Theology Proper and Paterology

Continuing the Doctrinal Statement:

Theology Proper

I. The Existence of God – I believe that God exists. Belief in the existence of God requires faith and that faith is supported by man’s inner sense of God (Romans 1:18), and the methods by which God has revealed himself to us (general and special revelation). There are 4 traditional “proofs” for the existence of God which serve to help man think rationally about the evidence for God’s existence. However, due to his fallen condition, these “proofs” are not able to compel the sinner to acknowledge God. Only God, through the Holy Spirit can overcome mans sin and persuade him of God’s existence.

A. Cosmological Argument – This argument considers the fact that every known thing in the universe has a cause, therefore the universe must also have a cause, and the cause of such a great universe can only be God.

B. Teleological Argument – This argument looks at the harmony, order, and design in the universe and concludes that there must be an intelligent and purposeful God who designed it to function this way.

C. Ontological Argument – This argument considers that no being greater than God can be conceived, therefore, since God is the greatest being that can be conceived he must exist; because man can conceive of this being is evidence of God’s existence.

D. Moral Argument – This argument begins from man’s sense of right and wrong, and his need of justice, and argues that there must be a God who is the source of right and wrong.

II. The Knowability of God – “If we are to know God at all, it is necessary that He reveal Himself to us (Grudem p. 149).” Because God is infinite and we are finite, I believe that we can never fully comprehend or know God (Ps 139:6; 145:3; 147:5). However, while we may not be able to know God completely we can know God truly for all that the Bible tells us about God is true (Jer. 9:23-24; John 17:3; Heb. 8:11).

III. The Nature of God – The Bible teaches that God is Spirit (John 4:24) and a person (Gen. 3:8; 7:1; Ex 3:4). The Bible also teaches that God is three persons (Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19) but has a single divine nature (Deut. 6:4; Is. 1:6).

IV. The Attributes of God – I believe that God’s attributes are revealed in Scripture. I believe that any attribute of God is to be seen in connection with, and not apart from, all other attributes. For example God’s love cannot be seen apart from God’s wrath or His mercy apart from His justice. God’s attributes are usually broken down into the communicable attributes, those which we can demonstrate, and the incommunicable, those which we cannot. Below is a partial list of God’s attributes:

A. Independence – God does not need us or anything in creation. (Job 41:11; Acts 17:24-25)

B. Immutability – God is unchanging in His being, attributes, purposes, and promises (Ps. 102:25-27; Is. 46:9-11; Mal. 3:6; James 1:17).

C. Eternality – God has no beginning or end (Deut. 33:27; Ps. 90:2; John 8:58).

D. Omnipresence – God supersedes spatial dimension and is present everywhere in space with His whole being (1 Kings 8:27; Ps. 139:7-10; Acts 7:48).

E. Holiness – God is separated from sin (Ex. 26:33).

F. Truthfulness – All God’s knowledge and words are both true and the final standard of truth (John 17:3)

G. Omniscience – God fully knows all things actual and possible. (Job 37:16; Matt 11:23)

H. Wrath – God intensely hates all sin (Ex 32:9-10; Rom. 1:18).

I. Omnipotence – God is all powerful, nothing can keep Him from completing His holy will (Gen 18:14; Ps. 24:8; Eph. 3:20).

V. The Names of God – God’s name is hallowed (Matt. 6:9) and to be honored (Ex. 20:7). God’s character is revealed by the names by which He is called throughout Scripture. These names often highlight one aspect of God’s character such as Jehovah (Yahweh) Jirah (the LORD who provides) and El Shaddai (God Almighty).

A. El Olam – The everlasting God (Gen. 21:33)

B. El Elyon – The most high God (Gen. 14:18-20)

C. El Qodash – God, the holy One (Josh. 24:19)

D. Elohim Sabaoth – The God of Hosts (Amos 3:13)

E. Jehovah Rapha – The LORD who heals (Ex. 15:26)

F. Jehovah Nissi – The LORD, my banner (Ex. 17:15)

G. Jehovah Tsidkenu – The LORD our righteousness (Jer. 23:6)

H. Jehovah Shalom – The LORD is peace (Judg. 6:24)

I. Jehova Shammah – The LORD is there (Ezek. 48:35)

VI. The Works of God

A. Creation – “In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth (Gen. 1:1).”

B. Providence – God controls all things and works them according to His sovereign will (Rom. 8:28)

C. Miracles – God’s direct intervention into the affairs of man, often if not always superseding scientific laws.

D. Redemption – God is actively involved in saving sinners (John 3:16; 6:37).

E. Judgment – God will execute righteous justice and judgment on mankind (Jude 1:15)

VII. The Decree of God – I believe that God has sovereignly determined from all eternity whatsoever will come to pass, and “works all things after the counsel of His will” in His entire creation, both natural and spiritual according to His predetermined plan. (Eph. 1:11; 3:11; Heb. 6:17)

VIII. The Trinity - I believe that there is one co-eternal, co-existent, co-equal, indivisible Divine Being, who is God (Deut. 6:4; Jas. 2:19). God is made up of three individual persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:16; 4:1; John 1:18; 3:16). Each person of the trinity is wholly God, yet has certain personal attributes that distinguish them from each other.

Paterology

I. God the Father’s Deity – I believe that the Father is God possessing the divine nature in common with the other Persons of the Trinity. The Father manifests all Divine attributes.

II. God the Father’s Personhood – I believe that God the Father is not an impersonal force but rather a personal God. The Father’s personhood is indicated by his self-awareness (John 4:23), self-determination (John 6:38-39), moral awareness (Matt 7:11), personal distinctiveness (John 14:16), intelligence (Matt. 6:8), emotion (1 John 4:9-10), and communication (Heb. 1:1-2).

III. God the Father’s Works – God the Father is the author of the Eternal decree (Eph. 1:11), the Creator of the Universe (Gen. 1:1), the designer of the redemptive plan (Eph 1:3-12), and the spiritual Father of all who believe (Heb. 12:9).