CT Exam 2

Theological

That essential nature, a fundamental part, quality or aspect synonymous with essence. The essential nature of God. The substance to which all qualities adhere.

Philosophical

The ontology of God, the nature of God as a being.

Essence

Relates to God’s nature - What is God as a being

Attributes

Relates to God’s character - What is God like as a person?

Anthropomorphism

A figure of speech use to ascribe physical qualities for conceptual understanding.

Anthrozomorphism

A figure of speech using animal qualities for conceptual understanding.

Anthropopathism

A figure of speech used to ascribe emotional elements for conceptual understanding.

God’s essence is

non-visible, incorruptible (without decay, depletion or destruction)

God is…

1. non material and non corporal

2. God is in no sense and to no degree dependent upon matter, He bears no necessary relationship with a material universe

3. God exists part from and beyond the material world

4. God in His essence cannot be perceived by the physical senses.

Characteristics of personhood- internal dimensions

self-consciousness (intellect): capacity of reason and thought

self-determination (volition): capacity to make a choice, exercise will, decision-making

sensibility (emotion): capacity to feel or express

Hebrew phrase - Haruch HaShem

Bless The Name

Hebrew Old Testament - Elohim

God - plural for the purpose of amplification or emphasis

Greek New Testament - God

Theos: God

Theta symbol is a shorthand or abbreviation for God. 

I AM

ego eimi statements of John

HaShem

The Name

Kethiv

What is written in the text (YHWH)

Qere

What is read from the text (term Lord)

The LSB translation uses

The word Yahweh instead of the Jewish writing system

Lord - lowercase Hebrew OT

Adonai

Lord - lowercase Greek New Testament

Kurios

YHWH SABAOTH

Lord of Hosts

YHWH ELOHIM

LORD God

YHWH ADONAI

Lord GOD

YHWH JIREH

The LORD Provides

YHWH ROPHEKA

The LORD heals

YHWH SHALOM

The LORD Is peace

YHWH ZIDKENU

The Lord is righteousness

YHWH SHAMMAH

The LORD is there

YHWH RAAH

The LORD is my Shepherd

YHWH NISSI

the LORD is my banner

Epithet

Is a descriptive term or phrase expressing a quality or characteristic.

Epithets

Rock, Husband, fortress, judge, king, tower, name HaShem

The glory of God is…

1. State: it is the radiance and reflection of His being

2. Action: it is the exaltation and elevation of His being

Attributes of God

A divine attribute is what we know to be true of God from His revelation about Himself. Attributes are what God has revealed to be true about Himself.

Proposed categories of attributes

see chart

Strong: Absolute or Immanent / Relative or Transitive

Berkhof: Incommunicable / Communicable

Chafer: Constitutive / Characterizing

Incommunicable attributes

Incommunicable attributes are those attributes that find no equal or analogy in creation.

Communicable Attributes

Are those attributes that find some limited parallel or analogy in creation.

Incommunicable attributes - Self-existence (aseity of God)

The ground of His existence is in Himself (Shedd)

Aseity recognizes the absolute self-sufficiency, independence, and autonomy of God.

IA: Simplicity - Unity of God

Def: When we speak of the simplicity of God, we use the term to describe a state or quality of being simple, the condition of being free from division into parts, and therefore from compositeness.

Obs: Simplicity and unity inter-relate. God is not susceptible to division or reduction of essence or attributes. His being is uncompounded, incomplex and indivisible.

His simplicity indicates that his attributes cannot be divided or separated.

IA: Infinity of God

Is the divine essence viewed as having no bounds, or limits.

God is without outside boundaries or limitations.

IA: Eternality of God

That perfection of God whereby He is elevated above all temporal limits and all succession of moments, and possesses the whole of His existence in one indivisible present.

The eternity of God is His essence as related to duration.

The Omnipresence of God - all present

That perfection of divine being by which He transcends all spatial limitations, and yet is present in every point of space with His whole being.

The Omniscience of God - All knowing

The perfection of God whereby He, in an entirely unique manner, knows Himself and all things possible and actual in one eternal and most simple act.

Open Theism

questioned God’s omniscience. big movement in the 1990’s

The omnipotence of God - All powerful

the power of God is the divine essence energizing and producing outward effects.

the omnisapience of God - All Wise

God is all-wise and thus He applies His knowledge in such a way that the best means are employed to achieve the highest ends, and thus bring Him the greatest glory.

It is often considered the practical or applied side of omniscience.

Immutability - The changelessness of God

God does not change in essence, attributes, consciousness or will.

The perfection of God

God is absolutely complete. He does not fall short nor does He lack anything. He is absolutely complete in Himself, He is all that God ought to be.

The Sovereignty of God

He rules as King in the most absolute sense of the word.

Human responsibility is tied to God’s sovereignty.

God’s sovereignty views

1. Determinism: God determine everything, we have no choice.

2. Indeterminism: God has responsibility but He is managing change.

3. Self-determinism: there is a singular will of God, but with multiple potentialities. There are some levels of decision making.

Communicable attributes

Are those attributes that find some limited parallel or analogy in creation.

Holiness

Sanctus concept: to set apart

Ethical Holiness

to set apart from sin

Perfection of God by which He eternally wills and maintains His own moral excellence, abhors sin, and demand purity in His moral creatures.

Transcendent or Majestic Holiness

To set apart from creation - incommunicable

God is absolutely and totally distinct from all of His creation and is exalted above them in infinite majesty.

the justice / righteousness of God

The perfection of God by which He maintains Himself over against every violation of His holiness, and shows in every respect that He is the Holy One.

applied Holiness

the love of God

the perfection of God by which He is eternally moved to self-communication.

Discussion points of God’s love.

1. God’s love is spontaneous: it is under no compulsion and waits for no response from the object.

2. God’s love is voluntary: it does not arise from any need in God, it is not selfish or self-serving in its motivation.

3. God’s love is righteous: it does not condone sin or withhold punishment in the name of sentiment or emotion, it maintains God’s perfect standards of purity and in doing so seeks the best for its object

4. God’s love is eternal: it is not fickle or transitory, God is eternally self-giving.

The Goodness / kindness of God

That perfection of God which prompts Him to deal bountifully and kindly with all His creatures.

The mercy of God - pity, compassion, loving-kindness

Mercy is that eternal principle of God’s nature which leads Him to seek the temporal good and eternal salvation of those who have opposed themselves to His will, even at the cost of finite self-sacrifice.

The truth of God - veracity

that perfection of His being by virtue of which he fully answers to the idea of the Godhead, is perfectly reliable in His revelation, and sees things as they really are.

the longsuffering of God

that aspect of the goodness of God in virtue of which He bears with the forward and evil in spite of their continued disobedience.

The grace of God

The unmerited favor of God to those who have forfeited it, and are by nature under a sentence of condemnation.

The jealousy of God

The idea of God being deeply committed to seeing the honor or welfare of someone, whether self or someone else.

Practical aspect of attributes and essence see p. 148

Acknowledgment

Ascendance

Adoration

Affection

Theo-centric focus

God focused

Anthro-centric focus

Man focused

The doctrine of Trinity

the Godhead exists as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit who are one in essence and nature, yet three in distinct person and work.

God is one essence in three person

God is one in three- TRUE

errant historical doctrines regarding the Godhead

Tri-theism: there are there Gods (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) who are united around a loose association called Godhead.

Modalism, Monarchianism or Sabelliamism: Trinity is one of revelation or manifestation. Father-Son-Holy Spirit are manifestations or modes of various forms or roles of God.

Ahad

one, allows the concept of plurality within singularity

Delineation of the Doctrine of the Trinity

God is One in essence or being

1. This oneness is numeric - an affirmation of monotheism

2. This oneness is generic - it is common to all three members

God is One clarified

1. Concept of Triplex: 1+1+1= 3 not right, this is Tri-theism, while it affirms distinction, it denies a singularity and unity of essence.

2. Concept of Tri-union: 1×1×1=1 1 better Thi is try-unity, there is a individual personal self-distinction yet unity of essence

Ontological trinity

internal relationship of the trinity, who God is.

External trinity

external relationship of the Trinity to that which is outside the Trinity, what God does

The sending order does not mean

that there is a diminishing of equality as we go down the line.

The decree of God

His eternal purpose according to the counsel of His will, whereby for His own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.

The Providence of God

Providence is God’s government of the entire moral universe through secondary causation, which government includes all that happens in human history, and by which He causes all things ultimately to fulfill His perfect purposes.

Pateriology

From the greek pater meaning father.

Is the designation for the doctrine of God the Father.

Clarifications for the term Father

1. Can be used specifically in reference to the first person of the trinity.

2. Can be used generically without reference to any particular member of the trinity.

The issue of generation - two views of sonship

Eternal sonship: He was always known as the Son

Incarnational Sonship: the concept of Son is bound to the incarnation.

Monongenes: only begotten

One of a kind, one of a class, emphasis on uniqueness

Protokos - first born

emphasis on primacy and priority, the highest , most important