture.

4. Why do people misunderstand Scripture?

• The existence of many disagreements about the meaning of Scripture throughout history reminds us that the doctrine of the clarity of Scripture does not imply or suggest that all believers will agree on all the teachings of Scripture.
  
• That tells us that the problem always lies not with SCripture but with ourselves.

5. Practical encouragement from this doctrine

• It tells us that where there are areas of doctrinal or ethical disagreement, there are only two possible causes for these disagreements:
• On the one hand, it may be that we are seeking to make affirmations where Scripture itself is silent.
• On the other hand, it is possible that we have made mistakes in our interpretation of Scripture.

6. The role of scholars

• They can teach Scripture clearly, communicating its content to others.
• They can explore new areas of understanding the teachings of Scripture.
• They can defend the teachings of the Bible against attacks by other scholars or those with specialized technical training.
• They can supplement the study of Scripture for the benefit of the church.
  

The Doctrine of the Word of God (2)

B. Therefore, to Disbelieve or Disobey Any Word of Scripture Is to Disbelieve or Disobey God

C. The Truthfulness of Scripture

1. God cannot lie or speak falsely.

• Titus 1:2
• Hebrews 6:18
  

2. Therefore, all the words in Scripture are completely true and without error in any part.

• Since the words of the Bible are God's words, and since God cannot lie or speak falsely, it is correct to conclude that there is no untruthfulness or error in any part of the words of Scripture.

3. God's words are the ultimate standard of truth

• John 17:17

4. Might some new fact ever contradict the Bible?

• If any supposed "fact" is ever discovered that is said to contradict Scripture, then that "fact" must be fale, because God, the author of Scripture, knows all true facts.
• No fact will ever turn up that God did not know about ages ago and take into account when he caused Scripture to be written.

D. The Inerrancy of Scripture

1. The meaning of inerrancy

• The inerrancy of Scripture means that Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anthing which is contrary to fact.

a. The Bible can be inerrant and still speak in the ordinary language of everyday speech.

b. The Bible can be inerrant and still include loose or free quotations

c. It is consistent with inerrancy to have unusual or uncommon grammatical constructions in the Bible.

2. Some current challenges to inerrancy

a. The Bible is only authoritative for "faith and practice"

• The Bible repeatedly affirms that all of Scripture is profitable for us and that all of it is "God-breathed."
• Luke 24:25
• Acts 24:14
• Romans 15:4

b. The term inerrancy is a poor term

• The word has been used by scholars for more than a hundred years, and they have always allowed for "limitations" that attach to speech in ordinary language.
• Also we often use nonbiblical terms to summarize a biblical teaching. The word Trinity does not occur in Scripture, nor does the word incarnation. Yet both of these terms are very helpful because they allow us to summarize in one word a true biblical concept.

c. We have no inerrant manuscripts; therefore, talk about an inerrant Bible is misleading

• Think about it like this. The original copy of the United States Constitution is housed in a building in D.C. If that building were destroyed and the original copy of the Constitution lost, could we ever find out what the Constitution said? Of course, we would compare hundred of copies, and where they all agreed, we would have reason for confidence that we had the exact words of the original document.

d. The biblical writers "accommodated" their messages in minor details to the false idea current in their day and affirmed or taught those ideas in an incidental way

• God is Lord of human language who can use human language to communicate perfectly without having to affirm any false ideas that may have been held by people during the time of the writing of Scripture.

e. There are some clear errors in the Bible.

• Where?

3. Problems with denying inerrancy

a. If we deny inerrancy a serious moral problem confronts us: May we imitate God and intentionally lie in small matters also?

• Ephesians 5:1 tells us to be imitators of God.
• But a denial of inerrancy that still claims that the words of Scripture are God-breathed words necessarily implies that God intentional spoke falsely to us in some of the less central affirmations of Scripture.

b. Second, if inerrancy is denied, we begin to wonder if we can really trust God in anything he says.

• Once we become convinced that God has spoken falsely to us in some minor matters in Scripture, then we realize that God is capable of speaking falsely to us.

c. Third, if we deny inerrancy we essentially make our own human minds a higher standard of truth than God's Word itself.

• We use our minds to pass judgment on some sections of God's Word and pronounce them to be in error.

d. Fourth, if we deny inerrancy, we must also say that the Bible is wrong not only in minor details but in some of its doctrines as well.

• A denial of inerrancy means that we say that the Bible's teaching about the nature of Scripture and about the truthfulness and reliability of God's words is also false.

E. Written Scripture is Our Final Authority

• It is important to realize that the final form in which Scripture is authoritative is its written form.
  

The Doctrine of the Word of God (1)

I. Explanation and Scriptural Basis

• The authority of Scripture means that all the words in SCripture are God's words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God.

A. All the Words in Scripture Are God's Words

1. This is what the Bible claims for itself

• 2 Timothy 3:16 - "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness"

2. We are convinced of the Bible's claims to be God's words as we read the Bible

• Our ultimate conviction that the words of the Bible are God's words comes only when the Holy Spirit speaks in and through the words of the Bible to our hearts and gives us an inner assurance that these words of our Creator speaking to us.

3. Other evidence is useful but not finally convicing

• As the Westminster Confessin of Faith said in 1643-46

"We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts."

4. The words of Scripture are self-attesting

• Since the words of Scripture are "self-attesting", they cannot be proved to be God's words by appeal to any higher authority.
• If we make our ultimate appeal, for example, to human logic or to scientific truth to prove that the Bible is God's Word, then we assume the thing to which we appeal to be a higher authority than God's words and one that is more true or more reliable.

5. Objection: This is a circular argument

• We believe that Scripture is God's Word because it claims to be that. And we believe its claims because Scripture is God's Word. And we believe that it is God's Word because it claims to be that, and so forth.

6. This does not imply dictation from God as the sole means of communication

• The fact that all the words of Scripture are God's words should not lead us to think that God dictated every word of Scripture to the human authors.
• In instances where the human personality and writing style of the author were involved, all that we are able to say is that God's providential oversight and direction of the life of each author was such that their personalities and skills were just what God wanted them to be for the task of writing Scripture. Their backgrounds and training, their abilities to evaluate events in the world around them, their access to historical data, their judgment with regard to the accuracy of information, and their individual circumstances when they wrote were all exactly what God wanted them to be, so that when they actually came to the point of putting pen to paper, the words were fully their own words but also fully the words God wanted them to write, words God would also claim as his own.

Blessed is the man

Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. Proverbs 8:34

Blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. Proverbs 16:20

Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil Isaiah 56:2

Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days Daniel 12:12

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Matthew 5:3

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted Matthew 5:4

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled Matthew 5:6

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Matthew 5:10

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Matthew 5:11

Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me Matthew 11:6

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest Matthew 21:9

Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest!" Mark 11:10

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! Luke 1:42

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh? Luke 6:21

Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you. Luke 11:27

Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it Luke 11:28

Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." Luke 14:15

Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed Luke 23:29

Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Romans 4:7

Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him Romans 4:8

Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. Romans 14:22

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him James 1:12

Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near Revelation 1:3

Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed Revelation 16:15

Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Revelation 19:9

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation 20:6

Blessed Is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book Revelation 22:7

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him Jeremiah 17:7

Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods Psalm 40:4

Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. Psalm 41:1

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage Psalm 84:5

Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD, the man you teach from your law Psalm 94:12

Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right. Psalm 106:3

Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. Psalm 112:1

Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. Psalm 119:2

Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate Psalm 127:5

Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. Psalm 128:1

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding Proverbs 3:13

Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. Nehemiah 9:5

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. Psalm 1:1

Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth Genesis 14:19

Laziness and the Bible

Growing up I remember it use to be like pulling teeth for my mom to try to get me to read anything. If it wasn't a book about animals or sports I was not interested. I know that was a poor and ignorant attitude but its how I was. I think for a lot of people they can have the same attitude towards the Bible or 'Christian' books, in that they don't find them exciting or applicable to them.

The book I am reading right now called Knowing Scripture talks about two myths that people give for not reading or studying the Bible. One is the myth that the Bible is too difficult to understand than only highly skilled theologians with technical training can deal with the Scriptures, and the other myth is that the Bible is boring to them.

I think both of those myths can both be pointed to the same problem, ... motivation. This book points out that we fail in our duty to study God's Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not the lack of intelligence or wisdom about the Bible or a lack of passion, but more of a sense of our laziness.

The whole theme of this book seems to be on not how to read the Bible necessarily, but how to study the Bible. Reading is something we can do in a leisurely way, with distractions around, or something that can be done strictly for entertainment. However to study the Bible, suggest labor, serious and diligent work, and a life long work at that.

One thing that Mark Dever said, at New Attitude, was that Bible study is one of the main things that can encourage your faith and I know for me that has been so true.

Packer in his book Knowing Scripture asks the question, "Why should we study the Bible?" and then responds....

"I could cite numerous reasons why you would benefit from a serious study of Scripture. But ultimately the main reason why we should study the Bible is because it is our duty. If the Bible were the most boring book in the world, dull, uninteresting and seemingly irrelevant, it would still be our duty to study it. If its literary style were awkward and confusing, the duty would remain. We live as human beings under an obligation by divine mandate to study diligently God's Word. He is our Sovereign, it is his Word and he commands that we study it. A duty is not an option. If you have not yet begun to respond to that duty, then you need to ask God to forgive you and to resolve to do your duty from this day forth."