PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV)
NCE(Eng.)
ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons) MA, PhD.
BASIC DOCTRINES 1
(Theology Proper)
INTRODUCTION:
Doctrines
are teachings based on the principles or beliefs of a given institution or
group. Therefore, Basic Christian Doctrines are the fundamental teachings that
border on the principles and beliefs of the Christian faith which are taught by
or in the church. Traditionally, the teaching of the Christian doctrines should
follow a systematic approach. On this note, Berkhof (1953:19) remarks that
“there are good reasons for starting with the Doctrine of God, if we proceed on
systematized knowledge of God, of whom, through whom, and unto whom, are all
things. Based on the aforestated, it becomes logical to begin the series from
the Doctrine of God, which scholars designate, “Theology Proper”.
DEFINITION: Theology in its general term is the
discipline that study about God and the foundations of religious belief. The
designation (Theology proper) refers to the study of God himself. It is a
systematic attempt to know the mightiness and characteristics of the Almighty.
The Necessity Of
This Study: This
doctrine is of great importance hence we are faced with challenges from
atheists, skeptics and hecklers who try restlessly to prove that there is no
God. Therefore, the proper knowledge of God is needed to help one instill the
truth into the minds of those who are yet out of the way. Secondly, as God’s
off-springs we need the knowledge of Him to enable us know how relatedly we
are, and should stand in Him.
Some Major False
Views About God: We shall not spend much of our time trying to give in
this lecture all the false view about God hence we aim at highlighting on the
vital points, to give students the basic ideas they need to carry out their
Christian duties in a balanced way. Having stressed the above, here are some
false views about God;
(1)
ATHEISM: An atheist is one who does not
believe in the existence of God. This group does not as well believe the Bible
as the revelation and Word of the Living God.
FOUR
MAJOR BRANCHES OF ATHEISM:
(a)
Classical Atheism: The classicals do not totally rule
out the existence of supernatural beings. They believe in other gods, but do
not believe in the Supreme God. To them, those who do not believe these gods as
they do, are atheists.
(b)
Philosophical
Atheism: This branch holds to the belief
that God only exist in the mind or reasoning.
(c)
Practical
Atheism:
The practicals are the group that claims to believe that God
exists, but deny Him in principle and practical Christian living.
(d)
Dogmatic
Atheism: This is the group that does not at
all believe that there is God. Examples of this group are the Evolutionists and
the Communists. Well, it is of great importance to note here that “it is a fool
who says in his heart, that there is no God” (Ps. 14:17).
(2)
POLYTHEISM: This is
simply the theory and belief on many gods.
BRANCHES
OF POLYTHEISM:
(a)
Fetishism: This is
commonly the worship of stones and reptiles.
(b)
Animism:
This is the worship of ancestors and national heroes.
(c)
Sabianism:
These specialize on the worship of heavenly bodies.
(3)
PANTHEISM: This is the
belief that everything is part of the manifestation of God. Pantheism is
basically the philosophy of the religious consciousness of Buddhism and
Hinduism. They hold that all
is God and God is all.
(4)
AGNOSTICISM: This
is the theory that denies that God can be known. They hold to the fact that
there is a God, but teach that He cannot be known.
THE EXISTENCE OF GOD: The Bible does not seek to argue
about the existence of God, but simply and firmly declares that there is God.
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Gen. 1:1). God is, and
He is the cause of all existence and the preserver of all things.
THE DEFINITION OF GOD: God is a Spirit, Infinite, Eternal,
Unchangeable in His Being, Power, Holiness, Justice, Goodness and Truth.
THE PREDICATES OF GOD:
(a)
He
is Spirit
(b)
He is light.
(c)
He is love
(d)
He is life.
BASIC PROOFS FOR THE
EXISTENCE OF GOD
Here.
four scriptural grounds on which one can prove that God exists are in place.
Subsequently, we shall also give only four rational proofs just to put the
student on the line of believing.
SCRIPTUAL PROOFS FOR
THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
(1)
Man’s Inward Feelings: Man is born with the inward
consciousness of a Supreme Being who creates and controls. Inwardly (no one can
deny this fact) the existence and consciousness of a Super Being as impressed
in human conscience. Romans 2:15 has the expression as follows: “which shows
the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing
witness: ---- Another good proof on the ground of inward feeling is the
expression of the men of Athens as inscribed on a board. “For as I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with
this inscription to “UNKNOWN GOD” (Acts 17:23).
These two Scriptures give a proper understanding that man inwardly have the
consciousness of the existence of Super Being, called God.
(2)
Testimony
Of Nature: “For
the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and
Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20). Even nature tells us
that God exists. Vegetations and all the wonderful gifts of nature with their
ceaseless functions show that God who causes these functions do exists.
(3)
Testimony
Of The Scripture: The Scripture testifies that God
exist. “In the beginning God created the heaven and earth” (Gen. 1:1). God, who at sundry times and in divers
manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, had in these last
day spoken unto us by His Son ---- (Heb. 1:1-2). The same Scripture
declares that, “in Him we live, move and
have our being”. (Acts 17:27-28).
(4)
Christian
Daily Experience:
(a)
Every true child of God shares the
experience of the witness of God’s Spirit in his/her life (Rom. 8:16).
(b)
The joy that He brings into the
hearts of His people is one of the ways to prove the existence of God (Neh.
8:10).
(c)
His provision to us shows that He is
a Living God. (Gen. 27:13-14).
(d)
The very close presence of God to
His people makes them not to be in doubt of His existence (Ps. 139:7-12).
FOUR RATIONAL PROOFS
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
(1)
The Teleological Argument: This is commonly known as the design
argument. It is one of the oldest and simplest of all proofs and never fails to
commend itself to the popular mind. The earliest expression of purpose in the
world is found in the book of Genesis, where it is said that the stars, moon
and sun are for light and the fruits for food. All these things that exist in
the world and their glories give the indication that someone, an intelligent
being has designed them to serve their purposes.
(2)
The
Anthropological Argument: Anthropological order walks up to
God. “And God said, “let us make man in
our image after our likeness”--- (Gen. 1:26). Anthropology is the study of
man. Man was made by God in His image. (Gen. 1:27). He (man) possesses the
things which God possesses. “He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He
that formed the eye, shall he not see? (Ps. 94:9). Both God and man are alike,
they possess eyes, knowledge, intelligence and will power. So, the existence of
man who shares divine attributes with God is an eloquent proof that His maker
(God) exists.
(3)
The
Cosmological Argument: This is an argument from change or
effect to the cause of that change or effect. It may be logically stated as
follows:
(a)
Every event must have a sufficient
and pre-existence cause.
(b)
The universe consists of a system of
changes.
Therefore,
there must be a self existent and necessary being who stands as the cause of
these events and changes. This argument is set forth in the scriptures in such
instances as “Every house is built by
some individuals, but He that built all things is God”. (Heb. 3:4).
“The Lord founded the
foundation of the earth (Heb. 1:10).
The cosmic world which we live in did not just put itself into existence.
Someone put it into existence and that someone is God.
(4)
The Ontological Argument: The term “ontology” is derived from
two Greek words that mean “the science of existence”. It is an attempt
to establish the fact of real existence; or existence in its absolute reality
as distinguished from phenomena or things as they appear to us. All men have
the idea of God and this idea of God is the idea of an absolutely Perfect
Being, one whom we cannot imagine to have a superior. The idea of such a being
necessarily implies existence. We have ideas of infinite goodness, truth, and
holiness. Are these merely ideas? Or is there a being to whom they belong? If
they are mere ideas, how can we account for their existence? This argument
conducts us one step further in our confirmatory knowledge of the existence of
God, and to the idea of a personal being, it adds also to the incommunicable
perfection of deity.
GOD AS A PERSONALITY: Man’s efforts and studies to know
God through human philosophy has been proven an impossible task. Only God
Himself can reveal Himself to man. The Bible is the only library that gives the
true knowledge of God. God spoke to Moses in the Old Testament times (Ex.
33:20-23) Jesus is the revelation of the picture of God. (John 1:18); (John
14:7-11). Our Great God as a personality possesses definite characteristics as
we possess. In fact, He feels, knows and possesses will power. These are the
make ups of a personality. God is a person, He is not a mere influence as the
imagination of most men suggests. He is a Living God (Jer. 10:10) and as a
living personality, He possesses the ability of movement, seeing, speaking,
knowledge etc. (II Chr. 16:9);(Ex. 33:20); (Ps/ 94:11). All these are the
characteristics of a personality.
THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD: By attribute we mean those qualities
which human being attributes to God as they think of Him.
CLASSIFICATION: God’s attributes is classified into
three:
(a)
Absolute
attributes: (What God is like)
(b)
Relative attributes (How He relates
to His creatures).
(c)
Moral attributes (How He relates to
us in moral likeness)
ABSOLUTE ATTRIBUTES OF
GOD
(1)
Spirituality as an attribute of God: God is a spirit, (Jn. 4:24). Being a
Spirit, it shows that He is really a living and incorporeal person.
(2)
Infinity
as an attribute of God: This means that there are no bounds
or limits to the divine nature. The term “infinity” applies to God alone.
(3)
Eternity
as an attribute of God: This means that God stands superior
to time; free from temporal distinctions of past and future, in whose life
there can be no cessation.
(4)
Immensity
as an attribute of God: As an attributes, immensity
expresses the contrast between the space world and God’s mode of existence much
in the same manner as eternity expresses the temporal contrast. As time is born
out of eternity, so space is born out of immensity. “Behold the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee”. (II Chr.
6:18).
(5)
Immutability
as an attribute of God: This attribute expresses the
changelessness of God, whether in essence or attribute, in purpose or
consciousness. “I am the Lord, I change
not” (Mal. 3:6); (Ps. 102:26-27).
(6)
Perfection
as an attribute of God: This applies to His completion and
harmonizes all the other perfections. Nothing is wanting in God’s Being, which
is needed for blessedness (Matt. 51:48).
RELATIVE ATTRIBUTES OF
GOD
(1)
He Is Omnipresent: (God is everywhere). When we say
that He is omnipresent, we signify that He is where ever His creatures are. But
while God is omnipresent, He stands in different relations to His creatures.
God is present in one way in nature, says (Bishop Martensen), in another way in
history, in one way in the church and in another way in the world. “Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord and not a God after off?” Can any
hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him (Jer, 23:23-24); (Ps.
139:7-12).
(2)
He
Is Omnipotent: (God has all power). This defines
the perfection of God in terms of virtue of which He is able to do all that He
pleases to do. “Behold I am the Lord, the
God of all flesh, is there any thing too hard for me?” (Jer. 32:27).
(3)
He
Is Omniscient: (God knows all things). By this, we
mean the infinite understanding and knowledge of God. “Know thou the God of the father --- for the Lord searcheth all hearts
and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts” (I Chr. 28:9). “There
is no searching of His understanding”, (Isa. 40:28).
(4)
He
Has All Wisdom: This is one of the relative
attributes of God. Knowledge is the apprehension of things as they are and
wisdom is the adaptation of knowledge for certain ends. As knowledge is
necessary to wisdom, so omniscience is necessary to His infinite wisdom. “With
Him is wisdom and strength, He Hath counsel and understanding” (Job 12:13) “O
Lord how manifold are thy work, in wisdom has thou made them all. (Ps. 104:24).
(5)
He
Is Goodness: This is the attribute that shows
that God wills the happiness of His creatures. “His goodness endureth continually” (Ps. 52:1) “Oh’ how great is thy
goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee (Ps. 31:19).
THE MORAL ATTRIBUTES OF
GOD
His
moral attributes relates to His government over free and intelligent creatures.
1) Holiness
as an attribute of God:
The holiness of God is not, and cannot be something different from rhat which
all these perfections are comprehended. Holiness as Dr. Dick holds “is not a
particular attribute, but the general character of God, resulting from His
moral attribute. “Holy-Holy-Holy – is the
Lord of Hosts” (Isa. 6:3).
2) Love as an attribute of God:
St. John sets forth a profound truth in the statement that, “God is love, and he that dwelleth in love
dwelleth in God and God in him. (I Jn.
4:16). The nature of God is holy
love. Both holiness and love are equally of the essence of God.
3) Justice and Righteousness as an
attribute of God: The attribute justice and
righteousness are closely related to holiness. Many of the Scripture references
make no distinction between the terms,justice and righteousness. Howeve, the
careful student may be impressed the various ways in which these attribute are
combined. Righteousness is the foundation of the divine law, while Justice is
the administration of that law. When we regard God as the author of our moral
nature, we conceive of Him as righteous. When we think of Him as administering
His law in the bestowment of rewards and punishment we think of Him as
just. “The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether” (Ps.
19:9). “Justice and Judgment are the habitation of thy throne” (Ps. 89:14).
4) Truth as an attribute of God:
This is commonly treated as veracity and faithfulness. When the scriptures
speak of the God of truth they thereby convey the idea of His veracity. The Bible
abound with references to God’s veracity “Thou
hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth (Ps. 31:5) “The sum of thy word is truth
(Ps. 119:160).
5) Grace and Its Related Attributes:
St. John speaks
of Christ as “Full of grace and truth. (Jn. 1:14) and thereby makes
them co-ordinate perfections of His divine nature. Grace is defined as
“unmerited favour” and all the “graces” are but various forms of the goodness
and love of God. The grace of God is universal and impartial. He gives to His
creatures as much good as they have capacity to receive. Grace and truth is the
essence of His person.
THE NAMES OF GOD
Name
expresses character and also embodies the essence of a person. God reveals Himself and purposes through His Names.
1)
ELOHIM: This is the plural form of God’s Name
(LET US MAKE --- (Gen. 1:26). Theologians refer this as “plurality of majesty”. It should not be taken from the distorted
view of polytheism. The Name Elohim expresses God as the Creator. EL is
the singular form of God’s Name, (Ex. 3:14) It means strength. Elohim,
therefore, denotes that God is the Strong One.
2)
YAHWEH:
This is the redemptive Name of God (THE LORD IS OUR REDEEMER). Yahweh (YHWH)
means Jehovah, Joshua or Jesus. It means that the Lord is salvation. Jesus,
therefore, means that the salvation of the Lord has come down. (Matt. 1:21-23)
3)
EL
ELYON: (Gen. 14:18) – The Most high God.
4)
ADDONAI:
(Gen. 15:2) Lord and master.
5)
EL
CHAY: The Living God.
6)
EL
SHADDAI: (Gen. 17:1). The Mighty God.
7)
ELOLAM:
(Gen. 21:23). The Everlasting God.
8)
SABAOTH:
(I Sam. 1:3). The Lord of Hosts.
SEVEN COMPOUND NAMES OF
GOD
(1)
Jehovah
Jireh: The Lord will provide (Gen. 22:13-14)
(2)
Jehovah Rapha: The Lord that healeth
thee (Ex. 15:26).
(3)
Jehovah Nissi: The Lord our banner
(Ex. 17:8-15).
(4)
Jehovah Shalom: The Lord our peace
(Judges 6:24).
(5)
Jehovah Raah: The Lord my shepherd
(Ps. 23:1)
(6)
Jehovah Tsidkenu: The Lord our
righteousness (Jer. 23:6).
(7)
Jehovah Shammah: The Lord is present
(Ez. 48:35).
We
have seen that God reveals Himself and purposes through His Names. In O/T
times, God brought blessings upon the children of Israel as they put
His name upon them. “And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel and I will
bless them”. (Nu. 6:27).
KNOWING GOD AS FATHER:
Nothing
brings joy into the heart than knowing God as a personal Father. God is the
creator of all that exist in this world and beyond, but a Father to only those
who receive His Son as Lord in their lives. “But
as many as receive Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God” (Jn. 1:12).
“OUR FATHER WHICH
ART IN HEAVEN,
HOLLOWED BE THY
NAME: THY
KINGDOM COME, THY
WILL BE DONE
ON EARTH, AS IT IS
IN HEAVEN: GIVE US
THIS DAY OUR DAILY
BREAD” (Matt. 6:9-11).
Those
whom God is their Father hollow His name (HOLLOWED BE THY NAME). They give room
to HIS governance in their lives (THY KINGDOM COME) They strive to do His will
on earth (THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH). Also, they trust Him alone for their
daily bread or need (GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD)…. (Matt. 6:9-11). The Bible
pictures God as a Loving Father, a provider, a friend and one most desirable.
·
He
is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 5:17)
- He is the Father of the believers in Christ (Jn. 1:12)
- He is the Father of the Fatherless (Ps. 68:5).
- The devil is the father of all those who live in sin. (Jn. 8:44) (IJn. 8:8).
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