Chapell Meeks Aa 2 C - Theology: God & His World

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WSC #4 - What is God?

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God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, his wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. WSC #4

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Briefly Explain And Defend the Doctrine Of The Trinity.

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There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, The Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. WSC #6

Deut. 6:4 (ESV) "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

Matthew 28:19 (ESV) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

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Which attributes of God are communicable?

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1) Wisdom: James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God...
2) Holiness: Leviticus 11:44 & 1 Peter 1:16 be holy, for I am holy.
3) Justice: Micah 6.8 but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God

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Which attributes of God are Incommunicable?

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1) Infinite:
2) Eternal:
3) Unchangeable:
4) All Knowing
5) All Present

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WSC #7 What are the decrees of God?

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The decrees of God are, his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, God has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass- WSC #7

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What is an Amyraldian view of God's decrees?

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A system of Reformed theology based on the premise that God wills all to be saved if they believe.

Moise Amyraut of the Saumer Academy- Unlimited Atonement or 4 point Calvinist

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How does God execute his decrees?

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God executes his decrees through the works of creation and providence- WSC #8

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What is God's work of creation?

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The work of creation is, God’s making of all things out of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good- WSC #9

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Briefly discuss the length of the days of creation.

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This must be an exegetical issue - not a scientific one. Say what scripture says. Let God be true and every many a liar.

I don’t think the original language of Genesis mandates / intends to communicate precise length of the days. This in no way questions that God created all things supernaturally by the word of his power - in his own wisdom and time. I see the days of Genesis as analogical days. They are God’s work days.

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What is God's work of providence?

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God’s work of providence are his most holy, wise and powerful, preserving and governing of all his creatures and all their actions- WSC #11

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What is a miracle?

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When God works without, above or against the normal means of his providence.

“God in His ordinary providence, makes use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at His pleasure - WCF 5.3

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Do miracles occur today? Explain.

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If by miracle one means that God is working without second causes for the sake of the affirmation of revelation (Warfield's def) - then no - due to the closed nature of the canon.

However, I affirm what Warfield called “extra-ordinary” acts of providence. In other words, I do think God still answers prayer in quite extraordinary ways (for example prayers for healing).

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Is God responsible for sin?

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NO. Adam and Eve exercised their free will and sinned (rebelled) against God.

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Did God decree sin?

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- WCF 3.1

God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet in such a a way that God is not the author of sin, nor is violence done the will of the creatures; nor is liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.

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Does God permit sin?

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Yes, in that nothing takes place in all the universe without God’s permission.

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Who is the ultimate cause of all things?

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God is!
God from all eternity, did by the most holy and wise counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass… WCF 3.1

The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own Glory, God has ordained whatsoever comes to pass. - WSC #7

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What is theodicy?

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Etymologically considered theodicy (theos dike) signifies the justification of God.

The evil in the world does not conflict with the goodness of God, and that, indeed, notwithstanding its many evils, the world is the best of all possible worlds

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If God is good and all-powerful, explain AIDS, deformed babies, natural disasters.

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1) An affirmation of God's goodness does not deny the reality that we live in a fallen world.

2) God created the world good & man in his rebellion brought sin & misery.

3) God’s goodness is seen in his common grace, holding his creation together, performing sovereign acts of providence, incarnation unto redemption,

4) God uses that which is otherwise evil to work good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

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Defend predestination, election, and reprobation from Scripture.

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Eph1:5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,"

Rom 8:30 (ESV) 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Rom 9:14–23

"By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestined unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death." - WCF 3.3

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Is the doctrine of sovereignty compatible with belief in real human choice and responsibility?

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“nor is violence offered the will of creatures; nor is liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established- WCF 3.1.

Bible affirms both sovereignty of God and responsibility of man.

Num 14:18 ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’

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Practical results of believing the doctrine of election?

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Col 3:12 (NKJV) Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on:
tender mercies
kindness
humility
meekness
longsuffering;

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Is there a real, personal devil?

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Yes,
Job 1 Devil presenting himself in heaven
Matthew 4 Jesus tempted by a real devil

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infralapsarian view of God's decrees

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views God’s decrees historically... God decreed to:
1) CREATE man in holiness
2) PERMIT FALL
3) ELECT some
4) PASS over others

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supralapsarian view of God's decrees

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views God’s decrees logically (elect before the fall) - God decrees to:
1) ELECT some and pass over others
2) CREATE man in holiness
3) PERMIT the fall
4) JUSTIFY the elect and condemn the reprobate

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Evaluate biblically the theory of Naturalistic Evolution

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Everything, including matter and man developed by natural random processes and are purely a result of natural forces functioning over a period of time.

Denies God’s work of creation and providence - specifically that he created the world out of nothing, by the power of his word, in the space of six days.

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Evaluate biblically the theory of Theistic Evolution

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God as the worker/ mover behind the process set the evolutionary process in motion.

1) acknowledges God as creator, but gives him little more credit than first cause.
2) tends to view the creation account as mythical
3) denies God the sovereign capacity to create as described in Genesis 1-2
4) essentially a form of Deism

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What must you confess when talking about creation days?

I EACH

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Genesis 1-3 is:

1) Inerrant word of God
2) Authoritative - Creator’s word that speaks authoritatively to matters of history and science
3) Ex nihilo - God created all things out of nothing by the word of his power….
4) Coherent account from Moses’ hand.
5) History, not myth.
5A) Adam and Eve were actual human beings, parents of all humanity
5B) Historical Fall brought all humanity into an estate of sin and misery.

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Berkhof on Election

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“God’s eternal purpose to save some of the human race in and by Jesus Christ.” (Berkhof, pg.114 Summary of Christian Doctrine or Systematic Theology)

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Berkhof on Reprobation

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"eternal decree of God whereby He has determined to pass some men by with the operations of His special grace, and to punish them for their sins, to the manifestation of His justice."

(Berkhof, 116 Summary of Christian Doctrine or Systematic Theology)

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According to the PCA Creation Study Committee, what was the intention of the Westminster Assembly's use of "in the space of six days"?

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Three way tie:
1) advocated a Calendar day view;
2) did not intend to exclude any view other than Augustine’s instantaneous view – a view which Calvin also excluded;
3) wished to express no more and no less than what Scripture expresses in the phrase “in six days” (Ex 20:11 & 31:17).

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Attribute of God - spirit

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John 4:24 - God is spirit, worship him in spirit & truth

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Attribute of God - infinite

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Rom 11:33
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

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Attribute of God - eternal

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Rev 1:8 Alpha, Omega, beginning and the end

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Attribute of God - unchangeable

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James 1:7 no variableness nor shadow of turning

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Attribute of God - wisdom

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Rom 11:33
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

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Attribute of God - power

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Matt 19:26
Jesus said... with God all things are possible

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Attribute of God - holiness

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1 Pet 1:16 Be holy for I am holy

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Attribute of God - justice

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justice - Rom 3:26 God is both just and the justifier...

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Attribute of God - goodness

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Rom 2:4 The goodness of God leads to repentance

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Attribute of God - truth

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Rom. 3:4 Let God be true though everyone were a liar...

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Double Predestination

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I believe in double-predestination in the sense that predestination is assymetrical with respect to the elect and the reprobate: In the election of believers, God acts monergistically, while in the reprobation of the non-elect, God does not.

Rom 9:14–23

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What is the Reformed understandings of election and predestination

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Reformed hold to the doctrine of absolute predestination - the assurance rests on God's power and promise

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What is the Arminian understanding of election and predestination

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Arminians hold to the doctrine of conditional predestination - God predestined his elect based on the condition of his foreknowledge that they would believe, therefore the assurance rests on man's ability.