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

Front 1

Briefly Explain And Defend (Including Scripture Proofs) The Doctrine Of The Trinity.

Back 1

One God - Three Person
Deut. 6:4 (ESV) "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
(WSC #5 There is but one God only, the living and true God)
(WSC #6, There are three persons in the Godhead)
Deut 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
Matthew 28:19 (ESV) Go therefore ...baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
2 Cor. 13:14 (ESV) The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

J

Front 2

What Are The Attributes Of God?

Back 2

WSC #5 God is a Spirit infinite, eternal and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth

Front 3

List the communicable attributes of God .

Back 3

Knowledge: Ps. 147:5 Lord, abundant in power, understanding beyond measure
Wisdom: James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God...
Holiness: Leviticus 11:44 & 1 Peter 1:16 be holy, for I am holy.
Justice (mercy, graciousness, patience, goodness, truth):Amos 5:15 (ESV) Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

Front 4

Which attributes of God are Incommunicable?

Back 4

Infinite: Job 11:7-9 "Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?... higher than heaven... deeper than Sheol... longer than the earth & broader than the sea.
Eternal: Psalm 90:2 (ESV) Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Unchangeable: James 1:17 (ESV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
All Present: Psalm 139 whither shall go from your Spirit.... ascend to heaven... make my bed in Sheol...

Front 5

What is an Amyraldian view of God's decrees?

Back 5

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

Front 6

How does God execute his decrees?

Back 6

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

Front 7

What is God's work of creation?

Back 7

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

Front 8

Briefly discuss the length of the days of creation.

Back 8

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.

Front 9

What is God's work of providence?

Back 9

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

Front 10

What is a miracle?

Back 10

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

Front 11

Do miracles occur today? Explain.

Back 11

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).

Front 12

Is God responsible for sin?

Back 12

NO!!!!. The responsibility for sins introduction is our first parents who in the exercise of their free will sinned (rebelled) against God.

Front 13

Did he decree sin?

Back 13

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 so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered the will of the creatures; nor is liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established -WCF 3.1

Front 14

Did he permit sin?

Back 14

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

Front 15

Who is the ultimate cause of all things?

Back 15

God is!
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

Front 16

What is theodicy?

Back 16

A philosophical attempt to vindicate the justice and goodness of God, especially in view of the fact of evil, which is normally felt or judged to constitute a challenge to such attributes of God.

Front 17

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

Back 17

1) The affirmation that God is good and all-powerful does not deny the reality that we live in a fallen world.
2) God created the world good & man in his rebellion brought sin... sickness, destruction & death.
3) God’s goodness is seen in his common grace, holding his creation together, performing sovereign acts of providence, incarnation unto redemption,
4) In his using that which is otherwise evil to work good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

Front 18

Distinguish the Reformed and Arminian understandings of election and predestination

Back 18

Arminians do not accept the Reformed doctrine of absolute predestination. Rather they support the doctrine of conditional predestination, that is, that God predestined his Elect based on the condition of his foreknowledge that they would believe.
Reformed - assurance rests on God's power and promise
Arminian - assurance rests on man's ability

Front 19

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

Back 19

“nor is violence offered the will of creatures; nor is liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established- WCF 3.1. The Bible affirms both sovereignty of God and responsibility of man. (He will not leave the guilty unpunished)

Front 20

What should be some of the practical results of believing the doctrine of election?

Back 20

Humility, gratitude, comfort, security, assurance, grace/mercy towards others, obedience out of thankfulness. Colossians 3:12 (NKJV) Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

Front 21

Is there a real, personal devil? Explain from Scripture.

Back 21

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

Front 22

infralapsarian view of God's decrees

Back 22

views God’s decrees historically
God decreed to CREATE man in holiness
God decreed to permit the FALL
God decreed to ELECT some
God decreed to PASS over others

Front 23

supralapsarian view of God's decrees

Back 23

views God’s decrees logically (elect before the fall)
Decree to ELECT some and pass over others
Decree to CREATE
Decree to PERMIT the fall
Decree to JUSTIFY the elect and condemn the reprobate

Front 24

Evaluate biblically the theory of Naturalistic Evolution

Back 24

Everything, including matter and man developed by natural random processes and are purely a result of natural forces functioning over a period of time.
Naturalistic evolution denies God’s work of creation and providence. This system denies that God created the world out of nothing, by the power of his word, in the space of six days.

Front 25

Evaluate biblically the theory of Theistic Evolution

Back 25

God as the worker/ mover behind the process set the evolutionary process in motion.
Theistic evolution , though acknowledging God as creator, gives him little more credit than first cause. This theory tends to view the creation account as mythical and denies God the sovereign capacity to create as he claims in Genesis 1-2 (essentially a form of Deism)

Front 26

I could be said that the Westminster Confession itself, and the PCA Creation study report are consensus documents. In this consensus, what must you confess when talking about creation days?

Back 26

Genesis 1-3 is:
1. the inerrant word of God, and coherent account from Moses’ hand.
2. History, not myth.
3. teaching that YHWH created the heavens and the earth ex nihilo.
4. teaching that Adam &Eve were actual human beings, parents of all humanity
5. an account of a historical fall brought ALL humanity into an estate of sin and misery.
6. (along with all of scripture) the Creator’s word that speaks authoritatively to matters of history and science.

Front 27

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

Back 27

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

Front 28

Where does Westminster address God & His World?

Back 28

WCF 2-5
WLC 7-19
WSC 4-11

Front 29

Discuss the biblical teaching regarding predestination, election, and reprobation

Back 29

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 Romans 9