Systematic Theology

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Systematic Theology
Pastor Brett Peterson Coastland University
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DEFINITION

•  THEOLOGY
• qeo,j, theos- God
• lo,goj, logos- word, study, discourse,understandi
  ng, universal rational
•  SYSTEMATIC
• suni,sthmi, sunista,nw-- Synistemi, Synistano-
  comprehend, put together, organize-Logos
  -understanding
• Systematic Theology is that department or
  section of theology which is concerned with
  setting forth systematically, that is to say, as
  a organized whole, what is known concerning God.
  Warfield, Studies in Theology, 91.

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Types of theological study

• Apologetics, Can you give an answer for the many
  questions people have about the Bible your
  faith?
• Exegetical Theology, What is the message God
  intended for the text?
• Canononics
• Textual Criticism
• Biblical Languages
• Biblical History/Archaeology
• Hermeneutics
• Exegesis Proper

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Types of theological study continued

• Biblical Theology, What does the Bible, in
  context, teach about the subject you are
  studying?
• Systematic Theology, Given all scripture, what
  is the expositional consistency/progressive
  revelation for the doctrine?
• Historical Theology, What has the Church taught
  regarding the subject or doctrine you are
  studying?
• Practical Theology, What action must be taken in
  light of the doctrine or subject?

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Why study Theology in a SYSTEMATIC way?

• God created our minds to Systematize truth
• We construct lists of ideas
• We compare what is experienced with previous
  ideas and teachings
• God is a God of order, and therefore reveals
  Himself in a systematic way
• It gives us a clear view of the truth we are
  studying from Genesis to Revelation.

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Systematic Theology will

• Bring to light the truths of God and how He
  relates to mankind
• It gives us an opportunity to experience Gods
  revelation of Himself
• It helps us maintain a balance between
  emotionalism and Intellectualism
• It allows us to analyze Biblical Theology is a
  all inclusive way.

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Understanding God systematically helps us

• Establish absolute truth on a given doctrine and
  teach that truth to others
• We allow Gods revelation of Himself to teach us
  His truth
• We are then prepared to teach that truth to
  others
• This gives the Church protection against false
  teaching

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The Goal of Theology

• To bring individuals into a right understanding
  of God and how He works in their lives
• To proclaim the absolute truth of scripture in a
  contemporary yet Uncompromised way
• To give the Church the meat of Gods Word
• To equip the saints
• To make the gospel relevant and rational

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Cautions as we study theology

• Apriori Finitum non capax infiniti. That is
  to say, the finite is not capable of the
  infinite.
• Truth is Spiritually discerned
• Preconceived Ideas Church tradition, mans
  ideas rather than Bible based truth.
• ExampleThe Trinity man is unable to
  comprehend the triune nature of God Where does
  the Bible say that?!
• I was always taught _________________
• Thats not what Pastor _________ says
• If the church holds this truth, it must be
  Biblical

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Cautions continued

• Limitations (A.H. Strong, Systematic Theology,
  I, 34ff), cont.
• Incomplete Knowledge of Scripture We do not know
  all parts of Scripture and the parts we know we
  do not know equally well
• Silence of Revelation (Deut. 2929) There is
  much that God has not seen fit to reveal there
  is much we are incapable of receiving
• Lack of Spiritual Discernment (I Cor. 214) A
  theologian is not fitted for his undertaking
  unless he knows the power of the redemptive
  provision of which Scripture is the revelation.
  John Murray, Systematic Theology, Collected
  Writings, IV, 4

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How can we grasp theological truth?

• We filter everything through our experience
• The academic study of Theology must lead us to
  Spiritual and emotional change it is then we
  begin to experience God in creation.
• F. D.W. Schleiermacher says, . . . the
  doctrines in all their forms have their ultimate
  ground so exclusively in the emotions of the
  religious self-consciousness, that where these do
  not exist the doctrines cannot arise. The
  Christian Faith, E.T., 78.

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The study of Theology impacts who we are
rationally

• In understanding the author of creation, we begin
  to understand our place in creation.
• Two characteristics are perceptible in religious
  conceptions which must be stated at the very
  outset. They are always the possession of a
  community and they express not merely a relations
  between God and man, but always at the same time
  a relations toward the world on the part of God
  and those who believe in Him. A. Ritschl,
  Justification and Reconciliation, E.T., 27.
• In our section on science, we will find many
  scientists who came to faith by their discovery
  of an author of creation.

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The consequence of Theology

• It brings us into a right relationship with God
• Benjamin B. Warfield, of Old Princeton Seminary
  the proper subject matter of theology is God in
  his nature and in his relations to his
  creatures, or the facts concerning God and his
  relations to his creatures. Warfield, Studies
  in Theology, 58. Cf. Shorter Catechism Q. 3.
  What do the Scriptures principally teach? A.
  The Scriptures principally teach what man is to
  believe concerning God and what duty God requires
  of him.

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Theology is Gods revelation of Himself

• It comes down to Gods desire to have a
  relationship with mankind
• Donald Bloesch, retired professor of theology at
  Dubuque, Its i.e., theologys norm is
  Scripture, but its field or arena of action is
  the cultural context in which we find ourselves.
  It is engaged in reflection not on abstract
  divinity or on concrete humanity but on the Word
  made flesh, the divine in the human. Bloesch,
  Word and Spirit, 114.
• Gordon Spykman, retired professor of theology at
  Calvin Seminary says, The key position in
  reality belongs to the Word of God. It is the
  religious bond, the unbreakable link which binds
  the Creator and his creatures together in
  covenant partnership. Gordon Spykman,
  Reformational Theology, 76.

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What are the sources of our study of Theology?

• The Wesleyan Quadrilateral
• Scripture (Supreme Authority)
• Reason
• Tradition
• Experience
• All four of these areas are important to discover
  truth however, the last two need to be used
  with caution.

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Sources of Theological study

• The Multiple Source View
• B.B. Warfield
• Nature (What God has created would include
  Reason)
• Providence (What God has done in history, in the
  Church)
• Experience (What God has done in your life)
• Scripture (What God has said)
• The revelation of God in his written Word is
  easily shown not only to be incomparably superior
  to all other manifestations of him in the
  fullness, richness and clearness of its
  communications, but also to contain the sole
  discovery of much that is most important for the
  soul to know as to its state and destiny.
  Warfield, Studies in Theology, 60-1.

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The Bible is our canon

• Scripture is the unifying authority
• How does scripture relate to our experience?
• Scripture, as the unique source of revelation,
  and
• Other sources as subordinate to Scripture
• The Latin terms norma normans and norma normativa
  provide help
• Scripture is norma normans, a rule that rules
• All other revelatory media (Experience,
  Tradition, Providence, Reason) are norma
  normativa, a rule that is governed- by Scripture,
  in this instance

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Our apriori

• Theological Presuppositions
• Expositional consistency
• There is Unity in the Scriptures by virtue of
  their ultimate author, God himself
• Sola scriptura Scripture is our sole source for
  faith and practice
• You must be born again to understand scripture
• The Holy Spirit ultimately must illuminate your
  mind and heart to the truth in scripture -

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Absolute truth

• Premise there is absolute truth and it does not
  change with personality or culture
• Since the Scriptures, ultimately, are Gods
  revelation to all of mankind, there will be a
  unity of truth even in the midst of diverse
  cultural emphases and contextualized language
• We have tended to view theology as
  transcultural or culturally neutral. and have
  typically championed biblical authority by
  claiming that there is only one horizon in
  theology- the biblical text itself. Richard
  Lints, The Fabric of Theology, 102

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Theology gives us truth that is not bound by
space or time

• There is a transcultural aspect to the doing of
  theology Ought we to give our western creeds to
  the Oriental mind? . . . Of course those Western
  creeds ought to be given to the Oriental mind.
  But that ought to be done only on one condition-
  that those western creeds are true. If they are
  not true, they ought not to be given to the
  Oriental mind or to any other kind of mind but
  if they are true, they are just as true in China
  as they are in the United States. Machen,
  Christian Faith in the Modern World, 93

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The result of studying theology

• Our practice of studying and applying theological
  truth will impact our culture Contemporary
  theologians must also seek to challenge the
  contemporary mind to think more critically about
  its own culturally accepted values. Lints,
  Fabric, 113
• Even in the post-modern world, we must be salt
  and light. As we study theology, we must

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Truth Jesus Christ The Word of God
Then Jesus said to those Jewish people who had
believed him, If you continue to follow my
teaching, you are really my disciples and you
will know the truth, and the truth will set you
free. John 831-32
But thanks be to God that though you were slaves
to sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of
teaching you were entrusted to. Romans 617
Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for
teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for
training in righteousness, that the person
dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for
every good work. 2 Timothy 316-17
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The Divine Watchmaker

• Is this a valid argument for God?
• What other arguments do we have to establish
  Gods existence?
• Before we can talk about the Word of God, we need
  to look at the existence of God.

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• 1.  THE "COSMOLOGICAL" ARGUMENT...is also called
  "the argument from first cause.?  It is based
  upon the premise that "every effect must have a
  cause".  The cosmos (universe) is an effect that
  has adequate cause. The theist believes that Gen
  11 reveals that adequate cause  "In the
  beginning God created the heavens and the
  earth." 
•   

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• 2.  THE "TELEOLOGICAL" ARGUMENT...is based upon
  the evidence of design in the universe.  Evidence
  of design suggests a "designer", some Being with
  intelligence possessing purpose.  Example  a
  watch shows design, and implies a watchmaker, To
  credit such intricate workmanship to blind chance
  is unreasonable.  Examples of design in the
  universe are many  some examples include The
  orderly movement of heavenly bodies, making space
  travel possible Animal instinct, such as the
  migration patterns of birds, eels, and salmon
  The human body itself, e.g., the eye 

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•   3.  THE "MORAL" ARGUMENT...is also called the
  "anthropological argument".  It is based upon
  reality that everywhere people have "a sense of
  ought"--That in certain circumstances, certain
  things should be done.  People are concerned that
  people should act a certain way and that people
  do not often act the way they should.  Even
  atheists and agnostics have "a sense of justice",
  and are angered when it is violated (as in the
  case of rape and murder). This moral nature in
  man demands a Moral Being as the Original Cause 

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•   4.  THE "ESTHETICAL" ARGUMENT...is based upon
  the presence of beauty and sublimity in the
  universe.  It observes that you have both the
  presence of beauty in nature itself, and in art
  produced by man and the response of man to such
  beauty.  How did this "beauty", and the "ability
  to appreciate" it, develop?  Were both the result
  of blind chance or did it come from a Supreme
  Being, who is not only Intelligent (an argument
  from design), Moral (an argument from our sense
  of ought), but also Artistic (an argument from
  beauty and our sense of it)? cf. Ps 964-6 

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Gods Word A Light to My Path
The Authority of Scripture
A Spirit-Inspired Revelation from God
Applied to Us by the Spirit
The Necessity of Scripture
Our Finiteness
Our Sinfulness
The Sufficiency of Scripture
For Faith
Even though it was written in Hebrew, Aramaic,
and Greek, it transcends language barriers and
becomes intelligible to everyone!
For Life
The Clarity of Scripture
For all people of all cultures
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Writing from Ancient Times

• proto-writing, i.e. pictographic communication
  from 4-6,000 B.C.
• Sumerian Tablets with writing from 3300 B.C.
• Egyptian Hieroglyphics 3100 B.C.
• 1st known alphabet Palestine 16th-17th century
  B.C (Semitic).
• Hammurabi c. 1792 B.C.
• Cretan Linear B c. 1450 B.C.
• Greek Alphabet c. 730 B.C.
• c. 2nd century B.C. paper invented in China

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The Emergence of Books
Rosetta Stone
From the Caves of 4000 B.C. to the
Gutenberg Bible printed c. 1454-55 A.D.
handwritten codex
scrolls of papyrus and the books of the Torah
Gutenberg Bible
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Old Testament Language
Ancient Near Eastern Languages
Semitic
South Semitic
Akkadian
Northwest Semitic
Arabic
Assyrian
Syrian
Aramaic
Canaanite
Phoenician
Hebrew
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The Old Testament Hebrew
.År,ah taewÒ µyIm'Vh' tae µyhilaÔ arB
tyviareB 1 µyhilaÔ j'WrwÒ µ/ht ynEPAl'
Jv,jowÒ Whbow Whto htyÒh År,ahwÒ 2 .µyIMh'
ynEPAl' tp,j,r'm .r/aAyhiyÒw" r/a yhiyÒ
µyhilaÔ rm,aYœw" 3 ybeW r/ah yBe µyhilaÔ
lDebY"w" b/fAyKi r/ahAta, µyhilaÔ arY"w"
4 .Jv,joh' AyhiyÒw" br,,AyhiyÒw" hlyÒl arq
Jv,jol'wÒ µ/y r/al µyhilaÔ arqYIw" 5 .dja,
µ/y rq,bo
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The Old Testament Aramaic (Dan 244)
yDi Wklm' aYm'v HlaÔ µyqiyÒ WNai aYk'lm'
yDi /hyme/ybW wÒ qDiT' qbiTvti al rjÕa
µ'l htWklm'W lB'j'tti al ymill
aYm'll µWqT ayhiwÒ atwklm' yLeaiAlK
¹yset
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Where it came from geographically
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The New Testament
The Greek Language of the New Testament
Aeolic
Doric
Ionic
Koine
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The New Testament Greek
jEn ajrch/ h\n oJ lovgo", kai oJ lovgo" h\n
pro" ton qeovn, kai qeo" h\n oJ lovgo".
2outo" h\n ejn ajrch/ pro" ton qeovn.
3pavnta diÆ aujtou ejgevneto, kai cwri"
aujtou ejgevneto oujde en. o gevgonen 4ejn
aujtw/ zwh h\n, kai hJ zwh h\n to fw" twn
ajnqrwvpwn
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Do the facts establish a Creator?If so, would He
preserve His Word?

• The Bible was written sooo long ago in ancient
  languages, how could it still be valid today?
• It has been copied sooo many times, the original
  message was lost!

• Its all a matter of interpretation.
• Even if the Bible has been preserved, it is so
  ambiguous that to develop any Truth from the text
  is impossible. Thats why we have so many
  denominations and belief systems within
  Christianity.

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You can live a little over 40 days without food,
4 days without water, 4 minutes without oxygen
but without faith you will surely
dieSpiritually speaking
All it takes is Faith!
You cant believe in God or the preservation of
His Word without faith! So what is faith?
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Do we REALLY need faith?
The world in which we live often presents itself
as cold and heartless which in turn leads to a
world of discouraged, depressed, and despairing
people. So YES we need faith! Yet true faith is
in short supply! So, some make faith equal with
hopethey simply are not the same!
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Some hoped that Jesus was the Messiah
Luke 2413-21 - "Now that same day two of them
were going to a village called Emmaus, about
seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking
with each other about everything that had
happened. As they talked and discussed these
things with each other, Jesus himself came up and
walked along with them but they were kept from
recognizing him.
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Luke 2413-21 - "He asked them, "What are you
discussing together as you walk along?" They
stood still, their faces downcast. One of them,
named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor
to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have
happened there in these days?"
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Luke 2413-21 "What things?" he asked. "About
Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a
prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and
all the people. The chief priests and our rulers
handed him over to be sentenced to death, and
they crucified him
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Hope is not Faith!
Luke 2413-21 but we had hoped that he was the
one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is
more, it is the third day since all this took
place."
They hoped but they did not have faith!
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So what is faith?

• Heb 111 Now faith is the assurance of things
  hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
• Webster Greek def The sense of the verb, from
  which that of rope and binding is derived, is to
  strain, to draw, and thus to bind or make fast. A
  rope or cable is that which makes fast.
• The Hebrew and the Greek suggest a trust or
  belief in a known truth, validated by evidence
  that would lead to a conviction.
• It is not a blind leap!

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Belief ProofFaith

• Heb 111 Now faith (the solid rope that holds
  something together the belief in a known truth)
  is the assurance(concrete foundation) of things
  hoped for, the conviction(evidence, proof) of
  things not seen.
• Faith in Jesus Christ is valid and
  reasonable!We derive our evidence from the Bible
  and personal experience!
• If the Bible is not true, we have no basis for
  faith!

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Many Pastors have preached that you should be a
Christian by blind faith. Even if the Bible is
not reliable and even if Jesus didnt raise from
the dead. The Apostle Paul doesnt agree
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Everything rests on the validity of the Bible and
the Resurrection!
1 Corinthians 1513-20a - "IF there is no
resurrection of the dead, THEN not even Christ
has been raised. And if Christ has not been
raised, our preaching is useless and so is your
faith.
48
1 Corinthians 1513-20a More than that, we are
then found to be false witnesses about God, for
we have testified about God that he raised Christ
from the dead. But he did not raise him if in
fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are
not raised, then Christ has not been raised
either.
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1 Corinthians 1513-20a And if Christ has not
been raised, your faith is futile you are still
in your sins. Then those also who have fallen
asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life
we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more
than all men.
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1 Corinthians 1513-20a But Christ has indeed
been raised from the dead Heb 412 For the
word of God is living and active and sharper than
any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the
division of soul and spirit, of both joints and
marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and
intentions of the heart. Isa 408 The grass
withers, the flower fades, But the word of our
God stands forever.
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The Bibles version of Christianity is not about
a religion but a relationship!
John 112 "Yet to all who received him, to those
who believed in his name, he gave the right to
become children of God."
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Knowing Jesus is everything!

• On judgment day, it wont matter how good you
  were.
• The only thing that will matter is did you make
  Jesus Lord and Savior of your life!
• If youve done that you know Him, and He knows
  you!

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Jesus said

• Mat 721 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord,
  Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he
  who does the will of My Father who is in heaven
  will enter. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day,
  'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name,
  and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your
  name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I
  will declare to them, 'I never knew you DEPART
  FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

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How do you know Christ?

• By studying His Word!
• By praying
• By good Christian fellowship
• By loving Him
• His Word is absolute Truth. If it is not
  reliable, we have nothing to base our faith on.
  Truth must originate outside of the mind of
  finite man! It must come from God!

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What is the Bible? Absolute Truth

• There is now an attack against the Bible that is
  more philosophical than textualPluralism

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Pluralism denies absolute Truth!

• Absolute Truth is the message of the Bible!
• Truth a right understanding of God
• Pluralism saysKnowledge is no different in kind
  than opinion.
• Our agreeing together is the criteria for
  determining what is knowledge.
• Truth amounts to no more than social
  sustainability.

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Outline

• Background of Pluralism
• Tolerance
• Implications of tolerance
• Case against pluralism
• Uniqueness of Christ
• Eight steps to evangelize in our culture

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1) Background of Pluralism

• It attacks Biblical Theism Belief that right
  wrong are absolute, unchanging, and are decided
  by God
• American Declaration of Independence We hold
  these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
  created equal, that they are endowed by their
  Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that
  among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
  Happiness

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Modernism

• Renaissance (1300-1600) Exalt man through
  literature, art, learning, etc.
• ? Humanism human ability man toward the
  center reject external authorities
• Enlightenment (1600-1700) Push God out depend
  on human reason to discern truth
• Industrial Revolution (1700-1800) Human
  productivity advancement no need for God
• ? push God out, put man in

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Modernists foundations

• Rationality Man can understand the world
• Empiricism Knowledge only through senses
• Implications for truth
• Scientific truth became absolute
• Unobservable spiritual / moral truths became
  relative

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Postmodernism pushed it further

• Objective Truth does not exist
• Even scientific truth is true only for that
  time culture (Kuhns paradigms)
• Even words dont have original meaning (reader
  above the writer)
• ? Individuals are products of their culture
• Arbitrary beliefs shaped by cultural biases
• e.g. suicide bombers are heroes

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Encouraged by choices

• Todays society offers many choices
• Classes, career, cell phones, fast food, etc.
• You choose
• Outside world is changeable
• Outside world is doubtful
• Disdain for fixed standards absolutes
• ? leads to Pluralism

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Pluralism

• Definition of Pluralism
• Theory that there are more than one or more than
  two kinds of ultimate reality
• Varieties of ultimate truths available
• No one absolute truth
• Exercised in the form of
• Tolerance !

64
2) Tolerance

• TRADITIONAL definition of Tolerate
• to recognize and respect others beliefs,
  practices, etc. without sharing them
• to bear or put up with someone or something not
  especially liked
• Values, respects, and accepts the individual
  without necessarily approving of or participating
  in his/her belief or behavior.

65
NEW tolerance under pluralism

• Since pluralism says there are no absolute
  truths
• NEW tolerance states, All values, beliefs,
  lifestyles, and truth claims are equal

66
3) Implications of new tolerance

• Not just Live and let live
• Now you must agree that another persons position
  is just as valid as your own
• Now you must give approval, endorsement, sincere
  support to their beliefs and behaviors
• Even some demand full participation

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By being silent we are giving our approval!

• It is time to take a stand for Truth the
  absolute Truth of Gods Word and the precepts it
  teaches!
• Rom 132 and although they know the ordinance of
  God, that those who practice such things are
  worthy of death, they not only do the same, but
  also give hearty approval to those who practice
  them.

68
Dangerous Fallouts

• Consequences of doing away with absolute truth
• No progress
• cant praise bravery vs. cowardice
• Loss of hierarchy of values
• more sympathy for threatened insects species
  than for children dying of hunger
  Finnish Green Party activist

69
Impact on morality justice

• Cant make moral judgments
• If there is no absolute moral standard, then one
  cannot say in a final sense that anything is
  right or wrong. Francis Schaeffer
• We must approve Hitlers actions
• ? No justice possible without truth

70
4) Case against pluralism

• Pluralism demands, Tolerance for all
• But who gave that authority to pluralism?
• Is it absolutely?
• Pluralism says, Equal footing and hearing
• Then Christianity should be given a fair and
  equal hearing without being called exclusive

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Reasons for Absolutes

• Presence of universal sentiments
• Love goodness (regardless of culture)
• C. S. Lewis universal desire for something is a
  good reason to believe the existence of that
  thing
• Choices must be measured by some apriori truth
• e.g. Mathematics 22 always 4

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Emptiness of pluralism

• Discourages critical thinking
• Brainless in accepting everything blindly
• Tolerance is a virtue of a man without
  convictions G.K. Chesterton
• Cravings for an absolute moral Judge
• When injustice comes upon you
• Hunger of the heart
• Epidemic of emptiness loneliness

73
Incompatibility with religions

• Many religions seem to say same things
• Be good to others
• But quite different in major doctrines
• i.e. sin, nature of God, salvation
• Law of Non-Contradiction Two contradictory
  ideas cannot both be true

74
5) Uniqueness of Christ

• Historical figure (not myth)
• He claimed to be God
• Gave real evidence and proof
• Ultimate proof Resurrection
• Show your cards
• Other religious leaders did not resurrect
• ? Jesus claims to truths are validated

75
Also, Jesus loving tolerance

• Loved everyone the same
• Tax collector, prostitute, leper
• Distinguishes person from behavior
• Hates the sin but loves the sinner
• People have intrinsic worth value because
  wonderfully made in image of God Gen. 1
  Psalm 139
• e.g. people are to be valued, not false belief
  systems
• Fills our need for love, justice, truth

76
Eight Reasons Why It Matters What You Believe!
Building common ground with those you are trying
to reach! ( I Cor. 922)
77
What You Believe Will Affect How You Live!

• 1. What you believe will affect how you live!

78
Beliefs Have Consequences
79
Not All Religious Viewpoints Can Be Right!

• 1. What you believe will affect how you live!
• 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be
  right!Law of non-contradictionTwo opposing
  views can not both be right

80
Can All Religious Viewpoints Be Right?

• No! Someone has to be wrong!

Either Jesus is the Messiah or He isn't. If
He isn't the Messiah, then the Christians are
wrong. If He is the Messiah, then the Jews are
wrong. So one way or another somebody's right
and somebody's wrong! Everyone can't be right at
the same time, can they? Greg Koukl, Christian
Apologist Taken from http//www.str.org
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Objective Truth Does Exist!

• 1. What you believe will affect how you live!
• 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right!
• 3. Objective Truth does exist!

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Biblical Objective Truth

• The Bible teaches that truth does exists
• For example
• John 146
• Jesus said, I am the way, and the truth, and
  the life. No one comes to the Father except
  through me.
• John 832
• Jesus said, You shall know the truth and the
  truth shall make you free.

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Truth Is Not a Matter of Your Own Perspective

• For example
• Above all you must understand that no prophecy
  of Scripture came about by the prophets own
  interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin
  in the will of man, but men spoke from God as
  they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
• 2 Pet. 1 20-21

84
A Truth Statement Matches Its Object

• Satan is called a liar because his statement to
  Eve, You will surely not die in Gen. 34 did
  not correspond to what God really said, namely
  you shall surely die (Gen. 217).
• Dr. Norman Geisler

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Truth is That Which Corresponds to Reality

• Jesus states in John 146 that he is the only
  way to God.
• This is a true statement because it corresponds
  to reality and was verified by His conquering
  death in His resurrection.

86

• A right understanding of God (Truth) leads to a
  right relationship with God through Jesus Christ
  (Truth).JesusTruthThe Word of
  GodUnderstandingLogosIntelligence
• This produces reverence for God
• Wisdom begins with the fear(reverence) of God!
• Proverbs 910 The fear of the LORD is the
  beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the
  Holy One is understanding.

87
Why is Truth so Important?

• If truth and reasonableness are not uppermost
  in our presentation of the truth to a pagan
  culture, already predisposed to regarding
  religion as a set of private feelings, then we
  will constantly hear this response. Well thats
  fine if having those feelings helps you.
• Love God with all your Mind
• J.P. Moreland P. 30

88
Truth is not based on feelings!

• Truth is based on evidence
• Evidence is logical and rational
• Emotions are unreliable and often times wicked
• Jer 179 "The heart is more deceitful than all
  else And is desperately sick Who can understand
  it?

89
Truth is not based on feelings!

• Truth is based on evidence
• Evidence is logical and rational
• Emotions are unreliable and often times wicked
• Jer 179 "The heart is more deceitful than all
  else And is desperately sick Who can understand
  it?

Strongs heart - A form of H3824 the heart
also used (figuratively) very widely for the
feelings
90
Faith Must Have an Object to Have Merit!

• 1. What you believe will affect how you live!
• 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right!
• 3. Objective Truth does exist!
• 4. Faith must have an object to have merit!

91
Christian Faith

• Christianity is based on a historical event.
• If the resurrection did not occur our faith is in
  vain.
• I Cor. 1514

92
Not All Religious Leaders Made Equal Claims!

• 1. What you believe will affect how you live!
• 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right!
• 3. Objective Truth does exist!
• 4. Faith must have an object to have merit!
• 5. Not all religious leaders made equal claims!

93
Jesus Unique Claims

• Jesus made unique claims compared to any other
  major religious leaders
• John 1030
• Jn. 146
• I Tim. 25
• Acts 412

94
Proof of Christs Claims Have No Parallel

• 1. What you believe will affect how you live!
• 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right!
• 3. Objective Truth does exist!
• 4. Faith must have an object to have merit!
• 5. Not all religious leaders made equal claims!
• 6. The proof of Christs claims have no parallel
  among major religious leaders! (I Cor. 153-6)

95
No Comparison!

• Comparing Christianity and other religions is
  not like comparing apples with apples!

Other Religions
Christianity
96
Jesus Christ Has No Peers!

• Buddha pointed to the way, Muhammad claimed to
  be a prophet of God,
• but Jesus Christ is the only major religious
  leader that ever claimed to be God, who fulfilled
  prophecy, lived a sinless life, and then died on
  the cross and rose from the dead.

97
If Christianity Is True, It Makes an Eternal
Difference

• 1. What you believe will affect how you live!
• 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right!
• 3. Objective Truth does exist!
• 4. Faith must have an object to have merit!
• 5. Not all religious leaders made equal claims!
• 6. The proof of Christs claims have no parallel
  among major religious leaders!
• 7. If Christianity is true, it makes an eternal
  difference!

98
Eternal Consequences

• Jesus said, And if your right hand makes you
  stumble, cut it off, and throw it from you for
  it is better for you that one of the parts of
  your body perish, than for your whole body to go
  into hell.
• Matt. 530

99
No Meaning in Life Apart From God

• 1. What you believe will affect how you live!
• 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right!
• 3. Objective Truth does exist!
• 4. Faith must have an object to have merit!
• 5. Not all religious leaders made equal claims!
• 6. The proof of Christs claims have no parallel
  among major religious leaders!
• 7. If Christianity is true, it makes an eternal
  difference!
• 8. Some people who dont believe in God find it
  difficult to find meaning in life.

100
Finding Ultimate Meaning

• My mother committed suicide three years ago,
  and I dont believe in God and Christianity but I
  realize that if there is no God, there is no
  ultimate meaning and purpose to my life and I am
  not willing to accept that yet.
• U.T. Student

101
Why Bother?
Why go the extra mile?

• The Apostle Paul said, I have become all things
  to all men so that by all means I may save some.
• I Cor. 922

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to
gain what he cannot lose. Jim Elliot, martyred
missionary to the Auca Indians in 1956
102
Eight Reasons Why It Matters What You Believe!

• 1. What you believe will affect how you live!
• 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right!
• 3. Objective Truth does exist!
• 4. Faith must have an object to have merit!
• 5. Not all religious leaders made equal claims!
• 6. The proof of Christs claims have no parallel
  among major religious leaders!
• 7. If Christianity is true, it makes an eternal
  difference!
• 8. Some people who dont believe in God find it
  difficult to find meaning in life.

103
It Matters What You Believe!
Building common ground with those you are trying
to reach! ( I Cor. 922)
104
We must stand for truth..

• Even if we stand alone
• Even when it is not politically correct
• Even when denomination refuse to do so
• The Bible is our sole source for faith and
  practice!

105
Jesus said

• I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man
  comes to the Father but by Me.
• John 146

106
Lets proclaim the Truth!

• How do we start a revolution?
• A revolution to bring the Church back to Biblical
  Truth.
• By doing Inductive Bible Study!This is our
  task. There is only one Truth.Next week
  Proof the Bible is reliable

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Next weekRead Thiessen Chapters 3-4