Theology Exam 2

sin

any failure to conform to god’s moral law in action, attitude, or nature

rebellion against god and a violation of his will

two effects of the fall on humanity

physical death and spiritual death

physical death

eventual separation of the soul from the body when we die

consequence of sin

spiritual death

separation from God through sin

humanity lost its original fellowship with god and became spiritually alienated

four relationships distorted by the fall

human relationship with god

human relationship with other humans

human relationship with creation

human relationship with oneself

distorted human relationship with god

alienation and separation from god

distorted relationship with other humans

conflict, hostility, and broken relationships

distorted human relationship with creation

creation became subject to disorder, suffering, and decay

distorted human relationship with oneself

shame, guilt, inner conflict, and distorted desires

original sin

the sinful condition inherited by humanity because of adam’s fall

humans are born with a corrupted nature and a tendency toward sin

personal sin

an individuals actual sinful thoughts, attitudes, words, or actions committed against gods will

the difference between original sin and personal sin

original sin is the inherited sinful condition of humanity, while personal sin consists of the individual sins a person commits

sin equality

all sins are serious because every sin violates god’s holiness and separates humanity from him

not all sins are equal in seriousness, consequences, or degree of harm

scripture recognizes greater and lesser sins, greater responsibility, and different degrees of judgement

two main issues of the augustine-pelagius debate

human nature after the fall and the necessity of god’s grace for salvation

their debate focused on whether humans can choose righteousness and obey god without divine grace

Pelagius beliefs about human nature and sin

humans are born morally capable of choosing good or evil and are not born with inherited guilt or a corrupted nature from adam

emphasized human free will and the ability to obey god

Augustine beliefs about human nature and sin

humanity inherited a sinful nature from adam and is unable to overcome sin or achieve salvation without god’s grace

human free will is corrupted by sin making divine grace necessary

Pelagius beliefs about grace

grace is god’s gifts, such as human nature, free will, the law, and Christ’s teaching and example

humans could choose righteousness without the necessity of inward transforming grace

Augustine beliefs about grace

grace is necessary for salvation and for humans to choose and accomplish genuine righteousness

god’s grace transforms the human heart and enables faith and obedience

winner of the augustine-pelagius debate

augustine

Pelagianism was condemned as heretical at the council of carthage in 418 and reaffirmed at the council of Ephesus in 431

Christology

the doctrine of the person and work of Jesus Christ

the theological study of the person and work of Jesus, including his humanity, deity, incarnation and salvation

biblical evidence supporting the humanity of Jesus

John 1:14 - The Word became flesh

Luke 2:52 - Jesus grew in wisdom and stature

John 4:6 - Jesus became tired

John 19:28 - Jesus experienced thirst

John 11:35 - Jesus wept

Matthew 4:2 - Jesus experienced hunger

Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus was tempted but did not sin

biblical evidence supporting the deity of Jesus

John 1:1 - the Word was God

John 20:28 - Thomas called Jesus “My Lord and my God”

John 8:58 - Jesus declared, “Before Abraham was, I am”

Colossians 2:9 - The fullness of deity dwells bodily in Christ

Hebrews 1:3 - Jesus is the exact representation of God’s being

Titus 2:13 - Jesus is called our great God and Savior

importance of believing Jesus is both fully God and fully man

Jesus must be fully God to reveal God perfectly and possess the power to save humanity

he must be fully human to represent humanity, obey in our place, suffer, die, and redeem human nature

only Jesus as both human and divine can reconcile humanity to God

Docetism

Jesus only appeared to be human but was not truly human

denied the genuine humanity, suffering, and physical death of Christ

Adoptionism

Jesus was merely a human being who was adopted or elevated to divine status by God, rather then being eternally divine

Arianism

the Son was created by the father and was not eternally God

claimed Jesus was not equal in divine nature to the father

taught by Arius

Nestorianism

emphasized such a distinction between Christ’s divine and human natures that they appeared to be two separate persons rather than one unified person

associated with Nestorius

orthodox Christian understanding of Jesus

Jesus is one divine person with two complete natures, fully divine and fully human, united without confusion, change, division, or separation

Christological Heresies

Docetism, Adoptionism, Arianism, Nestorianism

year of the council of Nicaea

325 AD

what was the council of Nicaea

the first ecumenical council, convened to address the Arian controversy and establish the Church’s orthodox understanding of Christ’s divinity

the council of Nicaea’s declarations about Christ

Jesus Christ is truly God, eternally begotten of the father, not created, and of the same divine essence as the father

why did Nicaea condemn Arius

Arius taught that the son was created and therefore not fully or eternally God

the council rejected this because it denied Christ’s full deity and undermined salvation

begotten

the son is eternally generated from the father, not created

his divine existence has no beginning, and he shares the father’s divine nature

homoousios

“of the same substance” or “of the same essence”

Jesus shares the exact same divine nature as the father

hypostatic union

the union of Christ’s two natures, divine and human, in one person

Jesus is fully God and fully man without either being confused, changed, divided, or separated

Virgin Birth

the miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, without a human biological father

Messiah

“anointed one”

refers to Jesus as God’s promised king and savior who fulfills Old Testament prophecies

Lord

master, ruler, and sovereign

also identifies Jesus with the divine lordship of God and affirms His authority over all creation

importance of the Virgin Birth

demonstrates God’s supernatural intervention in salvation, fulfills prophecy, affirms Jesus’ unique identity as the Son of God, and teaches that Jesus entered humanity without a human biological father

also supports the truth of incarnation

atonement

the work of Jesus through his life, death, and resurrection by which he deals with human sin in humanity’s place

Penal Substitution theory

Christ took the punishment deserved by sinners, satisfying God’s justice and bearing the penalty of sin in humanity’s place

Christus Victor theory

Christ defeated the powers of sin, death, and Satan through his death and resurrection, liberating humanity from their bondage

Ransom Theory

Christ’s death is understood as a ransom that frees humanity from slavery to sin and death

Christ gives his life to secure humanity’s liberation

Moral Influence theory

Christ’s life and death demonstrate God’s love and inspire people to repent, love God, and live transformed lives

Satisfaction Theory

Christ’s sacrifice satisfies the dishonor done to God by human sin and restores God’s honor and justice

associated especially with Anslem

Recapitulation Theory

Christ retraces and fulfills humanity’s history of disobedience through his obedient life, reversing adam’s failure and restoring humanity

associated with Irenaeus

Governmental Theory

Christ’s suffering demonstrates God’s justice and the seriousness of sin, allowing God to forgive sinners while maintaining His moral government

associated with Hugo Grotius

Council of Ephesus

431

formally condemned Pelagianism

Council of Orange

529

stated that God’s grace is given and available to all

smaller, regional council

Chalcedon Council

451

discussed how Jesus’ divine nature and human nature intersect

Jesus’ descent to Hades

after his death Christ descended to the realm of the dead

emphasizes that Jesus truly died and entered the condition of the dead

importance of Jesus’ resurrection

demonstrates Christ’s victory over sin and death

confirms his divine identity

validates his saving work

guarantees believers’ future resurrection

Ascension of Jesus

Jesus’ bodily departure from earth into heaven after his resurrection

he is exalted and reigns at the father’s right hand

Session of Christ

christ’s sitting at the right hand of the father

signifying his exaltation, authority, kingship, and completed redemptive work

Parousia

the second coming of Jesus at the end of the age to judge the living and the dead, complete salvation, and establish his kingdom fully

Pneumatology

the doctrine of the holy spirit

the theological study of the holy spirit, including his identity, deity, personhood, and work in creation, salvation, and the church

biblical evidence supporting the deity of the holy spirit

Acts 5:3-4 - Lying to the holy spirit is lying to god

1 Corinthians 3:16 - Believers are god’s temple because the spirit dwells in them

2 Corinthians 3:17 - “The Lord is the Spirit”

Psalm 139:7-8 - The spirit is omnipresent

1 Corinthians 2:10-11 - The spirit knows the depths of god

biblical evidence supporting the personhood of the holy spirit

John 14:26 - The spirit teaches

John 16:13 - The spirit guides and speaks

Acts 13:2 - The spirit gives commands

Ephesians 4:30 - the spirit can be grieved

1 Corinthians 12:11 - The spirit distributes gifts according to his will

the Holy Spirit is a person rather than a mere force

the spirit possesses personal attributes such as intellect, will, and emotion

he speaks, teaches, guides, commands, and can be grieved

these are characteristics of a personal being, not an impersonal force

the holy spirit is divine

scripture identifies the spirit as god, attributes divine characteristics to him, and describes him performing divine works

the spirit is fully god, not a created being or lesser divine power

the original Nicene Creed of 325 statement about the holy spirit

it simply confessed belief “in the Holy Spirit” without the expanded explanation of his identity and divine status

Nicene Creed of 381 additions about the holy spirit

confessed the Holy Spirit as Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the father, is worshipped and glorified with the father and son, and spoke through the prophets

why was the Nicene Creed expanded in 381

to clarify and defend the full deity of the holy spirit against teachings that denied or diminished his divine status, particularly those associated with the Pneumatomachians

five truths the Nicene Creed confesses about the Holy Spirit

the holy spirit is lord

the holy spirit is the giver of life

the holy spirit proceeds from the father

the holy spirit is worshipped and glorified with the father and the son

the holy spirit spoke through the prophets

“Lord and giver of life”

the holy spirit is fully divine and the source of spiritual life

he gives life, sustains it, and participates in God’s work of creation and salvation

“proceeds from the Father”

the holy spirit eternally proceeds from the father, describing his eternal relationship within the trinity

this is distinct from being created

“worshipped and glorified with the father and son”

the holy spirit is equally divine with the father and son and deserves the same worship, honor, and glory

he is not inferior to either

“spoke through the prophets”

the holy spirit inspired the prophets to communicate god’s revelation and truth, demonstrating his divine authority and work in scripture

the Cappadocian Fathers

Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Gregory of Nyssa

influential fourth-century theologians who defended the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity and the full deity of the Holy Spirit

contribution of Basil the Great to Pneumatology

defended the divinity of the Holy Spirit in his work “On the Holy Spirit”

he argued that the spirit shares divine glory and worship with the father and son

Gregory of Nazianzus’ contribution to Pneumatology

strongly defended the full deity of the Holy Spirit, declaring that the Spirit is truly God and belongs within the Trinity

he helped establish the theological language used to describe the Spirit’s divine nature

Gregory of Nyssa’s contribution to Pneumatology

defended the unity and equality of the Trinity and helped explain how the father, son, and holy spirit are distinct persons sharing one divine essence

major contribution of the Cappadocian Fathers to the doctrine of the trinity

they helped clarify the distinction between one divine essence and three distinct persons: father, son, and holy spirit

defended the full deity of the Holy Spirit and helped establish the orthodox trinitarian understanding affirmed at Constantinople in 381