Systematic Theology 1 Quiz 4 (for Final) Flashcards
1
Q
It was argued in class that in the libertarian model of freedom, people make their choices and perform their actions with no reason(s) whatsoever for why they choose or act the way they do.
A
F
2
Q
The classic Calvinist model of relating divine sovereignty and human freedom holds that God has determined everything that happens so that human freedom is actually illusory.
A
F
3
Q
It was pointed out in class that the richest OT term for God’s love is agape.
A
F
4
Q
Remunerative justice refers to God’s reward for obedience and punishment for disobedience.
A
F
5
Q
The love of God should rightly and only be thought of as God’s universal desire for the well-being of all people.
A
F
6
Q
God’s righteousness could rightly be understood as God’s own perfect conformity, in word, thought, attitude, and action, to God’s own intrinsic moral nature.
A
T
7
Q
The attribute of God’s wisdom could rightly be understood as the application of God’s infinite knowledge to accomplish the morally best ends by the best means possible.
A
T
8
Q
Retributive justice refers to God’s reward to those who obey his laws.
A
F
9
Q
The attribute of God’s omnipotence means that God can do absolutely anything with no qualification whatsoever on what God can do.
A
F
10
Q
Libertarian freedom, also referred to as contra-causal freedom, requires the incompatibility of divine determination and human freedom.
A
T
11
Q
Because the hyper-Calvinist model understands God’s sovereignty as comprehensive, it rightly holds that there is no genuine human freedom.
A
F
12
Q
One of the key components of God’s holiness has to do with the feature of being distinct or different.
A
T
13
Q
Throughout most of Christian history, the attribute of God’s omniscience has been understood with the caveat that it is logically impossible for God to know the future acts of free moral agents.
A
F
14
Q
“Something is right because God wills it,” is characteristic of Voluntarism.
A
T
15
Q
It was argued in class that the concept of middle knowledge, though interesting and even helpful philosophically, cannot rightly be supported from Scripture.
A
F
16
Q
This position holds that it must be the case that either God controls actions performed, or we (his moral creatures) control actions performed, and that it is logically impossible for both God and us to control the same actions.
A
a. Hyper-Calvinism
b. Process Theism
c. Classic Arminianism
d. Classic Calvinism
e. a., b., c. CORRECT
17
Q
Legislative justice refers to:
A
God’s giving to His moral creatures standards by which they should live
18
Q
Distributive justice refers to:
A
a. God’s rewarding or punishing His moral creatures Correct
19
Q
Grace is best understood as:
A
a. God’s favor shown to those who are undeserving
b. God’s favor shown to those who are destitute and helpless
c. God’s favor shown to those who have not merited his kindness
d. all of the above
e. a. and c. Correct
20
Q
On the question of God’s own freedom, these two positions were rejected as logically extreme views:
A
Necessitarianism and Voluntarism Correct
21
Q
Mercy is best understood as:
A
. God’s favor shown to those who are destitute and helpless Correct
22
Q
God’s justice refers to the fact that:
A
b. God establishes standards for his moral creatures in accord with his intrinsic moral nature
c. God judges his moral creatures by their conformity (or lack thereof) to those standards
B & C
23
Q
This position holds that the notion of God controlling the very same actions as those which we (his moral creatures) also control is compatibilistically true.
A
Classic Calvinism Correct
24
Q
On the question of God’s own freedom, the position argued for in the lectures was labelled:
A
Essentialism
25
This position on the relation of divine sovereignty to human freedom holds that genuine freedom is a "freedom of inclination."
b. Classic Calvinism Correct
26
God’s characteristics that we (as God’s creation) can share in in a finite way
Communicable Attributes
27
1. Intellectual Attributes (the mind of God)
2. Moral Attributes (God’s moral attributes)
3. Attributes of God’s Rulership (God’s governing rule)
*Some of these attributes
overlap
28
(the mind of God)
Intellectual Attributes
29
Intellectual Attributes
1. Omniscience
2. Omnisapience (Wisdom in latin)
3. Truth
30
God knows all that is knowable- that He knows all things possible & actually and that He knows all things past, present, & future
Omniscience
31
everything that is he knows everything; he knows all the ways in which the world could be possible, all the ways that things are & all the ways things could be (Omniscience)
possible & actual
32
God not only knows all that could be & things that will be & He also knows what would be the case in certain circumstances if it weren’t as it were (ex. God knows where you are right now & where you would be if you weren’t where you are right now) Matt 11 & 1 Cor. 2 // how God has control over all
(Omniscience)
Middle Knowledge
33
Middle Knowledge Scripture
| Omniscience
Matthew 11 - if they would have heard the revelation they would have repented
1 Corinthians 2 - if they would of had that revelation they would not have crucified Christ
34
Ware does not believe William Graig’s belief of__________(Omniscience)
libitarian freedom-
35
William Graig’s belief of libitarian freedom is
| Omniscience
it is impossible to know what the human would do because it is up to the free agent (this arminian view of middle knowledge with libitarian freedom is not biblical)
36
compatible freedom + middle knowledge =
| Omniscience
correct
37
God knows all of what will happen in the future exhaustively
(Omniscience)
Future Knowledge
38
those who do not believe God has Future Knowledge
| Omniscience
Open Theist
39
the future is open, not closed = not even God knows what would happen in the future because of libiterian freedom (humans can do whatever they want) // God either knows the future or there is libiterian freedom -> you cannot have both is what these people believe -> they believe God cannot know what is going to happen if people have lib freedom
(Omniscience // Future Knowledge)
Open Theist
40
Future Knowledge Scripture (first 3)
| Omniscience
1. 1 Samuel - God repenting of Saul being king
2. Genesis 22:12 - Open Theist use to prove that God does not know the future / Abraham & Isaac -> Abraham followed what God said to do of sacrificing Isaac -> Abraham did not kill Isaac -> Abraham proved he feared God -> God was faithful but God needed to “learn” that Abraham would be faithful // “now I know that you fear me”.. God has always known that Abraham feared him (Romans 4) // Sarah & Abraham having a baby at such an old age showed his fear & trust in God (Hebrews 11) Abraham had always been showing God fearing trust. Abraham believed that God could raise his son from the dead
3. Genesis 18 - another instance in which God “learned” something // God spoke to Abraham saying // to believe as the Open Theists do.. God doesn’t know the past or present, he is not omnipresent if you can’t know.. what he is saying is that God is relationally connected to us
41
Future Knowledge Scripture (last 3)
| Omniscience
4. Psalm 139 - God knows us. He knows all. He knew us before we were born.
5. Isaiah 40-48 - God knows the future. God declares the future. This claims his deity. Open Theist take this from him and this is offensive to God.
6. John 13:19 - so you can know that I am God. Simon Peter says where are you going Lord. Then Jesus tells him that he will deny him 3 times before the rooster crows. Jesus knew this was going to happen because he was God and God is all knowing. God can declare the future because he is all knowing.
42
(Wisdom in latin) - God is ALL wise.
Omnisapience
43
is the application of God’s infinite knowledge in a manner that accomplishes his morally perfect ends by morally upright means
Wisdom
44
1. Wisdom - we have _______ ____________ // ex. how you travel because you didn’t know about a wreck
2. God never plans anything that is not ________ _______ __ _______// God’s plans he makes are guided by his goodness
3. the end does not justify the means.. the means must be _______
1. limited knowledge
2. morally worthy of praise
3. worthy
45
What is the difference between wisdom & knowledge?
1. wisdom uses knowledge; wisdom is knowledge applied
2. you can know a lot, but if you are not wise with your knowledge then it is useless
3. think of someone who is shrood - they’re clever
46
God's wisdom, power, & knowledge is the ____ so what he does is always the ____. We have to have a trust in His ways - that they are ____.
best; best; best
47
Wisdom Passages (first 3)
1. Psalm 104:24 Creation testifying to the wisdom of God
2. Proverbs 3:19 - God’s knowledge & wisdom seen in creation
3. Daniel 2:20 - let the name of God be blessed forever & ever
48
Wisdom Passages (last 3)
4. Jeremiah 10:12, 51:10 - God’s wisdom & power // God needs both. We trust God’s plan to be what are best.
5. Romans 4 - believed in God’s promise that he would do what he said he would do / have confidence in our faith of God
6. 1 Corinthians 1:18,21 - redemption shows God’s wisdom
7. Romans 16:27 - to the only wise God be honor and glory forever
49
God is _____. He speaks ____.
truth.
50
God knows all things as they are and his Word & revelation are utterly reliable
truth. truth.
51
Truth Passages (first 3)
1. 1 John 5:20 - God is in His nature the apitamea of Truth
2. John 17 -God’s Word is Truth. God is the Truth & He speaks the Truth.
3. Titus 1, Hebrews 6:18- God cannot lie. The Bible is the product of God’s out breathing and what God says is always true; therefore, the Bible is always true. It is impossible for God to lie.
52
Truth Passages (last 2)
1. John 1:1 - the Word was God, v 14 - the Word became flesh and was dwelt among us - full of grace & truth - Jesus had his Father’s character. Yahweh is full of grace & truth - so is Jesus. We should desire to be like Jesus - to be full of grace & truth.
Must have a balance of grace & truth. Too much grace, lack truth. Too much truth is lack of grace.
2. John 8 - truth sets us free. We should be seekers of truth for His glory & our good.
53
God’s moral attributes
Moral Attributes
54
God’s two primary domains of his moral attributes:
God’s goodness & God’s holiness
55
God’s goodness & God’s holiness
| are never in ______ with one another with God as they do with ______ // they work in _____ //
conflict; humans; harmony
56
the holiness of God is_________. // Goodness is expressed in ________.
goodness; holiness
57
Holiness demands........
| God’s love motivated God to......
judgment against our sin
| send Jesus to pay for our sin.
58
the intrinsic disposition of God by which he embraces all that is morally upright and acts according to all that is morally upright in showing kind to all of his creation
Goodness
59
Goodness in-essence is showing us
the way to holiness.
60
God's goodness is always an expression of his
holiness
61
God's Goodness Passages (first 2)
1. Deuteronomy 10:12-13 - important to know & follow the ways of the Lord // God commands his ways for our good. // so important for youth to see this. God is not a kill joy. He wants to maximize our happiness.
2. Psalm 16:11 - the longing you have for joy & fulfillment is from God to be filled by God.
62
God's Goodness Passages (last 3)
1. Psalm 119:68 - how good is the law of the Lord - God’s nature is good & he does good
2. Romans 2:4 - speaks of the goodness of God; kindness of God leads to repentance
3. 1 Peter 2:3 - taste the kindness & goodness of the Lord; seeks the well being of others
63
God's Goodness displayed in his
love, grace, & mercy.
64
God's Love is
discriminate.
65
OT love
hesed, the steadfast love of God, in longing to bring good to his people (Ps. 106:1, Lamentations 3:22) the love of God is new every morning
66
NT love
agape, unconditional love & despite of love (1 John 4:9-10 - love that we get in spite of our sinfulness, Romans 5:8- though we were sinners Christ died for us)
67
D.A. Carson - the difficult doctrine of the love of God - love for all, ________ ____ for his people & even more ________ ____ for his Son // the love of God for all people is what is thought of when people read about the love of God in the Bible // ex. John 3:16 - where does it get narrowed? - world - he has in mind the whole world (it is universal) - he does love all people // is the love of God always used this way?
particular love; particular love; no
68
Particular love seen in Romans 9
God’s own choice over another - choosing Jacob over Esau (Malachi 1) - discriminate/selectiveness of God’s love - love Jacob more, Esau is under God’s judgement, under his wrath - by God’s choice; God chose to love Jacob over Esau before they were born
69
Particular love seen in Isaiah 43
God favored His people. The people that were not his had the plagues come upon them. His people were spared. God is behind all of this. Could God of told the Egyptians? yes. He only tells the Israelites. He only lets the Israelites cross the Red Sea & the Egyptians not so
70
Particular love seen in Ephesians 5:25
as a husband loves their wife particularly, (we are called to love all people, but your spouse differently) - glorious truth
71
General/Universal love for all people=
John 3:16
72
=we have nothing to claim that we are better - why God chooses some over others is his choice/mystery
Particular love for His people
73
If we say that God only has general love for all it would
minimize His special love that God has for his own
74
2 passages on God's particular love for His people
1. Ephesians 1- the blessings that only some have, not all have been chosen to be holy & blameless - this is in God’s providence
2. Revelation 3 - church in Philadelphia - his favor distinguishes them from others
75
the unmerited favor which is given to those who by nature are totally underserving of that favor or good pleasure
Grace
76
core/root of grace =
notion of unmerited favor
77
see this Ephesians 2 - > that grace is a
GIFT of God
78
Grace Scripture (1-3)
1. 1 Corinthians 15 -> the power at work within those that are undeserving
2. Romans 3 - > grace & gift linked closely together
3. Ephesians 1:5 -> saving grace that God gives is selective (Effectual calling/irresistible grace) “Still Sovereign” he wrote
79
Grace Scripture (4-5)
4. 1 Corinthians 1:22 -> the “called” - the work of the gospel are at work in those who would on their own rejected the gospel
no one deserves salvation - God does not have to save anyone, we are all undeserved (undeserved favor)
5. Matthew 25 - hell prepared for devil and fallen angels
80
compassion or pity of God expressed to those who are in dire need or down cast , ruined, helpless, & hopeless
Mercy
81
Mercy Scripture (1-2)
1. Ephesians 2 - were dead {the walking dead} bound to Satan
2. 2 Corinthians 4:4 - blind to truth by Satan; cannot see truth for truth; God’s wrath directed toward us; face this unless we are forgiven -> verse 4 BUT GOD -> being rich in MERCY
82
= for the undeserved people
Grace
83
= those who are helpless & hopeless- cannot do anything to get us out of this position
Mercy
84
Mercy Scripture (3-4)
3. Titus 3:3 - we also wee foolish once (condition = slavery, foolishness)
4. Romans 9 -> God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy;
85
God is eternally separate & distinct, in in-particular distinct from all in purity and he demands purity from all His creature
Holiness
86
Holy is
separate.
87
Holiness Scripture (1-2)
1. Exodus 15:11- ”who is like you O God?” - no one
| 2. 1 Samuel 2:2- there is no one holy like the Lord - he is separate & distinct
88
Holiness Scripture (3-4)
3. Exodus 31:15 Sabbath is holy- not moral distinction, it is a one of the kind day / it is a day of rest
4. Leviticus 11:41-45 - commanded to only eat some - > nothing morally wrong to eat some animals.. Jesus says no people are unclean (Acts 10- ex. for Peter who will go to the Gentiles who are unclean & God has said no meat in unclean.. meaning no human is unclean) these foods in themselves are not in themselves dirty ->the reason was God wanted the Israelites to be the witness of the holy God by being the holy people -> the food laws showed this
89
Holiness Scripture (5-6)
5. Leviticus 19:19- not allowed to have two fabrics together / you should be marked off as a holy and distinct God
- Moral separated
6. -Isaiah 6:1-8 - he is the height of supremacy; holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty; God’s uniqueness and impurity
90
Holiness Scripture (7-8)
7. Isaiah 5- bringing words to the /expresses what is in the heart, people of unclean lips, God has the forgiveness that matches our sin.
8. 1 Peter 1:14-16 - holiness has central beliefs.
- His moral nature is marked by his moral attributes.
91
Holiness - -His ______ ______ is marked by his moral attributes.
moral nature
92
refers to God’s own perfect conformity to his perfect and in tristic, holy nature; excepts God’s nature - God His Word is speech
Righteousness
93
1. God’s nature is righteous and He never
2. Righteousness is who God is - who he is in
3. God’s righteousness is his
1. violates these standards.
2. word/thought/deed(action)/attitude
3. rightness.
94
Righteousness Scripture (1-2)
1. Psalm 119:137-138 - righteous are you oh Lord -this never changes
2. Revelation 16:5-7 - righteous are you God - statement at the end of time - God’s judgement is right - he is right in doing what he does. They deserve their punishment. We can trust all of God’s ways. His ways are always perfect.
95
refers to the fact that God establishes standard for his moral creatures which are in accord with his intrinsic holy moral nature and he judges his moral creatures to their conformity to these righteous standards
Justice
| under righteousness
96
The difference between God's holiness, righteousness, and justice
- Holiness = God’s character
- Righteousness = God’s conformity to those standards
- Justice = God does two things in regard to justice
1. establish standard for his moral creatures that are in accord with who he is 2. he judges his moral creatures, he holds them accountable
97
what are the two deals with justice?
1. establish standard for his moral creatures that are in accord with who he is
2. he judges his moral creatures, he holds them accountable
98
two different kinds of justice
1. Legislative Justice
| 2. Distributive Justice
99
God is the president. God gives the laws to his people. These stem from his nature.
(some believe that God could have made the commandments steal all)
Legislative Justice
100
Legislative Justice Scripture (3 of them)
1. Psalm 19:7- general revelation & special revelation; commandments of the Lord are clean; the law of the Lord is precious
2. Romans 7:12 - the law is holy - the commandments are holy, righteous, & good , the problem is not the law, the problem is our sinful nature // ex. him running through the cement as a kid when sign said don't walk on it
3. Romans 8:4 - by the Spirit we can uphold the law
101
Legislative Justice -what is the problem?
the problem is not the law, the problem is our sinful nature
102
hold them accountable to whether they keep the law or not
Distributive Justice
103
Distributive Justice Scripture
1. 2 Corinthians 5:10 - believers will have a judgement as well - to reward for the good of it; we will see with a clarity like never before the full depth of our sin
2. Romans 2:5 - judgement for believers & unbelievers
104
Distributive Justice 2 parts
1. Remunerative Justice
| 2. Retributive Justice
105
rewarded for the good we’ve done ( which we did only by the Spirit - God does it all through us and then he rewards us for what he did
Remunerative Justice
106
Remunerative Justice Scripture (2)
2 Timothy 4 - God as Judge will reward us - the crown of life - those of the faith — you keep loving him & always love him
Hebrews 6:10 - God is not unjust to
107
punishment deserved
Retributive Justice
108
Retributive Justice Scripture
1. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 - Christ comes with his mighty angels - he will deal out punishment to those that do not know Christ, pain & agony
2. Revelation 16:5-7 - righteous judgement of God - (Roman 2:5-11 Galatians 6:7-10) God is holy - he is seperate from all in-purity. rightly gives law and rightly judges
109
Attributes of God’s Rulership (God’s governing rule)
freedom
omnipotence
sovereignty
110
1. Freedom =
yes God is free. it is a freedom that comes from his nature - like our freedom - we are free to sin. God has this freedom eternally.
111
3 aspects of the Freedom Spectrum
```
Left = Volunteerism
Right = Neccesiterianism
Middle = Essentialism
```
112
Freedom Spectrum
= absolutely not restricted; notion that God’s freedom is that he has an unrestricted; totally free- he could of willed to be cruel & harsh being, but he willed to be the way he is, he could of will the opposite of the ten commandments, it i snot govern by anything at all - it is right because God wills it -Problem? God’s nature is fixed - there is no assurance that God will be faithful - this undercuts so much about scripture. Designed to give God
Left - Volunteerism
113
Freedom Spectrum
= absolutely restricted; God has willed and will nothing else otherwise. God was not free to create the world or not -he had to // Problem? undermines what God has done for us because it was his obligation to do this
Right - Neccesiterianism
114
Freedom Spectrum
= God wills out of his essence; it provides a framework & boundary; God chooses who he will have mercy; there is no obligation that he has to show mercy - he has his reasons that he creates in who he chooses, but we do not necessarily know al o this (Romans 9) God’s choice doing what he wants to do - flows from his nature
Middle- Essentialism
115
Correct on the Freedom Spectrum
Middle- Essentialism
116
God is able to perform anything consistent with his nature as God
our power comes from God
(our power comes from God alone)
2. Omnipotence-
117
Omnipotence Scripture
1. Genesis 18:14 - Sarah laughs that God promises her to have Isaac. God’s response is “Is anything to hard for the Lord? NO.
2. Matthew 19:20-26 - hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God
118
Omnipotence - St. Augustine in City of God Book 5 Ch 10 - Quote -
“the power of God is not diminished when it is said that He cannot die or cannot sin or cannot lie for if he could do these things his power would be less not more”
119
St. Augustine quote... the power to always be able to live or the power to be able to live or die? to always live // to be able to always tell the truth or to tell a truth or a lie? the greater power is to only tell the truth because this is good. -shows us that...
God is not limited. what we can do that God can’t do shows our limits, not Gods
120
God can do anything he chooses to do that ....
| God expresses who he is in .......
come out of his own nature
| his actions.
121
1. God’s omnipotence is feared some places (Isaiah 40).. because .....
2. We have no power that is not ..........
3. We want the credit, but we do not deserve the credit. An example of the Spirit at work in us is?
1. we want to have control & power.
2. given to us by God’s power.
3. to take the humble state and want to give God the glory and not take it yourself. // We need to look in the mirror and say the only way I can do anything is if you work through me God. ->goes completely against the self-esteem notion
(self fulfillment comes from acknowledgement on how empty you are and how much you need God)
122
God plans and carries out his perfect will completely as he alone knows as best, over all that is in heaven and earth, and he does so without failure or defeat
Sovereignty
123
Sovereignty is important for _______ & _______ = the expression of a whole range of God’s attributes, expression of God’s power, wisdom, & goodness - how he designs & carries out his rule in the world; expression of ............
theology & life; all of the attributes of God
124
Scriptural Teaching of God's Sovereignty - Spectrum Text 1. - over God’s control over things that are good and things that are evil
(Deuteronomy 32) explain.
Deuteronomy 32 - song of Moses - that God will no the defeated: v39 - “I am He - there is no God besides me” - what defines me helps you see how I am God // God puts to death & gives life = he controls both sides of the spectrum
125
God's sovereignty text 2
| (1 Samuel 2) explain.
1 Samuel 2 - Hannah’s song = God has control of whether she has a baby or not; the Lord kills and the Lord makes alive; death first - sheol - he brings low and he exalts - both sides are to be seen to be done by God
126
God has control over
death & life
rich & poor
sickness & health
127
God's sovereignty text 3
| Isaiah 45:5-7 explain.
Isaiah 45:5-7 - “I am the Lord there is no other” doing good & creating calamity; light & darkness // {(bar-rar =creates) wellbeing} {(shalom= peace, wholeness of life with others & God)} God forms light & darkness // hebrew word for darkness
128
God's sovereignty text 4
| Job 42:11 explain.
Job 42:11 - Job comes close to blaming God, Job is comforted from all the affliction that God brought upon him
129
God's sovereignty text 5
| 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 explain.
1 Chronicles 29:11-12—blessed are you forever and ever oh Lord
130
God's sovereignty text 6
| Psalm 115:3 explain.
Psalm 115:3 - God does whatever he pleases
131
God's sovereignty text 7
| Psalm 135:5-7 explain.
Psalm 135:5-7 - the wonders of God in all of creation; the Lord is above all gods; God does whatever he pleases
132
spectrum sovereignty passages
1. Deuteronomy 32 - song of Moses - that God will no the defeated: v39 - “I am He - there is no God besides me” - what defines me helps you see how I am God // God puts to death & gives life = he controls both sides of the spectrum
2. 1 Samuel 2 - Hannah’s song = God has control of whether she has a baby or not; the Lord kills and the Lord makes alive; death first - sheol - he brings low and he exalts - both sides are to be seen to be done by God
3. Isaiah 45:5-7 - “I am the Lord there is no other” doing good & creating calamity; light & darkness // {(bar-rar =creates) wellbeing} {(shalom= peace, wholeness of life with others & God)} God forms light & darkness // hebrew word for darkness
133
God's sovereignty text 8-9.
| Proverbs 16:1, Proverbs 21:2 explain.
Proverbs 16:1 - the plans of the heart belong to man but the answer belongs to the Lord v 31 - the lot is cast in the lap, but every decision is from the Lord v 4 - God is in complete control of evil, but does not cause evil
Proverbs 21:1 - the kings heart does whatever he wants // ex. he prayed God would turn someone’s heart to buy his house - > it happened - > he prayed that God would turn someones heart to want to buy their house - > 8-10 relatives came and LOVED it
134
God's sovereignty text 10. last OT verse we talk about.
| Daniel 4:28 explain.
Daniel 4:28 - his favorite God’s sovereignty passage = all the people of the earth are as nothing - no inhabitants of the earth can change God’s will from occurring // no one can restrain God’s hands and no one can ask God what have you done
135
God's sovereignty NT text
Ephesians 1:11 - God destines us to have our blessings - purpose of God to get the inheritance - God works all things to work for his will (some take it out of context and say God is not fully sovereign)
136
God's sovereignty NT text - 2.
Romans 9 - Isaac & Ishmeal, Isaac not Ishmel- Rebecca gives birth to two - Go picks one over the other - Jacob, not Esau // Depends only on what God wants, not any thing we do
137
Issues - 2 broad questions with God's sovereignty
1. Mechanical Issue - Relationship between divine sovereignty and human freedom - what does our freedom consist of if God is sovereign? If we truly free how is God sovereign? How do we bring them together?
2. Moral Issue - If God is sovereign then why are we responsible for the evil we do? See your good = God gets the praise.
138
2 of the positions on Sovereignty
1. because God is sovereign, we have no freedom (hyper calvinist)
2. creatures cause all things to be, God cannot stop things from happening (Creature have sovereignty (processed theology- believe the only power God has is persuasion) God cannot intervene - he can only give suggestions
139
God is in charge of most of what happens in the world, but there is another part of the world that either God will cause to happen or we will cause it to happen
Arminian View with God's sovereignty
140
(he decided to create this world; he chose where to put the tree of good & evil in the garden - but Adam chooses to eat the fruit or not.. God can’t stop Adam’s choice; free to do this or that // soo.... (Arminian View with God's sovereignty )
either God controls it or we do.. either/or {libiterian freedom = contra-chusel -
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could of chosen another way. we chose this but could of chose something else} we have a portion of control (libirterian free creatures) moral accountability = God’s sovereignty is restricted so that he does not control what humanity controls // God creates a world in which humans will use their freedom for ___ ____ (what arminians believe) // how is God justified in creating a world in which he created human beings who would do bad things? -
(Arminian View with God's sovereignty )
bad things
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= when God created the world God knew people had freedom = but he gave them this freedom to do good and humans choose to do bad // (Arminian View with God's sovereignty )
the free will defense
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= God knows the greater will be more than the bad
open theist are arminians
(Arminian View with God's sovereignty )
the greater good defense
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How do Arminians & Open Theists differ?
agree on having freedom
| *moral responsibility— open theist say that God did not know how people would use their freedom
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The Arminian view of God's sovereignty diminishes the
sovereign control of God and give humans sovereignty
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Arminian deal with salvation
humans decide whether they are saved or not; not in God’s control - God gave it for all
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God’s sovereign control is comprehensive over all things view on sovereignty; (eph 1:11); yet humans do have humans;
Calvinist View
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= must be a different kind of freedom than liberation freedom (_______ __ ________ called by Jonathan Edwards) / rise for one thing that prevails over all things.. the one thing we most want to do) ex. diet - want cake but don't want it.
(Calvinist View on Sovereignty)
compatible view; freedom of inclination
retrain our desires to be right
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diet ex. why no cake? would have to be the same reason for eating it as is for not eating it // reason for pulling the trigger verse not pulling it ->
(Calvinist View on Sovereignty)
makes no sense - different conception of freedom (calvinist vs. arminian)
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freedom of indifference =
arminian freedom
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compatible freedom =
calvinist freedom
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God is sovereign over everything & we do what we want still but God still fully in control
Calvinist View
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Calvinist View Scripture Example - Gen 45
Genesis 45 - ex. Joseph’s brothers wanting to kill him - Ruben said don’t do that - brothers sale him instead.. Joseph gets promoted to second command in Egypt - v3 - I am Joseph - i my father still alive? brothers sold me here - God sent me to preserve life - the whole reason for Joseph being here has changed - God sent me. -> the brothers are not the reason - it was God. -> it was not you who sent me here but God -Genesis 50:20 -> you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good
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Calvinist View Scripture Example - Isaiah 10
Isaiah 10 - God calls Assyria - woe to Assyria you are the rod to my anger - you are in big trouble - God was using them to bring about his judgement -> responsible for what they do while God uses them for good
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Calvinist View Scripture Example - Acts 2:20
Acts 2:20 - who put Jesus on the cross? God. // wicked men? yes - bear responsible for what they did? yes… God used it for good still? yes
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God does what he does for his glory. We cannot question him
calvinist view
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Calvinist View Scripture Example - Romans 9:22-23
Romans 9:22-23 - a world of wrath and love
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God chooses to love in a saving way only some rather than all because
his glory and purpose can only be accomplished this way.
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World example of God not saving all to bring about a better purpose
ex. churchill not saving those whom he could of saved in order to save more - praise him
