The Doctrine of: "God the Son"

The Doctrine of God the Son   Christology is fundamentally the doctrine of Christ.

   Jesus Christ is the central figure of the world’s history.  History is His-story.  To leave Jesus out of History, is like the sky without the blue and the ocean without the water.  Almost Since time begin, the whole world had waiting on his appearing.  The Old Testament foretells His coming in types, symbol, and direct prophecy.  Without Christ appearing there would be no Christianity.  Christ is Christianity.  Christ in you the hope of glory.  You could have Mormonism without Joseph Smith; and Islam without Muhammad.  But Christ is in Christian. 

The Preexistence of Christ

The Book Basic Bible Doctrine call this “His Eternal Existence”

     There are several texts in the NT that speak in one way or another to the preexistence of Christ. John says the “word” became flesh which implies that he had existed previous to his incarnation (John 1:1, 14). Jesus himself suggests his preexistence in a number of texts. He said he had glory with the father before the world was (John 17:5) John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

 and that he had come from the father   (John 5:43; 6:38). John 5:43  I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.  John 6:38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. These imply preexistence. Paul also, in referring to Christ as the last Adam, implies his preexistence. So when he says that Christ was “rich,” but then became “poor,” that he was “in the form of God,” but “humbled himself,” that he was “before all things” Colossians 1:17 (KJV)
¹⁷ And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. All these references refer to Christ Preexistence and therefore suggest that Christ existed previous to his coming to earth. Paul told the Corinthian people in 1 Corinthians 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Note he say last Adam.  There is not another one coming.  He say correctly last Adam.  Sometimes we will say the second Adam this is not doctrinal correct.  If he was second Adam there could come a third, fourth, but he is the last Adam. He was in the Beginning with God and he was in the manger as man.

The Prophecies About Christ

The Study of Spiritual Interpretations

Lesson 1

The Study of Spiritual Interpretations

I would like to explain to you  how we are going to study this semester and  how we will teach this course.  First please bring your book and syllabus to class every time.  I may choose one night to teach from the syllabus and another night I may use the textbook and then other nights I might use both or just give you a handout of my own thoughts on the subject.  

Starting with the Bible

The Bible is natural and supernatural, temporal and eternal, human and divine.

The Bible is divine because it is the Word of God. It is God's message for all human beings for all times. Through the Bible, God speaks to all people of all ages in all cultures. The message of the Bible is eternal. It transcends time and cultures. It is relevant and speaks during the time of Moses, the time of Paul and to all of us today.

The Bible is human because God chose to speak through human beings who lived in a certain time and culture in history with an specific language. It is temporal because some of its elements such as the original language used in its original writing is not being used today. So God's eternal Word and message is conditioned and contained in a specific time in history with its own culture and language, and is recorded by means of 'human style' of literature. It is these two natures of God's Word that requires us to apply basic principles of interpretation to understand God's message for us today.

     I believe God has preserved His word in our English language, and that the Bible, we can hold in our hands, this King James Version, is just as powerful and just as originally as what God was wanting to reveal and say to the people the day it was written.  I make no apology for being a Bible believer.  I believe that this KJV Bible is the inerrant, infallible, inspired Word of God.  I have a little paper clipping in my Bible that says what I believe the Bible to be.  I quote

“The Word of God”

THIS BOOK contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword and the Christian's charter. Here paradise is restored, Heaven opened and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand object; our good is its design and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened in the judgment, and will be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labour, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

— Anonymous

Bible Doctrines

 1st Bible College Lesson I taught on Bible Doctrines

I believe the best and only place to go and find Bible Doctrines is in the Holy Bible.  Thank God for a Bible. I believe this King James Bible is God’s Holy Scripture to the English speaking people.  The attitude taken toward the Holy Scriptures themselves govern your willingness to learn Bible Doctrines.  If you view the Bible as being fully authoritative and accurate, the infallible, inspired Word of God, then you have no sensible reason not to believe the teachings of the Holy Scriptures.  I want you to know that this is a Bible Class and I’m a Bible teacher that believes the Bible.   I believe it from cover to cover.

I trust that God Almighty will help us expand our minds. I trust we will see and get to know a Big God.  A. W. Tozer wrote a little book on the attributes of God entitled, The Knowledge of the Holy. The very first line of the first chapter reads, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."  God has made us so that we instinctively, naturally become like whatever it is we esteem most highly. Whatever it is that we value, cherish, prize, love, adore, we gradually, instinctively move in that direction.  May we do as Titus is instructed to do.  May we adore the Doctrine of God.  Titus 2:10 “that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.”  He is stands alone in Grander , No one or thing is more grand than he, He is shines alone in Glory, nothing can share the Glory of Almighty God. He is alone in Grace, nothing can bestow on mankind any great need than the Grace of God. Oh may we Adore Him, Stand in Awe of him, Kneel in Reverence to him.  Die to self to Serve Him.  

Paul told Timothy I have taught you Doctrine.  

2 Timothy 3:10-17 (KJV)
^“10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
¹¹ Persecutions, afflictions,...”  The very first thing he tells Timothy in this list of many important things about himself is Doctrine.  In this day of so many preachers and people that wants to get away from Doctrines.  They say Doctrines divides and brings division. Is this true? Well the Bible says Romans 16:17 (KJV)
¹⁷ Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

1 Corinthians 3:3 (KJV)
³ For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? James 3:16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

I must say Doctrine brings unity, and binds us together.  Sound Doctrine keeps us of the same mind on the same team working for the same results.  Doctrines give us the guide lines to the Christian walk. We are not to walk in our own nature way.  We are to walking according to the teaching of the Bible the Christians road map. Bible Doctrines is truth.  I hear preachers say I try not to preach Doctrine and they don’t. They speak not the Truth.  There is not much truth to their preaching.

 “¹⁴ But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
¹⁵ And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

You mark this down.  A persons belief system comes out in their behavior. What you believe does matter and it controls what you do.   

 1 Timothy 4:16 (KJV)
¹⁶ Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.   :   A plea for self-examination

The Doctrine of God    

Acts 17:  Revealing God to the Heathen

Intro: Paul comes to Athens  Acts 17:22-23  Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
²³ For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

He is the Sovereign God

He is the God of Creation v.24  “ God that made the world and all things therein,

Genesis 1:1 (KJV) ¹ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

     “Elohim” the Hebrew word for God. Means God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit created this mighty beautiful world we live in. God must be given his rightful position. God is Creator. Revelation 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

He is the God that Possess all things v24 “seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth,”

     Sovereignty of God “he is Lord”

May I quickly say we are not a Calvinist in our Doctrine.  The Bible teaches that God is Sovereign.   The Bible also teaches the freewill of man.  Our minds can not contain all that God is.  If he was small enough for my mind he would not be big enough for my troubles. 

He is the God that is Self- existent  v25 “ Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing,”

He is the God that Sustains       He is the God the Giver of Life to everyone v25“seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;”  

He is the God that Supplies     He is the God the Distributor of all things v25 “seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;”  

He is the God that is the Same “no respect of person”   He is the God that teaches the Equality of all men  v26 “ And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth,”

     There is not a master race like the Greek of that day thought. The people of Athens considered themselves to be a master race. Other people were “barbarians” to them.

He is the God that Controls all things/ Omnipotent v26” And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;”

He is the God that is All Present/ Omnipresent v27 “ That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:”

He is the God of Salvation v30 “ but now commandeth all men every where to repent:”

He is the God that will Judge v31 “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness”

He is the God that Raised Jesus from the dead v 31” whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”