Theology Proper
1.State briefly the biblical basis for, and formulate the doctrine of, the Trinity.
The best way to briefly explain the
Trinity of God is to clearly state the three constant truths about the Trinity
and look at each in a bit more depth.
First, God is three distinct persons.
Second, each of the three persons of God is fully God. Third, there is only one God.[1]
From the beginning of creation we recognize God is multiple persons. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth… and the Spirit of God was moving… Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” (Gen. 1:1-3; 27, emphasis mine). Although the word “trinity” is never used in the Bible the very first chapter of Scripture indicates that there is more to God. Throughout the Old Testament “us” continues to be a description of God (cf. Gen. 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:8) and God is spoken to in terms of more than one person several times in the same passage (cf. Psalm 45:6-7, Psalm 110:1, Isaiah 48:16). The New Testament clearly shows that God is triune because Father, Son and Spirit are distinctly referred to as different persons working in different ways with a unified goal all in the same passage (cf. Matt. 3:16-17, 28:19, 1 Peter 1:2, 1 Cor. 12:4-6, 2 Cor. 13:14, Ephes. 4:4-6, Jude 20-21).
We know that each of the three persons of God is distinct because of the roles that they play and the way that they refer to each other. Jesus said, “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26). Jesus doesn’t say that He Himself will come back to “teach all things” nor does He say that He will send the Holy Spirit (“the Father will send”). He is pointing out that there is a distinction in the persons of God as well as the roles each have.
Jesus’ example of prayer for us to “Our Father” in Matthew 6:9-13 and His own prayer to the Father in John 17 confirm God the Father is our sovereign Lord. God is referred to as eternal (Ps. 90:2), everywhere at once (Ps. 139:7-10), and unchangeable (Ps. 102:25-27). Only God possesses these attributes. Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit possess all of these attributes as well. Jesus is referred to as “the Word” that was “was with God” in the beginning and “was God” and later “became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). Hebrews tells us that Jesus “is the radiance of His (the Father’s) glory and the exact representation of His nature” and “is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever” (Ch. 1:3; 13:8). David states that there is nowhere he can go where the Holy Spirit is not there with him (Ps. 139:7-8). Paul connects all-knowing attributes of God to the Holy Spirit in 1 Cor. 2:10-11. The three persons of God each have complete fullness of God.
Wayne Grudem wrote, “the Trinity is a mystery that we will never be able to fully understand”.[2] After expressing the distinctiveness of each of the three persons of God the statement is now confidently expressed that God is one. There are not three Gods. There is one God because the three persons of God are in complete unity. When God declares that He is “one” (Deut. 6:4-5, Rom. 3:30, James 2:19) He is not contradicting Himself. He can’t. He is saying, “I am the Lord, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God” (Isaiah 45:5). In these statements God declares that no god or idol has what He has. He’s the only God even though God has three distinct persons. Each is fully God and yet they make up God. The only distinctions between the three persons are in the ways that they relate to each other, to creation, and ultimately the way they relate to the salvation of sinners. God is three and yet one. It is in this mysterious truth that the atonement and the nature of God makes sense. The Father elects (John 6:37,44), the Son atones (1 John 4:10), and the Holy Spirit regenerates (Titus 3:5) in unity.
[1] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p.231-256
[2] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 231. I would add that we will never understand it this side of Heaven.
From the beginning of creation we recognize God is multiple persons. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth… and the Spirit of God was moving… Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” (Gen. 1:1-3; 27, emphasis mine). Although the word “trinity” is never used in the Bible the very first chapter of Scripture indicates that there is more to God. Throughout the Old Testament “us” continues to be a description of God (cf. Gen. 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:8) and God is spoken to in terms of more than one person several times in the same passage (cf. Psalm 45:6-7, Psalm 110:1, Isaiah 48:16). The New Testament clearly shows that God is triune because Father, Son and Spirit are distinctly referred to as different persons working in different ways with a unified goal all in the same passage (cf. Matt. 3:16-17, 28:19, 1 Peter 1:2, 1 Cor. 12:4-6, 2 Cor. 13:14, Ephes. 4:4-6, Jude 20-21).
We know that each of the three persons of God is distinct because of the roles that they play and the way that they refer to each other. Jesus said, “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26). Jesus doesn’t say that He Himself will come back to “teach all things” nor does He say that He will send the Holy Spirit (“the Father will send”). He is pointing out that there is a distinction in the persons of God as well as the roles each have.
Jesus’ example of prayer for us to “Our Father” in Matthew 6:9-13 and His own prayer to the Father in John 17 confirm God the Father is our sovereign Lord. God is referred to as eternal (Ps. 90:2), everywhere at once (Ps. 139:7-10), and unchangeable (Ps. 102:25-27). Only God possesses these attributes. Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit possess all of these attributes as well. Jesus is referred to as “the Word” that was “was with God” in the beginning and “was God” and later “became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). Hebrews tells us that Jesus “is the radiance of His (the Father’s) glory and the exact representation of His nature” and “is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever” (Ch. 1:3; 13:8). David states that there is nowhere he can go where the Holy Spirit is not there with him (Ps. 139:7-8). Paul connects all-knowing attributes of God to the Holy Spirit in 1 Cor. 2:10-11. The three persons of God each have complete fullness of God.
Wayne Grudem wrote, “the Trinity is a mystery that we will never be able to fully understand”.[2] After expressing the distinctiveness of each of the three persons of God the statement is now confidently expressed that God is one. There are not three Gods. There is one God because the three persons of God are in complete unity. When God declares that He is “one” (Deut. 6:4-5, Rom. 3:30, James 2:19) He is not contradicting Himself. He can’t. He is saying, “I am the Lord, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God” (Isaiah 45:5). In these statements God declares that no god or idol has what He has. He’s the only God even though God has three distinct persons. Each is fully God and yet they make up God. The only distinctions between the three persons are in the ways that they relate to each other, to creation, and ultimately the way they relate to the salvation of sinners. God is three and yet one. It is in this mysterious truth that the atonement and the nature of God makes sense. The Father elects (John 6:37,44), the Son atones (1 John 4:10), and the Holy Spirit regenerates (Titus 3:5) in unity.
[1] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p.231-256
[2] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 231. I would add that we will never understand it this side of Heaven.
2. List and develop five attributes of God and how they relate to the believer's life and counseling.
It is challenging in the space
allowed to describe God’s attributes adequately and thoroughly. So much needs to be said about His holiness,
providence, love, wisdom, justice, patience, and more. For the sake of space and relevance to the
question God’s sovereignty, omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, and
graciousness will be the topics briefly explained.
God’s sovereignty simply means He is in total control of all things. In the end all will come to see that Christ is “King of kings, and Lord of lords” (Rev. 17:14; 19:16). He is infallibly above all fallible authority. The Father has put “all things in subjection under His (Christ’s) feet” (1 Cor. 15:25-27, Eph. 1:22, Heb. 2:8). We read that “our God is in the heavens, He does whatever He pleases” and “The Lord has made everything for its own purpose” (Ps. 115:3, Prov. 16:4a). Believer’s who’ve received God’s grace can rest and trust in God because He is totally in control and knows all things. Grace can simply mean an undeserved gift. Sinful man deserves God’s eternal wrath for violating His holy standards (cf. Rom. 3:23, 6:23). He does not deserve God’s blessings. Yet God (through Christ’s perfect life, death, and resurrection) has imputed Christ’s perfect righteousness to the believer’s account as a result of taking the believer’s punishment out on Jesus at the cross (which Christ willingly did) (2 Cor. 5:21). This is the grace of God in justifying a sinner (1 Pet. 3:18). His amazing, undeserved grace goes even further. God sanctifies (conforms a believer into the image of Jesus) progressively through the duration of his/her earthly life (Rom. 6:1-22). This is where God’s omniscience, sovereignty, and grace mean so much to a believer. Because “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God… to be conformed to the image of His Son…” (Rom. 8:28-29) we know that God is allowing even trials for our good. Believer’s can rest in a) God knows the circumstances (Ps. 139:1-4, 13-6), b) He has the power and control to change it if He so desires, but c) He chose to allow it in order to graciously sanctify you into the image of Jesus Christ.
This answers the question “Why does God allow these things to happen in my life?” To complete the picture of God’s grace in a believer’s life we must be prepared to answer, “Where was God in this?” or “Was this too much for God?” These questions must be correctly handled by explaining God is omnipresent (everywhere at once) and omnipotent (all-powerful). David acknowledges that there’s nowhere he can go without God being present in Ps. 139. He states that God is in “heaven”, “Sheol”, “the remotest part of the sea”, and even “in my mother’s womb” (v. 7-9, 13). Believers are graciously being sanctified by the Holy Spirit who permanently lives in them upon salvation. Believer’s have God with them everywhere they go. Furthermore, God is everywhere all at the same time. So the answer to the believer’s question “Where was God” is “God was with you and was right there the whole time and He still is”. The omnipotent God we serve can do anything, even that which we perceive to be impossible (Matt. 19:26). God created the universe out of nothing (Gen. 1:1-2). Certainly He could change any circumstance about our lives with ease. However, we do not exist so that God can meet our wants. He does promise to meet our essential needs (Matt. 6:25-34) but most importantly we exist to glorify Him. We glorify Him best when we are like Jesus because Jesus perfectly obeyed. God will work out “all things to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11). Therefore, if God could have changed it and yet He didn’t, we can only conclude that He is indeed being gracious by allowing such circumstances to sanctify us into the image of Christ. The result is that we more greatly glorify God when we trust Him through the trials and live-out faith. That is His sovereign will. Knowing God’s attributes is much more than merely understanding God. It must result in faith and thankfulness to a God who cares, provides comfort, and is intimately involved in every detail for the good of His children so that we may worship and obey like Christ.
God’s sovereignty simply means He is in total control of all things. In the end all will come to see that Christ is “King of kings, and Lord of lords” (Rev. 17:14; 19:16). He is infallibly above all fallible authority. The Father has put “all things in subjection under His (Christ’s) feet” (1 Cor. 15:25-27, Eph. 1:22, Heb. 2:8). We read that “our God is in the heavens, He does whatever He pleases” and “The Lord has made everything for its own purpose” (Ps. 115:3, Prov. 16:4a). Believer’s who’ve received God’s grace can rest and trust in God because He is totally in control and knows all things. Grace can simply mean an undeserved gift. Sinful man deserves God’s eternal wrath for violating His holy standards (cf. Rom. 3:23, 6:23). He does not deserve God’s blessings. Yet God (through Christ’s perfect life, death, and resurrection) has imputed Christ’s perfect righteousness to the believer’s account as a result of taking the believer’s punishment out on Jesus at the cross (which Christ willingly did) (2 Cor. 5:21). This is the grace of God in justifying a sinner (1 Pet. 3:18). His amazing, undeserved grace goes even further. God sanctifies (conforms a believer into the image of Jesus) progressively through the duration of his/her earthly life (Rom. 6:1-22). This is where God’s omniscience, sovereignty, and grace mean so much to a believer. Because “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God… to be conformed to the image of His Son…” (Rom. 8:28-29) we know that God is allowing even trials for our good. Believer’s can rest in a) God knows the circumstances (Ps. 139:1-4, 13-6), b) He has the power and control to change it if He so desires, but c) He chose to allow it in order to graciously sanctify you into the image of Jesus Christ.
This answers the question “Why does God allow these things to happen in my life?” To complete the picture of God’s grace in a believer’s life we must be prepared to answer, “Where was God in this?” or “Was this too much for God?” These questions must be correctly handled by explaining God is omnipresent (everywhere at once) and omnipotent (all-powerful). David acknowledges that there’s nowhere he can go without God being present in Ps. 139. He states that God is in “heaven”, “Sheol”, “the remotest part of the sea”, and even “in my mother’s womb” (v. 7-9, 13). Believers are graciously being sanctified by the Holy Spirit who permanently lives in them upon salvation. Believer’s have God with them everywhere they go. Furthermore, God is everywhere all at the same time. So the answer to the believer’s question “Where was God” is “God was with you and was right there the whole time and He still is”. The omnipotent God we serve can do anything, even that which we perceive to be impossible (Matt. 19:26). God created the universe out of nothing (Gen. 1:1-2). Certainly He could change any circumstance about our lives with ease. However, we do not exist so that God can meet our wants. He does promise to meet our essential needs (Matt. 6:25-34) but most importantly we exist to glorify Him. We glorify Him best when we are like Jesus because Jesus perfectly obeyed. God will work out “all things to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11). Therefore, if God could have changed it and yet He didn’t, we can only conclude that He is indeed being gracious by allowing such circumstances to sanctify us into the image of Christ. The result is that we more greatly glorify God when we trust Him through the trials and live-out faith. That is His sovereign will. Knowing God’s attributes is much more than merely understanding God. It must result in faith and thankfulness to a God who cares, provides comfort, and is intimately involved in every detail for the good of His children so that we may worship and obey like Christ.
3. State briefly the biblical basis for, and formulate the doctrine of, God's omniscience. Relate this doctrine to the teaching of "open theism".
The term “open theism” refers to the
false teaching that God’s omniscient (all-knowing) nature is limited by our
free will. This belief suggests that God
knows all of the possibilities but doesn’t know which we’ll choose because our choices
have not yet been made.[1]
It essentially states that God doesn’t
know the future and is not omniscient. The
remainder of this response will be focused on the comforting truth that God
indeed knows all things actual, possible, and future because He indeed knows
all things.
In 1 John chapter 3 verse 20 we learn, “God is greater than our heart and knows all things.” God has been described as knowing everything and being “perfect in knowledge” (Job 37:16). He knows everything actual. God knows when we “sit down” and “rise up” (Ps. 139:2), the number of “hairs on your head” (Matt. 10:30), “the number of the stars” in the sky (Ps. 147:4), and “what we need” (Matt. 6:8). God also knows everything that is about to happen. Matthew chapter 6 verse 8 referenced a moment ago indicates that God knows our actual “need”. However, before the sentence is finished we see that God knows it “before you ask Him”. When the Psalmist tells us that God knows when we “sit down” and “rise up” he goes on to say that “Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all” (Ps. 139:2, 4). God clearly doesn’t just know the actual but also our thoughts, desires, and what’s about to be said.
It is un-Biblical to claim that God’s knowledge of the future is limited because we have not yet made decisions. Regardless of decisions that people made throughout the history of mankind nothing thwarted the 300 something prophecies that Jesus Christ fulfilled. Many prophecies such as His birth (cf. Isa. 7:14 and Matt. 1:18-25), death (cf. Isa. 53:3-6 and Matt. 27:39-54), and resurrection (cf. Zech. 12:10 and Luke 24:46) were prophesied hundreds of years in advance and yet Jesus perfectly fulfilled them. How could this happen unless God secures future outcomes? If we say that God doesn’t know future outcomes because of our choices than are there some decisions that we can make that will prevent Christ’s future return (Rev. 19:11-21)? Do our decisions have a greater affect on the outcome of God’s plans than His own sovereignty? Is God waiting for us to do things so that He can know what will happen next? No. God is eternal, knows all things, and does not need to be taught or shown anything. God is sovereign and omniscient and nothing can happen outside of His will regardless of what choices or decisions we make. Jesus showed that He knew the thoughts of His apostles, adversaries, and people (Matt. 9:4, 12:25, Luke 5:22, 6:8, 9:47, John 16:19). Since He knew their thoughts He also knew the actions they were about to act upon. He was able to hide Himself from being stoned by the Pharisees in mid-conversation (John 8:59). Because Jesus told Nathanael that He saw him under the fig tree before they were near one another Nathanael believed Him to be the “Son of God” (John 1:48-50). Nathanael had the right response to God’s omniscience. The complexities of how our decisions hold us personally responsible while also not hindering God’s perfect will are vast. The reality is that whether our decisions are righteous or unrighteous God will complete His predetermined plans. As Nathanael responded rightly to God’s omniscience so should we. God never has to stop to think and count the stars, sand, or our personal sins. “All of these facts and all other things that he knows are always fully present in his consciousness”.[2] We should be amazed that God knows the depths of our wickedness and still freely offers grace.
[1] These statements originate from Jim Newheiser’s audio file, “Theology and Biblical Counseling” from the Institute of Biblical Counseling and Discipleship’s audio series “Basics of Biblical Counseling” session 9.
[2] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p.192
In 1 John chapter 3 verse 20 we learn, “God is greater than our heart and knows all things.” God has been described as knowing everything and being “perfect in knowledge” (Job 37:16). He knows everything actual. God knows when we “sit down” and “rise up” (Ps. 139:2), the number of “hairs on your head” (Matt. 10:30), “the number of the stars” in the sky (Ps. 147:4), and “what we need” (Matt. 6:8). God also knows everything that is about to happen. Matthew chapter 6 verse 8 referenced a moment ago indicates that God knows our actual “need”. However, before the sentence is finished we see that God knows it “before you ask Him”. When the Psalmist tells us that God knows when we “sit down” and “rise up” he goes on to say that “Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all” (Ps. 139:2, 4). God clearly doesn’t just know the actual but also our thoughts, desires, and what’s about to be said.
It is un-Biblical to claim that God’s knowledge of the future is limited because we have not yet made decisions. Regardless of decisions that people made throughout the history of mankind nothing thwarted the 300 something prophecies that Jesus Christ fulfilled. Many prophecies such as His birth (cf. Isa. 7:14 and Matt. 1:18-25), death (cf. Isa. 53:3-6 and Matt. 27:39-54), and resurrection (cf. Zech. 12:10 and Luke 24:46) were prophesied hundreds of years in advance and yet Jesus perfectly fulfilled them. How could this happen unless God secures future outcomes? If we say that God doesn’t know future outcomes because of our choices than are there some decisions that we can make that will prevent Christ’s future return (Rev. 19:11-21)? Do our decisions have a greater affect on the outcome of God’s plans than His own sovereignty? Is God waiting for us to do things so that He can know what will happen next? No. God is eternal, knows all things, and does not need to be taught or shown anything. God is sovereign and omniscient and nothing can happen outside of His will regardless of what choices or decisions we make. Jesus showed that He knew the thoughts of His apostles, adversaries, and people (Matt. 9:4, 12:25, Luke 5:22, 6:8, 9:47, John 16:19). Since He knew their thoughts He also knew the actions they were about to act upon. He was able to hide Himself from being stoned by the Pharisees in mid-conversation (John 8:59). Because Jesus told Nathanael that He saw him under the fig tree before they were near one another Nathanael believed Him to be the “Son of God” (John 1:48-50). Nathanael had the right response to God’s omniscience. The complexities of how our decisions hold us personally responsible while also not hindering God’s perfect will are vast. The reality is that whether our decisions are righteous or unrighteous God will complete His predetermined plans. As Nathanael responded rightly to God’s omniscience so should we. God never has to stop to think and count the stars, sand, or our personal sins. “All of these facts and all other things that he knows are always fully present in his consciousness”.[2] We should be amazed that God knows the depths of our wickedness and still freely offers grace.
[1] These statements originate from Jim Newheiser’s audio file, “Theology and Biblical Counseling” from the Institute of Biblical Counseling and Discipleship’s audio series “Basics of Biblical Counseling” session 9.
[2] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p.192