Mathers Systematic Theology

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Norman W. Mathers. Mathers Systematic Theology

Introduction

CHAPTER 1. BIBLIOLOGY. 1.1 General Revelation is God’s witness to Himself by creation. 1.1.1 These Scriptures testify to God’s witness by creation. 1.1.1.1 Psalm 19:1-6. 1.1.1.2 Romans 1:18-28. 1.1.1.3 Acts 14:17. 1.1.1.4 Acts 17:23. 1.1.2 Psalm 19:1-6

1.1.3 Romans 1:18-28

1.1.4 Acts 14:17

1.1.5 Acts 17:22-31

1.1.6 Theological commentary is necessary to further analyze and explain natural or general revelation

1.2 Special Revelation must be defined. 1.2.1 Special revelation is the written Word of God. 1.2.1.1 The Written Word of God

1.3 The Living Word of God

1.4 Chapter Summary

CHAPTER 2. INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES. 2.1 The Inspiration of the Scriptures involves the accurate recording of the revelation. 2.1.1 Central Passages establish the inspiration of the Scriptures. 2.1.1.1 2 Timothy 3:16-17

2.1.1.2 2 Peter 1:20-21

2.2 Inspiration extends to all parts, words, and letters of Scripture. 2.2.1 The Bible claims to be inspired in its entirety

2.2.2 The Canonicity of the Scriptures

2.3 Other views of inspiration must be considered. 2.3.1 Six Other Theories of Inspiration

2.4 Illuminating Ministry of the Holy Spirit. 2.4.1 The Holy Spirit illuminates the Word of God for the believer

2.5 The Inerrancy of the Word of God. 2.5.1 The Word of God is completely without error

2.5.2 Errancy is a philosophical faith and belief

2.5.3 Errancy is an illogical belief system

2.6 The inerrancy debate requires historical analysis and explanation. 2.6.1 The fundamentalist – modernist controversies did not end in the 1920’s and 1930’s

2.7 Chapter Summary. 2.7.1 These findings have been found from our discussion on the inspiration of the Scriptures

CHAPTER 3. THEOLOGY PROPER. 3.1 The Spirituality of God. 3.1.1 God is Spirit

3.2 The Unity of God. 3.2.1 Definition

3.3 Historical Theology on the Unity of God. 3.3.1 The Early Church On the Doctrine of God

3.4 The Incommunicable Attributes of God. 3.4.1 These are attributes that are only in God. 3.4.1.1 The Infinity of God

3.4.1.2 The Eternity of God

3.4.1.3 The Immutability of God

3.5 The Communicable Attributes of God. 3.5.1 Omnipotence

3.5.2 Omnipresence

3.5.3 Omniscience

3.5.4 Other Communicable Attributes

3.5.5 God’s Sovereignty

3.6 Summary

CHAPTER 4. SOTERIOLOGY. 4.1 The Doctrine of Salvation. 4.1.1 The Meaning of Salvation

4.1.2 The Work of the Godhead in Obtaining Our Salvation

4.1.3 Objections to the Divine Plan

4.2 Christ’s Death For Sinners. 4.2.1 Romans 3:24-26

4.2.2 The Value Of The Death of Christ

4.3 Substitutionary Atonement. 4.3.1 Christ died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3)

4.4 False Views of the Atonement

4.5 For Whom Did Christ Die?

4.6 Romans 9

4.7 The Convicting Ministry of the Holy Spirit

4.8 The Order of Events in the Decree of God

4.9 Faith in Christ the Means to be Saved

4.10 What The Means To Salvation Is Not

4.11 Common Grace

4.12 Eternal Security

4:13 Summary

CHAPTER 5. THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. 5.1 Definition

5.2 The Believer Must Adjust Their Christian Walk to the Ministry of the Holy Spirit

5.3 Christian Maturity

5.4 The Relationship of the Spiritual Life to Theology

5.5 The Teaching of Biblical Fellowship

5.6 The Purpose of the Biblical Doctrine of Fellowship

5.7 The Biblical Spirituality of Humanity. 5.7.1 The Natural Man

5.7.2 The Carnal Christian

5.7.3 The Spiritual Christian

5.8 Christ’s death on the cross was also a judgment against the believer’s sin nature. 5.8.1 Romans 6

5.9 God’s Provision for The Spiritual Life

5.10 The Enemies of the Spiritual Life. 5.10.1 The World System

5.10.2 The Present Age

5.10.3 The Flesh

5.10.4 The Devil

5.10.4.1 The Believer’s Provision Against The Devil

5.10.5 The Place of the Word of God in the Spiritual Life. 5:10:5:1 2 Timothy 3:14-17

5.10.5.2 Other Scriptures That Confirm the Purposes of the Word of God in The Christian’s Spiritual Life

5.11 Practical Steps To Take In The Spiritual Life. 5.11.1 Surrender completely to the Lord Jesus. 5.11.2 A Regular Prayer List

5.11.3 Be Active in Christian Service

5:11:4 Immediate Confession of Sin

5.11.5 Ask God to Help You To Be What You Should Be

5.12 The Christian’s Position In Christ. 5.12.1 The Believer’s Position

5.13 Summary

CHAPTER 6. ESCHATOLOGY. 6.1 Introduction

6.2 The Interpretation of The Prophetic Word

6.3 Postmillennialism

6.4 The Prophetic Plan

6.5 Prophecy Concerning The Angels. 6.5.1 Fallen Angels

6.5.2 The Good Angels

6.6 Prophecy Concerning the Nations. 6.6.1 Origin

6.6.2 The Course of Gentile World History

6.6.3 The Little Horn

6.6.4 The Peace Treaty

6.6.5 World Leader Supported By False Prophet

6.6.6 The Judgment Program of God

6.6.7 Armageddon

6.6.8 Future Judgments

6.7 Prophecy Concerning Israel

6.8 Prophecy Concerning The Church

6.8.1 The Blessed Hope

6.9 Summary

CHAPTER 7. CHRISTOLOGY. 7.1 The Person of Christ

7.1.1 The Titles of Christ

7.1.2 Hebrews 1:1-3

7.2 Other Considerations. 7.2.1 Christ’s Attributes

7.2.2 The Old Testament Messiah

7.2.3 The Angel Jehovah

7.2.4 The Humanity of Christ

7.2.5 Historical Theology (Church History) On The Person of Christ

7.2.6 The Kenosis of Jesus Christ

7.3 Summary

CHAPTER 8. HAMARTIOLOGY. 8.1 Original Sin. 8.1.1 Defined

8.1.2 Historical Theology

8.1.3 The Effects of the Fall & Imputed Sin

8.1.4 The Bible’s Definition of Sin

9.1 Summary

CHAPTER 9. ANTHROPOLOGY. 9.1 The Origin of Man. 9.1.1 The Man Adam – The First Man

9.1.2 The Image of God

9.1.3 The Fall of Man

9.2 Dichotomy or Trichotomy. 9.2.1 Dichotomy

9.2.2 Trichotomy

9.2.3 Summary

9.3 Traducianism or Creationism. 9.3.1 Traducianism Defined

9.3.2 Creationism Defined

9.4 Summary

CHAPTER 10. ECCLESIOLOGY. 10.1 Perspective. 10.1.1 The Church in the Divine Program

10.1.2 The Ekklesia

10.1.3 The Beginning of the Body of Christ

10.1.4 The Body of Christ a Mystery

10.1.5 Jesus Christ the Head of the Body

10.1.6 Seven Figures the Church and Christ

10.1.7 The Consummation of Body of Christ

10.2 The Local Church

10.3 Summary

CHAPTER 11. PNEUMATOLOGY. 11.1 The Personality of the Holy Spirit

11.2 The Deity of the Holy Spirit

11.3 The Procession of the Holy Spirit

11.3 Types and Symbols

11.4 The Holy Spirit. 11.4.1 In Creation

11.4.2 In Revelation and Inspiration

11.4.3 In The Old Testament

11.4.4 In The Life of Christ

11.4.5 Israel’s Sin Against Christ

11.4.6 In Common Grace

11.4.7 Effectual Grace

11.4.8 In The Life of the Christian

11.4.9 Spiritual Gifts

11.5 Summary

CHAPTER 12. CONCLUSION. 12:1 Concluding Comments

References

Отрывок из книги

This systematic theology book is biblically based. We will cover each of the areas of systematic theology based on the teachings of Scripture. A summary will be given at the end of each chapter. A section of study questions will be given at the end of each chapter following the chapter summary. A good systematic theology must be biblically based. Good theology is good exegesis. Theologies may be philosophically based. They may be written using the quantitative research with its deductive method. The material is made to fit the preconceived ideas, pre-understandings, and presuppositions of the writer. This is not the purpose of Mathers Systematic Theology. Our systematic theology is based on the biblical truth for that particular division. In addition, theologies may be written based on philosophical or allegorical hermeneutics. The need is for a theology that is biblically based. A theology based on the qualitative method with its inductive approach. This will guard against philosophical statements that are a direct contradiction to the biblical text. In regard to objectivity, it is the author’s purpose to present a systematic theology that is biblically based.

Many writers of theologies lack adequate language training to do exegesis in the Old and New Testaments. The Master of Theology degree program at Dallas Theological Seminary provided me with more than adequate training in the original biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek. The inclusion of a few Hebrew or Greek words should not be interpreted as ability to do exegesis in the original languages.

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The theology of the Living Word, Jesus Christ, is the focus of the epistles of Colossians and Hebrews. Owen (1977:5) argues in this fashion. He points out that Colossians 1:17 argues for the fact that the Son of God holds the universe together by His power. The atomic structure- each atom a mini solar system- is traced to the omnipotence of the Son of God. Hebrews 1:3 testifies to the deity, omnipotence, and authority of the eternal Son of God (ibid:50). Christ was the creator of things visible and invisible (angelic realms) (Col. 1:16). Christ is “effulgence of His glory and express image” (character) “of His essence or substance” (Heb. 1:3) [author’s translation] (Aland & Black 1968:747). The brightness (effulgence) of His glory means Christ is God of very God (Owen 1977:5). The apostle John tells us that he beheld Christ’s glory “and the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us, and we ourselves have beheld his glory as monogenes” (the one in eternal fellowship with the Father – John 1:1) “from the Father full of grace and truth” (John 1:14) [author’s translation] (Aland & Black 1968:321). Christ was the same essence as the Father (Moffatt 1975:7). Christ was God of very God. Owen argues that the brightness of His glory is an Old Testament reference to the truth of Jehovah God dwelling with His people (Zech. 2:8). Jehovah had sent the son. All that the Father is the Son is as well (Owen 1977:5). In addition, the writer of Hebrews adds that He (Christ) is the express image of His person. He is God of very God. The fullness of deity dwells in Christ bodily (Col. 1:19; 2:9). “The radiance of his glory” (Heb. 1:3) [author’s translation] (Aland & Black 1968:747) means Christ manifested the glory of God because he was God (Moffatt 1977:6-7). Christ is “same of His essence” (Heb. 1:3) means that Christ is all that the Father is God of very God. The church councils of Nicea (325 A.D.), Constantinople (381 A.D.), and Ephesus (431 A.D.) upheld the deity of the person of Christ (Douglas, Cairns, et al (eds.) 1974:706,381,344). Cairns (1974:144-145,148-149) confirms this fact.

Revelation in the Old and New Testaments is progressive (Chafer 1971:1:60). This means that revelation was given at different times to different writers in different ages. The Bible was produced by these different authors over a period of 1500 years. Isaiah knew more concerning the suffering servant than did Abraham (Gen. 22:7-8; Is. 53:1-12). The progressive revelation of God in revealing the scriptures does not nullify any earlier revelation. Later revelation adds to earlier revelation. This subsequent revelation adds additional details, truth, clarifies, and completes earlier revelation. We find Old Testament principles set down that become the basis for the way the New Testament is interpreted. An example of this would be the just shall live by faith. This is found in Habakkuk 2:4. Paul presents this Old Testament principle as the theme of the epistle to the Romans (1:17). Progressive revelation adds completeness to earlier revelation received (Chafer 1971:1:72-85).

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