Theology H (The Christian Life) Flashcards
1
Q
What is the moral law?
A
- The declaration of God’s will directing and binding everyone to conformity and obedience to it.
- “The rule of obedience revealed to Adam in the estate of innocence, and to all mankind in him, besides a special command not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was the moral law.”-WLC 92
- “The moral law is the declaration of the will of God to mankind, directing and binding everyone to personal, perfect, and perpetual conformity and obedience there unto, in the frame and disposition of the whole man, soul and body, and in performance of all those duties of holiness and righteousness which he owes to God and man: promising life upon the fulfilling, and threatening death upon the breach of it.”-WLC 93
2
Q
What laws besides the moral law did God give his people under the old covenant?
A
- The ceremonial law and the judicial (civil) law.
- “Besides the law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, His graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly holding forth diverse instructions of moral duties. All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated, under the new testament. “-WCF 19.3
- “To them also, as a body politic, He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the State of that people; not obliging any other now, further than the general equity there of may require. “-WCF 19.4
3
Q
Are believers under obligation to the law today? Explain and defend with Scripture.
A
- While believers are no longer under the law to be justified or condemned by it, it remains for them the rule of life, informing them of the will of God which they are to obey.
- The moral law forever binds all, though it is by no means a way to merit salvation, which only come through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as he is freely offered in the gospel.
- “Although true believers be not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified, or condemned; yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts, and lives; so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin, together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of His obedience.” – WCF 19.6
- “The moral law does forever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that, not only in regard to the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it. Neither does Christ, in the Gospel, any way dissolve, but much strengthens this obligation. “-WCF 19.5
- “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not covet,’ and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”-Romans 13:8-10
- “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother-which is the first commandment with a promise–that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth “- Ephesians 6:1-3
- “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, ‘I know him, “ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. “-1 Jn 2:3,4
- “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”-Matthew 5:17-18
4
Q
What is “theonomy”? Evaluate it biblically.
A
- Theonomy in its simplest definition means “God’s Law.”
- Theonomy encompasses a fairly broad spectrum of views about the exercise, and authority to exercise the civil, social, and religious laws of the Mosaic Law and the legal system of the Old Testament theocracy of the nation of Israel.
- “All laws of the Old Testament were equitable for the era for which they were designed. But great care must be taken to determine precisely how they apply to the present era.” – PP, 556
- Matthew 5:17-18 (see above)
- “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it. – Deuteronomy 22:8
- In John 4, Jesus could have carried out Lev. 20:10 by putting the adulteress to death (or insisting she be put to death), but instead he reveals himself as the messiah. This incidence illustrates Jesus’ pattern with respect to the judicial laws. His emphasis in ushering in the kingdom is on the redemptive nature of the gospel; there will come a time when he will carry out the retributive justice of the Law.
5
Q
Where is the law of God summed up?
A
The ten commandments-Love God and love your neighbor.
- “The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments.”-WSC #41
- “He answered: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and; ‘Love your neighbor as yourself “-Luke 10:27
6
Q
Can believers keep God’s law? Explain and defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
A
- Yes and no. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to do good, nonetheless, we cannot fulfill the law perfectly.
- “No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but does daily break them in thought, word and deed. “-WSC #82
• “There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins. “
-Ecclesiastes 7:20
- “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. “-Romans 3:10-12
- “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us …If we claim we have not sinned, We make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. “-1 John 1:8,10
- “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. “-Galatians 5: 17
7
Q
What is at stake in the current “Lordship Controversy”? Explain and defend your view.
A
- The unity of the person of Christ. Christ is both Lord and savior in union of person
- The “Lordship controversy” has implications for the nature of regeneration, assurance, and salvation as well as the question of who or what will be the sovereign over our life.
- Jesus Christ is indeed Lord (King) and this must be acknowledged for true saving faith
- “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” - Romans 10:9
- James 2 teaches that true faith must manifest itself in works of obedience to the King, Jesus. That is not to say that we earn or in any way merit salvation, it is completely a gracious gift of the God who predestines, elects, regenerates, and sacrifice.
- Christ is and must be received as the Lord as well as the Savior of the believer.
8
Q
What are the “means of grace”?
A
- Word, Sacraments, and Prayer
- The ways by which God’s grace is extended and received by humans. In Protestant theology, the emphasis has been on the Word and Sacraments as God’s instituted means of conveying the grace that leads to justification - sanctification.
- “The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption, are his ordinances, especially the Word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation. “-WSC #88
- “Those who accepted his message were baptized…They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. “-Acts 2:41,42
- “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. “-Matthew 28:19-20
9
Q
What is “Christian liberty”? Explain and defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
A
- “The freedom of the Christian, on the basis of the work of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit, to be free from the power of sin.
- “The liberty which Christ has purchased for believers under the gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law; and, in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin; from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation; as also, in their free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of slavish fear, but a child-like love and willing mind. All which were common also to believers under the law. But, under the new testament, the liberty of Christians is further enlarged, in their freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, to which the Jewish church was subjected; and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace, and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of.”-WCF 20.1
- “You have been set free from sin, and have become slaves to righteousness….But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”-Romans 6:18-22
- “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. .’-1 Peter 2:16-17
- “Everything is permissible-but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible-but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. “-1 Corinthians 10:23-24
- “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. “-2 Corinthians 3:17
10
Q
Who or what is the Lord of the conscience? Defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
A
- God alone.
- “God alone is Lord of the conscience, and has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are, in anything, contrary to His Word; or beside it, in matters of faith, or worship. So that, to believe such doctrines, or obey such commands, out of conscience, is to betray the liberty of conscience: and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also. WCF 20.2
• “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you-who are you to judge your neighbor? “-James 4:12
• “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand for the Lord is able to make him stand. “
-Romans 14:4
• “Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of the conscience, for, The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. “-1 Corinthians 10:25-26
11
Q
How does Christian liberty bear on the Christian’s obligation to the state?
A
- Since God intends our liberty, not to destroy, but to uphold the powers which he has ordained; we are to submit to the state.
- “And because the powers which God has ordained, and the liberty which Christ has purchased, are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually uphold and preserve one another, they who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God…” -WCF 20.4
12
Q
What is the “regulative principle”? Defend from Scripture.
A
- The principle that the manner in which we worship God should be in accordance with what he has instituted himself in his revealed will-the Scriptures.
- “…But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by Himself, and so limited by His own revealed will, that He may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture. “-WCF 21.1
- “See to it that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it “-Deuteronomy 12:32
• “The Lord says: These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. “
-Isaiah 29:13
• “They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.”-Matthew 15:9
13
Q
Who is to be worshipped? Defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
A
• God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit and Him alone.
“Religious worship is to be given to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, and to Him alone; not to angels, saints, or any other creature: and, since the fall, not without a Mediator; nor in the mediation of any other but of Christ alone. “-WCF 21.2
• “And Jesus said to him, Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only. “-Matthew 4:10
14
Q
What are the ordinary parts or elements of worship?
A
- Reading of Scripture, preaching and hearing the Word, singing, administration of the sacraments.
- “The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear, the sound preaching and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God, with understanding, faith and reverence, singing of psalms with grace in the heart; as also due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ, are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God: beside religious oaths, vows, solemn fastings, and thanksgivings upon special occasions, which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in an holy and religious manner. “-WCF 21.5
15
Q
Are Christians under obligation to keep a Sabbath? Defend with Scripture proofs.
A
- Yes.
- “As it is the law of nature, that in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in His Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding all men in all ages, He has particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy to him: which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week, and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which, in Scripture, is called the Lord’s Day, and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath. “-WCF 21.7
• “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Genesis 2:1-3
• “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. “
-Exodus 20:8-11
