Full Guide - Theology Survey I Study...

© 2005 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminaryi

TheologyMatters

Part Two

W h a t C h r i s t i a n s Be l i e v e a n d W h y I t M a t t e r s

L e c t u r e s b y D r . D a v i d W e l l s

© 2005 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminaryii

Theology Mat ters Par t Two

About the Ockenga Institute and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary:Established in 1985, the Ockenga Institute exists to make the rich educational resources of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary available to Christian leaders throughout the world. Through our various centers and programs, we serve as the research and continuing education arm of the school, seeking to build Christian leaders for the Church of Jesus Christ, present and future.

Contact us:Dimensions of the FaithOckenga Institute of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary130 Essex StreetSouth Hamilton, MA 01982tel: 1-800-294-2774email: [email protected]: http://www.gordonconwell.edu/ockenga/dimensions/

Copyright:Copyright © 2005 Gordon-Conwell Theological SeminaryAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Printed in the USA.

Acknowledgements:Curriculum Design and Developer : David HornProject Administrator : Dana OlsonProject Editor : Karen SteinkrausNotebook Writer and Designer : Dénes HouseCopy Editor: Kurt SteinkrausAudio Editors : Kevin Yiu and Tae-Jin KimGraphic Design : Ashli Newman

About the author:Dr. David Wells is the Andrew Mutch Distinguished Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. He was born in Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and became a Christian while studying at the University of Cape Town. He began teaching at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 1969 and joined the faculty of Gordon-Conwell in 1979. He has authored or edited more than sixteen books and has served as a member of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization. He is an ordained Congregational minister.

Dr. Wells and his wife, Jane, live on Whipple Road in South Hamilton, Massachusetts.

© 2005 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminaryiii

What Chr is t ians Bel ieve and Why I t Mat ters

Preface:

The Dimensions of the Faith series is developed with the firm conviction that a life of faith and obedience in Jesus Christ is based upon a working knowledge of Godʼs word. You cannot obey what you do not know.

For this reason, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary has developed the Dimensions of the Faith series for any Christian who desires foundational knowledge in the areas of Old and New Testament, Biblical Interpretation, Church History, Theology, and Missions. The goals of each course are the following:

1. To paint the big picture of what you are learning;2. To provide you with the basic content;3. To introduce you to key words that will enlarge your capacity for knowing;4. To guide you to understand how greater knowledge of Godʼs word can be applied naturally

to everyday life and service;5. To direct you to valuable resources as Godʼs word whets your appetite for further study.

The Dimensions of the Faith series is designed to be used in a variety of settings. You may wish to use the materials as a resource for your own spiritual growth and enrichment. You may also wish to study the materials as a group. The series may be used as a leadership tool for churches or as a training tool on the mission field. We encourage those of you who are pastors to use the series with your ruling boards or your volunteer teaching staffs. A certificate is available for those who complete all six subject areas of the Dimensions of the Faith series.

In addition to the notebook and tape/CD version you currently own, you may listen to the lectures on the Gordon-Conwell website: http://www.gordonconwell.edu/ockenga/dimensions/. The variety of formats will allow greater flexibility in the use of this material.

For more information about the Dimensions of the Faith series, please contact us by postal mail at the Ockenga Institute, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Massachusetts 01982, or email us at [email protected].

We pray that God will use this series as a powerful tool for expanding your knowledge of God and Godʼs word so that you may be able to share the good news throughout the world.

© 2005 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminaryiv

About the Study and Workbook Guide:

The following study guide is designed as a scratch notepad to be used as you listen to the accompanying taped lectures. You may have noticed that we have used the drawings of Leonardo Da Vinci as a motif for our materials. Just as Da Vinci sketched out his ideas in the process of creating a final painting, so we invite you to sketch out your own thoughts in the notebook while you listen to the lectures. Each chapter includes valuable information and questions for you to ponder while you listen. Use the designated blank spaces and margins as your opportunity to interact with what you are learning.

To guide you through the materials, we have provided you with a series of icons. We do so under the firm conviction that a fuller knowledge of God and his word requires expanding your horizons in all directions.

Breadth of Biblical Knowledge: Grasp the big picture, from A to Z.SCOPE

Width of Biblical Knowledge: Expand your understanding by enlarging your vocabulary.

DEFINITION

Height of Biblical Knowledge: Grow in your knowledge of the basic content of Scripture, theology, church history, and culture.

BASIC CONTENT

Length of Biblical Knowledge: Stretch yourself to obedience and service through correct understanding.

APPLICATION FOR SERVICE

Depth of Biblical Knowledge: Use these resources to grow deeper.QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY

© 2005 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminaryv

Everything OLD is NEW Again! 1

The Kingdom and Its King 5

Who Is This King of Glory? 8

Our Human High Priest 12

Who Do You Say that I Am? 15

Luther 19

For Us and For Our Salvation 23

Justification 26

Turn Around! 29

Reborn 32

Called to Be Saints 35

Perfection 38

The Company of the Redeemed 41

Leadership in the Church 44

Our Hope Is Built 48

Table of Contents

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

© 2005 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminaryvi

TheologyMatters

Part Two

W h a t C h r i s t i a n s Be l i e v e a n d W h y I t M a t t e r s

© 2005 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary1

Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture One

Notes_____A fugue is a powerful type of musical composition that gains much of its beauty from the basic structure that all fugues must follow. It starts out with the statement of a musical theme—a series of notes arranged creatively—played by the entire orchestra. Then, it moves into a series of variations, played by the various groups of instruments in the piece, with each variation taking the main theme apart in a different way. The fugue concludes with a coda, a grand restatement of the theme played again by the entire orchestra that now takes into account all the variations explored along the way. The coda is a big, satisfying, rousing ending to the fugue, pulling all the strands of the piece together in such a way that the whole becomes greater than simply the sum of its parts.

In this lecture Dr. Wells prepares us for our study of the person and work of Christ by examining some of the majestic themes of the Old Testament, and he describes how the New Testament picks up these same themes and repeats them on a grander scale. How the New Testament elaborates on the Old is a thrilling study, and you will be excited by this introduction.

“So [with The Jesus Seminar] we end up with five gospels and no Christ.”

atonement—the action of Christ on the cross, in which he paid the price for our sins

Christology—the study of the person and work of Jesus Christ

synoptics—the three Gospels that largely cover parallel material in the life of Christ: Matthew, Mark, and Luke

typology—the field of study in which the Old Testament is seen as prefiguring the New, and where Old Testament events and characters serve as historical templates for events and characters in the New; in typology, the OT element is known as a type, while the corresponding NT element is called an anti-type


eschatology—the study of “last things,” such as death, judgment, and the return of Christ

pre-millenialism—a school of eschatalogical thought also known as chiliasm which argues that Jesus will return bodily to earth before he reigns for 1,000 literal years of peace, and that this reign will occur before the judgment

CONFESSION

REFLECTION CULTIVATION

Dr. Wells’s Triangle Diagram

Notes_____

What Old Testament assumption about the character of Godʼs actions in history is fundamental to understanding the world into which Jesus came?

How did the prophets expect that God would act in their future?

When the New Testament writers talk about the Kingdom of God, what do they have in mind? How does Paul describe the same idea?

What are the two worlds that Christians inhabit simultaneously?

Theology Mat ters , Par t Two


Every th ing OLD Is NEW Again!

How does Dr. Wells counsel us to take care when using typology?

In what ways are the following Old Testament elements seen as types of Christ?

Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15-18; c.f. John 1:21; 6:14; 7:40)

The Exodus

David (2 Samuel 7; Jeremiah 23:5; Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2)

The Temple (Ezekiel 10:18-19; Ezekiel 40-48; c.f. 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Peter 2:5)

The Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; c.f. 2 Corinthians 3:7-11)

“In the prophets, we increasingly see a hope arising, that in the future God is going to act in the same way that he has in the past … and yet it is going to be just much more glorious.”

Notes_____

How has the attention given to the work of the Jesus Seminar impacted your life and ministry?

What has been your experience with the Old Testament?


Look back on your answers to the last series of height questions above. How are you encouraged by the light shed on Jesusʼ person and work, as seen through the lens of those types?

“The Old Testament believers took great … nourishment from their history. Because their history is telling them about who God is.”

I’d like to read some refutations of the Jesus Seminar’s widely publicized skeptical treatment of the Gospels. What books should I read?

Ben Witherington III, The Jesus Quest. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1997.N.T. Wright, The Challenge of Jesus. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1999.

How do the stories of the Old Testament shed light on Jesus and his mission?

Walter C. Kaiser, Toward an Old Testament Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991.



Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture Two

Notes_____In the 1999 film, The Matrix, the hero, a man named Neo, discovers that he has been living his life in a fantasy world—an alternate reality created by machines who are attempting to pacify and enslave humanity—and that only by living in the real world can he hope to bring an end to the dominion of the machines and free the human race. The world of the Matrix has many parallels to the situation presented in the Bible. Though human beings were created to live in a world of perfection, our sin—enticed by humanityʼs great enemy, Satan—has plunged us into a warped alternate reality. Only by switching allegiances from the “kingdom of this world” to the “kingdom of our Lord” through the work of Jesus Christ can human beings find peace with God and a life of eternal freedom. For now, both kingdoms exist simultaneously. But there will come a time when Jesus again steps into history and at last obliterates the kingdom of the Evil One.

In this lecture, Dr. Wells walks through the picture that the New Testament paints of these two warring kingdoms and of the King in whom all believers can find their true hope.

Chalcedonian Definition—a product of the Council of Chalcedon (451 A.D.) that helps believers to think through the Bible’s teaching on the mystery of the incarnation; it is explored in more depth in Lecture Five

How does Dr. Wells categorize the language used to describe Godʼs rule… …in the Synoptic gospels?


Notes_____Theology Mat ters , Par t Two

“[The real opponents of God’s Kingdom are] not merely human opponents, [they are] the dark powers behind those opponents. When the Kingdom of God comes by the power of God, the forces of darkness are thrown into disarray.”

…in the Gospel of John?

…in the writings of Paul?

What are some of the verbs that the Synoptics use to describe a Christianʼs actions with regard to the Kingdom of God? Can we establish the Kingdom?

What kingdom is the antithesis to the Kingdom of God? What is its current status?

When John writes about moving from death to life, what is the “double contrast” Dr. Wells points out? Why is this important?

What Pauline phrase ties together the picture of Godʼs reign as painted in all four Gospels?

Diagram: The Kingdom of God

this age the age to come

this age (the world)

the age to come (Kingdom of God)

The Jewish hope Paul’s rearrangement

How does Christ rescue us from the kingdom of this world?


The Kingdom and I t s K ing

Notes_____

“So what we really have in John is the very most fundamental statement of the missionary character of God. God the Father was the one who sent his Son into the world.”

In what way is the Christology of the Synoptic Gospels implicit?

In what way is the Christology of Johnʼs Gospel explicit?

Think through the verbs describing a Christianʼs relationship with Godʼs Kingdom Come. How might applying those verbs to your life impact the way you live?

If Christians cannot establish Godʼs Kingdom on earth, i.e., if that is what Christ will do at His return, in what capacity can we be involved in the Kingdomʼs work now?

“We have been redeemed in full in as much as nothing can be added to what Christ did for us. But we know ourselves not to be fully redeemed. That’s the ambiguity of our Christian experience.”

I’d like to learn more about the imagery of God’s Kingdom in the New Testament. Are there any books that walk through it in detail?

Martin Lloyd-Jones, The Kingdom of God. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1992.


Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture Three

Notes_____ He was so young, this assistant pastor. He was young and vital, and so full of energy and potential, that there was obviously so much more for him to do for Christ, and yet leukemia was eating away at his bones and his life. His church prayed for his recovery, and they believed that he would get well. They believed that this illness would not lead to his death, and yet here was his body, dressed neatly in his best suit, lying in a casket in the funeral home. With tears in their eyes, his parishoners stared at each other, every glance haunted by the same question: Why? How could God be glorified in this death? The question shook everyone.

Life is full of circumstances we just donʼt understand. In this lecture, Dr. Wells argues that who Jesus is and what he has done point to the ultimate purpose of all existence. Dr. Wells reminds us that in his sovereignty, the Lord has appointed a time and a season for every person, every plan, and every nation.

“All that came in the Old Testament has now come to its completion in the Son.” rubric—a classification scheme

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.” (Heb. 1:1-4, NIV)


Who Is This K ing of Glory?

Notes_____

“[Christ] surrendered every manifestation of his glory that was inconsistent with the role of a servant.”

What is the contrast that Paul is making between “the past” in v. 1 and “these last days” in v. 2?

Dr. Wells points out that this contrast is developed in terms of time, method, and agent. What does he mean by this?

time -

method -

agent -

How are Christʼs three chief offices seen in verses 2 and 3?

prophet -

priest -

king -

Looking at who Christ is in himself, how does Dr. Wells expand on the following phrases?

the radiance of Godʼs glory and the exact representation of his being -

the heir of all things -



Referring to Philippians 2:6-7, Dr. Wells does not believe that Christ emptied himself of his divine attributes in the incarnation. According to Dr. Wells, what did Christ empty himself of?

Looking at what Christ does, Dr. Wells points out that Christ is the creator, sustainer, and redeemer of all things. What significance does Dr. Wells attach to Christʼs sustaining role?

Notes_____

“It really is a mistake to think that God is only glorified when we have all of our health and as much wealth as we can get our hands on.”

If lifeʼs vicissitudes cause us to doubt the goodness of God, how can reflection on Hebrews 1:3 sustain us?

Dr. Wells points out that “there is no civilization that has been eternal.” How might an awareness of Christʼs sovereignty over every nation affect the way we live as citizens on this earth?

Perhaps you have heard someone say that true Christians, with pure faith, will always be healthy and wealthy. Perhaps you have believed it yourself. How might you use the content of this lecture to respond to such a claim?


Who Is This K ing of Glory?

I’d like to look more in-depth at who Christ is in himself and what he has done in this world. Can you recommend some books that would help?

Donald MacLeod, The Person of Christ. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1998.Robert Lethem, The Work of Christ. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1993.

Notes_____


Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture Four

Notes_____It is tough when your loved one has to go under the knife of a surgeon. Something is wrong with her body, and thereʼs always the risk—however remote—that she might not make it through. She might die, or become incapacitated as a result of complications due to surgery. For this reason, many people preparing for surgery choose to confer on a trusted family member or friend their “power of attorney.” Power of attorney gives another person the permission to make decisions on her behalf, should she become incapacitated. Her loved one has the right to enter into contracts on her behalf, to sign her name to important documents, to pay her bills, and to make decisions about her care. They have the ability to stand in her place.

It is not exactly the same thing, but it is a decent modern analogy for the relationship that enables Jesus to suffer and die on your behalf. He goes before God and serves as your representative in all matters. When Christ enters into a contract, you are bound by it. When Christ pays off your bill, you no longer carry the debt. Christ represents you. But how can God the Son legitimately stand in your place before the throne? In this lecture, Dr. Wells shows how Christʼs full humanity enables him to represent all those who have entrusted themselves to his care.

In this lecture, Dr. Wells cites:

Malcolm Muggeridge, Jesus, the Man Who Lives. HarperSanFrancisco, Reprint edition: 1976.

hesed—one of the most majestic words in Hebrew, often translated “steadfast love” or “lovingkindness” or “mercy’” but no English word can capture its full meaning


Our Human High Pr ies t

Notes_____

Paul’s references to elements of Jesus’ human life:

Descended from Abraham and David Galatians 3:16; Romans 1:3Was born of a woman Galatians 4:4Lived under the law Galatians 4:4Was betrayed 1 Corinthians 11:23-25Appeared before Pilate 1 Timothy 6:13Was crucified Galatians 3:1Was buried and rose from the dead 1 Corinthians 15:45; 2 Timothy 2:8Ascended into heaven Ephesians 4:8

“[The Incarnation] is the sign to look for that God is about to act. He is about to act in an unprecedented fashion, in its greatness.”

Dr. Wells doesnʼt like the term “virgin birth.” Why not, and what term would he use in its place?

What is the significance of the word “overshadowing” in the conception narrative?

Refer to Hebrews 4:14-5:10 as Dr. Wells walks you through it. In what ways is Jesus “great”?

Why was the concept of a sympathetic God, a High Priest who can identify with humanity, so scandalous in Jesusʼ time?

Ephesians 2:1-3 breaks down our sources of temptation into three categories: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Which of these sources tempted Jesus to sin, and which did not? Why?

“And if we can see his greatness in this passage, there is no greater encouragement to us in the times of our trial, and there is no greater incentive to our prayer, and there is no greater provocation – if that’s the right word – to our ongoing, persevering prayer.”


Hebrews 5:1-10 lists two essential characteristics for human high priests. What are they, and how did Jesus fulfill them?

How does Dr. Wells understand the reference in Hebrews 5:8-9 to Jesus learning obedience and being made perfect?


Given that Jesus is great and can identify with us as tempted human beings, what does Hebrews 4:14-16 say we should do?

Many people err on one side or the other of this command, either approaching God timidly (if at all), or approaching God with a sense of entitlement. Which error are you more prone to? How does what you have learned in this lecture help you to avoid this error?

“In his humanity, Jesus takes up the thread where Adam has dropped it. Christ is born sinless, and he is subjected to all of the afflictions and temptations and possible wrong turns that are part and parcel of life. But he doesn’t yield. And so what we see in his humanity is everything that God had intended Adam would become, but yet he never did.”

Since Jesus is our “Great High Priest”, I’d like to know more about the role of the high priest in the Old Testament. Can you suggest a book that could teach me more?

William LaSor, Old Testamtent Survey. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1996.


Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture Five

Notes_____The room was unfinished, red brick and rough mortar, open to the elements, and coated with the dust that suffused the air. But in those rude surroundings, a fine distinction was being made. A team of American seminarians was in India to help teach basic Christian doctrine to men and women who would, in a few monthsʼ time, carry the gospel to Indiaʼs unreached northern regions. Sarah was teaching about the person of Christ. She gave one student two bottles, a small one filled with oil, and a larger one half-filled with water. He poured the oil into the water, with predictable results: the two substances could not mix. “This is a wrong picture of the two natures of Christ,” Sarah said. Then she gave another student a Pepsi and a small bottle of water. After he had poured them together, Sarah asked if he would like to drink the mixture, which he politely declined. The Pepsi was no longer palatable but was now weak and watery. “This, too, is a wrong picture of the two natures of Christ.”

Those Indian men and women had devoted their lives to the task of preaching the gospel where Christ is not known (Rom 15:20), well aware that many of them would be beaten and some killed for the sake of Jesus. They had only six months of training to prepare. Why spend their time on the two natures of Christ? Wasnʼt this just theological hair-splitting?

In this lecture, you will be introduced to the Chalcedonian Creed, a profound statement of the two natures of Christ, which states that the Son took on flesh “for us and for our salvation.” The Son took on flesh because only an incarnate God could stand in our place. The Son took on flesh because only an incarnate God could bear our suffering. The Son took on flesh because only an incarnate God could win the victory over sin and death on our behalf. And those young men and women, some heading to their deaths far from home, knew that this incarnate God would hold their lives in his nail-scarred hands.



Notes_____ Nicea—the site of the church council that in 325 A.D. formally declared the divinity of Christ in a creed

Chalcedonian Definition—the statement, from the Third Ecumenical Council in 451 A.D., that sets boundaries around the doctrine of the person of Christ

kenosis theory—an interpretation of Philippians 2:7 that states that Jesus gave up some of his divine attributes while here on earth

The Chalcedonian Definition:We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable soul and body; consubstantial with us according to his manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeable, indivisibly, inseparably, the distinction of the two natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one person and one subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons but one and the same Son and Only-begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; as the prophets from the beginning have declared concerning Him, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself has taught us, and the creed of the Holy Fathers has handed down to us.

“Birds beget birds. Rabbits beget rabbits. Cows beget calves. Like begets like. And it is different from creation language, because when something is created it is different. Birds beget birds, but birds make nests. Rabbits beget rabbits, but rabbits make warrens. Cows beget calves, but cows make messes.”

What does Dr. Wells mean by “the ditch” on either side of the road of Christology?


Notes_____Who Do You Say That I Am?

“Christ in the New Testament and today functions fully, without qualification, as God. So however the incarnation worked, I think we can say confidently that it has not affected his divinity because he holds the whole of creation together.”

As you walk through the Chalcedonian Definition with Dr. Wells, what phrases strike you as particularly helpful? Which phrases strike you as problematic?

What is the benefit of the “begotten” language? What is the problem?

Take a moment and reflect on the four central words of the Definition: “inconfusedly, unchangeable, indivisibly, inseparably.” What do those four words convey?

How can the Son be unchangeable if there was a time when he did not have a human nature?

What is the kenosis theory, and how does Dr. Wells respond to it?

Dr. Wells identifies two challenges for Christology in modern, Western culture. The first is the broadening religious diversity of the West. What challenges have you seen this broadening diversity pose? How might you use the material in this lecture to respond?



Notes_____The second challenge that Dr. Wells identifies is the movement in the West towards “spirituality” in contrast with “religion.” What genuine human longings underlie this trend? How is the Jesus of the Chalcedonian Definition a rebuke to that mentality?

How does the emergent search for spirituality leave the searcher with something to be desired, even at the end? How is Jesus the answer to that need?

I’m intrigued by the content of these great Creeds of the Church. Where can I learn more about them?

John H. Leith, Creeds of the Churches: A Reader in Christian Doctrine, from the Bible to the Present. Louisville, Ken.: Westminster John Knox Press, 1983.

For modern “creeds” – J.I. Packer and Thomas Oden (editors), One Faith. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2004.

How can I proclaim Christ boldly into contemporary culture?

Will McRaney, Jr., The Art of Personal Evangelism, Sharing Jesus in a Changing Culture. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2003.

“This really is the great conflict of our day. If we reduce…Christ simply to the one who makes us feel better…we’re going to have a hard time facing off against the spirituality which is in our culture… What we have to offer is a Christ who came publicly into this world, assumed our flesh, suffered the indignities of life, bore our sin, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, intercedes before the Father; a Christ whose gospel is universal and stands over against us and summons everybody to obedience. That’s the difference.”


Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture S ix

Notes_____“Fezzik, Fezzik, do you hear? That is the sound of ultimate suffering. My heart made that sound when Rugin slaughtered my father. The man in black makes it now.”“The man in black?”“His true love is marrying another tomorrow. So who else has the cause for ultimate suffering?”- Inigo Montoya and Fezzik the Giant, in The Princess Bride

In Western culture in the 21st century, it is difficult to imagine the kind of soul-killing despair that Martin Luther felt over his sinfulness before God. We medicate away any depressions that come even close. The closest most Westerners come to that kind of desolation is in disappointments over romantic relationships, as illustrated in the quote above. For Luther, ultimate suffering came from the knowledge that, to wipe his sins clean, he had to perform meritorious acts, and from the knowledge that all his good deeds did not add up to absolution. Trapped in a torture-chamber of certain doom, Lutherʼs hopelessness may have ultimately killed him, had not God intervened through the light of the Scriptures. In this lecture, Dr. Wells examines the life and thought of one of the most historically significant people to ever walk the planet. And Lutherʼs life, from the pit of despair to living happily ever after, can point us to the Truth that can set us free.

Johann Tetzel—the Dominican priest whose sale of indulgences in Wittenberg caused Luther to research the practice and preach against it

Katie van Bora—the nun who, influenced by Luther’s teaching, left the habit behind and eventually married him

John Staupitz—Martin Luther’s influential confessor

Duke Friedrich—Duke of Saxony and protector of Martin Luther


Notes_____

“Without Luther, there undoubtedly would have been a revolution, but with Luther it became a Reformation.”


Tertullian—the Church father who developed the theory of penance

Arius—a heretical pastor of the early Church who taught that Jesus was not eternally God

indulgences—the Catholic teaching that true repentence from sin is followed by deeds that show one’s repentence; purchasing an indulgence was considered a good work that served as penance, i.e., payment for one’s sins

What events led to Martin Luther taking vows to enter the priesthood?

What led to Lutherʼs internal despair?

In what way did Romans 1:17 play a pivotal role in Lutherʼs dilemma and its solution?

Describe the conflict between Luther and Johann Tetzel in your own words.

What did Tertullian mean when he wrote, “temporal mortification discharge[s] eternal punishment”?


Medieval view of salvation

works

Baptismal Grace

faith through the Church

Justification(being made righteous)

Luther’s view of salvation

Justification (being declared righteous)

by Grace

works

faith through the Word

Luther

In the Medieval view of salvation, what are the four steps towards being released from post-baptismal sins?

How did Lutherʼs thinking run counter to the Medieval view?

Notes_____

“When [Medieval Christians] looked into the past, they could see a token of God’s mercy in the cross. And when they looked into the present, they could receive Grace from the sacrament… But when they looked into the future, they had no hope, and they had no grace. That was Luther’s dilemma.”

Have you ever experienced a “soul-shaking despair” of the kind that Luther felt? Describe the experience that comes closest for you.

How do the story of Martin Luther and the biblical truths that he recovered help to shed light into your heartʼs dark places?

What is your response to the Medieval view of salvation?

In what ways do Lutherʼs views encourage you? In what ways do they challenge you? Disturb you?



I’d like to know more about Martin Luther. Any suggestions?

Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will. Grand Rapids: Revell, 1990.

Martin Luther, Table Talk. Gainesville, Fla.: Bridge-Logos Publishers, 2004.

Roland H. Bainton, Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther. New York: Plume Books, 1995.

Notes_____

“The law is what exposes you. It reveals you for what you are. And it cannot lift a finger to help you…. But it is the gospel that liberates you from what the law has revealed.”


Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture Seven

Notes_____“Can’t God just forgive and forget? Why did Jesus have to die?” The question is asked of Christians time and time again and can stump even the strongest believer—not because there is no answer, but because there are so many answers. Why did Jesus have to die? Let me count the reasons!

In this lecture, Dr. Wells breaks down the Bibleʼs answer to what Jesus was doing on the cross into six images and points out the special role that each biblical image has in illustrating the purpose and importance of the crucifixion. This is a tremendously powerful lecture that will help you in your own thinking, and in answering that age old and persistent question, “Why did Jesus have to die?”

“Never do we read that he lived for us, that he hungered for us, that he thirsted for us, that he was wearied for us, and that he was tempted for us...the accent falls on his death.”

Christus Victor—a view of Scripture that sees the death of Christ on the cross primarily as the supreme victory over the powers of death and hell, part of the cosmic conflict that has raged since Adam’s fall

Passages that state generally that Christ died for humanity:

Mark 10:45 John 10:15 John 15:13-14 Romans 5:6-8 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 1 Peter 3:18 1 John 3:16

Passages that state specifically that Christ died for our sins:

Galatians 1:4 Romans 4:25 1 Corinthians 15:3 2 Corinthians 5:14 2 Corinthians 5:21 Matthew 26:28 1 Peter 2:24 Ephesians 1:71 John 2:2


Notes_____What is striking about the New Testamentʼs emphasis upon Christʼs death?

Why could Christ not bear our sins without dying for them?

Finish listening to the lecture. Then take a separate piece of paper, and for each of the six themes (reconciliation, propitiation, sacrifice, justification, redemption, and conquest) that Dr. Wells develops, try to answer the following two questions:

1. From the viewpoint of this theme, what is the problem that humanity is suffering under?

2. From the viewpoint of this theme, how did Christ’s death on the cross solve that problem?

If you get stuck, go back and listen to the lecture again. You will greatly benefit from having a solid understanding of these points.

After working through this material, how would you respond to a person who tells you that they like Jesus but that Jesusʼ primary mission was to teach timeless ethical truths? Develop a response from each of the six thematic perspectives.



For Us and For Our Sa lva t ion

Notes_____

Dr. Wells states that our hope as Christians “is in part tied to the fact that there is a judgment.” Do you see the fact of coming judgment as a thing of hope or of fear? How do you think Jesus would have you view it?

I’d like to learn more about the importance of Christ’s crucifixion. Can you recommend a book that will help me?

John R. W. Stott, The Cross of Christ. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1986.

“We know that in this life the wicked often get away with it, and we know that the righteous are sometimes punished. And this life is very, very morally ambiguous for those reasons. But there is a time coming when truth is going to be put forever on the throne and evil is going to be put forever on the scaffold.”


Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture E ight

Notes_____ The plate-glass window exploded into a million pieces as a black-clad figure swung into the room on his black nylon rope, somersaulted, and landed on the rich Persian rug. The terrified occupant of the room tried to scramble to his feet from the floor, but the intruder was on him in an instant, grabbing his shoulder and spinning him around. “Dr. Lam,” the intruder snarled, “youʼre coming with me!” Lam struggled and tried to break away, crying, “I have done nothing!” Lightning split the night sky, and a cold rain entered the room through the now-empty window pane. The intruder snorted in derision. “We know that you built the bomb that the terrorists used in their last attack, Dr. Lam. We have the evidence. But you know where the terrorist leader is hiding, and what his next target will be. And that means you get to live.” Distrust lay behind Lamʼs eyes. “I need a guarantee!” The intruder hesitated, thinking. “The President has authorized me to grant you immunity from prosecution—all your crimes will be wiped away if you tell us what you know.” Now it was Lamʼs turn to think. “He will find me. He will kill me. I cannot help you.” The intruder played his last card. “Weʼll put you into the witness protection program. Youʼll get a new identity, a new life, a whole new start. All you have to do is take my hand, and come with me.”

Scenes like this play across TV screens and in movie houses across the world every day. But even in its simplistic silliness, it serves as a metaphor for the important theological doctrine of justification. In this lecture, Dr. Wells describes justification as a cancelling of all past sins, and as a clean slate for the justified—as if they had never sinned.

In this lecture, Dr. Wells cites:

Andrew Sullivan, “Lacking in Self-Esteem? Good for You!” TIME Magazine, Oct. 14, 2002.

According to Dr. Wells, what is the key difference between the attitude of the Pharisee and the attitude of the tax collector, in Luke 18:9-14?


Why might the self-esteem movement be harmful to the task of evangelism?

Why does the passage say that the “righteousness from God” is “apart from the law”?

How are we to receive this righteousness, according to Romans 3? Explain your answer.

How does justification uphold the law?

Jus t i f i ca t ion

Notes_____“It’s important for us to see that this Pharisee was not condemned because of his righteousness...but for his self-righteousness.”

How would you respond to a person who believes that they do not need forgiveness from God because they are all right as they are? How could you help them see that they are in fact in deadly peril?

How has your understanding of your own sinfulness grown over the course of your Christian life?



Notes_____

“Sin is a Christian experience. You know relatively little about sin when you come to the gospel. It’s in the life that follows belief in the gospel where you really come to understand it, in ways that you probably didn’t when you first heard the gospel.”

Dr. Wells says that one application of the truth of justification is that our churches should welcome people from every ethnicity, education, and stratum of society. What steps could your church take to be more welcoming? What steps could you take personally?

Wait a second. I’ve always heard that low self-esteem is a real problem. Now you’re telling me that high self-esteem is a problem. Where can I read more about a Biblical view of self-esteem?

Joanna and Alister McGrath, Self-Esteem: The Cross and Christian Confidence. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2002.


Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture Nine

Notes_____By age 16, Nicky Cruz was the warlord of the Mau Maus, prowling the streets of Brooklyn with his gang, and heavily involved in drugs, booze, and brutality. He had been abused by his satanist parents since he was a toddler and had run away in his teens. A court-ordered psychiatrist had declared that he was “headed to prison, the electric chair, and hell,” until the courageous and relentless love of a skinny street preacher wore down his defenses, and penetrated his soul with the Gospel. Cruz was transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit into a love-filled testimony to the greatness of God. The preacher who loved Nicky Cruz into the kingdom of God was David Wilkerson, a mild-mannered pastor of a small church in rural Pennsylvania! God had led this small-town pastor to come to New York City to reach out to gang members, and there he was, afraid, but confident that God would act.

The same thing that happened to Nicky Cruz on the streets of Brooklyn had happened to David Wilkerson years earlier in an entirely different setting. Itʼs the same thing that happened to Dr. Wells while at Cape Town University in South Africa, and to Paul on the road to Damascus in Syria. Conversion. Change. Transformation. The same thing happens to everyone when they come to Christ, and yet it looks so different in each person. Just what is it that makes what happened in each of these stories “conversion”?

You can read more about Nicky Cruzʼ story in Run, Baby, Run. Gainesville, Fla.: Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1988.

You can read more about David Wilkersonʼs story in The Cross and the Switchblade. New York: Jove Books, 1986.


Notes_____

Accounts of Paul’s conversion:

Narrative accounts: Acts 9:1-9; 22:3-21; 26:4-20Paul’s reflections: 1 Corinthians 15:8-10; Galatians 1:13-17; Philippians 3:4-14


normative—the standard or pattern of essential characteristics

worldview—the set of basic beliefs that influence the way a person perceives the world

What two “turnings” are involved in conversion?

Use this space to take notes as Dr. Wells reads some of these accounts.

What four aspects did Paulʼs conversion involve?

What does Dr. Wells say is the only test of conversion?

“Is Paul’s experience what is normative of conversion? If a conversion is genuine it happens instantaneously? Is that what is normative? ...Or is what is normative the truth that Paul believed?”


Turn Around!

Notes_____

“Conversion is not genuine unless and until we have turned from sin, turned to Christ in saving faith, and are clothed with his righteousness.”

What aspects of Paulʼs conversion are not normative?

What aspects are normative?

Think about your conversion. Was it instantaneous or gradual? Were you alone or with others? Who shared with you the truth that led to your decision? Can you distinguish between the normative and ancillary details in your story?

How might the content of this lecture impact the way that you witness the truth to others?

What changes take place in a person’s life following conversion?

John White, The Fight: A Practical Handbook to Christian Living. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1976.


Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture Ten

Notes_____ The first step of Alchohol Anonymousʼs Twelve Step program is to admit that you have a problem that you are powerless to change. In the last lecture, Dr. Wells defined conversion as turning from sin and turning to God through repentence and faith in Jesus. But turning from sin is something that a fallen person—addicted to sin—cannot possibly do on their own. How, then, can anyone be saved?

In this lecture, Dr. Wells teaches about Godʼs work of regeneration, bringing new birth to we who were once dead. We wi ll find that what is impossible for humanity is possible for God.

regeneration—spiritual rebirth

prevenient grace—the grace, according to Christians in the Arminian tradition, that brings a corrupted and fallen person to “ground zero” so that they are free to accept the Gospel

“In sanctification, what we’re talking about is the outworking of this supernaturally-wrought life that God has given us.”

Describe the two views of the relationship between conversion and regeneration. Which view do you personally hold?


Reborn

Notes_____Language of regeneration:

Birth: John 1;13; 1 John 2:29, 3:9; John 3:7; 1 Peter 1:23New birth: 1 Peter 1:3, 23Creation: Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:24Rebirth: Titus 3:5

What are the two parts of regeneration?

List the three things that Dr. Wells says regeneration is not.

Dr. Wells defines regeneration as “a change wrought by God that affects our whole being.” What are the means by which God might affect this change?

“What’s interesting [about our culture’s turn towards spirituality] is that very often it’s spirituality without religion. Or spirituality defined in opposition to religion!”

This would be a good time for you to examine your own heart. Given what you have learned about conversion and regeneration, what have been the fruits of regeneration in your life? How have you been changed by the power of God?



Notes_____

“What I think we have done...has been to take a commercial model, and we have brought it into the church...It’s false because sinners are not consumers. You’re not purchasing the gospel; the gospel says that we have been purchased! We are not buying the gospel; we have been bought with a very great price by Christ!”

How can your church help new believers show the fruits of regeneration in their lives?

Are there ways in which you or your church need to repent of embracing the “consumer” model of the gospel?

I need to learn more about these two views of the relationship between conversion and regeneration; I don’t quite feel like I understand them. Can you recommend a book to help me?

Robert E. Picirilli, Grace, Faith, Free Will: Contrasting Views of Salvation: Calvinism and Arminianism. Nashville: Randall House Publications, 2002.

R.C. Sproul, Chosen by God. Carol Stream, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, 1994.


Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture E leven

Notes_____Stained-glass Christians. Mother Theresa. Super-Christians. Pope John Paul II. Halos. What comes to your mind when you hear the word “saints”? A person so ethereal and other-worldly that they could not possibly understand what your life is, day-to-day, on the streets? A person so holy that they are immune from the temptations that claw at your soul? A miracle worker whose very touch can restore the lives of the needy?

In this lecture, Dr. Wells says that a saint is the type of person you see in the mirror each morning as you wash your face with bleary eyes. A saint is the type of person who hugs your kids goodnight and who sometimes loses your patience with your kids. A saint is the type of person who wrestles with the immorality of the world, sometimes emerging victoriously, sometimes in need of forgiveness. You are called to be a saint, and if you are in Christ, you are a saint. What does that mean? And why do we rarely feel like saints? Dr. Wells hits on these questions and more in this fascinating and encouraging lecture.

“...to the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours...”(1 Corinthians 1:2)

How would Paul describe what it means to be a Christian in one sentence?

What does it mean to be a saint?

On whose actions does sainthood depend?


Notes_____

“Now, a Christian is a temple. Your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. A Christian is a priest. The whole of a Christian’s life is to be a Sabbath. And a Christian is a part of an elect nation, this people of God. In short, a Christian is a saint.”

“People are constituted saints not for what they have done, but for what God has done. It is he who called us and drew us out and separated us to himself. That’s what constitutes us as saints.”


What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the process of sanctification?

How do we respond to the Holy Spiritʼs work?

If you had to describe what it means to be a Christian in one sentence, how would you describe it?

The Puritans believed that the mark of true conversion was inner turmoil! What do you think about that idea?

Looking at the imperfection of our lives can be very discouraging. How can the content of this lecture encourage you as you walk the road of sanctification?


Notes_____

“When he says work out your salvation, he’s not thinking in very narrow, devotional terms. You don’t only work out your salvation when you’re praying first thing in the morning. But he is thinking broadly. He is thinking about our whole life here, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.”

Cal led to Be Sa ints

If sanctification is the process of developing a Christ-like character, are there any books that might help me do that?

Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ. Colorado Springs: Navpress Publishing Group, 2002.

John Stott, The Contemporary Christian. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1992.


Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture Twelve

Notes_____“Holiness, Holiness is what I long for/Holiness is what I need/Holiness, Holiness is what you want from me.” –Scott Underwood, “Take My Life.” Winds of Worship 06. Mercy/Vineyard Publishing, 1995.

As Christians, we are uncomfortable with our own sin. We long for holiness. We know that this frail, fragile, wicked self that we constantly struggle with is not the person that God made us to be. We are designed to be pure, holy, set apart for Godʼs use, shining and radiant in the Glory of God. Even though we have been redeemed, even though we have been justified by faith, our pattern of living doesnʼt match up with our own expectations, let alone Godʼs. And we read passages in the Bible that tell us, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.” (1John 2:1, NIV) Is that possible? Is it possible that we might reach the point where we no longer commit sin? Can we reach perfection? Or must that wait until we are raised imperishable?

John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of Methodism, believed that it was possible. In this lecture, Dr. Wells walks us through and critiques Wesleyʼs doctrine of entire sanctification.

John Wesley—a British preacher and the founder of Methodism

Azusa Street—a street in California in which a revival broke out in 1906, grounded in Wesleyan Holiness theology and accompanied by supernatural experiences (like speaking in other tongues) and reaching across racial barriers; the Pentecostal Movement traces its beginnings to Azusa Street

Charismatic renewal—a movement that gained momentum in mainline churches in the 1960’s, accompanied by supernatural experiences such as speaking in tongues


Notes_____In this lecture, Dr. Wells cites the following:

John Wesley,A Plain Account of Christian Perfection. Kansas City, Mo.: Beacon Hill Press, 1966.

Jeremy Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living and the Rule and Exercises of Holy Dying. Harrisburg, Penn.: The Morehouse Group, 1982.

John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1984.

“What [Wesley]’s talking about is the removal of sin, so that in all we say and do, sin doesn’t intrude at all.”

How did John Wesley define “entire sanctification”? What were some parallel terms that he used for the idea?

How is such perfection accomplished?

When is perfection completed/finished?

What are the conditions for the elimination of the carnal mind?

Did Wesley believe that progress could be made once perfection was reached? How about regress?

What is the Biblical basis for Wesleyʼs teachings?

Per fect ion



Notes_____

“So [Wesley believed] there is a gradual mortification that happens to this inbred sin, but there comes a time when that sin dies. He experiences a total death to sin and an entire renewal in the love and image of God.”

How does Philippians 3:15 critique Wesleyʼs view?

Do you believe that a Christian can fully stop sinning? If so, how is it possible? If not, why does God call for holiness?

In your view, when will a believer receive total sanctification?

“Are we thinking [sanctification is] a progressive process whereby we are being brought nearer and nearer to what we should be but yet sin remains in us? Or are we thinking about an experience at which time the sin is removed, and thereafter everything that we do and say is motivated by love?”

How can I learn more about Wesley’s doctrine of entire sanctification and other critiques of it?

Stanley N. Gundry (editor), Five Views on Sanctification. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987.


Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture Thi r teen

Notes_____“I donʼt know, honey. What do you want in a church?” He put down the glossy brochure and glanced at his wife, who was shuffling through a stack of them herself. “I donʼt know...” she said tentatively. “Hey! This one has a food court!” “Wow! That way we can do church and lunch in one stop. Put that one in the maybe pile. This one over here has a drama group, a bowling league, and the pastor has written four bestselling books!” His wife looked interested, then spotted something in a red flyer in front of her. “This church has identical services on Wednesday nights, Thursday afternoons, and Saturday evenings in addition to Sunday mornings. Itʼll be a lot easier to fit into our schedule that way. And I think I heard that the mayor goes to that one. It could be good for our reputation to go there...”

What do you want in a church? More to the point, what does God want in The Church? What is Godʼs purpose for knitting people together by his Holy Spirit? Why are we here as the body of Christ? Is living as the Church a thing of convenience and attractive features, or is there something more to it, something deeper? In this lecture, Dr. Wells walks us through the development of the Church in Scripture, and identifies the three key functions of the Church. Along the way, he challenges many of our cultural assumptions about what Church is.

church universal—all those in every place and time who belong to Christ

church local—a particular gathering of belivers

church visible—the local Christian gathering, made up of strong and weak believers, cynics, and seekers

church invisible—those who have truly exercised saving faith



Notes_____ Passages charting the emergence of the Church:

Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:47; Acts 11:26; James 2:2; Acts 3:11, 5:12, 20:8

“When we come together for worship, whether we’re singing or praying or hearing biblical exposition, what we’ve come to do is to recognize the presence of God, but more than that, to recognize the priority of God.”

Based on these passages, what is the Church?

Dr. Wells characterizes the three functions of the Church as relationships of duty or responsibility. What are these three functions and their corresponding duties?

How does Dr. Wells describe worship?

What is the role of expository preaching in worship?

Is fellowship basically the same thing as sanctified friendship?

How does the church engage in witness?


The Company of the Redeemed

Notes_____

“When you’re doing evangelism, you obviously need to be really conversant, knowledgeable of the people with whom you are working, so that you can engage the questions that they are raising...But what Paul does is to look at their worldview; he systematically takes it apart!”

What is the relationship between business models of operation and the Church?

What is the relationship between being “seeker friendly” and being conversant with peopleʼs needs?

How critical is biblical preaching to authentic Christian worship?

What are your reasons for going to church?

“It was our judgment that only 19% of the sermons had the intent of bringing the congregation into the world of God’s truth. Well, if we’re not coming into this world, we will not be worshipping.”

If the Church is God’s plan to reconcile the world to himself, I want to learn more about it. Do you have any suggestions?

Edward Clowney, The Church. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1995.


Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture Four teen

Notes_____ “I will make boys their officials; mere children will govern them. People will oppress each other—man against man, neighbor against neighbor... A man will seize one of his brothers at his fatherʼs home, and say, ʻYou have a cloak, you be our leader; take charge of this heap of ruins!ʼ”(Isaiah 3:4, 5a, 6 NIV)

Sometimes it feels like leadership in some of todayʼs churches is chosen in the anarchic manner of this judgment that God was passing on Jerusalem and Judah in Isaiah 3. We need Sunday School leaders, we need someone to head up the churchʼs visitation ministry, and weʼll take anybody to fill the position. “You have a cloak! You be our leader!”

In other congregations, leadership seems tightly controlled, held in an iron fist, and only a small few can ever serve in those roles. Leadership issues are a flashpoint for todayʼs church, partly because the Bible does not seem explicit on some of the questions that we desperately want answered, and partly because we live in a culture with such a faulty view of leadership and authority that it is difficult to see clearly. Who can serve in church ministry? Who can lead in church ministry? In this lecture, Dr. Wells helps us by laying out the questions carefully and clearly from Scripture.

egalitarian—a view of church leadership in Evangelical churches that believes that in both the church and the Christian family there should be no distinctions in leadership roles filled by men and by women

complimentarian—a view of church leadership in Evangelical churches that believes that, in both the church and the Christian family, men and women have clearly distinct, though equally valuable, roles


Leadersh ip in the Church

Notes_____“There is a beautiful forgetfulness about this kind of ministry...They [served] out of their love for Christ, and they themselves had forgotten about it. When did we do this? They forgot about it, but he did not. And the beautiful thing in the economy of God is that nothing like this is ever forgotten...It stands there for all time.”

What are the two “fault lines” that Dr. Wells says run through any discussion of leadership in the church?

In the area of the role of women in church ministry, what are some of the reasons these questions are popping up now rather than two hundred years ago?

What does service or ministry in the church look like, based on the Biblical examples that Dr. Wells offers?

What role does forgetfulness play in church ministry?

The pastor/teacher is described in Ephesians 4:11 as a gift from God to the church. What are the chief qualifications of a person who would fill that role?

Passages discussing the qualifications of elders in the church:

1 Timothy 3:1-7Titus 1:6-91 Peter 5:1-3


“I’m inclined to think that we have become too focused on the matter of gifts...What gift would you need to give somebody a cup of cold water? ...You don’t need a gift for that! What you need is Christian character and a concern for other people.”


How is the leadership of elders to be exercised? What is to be their goal?

What Biblical examples of female leadership does Dr. Wells hold up as precedents? Were there special circumstances under which those precedents were established? Does that matter to the debate over female leadership in the church today?

How does servant leadership cut across the grain of our culture?

As you look at yourself as a minister in your church, how well do you embody the virtue of forgetfulness?

Walk through the qualifications for elders in the three passages listed above. How well do you meet those qualifications? How well do the elders in your church?


Leadersh ip in the Church

Notes_____

“The elders’ leadership was exercised by enabling people, and not least women, in their ministries, in their forms and acts of service.”

How might your church do a better job of choosing biblically-qualified elders? Which qualification are you most tempted to ignore?

A case could be made that the central issue in Christianity is obedience to rightly discerned authority. Are there any resources you could point me to that would help me sift through these issues?

Chad Owen Brand and R. Stanton Norman (editors), Perspectives on Church Government: Five Views of Church Polity. Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 2004.

Alexander Strauch, Biblical Eldership. Colorado Springs: Lewis & Roth Publishers, 1995.


Theology Mat ters , Par t Two: Lecture Fi f teen

Notes_____ “The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.” –Barbara Kingsolver, American novelist.

We use the word “hope” oddly in todayʼs culture. We say, “I hope it doesnʼt rain today,” when we know thereʼs a 50/50 chance that it will. We hope our favorite sports team will beat their rivals, even though we know they are in a slump and have trouble winning games on the road. We treat hope as if it were, like Cinderellaʼs description of dreams, “a wish your heart makes.” But the Bible uses “hope” very differently. Biblical hope is not fleeting; rather it abides (1 Cor 13:13). Biblical hope is a virtue, the virtue of trusting in an as-yet-unrealized but certain future (Heb 11:1). Biblical hope is not “pie in the sky by and by,” but rather it is confidence that God will act in the future as he has promised. It is not wishing for something that might not come true, but believing in something that will come true.

Titus 2:13 calls the second coming of Christ “the blessed hope” that we wait for. In this last lecture of our course, Dr. Wells builds a powerful framework for understanding the Bibleʼs teaching about the return of Christ to judge and vindicate. It is a hope we can live inside of, and that can change how we live on the outside.

eschatology—from the Greek words “eschatos,” meaning “last, final, end,” and “logia,” meaning “knowledge, study;” eschatology is the study of the “last things,” traditionally understood as death, the return of Christ, judgment, and the final state


Our Hope Is Bui l t

Notes_____In this lecture, Dr. Wells cites the following:

Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins,Left Behind: A Novel of Earth’s Last Days. Carol Stream, Ill.: Tyndale House, 1995.

Francis Foulkes,The Acts of God. London, 1958. (Reprinted in The Right Doctrine from the Wrong Texts?Edited by G. K. Beale. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994, pages 342-371.)

“It is important for us to seek answers from the Bible itself by setting up the questions which the Bible itself raises. We need to think in the way that the Bible thinks.”

Francis Foulkes argues that two principles emerge when one looks at the pattern of Godʼs acts in the Old Testament. What are those two principles?

What was the difference between the character of the pagan gods of the Ancient Near Eastern world and the God of the Old Testament, as expressed in Deuteronomy 7:9-10?

What twin hopes did the prophets express about the fate of the nations and of Godʼs people in “the day of the Lord”?

Dr. Wells points out five motifs from the Old Testament that illustrate the pattern of Godʼs acts. They are:

1. A greater prophet than2. A greater king than3. A greater house than the4. A new5. A new and a new(following this lecture, see a chart of the passages Dr. Wells cites)


Notes_____

Passages on the inauguration of the latter days:

Acts 2:17Hebrews 1:2-5, 9:26James 5:1-91 Peter 1:19-212 Timothy 3:1-51 John 2:21-26


“In the first coming, we were liberated from sin’s guilt. At the second coming, we’re going to be liberated from sin’s power finally and completely. And we today stand between these two liberations.”

What are the discouraging and encouraging set of characteristics that Dr. Wells uses to describe “the latter days”?

What is the complication about the Biblical language of the latter days?

What are the three characteristics of Christʼs second coming that Dr. Wells lists?

Do you look forward to the day of the Lord? How does the example of Amos 5:18-20 and the encouragement of 2 Peter 3:3-14 help you to live now in the light of the latter days?

Does the framework Dr. Wells lays out help you to understand your own specific views about last things better?


Our Hope Is Bui l t

Notes_____

Some passages illustratingfive motifs from the Old Testament:

Moses: Deut 18:15-18; John 1:21, 6:14, 7:40; Heb 3:3; Lk 2:38; Hos 7-9; Ezek 19-20; 1 Cor 5:7

David: 2 Sam 7:16; Jer 23:5-6; Micah 5:2; Matt 2:6Temple: Ezek 10:4-5, 18-19; Hag 2:1-9; Ezek 40-48;

1 Cor 6:19; 1 Pet 2:5Covenant: Jer 31:31-34; 2 Cor 3:7-18New Creation and People: Ezek 11:17-21; Hos 11:1;

Matt 2:15

“The kingdom of God is not merely some future reign that is going to happen at the end of calendar time, but it is already inaugurated. It has started to happen. The age to come has already come.”

How does the second coming of Christ ground your hope?

What resources can you point me to that will help me think through the specific issues surrounding eschatology?

Anthony A. Hoekema, The Bible and the Future. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1994.

Millard J. Erickson, Contemporary Options in Eschatology. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977.

Full Guide - Theology Survey I Study...

Documents

Transcript of Full Guide - Theology Survey I Study...