Midterm Flashcards
What is the two ways God makes himself know to all people?
The Light of Nature in Man, and the Works of God.
What are the uses of natural revelation?
Strips all excuses, reveal the divinity and excellency of God
Is one able to construct a natural theology form General revelation?
Not sufficient to reveal God effectually to their salvation
What are the two stages of special revelation?
verbal, Scripture
What are the three ways God revealed h-Himself in the history of redemption?
visions dreams and face to face
According to Calvin, why inscripturation necessary?
Necessary to know God unto Salvation
Are there other places or means today by which God reveals Himself?
Those former ways God reveals his will unto HIs people being now ceased
Define Scripture?
The Written Word of God
Define Inspiration?
Supernatural control of the writer of Scripture so that what he writes is as though God is speaking.
Supernatural. God-breathed.
Dynamic-organic. The whole man is really involved.
Verbal
Plenary
What should be your response to Scripture?
reverently embrace, obey, and treasure his word
Wherein lies the authority of Scripture?
The Spirit of God bearing witness by and with Scripture in the heart of man
What three types of evidence?
External (witness of the church), Internal (heavenliness of the matter, efficacy of the doctrine, majesty of the style, consent of the whole), Spiritual (The Holy Spirit bearing witness in and with our hearts)
How does the witness of the church bear on the authority of Scripture?
causes the unbeliever to read the Scripture
What are the internal evidences listed here?
(heavenliness of the matter, efficacy of the doctrine, majesty of the style, consent of the whole)
What the ultimate proof? (of Scripture)
The Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in the heart of man.
How (does the Spirit’s testimony to Scripture) this work?
bearing witness in and with our hearts
What two great areas to which God speaks in Scripture?
faith and practice (What man is to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man)
What two-fold manner teaching?
Expressly set down in Scripture or by good and necessary consequence deduced from Scripture
What two aspects of church life emphasized here?
The worship of God and the government of the Church.
What is taught in this paragraph? (WCF 1.7)
The perspicuity of Scripture, that all that we need to know for salvation can be understood by anyone who studies the Bible
What re ordinary means?
Reading and meditating on Scripture with prayer. Along with the preaching of God’s word.
In par. 7-10 what principles may we derive for interpreting the Bible?
Scripture interprets Scripture, the meaning of Scripture is single, and the more clear passages interpret the less clear.
What is the most important rule of interpretation?
The Holy Spirit, speaking through Scripture, is the ultimate authority.
Why must we learn Greek and Hebrew?
Because they are the original languages the Bible was written in.
What mean authentical?
The Bible contains the actual words of God. (Genuine, authentic)
Should we consider our English language Bibles as authoritative?
A translation that is faithful to the original is authoritative in content, but not the actual words.
What four things do Scripture teach us about God?
The scriptures make known what God is, the persons of the Godhead, his decrees, and the execution of his decrees.
In what ways does God reveal himself to us? How do we know him?
As one God in three distinct persons. Through God’s revelation of himself to us in Scripture.
What infinite mean? What mean without passions?
Infinite means without beginning or end. Without emotions provoked by events happening outside himself.
List and define those incommunicable attributes mentioned.
Aseity, immutability, infinity (eternity and immensity), and oneness (numerical oneness/unity and qualitative oneness/simplicity
List and define those communicable mentioned..
God’s communicable attributes are those which may be shared with man. His being a spirit (John 4:24), powerful (Rev 4:8), wise (Rom 16:27), holy (Is. 6:3), just (Deut 32:4), merciful gracious long-suffering abundant in goodness and truth (Ex 34:6).
What (WCF 2), par. 2 teach about God?
God is the fountain of all that exists, and needs nothing from any of his creation. He exists with all knowledge and power out of the abundance of his own being.
What is the second thing God reveals about himself?
That he exists in a godhead of three persons.
What is the traditional proof that there are three persons and each is fully divine. Give scripture for each one.
Names, attributes, works, and worship. Isa. 6:3, 5, 8 with John 12:41 and with
Acts 28:25; 1 John 5:20; Acts 5:3, 4 2
John 1:1; Isa. 9:6; John 2:24, 25; 1 Cor.
2:10, 11 3
Col. 1:16; Gen. 1:2, 4
Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14
What s the personal attribute of each member of the Godhead?
The Father begets the Son, the Son is begotten of the Father, the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son
What is the third thing Scripture makes known about God?
That God decrees whatsoever comes to pass (plans and decrees of God)
What are some other terms for decree?
God’s eternal purpose. The Counsel of his will, foreordination, predestination
What are the attributes of God’s decree?
eternal, unchangeable, wise, holy
If decree is unchangeable, how explain Gen. 6:6; I Sam 15:11
God “lisps” with us, speaking in terms we can understand.
What is the relation between God’s decree and man’s will? What is the pastoral application?
God works by his Spirit to renew our will so that we are enabled more and more to live unto righteousness and die unto sin. Pastorally, this means that God did not elect us because we are holy, but to make us holy. And since this is his unchangeable purpose, we can rest assured that he will complete it.
Define election.
God’s appointing some to everlasting life.
What are some of the attributes of election?
It is eternal, before the foundation of the world. It is immutable.
Does election rule out means? Why not?
No because God has not only foreordained the elect to be saved, but also ordained all the means by which they will be saved.
Can someone desire to be saved but cannot because he is not elect?
No because it is God who works in us both to will and to do his good pleasure. (Phil. 2:13) (requires grace and God has provided that grace for the elect only)
Why should you pray for lost people?
because that is the means by which God determines to save
What is reprobation? What are the two parts?
They are ordained for dishonor. God passes over them and leaves them to the freedom
According to LC 14 and SC 8 What two ways God execute his decrees?
The works of creation and Providence
As we look at creation, what is the principle that must guide us?
faith, Hebrews 11:3