God Flashcards
Most (and some would argue all) of our language about God is ______________________
metaphorical
Negative theologians
Because God is so above human qualities, they say God is not [insert quality], to avoid misrepresenting God… e.g. God is not love, because He is so above our human love
Conceptual idolatry
When we craft a fixed perception about who God is and worshipping this “boxed God,” instead of being dynamic in considering who God is (God can’t fit in a box! He will reveal things that are outside the box)
What are some examples of metaphors/language about God?
- May teaching about God “fall like rain” - rain (like God’s word) creates new life (Deuteronomy 32:2)
- Rock - a metaphor for strength (Deuteronomy 32:4)
- Eagle - protects chicks/children under wings (Deuteronomy 32:11)
- Nursing mother
- Raham - a mother’s compassion - also used to describe God’s emotions
How does language say “not enough yet too much” about God?
Since language is created by humans, it cannot capture God accurately and thus says “too much” about Him. Yet, there is still so much we do not know about God, so they also do not say enough.
What are some ways God has been depicted in art?
a nebula, burning bush, human-like (on the Sistine Chapel), holding the world in His hands, a large rock
Preordain*
To decide and put an act into action before any prior knowledge. He decides what He will do and does it, even before He created the world! To preordain means the same as to predetermine.
Providence*
God’s rule and power over all creation. This ties in with preordaining, because He’s got everything taken care of. Providence does not HAVE to indicate preordination.
Single predestination*
God elects some for salvation. The rest of humanity automatically suffers condemnation because of sin
Double predestination*
God elects some for salvation and the rest for condemnation based on preordination.
What are the components of classical theism (Greek philosophy)?
Actus purus (pure actuality), immutable, impassible, omniscient, omnipotent
Actus purus + supporting scripture (1)
God is perfect. Everything is already actualized in God - God has everything preordained. Some use Ex 3:14 (“I am who I am”) to support, but this is a misinterpretation, as the name really indicates movement (not staticity)
Immutable + supporting scripture (2)
God can’t change.
Malachi 3:6 - “I the Lord do not change…”
James 1:17 - “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” - but the latter leads to the question if even though God does not change in giving gifts, is He entirely immutable?
impassable
Good cannot suffer/feel emotions. Some claim the humanity of Jesus suffered, not the Divine.
Omniscient + supporting scripture (6)
God is all-knowing because according to classical theists - He has preordained everything!
Psalm 147:5 - “His understanding has no limit”
Hebrews 4:13 - “Nothing in creation is hidden from God’s sight.”
Isaiah 42:9 - “Before they [the new things] spring into being I announce them to you”
Jeremiah 29:11
Isaiah 46:10 - God makes “known the end from the beginning” - God knows His plans + that He will fulfill them - people use this phrase to support preordanance
Isaiah 55:9 - “My ways are higher than your ways” - but in reality, this refers to God’s “way” of being compassionate and pardoning
John Calvin was very focused on God’s ______________
justice: Influenced by St. Augustine and his context as a lawyer, Calvin believed in glorifying God to the greatest extent, as this is how we could act justly toward Him
The five components of his classical theism include…
total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints
total depravity
there is no way for humans to turn to God on their own - His spirit makes turning to God for salvation possible - if this is all God, He gets all the glory
unconditional election
…of some humans for salvation - preordaining - before creating the earth, God elected some people for salvation - God did this with no conditions, e.g. not considering the person’s individual choices - this exemplifies double predestination
limited atonement
limited to the Elect - God punished Jesus for the Elect (who are randomly chosen) - the rest suffered their own punishment (because you can’t punish the unsaved twice - Jesus the first, hell the second)
irresistible grace
one cannot resist the spirit luring the Elect to the Kingdom of God - Calvin disagreed with Luther, who believed that we can all be saved by faith
perseverance of the Saints
the Elect would not receive Jesus and then live however they want - the Elect will live as Christ lived, but you do not know if you are Elect. Corporate predestination - God created a people and predestined them - they just need to call on Him, or “opt in.”
The five components of Arminius’s theology include…
almost total depravity, conditional election, unlimited atonement, irresistible grace, and evanescence of believers
almost total depravity
we still have something in us that craves God - the Holy Spirit partners with us, but we are still sinful and cannot accept God on our own - we lean toward the Holy Spirit who saves
conditional election
based on what God knows we will choose, he Elects people - being elect is not random, like according to Calvin
unlimited atonement
Jesus died for everyone - the power of God to save all people - But! people can resist the grace of the Holy Spirit
resistible grace
the people who are going to resist are the people God knows will resist
evanescence of believers
people can lose salvation if they don’t live a life in accordance with God
The five components of the Hebrew Biblical view/open theism include…
potentiality, nuanced immutability, passible, nuanced omniscience, nuanced omnipotence
potentiality
God answers prayer and does things in the moment
nuanced immutability + supporting scripture (2)
His faithfulness is unchanging, but God can change His mind
Genesis 6 - God is sorry he created the sinning humans - sorry indicates a change of mind/direction
Exodus 32 - God says he would destroy the people who were worshipping the golden calf after he delivered them from Egypt - Moses gives reasons why God should not destroy them and He agrees with them
passible + supporting scripture (2)
God can suffer/feel emotions - some say Jesus’s divinity suffered along with the humanity
Genesis 6
Ephesians 4:30 - “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit”
nuanced omniscience + supporting scripture (3)
God knows salvation, His plans… but He does not always know the choices we will make. But, he knows us, so he figures out what we will do.
God tested the Israelites to see if they would keep His commandments
Genesis 22: God tests Abraham with Isaac - “Now I know that you fear God”
Genesis 18:26 - “IF I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
nuanced omnipotence + supporting scripture (3)
Out of love, God sets aside some power to give people freedom
Judges 1:19 - not the best example - the Lord was with the people of Judah, but they could not drive out the enemy
Matthew 23 - Jesus wants everyone to be His, but some people are not willing
Genesis 2-3 - God could not find the people in the garden after they disobeyed
open theism (definition)
God gives humans authentic freedom and works with them in a dynamic, mutual relationship. This is why God sets aside some of His power and knowledge. There are many articulations of open theism, such as process theologians, who say that God learns as we learn, and is even learning to become God.
Christological hermeneutics
Guides how we read the Old Testament - Jesus reveals God to Us
