Becoming Better Theologian (part 4) - Theology Proper

Our Father in heaven we are thankful this morning that you have revealed yourself to us that you have given us your word that we might know you better. Father we thank you even for this building for the years that you have blessed the teaching of your word here.

Father we would pray for your blessing on it this morning and on our time together in Christ's name we pray amen. Well, we've been talking about Theology proper that is the study of God Directly for the last several weeks and We began Working through Robert Culver's systematic theology and just talking about Different aspects of God just kind of introductory matters as it were.

I think one of my professors called it prolegomena, which is the fancy name for saying you know first things introductory things about God. We began filling out or we filled out most of that. Fill in the blank thing and I'll just kind of go over that real quickly.

The Bible’s Opening Claims About God and Human Knowledge

The most striking statement of the whole Bible may be. The first one in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Number two. God's name appears 28 times in the first chapter of Genesis. That ought to be a message in and of itself.

Number three. The clear position of the authors of Scripture is that people come to the Bible already knowing God exists. We've talked about that how people suppress that truth and unrighteousness but that they That they know about him no matter what they may say.

Number four. Luther's Children's Catechism says that I believe that God has made me and all creatures. Which I think is a great thing to teach your kids. Number five to bring people to awareness of the Living God lays them in the dust of despair.

I just like the way Culver said that that's the only reason I put it down there. When people understand who God is they they don't say wow I'm glad that there's a God like that if they don't believe. If they believe they they like that.

If they don't believe then it leaves him the dust of despair. Number six no one is unaware of their dependence upon God Upon him or their accountability to him. They know there's a God they know they're going to be accountable to him.

They just don't like it. Number seven. Jonah obviously delivered no preliminary lectures on monotheism or biblical theism. We don't see any posters around Nineveh. Talking about the upcoming appearance by the Prophet Jonah.

He just goes there and declares repentance and they repent. Number eight. God tolerates no rivals. And we're going to be speaking more about that this morning. Number nine man. The only visible rational creature on earth must worship him God as also do the angels in heaven.

There is a gap between animals and man no matter what Unbelievers may say no matter what the evolutionist might say we are not mere animals. Number ten in a time of national apostasy Elijah the Tishbite suddenly appeared before King Ahab announcing the beginning of a contest and That contest was between the prophets of Baal and The Prophet of God really between Baal and God.

We talked about that at some length. Number 11 prophecy and miracles. Lying in the midst of narrative constitute the ancient apologetics of the Bible in other words, and we spoke about this it again some length last week.

What are the evidences that the Bible gives as to its truthfulness? Prophecy and miracles in other words foretelling of the truth and the miraculous intervention in the space Time continuum that only God can do and that's what we would call a miracle.

I Think that's one of the most overused words. There is you know if a if somebody comes back and kicks a foot field goal. At the end of the game. It's a miracle win. No, it's not You know a miracle. That that's not a miracle.

I don't even think there could be a miracle in a football game unless it was you know One guy against 11 and the one guy won. That would be a miracle so. That just kind of catches us up to where we are now.

Jesus as the Last Great Prophet and the Sign of Jonah

We're going to talk about. Because we've been talking about miracles. Prophecy prophets and now we're going to talk about the last prophets. The last great prophet which is number 12 the last great prophet the consummation of the line of prophets was Jesus and You'll notice also true or false the first question there Jesus was a prophet which is true.

So there you have it if you put those two things together you'd get it automatically. There were others in the apostolic age who spoke by divine special divine revelation, but all these spoke by His authority Jesus authority and were but channels of his revelation in other words Peter Paul these men they spoke Revelator they wrote revelation and they spoke sometimes by divine ordination when we think especially of Peter's sermon the day of Pentecost.

Was that a divine revelation? Yes, how do we know that is every sermon of divine revelation? No, why was this why why can I say that this one was a divine revelation? Because it's recorded in the book of Acts written by the Holy Spirit so that we would have it today but when Jesus spoke It's not.

It's not him. Kind of taking the word of the words of the Holy Spirit and putting them into his own language. This is direct divine Revelation this is God himself. Speaking it's interesting though to that He was certified as a true messenger of God just as these other prophets were when Jesus came on the scene.

Did people believe him? Did they did the nation of Israel go to Jesus and say you know what we receive you as Messiah? No, obviously not. And yet God sent them signs that they might believe. But they did not believe.

The Jews asked for a sign of his authority now. What what sign did Jesus give them? What's that? The sign of the cross, but I mean he specifically told them Son of yeah the sign of Jonah, let's look at that Matthew 12 38 to 40.

Matthew 12 38 to 40 and who would read that place? Okay, Daniel 38 to 40 why is it that the Scribes and Pharisees wanted a sign from Jesus? What were they asking for? Proof they wanted some proof. Did they really they didn't need proof.

I mean the the evidences. Were all around Jesus ministry healing the sick multiplying the fishes. I'm Raising the dead. I mean they're all over the place and they say hey show us a sign. And so what does he say he doesn't say look at all the things that I've done.

He says He gives them something that I I don't really know that they understood. Says just like Jonah was in the belly of a fish for three days. I'm going to be in the heart of the earth for three days when We Spoke last week of Moses when Moses asked for a sign.

What did God tell him? Moses says I'm supposed to go to your people and tell them that I am your representative that I'm going to deliver them out of Egypt. What is the sign that God gave Moses? He said go ahead.

Yeah, he said here's your here's your sign Moses. When you have led the people out of Egypt, you're gonna know that you were the right guy. Well, thank you so much. And in that same way, look what he says.

Essentially, he says listen, here's your sign. He doesn't lay it all out for them. But as we look back at it, we can see what here's your sign. Your sign is that I'm going to die. I'm gonna be buried for three days and then I'm gonna be raised from the dead.

There's your sign. Well, that isn't what they expected. They wanted some kind of you know, do a magic trick show us how cool you are. Show us that you really are a prophet. And he said I'll give you a sign.

I'm gonna be dead for three days and then be raised from the dead. It's not what they expected other signs. I like this one. When John the Baptist wanted a sign that the Messiah stood before him. This is interesting.

How did he how did he find out who the Messiah was. Let's look at John 1 33. John 1 33. And who wants to read that John 1 33? Go ahead. Brian the one on whom you see the holy spirit descend and remain.

It's an unusual sign, how was that fulfilled. John the baptist baptizes him and what happens. Holy spirit descends as a dove. God lets him know ahead of time. This is what's going to happen and then it specifically happens.

Signs miracles. Affirming signs works of god. Later in his jail cell john the baptist asked for further assurance. I mean you would think that seeing the holy spirit descend like a dove might be pretty good since that's what god told him ahead of time.

And what sign does john the baptist get at that point from jesus. Let's look at matthew 11 verses 2 to 6. Matthew 11 2 to 6. Who who can read that for me bruce. And the reference that is what? What's jesus telling john?

He could just be telling him look at all the miracles i've performed and take those but that's not what he's saying. What is he saying? That he's the coming one because he's fulfilled many of the prophecies that were listed in isaiah.

Isaiah 29 18 35 6 um and also 61 1. I'll talk about these things that jesus then fulfilled. So he's like. Basically what jesus tells these messengers of john the baptist is i'm fulfilling prophecy now.

Oh I skipped number two. I should I should follow my own notes. Number two in the true or false quiz. The resurrection was a sign given by god. True. Number three true or false. The holy spirit descending like a dove was a sign given for john the baptist.

True. And number four what 14 chapters of the bible contain the most fulfilled prophecy. Who wants to take a I should have put? Continuous or contiguous chapters. In other words not random 14 chapters, but 14 chapters in a row of the bible.

Contain the most fulfilled prophecy. This is according to robert culver and if you don't like my answer you can write him a letter and argue with him. 14 chapters anybody want to guess? Brian isaiah. There are 66 chapters in isaiah.

Care to take a shot at 14 bruce. Give that man a gold star. That is exactly correct. Culver says the most extensive evidential use of fulfilled prophecy in the bible itself is in the portion of isaiah.

Which begins with chapter 40 and leads up to a marvelous marvelous prediction of our lord's career in chapter 53 bruce nailed it. Very nice. Uh in this section the lord himself is represented in a contest with impotent gods.

They have no power the impotent gods of paganism. The theme running through this passage in part is that the lord alone is god for he alone can act. Only god has the power to act. Let's look at isaiah 41 versus 21 to 24.

Isaiah 41 versus 21 to 24. Isaiah is often called the Fifth gospel and the reason it's called the fifth gospel is because it contains so much about the lord. Jesus christ. Yes, it's in prophetic form, but you can't read the book of isaiah and not think about Jesus.

It's not possible at least as a christian. Isaiah 41 verses 21 to 24. And who has that? Go ahead joey. Oh, go ahead. You can read 24. Sorry, do you think that there's maybe just a little bit of sarcasm in this?

And notice it's not this isn't uh, isaiah's opinion. Set forth your case says the lord all caps. Yahweh the covenant god of israel. He's saying he's challenging the idolatrous nations the unbelievers.

Make your case take your best shot bring your proofs. And notice it says they're the king of jacob or some translations may have other wording like the god of jacob but here's the principal idea, you know this God is for a moment just saying okay.

Let's just say i'm one. Of a pantheon of gods. I am the king or the god of jacob. And there are all these other gods out there. I want all you who believe in these other gods to make your case bring forth your best evidence.

This is a court of law trial as it were. Now interesting verse 22. Look at this. Talking to the worshipers of idols. Let them bring them. What does that suggest about idols? They can't walk. Well, it is laughable, right?

I mean, hey tell you what guys you bring in your little carved images. Those pieces of wood and stone you just carry those things in here. And let's just have a little trial. Let's just see. What's what how pathetic is that?

Your gods have to be carried. Let them bring them and tell us what is to happen. How about this tell us the former things what they are that we may consider them. In other words the idea there is. Tell us about the great things your gods have done.

What mighty acts have they performed.

What's the answer to that. Of course none he says.

Even their predictions or or whatever he says that we may know their outcome or declare to us the things to come. In other words, why don't you tell us what the future is. If your gods are so powerful then surely they can predict the future.

Again, when we're considering who the god of the bible is what he is able to do and we compare him to these idols. It really does become a farce. One commentator machir Notes this he says while credally confessing only one god.

The people of the old testament were as we are surrounded by claimants to divinity in other words many So-called gods or idols who claim to be divine. He says thus the old testament can say that the lord is above all gods.

Thus, you know taking note of all the claimants to divinity to those who claim to be deity or god. That would be psalm 95 3 but without for a moment admitting their reality. People say that there are many gods.

There's one god. There's only one god who can act. There's only one god who has any power at all. The rest are figures of man's imagining. Listen when he says verse 23 tell us what is to come hereafter that you.

Or that we may know that you are gods. In other words gods. Inherently a god would have the power to bring something to pass. Then he says do good or do harm. Do good or do evil? Do anything. That we may be dismayed and terrified.

Behold, you are nothing and your work is less than nothing. An abomination is he who chooses you which means what? That those who choose to worship other than the lord god are Condemned. So we've seen from the earliest times in biblical revelation in history that redemption or Fulfillment of prophecy has always been a strong proof of the validity of god's own claims and the claims of his messengers.

Now. Quiz question number five true or false fulfilled prophecy is an evidence an unbeliever cannot deny. Yeah, I think the key daniel hit it being a lawyer. Hit it right on the head there. The wording is very key fulfilled.

Prophecy is an evidence true. An unbeliever cannot deny false. Therefore. The whole thing is false. They can deny it. They do deny it. We've talked many times about how what happens. They see the jews wandering around with jesus.

Watch his miracles. They watch him multiply the fish in the loaves. They see all the things that he does raising people from the dead. How many believers were there when he died. Hundreds of thousands.

The day he was resurrected the church became the official church of israel. Was in control of all the land. No. No, there were a handful. How many saw him after he was resurrected? 500. Given all that saw him.

All that heard him. All that watched him. It's really pretty. Sad, but it's a great evidence to what? The depravity of man and their ability to hold down the truth. To deny what they see. All right. Number six true or false the case for christianity is an infallible one.

The case for christianity is an infallible one. The case for christ is an infallible one. It's not an infallible book, by the way. Uh the case for christ or christianity is an infallible one true or false.

Somebody says true. True that's correct. Uh fulfilled prophecy. Is only part of the biblical evidences in fact Culver says standing alone. It would prove nothing except that some people in the history of the world have a strange inexplicable knowledge of the future.

I don't know if I go for that but I mean, what is this like? We're not talking about nostradamus here. But it is the connection of the supernatural power to know the future. With the miracles of the bible those things that only god can do.

The relation of both miracles and prophecy. With the jewish people and the claims of their prophets apostles and messiah make the case for christianity. And infallible one in other words. He's saying if you take the historic evidence of both the miracles and the fulfilled prophecy.

You're left with no other choice, but to believe that the god of the bible is the god who exists. Well, I think that's true insofar in as far as it goes. That especially for us we look at it and we say well certainly all those things are true.

Yeah, the daniel says the testimony of the book when if we read the bible and we believe the bible then we are. Ultimately, we can come to no other choice other than to say that the god of the bible is the one who exists.

There's no other way to go it's. It's just not possible to come to any other conclusion even so. Even though god has declared the case a certain one it is possible for us to deny it. Right each of us like sheep has gone our own way.

People hold down the truth and unrighteousness romans one. It doesn't change the truth the fact that people won't accept it. And the gospel will always remain foolishness to the minds of sinful people.

Until what I was just having an email exchange the other day with someone and he he was. Debating a person in his family and saying arguing about doctrine. Because this person is supposed to be a believer arguing about doctrine and I just said to him I said well.

Here's my rule. I don't like to argue doctrine with unbelievers. I've tried what happens when you are going to argue doctrine with unbelievers. They bring up another point and I mean ultimately if we if we don't have.

If we're not using the bible as the basis for what we say. And this person this other supposed believer was not using the bible. I mean he would but it was cut a verse here cut a verse there and basically.

Relying upon his own experience rather than scripture alone. If we don't have a single platform from which we both agree to debate and if you're debating with an unbeliever. You don't have a single platform.

An unbeliever can say whatever he wants because he's not accountable. You know in his own mind. He's not convicted that he's using the bible wrongly or that he's making Uh wrong statements. I think I might have mentioned a few weeks ago the idea.

One unbeliever put forth to me was that the god of the old testament? Was Jealous beyond belief that nobody should ever worship a god like that and he was a brutal murderer on top of that. You just read that you go.

This is someone who doesn't understand god and certainly doesn't believe the miracles and the prophecy of the old testament so. What do they do? Well, they are. Why is it foolishness to them because until the holy spirit enlightens them until he opens their eyes.

Until he gives them a new heart they cannot believe the bible. First corinthians 1 18 says the gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing first corinthians 2 14 tells us what? That they can't understand the bible apart from the holy spirit.

So the truth is that all these evidences display one thing. They display not that unbelievers have an intellectual intellectual deficiency that prevents them from understanding. In other words, it's not that unbelievers aren't smart enough to get it.

It's not that they don't grasp the facts or can't grasp the facts is that they are Morally incapable of doing so because they they don't want a god like this. Number seven true or false. The main reason unbelievers don't believe is they are unconvinced by the evidence false.

I've said it before i'll say it right now. You could fill this entire sanctuary. You could triple the size of the sanctuary. That'd be nice. You could do whatever you want. In terms of evidence, you could say say look at all these artifacts all these proofs all these truths.

And the unbeliever just goes. It's okay. I still I still won't believe. Why because they're spiritually dead. Sometimes people simply reject fulfillment of prophecy as Impossible. They say it's just not even possible.

Why? Why did they say it's not even possible because they deny the very idea of something Supernatural. Now again, do we need to prove that god exists before we can present the gospel to someone? No, because everyone knows that god exists.

And to just kind of re-emphasize that because I I don't think we can Get that enough. Let's look at romans one again this is a verse that I think has several implications and one of them Should be a relief and that is that you are under no obligation to prove that god exists.

None. The second thing it ought to do for you is to let you know that what you are fighting is not an intellectual battle. It is a spiritual battle. It is one where you present the truth and god. Will then either use that truth or not use that truth.

Well, he will use the truth. He will either use it to condemn that person or to can or to redeem them romans 1 Verses 18 and 20 and i'll read that for the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.

Who by their unrighteousness? Suppress the truth. What truth? For what can be known about god is plain to them. Because god has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes namely his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived.

Ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made. So that they are without excuse again. They look around at the world and they see that there is a creator. And they suppress that truth in unrighteousness.

They don't want there to be a god they don't want to be accountable to any god. The common device for avoiding the evidential value of biblical prophecies. Uh, I won't go through the entire history of it, but it's by a man named porphyry.

And I think it's interesting that he he came up with the idea. Listen to this if he could convince others and this was uh, 1800 years ago. If he could convince others that the predictions of the old testament.

Especially the detailed ones of the book of daniel were written after the events. They predict had transpired. In other words, it wasn't prophecy. It was a recap written to look like prophecy. It was a look back presented as a look forward.

If he could get them to believe that. Then he would have destroyed one of the main supports for their faith in the inspiration of scripture and in christianity. And culver writes little has been added to porphyry's arguments.

Though his method has become exceedingly popular among liberal higher critics. Quiz questions number eight the smarter you are the more likely you are to give the biblical evidence a fair trial false.

Some of the smartest men on the face of the planet suppress that truth and unrighteousness. There is a theory. I mean, i'll just give you a few examples, there's a Theological school that came out of germany.

And what they did when they came to the bible. This was shortly after the Theory of evolution was published. They came to the bible with the understanding. That there was no miracle and there could be no fulfilled prophecy in the bible.

That was their presupposition. That was their foundational baseline. So they approached scripture with that and then guess what? They found all kinds of problems with the bible. They decided for example that the first five books of the bible the Pentateuch.

Were not written by moses. That couldn't have been Absolutely impossible. And they went on to divide all the reasons why and they came up with you know. At least four different authors who wrote it and how it was all edited together.

Uh, they came up with the idea that mark had to be the first gospel written. Uh, none of the miracles of the bible existed they came up with all kinds of excuses for the Miracles they explained them all away.

Why? Because if you are an unbeliever your number one Reason for existing is denying the truth about god and for them. It's it's a profession. Can you imagine being paid to disprove the bible? The jesus seminar that's exactly right I I that's a great example, too.

The jesus seminar these uh scholars Dominic crossan and others, you know getting together and actually voting On the sayings of jesus and whether they're actually in the bible or not you know, and so then they came up with this color coding system and and of course, they love the gospel of thomas, which I don't understand but uh uh, but critics are not dumb people these these higher liberal critics and they write a lot of uh, a lot of Scholarly tomes, you know a lot of books.

In fact, some people ask about different commentary collections and there's one. Now i'm going to forget it. I think it's the word the word commentary and it's like this massive volume of it. And mostly it's written by unbelievers.

I mean they may say technically interesting things, but one of my favorites is uh, andrew lincoln Wrote a commentary on ephesians. And he he goes to great length. To prove why paul did not write the book of ephesians.

And so, you know, you just opened to ephesians chapter one and you go. I paul an apostle you go. That's hard and there are a couple other places in ephesians where he identifies himself and you just go.

I don't find your arguments all that compelling. Dr. Lincoln, you know, it's pretty clear. Suppressing the truth and unrighteousness ignoring or actually lying about the miracles lying about god. I mean basically they're blasphemers.

But it's interesting that that whole process started. Almost 1800 years ago. Number nine true or false prophetic predictions are usually clear at the time. They are made I predict. The patriots will not go to the super world.

It's usually not usually not that clear um. This is what culver says. He says they will not be mere sage remarks. In other words, they're not just wise sayings or scientific prediction based on laws of nature.

In other words, I predict that if you throw an apple up in the air, it will hit the ground. That wouldn't be a prophecy. Neither will they reflect a humanly controlled situation wherein the prophet or his supporters fulfill the prophecy something like you know, I predict uh apple stock will.

You know crater because I hold a million shares and i'm going to sell them all that would not be a prophecy daniel. Here's what I would say. Daniel brings up the idea the question of you know. Whether prophecy can be seen as like a mountain range and I think that's a good analogy and here's why.

Because a prophet will make his prophecy. And things might be a little bit obscure and why would that be. Because there are as it were mountains there are events between the prophecy and the time of fulfillment.

So things might be a little dim as it were at the time and then as they get closer it becomes more Clear until actually when you get there, it becomes obvious. Um. What was the second part of your question?

That I don't know. I mean whether or not it's uh, it's more prevalent that way or the other way. I I really I don't know. But here's here's the key about prophecy. Let me just this is in culver's words here.

They must be prediction. A prophecy must be a prediction Of the future such as only god could know and bring to pass. Getting back to this whole idea of the idols. He says bring them forth. Let's see what they can tell us about the future.

Let's see what they can tell us about things that they have predicted and then brought to pass and he did all that in the context. By the way of what in isaiah 40 to 53 what's going on in israel? They have been Captured and are in captivity and in fact isaiah 40 is written To them even though it was written before this happened, but it's written to them with the idea of giving them hope.

And he says ultimately that he's going to raise someone. To take care of the situation for them. Cyrus. So he's there to give them hope and it's something that only god could bring to pass. Listen if you were in Captivity.

And you knew you've been taken out of your country. And god told you that he was going to restore you to that country. A that ought to give you hope. B when it happened. It ought to amaze you. Because only god could do that.

He says here another necessary feature of prophecy is a degree of obscurity. In many of the predictions that idea again of a mountain range. At first it may. This might seem to seriously weaken the evidential value and he says actually it increases it.

The prophecy Ordinarily will have a true but obscure reference to future events. Jesus's predictions of his resurrection as we said the one in Matthew 12 where he says i'm going to be in the earth for three days.

He didn't say that he would die. He didn't say That he. In other words, it's a little bit obscure. It's not clear. We wouldn't really get it until after the effect he compared himself to or the experience to jonah's experience in the great fish.

He predicted the resurrection in connection with his cleansing of the temple he said destroyed this temple in the three days. I will raise it up. Maybe people wouldn't get that either. Was he talking about the temple or.

Ultimately his own body. And the truth is the disciples themselves didn't understand it until later. When prophecy had become history. Then it was seen as our lord speaking of the resurrection and that was unmistakable.

Thus far from being a flaw in the evidence this feature is one of the strengths of an evidence of fulfilled prophecy. In other words God makes a prediction. It's not entirely clear what that is. And then it happens and in retrospect it makes perfect sense.

Prophecy as a Jigsaw Puzzle and the Solitariness of God

Number 10 In our quiz this morning. True or false. Prophecy may be fairly compared to a jigsaw puzzle. True or false. Was that tross was a fru. Nobody brave enough to take a take a ganzer. Take a guess.

True. Culver says. At the time. At the time. A prophecy or they were understanding it. He says the pieces may seem difficult. Disconnected and obscure but once the truth is known all the pieces fit into a pattern like a dissembled jigsaw puzzle.

The full design cannot be known until all the pieces are put together. And finally we wind up with the doctrine of the solitariness of god that god alone is god. And that is nowhere. Spelled out more faithfully by paul in a helpful passage, let's look at first corinthians chapter 8 verses 4 to 6.

First corinthians chapter 8 verses 4 to 6. Culver says that at corinth there was a particularly offensive development. Of greek culture idol worship got mixed up with the marketing of meat the flesh of animals.

And he says it was hard to buy a fresh Piece of meat in the butcher shop that had not been previously offered to an idol. So what was a christian to do? The believers at the church in corinth wanted to know so paul wrote first corinthians eight.

Four to six and who has that. Dave pastor dave there is only one god all these others are the imaginings of man. They have no power. They have no influence. They are also I would say backed by demons it is the imaginings of man kind of being spurred on by demonic powers.

People worship non-gods and certainly satan and his followers are delighted by that. But they are non-entities they have no power even look at Uh the ending there in verse 6 through whom we exist. That's that's the god that we worship the god that we Obey that we owe allegiance to.

Paul went on to say that the flesh of animals offered to an idol by someone else. That food has not been harmfully affected. So the flesh could be bought in the market and eaten in all good conscience by a christian Idol gods are non-entities.

They are nothing. That's what we read in isaiah. This is what we would read throughout all of scripture. It's amazing. In fact, uh other sections of isaiah. He says look. You know, you take a stone you carve it up.

You take a piece of wood you carve it up. In fact, he says you take that piece of wood you carve it up into an idol and the rest of it you use to Heat the house to cook something. You know, it's kind of like how stupid are you people?