Exam prep Flashcards
a. “laying aside His divinity”
Ellen White does advocate a concept of kenosis, but only in line with Philippians 2:6-8. In all her writings she only used the phrase: “laying aside His divinity,” once in comparison to the 125 usages of “clothing or veiling His divinity with Humanity.” Thus we should give greater weight to the latter phrase as indicating her clear teaching.
b. “born without a taint of sin, but came into the world in like manner as the human family”
This is a powerful dialectical statement that shows Ellen White’s thinking. It doesn’t speak about deeds but rather a state of being. Christ had no original sin. He had no inner corruption or taint of sin. This is in contrast to humanity. It is important for White to distinguish that Christ was sinless and that humanity is sinful. He was born into humanity, but He was different.
c. “Christ’s humanity alone could never have endured this test, but his divine power combined with humanity gained on behalf of man an infinite victory.”
This was one of the statements in which White presented the antithesis between Christ’s divinity and His humanity. One cannot speak about the one, without the other in order to give her full credit. By just His humanity He would not have been able to have endured the cross. His divinity gave greater capacity for Him to bear the sins of men.
d. “On all points except sin, divinity was to touch humanity”
Ellen White combines the thought of the sinless human nature of Christ with the fact that Christ took man’s fallen nature upon Himself. She states that Christ was not merely sinless in act but in nature. She defines the fallen nature which Christ took upon Himself as being “subject to the infirmities and weaknesses” which face men. Ellen White makes a distinction between “infirmities and weaknesses” on the one hand and sin on the other.
e. “Do not set him before the people as a man with the propensities of sin.”
The Baker letter was a letter of council to a minister who preached about the nature of Christ. She stated bluntly to Him that Christ had no propensities to do evil. He was assailed with temptations, but not once did He give in. He was repulsed by sin. There was no taint of sin upon Him.
With reference to the chapter “Costly Grace” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, translate the phrase used by Martin Luther: pecca fortiter, sed forties et gaude in Christo. Explain what this phrase means according to Bonhoeffer.
It translates as “Sin boldly but believe and rejoice in Christ more boldly” This was not an invitation by Luther to just continue sinning. It is rather a confirmation of man’s sinfulness, and the inability to escape from it. Since we cannot escape this sinful nature, it is important to believe (and rejoice) in grace more boldly that what our sinful character are bold. What he is saying is that, you are a sinner, you cannot change it, accept it, be a sinner, but believe and rejoice that Grace has ultimately saved you from that nature.
According to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, distinguish between costly grace and cheap grace.
Cheap grace would be what the churches proclaim today. It is receiving God’s grace without having to do anything for it. Costly grace requires discipleship. It requires the follower of God to change his/her way or life. Cheap grace is forgiveness without repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession. It is Grace without the cross
Explain what Dietrich Bonhoeffer means when he says of Martin Luther: “The renunciation he made when he became a monk was child’s play compared with that which he had to make when he returned to the world.”
When Luther became a monk, he gave everything up except his pious self. Meaning that he attempted to make the ultimate sacrifice by giving up the world but in this attempt he failed as he thought it would make him a better Christian. When he returned to the world, he had to give up the pious self, acknowledging that he is nothing better than anybody else. He had to acknowledge that grace doesn’t come as a result of any achievement.
Write a brief paragraph describing the content and nature of “the proclamation of the Gospel” according to Wolfhart Pannenberg in “The Gospel.”
For Pannenberg the whole story of the Gospel is about reconciliation. Because of sin, there is a need for reconciliation to God. Jesus came to be the Gospel (the reconciliation) and the Apostles then told the story of the Gospel. This Gospel, Good News is the breaking in of the rule of God into the world.
What role does the idea of reconciliation play in Wolfhart Pannenberg’s understanding of the Gospel?
For Pannenberg the whole story of the Gospel is about reconciliation. Because of sin, there is a need for reconciliation to God. Jesus came to be the Gospel (the reconciliation) and the Apostles then told the story of the Gospel. This Gospel, Good News is the breaking in of the rule of God into the world.
Geoffrey Paxton in “The Heart of the Reformation” states that “Rome taught that justification means to make the believer just” while “the Reformers taught that justification is the declaration by God that the believer is just.” Briefly explain the difference between these two understandings of justification by faith.
The reformers view is that we are solely pronounced righteous on the merits of Christ alone and in no way in one self. The Roman view is that the believer is not just pronounced righteous but is made righteous, thus receives a righteous heart. This righteousness that he receives makes him acceptable before God, In other words, while the reformers view is that righteousness cannot come from within but only from Christ, the Roman view is that righteousness, once received, come from oneself.
Taking your information from the readings by Geoffrey Paxton, write a paragraph explaining the relation of Seventh-day Adventism to the theology of the Reformation. In your answer you should also explain the essence of the reformer’s (for example, Martin Luther’s) understanding of “Justification by faith.”
SDA is a continuation of the reformation. Although Adventism didn’t take on all the doctrine of the Reformation ie baptism, it is important that Adventists see themselves as reformers who has something to offer, the Gospel! Adventism has a message of justification by faith, that started in 1888 and although there were in the past and still today a lot of debate regarding it, it remains the official view of the SDA. The SDA sees justification by faith as the only means to be saved, he acknowledge that there is no merit in himself and that nothing he do can justify him, Justification is an act of Christ, and become the Adventist’s by faith in Jesus Christ.
Comment on the notion of sacrifice according to Karl Barth in “Lecture VIII: God’s Work and Man’s Salvation”.
Jesus came to earth to be sacrificed for the sins of humanity, God (Jesus) were satisfied with this sacrifice and thus humanity were saved. In the death of Jesus the incarnation comes to it full totality. This complete humiliation of God was where Jesus satisfied God (including Himself). He (God) accepted the sacrifice made by Himself.
According to Karl Barth in “Lecture VIII: God’s Work and Man’s Salvation” explain the significance of Christ’s resurrection.
The resurrection is the other side of the epitome of the incarnation of God. At first he was humiliated on the cross, but now the humiliation was turned around and He proved to be the Messiah. On the crucifixion day, it wasn’t sure if he were the Messiah or not, but on the Resurrection morning there could be no more doubt. With the resurrection, He proved that God cannot die, death has not ultimate power over God. He arose entirely in his Divinity, yet remained a man. If the resurrection didn’t occur, the whole Christian church is built on an illusion.
- The Messianic Secret
The Messianic secret is even a secret for Jesus Himself. Mark 8:27-31 states that Jesus keeps His future open and doesn’t allow it to be conceived or misconceived. Jesus’ true messianic secret is therefore the secret of his suffering. He did not claim Messiahship, he suffered it. Through His suffering He learned obedience, and only in this obedience will He have experienced Himself as Son of God and Messiah. Jesus is the Messiah in His becoming.
