Theology: B - The Bible Flashcards
Define and distinguish “general revelation”
General revelation is information about God available to everyone through nature, history and God’s image in man-kind. General revelation shows some perfections of God, but it does not reveal that Christ is the only way to salvation.
Psalm 19:1-4 “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.”
Rom. 1:20 “For his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”
Define and distinguish “special revelation.”
Special revelation is what God has revealed about himself, directly to human beings through special messengers (angels or prophets), Jesus Christ, or the Scripture. Certain theological knowledge—the Trinity, the plan of salvation—can come only through this method.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 - “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Define and defend (including Scripture proofs) the “inspiration” of Scripture.
God’s special revelation is a product of God’s direct intellectual superintending of the men who wrote it. Therefore the inspired Scriptures are the very words of God and thus are the absolute and immutable authoritative rule for faith and practice.
2 Timothy 3:16-17- “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
2 Peter 1:21 - “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Define and defend the “necessity” of Scripture.
The Scriptures are necessary today because the light of nature and the works of creation and providence—though sufficient to render humanity without excuse—are not sufficient to give knowledge for salvation. Scripture alone makes plain the way of salvation, preserves the truth of God in writing, and comforts, guides, and establishes the church. It remains necessary until the end of time.
2 Timothy 3:15 - “…and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Rom 10:17 - “Faith comes by hearing the Word of God”
What is the “canon”? Defend it Scripturally.
Canon means rule, measure or standard. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the word of God, the only rule of faith and obedience.
The Old Testament canon was confirmed by Jesus himself.
Matthew 5:17-18 - “Do not think I have come to abolish the law and the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
The New Testament was confirmed by Peter, Peter understands Paul to be writing Scripture.
2 Peter 3:16 - “There are somethings in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.”
What determines which books are in the Canon?
God’s self-attesting witness. There are internal and external evidence for canonicity.
Internal - agreement of Christ and apostles to OT, language and idiom, consistency of style, comportment of substance, practical power (my sheep hear my voice).
External - citation by early church, catalogue of books (e.g., Muratorian canon)
Is the Canon closed?
Yes. God’s redemptive acts are over.
Hebrews 1:1-2 - “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”
What is the proper relationship between the church and the canon of Scripture?
- The church is founded on the apostle and prophets as it was revealed in the Bible. The Bible is the one who says what the church is, and not the opposite.
- The church recognizes the canon instead of defining the canon.
Define the following terms: Infallible, Inerrant, Plenary, Verbal, Inspiration.
Infallible - Scriptures are incapable of teaching any error.
Inerrant - Free from error in anything it teaches, whether historical, scientific or spiritual.
Plenary - Extending to the whole of the written word —no part of it is less inspire than any other part.
Verbal - Extending to the very words used. The words themselves are inspired.
Inspiration - The providential process by which God assured that the words that human authors of Scripture used were those words that expressed exactly what God intended to reveal.
Define and defend the “authority” of Scripture
The Scripture’s right, claim, fitness and power to direct the belief and behavior of God’s people. All our ideas about God should be measured, tested, and where necessary corrected and enlarged, by reference to biblical teaching. The Scripture possesses normative authority in that it is God’s rule for faith and practice.
1 Thess. 4:8 - “Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 -All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
May the authority of Scripture be limited to matters of strictly theological importance? Why not?
God’s word speaks to all of life, it is sufficient for “every good work,” man must live by it.
Define and defend the “sufficiency” of Scripture.
The doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture, as it is outlined in the Confessions of faith of the Reformed orthodox, teaches that Scripture alone is sufficient for whatever is necessary for saving faith and practice.
WCF 1.6 - The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.”
What are some objections against the sufficiency of Scripture?
Objection: Some argue that the sufficiency of Scripture denies the need for a ministry in the church.
Answer: The sufficiency of a rule does not negate the need to explain and to apply it.
Why is the sufficiency of Scripture one of the primary distinctive features of Reformed theology?
Because from other ways, especially in the way of worship and government. Scripture is sufficient and exclusively our only rule of faith and practice.
What is Scripture sufficient for and not for?Demonstrate and explain from Scripture
- The Bible is all we need for faith and practice, but it is not exhaustive as a science textbook or even historical books. Jn. 21:25 makes it clear that the authors wrote not exhaustively.
- Thus, Scripture is sufficient for us to know what should we believe concerning God and what duty God requires of us in order to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
Prov 30:5-6 - “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 -“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
