Systematic Theology Part 12

The four characteristics of scripture, or it's Necessity.

Why is the Bible necessary, what can people know about God without the Bible?

Wayne Grudem asks some really vital questions here in this chapter: Do we need the Bible to konw that God exists, we are sinners, how we can be saved, or God's will for our lives??

This brings up all those scenarios...what about the guy in the jungle who never got to hear about God or get a Bible?

Romans 10:13-17 says "how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?" and also "faith comes from what is heard."



Grudem summarized this text with a very sober reminder; without hearing the preaching of the gospel of Christ, no one can be saved.

John 3:18, "He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does NOT believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."  wow.

The Bible claims an exclusivity of salvation through Christ (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 Tim 2:5-6).

If people can only be saved by trusting in the gospel of Christ, what about people from the old Testament? They could stand on a forward looking faith in the promise of the Messiah.

From the time of Adam and Eve onwards, people were given knowledge and guidance through words which became more and more specific regarding the question of who God is and how to follow him.

Matthew 4:4, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

If God's word did not exist, we could not with certainty know God's will reliably, in a "fallen world where sin distorts our perception of right and wrong, brings faulty reasoning into our thinking process, and causes us to suppress from time to time the testimony of our consciences."

God, who knows all the facts of the universe, and never lies, has given us an anchor in this life with the facts and words that he has put in the Bible.

People who have never read or gotten a Bible can know about God's existence.  Psalm 19:1, The heavens are telling the glory of God."

Even the wicked, according to Romans 1:19-20, have plainly and clearly percieved the things that God has made, yet they choose to ignore and suppress that knowledge.

Grudem goes on that the conscience of unbelieves bears witness to God's moral standards in a "general revelation." This is in contrast with "special revelation," or Gods specific words through personal address to individuals in the Bible.

Unbelievers know that God exists and that they have broken his standards, so the news that Christ died to pay for their sins should truly come as Good News for them.

Even if a person goes on to speculate that God somehow must have paid the penalty for their sins, this is not grounds for saving faith without the confirmation of God through his revelationm, i.e. the word of God.

Do you know of anyone who has become a Christian without reading the Bible or knowing what the Bible said?

What is the primary task of an evangelistic missionary?

Systematic Theology Part 11

The four characteristics of Scripture:  Clarity (Pages 105 -115)

Some parts of the Bible are easy to understand....and some are not.


"So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters.  there are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures."  2 Peter 3:15-16

But most things are clear and easy to understand in the Bible.



As lay Christians, we should obey what Moses says of the scriptures, and "teach them diligently to your children, talk of them when you sit in your house," Deutoronomy 6:6-7

It was never assumed that Christians should just listen to or memorize scripture, but rather that they should delve into scripture!

"The clarity of Scripture means that the Bible is written in such a way that its teachings are able to be understood by all who will read it seeking God's help and being willing to follow it."

Why do people misunderstand scripture?

"There were also times when this was due to their own lack of faith or hardness of heart."

IN order to help people avoid making mistakes in interpreting Scripture, many Bible teachers have developed "principles of interpretation" or guidelines to encourage growth in the skill of proper interpretation.  (i.e. hermeneutics and exegesis)



We believers will not agree on all the teachings of Scripture, but keep in mind:

"THE PROBLEM always lies not with Scripture but with ourselves."

Sometimes, "we are seeking to make affirmations where Scripture itself is silent."

And on the other hand, "it is possible that we have made mistakes in our interpretation of Scripture."

Despite our disagreements, "we must not forget that there has been an amazing amount of doctrinal agreement on the most central truths of Scripture throughout the history of the church."

Closing questions from Wayne Grudem:
1. If the scripture has so much clarity, why does there seem to be so much disagreement among Christians about the teaching of the Bible?
2.  What would happen to the church if most people gave up reading the bible for themselves and only listened to teachers?  Do we already do this?

Systematic Theology part 10

The Inerrancy of Scripture: (pages 90-104)

What does it mean that scripture is inerrant?

"The inerrancy of Scripture means that Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact."

i.e. the Bible always tells the truth. 

When we say we live about a mile from our school, we are telling the truth even if we actually live precisely 1.284 miles away.  The same goes for the Bible in terms of preciseness.

Inerrancy has to do with truthfulness, not with the degree of precision with which events are reported.

People often retort that the Bible is only authoritative for "Faith and Practice," and not for scientific facts or historical details.

However, that is a slippery slope of saying that we humans know better than God and he is wrong in this and that issue. 



The Bible repeats a lot that all scripture is true, pure, perfect, etc.  (2 Tim 3:16, Psalm 12:6, Psalm 119:96, Proverbs 30:5)

The Disciples in the New Testament were quick to believe so many details historically from the Old Testament, which should lead us to also not just believe what is useful for "faith and practice" but also everything written in the scriptures.

"It is better to say that the whole purpose of Scripture is to say everything it does say, on whatever subject.  Every one of God's words in Scripture was deemed by him to be important for us."

"Everything in scripture is there because God intended it to be there: God does not say anything unintentionally!"



Next argument: 
"We have no Inerrant manuscripts, therefore talk about an inerrant Bible is misleading." 

But in 99 percent of the time, even if we don't have the original letters written by Moses, Paul, or Peter, we have confidence in what they said.  And if there was some variation in manuscripts, that is clearly written in Bibles.

"If we have mistakes in the copies, (as we do), then these are only the mistakes of men. But if we have mistakes in the original manuscripts, then we are forced to say not only that men have made mistakes, but that God himself made a mistake and spoke falsely. This we cannot do."

Another argument: "The Biblical writers "accomodated" their messages in minor details to to the false ideas current in their day, and affirmed or taught those ideas in an incidental way." 

i.e. the argument says that probably the disciples or old testament prophets made some cultural lies as they were writing because otherwise their message wouldn't be accepted.

This would mean that God is acting contrary to his character as an "unlying God." And hello, God is the Lord of the human language, he can surely find a way to speak to people over the span of time in a way that is truthful.  Truth always rings true...always.

"THIS OBJECTION, thus at root misunderstands the purity and unity of God as they affect all of his words and deeds."  Wow.

Paul says we should put away falsehood and speak the truth with one another.  If indeed God had intentionally allowed falsehoods in order to enhance communication, then we have a big problem.  Should we then do that too in our daily lives?

Next argument:  There are some clear errors in the Bible. 

Please show me where such errors are.  IF we believe that the Bible is indeed inerrant, we should be eager and certainly not afraid to inspect these texts in minute detail.   Read the text in context, read commentaries on the issue, and often in turns out that there is a solution to the difficulty.

Often we don't have the tools to read the text and understand it to see that indeed it is not an inerrancy but a misunderstanding on our part.

If we deny inerrancy:

1. we have a serious moral problem: may we imitate God and intentionally lie in small matters also?

2.  Can we really trust God in anything he says?

3.  we make our own human minds a higher standard of truth than God's word itself.

4.  If we deny inerrancy, then we must also say the Bible is wrong not only in minor details but also in some of it's doctrines as well. (i.e. reliability of God's word and his truthfulness.)

Some interesting closing questions: 
1. How can Jehovah's witnesses say that the Bible is inerrant while they themselves have so many false teachings?
2. Should belief in inerrancy be a requirement for holding church office, membership, teaching?

Voddie and Stuart visiting Gothenburg!

Here are a few photos from our summer conference guests, Voddie Baucham and Stuart Brogden.  Go see Voddie's sermons here:   http://gibk.se/sample-page/predikningar/?preacher=18

And while I'm at it, this is a perfect chance to point out some of the historical theological points of interest from our neck of the woods:
1. Let's start with this statue, in memory of some of the first baptist "believer's baptisms" that took part against the law in Vallersvik (see below for more details).  Imagine those first Baptists, voluntarily jumping in a VERY cold sea (late September) to be baptized, ready to count the cost....

2.  Here is the site where those newly baptized went, that same day in 1848, to recieve teaching, have their first communion, and make F.O. Nilsson a deacon.  Borekulla stugan was used for a long time as the place of the first Baptist church services. 

The sea and beach are just to the right...

Daniel as tour guide...

 And now some photos from GIBK's summer conference with Voddie Baucham.  GIBK, the little church plant that would grow similarly with F.O. Nilsson in the solidly biblical Swedish Baptist church that existed back in the 1800's.

Lots of discussion...

Stuart, the expert bookseller. 

Voddie's spanish came in useful in Sweden too!

A portion of the group at the conference. 

Historical Details:
1. http://www.pietisten.org/xxvi/1/nilsson.html "...The following year, Nilsson invited the Danish Baptist pastor A.P. Förster to his native province of Halland, where Förster baptized Nilsson’s wife, two of his brothers, and two other men in the sea at Vallersvik on September 21, 1848. Förster quietly returned to Denmark, leaving the six Swedes to organize their country’s first Baptist congregation. Nilsson would soon make a trip to Hamburg to be formally ordained as a Baptist minister. By the spring of 1849, the little Swedish Baptist church had 35 members. The following year, Nilsson encountered the aforementioned mob and subsequently was tried and sentenced to banishment for spreading false dogma. In 1851, he applied directly to the king for mercy, but King Oscar I would not lift the sentence. Nilsson went to Copenhagen in exile. Given his numerous international connections, it is perhaps not surprising that Nilsson’s banishment received international press attention, much of it brimming with criticism of the Swedish government."

2  http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredrik_Olaus_Nilsson."Den 21 september 1848 döptes Nilssons hustru, hans två bröder och ett par andra personer av den danske baptistpredikanten A.P. Förster vid Vallersvik i Frillesås (i nuvarande Kungsbacka kommun). Samma kväll bildades Sveriges baptistförsamling i Borekulla-stugan i Landa socken strax norr om Frillesås samhälle (en slags Borekulla-stugan-replika finns i området och tillhörVallersvik-anläggningen)." 

3. http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sveriges_baptistf%C3%B6rsamling  "På nyårsaftonen samma år döpte Nilsson ytterligare fyra män i Göta älvs mynning (vid Käringberget). Under vintern ökade skaran av döpta. I mars 1849 skrev Nilsson, i ett brev till pastor Ira R. Steward i New York: ”Vi är nu 28, märk 28 troende och döpta i Sverige".

Systematic Theology part 9

Do we really trust and obey God's word?  Here is some more from Chapter 4 of Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology.

"...To disbelieve or disobey ANY word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey GOD himself."

"Throughout the history of the church, the greatest preachers have been those who have recognized that they have no authority in themselves and have seen their task as being to explain the words of Scripture and apply them clearly to the lives of their hearers."

"Essentially, they stood in the pulpit, pointed to the biblical text, and said in effect to the congregation, "this is what this verse means.  Do you see that meaning here as well?  Then you must believe it and obey it with all your heart, for God himself, your Creator and your Lord, is saying this to you today!"

Truthfulness of Scripture:

Titus 1:2 speaks of "God who never lies," and thus we can trust his whole word.

2 Samuel 7:28, David says to God, "You are God, and your words are true..."

Therefore all the words in Scripture are completely true and without error in any part.

AND, God's words are the ultimate standard of truth...

Jesus prays in John 17, "Sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth."  Jesus doesn't use the word, "your word is true", but rather that God's word is TRUTH itself.  The Bible is the final standard of Truth.

God, who knew past, present and future, can therefore know and write the Bible in such a way that no "fact" that appears in the future can contradict scripture.   But, we might have to re-examine Scripture to see if it really teaches what we though it taught.

Written scripture is our final authority.  It is important to look at the context of what the writers were writing in the Bible, but to never put words in their mouths that they didn"t actually say.

Good questions from Wayne Grudem:
1.  Who would try to make people want to disbelieve something in Scripture???
2.  Is there anything in the Bible that you do not want to believe? Or Obey?
3.  Do you think that trusting and obeying everything that Scripture affirms will ever lead you into sin or away from God's blessing in your life?

Next time...the Inerrancy of Scripture.

Vackert Bergsjön

Har kommer några bilder från våran kyrkans Gudstjänst ut på Bergsjön sjön.

Voddie Baucham is coming to Gothenburg!

In a week's time, Dr. Voddie Baucham will be coming as our guest speaker at a conference here in Gothenburg, Sweden.

There are still a few places for those interested in coming.  And below are some clips from Dr. Baucham which I have particularly enjoyed:

Adapting to the culture...or Not.  
http://youtu.be/COPZrKskSZA

Voddie Baucham on CNN, no Compromise.
http://youtu.be/jmHwHF1A1Do

The consequences of feminism
http://youtu.be/fX8KWSuEhIc

Love and Marriage (part 1)
http://youtu.be/chAvBs5Fexw

Contact us at daniel.noren@gibk.se if you would like to come as Gothenburg International Baptist Church hosts Voddie Baucham for a two day conference,  July 27 - 28, 2013.

Systematic Theology, Part 8

Chapter 4, The four characteristics of Scripture:  (1) Authority.

How do we know that the Bible is God's word?

This chapter will be dealing with the question of Biblical authority in such a way that, as Grudem says,
"What does the whole Bible teach us about itself?"  It's not what Grudem teaches us, or what we want the Bible to say about a topic, but in fact, what does the Bible teach about itself?

Grudem hits on a big problem in culture these days, when he says:

"....Authority of scripture means that all the words in scripture are God's word in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey ANY word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey GOD."

Now, Grudem mentions that all the words in scripture are God's words, and confirms that through:

1. This is what the Bible claims for itself.  Hundreds of times, there is a phrase, "Thus says the Lord," in the Old Testament.

2.  Then Grudem points out that in the New Testament, it is written, "All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness." This verse refers to the Old Testament.

3.  Then we look at 2 Peter 1:21, For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 

There are many verses pointing to a pattern of attributing to God the words of the Old Testament Scripture.  Go read the book if you want all the verses!

What about New Testament scripture?

In two places in the New Testament, we see New Testament writings also being called, "scripture" in 2 Peter 3:16, and 1 Tim 5:18. 

So in 1 Corinthians 14:37, Paul says, "What I am writing to you is a command of the Lord,"  thus adding to the strength of the New Testament words as God's words. 

BUT.  Paul does say, in 1 Cor. 7:12, "To the rest I say, not the Lord..."  So he is giving his own opinion on an issue, and pointing out clearly that this is not an "inspired" issue. 

Ok ok, so Grudem points out how the Bible claims to be God's words.  Are we convinced of it? 

Grudem says, our conviction that the words of the Bible are God's words come only when the Holy Spirit speaks IN and THROUGH the words of the Bible to our hearts and gives us an inner assurance that these are the words of our Creator speaking to us. 

This goes right along with John 10:27, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." 

In addition to all of this, it is helpful to know that the Bible is historically accurate, internally consistent, containing prophecies which are fulfilled hundreds of years later,  it has influenced the course of human history more than any other book, etc.

Grudem notes very interestingly, that the words of scripture are "Self attesting."  The Bible is the highest authority, and if you tried to appeal to historical accuracy or logical consistency, then you are making the Bible to be less than highest or most absolute. 

God used a wide variety of processes to bring forth his words in the Bible. 

Sometimes, God dictated directly, both in Old and New Testament. 

And on the other end of the spectrum: 

Hebrews 1:1 says that God spoke to our fathers by the prophets "in many and various ways."  Luke, for example gives an "orderly account," which was more or less a gathering of historical data.

Think about it this way, says Grudem (summarized):  God made the men who wrote in the Bible exactly how he wanted them to be, personality and all, so that when they put pen to paper, the words were fully their words but also fully the words that God wanted them to write, words that God would also claim as his own. 

Grattis Vera

Grattis på födelsedagen, lilla Vera!

Det är alltid roligt att var med ut i Horred...

 Vem säger att de minsta få inte också få ett sån hat?

 Födelsedagsbarnet.

 

 Alla är samlad och redo att äta tårta!

 "Det dar ser gott ut!"

Romabrevet 12:9-10,  Älska varandra uppriktigt. Avsky det onda, håll fast vid det goda. 10 Var innerligt tillgivna varandra i broderlig kärlek. Överträffa varandra i ömsesidig hedersbevisning.

Några bilder från Kviberg och påsk förberedelse idag...

Det är alltid en glädje att kunna dela ut Biblar på Kvibergs Marknad.  

Idag var det också lite påsk förberedelse, bakning och pyssla. 

Vi började att göra lite fågelbo kakor, tack vare några lilla hjälpare.  

De var bara glad att kunna hjälpa och smacka på godisar för att kontrollera att de var okej. 

 Sen blev det en Svensk rulltårta som ser ut som en ägg....jag fick ingen bilder och nu är de alla borta, så har kan du ser i alla fall hur de sa ut.

Sen blev det en Jesus påskgrav i en kruka....med frön på som ska växa lagom till påsk.

 Man kan inte var Svensk och samla utan fika!

Tack för idag!

Han var genomborrad för våra överträdelsers skull, slagen för våra missgärningars skull. Straffet var lagt på honom för att vi skulle få frid, och genom hans sår är vi helade.  Jes 53:5

 Men han sade till dem: "Var inte förskräckta! Ni söker Jesus från Nasaret, den korsfäste. Han är uppstånden, han är inte här. Se, här är platsen där de lade honom. Markus 16:6

 Jesus sade: "Jag är uppståndelsen och livet. Den som tror på mig skall leva om han än dör, 26 och var och en som lever och tror på mig skall aldrig någonsin dö. Johannes 11:25