What is God Like?

Acts 17:24-27 "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us."

Introduction:

What is God like? Who is God? Why is God's nature and identity important to you? The first of these questions will be the focus of our post today. Such questions occupy an area of theological study we call "theology proper". Theology proper focuses particularly on the highest, the first and the greatest subject of theological inquiry - God Himself. Theology proper is the first main area of a larger discipline of theological study that is associated with God's special revelation of Himself in the Bible ("Systematic Theology"). 

One other type of theology, natural theology, is a human attempt to infer what God is like from observations of the natural world, the sciences and philosophical reflection. Oftentimes, whatever observations that are gleaned from either systematic theology or natural theology end up being factored into tracing out one's understanding of theology proper. 

The late author A.W. Tozer once noted that whatever a person thinks about God at a given moment uncovers what is most important thing about or to that person. A person's understanding about God will shape what they believe about the remainder of life and how they will live their lives. 

What is God like?

Dr. Norman Geisler has aided the Christian in many ways by his numerous theological and apologetical insights. Many other writers have benefited from Geisler's charting-out of seven major worldviews that are based upon seven different conceptions of God's nature or what God is like, as seen below:

 

When we speak about what defines ultimate reality or where does the "buck-stop" when we arrive at the ultimate explanatory reference point for everything, this is where the question "what God is like?" becomes very important. 

Atheism will tell us there is no God, or that such a being as God is an irrational concept. Atheists such as the late Carl Sagan would quip that the universe is "all there is, all there was and all that ever will be". Thus, physical time and space is the ultimate reality - on the atheistic worldview. 



Yet, both scientific inquiry and philosophical investigation confirm that the universe began to exist at a point in the finite past. Moreover, the above opening Biblical passage in Acts 17 clearly tells us "The God who made the world" is the Ultimate Cause of all things. The physical universe could not had caused itself, nor existed eternally, nor had been caused by a bigger material cause. Such notions result in the notion of something creating itself out of nothing or an infinite chain of causes and effects - both of which contradict reason, science and no doubt the Bible. The cause of the universe had to be immaterial, intelligent and eternally existing before the universe began to exist. Hence, atheism most certainly fails, since God is not even factored into its worldview.

So what about the second major worldview, polytheism, which asserts many gods, many deities, as defining God? Such representative religions as Hinduism and Mormonism subscribe to polytheism. Polytheism exists in one of two flavors: the finite variety and infinite variety. Finite varieties of polytheism express their various deities as being like mostly divine supermen and superwomen, sharing the power and carrying on their individual purposes upon the arena of human life. The other variety of polytheism has the various deities less well defined. 

The problem with polytheism is the conflict of wills and incoherence that plagues it. Again, when we consider the ultimate cause and origin of the universe, One Mind, One will and thus One God makes much more sense than a multitude of wills (compare 1 Corinthians 8:6). One only need to review the ancient forms of polytheistic thought from Greece, Rome, Babylonia, Assyria and Egypt. All those systems suffered from incoherence and ultimately collapsed in on themselves. 

So in having reviewed atheism and polytheism, we come to the next set of worldviews that limit the nature of God in one degree or another. Panentheism locates God within the world and identifies Him with it. Just as a human being is a soul with a physical body, the analogy carries forth in panentheism with God being the soul and the universe His body. The next worldview is what is termed "finite godism". Limits are placed upon God's knowledge of the future or His power. A modern example of "finite godism" is "open-theism", which suggests that God runs the world by taking risks, since He cannot know for certain what decisions we will make. 

Do the worldviews of "panentheism" or "finite-godism" square with the Bible, philosophical reflection or scientific inquiry? To answer this from strictly the Biblical evidence, we find again and again that God is omniscient (Psalm 139; Isaiah 41:21ff), omnipotent (Psalm 145; 1 Timothy 6:16), omnipresent (Psalm 139), eternal (Psalm 90), all-good (Psalm 136), immaterial (John 4:24), One in being (Deut 6:4-6). None of the above worldviews fit the mold traced out by the Bible. In short order, we've evaluated and found wanting atheism, polytheism, pantheism, panentheism and finite godism as properly answering the question: what is God like? So then, what can be said of the remaining worldviews?

Pantheism identifies God with the world, meaning that in every tree, rock, plant and us is God, and all of creation is God. The popular movie franchise "Star Wars" mimic pantheism by positing "the force". Deism portrays God as setting everything in motion and then letting creation to its own devices. The last worldview, "theism", states God is beyond the universe (transcendent) and interacts within it (immanent). So what can we note about these three remaining worldviews? 

Pantheism's weakness is that it tries to have an infinite Deity that is impersonal. The God of the Bible is unquestionable personal - possessing intellect, emotion and will. In the Bible, God is loving, merciful and concerned about the salvation of human beings (2 Peter 3:9) and in directing the affairs of governments, our world and all that is in it (Romans 11:33-36). 

When considering the observations we glean from philosophical reflection and observations of the natural world (i.e natural theology), in order for a finite effect like the universe to derive from an infinite, transcendent cause - that cause had to possess a mind and a will to execute His choice to bring the universe into being. Thus, panetheism most certainly cannot be the right answer to the question: "what is God like?" 

Deism gets somewhat closer to the truth. In Deism, one has an all-powerful, all-knowing Deity that is the cause of the universe and yet - this deity has taken His hands off to let the universe be governed by natural laws. Deism's deity is not the Savior of the scripture. Although we've not mentioned it in today's post, the Bible's central event: the incarnation of the Son of God as the man Jesus of Nazareth - who lived, died, raised from the dead and ascended - tells us that God Himself came into our world to do something about this mess we call sin. Deism's conception of deity allows no incarnation, no cross and no resurrection. Deism has by-and-large fallen into great disfavor due to the fact it is ineffective in dealing with other questions like the problem of evil and suffering, salvation and final judgment. Furthermore, the Bible does not conceive of God as not being involved with His creation.

So we then arrive at the seventh worldview - theism. Theism gives us One God, with all the eternal attributes, that is intelligent, transcendent or beyond the universe and also capable of directly impacting every point within time and space. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 states:

"There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience." 

Closing thoughts:

Today we explored the question: what God is like? We considered seven worldviews: atheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, finite godism, deism and theism. We saw various weaknesses in the first six, concluding that only theism (and if we had more time, Christian theism) best answers the question. By chiefly considering what the Bible has to say about God, as well as considerations of natural theology, the conclusion was drawn that God is, His His nature and attributes, all knowing, all-powerful, everywhere present, all-good, immaterial, One in being, possessing all wisdom and deeply involved in the affairs of our world. 

P2 - Introducing What Southern Baptists Teach On God's Sovereignty And Human Responsibility In Salvation

John 1:12-13 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."

Introduction:

In our last post we began considering article V of the Baptist Faith and Message on the subject of God's Sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation. Today we plan to conclude what is an introduction to the Southern Baptist position on these two subjects. God's Sovereign Election should not be cause for pain, but rather praise of God. Studying the nearly 100 Biblical passages that speak on the subject of Sovereign election should be cause for humility, rather than haughtiness. In like manner, we must also include man's free-moral agency, or human responsibility in the realm of human salvation. As true as it is that no one wills to be saved apart from God's willingness to save; yet we also equally affirm that none can be saved unless they exercise faith and repentance in response to the Gospel. This tension is with us and mustn't be erased nor relieved, since scripture affirms both without erasing one on account of the other nor attempting to harmonize both. The above opening text in John 1:12-13 puts side by side these two realities of human responsibility in salvation (verse 12) and God's Sovereign purposes in such salvation (verse 13). With those opening thoughts, lets continue on in our introduction to these subjects. 

Some further reflections on what Southern Baptists teach regarding God's Sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation

Southern Baptists have historically held to both the so-called "God-side" of salvation (election, foreknowledge, predestination) and the "man-ward" side of the same subject (believe, repent, response). Like a pair of tennis shoes with shoe laces running through them, tying the shoes requires me taking two strings in my hands to tie them. Yet, it is ultimately one lace that runs through eyelets of the shoe. 

The one lace of course is God's Sovereign will in salvation, which runs from beginning to end. God is to be credited for our salvation and the ultimate reasons why any Christian perseveres in their sanctification. The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 notes in the same article quoted above: 

"All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end." 

Viewing Biblical Salvation Through Both Lenses Of God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

So does the Southern Baptist statement above match with what we find in scripture? Short answer: yes. We can only do a thumbnail sketch, since over 100 passages speak on God's elective purposes of grace and the human responsibility to believe and be saved. Both truths are needed in order for us to have the proper perception of Biblical salvation, much like a good pair of 3-D glasses.  

The first lens is that of human responsibility. We know that the Bible teaches the necessity to believe and repent in order to be saved. 
God plainly says in Ezekiel 33:11 that He does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked, but actually urges them to turn from their choice of rejecting Him. This first lens of human responsibility steers us from committing the error of thinking that God sends people to Hell. God does not send anyone to hell. Man does. This insight matches with what we read in 2 Peter 3:9, namely that God is not desiring or willing that anyone would perish, but all come to repentance. 

So what about that second lens: God's Sovereignty? Whenever you turn to 1 Peter 1:1-2, you are still looking at the same Biblical salvation. If we were to ask the question: "who is to be credited for anyone believing the Gospel freely and willingly?" Answer: God. Peter opens His epistle by noting how his readers were those who, being scattered throughout the Roman world, were "chosen according to the foreknowledge of God" (1 Peter 1:1-2). 1 Peter 1:1-2 views our salvation through the lens of Sovereignty by the appearance of such words as "foreknowledge", "chosen" and "caused" (1 Peter 1:2,3). 

In as much as the Apostles Peter and Paul taught that God is Sovereign in salvation and that no salvation could begin without His election, foreknowledge and predestination, Peter is quick to make sure we are also using that other lens of human responsibility. Peter presents this same salvation through that second lens - the lens of human responsibility to salvation by such words as "to obtain" (1:4) and "faith" (1:5, 7 and 9). 

Peter reminds us that our salvation from beginning to end is bounded by God's Sovereign purposes of grace (1:2, 20). As noted already, Peter also affirms that salvation is received by the gifting of faith and lived out by believers who obey the truths of scripture (1 Peter 1:10-17).  

Closing Thoughts: A Voice Of Southern Baptist History Weighs in on Biblical Salvation

As the late pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Dr. W.A Criswell stated about these two truths in a sermon  he preached, "God Hath Chosen You":

"Truth is a big, great, mighty mountain, and you can’t see to the top of it.  The highest-most pinnacle is shrouded in mists and in clouds and in thick darkness.  No man can see all of it.  The most a man can see in the great mountain of truth is just one side – one side at a time.  A man is so limited in his mind that he cannot even see two great truths together and make them fit."

Dr. Criswell was a champion of Biblical preaching and was a voice for his generation. He goes on further in his remarks:

"For example, there is no man that has ever lived that could make fit together these two truths, though you can talk about them one at a time: the sovereignty of God, and the free moral agency of the man.  You can look at one at a time, one side at a time, but you can’t see them both together.  You can’t even see all the truth if you were in an airplane and had an air view of it." 

Criswell then closes:

"So when we come to look at the mountain of truth – at God’s work and God Himself, who is light and life and truth – it behooves us to be very humble."

Humility and awe are the twin pillars that must be in the heart whenever we approach the Bible's teaching on salvation. 

P1 - Introducing What Southern Baptists Teach On God's Sovereignty And Human Responsibility In Salvation

1 Peter 1:1-2 "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure."

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

Ezekiel 33:11 "Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?"

Two lenses needed to grasp the one truth of Biblical salvation: God's Sovereignty to save and man's responsibility to be saved 

Two lenses are necessary in a good pair of glasses. Why? Because in order for us to see clearly, we need two eyes to process depth perception. Depth perception is a vital component of our experience of the external world. Many people pay extra money to see "3-D" movies because of the perceived "depth-perception" in the film. Without depth perception, our world would look pretty "flat" and featureless". In like manner, without the Biblical twin-emphasis on God's Sovereignty and human responsibility, any teaching on salvation will be "flat" and "incomplete".

What Do Southern Baptists Teach On God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility in Salvation?

The Baptist Faith and Message 2000, Article V, notes concerning Sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation - "Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. 

This first sentence of "Article V" in the Baptist Faith and Message affirms God's Sovereign elective purpose of grace in human salvation. The next sentence of the same article then states these words about election: 

It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility."


In both of the above quotations, we observe what the Bible already declares: there is no need to reconcile what are truly friends. Only God could design a salvation wherein there is no conflict between God's Sovereign intention to save and whosoever believes as being saved. Both of these truths: God's Sovereign elective purpose of grace and free-moral human agency in responding to such grace are the two lenses needed to grasp the totality of the Bible's teaching on salvation. 

In the next post, we will consider some further thoughts on this article in the Baptist Faith and Message regarding God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility in salvation. 

Understanding the relationship and order between saving faith and water baptism

Acts 16:25-30 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26 and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. 27 When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Introduction:
Probably one of the oldest questions in the world is: "which came first, the chicken, or the egg"? We won't labor any further to answer that question. In today's post we aim to understand the relationship and order between saving faith and believer's baptism. The main point will be that saving faith comes first, with believer's baptism being the obedient and public testimony of what the Lord already did in the baptismal candidate's prior salvation. 

A clear passage that demonstrates the order of saving faith and baptism
What makes today's opening text so important is the clarity it gives to the order of saving faith and believer's baptism. The question is raised by the Philippian jailer to Paul with respect to what is required for salvation. So many people today assume that baptism grants salvation. The relationship between saving faith and baptism often becomes muddled among Christians. Some will teach that baptism is optional or not even required for the Christian. Others will teach that saving faith is found in the baptism waters. Still others will teach that faith is certainly where one begins, however, baptism is necessary to complete one's salvation experience. Who is right? Are any right? As always, we must go to the scriptures to evaluate any position on such matters, including one's own.  

A clear passage that gives the order and relationship between saving faith and water baptism
Whenever we consider the New Testament's teaching on believer's baptism, all three sections of the New Testament that mention it must be included: the Gospels, Acts and the Epistles. Here in Acts 16 we find Paul's response to the jailer's question in Acts 16:31 - "They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” The Gospel has been and always will be about receiving Christ's salvation by grace alone through faith alone. This simply means that saving faith, by itself, is necessary and sufficient to receive salvation in Jesus Christ. No effort on our part, including baptism, can be included in the equation of defining salvation. Undoubtedly we are saved by grace through faith alone.

Nonetheless, we must hasten to add that following saving faith, one is saved unto a faith that is never alone. This means that true saving faith will be followed by good works. The chiefest of these good works is believer's baptism. One does not get baptized to get saved, nor to complete saving faith initiated by faith nor to find saving faith in the baptismal waters. As we read on down through Acts 16:32-33 "And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. 33 And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household."

Notice the order: faith, then baptism. The jailer became reconciled unto God the moment he responded in saving faith to Paul's preaching and teaching. The change wrought in his heart resulted in a desire to obey God. The jailer was saved by grace through faith alone to a faith that would never be unaccompanied by the desire to do good works. As the jailer cared for Paul, we find him being baptized. The baptism was the jailer's way of testifying to others of the change he had experienced in saving faith in Acts 16:31. 

Does the New Testament support the notion that water baptism is believer's baptism?
As we noted earlier, one must consider the entirety of the Gospels, Acts and Epistles when attaining unto an understanding of the relationship between saving faith and baptism. In other words, water baptism's proper candidates are to be those who have responded in knowing, saving faith in Jesus Christ per the Spirit's calling and work. What do we find in the Gospels, Acts and Epistles?

1. Baptism was prescribed by Jesus in the Gospels for those who have believed the Gospel. Matthew 28:18-20. 
Notice what Jesus commands in Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." How is one made a disciple? saving faith. What does the disciple then do following their faith commitment to Jesus Christ? get baptized. Such an order of faith, then baptism, lies at the heart of Jesus prescription for the church back then and today. 

2. Baptism was practiced by the apostles and early church upon those who believed the Gospel. Acts 2:41-42; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 16:31
I won't take the time to go through each of these verses, only to note that not one time do we find unconverted, non-believing people getting baptized. In the book of Acts, we find cases where people were baptized as a result of their salvation in saving faith. 

3. Baptism's powerful meanings refer to those who first believed in Christ and then were to be baptized
Whenever we consider key texts on baptism in Paul's and Peter's letters (epistles) to the churches, the imagery which they convey about baptism presuppose saving faith prior to baptism. In Romans 6:4-11 we see baptism likened unto being buried and raised from a watery grave. Such imagery presupposes a genuine work of saving faith in that person's life, a work appealed to by Paul in Romans 3-5. Or again, the imagery of baptism being likened unto exiting from the old way of life presupposes new life having been granted already in saving faith. Yet again, we find Paul comparing baptism to picturing taking off old clothes and putting on new garments. Such symbolism presupposes the reality of saving faith prior to such baptism. 

In Peter's first epistle, we find him comparing baptism to the promise of a good conscience to God in 1 Peter 3:21. Whether we look at Paul's letters or Peter's words, all agree that saving faith necessarily occurs prior to baptism. Without the precursor of a salvation experience, water baptism loses its meaning. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 notes: "Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead."

In briefly surveying the New Testament evidence, it can be concluded that saving faith does indeed occur prior to and separate from the event of water baptism. 

Closing thoughts
Today's post aimed to clarify the relationship and order of saving faith to believer's baptism. We considered the clearest text on the subject in the book of Acts, noting how, in practice, the Philippian jailer believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and then followed by with believer's baptism. We then surveyed key verses in the Gospels, Acts and Epistles to understand the relationship between saving faith and believer's baptism. The conclusion from this survey is exactly what we found in the Acts 16 text - saving faith comes first and separately from water baptism. Water baptism represents the first major step of Christian obedience. Such truths are fundamental to instructing new converts to the Christian faith and reinforcing to those already saved and baptized what constitutes the Gospel. 

Summarizing the eternal, embodied, exalted and experienced Christ in the Baptist Faith & Message 2000

Acts 10:38-42 "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were under the tyranny of the Devil, because God was with Him. 39 We ourselves are witnesses of everything He did in both the Judean country and in Jerusalem, yet they killed Him by hanging Him on a tree. 40 God raised up this man on the third day and permitted Him to be seen, 41 not by all the people, but by us, witnesses appointed beforehand by God, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to solemnly testify that He is the One appointed by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead."

Introduction:
Today's post aims to summarize the Baptist Faith and Message's statement concerning the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. As the opening text for today's post demonstrates, the Apostles in the early church were already proclaiming and summarizing the life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension and second coming of Jesus. Such summaries derived from a combination of their reflections on an already complete Old Testament and the remarkable life of Jesus Christ. By seeing how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament expectation, the Apostles preached Him throughout the Mediterranean world. 

As the Gospel spread, the demands of such a ministry demanded additional scripture, which is why the New Testament Gospels, Acts, the Epistles and Revelation would be eventually composed. In Peter's summary above, we find a skeletal outline for what would become the Gospel of Mark years later. In seed form at least, the Holy Spirit was working forth through Peter what would be the composition of Mark's Gospel. Early church history records how Peter preached Christ years later in 62 A.D from the Gospel of Matthew and a then newly completed manuscript of the Gospel of Luke. His protege, Mark, copied down Peter's sermons under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit - resulting in Mark. 

What we want to do today is understand the "high-points" of Jesus' life and ministry both then and now. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 has a marvelous summary that lays out the key "high-points" we find in the authoritative sacred and inerrant text of the Old and New Testaments. Below we will simply offer some headings along with statements from the BFM 2000. 

1. The eternal Christ
"Christ is the eternal Son of God. 

2. The embodied Christ
In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. 

3. The exalted Christ
He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. 

4. The experienced Christ
He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord."

Explaining a Christian Worldview from a Southern Baptist Perspective

1 Peter 3:15 "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence."

Introduction
Yesterday we offered a brief explanation of a Christian worldview.  We noted first that any worldview addresses the so-called "big questions", with appropriate headings from the Christian worldview:

1. Where did I come from (hence the origins question)? 
Doctrine of God & Doctrine of Creation


2. Why am I here (hence the meaning question)?
Doctrine of God & Doctrine of Creation


3. What kind of world is the world (hence, the nature of reality question)?
Doctrine of Creation & Doctrine of God

4. What explains the problems I see around me, and is there a solution (hence, the problem of suffering)?
Doctrine of sin & Doctrine of Christ

5. Is their a point to life? Where are we heading? (hence, the ultimate purpose of life question)
Doctrine of last things

Thus we used the following five main headings to summarize what we mean by this subject:

1. Doctrine of God
2. Doctrine of Creation
3. Doctrine of Sin 
4. Doctrine of Christ
5. Doctrine of last things 

Today we want to consider what the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 has to say with regards to these main headings. Doctrinal confessions and creeds provide summaries of what Christians believe and teach about the Bible. Such statements are designed to equip Christians to engage with the culture from a Biblical worldview. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 functions in this capacity. The Introductory section of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 explains this function as follows:

"Baptist churches, associations, and general bodies have adopted confessions of faith as a witness to the world, and as instruments of doctrinal accountability. We are not embarrassed to state before the world that these are doctrines we hold precious and as essential to the Baptist tradition of faith and practice."

We then read on: "As a committee, we have been charged to address the "certain needs" of our own generation. In an age increasingly hostile to Christian truth, our challenge is to express the truth as revealed in Scripture, and to bear witness to Jesus Christ, who is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

Below I will simply list the five main headings with the appropriate quote from the Baptist Faith and Message. 

1. Doctrine of God
"There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being."

2. Doctrine of Creation
We find three statements as follows:
"God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise." (Article 2)

"Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God's creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice." (Article 3)

"God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God's unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race." (Article 18)

3. Doctrine of Sin 
"In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin. Therefore, as soon as they are capable of moral action, they become transgressors and are under condemnation. Only the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill the creative purpose of God." (Article 3)

4. Doctrine of Christ
"Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord." (Article 2, section "B")

5. Doctrine of last things
"God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord." (Article 10)

The God of Revealed Scripture

Malachi 3:6 “For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed."

James 1:17 "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."

Introduction:

The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 is the confessional statement of the Southern Baptist Convention. In its attempt to express what Southern Baptist's teach on matters of doctrine, the Christian life and social issues, the very first article deals with the doctrine of the Bible. In outlining the character of the Bible as being without error (i.e "inerrant") and incapable of leading one astray in matters of life and practice (i.e "infallible") among other traits with respect to its binding authority, the Bible is described as a product of Divine revelation.

The very first sentence of the BFM 2000 article on scripture reads as follows: "The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man." This first sentence is crucial, since it expresses the Bible being the product of not just any deity, but One True and Living God. 

In our 21st century world we are more aware of other competing worldviews and religions than ever before. In our culture today, and even among Christians, when one says "God", such a term may not be taken to mean the same thing to different people. Furthermore, movements such as Wicca, Buddhism and the New Atheism are very popular among younger North Americans seeking to have a form of spirituality apart from organized religion. In order to communicate why we as Christians believe the Bible to be a Divinely revealed book, we need to first express the Divine source and His identity. In other words, it is crucial in establishing our view of scripture that we first identify the Divine author Himself. What kind of God is this God? 

What kind of God is the God of revealed scripture?

In the second article of the BFM 2000, the nature of the God of revealed scripture, and His identity, is explained. The God of revealed scripture is not some pervasive, impersonal force permeating our universe - as believed by Eastern religions and popularly expressed in the Star Wars franchise (called pantheism). Neither is the God of revealed scripture the immaterial soul of our world, equal to it and thus an impersonal force animating every rock, tree and person - as espoused by such groups as Wicca. The God of revealed scripture is not a collection of deities that extend back into eternity past, with Yahweh and Jesus being but the latest development in that long chain of beings (as in Mormonism). Such definitions are foreign to scripture and such deities are illusions and idols.

Rather, the BFM 2000 offers this following description of what kind of Being God is:

"There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience."

Identifying the God of revealed scripture

In defining the kind of God the God of revealed scripture is, the BFM 2000 goes onto identify this God in its second article:

"The eternal Triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being."

Now we won't go any further into the specific details of how we can reasonably justify our belief in this particular God's existence - but we will make some general remarks. God's existence is revealed through His general revelation in creation (Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 1:18-31) and the moral laws written into the conscience (Romans 2:14-15). Moreover, God's existence and nature can be inferred through apologetical arguments such as the argument from observations of the universe, the universe's fine-tuning for the existence of life and the reality of objective moral values and duties. Then to specifically demonstrate the reality of the God expressed in the above statements, one can appeal to the resurrection of Jesus as the historical demonstration of the fact that the God of revealed scripture alone exists. 

Reasonable considerations affirm that Christians have justified reasons for believing in the God of revealed scripture. Such considerations bow of course to the Bible, and thankfully, are confirmed and further specified by it. 

Why does this matter to you?

Children, students and adults are called to the Christian life for one purpose: to know and love God. The second, closely related reason is to love other people with this love (see Matthew 22:37-39). The Christian life is not only a conversion of the soul to Jesus (James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23) but also is to be a transformation of one's mind (Romans 12:2). To know why we believe why we believe is as important as communicating what we believe. Only when we progressively grasp why we believe what we believe will we then be equipped to answer: "How then shall we live?"  

The Divine authority of the Bible as God's inerrant and infallible revelation of Himself is built upon the premise that God never lies (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18); never fails (Hebrews 13:5) and doesn't change (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17). All of scripture is predicated and based upon God's character as God. Furthermore, as Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Decisive revelation of God in history, as demonstrated by His resurrection from the dead, then we can consider His remarkable life and death as further demonstration of the Bible's character as revealed written revelation. Jesus Himself taught as much (see Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:44; John 10:35). 

This is an important point, since our view of God drives our view of scripture. Such a foundation can greatly guard our faith in times of doubt, fear and struggle. If we believe that God created our world, and that this God reveals Himself in and through this world, and that the resurrection did indeed occur, then the concept of Divine revelation in written form won't be near as hard to accept. If anything, this God, the Triune God, with the Person of the Son demonstrating such truth by His incarnation, death and resurrection, has inseparably revealed Himself in words. Such words only exist and are codified in one book: the Bible. 

What Southern Baptists teach on the incarnation of Jesus Christ

Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Introduction - two verses that introduce us to the truth of the incarnation

Today's post aims to consider what Christians in general, and Southern Baptists in particular, teach about the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ with respect to His incarnation. The "incarnation" or what older  theologians call "the enmanning" of the Eternal Son, refers to the event in which the Eternal Son came to take unto Himself a second, truly human nature. The two key verses above give us access into this central truth.

The first passage, Matthew 1:23, records the fact that the Person of the Son is no less than true Deity by way of the title "Immanuel". This title, originating from Isaiah 7:14, is translated by Matthew into the phrase: "God with us". The passage is situated in a conversation that the angel Gabriel is having with Joseph - Jesus' legal earthly father. 

The concern is to communicate to Joseph the conditions of his espoused fiance's pregnancy. How is it that his fiance, Mary, could be pregnant? The angel utilizes the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 to indicate that no wrong-doing had been done by her, since she remained a virgin. The miracle of the virgin birth/conception was to provide the way in which the Divine Person of the Son could enter from eternity into time. By not having a human father, the humanity of the Son would by-pass the sin nature that travels via the fathers bloodline (see for example 1 Peter 1:18-19). Henceforth, the baby developing in Mary's womb was, with respect to His identity, truly God who came to be also truly man. 

John 1:14, the second verse cited at the beginning of this post, tells us that the Divine Person of the Son "became flesh". In what is the clearest declaration of what theologians call "the incarnation", the Eternal second Person of the Trinity came by means of the virgin conception described in Matthew 1:23 and "became" or "assumed unto His person" a second way of expressing His unparalleled life - namely a true and full humanity. In so far as Matthew 1:23 points to the reality of Jesus Christ as "God incarnate", John 1:14 serves to explain what the reality of the incarnation is - namely "The Word" or "The Son" becoming human flesh. 

How the Baptist Faith and Message unpacks the doctrine of the incarnation of the Son of God
The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 is the official doctrinal statement of the Southern Baptist Convention. It's value lies in explaining and summarizing all the relevant scriptures that speak on various doctrinal subjects. With regard to the truth of Jesus' incarnation, the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 (henceforth BFM 2000) states the following:

"Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin."

So then, what does this statement tell us about this miracle of the incarnation of the Son of God? In 2007, key SBC leaders Charles S. Kelley Jr., Richard Land and R. Albert Mohler Jr. produced a teaching manual that served to expound on every article of the BFM 2000. In their explanation of the article on Christ's incarnation (above) they write on page 41:(1) 

"Christ's coming in human form is called the 'incarnation'; He was literally God in human flesh. As John put it, the eternal Word 'became flesh and took up residence among us." (John 1:14). This was an act of infinite humility, as Christ emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7). He who made the universe came into His own creation to save His people. This is the distinctive truth of the Christian faith: in Jesus, God came and dwelled among us." 

In another full-length book on the BFM 2000, editors Douglas K. Blount and Joseph D. Wooddell produced a work that attempted to explain how the doctrinal distinctives of the BFM 2000 impact the practical and doctrinal practices of Southern Baptists. Concerning the truth of the incarnation as so described in the BFM 2000, they note on page 21 of their book: (2)

"As Baptists have long affirmed, Jesus of Nazereth is not merely a partake of human nature. He is not merely partly human; He is rather fully human. He did not merely take on the demands and necessities of human nature; rather, He took on that very nature Himself. So says the Baptist Faith and Message 2000; and so say Southern Baptists as a people."

Closing thoughts

Today we aimed to see what Christians in general and Southern Baptists in particular teach from God's Word regarding the incarnation of the Son of God. We first looked briefly at Matthew 1:23 and John 1:14 as leading verses on this central truth. We then focused on our attention on the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 and two commentaries that explained it's article on the event and significance of Christ's incarnation as a central Biblical truth of historic Christian faith. To Jesus be the glory! 

Endnotes:

1. Charles S. Kelley Jr., Richard Land and R. ALbert Mohler Jr. The Baptist Faith and Message. Lifeway Press. 2007. 

2. Douglas K. Blount and Joseph D. Wooddell. Baptist Faith and Message 2000 - Critical Issues in America's Largest Protestant Denomination. Rowman and Littlefield Publishers. 2007

Understanding how God's authority functions in the local church

Matthew 21:23-24 "When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” 24 Jesus said to them,“I will also ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things."

Introduction: Understanding the immensity of Jesus' authority and the importance of God's authority

In three of the four Gospels we find a major discussion going on between Jesus and the Pharisees over the matter of Divine authority (Matthew 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-18). The word translated "authority" in the discussion between Jesus' and the Pharisees undergirds what we're aiming to understand in this post today - namely God's authority in the local church.1  One way we could summarize the subject of authority would be under three words: right, responsibility and rulership. Jesus was exercising His right of authority over the disciples (Matthew 21:1-11); in the temple (Matthew 21:12-17) and over life itself (Matthew 21:18-22). In regards to His responsibility, Jesus indirectly answered his accusers by identifying His responsibility as deriving from the Heavenly Father and Himself. Then finally, Jesus' rulership was defined by both His right and responsibility as God in human flesh. The Pharisees perceived the immensity of authority in Jesus and chose not to submit to it.

God's people need to understand how God's authority operates in the church
Essentially, the subject of authority is not seriously considered until people perceive that the will of one person is being placed over their own. Knowing who is in charge and to what scope such authority functions is necessary when it comes to making decisions, facing crises or maintaining order and peace in day-to-day life. Ministry life demands a clear understanding of how God's authority works. It was clear that the Pharisees did not understand Jesus' authority. 

When it comes to modern day church life, everything that is done must observe the Bible's teaching on spiritual authority. The conversation that occurs between Jesus and the Pharisees, and their short-sightedness in being able to distinguish the manner of Jesus' authority and that of John the Baptist, underscores the importance of this subject. If we as God's people misunderstand how God's authority functions, we could miss out correctly identifying when and where He is moving in our lives. 

Clarifying some important distinctions on how God's authority operates in the local church

With that said, I simply wanted to share today a helpful distinction in understanding how God's authority operates within a local church, with some commentary. Douglas K. Blount and Joseph D. Wooddell recently wrote a book that comments on the doctrinal statements in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. In that work they expound on the BFM's treatment of the doctrine of the church. The particular paragraph in question is very helpful in discerning the ways in which God's authority operates in a local church. Here is the quote: "The New Testament Church is ruled by Jesus Christ, governed by the congregation, led by pastors and served by Deacons." In brief, that one sentence captures in about as a clear a way as possible what is often-times a confusion over how pastors, congregations and deacons function in a church. Let us explore the distinctions spelled out in this statement:

The Church is ruled by Jesus Christ through the Word of God
There is no question that Jesus Christ exercises absolute rule and reign over His church (Ephesians 2:20; Colossians 1:16-20). As we have witnessed in the last two posts, Jesus Christ exercises His sovereignty by way of the scriptures - which are His voice in written form. Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 4:2 "For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus." The Sovereign authority of the Lord Jesus Christ as exercised through His word renders the Bible as the final authority to which all secondary authorities make their appeal. 

As stated above: Jesus Christ rules over His church. Jesus' authority and the scripture's authority are absolute. Any other remaining authority is derived from Him and thus is secondary or delegated authority. The secondary authorities that are under the authority of Christ and the scripture are the pastor, the church and the Deacon body. Jesus has so-chosen to delegate His authority to each in different ways. 

The church is led by pastors who are faithful to the Word of God

Pastors are charged with the responsibility to lead the church (Ephesians 4:11-12; 2 Timothy 4:1-4; 1 Peter 5:1-4). To aspire to such a task means the Pastor is aspiring to a high calling and noble task assigned to him by the Lord (1 Timothy 3:1-7). A pastor's authority to lead His flock operates insofar as He is doing so with an open Bible, a willing heart and life above reproach.2 

The church is governed by congregations submitted under the Word of God

The church congregation govern the affairs of the church. In regards to pastors and church congregations, each one's delegated authority interrelates and ought to function together in harmony. The congregation keeps the authority of the pastor in check with regards to hold him accountable. Paul reminds Timothy to be sure to take heed to himself and to make his progress in the faith evident to all (1 Timothy 4:13-16). 

In the same token, the congregation is under the obligation to follow the pastor's lead insofar as He does so with a chaste example and Biblical fidelity (Hebrews 13:7,17). The congregation's governing authority extends to it's ability to receive members, exercise discipline when needed and function as the governing administrator of the ordinances of the Lord's table and Baptism. 

The pastor undoubtedly is the Elder who performs and leads the church in the observance of such ordinances, however he does so not on his own merit, but in relationship to the church he serves. Afterall, Jesus gave the ordinances to the church, not to individuals.

The church is served by Deacons who exemplify the Word of God

Then lastly, the Deacons serve the church. The concept of Deacon boards or Deacons ruling over pastors or congregations finds no Biblical precedent. Whenever we look into Acts 6:1-7 or 1 Timothy 3:8-13, we find the consistent pattern of Deacons serving and supporting the congregation and the pastor in their respective roles. Deacons are needed to faciliate practical, hands-on care of the membership and encouragement of the pastoral leadership. If any type of authority is accorded to Deacons, it would be by the example they place before the church body in serving the Lord without question. 

Conclusion

My hope is that these thoughts have provided clarity to an often misunderstood topic: namely in understanding how God's authority functions in the local church. In short, we have discovered the following about how God's authority functions in the local church:

1. Jesus Christ rules over the church by the Word of God

2. Pastors lead the church as they are faithful to the Word of God

3. Congregations govern the church as they are submitted to the Word of God

4. Deacons serve the church by exemplifying the Word of God 

Endnotes:

1. The Lexham Theological Wordbook explains how this word is used in the New Testament: "The NT uses the noun exousia in several ways relating to the concept of authority. It can refer to a state of control over something (John 10:18; Rom 9:21). It can also indicate a potential to command, control, or govern (Matt 9:8; Rev 9:19). Further, it can point to a right to control or command (Mark 11:28; Rev 12:10). The word can also refer to a sphere in which power is exercised (Luke 4:6; Col 1:13) or to a means of exercising power (1 Cor 11:10)." Douglas Mangum; Derek R. Brown; Rachel Klippenstein; Rebekah Hurst. The Lexham Theological Wordbook. Logos 6 Bible Software. 

2. Some church bodies will often have other elders aiding the pastor in the over-seeing of the congregation's spiritual and pastoral needs. The concept of multiple elders working with the pastor has merit in scripture (compare Acts 14:23; Acts 20:25-38; 1 Timothy 4:11,13-14; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1) and historic Baptist belief (compare 1689 London Baptist Confession; 1742 Philadelphia Baptist Confession; 1833 New Hampshire Confession and the 1925 Baptist Faith and Message.)

Two lenses through which we understand biblical salvation

1 Peter 1:1-2 "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure."

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

Ezekiel 33:11 "Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I takeno pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?"

Ezekiel 32-33 and 1 Peter 1 are prime examples of two important truths presented in scripture concerning our salvation: God's Sovereignty to save and mankind's responsibility to believe in order to be saved. Whenever you read Ezekiel 32-33, the question to ask is: who is at fault for rejecting the Gospel? God or man? Answer: Man. 

God's judgment on the Egyptians and other nations in the land of Canaan, as well as His pronouncement of judgment on Jerusalem is due to her free and willing decision to reject Him. God plainly says in Ezekiel 33:11 that He does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked, but actually urges them to turn from their choice of rejecting Him. God does not send anyone to hell, that is man's choice. This insight matches with what we read in 2 Peter 3:9, namely that God is not desiring or willing that anyone would perish, but all come to repentance. 

Whenever you turn to 1 Peter 1, you are still looking at the same Biblical salvation, however through a second lens - the lens of Sovereignty. If we were to ask the question: "who is to be credited for anyone believing the Gospel freely and willingly?" Answer: God. Peter opens His epistle by noting how his readers were those who, being scattered throughout the Roman world, were "chosen according to the foreknowledge of God". (1 Peter 1:1-2) 1 Peter 1 views our salvation through the lens of Sovereignty by the appearance of such words as "foreknowledge", "chosen" and "caused". (1 Peter 1:2,3) However Peter also presents this same salvation through a second lens - the lens of human response to salvation by such words as "to obtain" (1:4) and "faith" (1:5, 7 and 9). 

Peter reminds us that our salvation from beginning to end is bounded by God's Sovereign purposes of grace (1:2, 20) and is received by the gifting of faith and lived out by believers who obey the truths of scripture. (1 Peter 1:10-17) The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 notes concerning Sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation - "Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility."

Only God could design a salvation wherein there is no conflict between God's Sovereign intention to save and whosoever believes as being saved. As the late pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Dr. W.A Criswell stated about these truths, one cannot look upon the mountain of truth and comprehend how God Sovereignly elects sinners and yet it is those sinners who truly believe and are saved. We cannot see all the sides all at once. However we do know that God's Word and the eye of faith affirms both truths, and thus we must go to all men with the Gospel with the confidence that salvation comes not from man, but from the Lord. (Jonah 2:9-10)