Officer Training Manual - v25

Uptown ChurchA Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America

Officer

TrainingManual

A Twelve Week Training Curriculum for Prospective Elders and Deacons

About this manual The Uptown Church officer training manual is meant to serve as the primary tool for our training course for officer nominees (elder and deacon). It is divided into twelve classes, each covering a substantial topic pertaining to calling, our church, or Reformed theology. It aims to fulfill three primary functions:

1. Facilitate each training class. The materials are structured with analysis / discussion questions and templates to use as part of instruction.

2. Extensive resource for officer nominees. There is far too much material within each division to be covered in a one-hour class. It will be up to the instructor to determine what to highlight, using the aids provided as they see fit. The manual is, thus, also meant to serve as a comprehensive summary of doctrine pulled from multiple sources. It is required reading for officer candidates.

3. Future resource for ministry. It is our hope that this manual will also serve our officers

well in ministry as a “one-stop shop” for preparing life group lessons, Sunday school classes, and so forth.

There are a few features of the manual that are worth highlighting.

1. First, each class begins with a section on “what you will learn,” highlighted by a blue box at the beginning of each section. These boxes provide a quick summary of all the key content of that class and should be helpful for review for the exam.

2. Second, most sub-sections begin with a list of

“analysis questions,” highlighted by a grey inset. These questions are of a more technical nature regarding the detailed doctrines to be covered. They can be used by the teacher to help facilitate how the material is covered.

3. Third, in many cases the lessons include blank frameworks (grids, diagrams, etc.) that

can be used to help facilitate the class. All content necessary to complete these fill-ins is contained in the subsequent text.

4. Finally, most sub-sections end with a list of “shepherding / service” questions, highlighted by a blue box, which are meant to help both elder and deacon nominees think through how the class content applies to specific ministry situations. Teachers are free to add their own scenarios from their personal experience.

And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses

entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds

and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Ephesians 4:11-16

Officer Training Manual © Uptown Church, Charlotte, NC

Table of contents 1. Introduction and Expectations 5 Goals and objectives of Officer Training Cursory overview of Elder and Deacon offices The offices Processing internal call Processing external cal History of Uptown Church Mission and vision Ministries Expectations for officer training 2. Church Polity and the PCA 11 Types of church government structures Overview Detailed discussion of the Presbyterian model The Presbyterian Church in America Overview and history Constitution Central Carolina Presbytery 3. Elder and Deacon 21 Scriptural foundations OT forerunner NT early church The nature of the offices The offices Plurality and authority Word and Deed ministry Qualifications for office Elder and deacon The importance of character 4. Revelation and Scripture 31 Revelation Preliminary considerations General revelation Special revelation Doctrine of Scripture Inspiration, inerrancy, and infallibility Attributes of Scripture Further study: Structure of the Bible

5. Reformed Theology Overview 41 History of the Reformation Foundations Progression Legacy The Sovereignty of God Three perspectives on Reformed doctrine Five Solas TULIP (Five Points) Loci of systematic theology 6. Covenant Theology 51 Defining “covenant” Secular concept Biblical concept Covenant of Works Covenant of Grace Overview Administrations Redemptive history and covenantal continuity: “Old” and “New” Further study: structure of the Bible’s covenants Further study: Dispensationalism 7. God (Theology) and Man (Anthropology) 65 Doctrine of God (Theology) God’s being

Trinity (ontological, economic) Attributes (transcendence / immanence; incommunicable / communicable)

God’s work Decree / will of God Work of creation Work of providence Doctrine of man (Anthropology) Further study: Worldview foundations Further study: Major historic creeds Nicene Creed Athanasian Creed Definition of Chalcedon 8. Christ (Christology) 81 Person of Christ Humanity and Divinity Offices Work of Christ Passive obedience Active obedience

Nature and extent of the atonement Further study: Heretical / heterodox views 9. Salvation (Soteriology) 91 The “whosoever believes” call of the gospel Predestination and election The economy of salvation Union with Christ The Ordo Salutis Justification (in detail) Adoption (in detail) Sanctification (in detail) Further study: Assurance of salvation 10. Church (Ecclesiology) 105 Nature and purpose of the church Visible and invisible Church and kingdom Signs of the church Means of grace Word Sacraments Worship Regulative principle Elements and circumstances 11. Practical Theology 117 Prayer Discipleship Counseling Evangelism Missions and mercy 12. Review Session 125

Exam review General structure of the exam Review questions

Next steps and interview process Final Q&A and discussion Appendix 131 Appendix A: Suggested Reading Appendix B: One-page overview of Covenant Theology Appendix C: Westminster Shorter Catechism Questions Appendix D: Index of Key Terms

Uptown Church • 5 • Officer Training Manual

1 Introduction and Expectations

• Goals and objectives of Officer Training

• Cursory overview of Elder and Deacon offices

o The offices

o Processing internal call

o Processing external call

• History of Uptown Church

o Mission and vision

o Ministries

• Expectations for officer training

class

Class 1: Introduction and Expectations


What you will learn in this section

• Uptown's officer training process acknowledges that God uses men who are “works in process,” not “finished products.” This training will help you continue to grow.

• Uptown is led by two classes of officers: elder (ruling and teaching) and deacon. • Processing your potential calling to church office requires both internal assessment (do

you perceive a call?) and external assessment (do others around you perceive your call?).

Introduction Welcome! Congratulations for being nominated as an officer in Christ's glorious church. Uptown's officer training process is designed with two goals in mind: (a) assist men who have been nominated for elder or deacon to process whether the Lord has truly called them to church office, and (b) to educate and equip men to serve as church officers by providing sound character and theological development.

Analysis questions to consider in this section

How do I know I am called to office? What is the history of Uptown church? How did it get here? What is its mission?

What is expected of me for officer training?

Goals and objectives of Officer Training

1. Church office is a high calling (a) Scripture says that if anyone desires to be an elder, it is a good work he desires to do

(1 Tim 3:1). Moreover, a deacon who has served well will obtain a high standing and a confidence in their faith in Christ (1 Tim 3:13).

(b) This great calling carries with it a great responsibility. Those who serve in church office are responsible for the spiritual health of the flock, and, as such, are more stringently judged by the Lord.

2. Goals of officer training

(a) To assist candidates with processing both internal and external calling to office. (b) To prepare candidates to serve in church office by

i. Providing solid teaching on church history, systematic and biblical theology, practical theology, shepherding and service

ii. Providing a forum to learn how to be an officer in God's church

3. Specific objectives of officer training (a) To know...

i. The biblical qualifications and specific duties of elder and deacon



ii. Essential doctrines of the faith iii. PCA and Uptown distinctives iv. How to discern a call to office

(b) To experience... i. The ability to discern calling ii. A call to serve God as an elder or deacon – or not to serve as an officer iii. An increase in knowledge of God and love for the church

(c) To be able to... i. Discern your call regarding officership ii. Serve from a more clarified call iii. Pursue continued personal development as a leader in the church

Cursory overview of Elder and Deacon offices

The offices 1. The ordinary and perpetual classes of office in God's church are elders and deacons.

2. Elder: Christ gave the office of elder to his church (patterned after the OT elder) to

provide overall governance and leadership for the church. “Elder” comes from the Greek words presbuteros and episkopos. Elders are chiefly responsible for (a) governing and leading the church, (b) providing pastoral care of the flock, and (c) providing teaching, preaching, and doctrinal instruction. (a) Within the PCA, there are two orders of elder: ruling elder (RE) and teaching elder

(TE). We will go into further detail on these orders of elder, but in general REs are laypersons elected by the congregation and TEs are full-time vocational / paid ministers.

(b) Elders (RE and TE) are organized as a Session.

3. Deacon: Christ gave the office of deacon to his church to lead in the ministries of service to the church, including (a) mercy within the church and in the community, (b) stewardship of finances, and (c) care of buildings and other resources. Deacons are men with authority in the church body but who are under the supervision and governing authority of the Session. (a) Deacons are organized as a Board.



4. The biblical basis and qualifications for Elder and Deacon will be covered in detail in Class 3.

Processing internal call 1. Internal call is your own personal discernment that

(a) God has called you to church office (b) God has given you a heart to love this specific church at this particular time of life (c) God has given you spiritual (and natural) gifts befitting a church officer (d) You meet the qualifications for elder or deacon (e) You desire to serve as a church officer

2. Processing internal call is, thus, an important part of officer training.

3. How to process internal calling: (a) Evaluate your heart: What makes you think the Lord may be placing this call upon

you? (b) Evaluate your existing ministry in the church: Do you love to serve the church?

Does ministry energize you? Are you already finding yourself stepping up to lead (e.g., Sunday school, nursery, life group, mercy, missions, etc.)?

(c) Evaluate your spiritual life: Are you consistently walking with Jesus Christ? Do you love to spend time in God's word? Do you prayer consistently? Do you have any major sin issues that would potentially disqualify you from caring for the flock?

(d) Evaluate your relationships: If you are married, how well are you leading your wife? If you have children, how well do you parent them? Do you care and empathize for others? Do you invest in their spiritual health?

Processing external call 1. External call is the approbation of others that you are called / qualified for office.

2. God uses the church to validate whether someone is equipped to serve his church as an

officer. It is not merely a personal decision, but the approval (or concerns) of the body of believers are a key factor in clarifying calling.

3. How to process external calling: (a) Opinion of church officers: Do the church's pastors, elders, and / or deacons

confirm this calling in your life? Ask them! (b) Opinion of your spouse: Does your wife see you as qualified for office? Is she

supportive? Does she understand the impact this new ministry role will have on you, her, and your family? Ask her!

(c) Opinion of other laypersons: Are you in a prayer triad or accountability group? If so, what do they say about your candidacy? What about your life group? Other church members alongside whom you've served in ministry? Friends? Parents or siblings? Ask them!



Reflections: Shepherding and Service

• Spend some time during this class discussing with the group about your own current sense of calling. Where do you see God has clearly called you? What questions do you have? What have others told you, if anything? What are your reservations or weakest areas to work on?

• What is your plan for processing your calling?

History of Uptown Church October 9, 1994, is the birth date for Uptown Church. We came into existence because we felt the need for a strongly Scriptural, evangelical, and Reformed witness to Christ. We wanted to be part of a denomination which honors God and His Word. We desired a fellowship of believers who are committed to evangelism and Christian education as the primary mission of the Church. We felt that ministers and church officers should affirm without compromise the great Biblical beliefs of Christianity.

1. Uptown was originally a daughter church of Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, NC. Uptown was intended to be the first in a series of church plants sent out to reach the city for Christ. The goal was for these church plants to form a family of churches cooperating in evangelism, joint worship, joint mercy projects and in the planting of new churches to join the family.

2. Uptown is part of the Central Carolina Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America, which was founded in 1973.

3. Since its founding, Uptown has planted 3 new church plants in Charlotte and 1 church

plant in Europe: (a) Hope Community Church (2000), Charlotte (b) Christ Central Church (2003), Charlotte (c) Faith Community Church (2005), Prague (d) Cross Park Church (2011), Charlotte

Mission and vision 1. Mission: Uptown is a community of people who want to experience the full life that is

found in Jesus Christ and to share this life with people in Charlotte and around the world.

2. Vision: To exalt Christ by sharing the life of Christ with people in Uptown Charlotte, across the US and around the world through being a transforming community, a loving witness, and a helping neighbor and by reproducing similar churches worldwide.



Ministries • Adult Sunday School • Children's Nursery • Children's Church and

Sunday School • Outreach • The Gathering

• Life Groups • Prayer Triads • Men's Ministry • Women's Ministry • Youth Ministry • Worship Team

• Missions Committee • Mercy Team • Church Planting • Adult Discipleship • Resource Center


• In processing calling for office, why is it important for you to discern calling to lead Uptown Church? Do you love this specific church? What challenges do you foresee in serving Uptown specifically? What things do you love? What things drive you crazy?

Expectations for officer training

1. The process for officer training is as follows (a) 12-week training program

i. Complete all required assignments ii. Continue working to discern external and internal calling

(b) Written officer exam (c) In-person examination by the Elders (d) Election by the congregation (e) Ordination and installation

2. The following is expected of you as you go through this process (a) Attendance at all classes. If you cannot attend for some reason, you must contact

the pastors to let them know. (b) Complete all reading and participate actively in class. (c) Meet with others (elders, deacons, pastors, friends, etc.) to process calling. (d) Communicate with Adult Ed Pastor (or intern) in a timely fashion regarding (a)

whether you will take written exam and (b) whether you will sit for the elder interview.

(e) If at any point along the way you decide not to continue in the process, please let the pastors know.

3. Setting expectations:

(a) It is important for all officer nominees to know what to expect from the process. Completion of the training course and a passing grade on the exam do not necessarily guarantee that one will become an officer.

(b) In fact, it is often the case that candidates go through training multiple times.


2 Polity and the PCA

• Types of church government structures

o Overview

o Detailed discussion of the Presbyterian model

• The Presbyterian Church in America

o Overview and history

o Constitution

Westminster Standards

Book of Church Order

o Central Carolina Presbytery

class

Class 2: Polity and the PCA



• Of the three main forms of church government, the Presbyterian system of leadership by plurality and mutual accountability bears the most biblical support.

• The king and ruler of the church is Jesus Christ, and the highest and ultimate source of authority is the inspired Scriptures.

• Our denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), was founded in 1973 but has roots in the Protestant Reformation.

• The constitution of the PCA is composed of the Westminster Standards and the Book of Church Order (BCO). The Westminster Standards include the Confession, the Larger Catechism, and the Shorter Catechism. The BCO is divided into three parts.

Introduction As a denominational and confessional church, Uptown highly values the importance of church governance and accountability, both within the local body of believers and among multiple individual churches. “Polity” is the term used to describe the organization and governance of the church. During this class we will discuss and evaluate the three main models for church government, focus specifically on the biblical basis and distinctives of the Presbyterian model, and provide an overview of our own denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America. Note: the nature of the church, the role of the church in the kingdom of God, and the purpose of the church in general (“ecclesiology”) will be covered in class 10.

Types of church government structures A brief review of the different ways in which churches are governed provides a helpful background to how the PCA works.


What is the role of a broader church government structure? What is the biblical basis for the Presbyterian model of church government?

What are the three “courts” of the Presbyterian system, what do they do, and which one is the most important?



Overview 1. Purpose of church government

(a) Throughout the history of the church, various government structures have attempted to answer the key question: where does authority lie? i. This question has led to a few main ways in which churches have organized

themselves according to common doctrinal and governmental affinities (b) The largest overarching church institutions prior to the Reformation were the

Roman Catholic Church (based in Rome) and the Eastern Orthodox Church (originally based in Constantinople). The Protestant Reformation spawned numerous new church institutions, from Lutherans to Anabaptists to Presbyterians.

(c) The primary goal of church government (namely, a “denomination”) is threefold: i. Decision-making on key issues pertaining to doctrine and practice ii. Preservation and mutual strengthening of local congregations iii. Accountability and protection of the flock (both top-down and bottom-up)

2. Three major forms

(a) Three primary forms of church government have dominated historically. Congregational Episcopalian

(“bishopric”) Presbyterian

Definition • “Pure democracy” • A system of independency

in which the local church is self-sovereign and complete apart from every other church.

• The congregation functions as the governing body; practically, it is often the senior pastor who bears the majority of the authority.

• “Monarchism” • Christ has entrusted the

government of his church to an order of prelates or bishops as the successors of the apostles

• He has constituted these bishops as separate, independent, and self-perpetuating order that has authority over the church in a “vertical” structure

• “Republican / representative”

• Christ has instituted a plurality of leaders over the church, consisting of ordained church officers (elders and deacons)

• These church officers are explicitly instituted in the NT but also have forerunners in OT Israel

Scriptural basis

• The scriptural support for this position is limited

• However, proponents of this system argue:

o The priesthood of believers concept (1 Pet 2:5,9) implies a high place for the local believer

o Letters in NT (Paul's, Acts 15, etc.) are addressed to churches, not Sessions, Bishops, or denominations

o The final authority appears to be the “church” (Matt 18)

• Proponents argue: o The bishop extends

the foundational role of Peter and the apostles (Matt 16:18)

o The NT term “episkopos” (Phil 1:1, 1 Tim 3:2, others) is not the same term as “presbuteros” and suggests a ruling bishopric

• However, the scriptural basis for this system is untenable, as it misapplies NT terminology and misunderstands the role of the apostles

• Christ is the head (not the pope): Eph 1:10,22,23; 2:20-22

• Christ has instituted officers to govern the church in matters of faith, worship, and discipline: 1 Tim 3; Titus 1; 1 Pet 5; Acts 6

• Churches are to hold one another accountable through larger affiliations: Acts 15; Acts 16:4; 2 Cor 8:1; Rev 1:11; Gal 1:2; 1 Cor 16:1

Examples • Southern Baptist • Roman Catholic Church • Presbyterians



• Other Baptist sub-groups (Primitive, Independent)

• Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA)

• “Bible churches” • Non-denominational

churches

• Anglican Church* • Episcopal Church* • Some Lutheran churches* • United Methodist*

* These do not hold to the “apostolic see” as does the Roman church

• Some Baptists • Some Lutherans

(b) Other forms of church government include the following:

i. Quaker / Darbyite: this form, practiced by Quakers and other churches in the Brethren tradition, hold that there should be no actual polity or organization; thus, they share a common name and set of practices but are otherwise unorganized with no oversight.

ii. Erastian / State-led system: this form arose out of the Reformation and maintains that there is no separation of Church and State – that both are under Christ – and thus the State is given the authority to govern, organize, and govern the church. A modern example of this form is China's government-mandated “Three-Self Church.”

iii. Affiliations: In the past few decades, there have arisen numerous congregational or non-denominational churches that are forming alliances and networks that provide some of the support that a denomination provides without the formal governance. Examples include the Gospel Coalition, Desiring God Ministries, the Acts 29 Network, Sovereign Grace Ministries, and so on.

3. Is it a good thing to have so many denominations?

(a) The downside of so many Protestant (and Presbyterian!) denominations, as many often point out, is the appearance of a fractured witness to the world. One may ask, where is the one true church of Christ?

(b) However, the upside is somewhat counterintuitive but very important: unity. i. By working with like-minded believers, we can be unified over doctrine and

avoid infighting with brothers from other groups who may differ on issues such as baptism, women’s roles, and so forth.

ii. This allows us to be organically united at a macro level on core issues of the gospel with, say, Baptists, while avoiding constant bickering about doctrinal issues.

Detailed discussion of the Presbyterian model Christ is the head

• Reformed churches maintain that Christ alone, not the pope or bishop or anyone else, is the only Head and king of the church, both at the local and regional level.

• Christ alone stands in vital, organic relationship to the church as its life-giving Lord, institutor, sole legislator, and ultimate source of all power and efficacy in the means of grace.

Rule through • Christ has ordained to rule his church through the immediate



officers agency of ordained, qualified officers. • This does not mean he transfers his authority to the officers, but

that they serve as mediators exercising the authority granted to them (and limited) by Christ alone.

• These officers are the representatives of the people; candidates are examined by elders and then elected by the congregation. Officers are ordained to a particular task.

• Officers are responsible to Christ alone. • Officers are commanded to govern the church by apprehending

and applying the Word of God as his specific binding revelation. Role of the local church

• In the Presbyterian system, the power of the Church does not reside in the denominational assemblies, but primarily in the local church itself.

• In other words, the local congregation as governed by its officers is the original seat of authority over its members. It is, however, subject to the accountability and limitations placed upon it by virtue of its association to other churches

Officers • The ordinary officers of the church, which are perpetual

throughout the church age, are elders and deacons. • Both offices are positions of authority over the congregation and,

as such, are open only to ordained men who are qualified. • Elders provide the direct oversight of the flock, and the session

of elders is the primary governing body over the church. o Elders are typically classified as either teaching elders

(e.g., “pastor”) and ruling elders (usually lay leaders). “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17).

o Both classes of elders bear equal authority (“parity”). o Within the PCA, there are three types of teaching elder:

Pastor (often called “senior” pastor) – votes on session and is usually the moderator.

Associate Pastor – votes on Session. Assistant Pastor – does not vote on Session.

• Deacons provide ministries of service to the church, such as caring for the mercy needs or facility needs of the body.

Courts • There are generally three courts in the Presbyterian system.

• Session (consistory): consisting of the ruling and teaching elders of a local church.

• Presbytery (classis): consisting of elders from local churches that serve to govern multiple churches in a region.

• Synod / General Assembly: consisting of elders from the presbyteries that provide broader oversight.



• The Session is the court of highest authority, but the Synod is the highest court of appeal.


• A prospective new member has most recently been a member for several years at a very large, non-denominational megachurch in Charlotte. At this church, the senior pastor is the visionary leader; he directs most, if not all, of the decision making. That church's general culture looked down on denominations as a relic of the past and something that reinforces negative, divisive stereotypes of mainstream Christian churches. This member candidate has expressed some skepticism about the PCA and Uptown's commitment to the denomination. How would you walk him through the importance of church government in light of an increasingly anti-denominational American church culture?

• You are meeting with a young man from your life group who grew up in the Roman Catholic Church. He is somewhat new to Presbyterianism and seems confused about how it all works. He seems to think that the General Assembly “directs things from the helm” and, like the papacy in Rome, makes decisions to force down on the congregations. He views the Presbyteries as similar to territories governed by bishops, with the local churches simply submitting to them in all cases. How would you explain to him the Presbyterian concept of the role and authority of the local church (particularly its Session) and the way Presbyterian courts actually work?

The Presbyterian Church in America The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is a Reformed denomination consisting of over 300,000 members and nearly 1,500 churches in North America. The governing structure of the PCA is three-tiered: local church Session, regional Presbytery, and national General Assembly.




Overview and history 1. Overview

(a) The PCA is the largest conservative, Reformed denomination in the US. (b) It was formed in 1973 and is a prominent leader in the confessional, evangelical,

Reformed branch of American Christianity. (c) The PCA maintains the historical polity of Presbyterian governance shared by its

Reformed predecessors. i. Its courts consist of the Session (local), Presbytery (regional), and General

Assembly (national). ii. General Assembly meets in June of each year.

(d) Key organizations within the PCA include the following:

i. Mission to the World (MTW) – global missions sending agency (600+ total missionaries)

ii. Mission to North America (MNA) – assists domestic churches with church planting and growth

iii. Reformed University Ministries (RUF) – official denominational campus ministry

iv. Covenant College and Covenant Theological Seminary – the official PCA undergraduate and seminary institutions

v. Administrative Committee (AC) and Christian Education and Publications (CEP) – two other permanent committees focused on administration within the denomination and providing resources to churches, respectively.

(e) The PCA is headquartered in Atlanta, GA.

2. History (a) The PCA has its roots in the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS). (b) The formation of the PCA was a response to long-developing theological liberalism

within the PCUS, including i. Denial of the deity of Jesus Christ ii. Rejection of biblical inerrancy and authority iii. Shift towards unbiblical practices such as the ordination of women teaching

elders (c) A group of delegates representing 260 congregations (combined membership of

41,000) met at Briarwood Church in Birmingham, AL, in December 1973. (d) Together they organized as a constitutional assembly called the National

Presbyterian Church. In 1974, the name was changed to the Presbyterian Church in America.

(e) In 1982, the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod (RPCES) joined the PCA. Covenant College and Covenant Theological Seminary were originally part of the RPCES.

Constitution 1. The final authority over the churches in the PCA is God's Holy Scripture.



2. The PCA's governing constitution is made up of two documents:

(a) The Westminster Standards, which the PCA believes is the most accurate and faithful articulation of the doctrines contained within the Bible.

(b) The Book of Church Order (BCO), in which the PCA has attempted to articulate in detail the practical and necessary means for administering church government, discipline, and worship.

Westminster Standards 1. History of the Standards

(a) The Westminster Assembly of Divines was convened by the Parliament of England from 1643-1649 in order to foster agreement among the English and Scottish churches on major points of doctrine and church practice and reform the Church of England.

(b) The Assembly consisted of 30 laymen and 121 clergymen representing multiple types of churches, including Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Erastians.

(c) The Assembly initially attempted to revise the Thirty-Nine Articles but abandoned that project to produce a new set of documents.

2. Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)

(a) The WCF was the flagship output of the Assembly. (b) Debated and revised extensively until its final production, the Confession contains

a detailed summary of Reformed Calvinist doctrine across numerous categories of theology, including: Scripture, God (and Trinity), Christ, Election, Free Will, Conversion, Justification, Sanctification, Adoption, Assurance, Sacraments, and much more.

(c) In 1789, the American Presbyterian church made select revisions to the Confession (e.g., removal of language that referred to the Pope as the “antichrist”). A slightly revised version of the 1789 WCF became adopted by the PCA in 1973.

3. Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechism (1647)

(a) The WLC and WSC were developed by the Assembly to serve as complementary teaching tools with the Confession, structured in Question-Answer format fit for memorization.

(b) The Larger is the more comprehensive, and the Shorter is more oriented towards teaching laypersons.

(c) The WLC consists of 196 questions and the WSC consists of 107 questions. (d) The WCF, WLC, and WSC are largely silent on two areas:

i. Details pertaining to eschatological views (millennialism) ii. Polity / church governance. As the Assembly was made up of representatives

from all forms of church government, no formal agreement was sought. (e) As a result of the latter, the PCA adopted the Book of Church Order



Book of Church Order 1. The BCO is the set of legislation that guides the PCA in matters of organization and

practice not otherwise covered by the Westminster Standards. (a) History: The roots of the PCA BCO lie in standards used in Geneva (influenced by

Calvin) in the 1540s. John Knox took it to Scotland, where it became further developed as the governing framework for the Scottish Presbyterians. American Presbyterianism is directly influenced by its Scottish forebears, including the BCO.

2. It consists of three parts:

Form of Government

• “How to run the church” • Doctrine, nature and structure of the visible church • Officers – calling, qualifications, selection • Courts – organization, purpose, boundaries • Pastoral relations • Ordination

Rules of Discipline

• “How to administer church discipline” • Purpose of discipline • Offenses • Censures (admonition, suspension of sacraments, suspension

of office, excommunication) • Appeals

Directory for Worship

• “How to conduct biblical worship” • Regulative principle and elements • Order of Lord's Day worship • Word and Sacraments • Note: only chs. 56-58 are deemed constitutional; the

remaining chapters are advisory.

3. The PCA's constitution, both the Westminster Standards and the BCO, are human documents and are, as such, fallible. As such, they are open for revision if parts of them are found to be inadequate or contrary to Scripture. The constitution can be amended as follows: two-thirds vote of the GA and presbyteries to amend the BCO; three-fourths vote to amend the Westminster Standards.

Central Carolina Presbytery 1. Uptown Church is part of the Central Carolina Presbytery (CCP), which governs

numerous churches from Charlotte to Fayetteville. (a) For information about the member churches, presbytery events, and leadership, visit

the CCP website at http://www.ccpca.net/ 2. Presbytery meets quarterly and is open to the public. Each member church is allowed to

send 2 ruling elders for the first 350 members and 1 for each additional 500.



3. Generally speaking, CCP is on the more conservative end of the (already conservative) PCA spectrum.


• The PCA does not view itself as the “only” true church. However, there can be a tendency among some Reformed Christians to take a particularly militant stance on Reformed doctrine. How should an officer of the church think through the pastoral implications of our church's adherence to the Westminster Standards when shepherding or otherwise dealing with Christians with variant views, ranging from non-infant baptists in the congregation to evangelicals that are not Reformed in the broader church landscape of Charlotte? Put differently, how should an elder pastorally reflect our church's strong doctrinal stances while at the same time respecting differences in others?

• While teaching a Sunday School class on election, a class attendee raises her hand and asks why you keep referring to the “Confession.” She politely accuses you of holding the Westminster Standards in a position of higher stature than Scripture, and she fairly adamantly suggests that we should focus on what the Bible says, not some man-made document from the 1600s. She stays after class to chat further. How should you go about articulating the role, importance, and limitations of the Westminster Standards so that she obtains a clearer understanding of how Uptown church views it?


3 Elder and Deacon

• Scriptural foundations

o OT forerunners

o NT early church

• The nature of the offices

o The offices

o Plurality and authority

o Word and deed ministry

• Qualifications for office

o Elder and Deacon

o The importance of character

class

Class 3: Elder and Deacon



• From its earliest days, the community of God has been governed by men set apart by God. The pattern of leadership by elders among the Israelites was carried forward into the church age.

• The Bible provides for two classes of ordained church officers: elder and deacon.

• The Bible also provides guidelines for the men who are qualified for serving in these leadership roles.

Introduction The God we worship is one of order and specificity. He rules all his created realm, and especially his chosen people – the church – through the dominion and reign of Christ, our King. Christ himself is the primary ruler of his people. Jesus has chosen to administer the rule of his people incarnationally through the leaders he establishes over his church. He sets apart men as officers that are his instruments for guiding, ruling, shepherding, caring for, and protecting his bride. These men are called by Christ himself to this ministry, and they bear authority over the church that is derived from Christ himself. In other words, they serve as “under-shepherds” of Christ, exercising his authority but in subservience to him alone. There are two classes of such ordained leaders in God's church: elder and deacon. In this section, we will discuss the background and requirements of these officers. .

Scriptural foundations Both the Old and New Testaments clearly establish benevolent, godly, caring male leadership over God's church.


What are the OT forerunners of the offices of elder and deacon?

Where do we see evidences of these offices in the apostolic church?

OT forerunners 1. Male headship in general. From the time of Adam onward, the Bible bears witness

that God consistently governs his people through the headship of men he has chosen. There is a clear priority or ordering of relationships within the covenant community that is not based on the inherent merit of any men in themselves, but solely on God's decision to deal with his people in this way. (a) Adam: The creation account in Genesis 1-2 portrays Adam as both covenant head

of all humanity (echoed in Rom 5 and 1 Cor 15) and leader of his family. God came looking for Adam first when the fall occurred. He was invested with authority over his wife and children and was held accountable for such.



(b) Patriarchs: Subsequent covenant administrations (see Class 6) demonstrate that God was dealing with his covenant people through the headship of such men as Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the heads of the twelve tribes. These men represented the rule of God over the people of God.

(c) Prophet / Priest / King: Throughout Israel’s history, the prevailing leadership pattern that God instituted for his people was one of male headship in all the aspects of Israel’s national and religious life: prophet (as teacher and bearer of God’s revelation), priest (leading Israel in worship) and king (governing the theocracy on behalf of God, the true monarch).

2. “Elders”: By the time of Moses, the OT begins to speak of “elders” who were in place

as governors of the people of Israel. These men likely represented various tribes and were involved with governing the affairs of the burgeoning nation. (a) Ex 3:16 – God calls together the elders of Israel, who are in some sense under

Moses' overall leadership as God's prophet / priest. (b) Ex 18 – at the advice of Jethro, Moses appoints numerous men to serve as “heads

over the people,” judging disputes among the people and providing distributed leadership where Moses himself could not shoulder the full scope of the work.

(c) Ex 24:1-2 – the “seventy elders” of Israel were present with Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu at the confirmation of the Mosaic Covenant at Sinai.

(d) Lev 4:15 – the “elders” participate in the laying on of hands upon the bull of the sin offering, showing their role in the sacrificial and worship system of Israel.

(e) Num 11:16-17 – God charged Moses with selecting a subset of the “elders of Israel” to be “officers over them [the people],” to “bear the burden of the people with you,” and to lead the Israelites to the tabernacle for worship.

(f) There are numerous other examples mentioning “elders” in Israel.

3. “Deacons”: There is no explicit reference to an office of deacon in the OT. However, certain classes of the Levitical priests (under the leadership of the chief priest) performed many of the same duties as NT deacons: (a) Kohathites: responsible for the transport and setup of the holy articles (ark, etc.).

Num 4:1-15 (b) Gershonites: responsible for carrying and setting up the curtains and coverings of

the tabernacle. Num 4:18-21 (c) Merarites: responsible for carrying and setting up the frames, pillars, bases,

crossbeams and cords of the tabernacle. Num 4:29-33. (d) In addition, various stipulations in the Mosaic Law were specifically targeted at the

care for the poor among the people of Israel.

NT early church The NT demonstrates two classes of “ordinary” or perpetual church officers: elder and deacon.

1. “Elder” at synagogue: While not as prominent after the exile as before, the role of elder continued during the synagogue period of Judaism leading up to the time of Christ. The council of elders is mentioned in the gospels as an integral part of the



Jewish ruling class, along with the priests and scribes (cf., Matt 16:21, 26:3,47,57; “elders” is mentioned over 20 times in the gospels).

2. New Testament Elder: the apostolic church documented in Acts shows that the role of “elder” figured prominently in church leadership from its very first day. (a) Early evidences: “Elders” convened with the apostles at the Jerusalem Council

(Acts 15:6ff) and played a role. Elders were appointed at all the new churches established by Paul and Peter in the early phases of the church (Acts 14:23). Paul addressed the elders of the church at Ephesus before he left them, and he charged them with shepherding the church (Acts 20:17ff). Paul visited James and the elders of Jerusalem to discuss his ministry (Acts 21:17ff).

(b) Church history: The writings of the church fathers from Clement and Polycarp onwards bear consistent witness to the role of elders (presbyters) in the leadership in the 100s AD onward, prior to the establishment of the system of bishops in the 5th century.

(c) Explicit guidance: In his pastoral letters (see further discussion below), Paul gives explicit guidance to Titus and Timothy regarding the appointment and role of elders over God's church (1 Tim 3:1ff; Titus 1:5ff). Peter likewise emphasizes the role of elder (1 Pet 5:1ff), as does James (Jas 5:14-15). i. Note: the terms often translated “presbyter” and “bishop” are used

interchangeably in Acts 20 and Titus 1, suggesting that they refer to the same class of people with the same qualifications (not to two different classes, with one outranking the other).

3. New Testament Deacon: the role of deacon emerges very early in the apostolic

church, with the first group of men being appointed in Acts 6 to serve the mercy needs of the church and enable the apostles to focus on teaching and preaching. (a) Paul's letters: Paul addresses the deacons in Phil 1:1 along with the elders,

suggesting that they represent a two-fold leadership structure of the church in Paul's thought. Paul provides explicit guidance regarding deacons in 1 Tim 3:8-12.

(b) Church history: Similar to above, the consistent witness of patristic writings is that the office of deacon was universal among the early church, where deacons served the physical needs of the church while the elders focused on governance, catechizing / teaching, and preaching.

4. “Extraordinary officers”: In addition to the “ordinary” officers, the NT also mentions other church leaders that were one-time in nature. These men served in functions that are not part of the ordinary, perpetual governance of the church but were specific to the unique epoch in which the apostolic church was unfolding. These offices include that of apostle and prophet. Such offices, given their emphasis on receiving and transmitting the authoritative word of God as it was progressively revealed, ceased with the closing of the canon and the passing of the apostolic age itself.




• When faced with the question of whether the Presbyterian model of church government by elder and deacon is truly biblical (or, the “most” biblical), how can you use evidence from the OT, NT, and church history to defend the position that God's ordinary means of governing his people is through the ordained leadership of male elders and, in the church age, deacons? Why is it important that the model we use reflect the biblical and historical patterns God has established for male headship over the covenant community?

The nature of the offices It is important to understand how the Presbyterian model for church government views the biblical offices.


The offices We covered the offices of elder and deacon briefly in the Class 1, but it is important to refine the nature and roles of these offices here.

Elder The elders bear primary responsibility for oversight of the flock that is entrusted to their care. They provide for it, govern it, protect it, teach it, and lead it – as it is the very household of God.

1. There are multiple facets of the office of Elder (from BCO 8-3) (a) watch diligently over the flock committed to his charge, that no corruption of

doctrine or of morals enter therein. (b) exercise government and discipline (c) oversight not only of the spiritual interests of the particular church, but also the

Church generally when called thereunto



(d) visit the people at their homes, especially the sick (e) instruct the ignorant, comfort the mourner, nourish and guard the children of the

Church (f) set a worthy example to the flock entrusted to their care by their zeal to evangelize

the unconverted and make disciples (g) pray with and for the people, being careful and diligent in seeking the fruit of the

preached Word among the flock.

2. In other words, as the BCO puts it, all those duties which are asked of all Christians are incumbent and binding upon elders as their divine vocation.

3. There are two orders of elder in the PCA: ruling elder (RE) and teaching elder (TE). As a single class of office, however, REs and TEs possess the same authority and eligibility to serve in church courts (BCO 8-9). (a) A TE is typically a man called by God to serve in full-time, vocational ministry

within the church or other area (e.g., RUF). (b) An RE is typically a layperson; however, he, too, is encouraged at all times to

“cultivate zealously their own aptness to teach the Bible.”

4. Elders are organized into a Session, with a Moderator. Uptown's Session is somewhat distinct in that it operates on a basis of unanimity in all decisions (which is not required in all cases by the BCO).

Deacon The deacons engage in a role of sympathy and service towards the church itself, the broader communion of the saints, and the community.

1. There are multiple facets of the office of Deacon (from BCO 9-2) (a) minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may

be in distress – beginning first with those in the church and then those outside. (b) develop the grace of liberality in the members of the church (c) devise effective methods of collecting the gifts of the people (d) distribute these gifts among the objects to which they are contributed (e) care of the property of the congregation, both real and personal (f) keep in proper repair the church edifice and other buildings belonging to the

congregation

2. Deacons are organized into a Board, with a Chairman. TEs may serve as advisory members of the board of deacons.

3. The board of deacons is under the supervision and authority of the Session.

4. Men and women in the church may be appointed by the Session to assist the deacons in administering their duties.



Plurality and authority 1. The authority of any given church office is derived not from the person but from

Christ himself, as administered through the office. (a) The nucleus of authority within a given local church resides not in the personalities

of the men in office (for they are fallible sinners) but in the fact that Christ has ordained to govern his church through these offices.

(b) In other words, no single elder is a ruler or governor of the church by himself.

2. Rather, the authority of the Session is derived from the plurality of its leadership, whereby multiple men serve as Christ's appointed leaders. There is no Session of one!

3. Elders (and deacons), then, are to exercise their duties both “severally and jointly” – that is, they uphold the dignity of the office as individuals through their personal character and as a group in how the Session as a whole conducts itself (BCO 8-3).

4. Practically, this means that no one elder makes binding decisions on behalf of the Session (nor any deacon on behalf of the Diaconate). Rather, the Session itself (which is plural), commissions appointed by the Session (which are also plural), or the church staff (if designated by the Session) bear decision-making authority.

Word and Deed ministry 1. The Bible indicates that there are two main categories of ministry within the life of the

church: word and deed. These two categories often overlap but are frequently highlighted as distinctive in Scripture.

2. Word ministry: the preaching and teaching of God's holy scriptures to all the children and adults of the church. (a) The church is charged with:

i. Guarding the sacred deposit of God's truth (1 Tim 6:20) ii. Preaching the word (Acts 6:2) iii. Keeping to the pattern of sound teaching received from the apostles (2 Tim 1) iv. Speaking the wisdom of God (1 Pet 4:11) v. Guard against false teaching and unrepentant sin that could harm the flock (1

Tim 1:3ff; Jude 4ff) (b) The primary responsibility for word ministry resides with the Elders; whereas

elders must be “able to teach” (1 Tim 3:2), there is no such biblical requirement for deacons.

3. Deed ministry: the care for the physical, emotional, monetary, and other needs of the members of the church. (a) The church is charged with:

i. Caring for the needy (1 John 3:17) ii. Sharing wealth generously (2 Cor 8:13-15) iii. Providing for the poor (Rom 15:25ff)

(b) The primary responsibility for deed ministry resides with the Deacons.



Qualifications for office The NT is clear that serving in church office is a noble task and worthy to be desired. Yet Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus also provide guidance on the qualifications to serve as an elder or deacon of Christ's church. As we discuss these various attributes, use these lists from Scripture as a stimulus to examine your own heart and internal calling. While no one bears all of them perfectly, it is still necessary that all candidates see some sort of personal fruit or growth in all these areas. We are all works in process, but the qualifications are there for a reason!


What are the attributes required of elders and deacons?

Where are there overlapping requirements? Where are their key differences?

Elder and deacon Office of Elder Office of Deacon

1 Timothy 3:2-7 Titus 1:6-9 1 Timothy 3:8-13 Above reproach Above reproach Dignified Husband of one wife Husband of one wife Husband of one wife Sober-minded Not arrogant Clear conscience Self-controlled Self-controlled Respectable Hospitable Hospitable Able to teach Able to instruct in doctrine Not a drunkard Not a drunkard Not addicted to much wine Not violent Not violent Gentle Not quarrelsome Not quick tempered Not a lover of money Not greedy for gain Not greedy for dishonest gain Manage household well; submissive children

Children are believers and not insubordinate

Manage household well

Not a recent convert Hold firm to the word Well thought-of by outsiders Lover of good Upright Tested and proven blameless Holy Disciplined Able to rebuke false teachers Not double-tongued Note: List taken from the ESV



The importance of character 1. The list above is daunting! No one who has ever been ordained as an officer of God's

church has been perfect in all categories. (a) It is an impossible standard. (b) Yet it is still the standard that Christ has set out for those men who are called and

consecrated to bear his authority over his precious bride, the church.

2. Thus, we must not minimize these requirements. (a) Elders are to “possess a competency of human learning and be blameless in life,

sound in the faith and apt to teach… exhibit a sobriety and holiness of life becoming the Gospel. He should rule his own house well and should have a good report of them that are outside the Church” (BCO 8-2).

(b) Deacons are to be men of “spiritual character, honest repute, exemplary lives, brotherly spirit, warm sympathies, and sound judgment” (BCO 9-3).

3. Officers of God's church, in other words, are called to be above reproach in their walk

of life. They are examples for the flock, representatives of Christ, and special targets of Satan's spiritual attacks. As the officers go, so goes the church – thus, the character of the officers is a serious, weighty matter.


• Imagine you are an officer serving on a committee in the church simply as a layperson who happens to be interested in the topic – not as an official elder or deacon representative. However, numerous times members of the committee, when faced with decisions or policy issues, turn to you and say, “As a representative of Session (or the Diaconate), what do you say? What is the Session's (Diaconate's) opinion on the matter?” How should you respond?

• Looking at the list of qualifications, discuss where you are strongest and weakest. How can you go about improving in the areas where you are weak?


4 Revelation and Scripture

• Revelation

o Preliminary considerations

o General

o Special

• Doctrine of Scripture

o Inspiration, inerrancy, and infallibility

o Attributes of Scripture

o Further study: Structure of the Bible

class

Class 4: Revelation and Scripture



• God has revealed himself to man in two chief ways: through his works in creation and through his direct revelation.

• Saving knowledge of God comes through his “special revelation,” which is contained in permanent form in the Holy Scriptures (Old and New Testaments). Special revelation ceased with the end of the apostolic age and the closing of the canon.

• The Reformed tradition hold that the Bible is God's inspired word, which is wholly inerrant and infallible.

• The sole authority for faith and practice among God's people is the Bible.

Introduction A foundational starting point of Christianity is the belief that God has willingly and graciously made himself known to man. Without God's self-disclosure, he would remain utterly incomprehensible to man, and the way of salvation in Christ would be obscured. Thus, since only God knows himself fully, the chief and authoritative way by which we obtain knowledge of God – so that we can love, worship, and serve him – is his revelation about himself. All human philosophies must bow before the Word which God has made known. God's Word brings us into communion with him, that we might know his good, pleasing, and perfect will. Accordingly, the highest calling of any Christian is to seek knowledge of the face of God in Jesus Christ, which is found chiefly in his word as it is illumined by the Spirit. We will discuss this foundational element of Christianity by looking first at revelation in broader terms and then at the Reformed doctrine of Holy Scripture.

Revelation It has been rightly said that the church stands or falls on God's revelation. It is through his revealed word that God constituted his church and converts the individual sinner to himself.


What is the difference between general and special revelation? What purpose does each serve? Are both equally salvific (e.g., capable of bringing man into an estate of salvation)? Is it right to say that man can find God by walking in the woods, or seeing a sunset, or climbing a mountain?

Is special revelation ongoing?

Preliminary considerations 1. Revelation is profoundly gracious. It is an act of immeasurable grace and love that

God voluntarily chose to reveal himself to man.



(a) Many pagan religions suppose a god (or gods) that are completely absent from man, leaving him clutching aimlessly for truth.

(b) However, the true God has, out of his love for man and his intention to establish relationship with him, revealed himself clearly.

2. Revelation in word and revelation in deed. Throughout Scripture, the idea of

“revelation” has two different aspects. (a) Word revelation: At various points, God has revealed himself through express

verbal (and later written) communication. He spoke directly to Adam, Noah, Abraham, and the other patriarchs. He inscribed the Ten Commandments directly and revealed the Law to Moses. He spoke directly to the prophets. Christ himself taught in words and sermons. The apostles wrote under direct inspiration. Christianity is truly a religion of the book. God makes himself known through his living, real words.

(b) Deed / fact revelation: Additionally, God has revealed himself through redemptive events, such as the flood, the birth of the patriarchs, the exodus and Passover, the conquest, the exiles, the incarnation / death / resurrection of Christ, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church. These redemptive deeds of God run in parallel to his revealed word and are interpreted by them.

(c) It is vital that Christians understand both aspects: word and deed. Christianity is utterly unlike all other religions in that it is not just a collection of spiritual writings: it is based on real events in real history! Christ really has died! And he really will come again!

General revelation 1. Definition: God's revealing certain things about himself to all mankind, on the basis of

their creation alone, which is sufficient to render man without excuse. (a) General revelation is also called (but is not identical to) “natural revelation.”



2. There are four important dimensions of general revelation. (a) Audience: all mankind, who were created in God's image. (b) Content: knowledge of God's power and divine nature. (c) Purpose: to prevent man from pretending any ignorance about God by giving him

some idea that there is a God and he has created all things. (d) Mode: general revelation takes place chiefly through natural means, such as the

created world and the conscience of man.

3. Sufficiency of general revelation (a) General revelation is not sufficient to provide saving knowledge of Christ. (b) It is, however, sufficient to render man without excuse. All men will be judged by

God in proportion to the relative amount of light he has received. (c) While the imprint of God is found in nature, the fall of man (e.g., what is called the

“noetic” or mental impact of the fall) impedes his ability to see God clearly in nature. Not surprisingly, we need the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit to enable us to see God through nature again! In other words, apart from God, the unregenerate man has only a darkened ability to see God in nature.

4. General revelation has ensured that the seed of religion (awareness of God) is in all

men created in God's image. This fact explains the existence of all religions and the universal God-consciousness in man.

5. General revelation, notably, can be and is suppressed by man.

6. Selected proofs: (a) NT: Rom 1:19-21; Rom 2:14ff; Acts 14:15-17; Acts 17:24-28; John 1:9 (b) OT: Job 32:8; Ps 19:1; Ps 50:6

Special revelation 1. Definition: God's revealing the way of redemption from sin, which is sufficient for

salvation in Christ. (a) Special revelation is also called (but is not identical to) “supernatural revelation.”

2. As above, there are four important dimensions of special revelation. (a) Audience: two levels – all mankind to whom the gospel is proclaimed, but, more

specifically, God’s people who are re-created (regenerated) by his Spirit. (b) Content: saving knowledge of the grace of God found in the Savior, Jesus Christ. (c) Purpose: to enable the sinner to embrace Jesus Christ and to receive and rest upon

his merits alone for their salvation. (d) Mode: today, special revelation takes place in God's written word, as it is

illumined and applied through the Holy Spirit. In prior ages, special revelation also took place through angels, theophanies, miracles, dreams, visions, and words.

3. Sufficiency of special revelation

(a) Special revelation alone is sufficient to provide saving knowledge of Christ.



(b) The aim of special revelation is to effect the complete renewal of the elect sinner. The Spirit uses the Word of God to convict sinners, convince him of his need for a savior, and work faith in him, which is received as a gift from God.

4. Special revelation is given permanent form in Scripture.

(a) God's Word may be preached generally to all men, but not all men will receive it. (b) However, to God's elect, special revelation can never by ultimately rejected or

suppressed, but is always efficacious.

5. Has special revelation ceased? (a) The Reformed tradition has consistently held that special revelation – that is, the

giving of new, authoritative verbal or written revelation from God – was concluded with the passing of the apostles and the associated closure of the canon.

(b) Put differently, God continues to reveal himself to his church, but only through the means of his inspired Scriptures, which he illumines and applies to us through preaching, teaching, prayer, and so forth.

(c) The apostles (and their close associates, such as Luke and Mark) were given the specific mandate by Christ to communicate authoritative truth to the church on his behalf. They knew of their apostolic authority and were aware they were producing new covenant scripture in their gospels and epistles. Authoritative revelation was, accordingly, limited only to those authorized agents whom Christ had set apart for the task.

(d) With their death, the period of such extraordinary revelation (and charismatic gifts such as tongues and prophecy) came to a conclusion. The church now has God's definitive revelation!

6. Selected proofs:

(a) NT: Gal 1:6-9; Heb 1:1-3; 1 Thess 2:13; 2 Pet 1:19-21; 2 Pet 3:15-16; Heb 2:1-4; Rev 22:18-19

(b) OT: Ex 20:1; Ex 24:12; Deut 5:1-22


• You are working on a mercy case at the church and are beginning to counsel a young married couple on biblical financial principles. During the first few minutes of conversation, you hear the husband mention numerous financial principles that he has gotten from a mixture of the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, The Economist, Jim Cramer, Warren Buffett, Suze Orman, and numerous other financial pundits. Many of these ideas he has run counter to the biblical concepts of the tithe, giving, and stewardship. When you try to steer him towards the Bible, he scoffs and says, “You think I'm going to believe the Bible over these experts?” How can you use the doctrine of general and special revelation to communicate to him the importance of the Bible in (a) teaching you truth directly and (b) “fixing your vision” so that you can interpret general revelation accurately, rather than sinfully?



• How does the doctrine of revelation impact how (a) you conceive of authority in the church and (b) how you go about evangelism? Why should special revelation be at the center of all church worship? What role do natural arguments play in sharing the gospel with the unbeliever?

Doctrine of Scripture The orthodox Christian faith throughout history has professed “What Scripture says, God says.” For thousands of years, both Old Testament and New Testament believers have met God in his Word and have based their entire lives on – and even sacrificed them for – what he has revealed. It is not surprising that when a church softens its views on Scripture, its faithfulness (and faith) to Christ has also softened.


What is the doctrine of inspiration? Who or what is inspired? How does it differ from illumination?

What is inerrancy? What is infallibility?

Name at least two attributes of scripture.

Inspiration, inerrancy, and infallibility 1. Inspiration: the Bible is “breathed out” by God himself

(a) When we say the Bible is inspired, we mean that both the revelation and the record of that revelation are immediately and supernaturally inspired by the Holy Spirit through historical men who were active participants / instruments in the process. i. The writers: the men who set down God's revealed word in written form were

directly inspired, “carried along” (2 Pet 1:21), by the Holy Spirit. ii. The output: the final form of Scripture is, thus, directly “breathed out” by God,

or “God-breathed” (2 Tim 3:16).

(b) Fully divine and fully human i. Because of the nature of its inspiration, the Bible is at the same time both fully

divine (originating in the mind of God and directly breathed out) and fully human (coming about through the activities of men whom God chose to use).

ii. The primary author is God. All of Scripture reflects his attributes of perfection, truthfulness, goodness, wisdom, and clarity.

iii. The secondary author is man. All Scripture bears the marks of human authorship, whereby different genres, styles, languages, grammatical preferences, and even personality traits shine through.

(c) Preservation: we also believe that God has providentially superintended the process

of transmitting the original Scriptures to us today, so that we have confidence that we possess all the divine words He deems fit for his church.



(d) Three dimensions of inspiration (vs. conflicting views)

Reformed View Conflicting view

What is inspired

Verbal Each individual word is inspired, not just concepts or ideas

Thought / concept Only the ideas or the mind / upbringing of the writer is inspired, but not the words

Extent of inspiration

Plenary (full) All contents of Scripture are equally inspired: all books, all genres; from facts to theological truths

Partial Only certain things (if anything) are inspired, like moral teachings. Historical or scientific data is not inspired

Nature of inspiration

Organic The Spirit used real human authors living in particular times and who had particular personalities / styles

Mechanical God “dictated” the words to the human prophets and completely suppressed their humanness

(e) Inspiration vs. illumination:

i. Inspiration pertains to the process by which the original record of God's special revelation was set forth in writing through the human authors. It is a one-time event and it is perfect; inspiration was completed with the close of the canon.

ii. Illumination is the inward work in the individual believer whereby the Holy Spirit uncovers and brings to light what Scripture says. It is ongoing in the lives of believers. The individual Christian can obtain true, personal knowledge of God through the Bible. However, while the Spirit never errs, one's receptivity to illumination can result in error and is never perfect.

(f) Selected proofs:

i. Explicitly stated: 2 Ti 3:16, 2 Pe 1:21, 1 Pet 1:10-12, and 1 Th 2:13-14 ii. Implied: numerous authors (especially Hebrews) cite OT passages, such as

prophecies or Davidic Psalms, and state: “God says...” or “Holy Spirit says...” iii. Described: Prophets’ use of “Spirit came on me and I spoke” or “God said...”

when they are actually the ones physically speaking or writing. Also, some apostolic arguments are based on single words (e.g., “seed” in Ga 3:16), suggesting verbal inspiration.

iv. Ascribed: Pentateuch demonstrates God actually writing words on the tablets of the covenant and later instructing Moses to write down the.

2. Inerrancy and infallibility

(a) Inerrancy: The Bible is perfect, accurate and totally free from all error. It is fully true in all that it affirms. i. Applies only to the original “autographs” that were actually inspired by the

Spirit and written down by the original authors – not to later copies or to modern language translations. We do not, of course, have the original “autographs.”

ii. However, based on the work done in textual criticism, we can say with well over 99% confidence that the Hebrew OT and Greek NT that we have today (and use for our English translations) are the same as the originals.



iii. Example: Two major NT textual issues are the so-called “long ending” of Mark (16:9-20) and the story of the adulterous woman in John (7:53-8:11). Most of your ESV Bibles will mention that “the earliest manuscripts” do not include these passages. Based on the oldest and best Greek manuscripts we have from the 400s AD, most scholars (including our own associate pastor!) agree that these paragraphs were not originally penned by Mark and Luke but were, rather, added later by a scribe in the early church. However, this does not mean the stories did not happen (it is possible the scribes included these stories because oral tradition had passed them down as true, and they are certainly in line with what we might expect in Jesus’ ministry) – rather, we simply do not know if they did or not. Moreover, this does not impact our doctrine of inerrancy or our trust in the Bibles we have access to today; whether these stories were original or not does not make anything in the rest of the NT untrue or call into question the authenticity of Mark, Luke, or the work of scribes in general.

(b) Infallibility: The Bible is incapable of erring or leading astray.

i. Due to its inspired nature, the Bible reflects God's perfect nature and is, thus, completely unable to contain mistakes or errors.

(c) What's the difference? You can be inerrant on a given quiz (e.g., free from error)

but not an infallible person (e.g., at some point you'll miss something). i. The Bible, however, is both. ii. Because the primary author is God, the possibility of erring is categorically

excluded: the Bible is infallible. iii. And because it is infallible, the original manuscripts contain no errors.

(d) What is the scope of inerrancy and infallibility?

i. Uptown (and the Reformed tradition) maintains that the Bible is inerrant not simply in spiritual matters pertaining to faith in Christ, but in all things that the Bible contains, from historical facts to numbers to genealogies to scientific facts.

ii. However, it is important to realize that the Bible was not intended to be a scientific textbook nor an exhaustive record. The Bible can be perfectly true while using round numbers, describing physical phenomena in colloquial terms (e.g., “the sun is rising” rather than “the earth is rotating with respect to the sun”), summarizing genealogical or other historical records, and so forth.

Attributes of Scripture Reformed theology recognizes five main attributes, or “perfections,” of Scripture.

Self-authentication

The Bible validates itself and reveals its own divinity. In other words, there is no higher “court of authority” that we can go to in order to validate the Bible. It is its own authority, and it exhaustively reveals its own divine perfections – it needs nothing outside itself. The self-authentication of Scripture is recognized by the believer's heart by the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit.



Authority The Bible is the sole, definitive authority over the faith and practice

of the church. What Scripture says, God says. Necessity The Bible is necessary for providing the knowledge of God and of his

redemptive will that is needed for salvation. We are, of course, not saved by the Bible, but only by Christ, who we encounter in his word.

Sufficiency The Bible is also the sufficient instrument for convicting and

converting sinners. No personal revelations, anointings, miraculous gifts, priestly works, or any other words of man need be added.

Perspicuity The core truths of the Bible are clear and accessible to everyone, even

children; however, some things are more difficult than others.


• In light of our understanding of the nature of Scripture and God’s inspiration of the OT and NT, why are the “Insider Movement” (Muslim-idiom) translations of the Bible – which remove such familial terms as “Son of God” and substitute terms like “Messiah” – problematic?

• What are some practical implications of the doctrine of Scripture for you personally and for your ministry (as elder or deacon, as life group leader, as husband or father)?

• You just finished up leading a Sunday school class, and a member of the church approaches you with a puzzled look. She says that she has always struggled with the “predestination vs. free will” issue, and she wants to see if you can help. Without getting into the specifics of that particular issue, think through how the doctrine of revelation and Scripture can help here. What sort of posture towards truth does the Bible require of us? What does it mean for us to “Let God be God, and let the Bible be the Bible” (Luther)?

Further study: Structure of the Bible

1. Macro theme of the Bible: God reconciling a people to himself for his own glory. (a) OT motifs: story of the historical people of God and the anticipation of the Messiah

i. Monotheism, creation/fall, election, covenant relationship, earthly kingdom, exile

(b) NT motifs: story of the coming of the Messiah and the expansion of God’s people i. Spiritual kingdom, atonement, outpouring of the Spirit, church, eschatology

2. Structure

(a) Old Testament (39 books) i. Moses and law (Torah – first five) ii. “Former” prophets – historical narratives (Joshua through Esther) iii. Poetry and wisdom – Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Eccl, Song of Solomon,



Lamentations iv. Major prophets – four: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel v. Minor prophets – twelve: Hosea through Malachi

(b) New Testament (27 books) i. Gospels – Synoptics (Matthew, Mark, Luke) and John ii. Acts iii. Pauline epistles – thirteen iv. General epistles – Hebrews, James, Peter (2), John (3), Jude v. Revelation

3. Genres

(a) Historical narrative (Genesis, Exodus, Joshua, etc.) (b) Poetry: lament (some Psalms), praise (Psalms), drama/epic (Job), romantic (Song of

Solomon), hymns, imprecatory curses (c) Legislation / legal code (Leviticus) (d) Covenant document (Deuteronomy; Exod 20-24) (e) Wisdom literature (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes) (f) Genealogy (1 Chron 1-12, Matthew 1) (g) Annals / Reports: factual summaries and statistics (Num 1-2) (h) Prophecy (Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah) (i) Apocalyptic prophecy (Daniel, Revelation) (j) Gospel (historiography mixed with moral teaching) (k) Parable (Jesus' parables in the Gospels) (l) Sermons and speeches (Acts 2) (m) Epistle (to a church, to a person, to a region)


5 Reformed Theology Overview

• History of the Reformation

o Foundations

o Progression

o Legacy

• The Sovereignty of God

• Three perspectives on Reformed doctrine

o Five Solas

o TULIP (Five Points)

• Loci of systematic theology

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Class 5: Reformed Theology Overview



• Uptown Church is not innovative or unique but stands in a long tradition of doctrine and practice that flows primarily from the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century.

• Reformed Theology is not simply a particular view of salvation or a particular system held by one man (Calvin), but it is a comprehensive biblical system and worldview that radiates from one key idea: the absolute sovereignty of God over all things.

• Many opposing doctrinal systems attempt to reduce Reformed Theology by claiming that it is only about predestination or that it opposed to free will. However, three broad frameworks on Reformed doctrine (Five Solas, TULIP, and the loci of theology) help demonstrate how it is a comprehensive and internally consistent system.

Introduction It has been argued that the Protestant Reformation is one of the most (if not the most) important and influential phenomena in the history of Western civilization. The Reformation impacted not only the Roman Catholic Church, from which it sprung, but the political, economic, and social systems throughout Europe and beyond. What began as an attempt to reform a wayward church institution from within ended up as the explosion of new church movements and the articulation of a vast, all-encompassing framework for understanding biblical truth and worshiping the Triune God.

History of the Reformation It is beyond the scope of the officer training class to discuss a full, broad history of the Protestant Reformation. However, a brief review of several key persons, events, and philosophical movements help us understand its rationale and implications for the present day.


Why is it not fully accurate to think of Luther as the “Father of the Reformation”? What forces led to the Reformation? Who are some of the key figures?

What have been some of the long-lasting implications of the Reformation?

Foundations 1. Intellectual and religious climate

(a) Pre-modern worldview i. Christian theism – acceptance of the God of Abraham, who created the universe

and holds man accountable for his actions. ii. Two sources of human knowledge – the natural realm and divine revelation. iii. Objectivity – truth is “out there” and is universal to all (not subjective or

culturally-determined).



(b) Renaissance (14th-16th century) – return to classical literature / texts (“ad fontes”). (c) Rise of the printing press, invented by Gutenberg in 1440, allowed for the rapid

publication and dissemination of Bibles and written works. (d) Dominance of the Roman Catholic Church in the West, with problems:

i. Primacy of the pope as the bearer of the “apostolic see” (the throne of Peter). ii. Church is of equal (or higher) authority as Scripture. iii. Priesthood controls all spiritual matters for the church and has strong influence

of politics and commerce. iv. Layperson unable to approach God or the Bible without the priesthood. v. Doctrinal issues under fire: buying/selling indulgences, understanding of merit

and justification, penance / sacraments, devotion to Mary and the saints, papacy, purgatory, monasticism, clerical celibacy

2. Precursors

(a) Augustine (5th century) – Bishop of Hippo, author of numerous works outlining a system of theology that heavily influenced Luther and the Reformers; he is perhaps most well-known for his opposition of Pelagius and his Confessions.

(b) Thomas Aquinas (13th century) – most prominent Roman Catholic theologian. (c) John Wycliffe (1328-1384) – called the “morning star of the Reformation”;

spearheaded the first translation of the Latin Vulgate Bible to vernacular English. (d) Jan Hus (1369-1415) – Czech priest who was burned at the stake for opposing

Roman Catholic doctrine; his followers (the “Hussites”) engaged in military conflict with the Church.

Progression 1. The catalyst: Martin Luther posts Ninety-Five Theses in Wittenberg, Germany, on

October 31, 1517.

2. The movement grows (a) Luther's dissent set off a widespread outbreak of reformation movements across

Europe: Germany, Switzerland, England, Austria, the Netherlands, Scotland, etc. (b) Primary goal at first was change from within the Roman Catholic institution, but as

events developed, this became increasingly impossible. (c) Some movements or leaders were more conservative (e.g., Erasmus) and others

were more radical (e.g., Anabaptists); some were peaceful and some were violent. (d) Not all leaders were in agreement.

i. Erasmus vs. Luther on the nature of the will. ii. Reformers vs. Anabaptists on baptism. iii. Luther vs. Zwingli on the Lord's Supper. iv. Reformers vs. Lutherans on many points of doctrine.

(e) The Pope excommunicated Luther (and others) and condemned the Reformation. (f) In many countries, the Reformers gained political protection from persecution.

3. Key figures (a) William Tyndale (1492-1536) – English Reformer who translated the original

biblical text (Hebrew / Greek) into English (the Tyndale Bible).



(b) Martin Luther (1483-1546) – German Augustinian monk whose Theses catalyzed the Reformation. Translated the Bible to German. Succeeded by Melanchthon. His view of “consubstantiation” / “real physical presence” of the Lord's supper conflicted with Zwingli (and the Reformed) view.

(c) Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560) – one of the first systematic theologians of the Reformation; key founder of Lutheranism; main author of the Augsburg Confession.

(d) Martin Bucer (1491-1551) – influential Reformer based in Germany who worked with Luther, Zwingli, Cranmer, and Melanchthon.

(e) Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) – leader of the Reformation in Switzerland; his “symbolic memorial” view of the Lord's Supper conflicted with Luther's view.

(f) John Calvin (1509-1564) – French theologian whose writings (notably the Institutes of Christian Religion and his Commentaries) and ministry in Geneva resulted in the widespread accreditation that he was the most prominent and influential Reformer. His teachings laid the foundation for Calvinism.

(g) Heinrich Bullinger (1504-1575) – successor to Zwingli in the Swiss church; played a key role in the Second Helvetic Confession.

(h) John Knox (1514-1572) – Scottish theologian who brought the Reformation to Scotland; studied under John Calvin in Geneva

(i) Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) – English theologian who served as the Archbishop of Canterbury and led the Reformation in England; heavily influenced the Anglican Book of Common Prayer and the Thirty-Nine Articles; burned at the stake.

(j) Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536) – Dutch humanist, Catholic priest, and theologian; not considered a “Reformer” but his works greatly influenced Luther, with whom he had a lengthy public conflict; published the first printed Greek NT.

Legacy 1. Protestantism became a viable, state-sanctioned branch of Christianity. Numerous

religious movements arose out of the Reformation: (a) Lutheranism, Anabaptism, Anglicanism, Brethren movements, Presbyterianism,

Pietism, Puritanism, Methodism, Congregationalism, Baptist movements, and [later] Pentecostalism and Holiness movements

2. The Reformation produced numerous key documents that continue to assist the church: (a) Ninety-Five Theses (1517) (b) Augsburg Confession (1530) (c) Belgic Confession (1561) (d) Second Helvetic Confession (1562) (e) Thirty-Nine Articles (1563) (f) Heidelberg Catechism (1576) (g) Canons of Dort (1619) (h) Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)

3. The Reformation also stimulated a Counter-Reformation within the Roman Catholic Church, a period of revival beginning with the Council of Trent (1545-1563).




• You are interviewing a candidate for membership who likes Uptown's “culture” but is unsure about our position on the Confession, our perspective on the Reformation, and what he thinks is a “stodgy traditionalism.” The past two churches where he has held membership were non-denominational, congregational churches, and he has never come across the creeds and confessions to which we keep referring in worship. How would you go about educating him about the Reformation and Uptown's view of the religious traditions stemming from it?

• What is the enduring relevance of the Reformation for today's congregation?

The Sovereignty of God The theology that arose out of the Reformation is broadly considered to be a return to the biblical doctrines of the faith and, particularly, a rediscovery of Paul and Augustine. Reformed Theology touches on all major areas of faith and practice (see below). While various traditions within the broader Reformed camp, including the Reformers themselves, disagree on some of the finer points, we can rightly observe that if there is one macro theme of the Reformation, it would be the absolute sovereignty of God over all things.


How does God's sovereignty form the foundation of all Reformed theology?

What is the difference between “First Cause” and “Second Cause”?

1. Definition of sovereignty

(a) God's sovereignty is best described as his perfection (or attribute) by which he creates, determines, upholds, and governs all things according to the purposes of his will and to manifest his own glory.

(b) God rules as King in the most absolute sense of the word, and all things are dependent on Him and subservient to Him.

(c) God's sovereign will is the first cause of all things. He is not contingent on anything in the execution of his redemptive plan. i. God may choose, for his own purposes, sovereignly to ordain something to

come to pass through the agency of second causes. This is most clearly seen in the free acts of men and the sinful acts which God chooses to permit.

ii. God's working through second causes does not in any way deny his absolute sovereignty over all things; rather, his sovereignty forms the grounds for the ability of any second cause to have effect in the first place.

2. Extent of God's sovereignty: all dimensions of Reformed theology are derived from

the sovereignty of God in willing and effecting all things: (a) Creation: God sovereignly created all things out of nothing, providentially directs

all things, from the least to the greatest, and sits as king over all man’s governments. (b) Fall: God sovereignly ordained the fall (which is a great mystery; see Class 7).



(c) Redemption: God sovereignly covenanted with Christ to achieve salvation, elected those who would be saved, calls and regenerates the hearts of the elect, bestows faith and applies justification, preserves and maintains his children, and carries them to final glorification. God will sovereignly bring about the restoration of all things.

(d) Church: God rules and defends the body of Christ. (e) Revelation: God sovereignly condescended to reveal himself to man, chiefly

through his supernaturally inspired Scriptures.

3. Selected proofs: (a) Gen 1:1ff.; Ps 135:6; Jer 18:6; Rev 4:11; Heb 11:3; Rom 13:1; Acts 2:23; 1 Pet

3:17; Matt 10:29; Dan 4:17,35; Neh 9:6ff.; Rev 19:6; Rom 9:15–16 (b) WSC 7-11, 52. WCF Chs. III-V.


• In response to a question about salvation, a member of your life group chimes in, “Well, that's why we have free will!” A long discussion ensues in which various members of the group debate in a friendly manner the classic question of God's sovereignty versus the free will of man. At an impasse, the group looks to you for your opinion.

• How does the notion of God's sovereignty help us when dealing with various counseling situations such as a personal trial, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, and so forth?

Three perspectives on Reformed doctrine It is difficult to capture the details Reformed theology concisely. Often times it is inaccurately summarized as being only about a particular view of salvation, or only about TULIP or John Calvin. The three frameworks below provide different views on the distinctive doctrines of Reformed Theology that will be further developed through the remaining classes.




Five Solas These five Latin phrases emerged during the Reformation to summarize the major theological emphases of the Reformers in contrast to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church; in a sense, they were the “rallying cry” of the Reformation. The first two are considered the pillars of the Reformed confession.

Sola scriptura (“by Scripture alone”)

The Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible word of God. It is the only binding and authoritative source for Christian doctrine and faith. The Bible is clear and accessible to all in core matters of the faith and requires no intermediary (e.g., by the human priesthood).

Sola fide (“by faith alone”)

Justification – being declared righteous before God – is received or appropriated by faith alone, without any need for the addition of good works or merit on behalf of the sinner.

Sola gratia (“by grace alone”)

Salvation and all its benefits come only through the unmerited grace of God, not as something earned by the sinner. God alone acts to save the sinner (divine monergism).

Sola Christus (“through Christ alone”)

Christ is the only mediator between God and man (e.g., not the Pope or priest), and salvation is only obtained in him. He bore the sins of the elect on the cross, and his righteousness (both passive and active, see Class 8) is imputed to the elect sinner for their justification.

Sola Deo gloria (“glory to God alone”)

God does all things for his own glory, and all glory or praise arising from redemption accrues to him, not to man. Every part of man's reconciliation, from Christ's atoning death to the gift of regeneration, magnifies the glory of God (not man).

TULIP (Five Points) The most famous summary of Reformed doctrine, specifically that of Calvin, is captured in the “Five Points of Calvinism,” often referred to by the acronym TULIP. It is good to remember that TULIP does not represent all of Calvinism but primarily focuses on salvation (soteriology).

Total Depravity As a consequence of the fall, every human is enslaved to sin and is utterly incapable, apart from the gracious work of God, to will or do any spiritual good in the eyes of God. People are by nature inclined towards evil, not towards loving and worshiping God. The unregenerate man is spiritually dead and is, thus, unable to choose to follow God or attain faith in Christ unless God first works on him. This does not, however, mean that man is as sinful as he can possibly be, for God works to restrain evil. Selected proofs: Eph 2:1–10; Rom 3; Rom 6; WCF VI; WSC 17



Unconditional Election

From before all time, God chose some to be justified and saved without regard for their innate goodness (of which they have none) or their foreseen faith. God's election is based only on the secret counsel of his own will. Selected proofs: Eph 1:3–14; Rom 9:1–24; Rom 8:28–29; WCF III; WSC 20

Limited Atonement

The fruits of Christ's substitutionary atonement (see Class 8) were intended for and are applied only to the elect – those who have received his special grace. Christ's death on the cross was of infinite value (because he is divine) but limited extent. Also called particular redemption. Selected proofs: 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 3:18; John 6, 10; WCF VIII; WSC 29

Irresistible Grace

The elect sinner cannot ultimately reject the effectual call and the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit, but the saving grace of God will ultimately be applied to those he has determined to save. In other words, those whom God has sovereignly elected to salvation will certainly be converted and saved. Selected proofs: John 10; WCF X; WSC 30

Perseverance of the Saints

Those whom God has regenerated and converted will continue in the faith until their final glorification. God's children, though they may fall into sin, can never fall away in such a way that they lose their salvation or future inheritance. Selected proofs: Rom 8:28–29; Phil 1:6; 1 Pet 1:3–9; WCF XVII; WSC 26

Loci of systematic theology A final way to look at Reformed doctrine is through the six (plus an introduction) typical categories of Reformed doctrine, which are summarized below.

Prolegomena (introduction)

• The nature of religion, the existence of God, and God's revelation (general and special).

Theology • Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and creation of all things.

• God’s communicable and incommunicable attributes. • The decree of God, encompassing his hidden will (predestination

of all things) and his revealed will (commands / law). Anthropology • God's Covenant of Works and Covenant of Grace.

• The creation (imago dei), original innocence, will, essence (body and soul), nature, and fall of man; original sin.

• God's election of some to salvation; God's reprobation (preterition and condemnation) of the remainder.

Christology • The pre-existent, eternal Logos – the Son of God.



• The incarnation of Jesus Christ – advent, sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension, session, and promised return.

• The work of Christ – passive and active righteousness; the nature of the atonement.

• The offices of Christ – prophet, priest, and king. Soteriology • The history of salvation (historia salutis).

• The order of salvation (ordo salutis): election, calling, regeneration, conversion (faith, repentance), justification, adoption, sanctification, glorification.

• The grounds of justification (Christ's righteousness); the instrument of justification (faith).

Ecclesiology • The church of Christ; officers, creeds, and courts.

• The means of grace – word and sacraments. • The purpose of church discipline: glory to God, purity of the

church, reclamation of the sinner. • Regulative principle of worship.

Eschatology • The interim state and the consummate state.

• Millennial views o Not Reformed: Dispensational Premillennialism. o Can be Reformed: Historical Premillennialism,

Postmillennialism, and Amillennialism.


• A member of the congregation recently approached you and said that he thinks he is a “Four Point Calvinist” – denying the middle “L” point. By this he means that he has a hard time believing that Christ's death was only for the elect; he feels that Christ's death must be for everyone in order that the offer of salvation can be genuine. He asks, “How can you believe in Limited Atonement and still evangelize?” How would you respond to him, (a) logically based on the interrelatedness of the five points of Calvinism and (b) scripturally?

• A visitor to your small group Bible study accuses Presbyterians of clinging too much to “theology” and not enough to “the Bible.” She thinks that Reformed theology is irrelevant in today's pluralistic society, and that Christians should simply approach the Bible “as it is” with no preconceptions. How would you walk her through the importance of a theological system and how it relates to one's private study of the Bible?


6 Covenant Theology

• Defining “covenant”

o Secular concept

o Biblical concept

• Covenant of Works

• Covenant of Grace

o Overview

o Administrations

o Redemptive history and covenantal continuity: “Old” and “New”

• Further study: Covenant of redemption

• Further study: Structure of the Bible’s covenants

• Further study: Dispensationalism

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Class 6: Covenant Theology



• Covenant theology is the study of God's eternal, unchanging purpose to reconcile a people to himself through covenantal relationship.

• God's covenant with man is a binding obligation (with promises, rewards, and consequences) that governs a relationship characterized by God's sovereign grace and man's responsive obedience.

• The Covenant of Works is the covenant between God and Adam (pre-fall) as head of all humanity, in which eternal life is promised upon the condition of perfect obedience.

• The Covenant of Grace is the covenant between God and Christ as head and mediator for the elect, in which the benefits of redemption and eternal life are given to the elect sinner on the basis of Christ's perfect obedience.

• The Covenant of Grace is rooted in eternity and administered in history through six stages: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Christ.

• There is one Covenant of Grace spanning both the “Old” and “New” covenant eras.

Introduction Covenant Theology (also called Federal Theology) is a key distinctive of Reformed Theology. It has been rightly called the “architectonic principle for the systematizing of Christian truth.” The theology of the covenants is taught from Genesis 1 through Revelation 22: it was key to Adam's fall and redemption; it was featured prominently in the salvation of Noah; it was central to Abraham's promise; it governed the thought and theology of Moses and the Israelites; it set the foundation for the coming Davidic king; and it features prominently in Jesus' death, resurrection, and priestly intercession. Covenant Theology is the realization that both God's revelation through time and his plan for redemption of the elect are worked out through covenant. Our salvation is covenant salvation; our Bible is covenant revelation.

Defining “covenant”


Are the Bible's covenants to be seen simply as “contracts”? Why or why not?

If you had to write a one-sentence definition of the biblical covenant, what would it be?

Secular concept 1. Definition: “A signed written agreement between two or more parties to perform some

action.” (a) Also referred to as a contract, treaty, compact, pact, testament



2. Key features: (a) Parties are equal (e.g., in the eyes of law) (b) Parties voluntarily enter into the contract – it is bilaterally established (c) Parties make performance commitments, and certain consequences are laid out for

failure to perform on either side (d) Parties have the ability in themselves to keep the obligations of the contract

Biblical concept 1. The secular notion of a covenant / contract / agreement / treaty provides helpful

orientation but falls short of the biblical notion: (a) God and man are not equal parties; (b) man cannot and will not voluntarily enter into the covenant; (c) man cannot keep the obligations of the covenant on his own.

2. The Bible indicates the following characteristics of God's covenant with man: (a) God unilaterally initiates the covenant with man. It is his covenant. In some (but

not all) cases the men with whom he is covenanting do respond by accepting the covenant, but in all cases God is the initiating party.

(b) In the case of the Covenant of grace, the covenant defines a relationship of love and grace in which God both promises and delivers certain things to his covenant people. God initiates the covenant, and in Christ he fulfills its obligations.

(c) The covenant, though unilaterally established, is bilaterally carried out, as it involves the expectation of faith and obedience as the reciprocal response of man.

3. Definition: various valid definitions have attempted to describe facets of the biblical

covenant. (a) “A bond between God and man that is sovereignly administered and sealed in

blood.” (b) “A relationship of oaths and bonds involving mutual but not necessarily equal

parties.” (c) “A sovereign disposition (e.g., conferral) of grace and promise.” (d) “A testamentary (e.g., a will that confers some benefit) disposition with a federal

(e.g., representative) agreement.” (e) “A binding obligation between two parties involving blessings and obligations.”

4. There are two arch-covenants in the Bible: the Covenant of Works and the Covenant

of Grace. For this reason, Reformed Theology is often called “bi-covenantal.” (a) Note: many Reformed theologians also identify a third covenant – the Covenant of

Redemption – that either lies behind the other two or is in some way part of the Covenant of Grace. See Further Study section below for more information.

5. Federal headship: a key aspect of how God works through covenant is the idea of

“federal” headship, which means that the “head” person who enters the covenant with God represents all those who are included in him. He engages in the covenant on their behalf, and thus his actions within the covenant – that is, keeping it or breaking it – are decisive for all them as well, since they are subsumed under his headship. As we will



see below, there are two primary “federal heads” of the biblical covenants, and their actions have impacted all who are “in” them: (a) Adam: the federal head under the Covenant of Works; his disobedience became the

grounds for the guilt and condemnation of all humanity, whom he represented. (b) Christ: the federal head under the Covenant of Grace (also called the “second

Adam” in 1 Cor 15); his obedience became the grounds for the righteousness and salvation of all the elect, whom he represents.

(c) See Rom 5:12-21 and 1 Cor 15:20-23,45-49

Covenant of Works The Covenant of Works (CoW) was instituted by God to govern the relationship between him and created humanity, represented by Adam, the first man. It is also called the Covenant of Life (WSC), Covenant of Creation, and Covenant of Nature.


1. Inauguration: the CoW was entered during the garden upon the creation and

instruction of Adam (Gen 2:5–3:13); it is the “pre-fall” covenant with Adam.

2. Structure: (a) The parties: God and Adam as the “head” of all humankind (WSC 16) (b) The promised blessing: eternal fellowship if Adam persists in obedience (c) The stipulations / conditions:

i. Positive (general) – procreation, dominion over the earth, Sabbath, and marriage ii. Negative (focal) – do not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

(d) The risk of punishment: death, separation from God



3. Purpose: (a) The main objective in view with the CoW is whether man will be obedient in

following God: taking him at his word and leaning on his promise. (b) The CoW is rightly “of Works” in that, though God's grace was present in the

creation and sustaining of man to begin with, the promised blessing of eternal life was conditioned explicitly on the individual and perpetual obedience of Adam in keeping God's commands (and avoiding the forbidden acts).

(c) All mankind was represented in this covenant by the first Adam. His obedience or disobedience directed the course of all humanity.

4. Outcome:

(a) Adam failed to keep the CoW. He sinned by failing to remember God's word, desiring / coveting what was prohibited, striving to be like God in knowledge, and, ultimately, eating of the forbidden fruit.

(b) His breaking the covenant resulted in (a) the curse of spiritual death and alienation from God; (b) the curse of physical death (though God's grace entered immediately to forestall death for Adam himself); (c) removal from the garden; and (d) the thrusting of all humanity into a state of sin and misery, called “Original Sin.”

5. Ongoing relevance:

(a) The CoW continues to be binding on all mankind “in Adam.” It is under the CoW that the unregenerate sinner stands condemned and liable to the pains of hell forever, unless he is redeemed by the grace of God.

(b) For the elect, the CoW was immediately superseded by the Covenant of Grace (below), in which Christ undertook in himself to fulfill the CoW on their behalf.

(c) The positive and negative commands of the CoW governing pre-fall man help establish the basis that man needs not only the forgiveness of sin (passive obedience) but also the presence of righteousness (active obedience) – both of which are imputed to the elect from Christ (see Class 8).

6. Selected proofs of the CoW:

(a) Gen 2:5–3:13; Rom 5:12–21; 1 Cor 15:22; Hos 6:7; WSC 12-19


• You are attempting to share the gospel with someone in your neighborhood, and they express their belief that all men are born inherently innocent and capable of living a morally good life on their own. You begin to recognize that they share the classical humanistic worldview that men are by nature entirely good and simply need education, etc. in order to live rightly. How can the Covenant of Works helps you explain your view of man's total depravity and need for a savior?

• What is the ongoing relevance of the Covenant of Works in ministry?



Covenant of Grace Since man had failed to persevere under the CoW, God graciously establishes a new relationship, with a better mediator and better promises that are guaranteed not to fail.


What are the three main promises of the Abrahamic covenant? Are they relevant today? Is the Covenant of Grace conditional or unconditional?

How does Christ fulfill all the prior stages of the Covenant of Grace? How does the covenant framework help provide unity and clarity to the relationship between Old and New Testaments?

Overview 1. Definition:

(a) The Covenant of Grace (CoG) is the covenant whereby God elects his people, secures their salvation, and applies salvation to them.

(b) The elect sinner is taken out of the state of condemnation under the CoW and is brought into a state of redemption in the CoG.

(c) In the CoG, Christ undertakes to fulfill all the obligations on behalf of the sinner; it is, thus, entirely gracious.

(d) The CoG is an eternal covenant made with Christ as the covenant mediator. This eternal covenant is subsequently enacted through various stages in history, beginning with Adam after the fall and culminating with the incarnate Christ.

2. Structure (broadly speaking): (a) The parties: God as initiator and Christ as the federal representative (“Mediator”)

of the elect (WLC 31). i. Note: some Reformed theologians suggest that the CoG is between God and

man directly, with Christ as mediator. Biblically, there is a sense in which both are true: Christ is corporate representative of all the elect, who are parties to the covenant in him, but he is also the mediator and guarantor of the covenant.

(b) The promised blessing: redemption from the state of sin and misery, with all the blessings that come with it (justification … glorification, and so forth)

(c) The stipulations / conditions: i. Formally, the conditions of the covenant are the same as those of the CoW and

are fully met in Christ alone on behalf of those he represents. ii. In this sense, from the perspective of the elect sinner, the CoG is

“unconditional.” iii. However, there is also a sense in which the CoG is “conditional”: faith in Christ

as covenant Savior and Lord is the “condition” by which one appropriates or lays hold of what he has done. One cannot obtain the promised blessings of redemption under the CoG without faith, such that faith (which is also a gift under the CoG) has a role in bringing to pass what Christ has already procured.



3. The Immanuel Principle:

(a) The CoG is summarized in a recurring statement throughout Scripture that underscores the key purpose of God's covenantal dealings with men, called the “Immanuel Principle”: “I will be your God, and you will be my people.”

(b) The Immanuel Principle is the common thread that runs through all stages of the CoG and reflects the “macro-theme” of the Bible: God reconciling a people / family to himself for his own glory.

(c) Selected instances: Gen 12:1–3; Gen 17:8; Exod 6:7; Exod 29:45; Lev 26:11–12; Deut 7:6; Deut 14:2; Deut 27:9; Deut 29:13; 2 Sam 7:24; 1 Chron 17:21; Rev 21:3

Administrations

The single CoG, which is rooted in eternity past, unfolds over time through God's relationships with historical individuals and peoples in history. The covenant is “variously administered” through six stages. Each stage of the covenant reiterates the core CoG idea and the Immanuel principle. A one-page summary of the Covenant of Grace is found in Appendix B.

1. Adamic (a) Situation: immediately after the fall, God extends grace to Adam whereby he

promised a future Messiah that would fight Satan and defeat death. (b) This promise, often called the “pre-gospel” or protoeuangelion, spells out the broad

strokes of God's redemptive plan. God chooses a “seed” (his elect people) whom he will redeem through the one – his own Son – he will send to conquer death and render righteousness for all. All of redemptive history is the accomplishment of this roadmap in Gen 3:15.

(c) Gen 3:15 – “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” See also Rom 16:20.

2. Noahic

(a) Situation: the entire world has descended into sin (due to the broken CoW), and God prepares to pour out his judgment. However, he graciously elects one man and



his family (Noah) to redeem from the coming judgment. (b) The Noahic covenant between God and Noah, as the mediator on behalf of the “new

humanity” that would be re-established after the flood, has two aspects: i. Special grace – God chooses Noah (Gen 5:29; 6:8), God pronounces Noah

righteous (Gen 6:9), and God graciously covenants with Noah to save him and his family from the coming destruction of the flood. In Noah, he elects to perpetuate the chosen family of God, specifically through Shem. Noah enters into this blessing by trusting God and building the ark by faith.

ii. Common grace – God also covenants with all creation that he will uphold and sustain it, never again to judge it cataclysmically by flood but preserving the seasons and days. Moreover, Noah and the “new humanity” are charged with the same creation ordinances as Adam: procreate and fill the earth.

(c) The sign of this covenant is the rainbow (9:13). (d) Gen 6 through 9, with particular focus on Gen 6:18–22 and 9:8–17.

3. Abrahamic (a) Situation: the world continues to be enslaved to sin, and God elects a man Abram to

be the nucleus of a specific people (which would later grow into a nation) through whom his redemptive plan would unfold.

(b) The Abrahamic stage of the covenant is arguably the archetype for the Covenant of Grace. It is a large leap forward in clarity and specificity from Gen 3:15 and Gen 6-9. God's election, his promises for his people, and the importance of faith come into clear view with Abraham.

(c) Three main promises are held out to Abraham and the patriarchs: i. Land – God promises the land of Canaan (Israel) to Abrahams descendents,

which is a foreshadowing of the new heavens and new earth that will be the inheritance of all of God's people at the end of the age.

ii. People – God promises to give Abraham many descendents (“seed” or “offspring”), who would constitute his faithful people through all the ages. The “seed” of Abraham is later revealed to be Christ (individually) as well as all of Abrahams spiritual descendents who have the faith that he had. See Rom 4:19–24 and Gal 3:15–29.

iii. Blessing to the nations – God promises that Abraham and his descendents will be a blessing to all the nations of earth; in fact, Abraham is commanded to bless the nations. This anticipates the expansion of the people of God to the Gentiles.

(d) The Abrahamic covenant highlights the unilateral grace and promise of God, who takes the covenant's fulfillment on himself and commits to give Abraham and his descendents so many blessings. However, it is not without a requirement of faith (Gen 15:6), obedient living (Gen 12:1, 17:1), and circumcision (Gen 17:9–14).

(e) The sign of this covenant is circumcision. (f) Gen 12 (inaugurated), Gen 15 (ratified), Gen 17 (sealed by circumcision), and Gen

22 (reaffirmed).

4. Mosaic (a) Situation: after God has established the twelve tribes descending from Abraham



and grown them into a nation in Egypt, he establishes an even clearer and more detailed covenant with Moses and Israel: the covenant law. i. The Mosaic (also “Sinaitic”) covenant is rooted in the Abrahamic covenant and

stands in continuity with all preceding and succeeding stages of the Covenant of Grace.

ii. The very giving of law is a profound manifestation of God's grace: he clearly spells out to his people how he is to be worshipped and known.

(b) The promises of Abraham are further elaborated and clarified in the Law of Moses: i. Land – the law clearly marks out the physical boundaries of the Promised Land

and governs the “holy war” to obtain it from the Canaanites. ii. People – the law served to govern the political, religious, and moral life of the

new nation of Israel. iii. Blessing to the nations – the law contained within it provisions for how non-

Israelites could become part of the people of God; moreover, the law itself published the revealed will of God for all humanity.

(c) The Law contains three key components, each of which points to Christ: i. Civil: the law governed the nation of Israel as it was the visible manifestation of

the theocratic kingdom of God on earth. ii. Ceremonial: the law defined the specific way in which God was to be

worshiped corporately, and it set forth a system of sacrifices and priests that anticipated the substitutionary atonement found in Christ (see Class 8).

iii. Moral: the ethical commands of God, summarized in the Ten Commandments, which are the abiding, normative authority over the life of all of God's people – Israel and the church; the law was perfectly kept by Christ on our behalf.

(d) The sign of this covenant is the Passover. (e) Exod 20–24; Deut 5 (modern scholarship has argued that the whole book of

Deuteronomy is really an elaboration of the Mosaic covenant).

5. Davidic (a) Situation: God had promised that the rule of his people would never depart from the

line of Judah. God places David on the throne as the consummate, golden-era king of the unified monarchy of Israel, and he covenants with David that a ruler from his lineage will eternally reign over God's people.

(b) God narrows his covenant purposes through the mediatorship of a king who represents his people. The promised son of David is the Messiah who will one day rule God's people forever.

(c) 2 Sam 7, 1 Chron 17, and Ps 89 record the Davidic covenant.

6. New Covenant (a) Situation: the nation of Israel divided and went into exile; though it was restored in

part, a king had never returned to the throne of David. The land, the nation, the kingship – all the promises seemed to be in jeopardy. Israel was left wondering, during the ~400 year period following the close of the writing prophets, whether God's covenant was still in effect. Into this gap God brought about the final stage of the covenant: the New Covenant inaugurated by Christ as the fulfillment of all the prior stages.



i. This “new” and final covenant brings about the fullness of God's revelation of his plan for salvation (Heb 1:1–3) and the historical accomplishment of it in the death and resurrection of Christ.

ii. “New” signifies not that it is a complete break with everything before it, but that it is an improvement on and renewal of what came before.

(b) The New covenant in Christ's blood (see Lord's Supper at Luke 22) brings about the fulfillment of all the prior dimensions of the Covenant of Grace (see details below).

(c) The signs of this covenant are baptism (replacing circumcision) and the Lord's Supper (replacing the Passover).

(d) Prophetic anticipation: Jer 31:31–34; Ezek 37:21–26; Isa 42 / 49 / 52-53; Zech 9 (e) NT: Luke 22 / Matt 26; Heb 7-9 (esp. ch. 8); 1 Cor 11; 2 Cor 3; Gal 3-4


• A new Christian in your life group is struggling with understanding how the Bible all fits together. To her, the New Testament is great but the Old Testament seems, well, old and irrelevant. “What on earth does the history of a relatively small group of people (even today) have to do with today's church or my spiritual walk with Jesus?” she asks. How can you use the concept of the covenants to help her develop a clearer understanding of the Bible itself and of God's redemptive plan?

Redemptive history and covenantal continuity: “Old” and “New” 1. Coherence: the doctrine of the covenants helps bring unity and cohesion to the

unfolding of God's plan of redemption throughout all the ages, from Adam to Christ. (a) Each stage of the Covenant of Grace is preceded by and followed by significant

events in redemptive history (e.g., redemption of Adam from the fall, Noah from the flood, Abraham out of Ur, Israel out of Egypt, and the remnant out of exile).

(b) The Covenant is both the governing relationship that “drives forward” God's plan and a commentary on the redemptive events themselves.

2. “Old” vs. “New”: The covenants of the Old Testament (post-fall Adam through

David) are commonly called the “Old Covenant,” which is also a shorthand way of referring to the Mosaic Covenant as representing all five of them. Thus, when the New Testament speaks of the contrast between the Old and New covenants, it is not saying that the Old was entirely “bad,” nor that the Mosaic Covenant was “bad.” Rather, it is saying that all the dimensions of the “Old” era pointed to something better that would stand in continuity with but supersede all prior instances. (a) Thus, the New Covenant stands in essential continuity with the Old Covenant. (b) The New Covenant people of God (the church) is the fulfillment of the Old

Covenant people of God (Israel). In Christ, the two have become one.

3. Christ fulfills the “Old”: the New Covenant instituted in Christ's blood is the fulfillment of every aspect of all prior stages of the CoG: (a) Adamic: Jesus is the seed, the promised Messiah, who crushed the serpent's head. (b) Noahic: Jesus bore the wrath of God for the sins of the elect, averting the future



judgment for them; Jesus also sustains and upholds the created order. (c) Abrahamic: Jesus is the promised offspring of Abraham; in him the promised

inheritance is secure, the people of God are built, and the Gentiles are ingrafted in. (d) Mosaic: Jesus completely fulfills the law; he also serves as both our priest and

sacrifice in fulfilling Israels sacrificial systems; he “tabernacled” among us. (e) David: Jesus is the Messianic king that assumed David's throne forever. (f) The bloody signs of the Old Covenant (circumcision / Passover) are replaced by and

fulfilled in the non-bloody signs of the New Covenant (baptism / Lord's Supper).

4. Selected proofs: (a) Eph 2; Rom 9-11; Gal 3; Rom 4; Col 2:11ff., Heb 8-10 (b) WCF VII, XXVII


• You are discipling a man who is married and a father of 2, and he is undergoing a significant pattern of sin and temptation in particular areas of life. You realize that part of his problem is a low view of the law: he believes that because we are “now under grace,” God is less strict with regard to sin and is quick to forgive. He is wary of any concept of duty in the Christian life, though, of course, he is worried that his sin patterns may hurt his wife if she finds out. How can you use the doctrine of the covenants and, specifically, the Old-New distinction and the perpetuity of the moral law to counsel him?

Further study: Covenant of Redemption

1. Many Reformed theologians also teach a third covenant called the Covenant of Redemption (CoR; also called the “Counsel of Peace” or the “pactum salutis”).

2. This covenant is defined as the pre-temporal, inner-trinitarian covenant in which (a) The Father promises to redeem the elect (b) The Son promises to atone for the elect to secure their redemption (c) The Spirit promises to apply the benefits of redemption to the elect

3. Some theologians position the CoR as logically prior to the CoG – that is, the CoR is between the Father and the Son, and based on the Son's fulfillment of this eternal covenant, the CoG is between the Father and elect men. (a) Other theologians position the CoR as a part of the CoG in some way. (b) Finally, many theologians and the Westminster Standards do not distinguish a third

covenant and, as described above, define the CoG in such a way that both the Father-Son-man and eternal-temporal dimensions are captured.

4. The difference among these different frameworks is one of method, not of theology.



Further study: Structure of the Bible’s covenants The Bible's depiction of the various covenants reveals several common features that they share. Not all specific stages of the covenants explicitly bear all these features, but the general framework is helpful for understanding how they were arranged.

Preamble Announcement of the covenant. E.g., Ex 20:2 Historical prologue

Summary of the historical interaction between the parties, which serves as the basis for their relationship. E.g., Deut 1-4, Gen 15:7

Parties The sovereign Lord and the covenant representative (e.g., Adam,

Christ) for the people. E.g., Deut 17:2 Stipulations Conditions that both God and the covenant party commit to observe.

E.g., Gen 12:2–3; Deut 17:1; Exod 20:3–17 Consequences Blessings and curses that either party will bear if the covenant is not

kept. E.g., Gen 15:17; 2 Sam 7:14–15; Deut 28 Display provision

Requirement that both parties receive copies of the covenant to be displayed for all to see. E.g., Exod 32:18; Deut 27:1–3

Ratification ceremony

Consummation ritual that puts the covenant into effect. E.g., Gen 15:9–18; Exod 24; Gen 8:20–9:11

Sign / seal Physical reminder and seal of the covenant benefits upon the parties.

E.g., Gen 17:9–10 Other features Witnesses to the covenant, oath of obedience

Note: Scholarship of the ancient Near East (ANE) in recent decades has uncovered covenants of other nations (e.g., the Hittites) that have similar features reflected in biblical covenants. These “suzerain-vassal treaties” have shed important light on how the covenants in the Bible work.

Further study: Dispensationalism Dispensationalism is a theological system that stands in significant contrast to the Covenant Theology presented above. Dispensationalism is arguably the leading theological construct in American Christianity and was made popular through the writings and ministry of Scofield, Darby, Ryrie, and Moody. Dallas Theological Seminary is the flagship dispensational seminary in America.

Dispensationalism maintains the following:

1. The biblical covenants are not unified (e.g., under a single Covenant of Grace) but represent successive “dispensations” in which God worked in different ways with his



people as they continued in disobedience. 2. God has a separate plan for Israel than for the Church – the two are not organically

related. God's plan for Israel has yet to be fulfilled but is awaiting the millennial period for all God's promises to take place.

3. The classical dispensational view lists 7 chronological and distinct dispensations: (a) Innocence → Antediluvian → Civil government → Patriarchal → Mosaic →

[Church age] → Millennial Kingdom → Eternal State (b) The Church Age is a “parenthesis” in redemptive history that bridges the gap to the

millennium, when God will reconstitute the nation of Israel and fulfill all the delayed promises.

4. Most maintain that there will be a rapture of the church (removal to heaven of all the saints) that precedes (or follows, according to some) a great tribulation, the return of Christ, and the start of the 1,000 year millennium.


7 God (Theology) and Man (Anthropology)

• Doctrine of God (Theology)

o God’s Being

Trinity

Attributes

o God’s Work

Decree / will of God

Work of creation

Work of providence

• Doctrine of man (Anthropology)

• Further study: Worldview foundations

• Further study: Major historic creeds

class

Class 7: God (Theology) and Man (Anthropology)



• There is only one God, but God exists as a Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three “Persons” are divine, co-equal, and co-eternal. They are not separate gods, but they are personal distinctions in the Godhead.

• God exhibits both incommunicable and communicable attributes. God’s chief perfection is his holiness.

• God created man in his own image – in innocence, righteousness, and purity – but the first man Adam fell into a state of sin that has tainted human nature.

Introduction As John Calvin writes in his introduction to the Institutes, knowledge of God and knowledge of man are intimately related. The foundation of all theological knowledge is God himself; we approach our understanding of God through our understanding of ourselves, and vice versa. As such, the doctrines of Theology (God) and Anthropology (Man) are the starting points for all other knowledge pertaining to Christ, salvation, the church, and the future.

Doctrine of God (Theology) God is a Spiritual being who exists in three persons, who created all things and governs them according to his good purposes, and who has revealed himself to mankind in creation and word.


Who are the three persons of the Godhead? What are their roles in creation and redemption?

What are the two ways in which we should think about the Trinity? What is God's decree? What do we mean by “God's permissive decree” when it comes to sin?

What is an incommunicable attribute? What is a communicable attribute?

God’s Being It is important for every Christian, and especially every officer of God’s church, to grow in understanding of who God has revealed himself to be. We will discuss two aspects of God’s essential being: his Triune nature (Trinity) and his Attributes.

Trinity: Foundational Considerations 1. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the central and most important affirmations of

the Christian faith. (a) From the very beginning, Christians have confessed that God is one: that is, the

God whom Christians worship is the same as the God of the OT. The NT does not overturn monotheism.

(b) At the same time, Christians have confessed that Jesus is God and the Holy Spirit is



God. Because God is both loving and personal, by definition he must exist eternally in a multiplicity of loving relationship within himself. In other words, for God to be God as he has revealed himself to us, God must be Triune.

(c) These two truths – God is one, and the Father / Son / Holy Spirit are all God – produced tension as the early church. For this reason, it took various councils to resolve and clarify Trinitarianism (see Further Study below).

2. The Trinity simply is. The Trinity – that is, that God is three-in-one – is never proven in the OT or NT, but rather it is assumed as true and taught throughout. In other words, the authors understood it to be an axiomatic truth that did not need defense.

3. The Trinity is a truth of special revelation. Without the Bible, we could not grasp

God as Triune. (a) In attempting to understand the character and essence of God, we must expect that

our limited human understanding will be unable to ascend to the position of fully grasping what God is really like. Such knowledge is beyond us.

(b) Therefore, while earthly analogies for the Trinitarian relationships are sometimes helpful, we must ultimately submit in humility to what the Bible affirms to be true about God, regardless of whether our minds can grasp it fully.

(c) In sum, while we cannot fully comprehend the Trinity, the right statement of the doctrine is absolutely essential to orthodox Christianity. Not surprisingly, most heresies start with a wrong view of the Godhead!

4. Why is it important for a Christian to understand the Trinity? Because…

(a) The Bible affirms it to be true (b) Our corporate worship (prayer, sacraments, and so on) are Trinitarian in nature (c) The doctrine of the Triune God reflects God’s presence and sovereign authority over

the heavens (God the Father and the preincarnate Son) and the earth (the incarnate Son and the indwelling Spirit)

(d) It forms the foundation for the hierarchical nature of divine and human relations; the pattern of submission of men to God and to other humans (e.g., in marriage) is patterned on how the Son and the Sprit submit to the will of the Father, though they are equal in essence and authority (more below)

(e) The plurality of persons in the unity of the Godhead provides the basis for the fact that reality is made up of both unity and plurality: e.g., humans exist both as individuals and in community with one another; all created beings have unity in essential nature (e.g., all “dogs” share an essential “dog-ness”) but plurality in their separate lives (e.g., my dog is not the same as your dog).



Trinity: Ontological perspective (who God is)

One essence There is but one God, and within the Divine Being there is only one indivisible essence, or constitutional nature.

Three persons In this one Divine Being there are three Persons, or individual

subsistences (also known as hypostases). These three are not independent individuals alongside each other; nor do they divide up the Godhead in one-thirds. They are all equally God: co-eternal and co-infinite. They share equally in all that constitutes Divinity. They are, rather, personal self-distinctions within the single divine essence.

• Father: the First Person of the Trinity, who is eternally the Father (of the Son) and who is unbegotten and uncreated. He is the creator of all things.

• Son: the Second Person of the Trinity, who is eternally the Son who is begotten by the Father. As Logos (the Word) he also creates and sustains all things.

• Holy Spirit: the Third Person of the Trinity, who eternally proceeds from both the Father and the Son.

Note: See figure 7.3 in the Appendix for a diagram of the “Trinitarian formula”

Perichoresis This term was developed to describe how all three Persons of the

Trinity are in one another eternally and perfectly. Where one is, all of them are. They completely and mutually “contain” one another and are contained by each other. This means that, from God's perspective, any attribute or work that one of the Persons has or does is equally ascribed to the other two.



Trinity: “Economic” perspective (how God works)

One essence All of God's works in creation and redemption come from the single Triune God. All Persons are said to be involved equally in all things from all eternity.

Three persons However, the Bible does recognize that with respect to how God

actually executes his will, there is a certain ordering among the Father, Son, and Spirit. This ordering is often called the “economic” operation of the Trinity, whereby certain acts are more particularly ascribed to one Person than to the others.

• Father: decreeing salvation, begetting the Son, establishing the Covenant of Grace, initiating cause of creation

• Son: accomplishing salvation, taking on human flesh, dying on the cross as a substitute for elect sinners, mediating the Covenant of Grace with man, agent of creation

• Holy Spirit: applying salvation to the elect, indwelling personally in believers, setting Christ apart at baptism and empowering his resurrection, and imbuing man with life

Summary Primarily in the “economic” outworking of God's plan are the

different roles of the Persons of the Trinity seen. While it is true that all Persons are involved in all of God's work, it is also true that it is uniquely the Son's role to take on flesh and die for sin (not the Father's), and so on.

Trinity: Selected proofs

1. Does the OT teach the Trinity? (a) The OT intimates and anticipates the Trinity. However, most agree that the reason

the OT did not fully reveal the Trinity is that the three Persons could not be fully revealed in word until they were fully revealed in fact. The definitive proof of the Trinity comes in the incarnation of Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit; thus, the full written revelation of these Persons of necessity waited until these revelatory deeds happened in time.

(b) Elohim – plural for Gods used in Genesis (e.g., Gen 1:26), rather than the singular. (c) Ps 110:1 and 45:6–7 – the Lord addresses or anoints another Lord (NT shows this

was Father → Son) (d) Isa 6 and the threefold Holy, Holy, Holy, suggesting plurality in God's majesty. (e) Personal appearances of the Angel of the Lord, the shekinah (glory cloud) of God,

and other visible manifestations of God that suggest a plurality of persons. (f) The foreshadowing of the divine Messiah figure, e.g., in Isa 42 and 53.

2. Does the NT teach the Trinity? (a) Birth of Christ (Luke 1:35ff and Matt 1:16ff) (b) Baptism of Christ: Father speaking to Son, Spirit descending on Son (Matt 3, Mk 1)



(c) Great Commission of Matt 28:19 (d) Jesus' teaching on the Comforter (Holy Spirit) whom he will send, but whom is also

from the Father (John 14 and 16) (e) Apostolic greetings and benedictions that mention all three (2 Cor 13:14; 1 Pet 1:1–

2) (f) Jesus' “I am” sayings throughout the gospels, which very clearly draw on Exod 3:14

(“I am who I am”) (g) Jesus' teachings on his relationship to the Father (e.g., “I and the Father are One”;

John 10:30; John 5) (h) Spirit is ascribed to God and to Christ (e.g., Rom 8:9) (i) Father and Son (Lamb) share the throne of God in the heavenly realm (Rev 22:3)

Attributes of God 1. God does not admit definition. In fact, there is no clear definition of God in the Bible.

(a) He simply imposes himself on us, and by his mercy he has made himself known. (b) God has revealed in Scripture certain things about himself, which we can apprehend

in part without ever grasping comprehensively (for he is an infinite God, and we are finite men).

(c) We will examine two different perspectives on God’s intrinsic attributes: i. The transcendence / immanence perspective ii. The incommunicable / communicable perspective

2. Transcendence and immanence: God who is “wholly other” but also intimate

(a) Transcendence: One fundamental attribute of the Triune God is that he is transcendent over all creation. He is high and exalted above all angels and humans. His purity, majesty, grandeur, power, sovereignty, and holiness make him, from one perspective, utterly unlike mankind. God transcends the physical realm (and, thus, is able to create it). He is not subject to time, change, or the physical laws he instituted.

(b) Immanence: The balancing attribute of God is that he is also immanent with respect to his creation. He condescends to be with and among his people, both through the incarnation of his Son, Jesus Christ, and the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He is able to be known because he has accommodated himself to our limited understandings so that we can know his mind and will. He makes it possible for us to worship him, to have fellowship with him, and to experience loving relationship.

(c) Navigating the extremes: Christians, thus, abide in the tension of a God who is at the same time (mysteriously) both wholly other but also intimate and close to us. i. Transcendence, taken to its logical extreme, results in Deism: a god who is

“there” but not involved; who is completely unknowable. ii. Immanence, taken to its logical extreme, results in Pantheism: a god who is

equivalent to the created world itself, who subsists actually in the air we breathe and water we drink (thus, we, too, are divine).

iii. The God of the Bible, however, brings the two in perfect balance. (d) Implications

i. Our corporate worship at Uptown church seeks to incorporate “transcendent” aspects (call to worship, preaching, song selection, creeds, etc.) with



“immanent” aspects (sacraments, prayer, benediction, etc.). ii. The Christian life should be marked by a concerted effort to do justice to both

aspects of God’s being: revering God as the transcendent, righteous, “wholly other” Judge and Creator while at the same time confidently approaching his throne as “Abba, Father,” who tenderly cares for you and has purchased you with the blood of his Son.

3. Incommunicable / Communicable: God who is “unlike us” but also “like us”

(a) Incommunicable attribute: an attribute for which there is nothing analogous in man. i. Self-existence (aseity): God is the ground of his own existence. ii. Immutability: God is free from all increase or decrease or any change

whatsoever in his being or perfections. His knowledge, morality, and justice remain forever the same. This does not, however, imply that God is immobile or does not interact with his creation in a real, meaningful way (e.g., through prayer).

iii. Infinity: God is without limitation in his attributes (he is perfect), time (he is eternal), and space (he is immense and transcendent).

iv. Unity and simplicity: God is one and is not a composite being; he cannot be divided nor will he tolerate any other conceptions of God.

(b) Communicable attribute: an attribute for which the properties of man bear some resemblance, since man is created in God's image. i. Knowledge and Wisdom: God knows all things exhaustively and immediately

(omniscience, and he applies his knowledge to execute all things to maximize his glory.

ii. Truthfulness: God is pure truth and cannot lie or deceive. iii. Goodness: God is perfectly good and is the source of all good in creation.

Includes love, grace, and mercy. iv. Holiness: Two dimensions, including (a) God's absolute distinctiveness and set-

apartedness from all creation, and (b) God's absolute moral purity / perfection. v. Righteousness: God is the source of and perfect fulfiller of his legal standards. vi. Sovereignty: God is the all-powerful creator and governor of all things

(omnipotence). (c) Central attribute: It is often argued based on Scripture that holiness is the central

attribute of God (Isa 6), as it summarizes and incorporates all of God’s attributes and reflects how he is both transcendent (totally pure and set apart) and immanent (purifying and setting us apart).

God’s Work Our God not only exists, but he is at work in his creation. God has revealed that he is totally, absolutely in control of all things. From eternity past, He has ordained all that has or every will come to pass. He governs and directs all his creatures and all their actions.

Decree / will of God 1. Definition: God's decree is his sovereign determination of all things that will come to

pass in his creation. It can also be referred to as God's “foreordination” or God’s “will.” (a) It is eternal, holy, wise, unchangeable, and unconditional.



2. His decree extends to all things:

(a) The Godhead itself (e.g., begetting the Son, sending the Holy Spirit, the covenants) (b) The material realm (six days of creation, ongoing governance of earth / heaven) (c) Angels and human creatures

3. Three dimensions: There is only one will, or one decree, of God, since God is a unified being. However, three dimensions of God's decree are often identified from the Scriptural data to help our limited minds grasp how God determines and directs the course of all things: (a) Will of decree: the “decree proper” (also called the decretive will), which is God's

hidden knowledge and fore-determination of all things that will actually take place. God's will of decree is known only as events occur in real time, unless God chooses to reveal this element of his decree verbally or through Scripture. It cannot be overturned nor thwarted by sin or any willful act of man. It is absolutely certain.

(b) Will of precept: the commands which God has explicitly set forth, communicating his expectations for how man should live in obedience to him. It is contained in all the moral and other precepts in Scripture (Ten Commandments, Sermon on the Mount, etc.) and indicates what God expects of us. It can be broken through our disobedience. It is, thus, not absolutely certain, but it places the burden of responsibility upon man for keeping it.

(c) Will of disposition: the desired outcomes that are pleasing to God according to his character and attributes, but which may not always come to pass. E.g., Ezek 33:11, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.”

(d) Illustration of how these three dimensions relate: 2 Pet 3:9 (and similar passages) indicates that God is “not willing that any should perish.” With regard to “will,” we observe that (a) God's will of disposition is that it is pleasing to him that anyone be saved, and he does not in this sense rejoice in the loss of anyone; (b) moreover, God's will of precept is that all men must repent of sin and turn to Christ; (c) however, his will of decree is only some actually will do so, and their identities only he knows until the final judgment makes it public.

(e) First Cause and Second Cause: As noted in Class 5 above, God exercises his will… i. As first cause, when he directly and supernaturally intervenes (e.g., speaking

creation into existence; resurrecting Jesus; regenerating a sinful heart) ii. Through second causes / means, such as human decision-making or natural laws

(e.g., using weather to execute the flood; using preaching to spread the gospel) iii. In many cases, a combination of first and second causes is at work to bring

about God’s will. We see a great example of this in Acts 2:23: “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God [First Cause], you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men [Second Cause].”

4. God's will with respect to sin

(a) Scripture is clear that God is not the author of sin. He is entirely good and cannot be the direct, or “efficient cause,” of sin. i. However, Scripture is likewise clear that sinful acts – even the crucifixion of his



Son – are ordained by God and directed towards his purpose. ii. Thus, God is able – unlike man – to interact with sin and evil without himself

committing sin. In other words, “God handles sin sinlessly.” (b) Reformed Theology maintains that, with respect to the sinful acts of man, God's

decree is… i. Permissive, in that God has ordained the sinful acts of man in such a way that

they arise by the acting of the man, not by the immediate acting of God. God does not make us sin, but he allows us to sin. We are culpable, not him.

ii. Certain, in that it is not a “bare permission” (WCF V.4) whereby God surrenders his sovereignty, but it is such that the commission of the sin is still absolutely certain.

(c) In other words, God has ordained to achieve his glorious ends through even the sinful acts which he permits man to commit.

(d) This is a divine mystery that Scripture does not fully reconcile.

5. God’s Decree of Predestination (a) Predestination is a specific category of God's decree that pertains to the eternal

destiny of man. (b) It is eternal, holy, wise, unchangeable, and unconditional. (c) Predestination encompasses the election of those who will be saved and the

reprobation of those who will not. (d) Predestination is discussed in further detail in Class 10: Soteriology.

6. Selected proofs (a) Decree / will of God: Eph 3:10-11; Acts 15:18; Heb 6:17; Matt 10:29-30; Ps 33:11;

Isa 46:10; 1 Kings 22:28; Deut 29:29. WCF III, WSC 7-8. (b) God's relationship to sin: Acts 2:22-24; Luke 22:22; Acts 4:27; Acts 14:16; Acts

17:30; Ps 78:29; Gen 50:19. WCF V and VI.

Work of Creation 1. Creation ex nihilo

(a) The Bible starts with an inestimably important statement: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1).

(b) The entirety of biblical revelation flows from this initial recognition that the Triune God is the creator of all things. He brought forth the entire cosmos – including all animate beings, inanimate objects, time, laws of physics and chemistry, DNA, and everything else – out of nothing (“ex nihilo”), in the span of six days.

(c) Before this moment of creation, the only thing that existed was God himself. He did not use pre-existent matter or an infinite series of universes, but he created by the sheer power of his word alone. God spoke, and creation came into being (Heb 11:3: “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible”).

(d) God’s work of creation, followed by his honoring of the seventh day as a Sabbath of rest and worship, has set the 6-and-1 pattern that governs his people even to this day (Exod 20:8-11: “8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your



God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy”).

2. Special creation of man

(a) The Bible reveals that as part of the creation week, God took counsel within himself and decreed, “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness” (Gen 1:26).

(b) Man was created after the very image of God (the imago dei). (c) This is a profound truth on multiple levels:

i. Unlike all other creatures, man was designed after the pattern of God himself. For this reason, in fact, we are told later in Genesis that no other suitable partner was found for Adam, because only he was created in the imago dei.

ii. As with all other days of creation, God created man simply by his direct verbal command (divine fiat). There is no indication of a previous process of evolution from lower life forms. Rather, it simply says, “And God created man.”

iii. The impartation of a soul to Adam happened by the direct, supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.

iv. Man was immediately placed in a position of authority over all creation. Adam and Eve were the apex of God's created orders and were commanded to rule and subdue the earth. See Class 6, part one on the “Covenant of Works.”

(d) See below for more on man’s created state.

Work of Providence 1. Providence refers to God's governing and preserving of all his creatures in such a

way as to bring about his decree. In other words, it is the “efficacious administration,” or actualizing, of the things decreed to come to pass.

2. Contrary to naturalistic or deistic assumptions about the world, God is not in any way absent or closed out from his creation. (a) The world is not governed merely by natural laws. God created those laws, he

directs them, and he can work both within and above them. (b) He is very much involved in directing all things to their appointed end.

3. God's providence includes both direct intervention (e.g., supernatural miracles, regeneration of the heart, etc.) and concurrent operations with the actions of man (e.g., repentance, faith, preaching the gospel, sanctification).

4. God's providence is all-encompassing. It includes the universe at large, the physical world, animals, nations, events in men's lives, seemingly incidental details, answering prayers, blessing the righteous, and judging the wicked.

5. Selected proofs (of numerous!): Prov 21:1; Phil 2:13; Dan 5:35; Eph 1:11; Job 37:5-10; Acts 17:26; Rom 8:28; Phil 4:19. WCF V, WSC 11-12.




• What does the nature of the relationships within the Trinity teach us about our need for relationships? In what ways are we created to reflect this relationality within God?

• You are talking with a co-worker who you discover is part of a very large charismatic church in Charlotte. He speaks often of various special gifts of the Holy Spirit – tongues, prophecy, and so forth – and rarely mentions Jesus. After several conversations, you realize that he (and his church) seem to overemphasize the Holy Spirit and his current presence among Christians (that is, people at their church) to the exclusion of any role or glory of the Father and the Son. Is this biblical? How would you address this with him?

• Someone in your flock has recently been reading books by Dan Brown and other authors, listening to mp3s from the Jesus Seminar, and attended a workshop at a local liberal church on “Finding the Historical Jesus.” He comes to you and expresses his newfound doubts about whether Jesus is divine, and makes the statement, “I'm not even sure Jesus taught that he was God. Maybe the apostles just got it wrong.” How would you counsel him through this crisis of conscience?

• A couple in the church and close friend have just had a miscarriage and are distraught with emotion. How can you bring to bear in a pastoral, comforting way the doctrines of God's decree and providence to help them?

Doctrine of man (anthropology) God created man in his own image – in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness – and entered into a covenant with Adam, as the federal head of all the human race. Adam, however, fell into sin and thrust all the human race into a state of sin and misery, with a human nature that can do no spiritual good apart from the Spirit's work.


What was the original state of man and his will towards good or evil? After the fall, what state is every man born into? What is “total depravity” and “original sin”?

What is the fourfold state of man?

1. Man in his (original) created state

(a) Original state of innocence: i. Innocence: Adam and Eve were created in a state of purity, without sin. They

possessed knowledge, righteousness, and holiness before the Lord because they were his (unfallen) image-bearers.

ii. Free will: They were created with a will that was neither predisposed to good nor evil. They were able to sin – and able not to sin.

iii. Obedience: By persevering in obedience to God's commands (in the Covenant of Works), Adam and Eve would have obtained unto eternal life.



(b) The constitutional nature of man: Scripture plainly teaches that man is

“dichotomistic,” or consists of two parts: body and soul. i. Body: Unlike God or the angels, man has a physical aspect. Man's flesh or

physical bodies, as created by God, are not inherently evil. The body itself is not sinful, nor is it something to desire escape from. In fact, the Bible maintains a high view of man's physical nature: Christ himself took on flesh; we are commanded to care for our bodies; and in the last day we will be resurrected in physical bodies.

ii. Soul: Man's body is also imbued with a soul, which is also called his “spirit.” The soul is the incorporeal aspect of man that, upon physical death, goes to be with the Lord in heaven until it is reunited with the body at the resurrection.

2. The fall of man into sin

(a) Sin defined i. God's positive and negative commands to Adam and Eve (and all mankind)

establish the demarcation between what is obedience and what is sin. ii. Sin, then, is any “any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of

God” (WSC 14). Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). (b) The first sin

i. The popular view of the Garden of Eden is that Adam and Eve's sin occurred when their teeth broke the flesh of the forbidden fruit.

ii. However, their sin (like ours) involved a much longer process. Consider: (a) Adam failed to teach Eve the word of God; (b) Eve forgot God's word and even added to it (“do not touch it” was not in God's command); (c) both Adam and Eve valued the forbidden knowledge more than obedience to God; (d) Eve lusted after the fruit (3:6); and (e) Eve questioned God's goodness when challenged by Satan.

iii. In other words, the sin was not just the act but the conception of the act. Thus, we see in our own lives that sin works the same way: it is a process of rejecting God, conceiving evil, and executing it. It is not simply the act itself.

(c) Impact on the nature of man: original sin i. The will: Because Adam and Eve's first sin was not just the simple eating of

fruit but involved the very core of their beings, it had a corrupting influence that distorted their entire natures and impacted the whole created universe. The human will still makes free decisions but is entirely enslaved to a sin nature such that, in moral matters, it lacks total freedom to choose good because it acts according to the heart.

ii. All mankind (Rom 5:12ff) and all creation (Rom 8:20ff) were corrupted by this sin.

iii. Because all mankind was represented by Adam in the Covenant of Works, Adam's fall led to the fall of all mankind. The first sin led to the vitiation of human nature, such that all men are born into sin. This is called Total Depravity (see Class 7).

iv. This does not mean that man is as sinful as he can possibly be; God restrains the sin in us. However, this does mean that man, without the regenerating power of



the Holy Spirit, is sinful in all his thoughts, words, and deeds. From the womb his heart is inclined only to evil.

v. In other words, while men are by nature capable of doing some “good” things in common areas of life (e.g., feeding your children, paying your taxes), man is completely unable to do “spiritual good” (e.g., faith in Christ) apart from God. In fact, even the common “good” things are still from God's grace to all men.

(d) Biblical view of man versus the world: the anthropology of the Bible stands sharply against the two reigning views of man outside biblical evangelicalism. i. Naturalist / humanist view (“man is good”): man is essentially good and stands

in no need of any “savior” or “improvement” ii. Liberal view (“man is sick”): man is morally sick or inadequate and is in need of

help, which can be obtained solely from within or through education, moral teachings / examples, social justice, government programs, etc.

iii. Biblical view (“man is dead in sin”): man was created good, has fallen into sin and guilt, is totally dead in sin, and is in need of a Savior who can provide atonement for his sins from outside himself.

3. Summary: The Fourfold State of Man

(a) There are four fundamental states of human nature in relation to creation, sin, and redemption.

(b) These four were originally described, based on Scripture, by Augustine of Hippo, and were further developed by the Scottish Puritan, Thomas Boston.




• You are working on a mercy case with a family at the church in which the father has been unemployed for almost two years. The wife has reached a breaking point in patience and has begun nagging her husband more than ever. The husband, on his part, has begun to lose hope. He feels worthless since he has no job or income. He even confesses that he has at times entertained suicidal thoughts. He feels like a failure as a husband and father, and he feels ashamed at church and before God. How can you employ the doctrine of man's creation in God's image to restore the husband's (and wife's!) confidence in his dignity and worth?

• How should the doctrine of original sin / total depravity impact the way a Christian views the world? How should it impact his family life and parenting? Views on science? Education? Politics? Missions?

Further study: Worldview foundations

1. Contra evolutionism (a) The Biblical testimony of God's creation of man, in his own image, stands in sharp

contrast to macroevolutionary theory. (b) The supposed macroevolution of mankind from lower lifeforms carries with it

numerous detrimental implications: i. Directly denies God's word in Genesis. ii. Destroys any basis to claim that man has functioning reason, wisdom, memory,

or any other attributes that by definition presuppose a created order. In other words, randomness and genetic mutations give no basis for believing any of the words on this page.

iii. Destroys the imago dei and the dignity of man. If man is not created as the highest creature in the likeness of God, then (a) man is no different than an animal and (b) unborn children, incapacitated adults, and the elderly have no inherent right to life.

(c) Only the biblical view of man's creation by the word of God provides any sound basis for reason, morality, and human dignity.

2. Contra secular humanism

(a) Secular humanism (and numerous other world religions) supposes that man is inherently good. Children and adults are naturally innocent; evil, if it exists at all (which, in the postmodernist mindset, is increasingly doubted), is due to lack of education or poor upbringing. Thus, social evils and personal problems can be fixed through therapy, medicine, and education.

(b) Christianity, however, teaches that man is not inherently good but inherently evil. Sin is fixed by the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, not social mechanisms. The gospel of Christ is the only true solution to any of mankind's failings.



Further study: Major historic creeds Multiple ecumenical councils in the early church were convened to define the orthodox understanding of what the Bible teaches concerning God: Nicea (325 AD), Constantinople (381 AD), Ephesus (431 AD), and Chalcedon (451 AD). Three statements arose from these councils that have served as the clearest, most concise treatments of the Trinity and the divinity of Christ.

Nicene Creed I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Athanasian Creed [Excerpt] And the Catholic Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of



the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.

Definition of Chalcedon Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us.


8 Christ (Christology)

• Person of Christ

o Humanity and Divinity

o Offices

Prophet

Priest

King

• Work of Christ

o Passive obedience

o Active obedience

o Nature and extent of the atonement

• Further study: Heretical / heterodox views

class

Class 8: Christ (Christology)



• Jesus Christ is both fully divine and fully man, possessing two natures in one person (hypostatic union).

• Jesus fulfills three offices as our Redeemer: Prophet (revealing the will of God), Priest (offering himself as a sacrifice to God), and King (ruling and defending the church).

• Christ's passive and active righteousness is imputed to the believer as the grounds of their justification, appropriated by faith.

• Christ's passive righteousness consists in his atoning death as a substitute for sinners. • Christ's active righteousness consists in his perfect keeping of God's law.

Introduction The doctrine of Christ (Christology) flows logically from the doctrines of God and Man. He is the only mediator between God and man, and he is the guarantor of the Covenant of Grace on behalf of the elect who are represented in him. In Christ, God chose to reconcile fallen humanity to himself. God sent his divine, eternally existent Son to become incarnate in the flesh of man, to bear the penalty of sin on the cross, to meet the conditions of the law, and, thereby, to restore man to God. Christ died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again!

Person of Christ


What is the difference between a person and a nature?

How does the hypostatic union differ from the union of the Trinity? Why does it matter that Jesus is fully man? Fully divine? How does this truth impact our understanding of fall and redemption?

Humanity and Divinity 1. Defining Person vs. Nature:

(a) “Person” denotes the essential, unified being: the independent and individual existence.

(b) “Nature” denotes the qualities of a “person” that makes it what it is (i.e., a human nature, an animal nature, etc.). Individual “persons” may have a common nature that characterizes that kind of person.

2. Hypostatic union: Two natures in One person

(a) Christianity has maintained that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully Man. In him both full divine nature and full human nature are unified in one person.



i. One Person: There is but one person: the Logos, the Mediator, the Divine Lord. From before all time, Christ existed as a person in the Godhead.

ii. Two Natures: In the incarnation, Christ's person fully took on human nature, such that he became a “complex” person subsisting in two natures: the divine and the human.

(b) Both the divine and the human natures in Christ are fully complete and perfected. i. There is no commingling or mixture of the natures. ii. They are fully distinct yet united in one person.

(c) “The Church accepted the doctrine of the two natures in one person, not because it had a complete understanding of the mystery, but because it clearly saw in it a mystery revealed by the Word of God. It was and remained ever since for the Church an article of faith, far beyond human comprehension.” (Berkhof)

3. Humanity: necessity and proof (a) Scripture witnesses to the real humanity of Christ.

i. He was born of a woman and possesses a real, corporeal, physical body and a rational and willful soul.

ii. He ate, drank, got tired, wept, bled, and died. iii. After his resurrection, Christ's humanity continues in his resurrected body, now

ascended to heaven. (b) Necessity: Christ had to be human in order that…

i. He could be an acceptable substitute for sinful man, bearing the same flesh and soul.

ii. He could sympathize with our weakness in serving as our High Priest. iii. He could bear the curse, being born under law; so that he could physically suffer

and die. (c) Selected proofs: 1 Tim 2:5; 1 Tim 3:16; Phil 2:6–11; Heb 2:14; Gal 4:4; Isa 53:3–5;

WSC 22

4. Sinlessness: necessity and proof (a) As to his human nature, Jesus was fully tempted yet entirely sinless, being kept and

preserved by the Holy Spirit.



i. Not only did he avoid sinning, but it was impossible for him to sin. ii. This, however, does not downplay the magnitude of the temptation he bore.

(b) Necessity: a sinful man cannot bear the sins of others, since he is condemned for his own. Only a sinless man could atone for others.

(c) Selected proofs: Heb 4:15, Heb 7:26–28, 2 Cor 5:21

5. Divinity: necessity and proof (a) Jesus is truly the eternal Son of God, eternally begotten by the Father. (b) Necessity: Jesus had to be divine in order that…

i. He could be a sacrifice of infinite value. ii. He could render perfect obedience to God. iii. He could fully bear the wrath of God redemptively on behalf of others. iv. He could rise again from the dead and vindicate God's justice. v. He could apply the fruits of his work through the sending of his Holy Spirit.

(c) Selected proofs: i. OT: Ps 2:6–12; Ps 110:1; Isa 9:6; Jer 23:6; Dan 7:13 ii. NT: John 1:1–3; John 3:16–18; John 10:30; 1 John 1:3; Rom 1:7; Rom 9:5; 1

Cor 1:3; Matt 28:18 iii. WSC 21

6. Names and titles of Christ: Jesus Christ is revealed to us through various names and

titles in Scripture, which reflect the various aspects of his person. (a) “Jesus” – reflecting how, in the flesh, he is Jesus of Nazareth, a historical man from

a specific place in time, born of Mary. (b) “Son of Man” – Jesus' most common self-designation (more than 40 times),

emphasizing both his humanity and connecting Jesus to the prophecies of Daniel (ch. 7) and Ezekiel (chs. 32-40, others).

(c) “Christ” – signifying the Messiah or the Anointed One. “Christ” is commonly used as the official title of Jesus (i.e., respecting his office of Messiah) but is also used as his personal name in many cases.

(d) “Son of God” – reflecting Jesus' position relative to God the Father It has three dimensions: (a) Messianic sense, showing Jesus' position as the Father's representative and heir; (b) Trinitarian sense, showing his essential diety and ontological relationship to the Father; and (c) nativistic sense, showing his supernatural birth and his submission to the Father's will.

(e) “Lord” – demonstrating his high and exalted character, his possession of ruling authority from the right hand of the Father. It is practically equivalent to the name “God.”


• You are counseling a church member going through an intense period of temptation and sin, who is struggling with assurance. How can the truth of Christ's person be brought to bear in this situation?



• A new Christian in the church has a coworker who is a Jehovah's Witness. How can you equip him to deal with the issue of Christ's divinity when he has conversations with this coworker?

Offices Christ, as our Redeemer, fulfills the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King.

The Prophet/Priest/King offices provide a full (but not necessarily exhaustive) framework for understanding Christ’s fundamental role as Mediator between God and Man.

• Prophet: representing God to man • Priest: representing man to God • King: God's sovereign rule over his people

Prophet 1. OT foundations

(a) The prophet was specifically called by God and anointed by the Spirit to serve as God's mouthpiece in revealing his will and decrees. The OT prophet was given the very words of God. They ministered to Israel through instruction, admonition, exhortation, promises, and rebukes. The prophet not only predicted the future but, more importantly, forth-told the intentions of God as revealed by the Holy Spirit.

(b) Examples: Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Nathan

2. Christ's role as Prophet

(a) Christ fulfills the typological role of the prophet by being the ultimate and final revelation of God's will to his people: (a) through his incarnation, (a) through his Word, and (b) through his Spirit. i. In his own person, through his advent in redemptive history, Christ is the final

revelation of God. Christ is the Logos of God – the very incarnate Word



himself. He brought the final message from God, and he was that very message. ii. The Word which he inspired of the OT prophets and committed to the apostles –

contained in the Scriptures – reveals the will of God for the redemption of man. iii. The Spirit directly inspired the Bible and continues to illumine it to Christ's

church. (b) He is both the Revealer (the prophet) and the Revealed (the content).

3. Selected proofs (a) Deut 18:15ff.; Acts 3:22–23; Heb 1:1–3; Luke 13:33 (b) WSC 24

Priest 1. OT foundations

(a) God had ordained that blood, which signifies life, must be shed to atone for sin. He instituted the office of the temple priest to represent his people before him, offering gifts sacrifices for sin and interceding for the people. The priest was designated by God and selected out of the people he represents. He commiserates with his people and administers the sacrificial rituals that God instituted for the expiation of sin.

(b) Examples: Levi, Aaron, Eleazar, Melchizedek, Eli, Samuel, Zadok, Jehoiada, Ezra

2. Christ's role as priest (a) Christ fulfills the typological role of prophet by

i. serving as the sinless, perfect offering as substitute for man ii. offering up himself in the true tabernacle of God, and iii. continually interceding for his people.

(b) Christ came as a priest not in the order of Levi / Aaron but in the order of Melchizedek.

(c) He is both the Great High Priest and the sacrifice itself.

3. Selected proofs (a) Exod 29; Heb 2:17, 4:14–5:10, 7:1–8:7, 9:11–10:14; Heb 7:25; 1 Cor 5:7 (b) WSC 25

King 1. OT foundations

(a) The OT king was instituted by God to serve as his vice-regent over the nation of Israel. The kingship was promised as part of the covenant with Abraham, regulated by the law of Moses, and fulfilled in the dynasty of David. The king of Israel subdues God's people and protects them such that they might worship God in peace; he defends them against God's enemies. A son of Judah was promised to be the eternal king who would sit on David's throne (Gen 49:10; 2 Sam 7).

(b) Examples: [forerunners: Melchizedek, Moses, Joshua, Judges], Saul, David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Joash, Hezekiah, Josiah, [Zerubabbel, Nehemiah]

2. Christ's role as king

(a) Christ fulfills the typological role of king by i. ushering in the kingdom of God



ii. instituting the church and serving as its king and head iii. ascending to the right hand of God, the seat of power and authority, and iv. promising to return to consummate the eschatological kingdom.

(b) He is the King, the giver of the kingdom, and the heir of the kingdom.

3. Select proofs (a) Deut 17:14–20; Luke 1:68–75; Matt 1:1–17; Matt 21:9ff.; Rom 1:3 (b) WSC 26


• As those placed in authority over his church, how are elders / deacons to reflect the roles of Prophet, Priest, and King in the local body?

Work of Christ As will be discussed further during Class 9, the Christians' justification is “grounded” on the imputed active and passive righteousness of Christ. Thus, we must first establish these two aspects of Christ's work as our mediator and redeemer. However, it must be noted that in distinguishing the two, we do not separate them, for they are unified in Christ's entire work.


What are the passive and active aspects of Christ’s obedience? What are some of the problems with the idea of “general ransom”: that Christ's death was for 100% of humans and made possible the salvation of everyone, not just the elect?

How does the OT sacrificial system help explain why Christ's death on the cross “worked”?

Passive obedience 1. Definition: Christ’s passive obedience is his bearing the guilt of the sins of the elect

(both original and actual), which were imputed to him as their representative.

2. Christ's suffering throughout his life and his ultimate death on the cross were the means by which he bore the penalty of death for the sins imputed to him. (a) Because of the infinite worth of Christ (as divine) and his sinlessness (as human),

the full justice and wrath of God were satisfied by the passive obedience of Christ. (b) Christ, thus, discharged the guilt / curse that were upon the elect in their state of sin,

bringing them from a state of utter sinlessness to a state of neutrality before God. (c) That is, he brings us “from negative infinity to zero.”

3. Select proofs: 2 Cor 5:21a; Rom 8:3; Isa 53:6; Rom 4:25; 1 Pet 2:24, 3:18



Active obedience 1. Definition: Christ, as federal representative of all the elect under the Covenant of

Grace, undertook to observe and obey the law as a condition for obtaining eternal life. (a) Unlike Adam, Christ perfectly kept the entire law of God both by avoiding sin and

by rendering perfect positive obedience in fulfilling the demands of God. In this way, the Covenant of Grace may, on one level, be thought of as Christ's keeping the Covenant of Works (by his active obedience) on behalf of the elect.

(b) Christ, thus, achieved the reward of everlasting life on behalf of the elect, bringing them from a state of neutrality to a state of righteousness in God's sight.

(c) That is, he brings us “from zero to positive infinity.”

2. Select proofs: 2 Cor 5:21b; Rom 8:4; Matt 3:15; Gal 4:4–5; Rom 10:4; Heb 10:7–9

Nature and extent of the atonement 1. Nature: the Reformed doctrine of the atonement is that Christ died a sacrificial death

as a substitute for the elect sinners who are united to him. (a) We may understand this more fully by examining multiple aspects of the atonement:

Objective The primary purpose is not to render something subjectively in the sinner (such as moral reformation) but to render objective satisfaction to offended party – God.

Sacrificial Atonement is achieved through the actual curse and death of a

sacrifice. Ransoming Christ's death was a ransom that purchased the life and

salvation of the lost sinner. Propitiatory The death of Christ served to propitiate or exhaust / turn away

the wrath of God. All of God's wrath for the sin of the elect was poured out entirely on Christ at the cross.

Expiatory The death of Christ also served to cleanse / remove sin. Substitutionary The sacrificial death took effect not through the personal

death of the sinner but through Christ, who represented him vicariously. The wrath of God was poured out not on the individual sinner but on the one to whom he was mystically united: Christ.

(b) Select proofs:

i. The entire OT sacrificial economy emphasized substitution, propitiation, and expiation. See especially the ceremonies of the Day of Atonement (Lev 16), all of which were types of Christ's substitutionary atonement.



ii. Isa: 53:6,12; John 1:29; Gal 3:13; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 2:24

2. Extent: the Reformed doctrine maintains that Christ's atonement extended not to the whole of the human race, nor to an unknown group of those who God foresaw would come to faith, but solely to the elect who are chosen in Christ from before all time. The defense is as follows: (a) God's decree must be effective and cannot fail. (b) Scripture is clear that a limited number of people will be saved, not 100%. (c) The perfect work of Christ cannot fall short of its designated purpose, or it would

not be perfect. i. Christ's substitutionary death effectively deals with all the guilt of someone who

he represents. No guilt remains. ii. Christ's substitutionary death effectively propitiates the full wrath of God

towards the sinner. No wrath remains. (d) All the benefits of Christ's death accrue to the benefit of the believer; you cannot

have one without all of them. (e) Therefore…

i. It is impossible that Christ could die for literally everyone but only some receive that benefit (the Arminian view).

ii. Christ's death was only for the elect and infallibly and perfectly achieved the full benefits of redemption for them.

(f) Select proofs: John 10:11,15; Acts 20:28; Rom 8:32–33; John 17:9; Gal 1:4


• How can the doctrine of the atonement help you counsel someone who has fallen into serious sin – both positively (reassuring) and negatively (warning / rebuking)?

• Pastorally, why is it so important to “get the atonement right”? What issues pertaining to justification are at stake?

Further study: Heretical / heterodox views The list below provides brief summaries of various views of Christ's person and work that have been proposed throughout history; many are still prevalent today.

1. Heresies about Christ (a) Docetism – Jesus was not really human but only “seemed” to be human (b) Adoptionism – Jesus was just a normal human who was “adopted” by God at his

baptism and given special powers (opposite of Docetism) (c) Modalism – Jesus was one of the three “modes” of the Trinity, not a distinct person. (d) Arianism – Jesus was “created” by the Father and is subordinate to him as a lesser

being. Christ is not eternal but came into existence at a point in time. (e) Apollinarianism – The divine Christ (Logos) takes the place of the human soul of

Jesus (the man). In other words, Jesus had a human body in which dwelled a divine soul – but no human nature.

(f) Nestorianism – Jesus Christ existed as two persons – the man and the divine – in



one physical body.

2. Major decisions addressing heretical views of Christ (a) Council of Nicaea (325 AD) – addressed the Arian controversy and affirmed that

Christ is eternal and of the same substance as the Father. (b) Athanasian Creed (300s AD) – composed by Athanasius, an opponent of Arius, to

further outline the orthodox understanding of Christ's person. (c) Council of Constantinople (360 AD) – affirmed that Christ is of the same substance

as the Father. (d) Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) – defined the full humanity and full divinity of

Christ and repudiated the heresy that Christ had only one nature.

3. Heterodox theories of the atonement (a) Ransom-to-Satan (Origen): Christ's death was a ransom paid to Satan (not to God)

to cancel the claims he had on man. (b) Recapitulation (Irenaeus): Christ recapitulates in his own life all the stages of

human life and reverses the course on which Adam had set humanity. (c) Commercial (Anselm): Christ brought infinite glory to God through his obedient

work; since Christ needed no more glory to himself, this glory passed on to the benefit of fallen man.

(d) Moral influence (Abelard): Christ's death was not one of expiation but one of a manifestation of God's love, expressed in his suffering the woes of man alongside them in order to soften their hearts and lead them to repentance.

(e) Moral example (Socinians): Christ's death did not deal with justice but simply showed Christians an example of true obedience and called them to emulate it.

(f) Governmental (Grotius): the atonement was not necessary (for God can simply abrogate his law if he chooses) but was simply accepted by God to demonstrate that he is the moral ruler of the universe.

(g) Vicarious repentance: since man cannot repent and receive forgiveness on his own, Christ undertook the requisite repentance and achieved forgiveness for all.

(h) General ransom: Christ's atonement was for all mankind and makes it possible for anyone to obtain salvation through faith.


9 Salvation (Soteriology)

• The “whosoever believes” call of the gospel

• Predestination and election

• The economy of salvation

o Union with Christ

o The Ordo Salutis

o Justification (in detail)

o Adoption (in detail)

o Sanctification (in detail)

• Further study: Assurance of salvation

class



• Whoever comes to Christ in faith will be saved.

• In sovereignly predestining all things that come to pass, God has unconditionally elected some to be the objects of his grace in bringing them out of the estate of sin and into an estate of redemption.

• The basis of all the benefits of our election unto salvation is our union with Christ. • The Ordo Salutis (Order of Salvation) is the logical arrangement of the various works and

acts God does with respect to the application of redemption to the lost sinner. • Justification is a judicial declaration in the courtroom of God whereby one is pardoned of

sin and declared righteous in God's sight, on account of his union with Christ.

Introduction Reformed Theology is perhaps most well known for its doctrines of “special” grace, or its particular understanding of the Scriptural teaching of how lost sinners are saved (“soteriology”). The Reformed perspective emphasizes the total sovereignty of God in salvation while simultaneously upholding the responsibility of man to repent and turn to Christ. The central doctrine within Reformed soteriology is that of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

The “whosoever believes” call of the gospel It is common in Reformed circles to take the starting point of the doctrine of salvation at the “Step Zero” of election. While logically this is correct, such ordering runs the risk of turning the doctrine of God's predestination into a cold, calculated, soul-chilling mystery. In other words, jumping straight into election as the first topic in “soteriology,” while technically acceptable, may lead one to ask at the outset the question, “What if I'm reprobate? Does this even matter if that's the case?” Such a thought process can be quenching to the spirit. Rather, we want to follow the Bible's lead (as evidenced by how Calvin and the Westminster Standards treat the topic) in teaching election as a doctrine of comfort and security for the sinner – not as an impossible logical construct that breeds argument. Thus, following Christ’s lead, we want to emphasize at the outset the free offer of the gospel:

1. That Jesus took on flesh, suffered, and died to save lost sinners, and that he rose again to secure for them eternal life

2. That Jesus will not turn anyone away who seeks him 3. That “whosoever believes” in Jesus will be saved 4. That those who respond to the free offer of grace do so not out of their own ability or

merit, but solely by the gracious work of the Holy Spirit in drawing them Put differently, the lens through which we understand the doctrine of salvation must begin with the love of God expressed through Christ. The offer of salvation by faith through Christ is a


real offer. The doctrine of predestination does not undercut this but rather gives security and assurance to the believer who sees the fruit of election in his own life. We must avoid presenting God as a cold, distant dictator; that is not what the Bible or Reformed theology teaches.

Predestination and election The process of the salvation of the Christian is rooted not in a profession of faith, or baptism, or even the birth of that person. Rather, salvation begins in eternity past, when God, before the creation of the world, elected some sinners to be redeemed out of his Triune love and grace.


What is the basis of election? What are some competing views?

What is reprobation? What is double predestination?

Predestination in general 1. Caveat: Few things inspire the ire of many Christians against Reformed Presbyterians

more than the doctrine of predestination – and few things are more caricatured. (a) Predestination, however, is a biblical word. It appears four times in the New

Testament (in Romans 8 and Ephesians 1). The same is true for other words like election (3), elect (15), called (10+), and chosen (5+).

(b) Thus, at the outset we have firm grounds upon which to defend the doctrine of predestination: explicit biblical vocabulary cannot be ignored!

2. Predestination is a specific application of the general category of the divine decree

(see Class 7). The divine decree is God's sovereign will by which he particularly determines all things that come to pass, in both the heavenly and earthly realms.

3. Definition: the decree of God concerning the state of the souls, both temporally and eternally, of all men. (a) Temporally: the entire process of one's spiritual life while on earth – such as one's

conversion, sanctification, and so forth. (b) Eternally: one's eternal destiny at the time of resurrection and judgment. (c) In other words, both the ultimate endpoint (heaven / hell) and the midpoints along

the way are under God's predestining intent.

4. Whom has God predestined? Predestination includes (a) all men, from the time of Adam onward; (b) good and evil angels (1 Tim 5:21); and (c) Christ himself, who was foreknown / fore-chosen as our Mediator from before all time (1 Pet 1:20).

5. Predestination includes Election and Reprobation.


Election 1. Definition: the eternal, immutable decision in which God, out of love for and on

account of no foreseen merit in them, chooses in Christ a definite number out of the fallen human race to be the recipients of special grace and eternal salvation. Let us break down the various parts of this definition: (a) Eternal: Election is an expression God's sovereign will from before all time, from

before the very foundations of the earth. It flows eternally from the inner relationship and counsel of the Trinity, with the Father decreeing election, Son covenanting to redeem the elect, and the Spirit achieving it in time (see Class 7).

(b) Immutable: God's decree of election is unchangeable and certain. (c) Love: The central motivation in election is God’s abiding, eternal, unfailing love

for his children, overflowing from the inner-Trinitarian love. (d) No foreseen merit: Election is unconditional. This means that it is based entirely

on God's good pleasure, of which we as humans have only limited insight as he reveals himself in the Word. Election is not based on anything we do, nor is it based on anything God foresees that we will do, such as faith, works, or perseverance. God, in his omniscience, certainly foresees all these things, but they are not the basis of election; rather, our election is the basis of all those things.

(e) In Christ: Our individual election is nevertheless based on our union with Christ (see below) as our representative and the original elect one in the counsel of God.

(f) Definite number: The extent of the elect is a definite number of men, women, and children that God has preordained. The fact that humans have no ability to know definitively the number (or identity) of the elect does not mean that God himself does not know, or that the elect are still an open question.

(g) Recipients of special grace and eternal salvation: The secondary purpose of election is for the ultimate redemption and glorification of the sinner who is saved from judgment. However, the primary purpose of election is the glory of God.

2. Selected proofs: Eph 1:3-6,12,14; Rom 9:6-12; Rom 8:28-30; John 6:44; 2 Thess 2:13;

Mal 1:2-3; Gen 18:10; Exod 33:19

Reprobation 1. Definition: the decree of God to pass by those who are not elect in Christ, to withhold

from them special grace, to leave them in their estate of sin and misery, and, thus, to condemn them in the final judgment for their sin. (a) Reprobation is the “decretum horribile” (Calvin), or horrible decree, that is hard for

Christians to comprehend but is, nevertheless, (a) implied by election, as its negative, and (b) specifically articulated in Scripture (see below).

(b) Since reprobation (and election) is a difficult truth, we must handle it with sensitivity (WCF III.8). Scripture overwhelmingly focuses on election and the positive aspects of God's redeeming love. In other words, while both election and reprobation are true, but they are not equal in emphasis or focus in God's revelation.


2. Reprobation includes two elements: (a) Preterition: God's determination to pass over some humans (and angels) and leave

them in their fallen state. (b) Condemnation: God’s active punishment of those who remain in their state of

sinfulness and rebellion, for the vindication of his justice.

3. Reprobation is the other half of what is called “double predestination”: that God's decree (or predestination) includes the eternal destiny of both the elect and non-elect.

4. Just as the elect are truly known only to God, so also are the reprobate. Therefore, neither election nor reprobation in any way undercut the Great Commission or our obligation to offer the gospel sincerely to all men in the world.

5. Selected proofs: WCF III.7-8; Rom 9:21-22; Jude 4; 1 Pet 2:8; 1 Thess 5:9; Rom 11:7; Matt 11:25-26; Exod 9:12, 10:1,20


• You are interviewing new member candidates who have never been a part of a Presbyterian church. The wife, who grew up Methodist, remarks, “We love your preaching and your community. We look forward to serving at your church. We wanted to ask this question, though, as it concerns us. Does your church really believe in predestination? I have a problem with that if you do, because I just don't see how anyone could say that.” How should you go about handling this question in order to (a) affirm that it is not “we” who are teaching predestination, but rather the Bible that is teaching it, and (b) address some of her emotional or intellectual hangups about the doctrine?

The economy of salvation God administers special grace to the elect through various means and experiences in the life of the sinner. These steps flow from the sinner's union with Christ and culminate in glorification.


What is mystical union? Why is it the basis of salvation? Define the 7 elements of the ordo salutis. Where does regeneration fit, and why?

What is justification? What is it based on? How does it differ from sanctification?

Union with Christ 1. Two humanities: Throughout all human history, there have been only two types of

people: those who remain in Adam, and those who are in Christ. Adam and Christ are our representatives in the two covenants (Covenant of Works, Covenant of Grace; see Class 6), and our union with either of them determines our status with God.


(a) While we remain in Adam – that is, in our state of original sin and depravity – we are subject to God's wrath.

(b) If, however, we are in Christ – if we are ingrafted into him, or incorporated into his body – we are subject to God's grace.

2. “Mystical union” with Christ: The resurrected Lord is presently ascended in the

heavenly realm. Yet, Scripture teaches that believers are really, though spiritually, united with him a vibrant, life-giving way. This mysterious union is brought about by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Our status of being “in” Christ is a profound divine blessing: all things that come to us in salvation flow from the fact that, both objectively and subjectively, we are united to Christ: (a) Objectively: we are eternally elected or chosen “in Christ” (Eph 2:4). (b) Subjectively: we are spiritually and individually united to Christ as regenerated

sinners, such that we have a personal experience of his goodness and grace.

3. Implications: We are crucified with / in Christ (Gal 2:20), we have been buried with him (Rom 6:4), we have been raised in him (Rom 8:11; Eph 2:6; Col 3:1), and we have been seated with him in the heavenly realms (Eph 2:6). All benefits of salvation flow from our union with the Redeemer himself.

The Ordo Salutis The “order of salvation” (ordo salutis) describes the process by which redemption is applied to the elect sinner in the course of time. It is, in other words, the specific realization in space-time of the eternal decree of election for an individual person. It is best thought of as partially logical (e.g., some things happen at the same time and are not distinguishable from a human perspective) and partially temporal (e.g., some things happen in steps that are distinguishable).


1. Calling Definition • The preaching of God’s word broadly to all people (elect and non-

elect); the communication of the gospel of Christ, including the threat of judgment and the calling to turn to him for salvation.

• The offer of grace to all those who would believe. Discussion • Scope includes all people, but the external calling is only made

effectual in the hearts of the elect by the Holy Spirit; the gospel has power to soften or to harden as the Spirit wills.

• Addresses the conscious element of man. Selected proofs • Rom 8:28,30; 2 Thess 2:13; Eph 1:18; Eph 4:1; Gal 1:6; 1 Cor 1:2 2. Regeneration Definition • The implanting of a new life principle in the heart of the elect sinner.

• The removal of the heart of stone and the gift of a heart of flesh. • The renewal of the deadened, enslaved will to enable the sinner freely

to embrace Christ by faith; vivification. Discussion • Terms: washing of rebirth, born again, born of the Spirit, new birth

• It is critical to understand this stage in the redemptive process. Regeneration is entirely a work of the Holy Spirit. Men who are dead in their sins and objects of wrath can do nothing on their own power to approach God. He must first transform our hearts to enable us to respond to the external call of the gospel.

• Addresses the subconscious element of man. It is entirely “monergistic” (we do not cooperate in our own regeneration), thus proving God’s sovereignty in salvation.

• Regeneration produces a renewed spiritual creature with a will that can really respond in obedience to Christ; without this renewal, our wills remain dark, hardened, and obstinate. For this reason, a key Reformed distinction is that regeneration (God's act) is placed before conversion (man's response), not after.

Selected proofs • John 3:5-6, Tit 3:5, 1 John 2-5 (numerous), Ezek 36, Joel 2, Jer 31 3. Conversion (Repentance + Faith) Definition • Willfully embracing Christ and his atoning work, consisting of…

o Repentance – conviction of sin and need for a savior, confession of our sinfulness, and earnest turning away from sin and turning towards Christ.

o Faith – trusting in Christ as Savior and Lord, with all the benefits of his mediation.


Discussion • It is primarily an initiatory (a one-time conversion event) but includes a progressive element (daily repentance / walking in faith).

• It addresses the conscious element of man – Scripture articulates a command or expectation to repent and live by faith, so there is an implied obligation to respond in an active way.

• However, we can only respond if we are regenerated, so it is equally clear that conversion is a sovereign work of God.

o “God converted me to himself” - Augustine • This is the natural overflow of regeneration: a man who is truly born

again will necessarily repent of sin and turn to Christ in faith. o In children, regeneration may precede conversion in time. o In adults, regeneration and conversion (initiatory) are often

instantaneous. Selected proofs • Acts 2:38, 3:19, 11:18; Luke 17:3ff, 24:47; Rom 2:4; 2 Tim 2:25; 2

Pet 3:9; Rom 1:17, 3:22-28; Heb 11:6 4. Justification Definition • God’s judicial declaration that one’s guilt is atoned for, that one’s sins

are forgiven, and that one is therefore considered legally righteous in God’s eyes. Justification is a one-time act of God.

Discussion • Justification will be dealt with more fully in the sub-section below. 5. Adoption Definition • An act of God in which he accepts the justified sinner as his child

(versus enemy), with the right as heirs to all the spiritual blessings and privileges won by Christ on our behalf.

Discussion • Adoption will be dealt with more fully in the sub-section below. 6. Sanctification Definition • The process of renewing the whole man and conforming him to the

image of Christ. It consists of mortification (putting sin to death) and vivification (bringing righteousness to life).

• Sanctification includes both an aspect of set-apartedness and an aspect of personal purity or righteousness.

Discussion • Sanctification will be dealt with more fully in the sub-section below. 7. Glorification Definition • The final perfection of the elect sinner upon death (or at the return of

Christ), by which we are “made perfect in holiness” and “made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity.”


Discussion • Glorification is the completion of sanctification and the consummation of “salvation.”

• It begins with our first resurrection at death, when our spirits join all the saints in heaven to worship God in the “intermediate state.”

• It comes to fullness at the second resurrection, when our spirits are reunited with our bodies at the last judgment, after which we will enjoy the renewed heavens and earth in Christ’s eternal kingdom.

Selected proofs • 1 Cor 1:8; Romans 8:17, 28-30; 1 Cor 15:42ff Summary The Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to the elect sinner who is united to Christ. By doing so, he deals fully with all four of the disastrous consequences of the fall:

1. Guilt – election and justification move us out of a position of legal condemnation (original sin) and into an estate of righteousness in God’s eyes

2. Pollution – conversion and sanctification (both initiatory and progressive) are used by God to purify us of active sin throughout a lifetime of growth in grace

3. Slavery – calling and regeneration make us spiritually alive, renew our broken wills, and enable us freely to embrace Christ and do positive, spiritual good

4. Misery – adoption and glorification take us from an estate of futility, darkness, and death and into an estate of joy and sonship in service to God, both present and future

Justification (in detail) “Justification by faith” is one of the summary mottos of the Reformation. Let us examine this central Christian doctrine more fully.

1. Basis of justification: Christ’s passive and active obedience imputed to our account (2 Co 5:21). The basis, or grounds, of our justification lies not in anything we do (e.g., our conversion), but it is solely the passive and active obedience of our mediator, Christ. (a) Passive – bearing the punishment (death) that our sins incurred

i. Our legal sin-guilt is imputed to him (Isa 53) ii. This moves us from being utterly sinful and under God’s wrath to a neutral state

(b) Active – perfectly keeping the law of God i. Christ's perfect righteousness is imputed to us (2 Cor 5:21) ii. This moves us from neutral to a state of positive righteousness

(c) (See Class 8 for more on atonement)

2. Imputation – imputation is the “charging” of something from one person to another, in the eyes of God. Put differently, if X is imputed from person A to person B, person B is viewed as actually possessing X even though he does not by nature actually have X. (a) There have been multiple “imputations” in the history of redemption:


i. Adam's original sin is imputed to all mankind. Result: we are held guilty for this sin.

ii. The elect sinner's sin / guilt is imputed to Christ. Result: Christ is held guilty for this sin.

iii. Christ's righteousness is imputed to the elect sinner. Result: we are viewed as righteous, even though we are not so by nature.

(b) Imputation does not change our inner nature, but rather our status. In justification, God does not view us as righteous based on any inward improvement but solely on Christ’s objective righteousness imputed to us.

(c) In other words, justification is not the infusion (working it within us) of righteousness, but the imputation of it (applying it to us from outside us).

3. Justification unites two important concepts:

(a) God’s perfect justice – He must punish sin in order to maintain his holiness, and he does so by condemning Jesus to death.

(b) God’s perfect mercy – He allows Jesus to be our substitute and bear this justice on our behalf, so that we do not get what we deserve, which is death.

4. Justification can be considered from three vantage points based on scriptural language

(a) Justification from eternity – there is a sense in which all the elect are considered “theoretically” justified in the Covenant of Grace from before all time, due to our election in Christ before the foundations of the world.

(b) Justification at the cross – there is also a sense in which all the elect are objectively justified at the point of Christ’s death on the cross, which, in effect, accomplished the atoning work that is then imputed both to OT saints (retrospectively) and all other members of the invisible church from that point onward (prospectively).

(c) Justification by faith – this is the aspect that we rightfully focus on, as it deals with the subjective accomplishment in the life of an individual sinner in which he is declared no longer to be an object of wrath but an object of God’s love. Let us deal with faith in detail.

5. Instrument of justification: faith

(a) Faith is not the basis of our justification, but rather the work of Christ (see above). This guards us from viewing faith as some sort of righteous work that merits justification.

(b) Faith is the instrument “by” or “through” (not “because of”) which we are justified. i. Paul goes into great detail to make this point in Rom 1-6 and Gal 3

(c) What is faith? i. Faith is the overflow of a regenerate heart that lays hold of Jesus’ righteousness

as the basis of our right standing with God. ii. True saving faith embraces as its object the efficacy of Christ’s death and

resurrection in achieving its designated end: propitiating the wrath of God, atoning for / covering sin, and bearing the curse.

iii. Faith in a more general sense also encompasses hope in a future inheritance / salvation (1 Pet 1), embracing things that are unseen (Heb 1), clinging to the promises of God and standing firm, etc.


(d) There are three dimensions of faith: i. Intellectual: embracing the truths and promises of the gospel ii. Emotional: resting and trusting in Christ as our only comfort and hope iii. Volitional: willfully taking Christ at his word and submitting to him

6. Selected proofs: Rom 3-4, Gal 3, Eph 2, Heb 11; WCF XI

Adoption (in detail) One of the glories of the gospel is that the justification of the sinner does not remain merely an external transaction that determines our right standing with god (though that truth is certainly glorious), but that God goes even further to adopt us his own children. Not only is the war over between us and God, but we are embraced by him as prodigal sons and daughters.

1. Adoption defined: adoption is an act of God’s grace by which he accepts justified sinners as his own children and gives them all the benefits of Jesus’ meritorious works as an eternal inheritance (John 1:12)

2. The benefits of adoption: our adoption as God’s sons and daughters brings with it innumerable graces, including the following – (a) The indwelling Spirit of adoption, by which we are able to pray to God intimately as

“Abba, father” (Rom 8:15) (b) A new name and identity imprinted upon us by God, showing us to be his

possession (Rev 3:12) (c) Access to the throne of grace, through Christ, allowing us the ability to approach the

presence of God boldly and with confidence, not with the shame of orphans (Eph 3:12; Rom 5:2)

(d) God’s protection and encouragement in all our endeavors, whereby nothing in this world can separate us from his enduring love (Rom 8:39)

(e) God’s loving discipline, whereby he chastises us for our sins, as a loving father to his children, and restores us through repentance and new obedience (Heb 12:7ff)

(f) The seal of the Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our future inheritance of eternal life, as co-heirs with Christ (1 Pet 1:3)

3. Living as sons: As adopted sons and daughters, we are free to live not as orphans, alienated from God, but as his own beloved possession. However, rather than serving as a license to sin with abandon and presume God’s forgiveness, our adoption spurs us to pursue spiritual disciplines and to diligently keep God’s law in order to please him.

4. Selected proofs: Eph 1:5; Gal 4:6, 5:4-5; Rom 8:15-17; John 1:12; Heb 12:6ff; WCF XII


Sanctification (in detail) A key contribution of the Reformation was the clarification that justification and sanctification are to be distinguished (many Patristic and Medieval theologians combined the two) but never fully separated: sanctification is intimately connected with justification, such that a truly justified sinner will be sanctified.

1. A change in inner nature: whereas justification is primarily an imputation of Christ’s righteousness from outside us, sanctification is the actual process of infusing righteousness into the justified sinner so that his nature is transformed into increasing Christ-likeness. (a) Regeneration implants a new spirit or a renewed heart, and sanctification continues

the process of enlivening the sinner to live out of this newness of life. (b) This change, like justification and all the other steps in the ordo salutis, flows from

God’s grace based on the merits of Christ’s death and resurrection. (c) Sanctification is achieved through the inner working of Christ by grace, through the

instruments of his Word and Spirit.

2. There are two ways of looking at sanctification: (a) Initiatory: sanctification can be spoken of as a one-time consecrating, or separation,

of the sinner from the greater mass of mankind to be holy unto God. (b) Ongoing / progressive: sanctification is more often spoken of as the lifelong of

growing in holiness unto final glorification.

3. There are two directions in which sanctification operates: (a) Putting off sin: sanctification is first the mortification, or putting to death, of the

entire “body of sin” in us. The power of sin over our lives is dealt the death blow: while we still struggle with sin, we are no longer enslaved to it as the ruling principle in our lives. Because the power of sin has been definitively broken, justified sinners are no longer considered “totally depraved” like the unregenerate.

(b) Putting on holiness: sanctification then proceeds in the vivification, or bringing to life, of our souls to the saving graces that we have received from Christ. We are renewed in the whole man after the image of Jesus, and we are now enslaved to him as the ruling principle in our lives. But this kind of slavery is a glorious thing!

4. Who acts in sanctification? Whereas election, regeneration, justification, and adoption are all monergistic – that is, actions that God undertakes on his own independent of our involvement – sanctification can be viewed as a concurrence: God acts, and man acts in response (Phil 2:12-13). (a) On the one hand, the Bible speaks of God sanctifying us by his grace. In this sense,

one can say that sanctification is “by grace alone through faith alone,” in that we cannot be sanctified without God acting on us first.

(b) On the other hand, once justified, we certainly have an obligation to respond in obedience and pursue ongoing sanctification. This dimension of sanctification illustrates how the moral law of God has ongoing relevance in its “third use”: serving as a guide and rule for Christians to live by.


5. Sanctification is real, but never complete in this life. We are being sanctified through and through, but the Christian will experience times of greater or lesser sanctification as he struggles against besetting sins. (a) Some remnants of corruption will always remain until death: the flesh battles

against the Spirit, and the Spirit battles against the flesh. (b) However, a truly justified Christian will see a general trajectory of growth in

sanctification in his life, despite ups and downs. (c) Sanctification is only completed upon death and glorification, which perfects our

holiness in Christ.

6. Selected proofs: Ep 2:10; 1 Cor 6:11; Acts 20:32; Rom 6:5; John 17:17; Eph 5:26; 2 Cor 7:1; 1 Thess 5:23; WCF XIII


• You are evaluating a mercy case involving an unemployed man who has come to Uptown for financial support for his family. He claims to be a Christian, and you work with him on a restoration plan whereby you want to see positive steps forward in his stewardship and personal sanctification before the church commits to increase its financial support of his family. At a recent meeting, he complained about your constant questions about his spiritual life: “Why won't you just accept me as born again? Yes, I struggle with drinking and stuff, but get off my back and give us the money!” How can you explain to him the relationship between sanctification (and regeneration) and “being a Christian?” Why is sanctification such a vital sign to confirm whether someone is truly justified?

• How can the “golden chain” of salvation (Rom 8:28) – a.k.a., the ordo salutis – in itself be an encouragement to help someone find assurance?

Further study: Assurance of salvation The doctrine of assurance is not technically part of the Reformed ordo salutis, but it is an important outworking of the entire salvation process.

1. Definition: Assurance is the inward certainty that I am truly a child of God, that I have

received his grace and mercy, that I am united to Christ and justified in the eyes of God, and that I will persevere until final glorification.

2. Basis: Assurance is based on the divine truths and promises of Scripture and the inward evidences of grace and redemption. (a) Scriptural promises: God has promised that he will carry to completion all those

whom he has called, regenerated, justified, and sanctified. He has guaranteed that our sins are washed clean in Christ, that we are no longer under his wrath, and that he will raise us up at the last day. 1 John 3:2; John 1:12; Phil 1:6; Rom 8:28-30;

(b) Inward evidences: i. Bearing fruit of righteousness – our progress in sanctification is one of the best

indicators of whether we are truly saved.


ii. Internal testimony of the Holy Spirit – the Spirit bears witness in our hearts that we are truly God's children. In fact, the Spirit is himself the down payment or deposit of our future inheritance. If we have the Spirit, we will receive the inheritance.

3. Assurance is possible for all Christians. How do we find assurance?

(a) Meditate on Christ. He is the mirror of our sanctification. (b) Pursue the ordinary means. Regular partaking of the sacraments and hearing the

Word preached is essential to assurance. In addition, the ordinary spiritual disciplines of prayer, meditation on God's word, and Christian fellowship contribute to (or revive!) assurance.

(c) Assurance, while attainable, is not always guaranteed throughout the course of the life of the Christian. There will be many times when a Christian will doubt his salvation, be shaken due to ongoing unrepentant sin, or otherwise go through periods of reduced light in which he is shaken and chastised. However, we are never so astray from God that we are not able to return to resting in God's promises and have assurance of our salvation.

4. Selected proofs: Heb 6:11,19; Rom 8:15; 1 John 5:13; John 20:31; WCF XVIII


10 Church (Ecclesiology)

• Nature and purpose of the church

o Visible and invisible

o Militant and triumphant

o Church and kingdom

o Marks of the church

• Means of grace

o Word

o Sacraments

Baptism

Lord's Supper

• Worship

o Regulative principle

o Elements and circumstances

class

Class 10: Church (Ecclesiology)



• The church of Christ is the community of faith that is called together and united by the Holy Spirit to serve as the embodiment of the kingdom of God on earth and in heaven.

• There is a “visible” and an “invisible” aspect of the church. • There are three primary marks of the church: preaching of the Word, right administration

of the sacraments, and discipline. • There are chiefly two means of grace given to the church by Christ: preaching and

sacraments (baptism and the Lord's Supper). • The Reformed tradition has generally upheld the “regulative principle” of worship.

Introduction The doctrines of Christ (person and work; Class 8) and salvation (how individual believers are saved within the Covenant of Grace; Class 9) naturally lead to the final major area of theology we will cover: the church. The church consists of those who are united to Christ and participate in the blessings of salvation that are applied by the Holy Spirit. The Reformed tradition has emphasized that the church is not a physical or political institution but rather a spiritual organism with both a tangible, earthly element and a heavenly element. The church is the global and historical (OT and NT) communion of all the saints in Christ.

Nature and purpose of the church The Protestant definition of the church is that it consists of all the faithful, called and gathered out of the world in Christ, who exist in communion to worship and serve the Triune God and partake of the redemptive work freely offered through Christ. It is a community of the saints – the bride of Christ.


Are all members of a church elect? What is the difference between the “visible” and “invisible” church? “Militant” and “triumphant”?

What is the difference between the “church” and the “kingdom” of God?

What are the three marks of the church?

Visible and invisible A distinction must be drawn in how we look at the scope and purity of the church. This does not mean there are two churches, but that the one true church can be seen from two perspectives.

1. Visible aspect: the “visible church” is the communion of all living men and women who profess faith in Christ, and of their children. Some clarifications:



(a) It is a mixed community: it is made up of both wheat and tares (Matt 13), of sheep and goats (Matt 25), of both true believers and non-believers (including those who have not yet come to faith but eventually will, and those who are not elect at all).

(b) It partakes of the means of grace, serves as the “hands and feet” of Christ on earth, and forms a physical, tangible covenant community. As such, it partakes of true spiritual benefits – even those who are not actually elect.

(c) It has existed both as the faithful community of Israel in the OT era and is now consummated in the NT church of both believing Jews and believing Gentiles.

(d) Membership in the visible church is a necessary part of the Christian life, as it is the nucleus for spiritual life (preaching, sacraments, etc.), the only pillar of truth (1 Tim 3:15), and the avenue for obedience and submission to oversight (1 Tim 3; Heb 13:17; 1 Pet 5:5).

(e) It will only be completely purified at the end of the age, when Christ will separate the faithful from the hypocrites.

2. Invisible aspect: the “invisible church” is the whole number of the elect, in all ages

past / present / future, whom are gathered into true union with Christ by the Spirit. Some clarifications: (a) “Invisible” does not mean “unreal,” but rather the term emphasizes that only God

knows the identities of those who constitute the true body of Christ. (b) Members of the outward, visible church may not in fact be part of the invisible

church (e.g., hypocrites). However, in ordinary circumstances all members of the invisible church will be part of the visible church; exceptions would include people converted just before death or people converted in a mission area where no local church has been established.

3. Selected proofs: Matt 13, Matt 25, Heb 6 / 10, WLC 61-65.

Militant and triumphant 1. Militant: In the age before the return of Christ, the church on earth is “militant,” in that

it is called to engage in holy warfare in a hostile world.

2. Triumphant: The church in heaven – the saints that have been gathered to Christ prior to the resurrection – is the “triumphant” church, in that their battle has been won and they now worship Christ in full glory until the end of the present age.

Church and kingdom We also distinguish between what we mean by “church” and by “kingdom of God.”

1. Church: the church is both an organism – a living spiritual community – and an institution. It is a specific manifestation of God's people that has publicly professed allegiance to Christ and endeavors to improve upon that through preaching, sacraments, prayer, worship, instruction, and governance.



2. Kingdom of God: the kingdom of God is primarily an eschatological concept, in that it refers to the consummation of the people of God under the eternal reign of Christ. In other words, the kingdom of God, in biblical usage, is the extension of the theocratic rule of Christ as King over all his people.

3. Similarities between the two: the kingdom and the invisible church both include the full number of the regenerate / elect.

4. Differences between the two: (a) The kingdom is a broader concept than church. It represents the dominion of God

over every sphere of human life, not just the religious sphere. (b) The church the most visible and important embodiment of the broader kingdom, but

it is not the only thing. For instance, a private Christian school is rightly a part of God's kingdom but may not in all cases be part of the church.

(c) The church is the primary means by which the kingdom of God is extended. (d) The church is the temporal, preparatory realization of the eschatological kingdom.

Marks of the church In the present age, there is a need to differentiate between the true church of Christ and false churches (e.g., Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and various sects). Reformed theology has recognized three marks, or signs, of the true church.

1. True preaching of the Word: the church of Christ faithfully ministers the Word of God to his people as the most central element of worship and church life. Preaching may not be perfect, but there is a limit beyond which error in teaching / doctrine is no long in accord with the Bible (e.g., outright denial of Jesus’ divinity) and, thus, renders a community no longer part of the true “church.”

2. Right administration of the sacraments: in addition to the preaching of the Word, true churches are also obedient to Christ's command to administer his sacraments (or ordinances) of baptism and the Lord's Supper in a way that is in accord with Scripture. See below for more.

3. Faithful exercise of discipline: true churches also follow the biblical commands to care for and guard the purity of the body and individual sinners through church discipline. (a) Discipline has three aims: (a) preserve the glory of God; (b) maintain the purity of

the church; (c) reclaim and restore the sinner through repentance. (b) Discipline is spiritual, not corporal. (c) Discipline can include verbal and written censure, suspension of sacraments,

removal from office, and excommunication. (d) See Matt 18:15-20; 1 Cor 5:5,13; BCO 27




• You have begun mentoring a young man who has been visiting Uptown and is part of your department at work. After he has visited Uptown several months, you ask him if he plans to take the membership class and join. He replies, “At my old church, we didn't have church membership. We didn't really think it was necessary, and everyone was treated equally as a regular attender.” How would you respond to emphasize the need of being part of the church?

• As an elder or deacon over a church of sinners, why is it important to keep in mind the distinction between the visible and invisible aspects of the church? How can this distinction help in ministry?

Means of grace For the edification of the church and the effective execution of its duties on earth, the Holy Spirit has empowered it with official means of grace. These “means” are the instruments by which the special, saving grace of God is truly and spiritually offered to produce and strengthen all the benefits of Christ's redeeming love, from conversion to sanctification. The church's power in being the “mother” of the saints and the bride of Christ is derived from her possession and administration of these means of grace. Reformed theology has in most cases recognized two means of grace: the word and sacraments. However, many theologians include prayer as a third means, which is echoed in the Westminster Standards (WSC 88). The discussion below will focus on the first two; prayer will be covered in Class 11.


What is the Presbyterian argument for infant baptism?



Word 1. The reading and preaching of the inspired Word of God is an activity sanctioned by

Christ by which the Spirit applies redemptive truth to the mind and heart of a sinner, with the goal of convicting and converting him / her.

2. The Holy Spirit empowers the reading, and especially the preaching of the Word by ordained ministers of the gospel, as an effectual means of grace to convince and convert sinners (WSC 89).

3. Preaching is also the appointed means for regular edification and strengthening of the

saints, as the Word brings them into communion with God such that they may be reminded of his commands and receive encouragement by his promises.

4. The Word preached emphasizes two aspects of God's revelation: (a) Law, which convicts of sin and directs us how to live (found in both OT and NT) (b) Gospel, which presents Christ's atoning work as the remedy for sin (also found in

both OT and NT)

Sacraments 1. General definition: a sacrament is a holy ordinance instituted by God, in which

sensory (physical, tangible) signs are used to communicate, represent, seal, and apply the grace of God and the benefits of the covenant of grace to believers. (a) Outward sign: each sacrament has a material, palpable sign that impacts the senses.

In baptism this is the water, and in the Lord's Supper this is the bread and wine. (b) Inward seal: the outward sign of a sacrament corresponds with an inward spiritual

grace that is both signified (held forth to the recipient) and sealed (effectively applied to the heart).

(c) Union between sign and seal: the essence of the sacrament is not the physical act, nor the purity of the one administering it or receiving it, but rather the spiritual work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart of the recipient, which brings about the union between the outward sign and the inward sealing on the hearts of the recipients.

2. Significance: Christ's holy sacraments are not primarily works of men. Rather, they

are primarily works of God, by which he, as covenant Lord, extends his grace afresh to us and strengthens / sustains us. In other words, whereas some traditions hold that sacraments are man's works of obedience towards God (e.g., Baptists), Reformed theology has held that they are actually chiefly God's works of love towards us. This does not, of course, negate the element of responsive covenant obedience that is our role in the sacrament, but rather shifts the emphasis.

3. Number: Protestantism has stressed two sacraments (baptism and the Lord's Supper), over against the seven of Roman Catholicism (baptism, eucharist, marriage, ordination, penance, extreme unction, confirmation).

4. Selected proofs: Matt 28:19; 1 Cor 11; Luke 22; WSC 91-97.



Baptism 1. General definition: baptism is the washing with water, in the name of the Father, Son,

and Holy Spirit, to signify and seal three spiritual realities: (a) Our ingrafting into the body of Christ – God's bringing us really and spiritually

into the true church, with union to Christ by the Holy Spirit (b) Our partaking of the covenant of grace – God's extension of the covenant blessings

purchased by Christ to those who receive baptism (c) Our engagement to be the Lord's – our public declaration that we are believers in

Christ and endeavor to follow him as Lord

2. Necessary elements: from the time of the early church, Christianity has emphasized two main necessities in baptism, which are essential to any true baptism. (a) Water – baptism is rightly administered only with water. (b) Trinitarian formula – Christian baptism must be in the name of the Father, Son,

and Holy Spirit

3. Mode: Historically, Reformed churches have emphasized that the main spiritual truth being symbolized by the washing with water is the purification of sin. The NT does not explicitly specify a mode, and the Bible's word for “baptize” (baptizo) is a generic word that denotes a cleansing or washing. (a) Thus, Reformed churches have maintained liberty regarding the mode: immersion,

pouring, and sprinkling are all acceptable and valid practices, though most PCA churches practice pouring or sprinkling (see BCO 56-5)

(b) The early church practiced immersion for adults but permitted other modes, as evidenced by such early writings as the Didache (early 2nd century). Their focus was water, not mode.

(c) Baptists who insist on immersion are outside the norm of Christian practice since the apostolic age. This stipulation, while popular among Baptist and non-denominational churches today, is actually a somewhat recent introduction.

4. Recipients: Reformed churches, including the PCA, have insisted that the proper

recipients of baptism are (a) adults who profess faith and join the visible church (which all agree upon), and (b) children of members of the visible church. The biblical practice of baptizing infants (“paedobaptism”) is founded on the following considerations: (a) Membership in the covenant: the Covenant of Grace that God instituted with

Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, etc. is a spiritual covenant, in which the members of the covenant are ingrafted and saved only by the effective work of the Spirit. The sign of the covenant does not in itself save, but it does signify both outwardly and inwardly that the recipient of the sign is a member of the covenant. See Rom 4.

(b) OT covenant sign: in the OT era, the infant children of believing Jews were recipients of the covenant sign of circumcision, which was applied to male children but symbolically included females. Infants were viewed as covenant members by virtue of their parents' participation in the covenant, and they received covenant benefits and were considered members of Israel. See Gen 17; Deut 29:10-13; Josh 8:35.



(c) Covenantal continuity: the new covenant inaugurated by Christ in the NT era is identical with the prior administrations of the covenant of grace in the OT. The mediator, blessings, faith requirement, and membership are the same. See Gal 3:13-18; 1 Tim 2:5-6; Gen 15:6 / Rom 4:3.

(d) NT covenant sign: given the continuity of the covenant, Christ instituted new covenant signs that parallel and replace the OT signs. Circumcision is replaced by baptism (Col 2:11). If children of covenant believers in the OT received the covenant sign, it is both logical and natural that children of NT covenant believers would also receive the sign. God would not take a child from the covenant family and place him outside the covenant.

(e) Absence of contrary command: in the apostolic era, the church consisted of converted Jews who would have been accustomed to giving children the covenant sign. Given that the apostolic writers went to great lengths to jettison the elements of Judaism that had passed away in Christ, it would be surprising if they would have failed to do so with circumcision / baptism if in fact the new church was to exclude infants from the covenant. In other words, there is strong logic to the notion that if the church were no longer to consider infants part of the covenant, as they had been for thousands of years, the epistles would have at least mentioned it.

(f) Household baptisms: Acts records several instances in which the father of a household professed faith and subsequently had his entire household baptized. In that era, a “household” included both children and servants. While children are not explicitly mentioned, there is good reason to believe that these household baptisms in fact included children and even servants who did not yet share in the faith of the head of the household, but were treated as covenant members.

(g) Principle of representation: throughout church history, God has dealt with his covenant family through representatives; that is, the blessings of the covenant accrue to all who are in the covenant based on the faith of the representative, regardless of whether all members of the covenant actually believe. Representation does not save, but it does determine covenant relations. The principle of parental representation is consistent with infant baptism.

(h) Holiness of children: the NT speaks of the children as being federally “holy” on behalf of their believing parents (1 Cor 7:12-15). Moreover, Jesus gathered the children and blessed them, saying that of such is the kingdom of God (Matt 19).

(i) Explicit promise: the promises of the gospel of Christ are offered to “you, your children after you, and all who are far off” (Acts 2:39).

(j) Church history: the universal testimony of the early church writings is that infant baptism was the norm. Origen wrote that “we received this practice from the apostles,” and numerous other early writers agree. The only counter-argument came from Tertullian. Moreover, the consistent practice of the church (Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Protestant) since the first century has been to baptize both believing adults and children of believers; the denial of infant baptism did not arise until the Anabaptists of the Reformation and, much later, the dispensational (and some Calvinistic) branches of Baptists in the 18th century (who, by definition, undercut the covenant framework for baptism).



5. Result of baptism: baptism of adults or children does not in itself save or regenerate, nor does it presume regeneration. (a) Rather, it signals the entrance of the recipient into the visible covenant community,

which bears with the obligations to improve baptism (through repentance, faith, and obedience) and, in the case of children, to make personal confession of faith in Christ at the age of discretion.

(b) Since a baptized child is truly part of the covenant, to reject the church upon age is covenant-breaking that brings about discipline from the church.

Lord's Supper 1. General definition: the Lord's Supper (or Holy Communion, or Eucharist) is the

giving and receiving of bread and wine, according to the command of Christ, whereby his death is symbolized, and the recipients are by faith made partakers of his body, blood, and all his benefits for their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace.

2. Elements and institution: (a) Bread: the breaking and partaking of the bread represents the breaking of Christ's

body for the redemption of sinners. (b) Wine: the drinking of the wine represents the shedding of Christ's blood and the

offering of it as a sacrifice to satisfy divine judgment. (c) Words of command: Jesus commands us to “Take, eat” and “Drink all of it.” (d) Covenantal context: the ordinance established (at the Last Supper) and renewed the

new covenant in Christ's blood. (e) Use: the physical elements give a vivid representation of Christ's sacrifice and

spiritually nourish and strengthen the soul of the recipient. (f) Unity: the Lord's Supper is a family meal of members of the visible church. It is to

be protected from pollution (“fencing the table”).

3. Four views of the sacrament:

Transubstantiation Consubstantiation (“Real Presence”) Symbolic memorial Dynamic / spiritual

presence The Roman Catholic Church maintains that the elements (bread and wine) transform into the literal body and blood of Christ in the presence of the church, and that the offering of the mass is a re-sacrifice of Christ for sins.

The Lutheran church holds, in a slightly different way than the Roman church, that the bread and wine remain what they are, but that Christ's body and blood are really, locally, physically present in the elements of the Supper.

The view of many Protestant churches since Zwingli is that the sacrament is a commemorative rite by which Christ's work is remembered. It is primarily an external rite, not a spiritual transaction.

The Reformed view is that Christ is not present physically or locally in the elements, but that by the Holy Spirit he is truly encountered in both body and blood, for our spiritual nourishment, through faith. The Supper brings Christ to the communicant in a real, spiritual, non-physical and, thus, mysterious way.



4. Proper recipients: According to 1 Cor 11, the Lord's Supper is only for those who can examine themselves regarding their faith and participation in Christ. Thus, the following people are excluded from the table when the Lord's Supper is officiated: (a) Non-believers: anyone who eats and drinks without being a true member of God's

church eats and drinks judgment on themselves. (b) Children: baptized children in the church are not allowed to partake until they

reach the years of discretion and can examine themselves according to 1 Cor 11; at Uptown, all non-communing youth members are examined by the elders before they are admitted as communing members.

(c) Unrepentant believers: true Christians who have in various ways fallen out of fellowship with the church or harbor unrepentant sins are encouraged to stay back until they are restored, lest they profane the table.


• A friend in the church had a baby 12 months ago but, to your knowledge, has never had her baptized. You ask him why, and he says he does not believe in infant baptism. How would you go about teaching him the importance of baptizing his baby girl?

• A question comes before Session regarding a new member's request to be rebaptized, since he was originally baptized in the Roman Catholic Church as an infant. How would you respond?

• You have invited your coworker to church, and you have doubts about whether he is truly a Christian. He is not a member of any church and would classify himself as a seeker. It just so happens that it is the third Sunday of the month, and the Lord's Supper will take place during worship. What do you tell him? Should you let him participate?

Worship Corporate worship is central to the life of the Presbyterian church, which maintains a high view of what is taking place during Sabbath worship. Worship is primarily an inner reality – an encounter of the Christian, in fellowship with others, with the living God – not an external matter of rituals and gestures.

Regulative principle 1. “Normative” principle: the Lutheran (and other churches) teach that anything the

Bible prescribes must be part of Christian worship, but also that anything else is allowable in worship so long as there is no biblical command against it (adiaphora, or “things indifferent”). For instance, if there is no biblical prohibition on doing dramatic plays during corporate worship, they are permissible.

2. “Regulative” principle: the Reformed tradition, taking its cue from Calvin and the Puritans, focus on the “regulative principle of worship.” This principle states that Christian worship may only consist of those elements which are expressly commanded in Scripture or which appear with approval. God is offended by anything in his worship



that is not prescribed in his word. For instance, if the Bible is silent on doing dramatic plays, then it is not permissible in corporate worship.

Elements and circumstances 1. Elements: under the regulative principle, certain features of worship are required, such as:

(a) Prayer (Phil 4:6) (b) Preaching of the word (Col 1:25) (c) Sacraments (see above) (d) Singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph 5:19, Col 3:16) (e) Public reading of Scripture (1 Tim 4:13) (f) Collection of offerings and tithes (Gal 2:10, 1 Cor 9:3-12) (g) Oaths / vows / laying on of hands (Heb 6:2, 2 Tim 1:6) (h) Recitation of creeds (2 Tim 2:11, Phil 2:6ff [an example])

2. Circumstances: within this framework of the essentials of worship, there is latitude in

how these elements are practices by local churches. Such “circumstances” include: (a) Style of music and types of instruments used (b) Format of service (liturgical, non-liturgical) (c) Form of prayer (d) Style of preaching (e) Time of the worship service (f) Length of the worship service (g) Songs to sing (psalms only, hymns, etc.) (h) Use of voice amplification (i) Use of PowerPoint (j) Style of bulletins


• Recently you've heard numerous “old-guard” members of the church grumble about new songs and new musical direction: they like the old way better, and they are complaining about it a lot. As an officer of the church, how can you address their concerns through teaching on elements vs. circumstances, such that you can preserve unity?


11 Practical Theology

• Prayer

• Discipleship

• Counseling

• Evangelism

• Missions and mercy

class

Class 11: Practical Theology



• All areas of theology are ultimately meant for application to the life of the sinner and the edification of the church. In other words, all theology is inherently practical.

• Prayer is the offering up of our desires, petitions, confessions, and thanksgivings to God for our own edification and for our engagement with the providence of God.

• Discipleship is the life-on-life process of mentoring another person in Christian living. • Counseling is the application of God's Word to diagnose and correct spiritual illness.

• Evangelism is the ministry of presenting the gospel to the lost sinner with the hope that the Holy Spirit might enable him to put their trust in Christ.

• The church is called to missions (at home and abroad) and mercy ministries.

Introduction In the preceding classes, we have undertaken a comprehensive study of the nature of church office, the history of our church and the Reformation, and the theological distinctives and core doctrines of Reformed theology. Along the way, we have attempted to take what we understand about these biblical teachings and apply them to scenarios that you may run into as an elder and deacon. Our last topic is in a similar vein: practical theology. Practical theology embodies various aspects of how theological truths are applied in the lives of the individual and the church. It includes such topics as missions, preaching, psychology, counseling, worship, administration, spiritual formation, pastoral care, and much more. For our purposes in this class, we will focus on five key areas: (a) definition, (b) aspects and practical guidelines, and (c) Uptown's practice.


How do I take all this theology and apply it directly to my ministry in the life of the church? Do I have an appropriate view of prayer?

What is the role of the elder / deacon in discipling and counseling?

Do I actually know the gospel? Can I present it coherently and persuasively?

Prayer

1. What is prayer? Prayer is, simply put, conversation with God. It is “the offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies” (WSC 98).

Offering up Prayer is an act of worship unto God. We are able, as God's

children, to approach him directly to bear our souls and receive his chastisement, correction, mercy, and reassurance.



Of our desires Prayer rightly encompasses that which we need and desire from God, both spiritual and material. We rightly pray that God would incline himself to meet our needs.

Unto God We pray to the Triune God (not saints, angels, or nebulous

immanent forces in nature) with the expectation that we will be heard and that God will respond in due course as he sees fit.

For things agreeable to his will

We aim to align our wills to God's when we pray, not asking for things that are sinful or selfish, but only for those things that bring glory to him. God will only “answer” prayer in such a way that is in agreement with his will (Matt 26:39).

In the name of Christ

We do not simply tack on “in Christ's name” as a mere formality, but we acknowledge that it is only through Christ's intercession (Rom 8:34), and by virtue of his death and resurrection that opened the way to God, that we can approach God with confidence in prayer (John 15:16).

With confession of our sins

Sin is the blight and pollution that interrupts and perverts our discourse with God. Thus, we must daily confess our sins unto God in prayer in order to receive new forgiveness and to better enable our prayers to be proper, holy, and glorifying to God.

And thankful acknowledgement of his mercies

All we have is from God, by his grace and mercy; thus, we must never tire of thanking him for all things, whether seemingly small (waking up each day) or large (salvation).

2. What does prayer achieve? If God is omniscient and sovereign, why pray? In one

sense, prayer does not inform God of anything, since he knows all things and knows our prayers before we offer them (Matt 6:8). However, prayer achieves the following: (a) Obedience: Prayer nurtures our obedience to God. We go to him for direction and

instruction, and we or obligated to discern his will through prayer. (b) Comfort: Prayer is God's appointed means of dealing with our emotional lives,

from our anxieties to our rejoicing. (c) Conversation: Prayer is two-way dialog with God, in which we present ourselves

to him and he responds through his Spirit, Word, the church, or events. (d) Efficacy: Prayer is effective. Yes, God is sovereign. But he has ordained to

achieve his predetermined ends through his predetermined means, which include prayer. In other words, Christians do have, in some sense, a means of influencing God's providential control of all things, because he has decreed it so! He answers prayer. His providence extends even to our prayers (Rom 8:26ff), as his Spirit prompts prayer in our own hearts and even intercedes for us.

(e) Worship: Prayer brings honor to God as we praise and adore him in our words. (f) Dependence: Prayer is also a means by which we increasingly align our wills to

God's by submitting ourselves again and again to his care. Prayer promotes a



disposition of dependence on God, which is necessary in the Christian life. (g) Covenant duty: Simply put, prayer is ultimately a response to God's command. He

has instructed us to bring our cares and petitions to him

3. How to pray (a) The Bible indicates that numerous modes of prayer are pleasing to God

• Personal / private prayer (Matt 6:6) • Family prayer (Gen 25:21) • Small group prayer (Acts 1:14) • Corporate prayer (Acts 12:5) • Pastoral / intercessory prayer by a church leader (Num 21:7) • Prayer in song (Ps 42:8; 1 Cor 14:15; Col 3:16) • National prayer (Daniel 9)

(b) The Lord's Prayer is our “rule for direction in prayer” (WSC 99), which Christ prescribes both as a model for prayer (Matt 6:9, “pray then like this...”) and as an actual prayer to be spoken (Luke 11:2, “when you pray, say...”).

(c) Reformed prayer can be both “extemporaneous” (new, fresh words spoken) or “liturgical” (set form of prayer recited the same way each time); historically, the emphasis in most Presbyterian churches has been on the former.

4. Uptown's approach to prayer:

(a) Prayer is encouraged in all areas: personal, family, life groups, committees, etc. (b) During worship, the following prayers are common: call to worship, pastoral

prayer, prayer before and after the sermon, closing benediction, prayers for missionaries / new members / baptisms, and prayer during the Lord's Supper. Both corporate and private times of confession are used.

Discipleship 1. What is discipleship? Discipleship is equipping the saints for the work of ministry.

(a) Discipleship is when God uses an individual (or group, in some cases) to press his Word into the lives of other Christians on a regular basis with the goals of i. Sanctification ii. Overflow into ministry

(b) Put differently, discipleship is the process by which a more mature believer exhorts, guides, challenges, and prays for another believer, with a goal of transformation.

(c) It is not simply one-way, however, since the exercise of discipleship often results in growth and sanctification for the mentor / discipler as well.

2. Why is discipleship so important?

(a) We cannot always see good or bad patterns in ourselves (b) We learn and grow best within a relational context (c) Much of learning and changing is by way of example (d) Discipling relationships remind us others have done this before (e) God uses it as a primary way to develop leaders for his church

3. Discipling dynamics



(a) Who should disciple? Generally everyone! All Christians are given Spiritual gifts for the edification of the church (1 Co 12; 1 Thess 5). Leaders of the church are especially charged with raising up faithful men. The pattern: Paul → Timothy → Faithful men → Others (2 Tim 2). Disciplers should be men / women with some degree of spiritual maturity and experience, with humility, with willingness to use their gifts, and with a desire to impact others for the kingdom.

(b) Who should be discipled? Generally … everyone! A good candidate to be discipled is someone who is willing, interested, committed, teachable, and interested in multiplying (mentoring someone else). It is not necessarily a “younger” person.

4. Uptown's approach to discipleship:

(a) Broad discipleship: Adult Sunday School, prayer triads, and life groups. (b) One-one-one discipleship: Uptown has a “Discipleship Manual” in the Resource

center (and materials from Sunday School classes; see Nov / Dec 2011) that can help a discipleship pair work through the process of mentoring.

Counseling

1. What is counseling? Christian counseling is the systematic, personal application of Scripture truth to help believers resolve personal issues of faith and life. In short, counseling is giving direction on how to live.

2. Effective counseling acts along three dimensions: (a) Understanding the human problem – pride, sin, idolatry, brokenness (b) Understanding the process for human healing – the gospel of Christ, promoting

repentance and restoration (c) Understanding the healthy human life – life as Christ intended it to be

3. An overview of the process of counseling

1. Discovery 2. Diagnosis 3. Resolution Gather information by listening to a person's situations, emotions, sin patterns, etc.

Define the root problem, incl. key issues of brokenness and sin based.

Develop and facilitate an action plan to bring about a return to wholeness.

• Active listening • Empathy • Concreteness • Questions for self-

exploration • Identifying feelings

• Dynamic self-understanding

• Empathy • Counselor Self-

disclosure • Confrontation • Summarizing

• Discovering what has been tried

• Exploring the range of possibilities

• Deciding on and documenting the plan

• Following up with progress and relapses

4. Uptown's approach: (a) In general, much counseling takes place among the pastors.



(b) However, officers are encouraged to counsel among their flock (or life group, etc.) to the extent they are equipped, available, and willing.

(c) All leaders of God's church are charged with the spiritual care of the flock.

Evangelism

1. What is evangelism? To evangelize is to “present Christ Jesus to sinful men in order that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, they may come to faith in Christ, to accept Him as their Savior and to serve Him as their King in the fellowship of His church” (Packer). Notice the key elements of evangelism:

Present Christ Evangelism is simply proclaiming the gospel in all its aspects. To sinful men The target of evangelism is specifically the unconverted. Through the Holy Spirit

Evangelism derives its content, power, and efficacy from the Spirit alone, not from the skill, ingenuity, or persuasiveness of man. However, we are nevertheless called to improve our abilities in sharing the gospel, as the Holy Spirit's instruments.

That they may come

We winsomely hope the unconverted will be effectually called by the Holy Spirit, but these results are left to the Spirit, not to our methods. This prevents us from compulsion or coercion.

To faith in Christ

The object of the faith we preach is not mere “belief for belief's sake,” but rather the work and person of Christ.

To accept Him as Savior … and King

The goal of all evangelism is not merely to produce “decisions for Christ as Savior” (which is modern, quasi-Arminian way of putting it) but to see men and women profess Christ as both Savior and King. True faith in a Savior necessarily results in obedience to him as Lord

In the fellowship of the church

True conversion always produces Christians who seek the fellowship of other believers in Christ's bride, the church – not simply a “me and Jesus” individualism.

2. What are the elements of the gospel? We are so often surrounded by the idea and the

terminology of the “gospel” that we may often forget how to present it in a clear, coherent, comprehensive way. The following basic elements illustrate the logical progression of a gospel presentation: (a) God: creator; holy, just, and righteous; loving and personal; sees all sin and holds

us to a high standard. Gen 1:1, Matt 5:48, Heb 4:13 (b) Man: made in God’s image; fallen into sin (both original and actual); sin is

rebellion against God’s law; sin’s consequence is death and alienation. Gen 1:26, Rom 3:23, Eph 2:1-10, Isa 53:6, Rom 6:23



(c) Christ: person (divine and human, Son of God, morally perfect) and work (died for sins, gave us righteousness, resurrected and ascended). John 1:1-14, John 3:16, 1 Tim 2:5, Rom 5:8, 2 Cor 5:21, Rom 4:25

(d) Salvation: seeking God’s mercy; repentance (turning from sin); faith (turning to Christ). Isa 55:6-7, John 6:44, Acts 16:31, John 1:12

(e) Response: trusting in Christ; new life orientation; serving the church; new love for God and his Word

3. Uptown’s approach: Uptown uses the training materials

from Matthias Media called Two Ways to Live to equip its members in sharing the gospel. (a) Please look for these materials in the Resource Center. (b) Or visit: http://www.matthiasmedia.com.au/2wtl/

Missions and mercy

1. What is missions? Missions is the worldwide enterprise of making disciples of all the nations. Put differently, it is “forming viable indigenous church-planting movements worldwide.” (a) Motivation: fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matt 28:19) and advance the

kingdom of God to all tribes, tongues, and nations. (b) Goal: to preach the gospel to all corners of the earth, such that lost sinners from

every race may come to trust in Christ and to become part of a local church. (c) Distinctives:

i. Is both a specific activity (e.g., missionaries sent out in a formal capacity) and a life principle (e.g., we are all missionaries in some capacity)

ii. Can be cross-cultural … or not iii. Can include church planting, street evangelism, medical ministry, social justice,

student ministry, construction, micro-enterprise, business-as-missions, etc. iv. Is both local, national, and international

2. Uptown’s approach to missions:

(a) Global in scope: we support over 25 missionary “units” on four continents. (b) Diverse: we support missionaries in Charlotte, Prague, London, Spain, East Asia,

India, and the Middle East (to name a few). We support agency staff, teachers, church planters, orphanage operators, and campus ministers.

(c) Financial stewardship: 8% of the church budget goes to missions, and 10% to church planting (at home and abroad).

(d) Organizationally: the church’s Missions Committee is a layperson team (under Session authority) that aims … To further Uptown’s ministry by equipping all members to live out a missions worldview and enabling missionaries in the U.S. and abroad to advance the Kingdom of God.



3. What is mercy ministry? “Mercy” refers to the active, Christ-centered ministries of compassion towards both church members (primary) and members of the broader community or other churches (secondary). (a) Put succinctly, mercy is “meeting felt needs through deeds.” (b) Mercy ministry is the church’s corporate and individual acting out of the gospel

imperative to love your neighbor as yourself. (c) Mercy ministry includes financial support, financial stewardship training, provision

of shelter / food / clothing / etc., and so forth.

4. Uptown’s approach to mercy: (a) The majority of mercy ministry at Uptown is coordinated by the Deacons, who

handle mercy opportunities that include both congregation members and outsiders seeking aid from the church.

(b) The church follows a specific process for evaluating mercy opportunities as it seeks to be a wise steward of the church’s resources.

(c) 8% of the church budget goes towards mercy ministries.


• Where is Uptown strong in these areas of Practical Theology? Where can it improve?

• What are your areas of strength? Where are you weak? What can you do to improve (e.g., “I’m weak at evangelism; I should go through Two Ways to Live training.”


12 Review Session

• Exam review

o General structure of the exam

o Review questions

• Next steps and interview process

• Final Q&A and discussion

class

Class 11: Review Session


Introduction We have come a long way in the past twelve weeks. We have covered numerous topics concerning what it means to be an officer, what Uptown Church believes to be God's truth about himself and his redemptive plan, and how these truths should be applied to the life of the church. Hopefully you have gained not only new knowledge about theology but a greater love for the flock and a desire to use what God has done in your life to bless, encourage, and strengthen his people. This final class will provide guidance on what to expect from the officer exam, help you review what you have learned from each class, and bring the officer training to a close.

Exam review General structure of the exam

1. The written officer exam is divided into two main parts. (a) The first part (Theology and Church Government) consists primarily of short

answer questions requiring 1-3 sentence written answers, with a few multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank questions mixed in. i. There are approximately 30 such questions. ii. On this part of the exam, you may use a Bible (but not one with study notes,

etc.). You may not refer to any class notes or other study resources. iii. Note that this part of the exam covers only what we have discussed in class,

what was covered in the Officer Training Manual, and the general topics covered in the WSC questions you are required to memorize. There will not be any direct questions from the supplementary readings or the BCO.

(b) The second part (English Bible Exam) consists of Bible knowledge questions covering the following: i. The sixty-six books of the Bible, in order ii. The Ten Commandments, in order iii. Bible references (book and chapter only, no verses) for various macro topics,

such as marriage, covenants, church officers, and so forth. For example, a typical question might be: “Give at least one biblical reference for the doctrine of the Trinity.” Some acceptable answers would include Matt 28, John 16, and 1 Pet 1.

2. The exam will be distributed via email from the church office manager once all

candidates have informed the Adult Ed pastor / intern regarding their intention to take the exam. You will have a few weeks to complete the exam (see schedule) and return a paper copy or .DOC file (via email) to the office manager.

3. A score of 80 or higher is required to “pass” the written exam and proceed to the officer interview. If you pass the exam, then it is “good” for three years, including this year. In other words, if you pass the exam this year but do not sit for the interview, you have two more years of eligibility before you would have to re-take the training classes and the exam.



4. It goes without saying that you are on your honor in taking the exam, given you will be

taking it on your own time.

Review questions The questions below serve as a general review for class time. Not all the questions on the officer exam will be covered below, but these questions will provide a robust starting point.

1. Introduction (a) Where are you currently in processing internal and external call? Are you leaning

towards taking the exam and sitting for the interview? (b) What issues have arisen in your heart regarding the church, your calling, your

leadership strengths / weaknesses, and so forth as you have gone through this training program?

(c) Note: these are not covered on the exam but are for open discussion during this class.

2. Polity and the PCA

(a) What are the three levels of courts in the PCA? (b) What are the three broad types of church government? Where does Uptown fit? (c) What are the two types of officers in the PCA? (d) What three documents make up the Constitution of the PCA? (e) What three main documents make up the Westminster Standards?

3. Elder and Deacon (a) What are the two orders of elder, and what is the difference? (b) What is the basic role of the elder? Deacon? (c) Where are the qualifications for elder and deacon to be find in the Bible?

4. Revelation and Scripture (a) What is general revelation? Special revelation? Is general revelation salvific? (b) Has special revelation ceased? Why or why not? (c) What does it mean when we say the Bible is “inspired”? (d) Describe the doctrine of inerrancy. (e) List 3 attributes of Scripture.

5. Reformed Theology Overview (a) When did the Reformation take place? Who were some of the key players? (b) List the “five solas” of the Reformation. (c) List the five points of the TULIP acronym.

6. Covenant Theology (a) What are the two main covenants of the Bible? (b) Describe the Covenant of Grace – mediator, promises, conditions. (c) List the six “administrations” (or stages) of the Covenant of Grace.



(d) What is the Immanuel Principle?

7. God (Theology) and Man (Anthropology) (a) Are the Son and the Spirit subordinate to the Father? Why or why not? (b) List 2 incommunicable and 2 communicable attributes of God. (c) What is God's “decree”? (d) What does it mean that man was created in the “image of God”? (e) What is original sin? What are the four states of man?

8. Christ (Christology) (a) List 2 places in Scripture that describe how Jesus is both God and man. (b) What are the offices of Christ? (c) Describe the atoning work of Christ: its nature (what did it do?) and extent (who

did it apply to?). (d) What is the difference between the passive and active obedience of Christ?

9. Salvation (Soteriology) (a) Define election. (b) List and briefly describe the elements of the Reformed Ordo Salutis. (c) What is justification? What is it based on? (d) What is sanctification? How does it differ from justification?

10. Church (Ecclesiology) (a) What is the church? What is the difference between the visible and invisible

dimensions of the church? (b) What are the three marks of the church? (c) What are the three goals of church discipline? (d) What are the means of grace? (e) What is a sacrament? Define baptism and the Lord's Supper. (f) What is the Regulative Principle of worship?

11. Practical Theology (a) What is prayer? (b) In what areas of practical theology (such as counseling, mentoring, mercy, etc.) are

you most gifted? Where can you grow and develop? [not on exam] (c) Discuss two main insights you have had during this training process regarding how

you can apply theology to the life of the church as an elder or deacon.

Next steps and interview process

1. After today's class, the next steps are as follows: (a) Inform the Adult Ed pastor or intern of your intention to take the exam (or to wait) (b) Study for the exam (c) Receive the exam from the office manager; complete the exam; submit it to the

office manager before the deadline (see schedule) (d) Continue assessing your internal and external calling



(e) If you pass the exam, you will be required to indicate your intention to sit for the in-person interview with the Session. Passing the exam does not mean (a) that you must also sit for the interview (you can wait up to 2 years), nor (b) that you are guaranteed to become an officer (the Session interview and congregational election remain).

2. Session interview process (a) The interviews will be held with the Session on one or two dates (see schedule)

depending on the number of candidates (b) You will be asked to discuss your Christian experience and your sense of call (c) The Session will then decide whether to recommend you to the congregation for

election; if not, they will provide you with feedback on areas of growth to pursue before sitting again for the interview in future years

Final Q&A and discussion


A Appendix

A. Suggested reading

B. One-page summary of Covenant Theology

C. Westminster Catechism Questions

D. Index of Key Terms

Appendix A


Appendix A: Suggested Reading The following list of books aims to help you focus your efforts in reading great works of theology and Christian living. This list is only a starting point – always feel free to consult with one of the pastors regarding ideas for books on various topics.

Reformed theology • What is Reformed Theology? Understanding the Basics. R. C. Sproul. This book is a

popular-level introduction to the five points of Calvinism and its practical implications.

• Truths we Confess: A Layman's Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith. R. C. Sproul. A three-volume set that provides commentary and analysis on the Westminster Confession, explaining the doctrines behind the confession in a way geared towards laypersons.

• Concise Theology. J. I. Packer. A doctrine-by-doctrine overview of the core teachings

of the Reformed faith, covering everything from God to hell to angels in short but dense 2-3 page chapters; it can also serve as devotional reading given the extensive use of Scripture support.

• Salvation Belongs to the Lord: An Introduction to Systematic Theology. John

Frame. Explores all the major biblical truths, explaining key terms of systematic theology, and reflecting on their implications and connections under the lordship of Christ.

• Manual of Christian Doctrine. Louis Berkhof. Required reading for Officer Training,

this book is a condensed version of Berkhof's masterful Systematic Theology, which is still used as a key textbook in Reformed seminaries almost a century after it was written.

Christian Devotion • The Pilgrim's Progress. John Bunyan. A Puritan classic – one of the most widely

printed books in history – that follows the journey of the everyman Christian from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City, utilizing an extended allegory for the Christian life.

• Knowing God. J. I. Packer. A vastly influential book in the late 20th century that seeks

to reorient the Christian from focusing on himself towards focusing on knowing and worshiping the one true God.

• Desiring God. John Piper. Another late-20th century classic that expounds Piper's view

of seeing and savoring God in all of life.

Appendix A


• Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life. John Calvin. A brief introduction to Calvin taken from his Institutes of Christian Religion, covering themes such as obedience, self-denial, the significance of the cross, and how believers should live their lives today.

• Confessions. Augustine of Hippo. The late 4th century classic autobiography of one of

the most influential Christians who ever lived.

• The Mortification of Sin. John Owen. The classic Puritan work on how to fight against sin by the work of the Holy Spirit (modern English versions are available).

Ministry in the Church • With a Shepherd's Heart. John Sittema. Required reading for Officer Training, this

book walks through the ins and outs of being an elder.

• Ministries of Mercy. Tim Keller. Required reading for Officer Training, this book covers the motive and execution of mercy ministry by the church -- a key area for deacons.

• Life Together. Dietrich Bonhoeffer. An insightful and challenging view into life as

Christian brothers and sisters by a man who was martyred for his faith by the Nazi regime.

• Why Small Groups? C. J. Mahaney. A brief but practical guide into how to set up and

lead small groups in the church.

• How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil. D. A. Carson. A thoroughly Reformed introduction to how Christians should think about the problem of evil and suffering with respect to a good and powerful God.

• The Problem of Pain. C. S. Lewis. Another classic treatment of why suffering exists in

the world (though not entirely Reformed in perspective).

Evangelism and Apologetics • Mere Christianity. C. S. Lewis. Often cited as one of the most influential books in

many modern Christians' testimonies, this 20th century classic is Lewis' most famous and revered work on the basic argument for Christianity.

• Tell the Truth. Will Metzger. An accessible and biblically sound guide to a robust

approach to evangelism that ensures the gospel is shared in all its ramifications, not as a gospel of cheap grace.

• Apologetics to the Glory of God. John Frame. An excellent introduction to a Reformed

approach to apologetics that attempts to balance presuppositionalism and evidentialism

Appendix A


(two schools of apologetics), in order to develop an approach that glorifies God in the apologetic task.

• The Reason for God. Tim Keller. A more recent introduction to apologetics that is

eclectic in its approach, drawing insights from various areas of Christian thinking on big picture questions about God.

• The Defense of the Faith. Cornelius Van Til. The classic work by the father of

Reformed "Presuppositional" apologetics.

More recommended readings to be added in future versions of the officer manual.

Appendix B


Appendix B: One-page overview of Covenant Theology

Appendix C


Appendix C: Westminster Shorter Catechism Questions Officer candidates are required to memorize the following catechism questions from the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Q. 1. What is the chief end of man? A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him? A. The word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. Q. 4. What is God? A. God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. Q. 6. How many persons are there in the godhead? A. There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. Q. 10. How did God create man? A. God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness and holiness, with dominion over the creatures. Q. 14. What is sin? A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God. Q. 21. Who is the redeemer of God's elect? A. The only redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever. Q. 23. What offices doth Christ execute as our redeemer? A. Christ, as our redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation. Q. 33. What is justification? A. Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone. Q. 35. What is sanctification? A. Sanctification is the work of God's free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.

Appendix C


Q. 37. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death? A. The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory; and their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection. Q. 92. What is a sacrament? A. A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Christ; wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers. Q. 94. What is baptism? A. Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord's. Q. 96. What is the Lord's supper? A. The Lord's supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine according to Christ's appointment, his death is showed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace.

Appendix D


Appendix D: Index of Key Terms

A!Abraham,!23,!33,!42,!52,!58,!59,!60,!

61,!86,!111!Abrahamic,!56,!58,!59,!61!Adamic,!57,!60!adoption,!49,!99,!101,!102!Anthropology,!2,!48,!65,!66,!128!apologetics,!134!assurance,!84,!93,!103,!104!Augustine,!43,!45,!98,!133!

B!baptism,!43,!60,!61,!79,!89,!93,!106,!

108,!109,!110,!111,!112,!113,!114,!128,!137!

BCO,!12,!18,!19,!25,!26,!27,!29,!108,!111,!126!

Book!of!Church!Order,!11,!12,!18,!19!

C!Christology,!2,!49,!81,!82,!128!church,!3,!1,!3,!6,!7,!8,!9,!10,!11,!12,!

13,!14,!15,!16,!17,!18,!19,!20,!21,!22,!23,!24,!25,!26,!27,!28,!29,!32,!33,!35,!36,!39,!40,!42,!43,!44,!49,!59,!60,!63,!66,!67,!75,!78,!79,!82,!84,!85,!86,!87,!95,!100,!103,!105,!106,!107,!108,!109,!111,!112,!113,!114,!115,!118,!119,!120,!121,!122,!123,!124,!126,!127,!128,!133!

Congregational,!13!consubstantiation,!44!conversion,!49,!93,!97,!98,!99,!109,!

122!Council!of!Chalcedon,!90!Council!of!Nicaea,!90!covenant,!2,!22,!23,!25,!35,!37,!39,!

51,!52,!53,!54,!55,!56,!57,!58,!59,!60,!61,!62,!75,!86,!107,!110,!111,!112,!113,!137!

covenant!of!grace,!110,!111,!112,!137!

creation,!22,!32,!33,!39,!48,!54,!55,!58,!66,!69,!71,!72,!74,!76,!78,!93!

D!Davidic,!37,!52,!59!deacon,!3,!1,!6,!7,!8,!22,!23,!24,!25,!

27,!28,!29,!39,!109,!118,!127,!128!

divinity,!38,!79,!85,!90,!108!Docetism,!89!

E!Ecclesiology,!3,!49,!105,!128!elder,!3,!6,!7,!8,!10,!15,!20,!22,!23,!

24,!25,!26,!27,!28,!29,!39,!109,!118,!127,!128,!133!

election,!3,!20,!39,!48,!49,!58,!73,!91,!92,!93,!94,!95,!96,!99,!100,!102,!128,!129!

Episcopalian,!13!eschatology,!39!evangelism,!9,!36,!122,!123,!124,!

133!external!call,!5,!8,!97,!127!

F!faith,!4,!6,!7,!13,!29,!32,!35,!36,!38,!

39,!45,!46,!47,!48,!49,!53,!56,!58,!66,!74,!77,!82,!83,!89,!90,!92,!93,!94,!97,!98,!99,!100,!101,!102,!106,!107,!111,!112,!113,!114,!121,!122,!123,!132,!133,!136,!137!

fall,!22,!34,!39,!45,!47,!48,!52,!54,!55,!56,!57,!60,!75,!76,!82,!89,!99!

Father,!42,!48,!61,!66,!67,!68,!69,!70,!75,!79,!80,!84,!89,!90,!94,!111,!128,!136,!137!

federal,!53,!54,!56,!75,!88!first!cause,!45!five!solas,!127!

G!general!ransom,!87!general!revelation,!35,!127!glorification,!46,!48,!49,!56,!94,!95,!

99,!102,!103!grace,!3,!14,!26,!32,!34,!47,!48,!49,!

52,!53,!55,!57,!58,!59,!61,!71,!77,!92,!93,!94,!95,!96,!97,!99,!101,!102,!103,!105,!106,!107,!109,!

110,!113,!119,!128,!133,!136,!137!

H!heaven,!63,!72,!76,!79,!83,!93,!99,!

106,!107!hell,!55,!93,!132!Holy!Spirit,!33,!34,!36,!37,!38,!48,!

66,!67,!68,!69,!70,!72,!74,!75,!77,!78,!79,!83,!84,!85,!92,!97,!99,!104,!106,!109,!110,!111,!113,!118,!122,!133!

I!Immanuel!Principle,!57,!128!imputation,!99,!100,!102!inerrancy,!1,!17,!31,!36,!38,!127!infallibility,!1,!31,!36,!37,!38!inspiration,!33,!36,!37!internal!call,!1,!5,!8!

J!Jan!Hus,!43!Jesus!Christ,!8,!9,!12,!17,!32,!34,!49,!

79,!80,!82,!84,!90,!136!John!Calvin,!44,!46,!66,!133!John!Wycliffe,!43!justification,!43,!46,!47,!49,!56,!82,!

87,!89,!92,!95,!99,!100,!101,!102,!128,!136!

K!king,!12,!14,!23,!45,!49,!52,!59,!61,!

86,!87,!136!

L!Lutheran,!14,!113,!114!

M!Martin!Luther,!43,!44!means!of!grace,!109!mercy,!3,!7,!8,!9,!15,!24,!35,!70,!71,!

78,!100,!103,!117,!118,!119,!123,!124,!128,!133!

missions,!8,!17,!118,!123!Modalism,!89!

Appendix D


Mosaic,!23,!58,!59,!60,!61,!63!

N!New!Covenant,!59,!60,!61!Noahic,!57,!58,!60!

O!ordo!salutis,!49,!95,!96,!102,!103!

P!pastor,!13,!15,!16,!126,!128!prayer,!8,!35,!71,!104,!107,!109,!

115,!118,!119,!120,!121,!128!preaching,!7,!24,!27,!35,!74,!95,!97,!

106,!107,!108,!110,!115,!118!predestination,!39,!42,!48,!92,!93,!

95!Presbyterian,!1,!9,!11,!12,!13,!14,!

15,!16,!17,!18,!25,!95,!109,!114,!120!

priest,!23,!43,!44,!47,!49,!61,!86,!136!

prophet,!23,!24,!49,!85,!86,!136!propitiation,!88!

R!reconciliation,!47!

Reformation,!2,!12,!13,!14,!41,!42,!43,!44,!45,!47,!99,!102,!112,!118,!127!

regenerate,!100,!108,!113!regeneration,!47,!49,!74,!95,!97,!98,!

99,!102,!103,!113!regulative!principle,!106,!114,!115!repentance,!49,!74,!90,!98,!101,!

108,!113,!121,!123!reprobation,!48,!73,!93,!94,!95!revelation,!1,!15,!23,!32,!33,!34,!35,!

36,!37,!39,!42,!48,!52,!60,!67,!69,!85,!86,!94,!110,!127!

Roman!Catholic,!13,!14,!16,!42,!43,!44,!47,!112,!113,!114!

S!salvation,!3,!32,!34,!39,!42,!46,!47,!

48,!49,!52,!54,!56,!60,!66,!69,!79,!80,!87,!88,!90,!91,!92,!93,!94,!95,!96,!97,!99,!100,!103,!104,!106,!119!

sanctification,!49,!74,!93,!99,!102,!103,!104,!109,!120,!128,!136!

scripture,!35,!36!second!cause,!45!Sola!Christus,!47!Son,!4,!48,!49,!57,!61,!66,!67,!68,!69,!

70,!72,!73,!75,!79,!80,!82,!84,!94,!111,!123,!128,!136,!137!

Son!of!God,!4,!49,!79,!84,!123,!136!Son!of!Man,!84!sovereignty,!42,!45,!46,!73,!92,!97!special!revelation,!34,!36!symbolic!memorial,!44!

T!Theology,!2,!3,!41,!42,!45,!46,!48,!

51,!52,!53,!62,!65,!66,!73,!92,!117,!124,!126,!127,!128,!131,!132,!135!

total!depravity,!55,!75,!76,!78,!128!Trinity,!2,!18,!48,!65,!66,!67,!68,!69,!

75,!79,!82,!89,!94,!126!

U!unregenerate,!34,!47,!55,!102!

W!Westminster!Confession,!18,!44,!

132!

Z!Zwingli,!43,!44,!113!

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Officer Training Manual - v25