Historical Christianity Part 1

1
Historical Christianity Part 1

• Kyros Lecture 9

2
Systematic Theology

• Premises
• Logical flow
• Each statement relates to each other part and to
  the whole

3
Needs of Man

• Rationality
• Meaning

4
New Theology

• Mutually exclusive alternatives

No categories for God No knowledge about God
The personal God is dead
Nonrational Faith
All contacts with the cosmos All contacts with
history God is dead, Man is a machine
Rational
5
Kierkegaard
Faith (Nonreason - Meaning)
Rationality (Pessimism)
6
Historical Christianity

• Provides for both rationality and meaning
• Anchored in the nature of God who communicates
  propositionally to Man through the Person of
  Christ and the Scriptures

7
Christian Solution to Personality

• Before creation there was communication, love
  between members of Godhead
• God who is personal created Man in His image
• Thus we have a person springing from a personal
  source

8
Secular Solution to Personality

• Man is a result of time chance
• From where is personality derived?

9
Logical consequences

• Personality is an illusion
• Though Man functions better when He acts as if
  God is there, this does not reflect reality
• Personality is inappropriate to the environment

10
Modern Mans Motivation

• We have been exploring the thinking of Man.
• We know understand something of what he is
  thinking.
• Why is he thinking it?

11
Romans 116-18
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,
F1 for it is the power of God to salvation for
everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also
for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of
God is revealed from faith to faith as it is
written, "The just shall live by faith." F2
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of
men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
12
Romans 119-21
19 because what may be known of God is manifest
in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For
since the creation of the world His invisible
attributes are clearly seen, being understood by
the things that are made, even His eternal power
and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not
glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became
futile in their thoughts, and their foolish
hearts were darkened.
13
Romans 122-25
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God
into an image made like corruptible man--and
birds and four-footed animals and creeping
things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to
uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to
dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who
exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and
worshiped and served the creature rather than the
Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
14
Romans 126-28
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile
passions. For even their women exchanged the
natural use for what is against nature.
27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use
of the woman, burned in their lust for one
another, men with men committing what is
shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty
of their error which was due. 28 And even as they
did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those
things which are not fitting
15
Romans 129-32
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual
immorality, F3 wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness full of envy, murder, strife,
deceit, evil-mindedness they are whisperers,
30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud,
boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient
to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy,
unloving, unforgiving, F4 unmerciful 32 who,
knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those
who practice such things are deserving of death,
not only do the same but also approve of those
who practice them.
16
Natural Revelation
20 For since the creation of the world His
invisible attributes are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even His
eternal power and Godhead, so that they are
without excuse,

• made the natural world demonstrates that it was
  created by an intelligence
• eternal power and Godhead we are responsible to
  acknowledge Gods power and preeminence over the
  natural order

17
Mans Bias
21 because, although they knew God, they did not
glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became
futile in their thoughts, and their foolish
hearts were darkened.

• glorify - Man refuses to acknowledge the Creator
  he knows is there
• futile modern religion and philosophy leads to
  systems that are not livable

18
Mans Self Deification
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God
into an image made like corruptible man--and
birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

• wise Man attempts to find meaning, knowledge,
  and truth on his own

19
Gods Response
24 Therefore God also gave them up to
uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to
dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who
exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and
worshiped and served the creature rather than the
Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

• lusts of their hearts God leaves man to the
  pollution of his own nature

20
Mans Plight
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile
passions. For even their women exchanged the
natural use for what is against nature.
27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use
of the woman, burned in their lust for one
another, men with men committing what is
shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty
of their error which was due. 28 And even as they
did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those
things which are not fitting
21
Mans Lifestyle
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual
immorality, F3 wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness full of envy, murder, strife,
deceit, evil-mindedness they are whisperers,
30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud,
boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient
to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy,
unloving, unforgiving, F4 unmerciful 32 who,
knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those
who practice such things are deserving of death,
not only do the same but also approve of those
who practice them.