 Okay, so what we've covered so far in this class is first week we covered what is biblical theology and We begin to describe how it's an understanding of the Bible as a whole It's a looking at the Bible from a historical aspect instead of a theological or topical aspect It's it's because the biblical theology is concerned about the storyline Systematic theology is concerned about the bottom line In we went over a week of definition introduction and then we went through what are the tools that are needed and if you look on your outline on that on Backside of the outline is that outline for the class? We went over exegetical tools how we understand the grammar and the historical background when we read the Scripture Then we begin to go through biblical theology tools. How do we understand covenant? Prophecy in its multiple horizons of fulfillment how it the the Bible is understood by the promise fulfillment aspects of the Scripture and Typology and then we begin in weeks five and six to begin to Integrate our biblical theology with our systematic theology How do those things still go together last week? We talked about how Exegesis when our hermeneutics they they form our biblical theology and our biblical theology It then helps us form our systematic theology and how all these things are must be united in order to understand the Bible rightly by Timeline and by topic now this week we're going to Think more in week six about how systematic theology Integrates with our biblical theology and we're going to think specifically this week about what is theology in general? okay, and this will and Help our understanding of biblical theology and systemic theology so the things that we're going to cover this morning are How everyone has a systematic theology? What is doctrine in general? To how do we think? Theologically and then Finally, how do we apply theology in the local church? Okay? so Have you ever heard the phrase? What God has joined together let that man separate? I know brother Jesse's heard that phrase He was twice he's heard it twice Both times he was thinking about Maria. He didn't hear that but so now maybe he can hear here understand it What God has joined together let that man separate theology and practice are married together Okay, theology and practice are married What God has joined together? Let not man separate What happens when you have just theology and no practice connected with it? Dead religion head knowledge without heart knowledge Give me a practical example I'll start to get dangerous and pick people out if you if no one raised their hand. Oh Ben save the day, okay? The so knowing the right thing about the inner relations with the church, but and but not loving the brothers and That's just good old-fashioned hypocrisy, right? Okay, what if you try and have good practice with without theology Keith a Zeal without knowledge, okay? Give me a practical example Nikita Yes, I was thinking the same it was the same thing You can get a charismatic church that has the music blaring and has the people jumping and But it's not grounded in the truth Jack Licentiousness Tell me how how can that be? practice without theology So practice then becomes defined just by our feelings and what we think and Instead of the theological based on what God says and then so we live people live whatever they want Okay, so by way of introduction in everyone has a six-minute systematic theology first we're gonna think through Some practical problems and then the theological solution. Okay, so I'm trying to root this in the in the scripture If if we take a practical problem say pride, okay so Sometimes Some of us are prone one way or another some of us are prone to think great thoughts about theology and like to sit down at the dinner table and debate people about theology and Then they have a lack of practice or some people are prone to or give me something practical What kind of teaching do you want? I want practical Give me something help for my day. Help me organize my Life with my kids. Help me know how to better live both of those extremes are not right Both of those extremes are not right and they should be Theology and practice should be linked closely together We shouldn't talk about great theology without thinking about how does that affect our lives? And we shouldn't think about I'm gonna try and live for the Lord without thinking about the theological basis for that Okay, so what what I'm gonna do now is we're gonna pick up out a few topics pride lust anger and Apathy Then we're gonna think about what does the Bible say about them and what is the theological basis then for the or the Theological solution so let's look at first Corinthians 4 Okay, Daniel, would you read first Corinthians 4 6 to 7? Okay, so when you think through the reason for which a lot of the letters in the scriptures are written Often they're written because of a practical problem. There's Division in the church at Corinth There is The two ladies in Philippi you syndicate and the other one Yoda We'll get there we'll get there and I'll pronounce it now pronounce it right. I'm sorry When you think about these practical problems they're often the reason for which the apostle Paul is right writing the letter and He doesn't start out his letters with talking about the practical problem typically What does he start out with? Yeah theology a theological basis and then you see he's how you we see how he's very logical he gets sets the theological basis and then he gets to the practical problem in which he needs to write to but it's informed with the right understanding So what's the basis and first Corinthians that's that he sets before he gets into practical problems You remember from chapters 1 and 2 What does he talk about? Yes, worldly wisdom versus godly wisdom and what's godly wisdom, but the gospel? He begins to remind them about the the wisdom of God is the gospel Or that's what he calls the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men okay, so in applying that then here he gives the the Ultimate shot to pride. What do you have that you did not receive? What's the answer? nothing nothing So why no If you didn't do receive it, why do you boast as though you did not receive it? You know pride seems like a complicated problem But what's the theological basis for it? For the solution But is the gospel? Or in theological terms, so teoreology, right? I'm gonna abbreviate So Pride is gonna be answered by a right understanding of the gospel You remember the same is in Romans 3 Where he talks about the gospel and then where at the end of the chapter he says where then is boasting? It is excluded. You see how the practical problem is is answered by a theological basis Nikita So teoreology is to the Theological description of what the doctrine of salvation so this is a class about theology So I'm trying to link it together with your minds to show you that this is a very practical and helpful class and Then how to rightly think about theology in general Okay, so if you take the same thing with we'll try and move it a little faster pace We're gonna take lust, okay Well, let's in second thought let's take anger first Okay, we take anger and then let's think about that practical problem and What is the solution turn to Ephesians? for Ephesians 4 31 and 32 Let all bitterness wrath anger Clamor What's clamor arguing yep allowed screaming and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice What's malice? What's that hate? Okay, bad. Yes bad intentions. Okay, let all that be put away from you And instead be kind to one another tender hearted Forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you In the context here, how do we understand how God forgave us? Claudia Yes, he died on the cross We can understand that from chapter 2 of Ephesians right fill out more the theology of What Paul means by as God and Christ forgave you what's another point from Ephesians? So we see the work of the Trinity in salvation how he elects some before the foundation of the world and Then how he gives his son to die on the cross And we see that in Ephesians 1 and 2 so it's informing our application of when we struggle with anger then there's a theology of the gospel soteriology and a In understanding of how that applies to our anger that if God has forgiven us when When he had the right to be angry with us, how can we be angry towards others? If you apply your theology, then it destroys anger You see You you can't just say give me practical stuff you need theology and practice Okay, so if you take the same with lust continue on in the same passage and He says in chapter 5 verse 1 therefore be imitators of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also loved us and given himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma Because you see the theology there that God has given up Christ as an offering and a sacrifice It's full of Old Testament meaning of what Christ did on the cross and a toning sacrifice This is the picture of love. This is what it means to love the the cost that that God and Christ paid But in contrast but fornication sex outside of marriage all uncleanness or covetousness covetousness often here applied to immorality Oh, this is all three different terms for immorality general terms Let it not even be named among you as fitting for the saints Okay, so there's the immoral acts and in three and in verse four neither filthiness nor foolish talking or course jesting Which is not fitting so you got a filthy mouth in verse four Okay, the filthy acts in verse three or the filthy mouth in verse four Should not be done, but instead What it what takes its place? Thanks How in the world can being thankful help with lust? Keith that's right. That's right covetousness is linked with lust a desire to have what's not yours and The answer is being content in thanksgiving and thanksgiving for what? in context Yes, we don't deserve anything because of the gospel because of how Christ gave himself for us an offering and it's to God for a sweet-smelling aroma do you see the the Lust is a worship issue It has a theological base basis and thanksgiving because of the gospel of How the sacrifice that God has given or in theological terms our soteriology? okay, the Wow that clock went fast. Okay, we're gonna have to keep on moving on with our outline or we're never gonna come with this class Okay, you get the point right? Okay, if you have practical problems, then there and every one of us we have practical problems. We need a Theological basis we need to renew our minds to think the way the Bible tells us to think because of the truths in the Bible and That what God has joined together? Let not man separate Either way, okay Okay, so Now looking at our outline The quote I'm not gonna bother to read because you can read that on your own that's I've done the same point as a quote through this use of the Taking you through some practical topics. Okay, so then let's move on to the first point. What is doctrine? Doctrine then is a precise and accurate summary of what the Bible says on a topic That defines the difference between truth and error orthodoxy and heresy Okay, so I'm gonna I'm gonna say that again slow that you so you can write it down That's why you have the outline your hand Doctrine is a precise and accurate summary of what the Bible says on a topic That defines the difference between truth and error orthodoxy and heresy okay, so theology is generally can be generally divided into In different ways here in the outline We have a very general Guideline to say theology can be divided into biblical knowledge personal knowledge and situational knowledge The biblical knowledge it can be referred to knowledge of God Personal knowledge knowledge of ourselves situational knowledge knowledge of all nature That kind of covers everything right God us and what he's made That simplifies things right Okay, so the knowledge of God the biblical knowledge of God isn't something that you just know it's not intuitive Or the knowledge about yourself Some people say who knows I know I know myself Well, you know if there's someone who knows you better than you know yourself God and he's written his word Your knowledge about yourself is Not intuitive it doesn't come just on your just By the experience or instead we have a the word of God that informs us about God It's the same with okay, so first thinking about God We learn in the scripture that a relationship and knowing him is not like knowing simply studying a topic like we would say some topic of science like Studying the taxonomy of an animal or studying Chemistry we cannot just simply know God and have a knowledge of God that is simply theoretical or simply because he's a person It's something that you you know based on the Bible and you have a relationship with him to know him Theology and practice We we remember he is creator Lord. He is holy he is a spirit and Because of these things it demands reverence obedience worship it the knowledge of God is not like the knowledge of You just learn something and it doesn't impact your life because we learn of who God is Everything about we learn about who God is must affect us and must affect our lives His creator means he's the one who owns us He's Lord overall. We oh, he's our king We must submit to him He's holy So we cannot continue in sin. He is spirit. He's not like us So this demands reverence obedience and worship so then point to personal knowledge Theological knowledge is going to be personal. It's going to help us relate and Understand ourselves I'll read the Calvin quote nearly all the wisdom we possess That is to say true and sound wisdom consists of two parts the knowledge of God and of ourselves But while joined with by many bonds, which which one proceeds and brings forth the other is not easy to discern The knowledge of ourselves not only arouses us to seek God But also as a word leads us by the hand to find him It is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself until he first looked upon God's face and then Descends from contemplating him to scrutinize himself Great to give you a practical example what Calvin is talking about here He's saying in order to know yourself. You got to know God And when you know God it helps you know yourself These two things are linked together. For example, if you begin to know God in the in the law of God You learn that he is not a liar, but he wants you to tell the truth You learn that he is not he is always faithful so he can manage you to be faithful in your marriage not a committal tree you learn that There are not many gods, but there is only one God you learn the character of God and then in turn that shows you yourself That you're a liar and a thief and an adulterer at heart Does that make sense? You see how they're linked together when you know begin to know God then you begin to know yourself When you begin to see how sinful you are then it begins you to seek God They go back and back and forth the knowledge of one leads to the knowledge of the other Then we know of all the things the Lord has made through our point three in the outline of under what is doctrine? situational knowledge all nature and culture all things of angels all things of how we're to live all of The world around us why we're here is all known through the scripture and must be categorized Okay, so then let's think through how to see Think theologically, okay? So besides just personal practical besides practical problems We're gonna pick out some issues in life and How to think theologically? Okay, so first off give me theological categories Okay, so Wes. What's a theological category like from a systematic theology? Okay, we got pneumatology Forgive me for my spelling. I am a mechanic after all Yeah, the worst was especially in front of others. I spelled really bad worst one way one group I misspelled my wife's name on the board Yes It's okay to laugh That's why I said it so okay, so pneumatology give me clad give me another theological category, okay, what's that mean? Okay, Dale, give me another theological category. Yeah in the terms. We're thinking through systematic theology terms Soteriology, okay a Christology No, no, no, okay No biology Ascatology, okay, thank you glad I'm not the only one who's laughed at today Okay, so we have some categories here, how about we could add a Biblical anthropology, what's that? Okay, so how the Bible talks about us the study of man. What about Hormart theology does anyone know that one? What's that? Study of sin don't take any of my spelling here. This is just representative. Okay Look it up on your phone to get the spelling right If I didn't have spell check then what will my papers look like? Okay, so now we have theological categories We're under the section in the outline of how to think through theologically, okay How to think through issues theologically When you understand the different categories of what the remember what we're talking about systematic theology and In general in order to apply it to our overall class of biblical theology So when we think through systematic theology categories, what does the Bible say in the bottom line? What does the Bible say about the Holy Spirit? What does the Bible say about the church? What does Bible say about salvation? What does Bible say about Christ? What does Bible say about the end times? What does Bible say about man? What does Bible say about sin? When you get those bottom lines Then how does it under inform your the issues through the day? So I'm going this is kind of like well how the introduction started I'm going to reverse instead. I'm starting with theology and then I'm We're gonna think how to think through a practical issue because of our knowledge here Okay, if I take What everybody's talking about right Isis Give me some theological categories and how that should apply to a right understanding of what's happening Jonathan Okay, so our Hormatology should inform When someone says how could Jonathan networks John and how could Someone be say they worship God and they're worshiping God by cutting people's heads off I think all religions should be thrown out the drain How would your theology theology of Hormart theology help answer that objection and think rightly Yes, so Jonathan is saying the false God that's present presented because of a sin in the heart produces this This evil fruit Idolatry the theology and practice are linked and Jonathan is taking it the theology of the Sin and how it's developed and linking it with their idolatry. They're they're horrible Blasphemous Christology, right? You see how Jonathan just took both of these and applied it to understand the Logically understand this current issue So we have to have our Understanding the bottom line of what the Scripture says about topics in other words your theology Right in order to understand a practical issue. Okay, so next one How do I rightly understand? rest Trying to pick as random of topics and not linked in order to make you think through is like Jeopardy, you know Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do What is yada yada yada yada Random topics in order to make you think through and apply your theology. Yes, Grace Okay, how does eschatology apply to rest? The eternal rest ah we have a theologian. She's been taught by mr. Dodge Okay, so a biblical understanding of eschatology that there is an ultimate rest that's coming What do we have today? That's a practice and a picture of that ultimate rest Josh Today Yes, the Sabbath. I was like what today He's too deep for me Yes today is a practice today the Sabbath is a practice and a picture of The rest to come because of what Christ has done Go ahead, Josh. Yes. So the rest we have in Christ is connects it with our Soteriology our understanding of salvation So if you were to think through a rest in a maybe in a biblical categories You could kind of go through how the Lord is the first one who set up that that day of rest by the example And how he makes the world in the seventh day he rests and Then how he sets up rest throughout the the festivals and the feasts time set aside to stop work instead to Rest physically and set your mind on what the Lord has done Or you can think through the Ten Commandments and how that day of rest is commanded for the people of God and you you go through time and you kind of see a biblical theology of rest and We see how it's it's something that set aside for times It's not to be abused, right? There's the abuse of rest where you rest when you should be working Right you don't fight fashion laziness and that's not what the Lord set up But he set up a time a time to rest but not all the time is dressed There's a wonderful balance. He's very kind to us in that way right So that you think through That you don't have some people can have a bad a bad conscience about rest at all They think what could I have accomplished in that time? And so then instead they try and work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work And then they end up binging on rest Oh, I'll just watch TV for four hours. And they binge on rest, and then they stop, and they're like, oh, I feel so guilty because I binge on rest. And then they'll think, I'm gonna be workaholic again. I'm gonna work, work, work, work, work, work, work, and they work as much as they can. Instead, there's a wisdom applied in the way the Lord set up rest, one in seven. So you work hard through six, and you have one day set aside for rest. And you see, if you plan it out, if you apply your theology to your practice, and you plan it out, then you won't abuse it, but yet you will still have it in your schedule. Okay, so another topic. Let's think through, does God judge? Yes, yes is the answer, okay. How do you know? I don't think God judges. I'm your mother, you know? I'm trying to pick someone out of your life, Keith. Someone who thinks God doesn't judge. God doesn't judge. How would your theology inform your understanding of this topic? Yes, our Christology and our soteriology, that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered the wrath from God. So the Father would judge His own Son, then it's the loudest declaration of His holiness and His justice and His judgment. How else would we understand? What's another? Yeah, that's right. So what Dan has done is he's outlined a biblical theology of a history through the Bible, the storyline of the judgments of God in Exodus, judgments of God and talked about the Psalms and how that informs our category of theology in general, of who God is. Jonathan? Our eschatology, how would that relate to whether who, how God judges? Yes, so in eschatology there's the day of the Lord, the time in which His wrath will come on this world. Also part of our eschatology is our understanding of hell is in this category of then times because it's the final judgment. Daniel? Amen. I didn't even think about that one. So if everyone could hear what Daniel said, the new mythology, how the Holy Spirit comes in His work and one of the things He does is He convicts of truth, of righteousness and judgment. So our right understanding of, I'm trying to pick as random topics as I can, so that when a random topic comes to you, you see what we're doing here? We're showing, I'm showing you, how do you think theologically? How do you apply your categories to the topics in life? Sergio? Hormartiology? Hormartia in sin in Greek? Yes, so linking together his theology proper and Hormartiology shows that God's holiness, He must act in light of sin. Okay, so finally in our outline, theology in the local church, theology in the local church, theology not done in connection with the local church is dangerous. Theology done not, not done in the local church is dangerous. Okay, theology in some example, practical example is not in the local church. You could, you could have somebody who sits in a seminary who writes and talks about theology all day and if he's not part of the local church and applying his theology out, then that becomes a very dangerous disconnect. Or you get the guy who sits in his garage, right? And what do we say, bedside Baptist or where the guy doesn't go to church? And you ask him, you know, why don't you go to church? Well, we're two or three are gathered. We're having church right here right now as we're talking, right? I don't have to go to church. I don't have to, I just sit in, you know, and watch TV or I get my theology off the internet. I'm going to be, learn my theology from Paul Washer and Tim Conway on YouTube, but I'm not going to be connected with the local church. Learning good theology about salvation, but the danger is if you're not in the local church, whether you're informed like a professor or whether you're uninformed like a guy who just watches YouTube. You are a great danger to say, I'm going to have a theology and not linked with the local church. Why is it helpful to link it with the local church? Give me some examples. Yes, accountable from air. What is the accountability that God has set up for heretics? What's that? That's right, Matthew 18. If one of us begins to say the Holy Spirit is not God, I believe that the father's God and the spirit is, and the son is God, but the Holy Spirit, I think believe that he emanates from the son and the father and that he is not, he is just part of their being, a force that comes out from them. How does it, what's the church's responsibility? To point me out as your witness. What's that? The correct, yes. We are going to need that correction from time to time. Even a Christian can begin to, can begin to dabble in and taste some sort of false theology, but they won't remain in it. And the means of which the Lord has given is the local church, to hold each other accountable for our doctrine and for our practice. Josh? Yes. The, the purpose of the theology is linked with the practice. Well, God has joined together. You must not separate. And so if you just think that you think great thoughts about God, you will tend to think that those great thoughts no one else has ever thought, because you know why? Because you're not talking with anybody else about it. Anybody else sound, anybody else informed and where you're going to find those people, but in the church. It humbles you that the Lord is doing a work elsewhere. He's doing a work in other people, not just yourself. And you begin to see and begin to be informed. So in this lesson, do you, do you see that everyone has a systematic theology and it must be linked together with your, your theology, with your practice? What is doctrine? But it's the precise, accurate summary of what the Bible says about a topic. And it defines the difference between truth and error, orthodoxy and heresy. How do you think through issues theologically? You think about your categories and you then you apply what are these truths have to do with a, with a current topic. And then finally, that your theology must be linked with the local church in applying it in the local church, in accountability in the local church, in practice in the local church and being informed by the local church. God has made the church to be the pillar and ground of truth. So be together with one another, practicing your theology and, and growing in it. Okay. So next week we'll begin to get into some of the application of our biblical theology. We've learned some of the tools. We've learned what it is in general. Now we're going to begin to apply it to some of the grand themes of the storyline of the Bible. Okay. Let's pray. Dear Lord, please help us to, to live out your word in humility. Please help us to be humble so that we grow in our understanding of, of systematic theology. Please help us to link it together. Every time we think about your truths, help us to link it together with how that should change our lives. Help our practice in our lives to be based upon the rock of your word, not upon the, the shifting sands of feelings, emotions, experiences, or our own thoughts. Help us Lord to be rightly grounded on knowing your word in, in much detail. Well, I pray these things so that we would honor you and grow. Amen.