Talk of JESUS .com

Tag: Christology

Jesus Christ Lord – 3 Christ of the Christian Church
Christians of the early Church proclaimed Jesus Christ Lord confessing, “JESUS is Lord.”
- What is your relationship to the Son of God and Son of Man?
Jesus Christ IS Lord – 1

Part 1 UPDATED 25 September 2024 CE

So far, we have been reminded that GOD is One – that is: Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Eternal (before all time and and after all time ceases to exist) – separated from His creation (including creatures), that is: Holy.

Previously I pointed out thoughtful teaching QUESTIONS about GOD from the Westminster Shorter Catechism.

Roles and Relationships of JESUS

In Part 2 we read about Jesus Christ from the Nicene Creed.

Jesus Christ 2 the Person and His Roles

“.. of one substance with the Father,..”

JESUS relates to mankind in roles summarized as King, Prophet and Priest; but none is more foundational than Christ of God.

Roger@TalkofJesus.com

the Trinity of the LORD

Church and Biblical teaching are both clear and mysterious in describing GOD’s ROLES of relationship within HIMSELF, that is:
- FATHER to the SON
- SON to the SPIRIT
- Holy Spirit
  - to the Father
  - and to the Son
Some Christians know and experience a personal relationship to THE ONE GOD. The HOLY SPIRIT speaks to the heart [spirit ] of a uniquely created man or woman, a mortal made of flesh and blood.

Church Doctrine (teaching)

Christian Teachings of the Church from Scripture

In Part 3 of this doctrinal post about the one LORD JESUS CHRIST we will look at scriptural teaching concerning CHRIST from historic catechisms of the Church AND most foundationally, from God’s word in the BIBLE.

Catechisms provide studied ANSWERS to student QUESTIONS

Every Christian has QUESTIONS about the Lord God and about JESUS (who IS God).
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Like ANY learning, the Questions and Answers of a catechism we study and memorize as students seeking a deeper understanding of God.
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Doctrine-based QUESTIONS of Christology
- 21. Who is the redeemer of God’s elect?
  - 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.
- 23. What offices doth Christ execute as our redeemer?
  - 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.
- *24. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
  - *
- *25. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
  - *
- *26. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
  - *READ the Westminster Catechism [A.D. 1647] for ANSWERS to these and more Questions about God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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If you also wonder about the Holy Spirit, time does not allow further study today.
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What does the Church teach? (Church Doctrine)

Today we’ll study the roles of JESUS’ personal relationship with YOU, with me and with all followers of the Lord.
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Let's begin with a review from the NICENE CREED with its EARLY UNIVERSAL (Catholic) agreement as to the Person and Roles of Christ and God.
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THE CREED OF NICAEA – AGREED AT THE COUNCIL IN 325
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Until the early 20th century, it was universally assumed that the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (the more accurate term) was an enlarged version of the Creed of Nicaea, which was promulgated at the Council of Nicaea (325). It was further assumed that this enlargement had been carried out at the Council of Constantinople (381) with the object of bringing the Creed of Nicaea up to date in regard to heresies about the Incarnation and the Holy Spirit that had arisen since the Council of Nicaea. - source: Britannica
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JESUS

Who because of us men and because of our salvation came down,

and became incarnate

and became man,

and suffered,

and rose again on the third day,

and ascended to the heavens,

and will come to judge the living and dead,

And in the Holy Spirit.

Nicene Creed, a Christian statement of faith that is the only ecumenical creed because it is accepted as authoritative by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and major Protestant churches. -Britannica

Offices, Titles, Roles and Relationships of JESUS
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As is my practice, linked DEFINITIONS to clarify.
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Christ our Redeemer

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,

And [after] the last He will rise up over the dust of this world.

Job 19:25 LSB

Redeemer is a specifically Scriptural reference to a person acting to save a person or people from the hold, control or responsibility of another.

The Prophet Isaiah points forward to the Holy One of Israel as the redeemer of Israel for the chosen ones of God.

Lord – κύριος

Jesus asked them, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”

He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:

‘The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’ ?

Gospel of Matthew 22:41-46 excerpt New King James Version
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22:45  εἰ οὖν Δαβὶδ καλεῖ αὐτὸν κύριον πῶς υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἐστιν 

Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” - NLT
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Offices of our Redeemer
- the office of a prophet
- the office of a priest
- the office of a king
Prophet –from נָבָא (H5012) – נָבִיא

Then the LORD came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. Then He said,

“Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision;
I speak to him in a dream.

Numbers 12:5 NKJV
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New Testament use of prophet from the Greek:
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προφήτης – Strong’s G4396 – prophētēs

“But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

Gospel of Matthew 11:9 NKJV [7-15 in contest] JESUS, speaking of John, even comparing John to Elijah and citing Scripture from O.T. Prophets.
- What does the BIBLE teach us about this office of JESUS?
Resurrection Before Jesus

And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying,

That a great prophet G4396 is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.

Gospel of Luke 7:16 KJV [vs 11-17 in context] when JESUS raised a boy to life from his funeral casket

Priest – kōhēn – כֹּהֵן

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest H3548 of the most high God.

Genesis 14:18 KJV (first reference to the office of priest in the Bible)

priest,
principal officer or chief ruler
priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)
[6 more]
Active participle of כָּהַן (H3547)
Lexicon :: Strong’s H3548 – kōhēn

The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest H3548 for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Psalm 110:4

לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר נְאֻם יְהוָה לַאדֹנִי שֵׁב לִימִינִי עַד־אָשִׁית אֹיְבֶיךָ הֲדֹם לְרַגְלֶיךָ׃
1. priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)
2. pagan priests
3. priests of Jehovah
4. Levitical priests
5. Zadokite priests
6. Aaronic priests
7. the high priest
Priest – ἱερεύς

just as He says also in another passage,

“YOU ARE A PRIEST G2409 FOREVER

ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”

Hebrews 5:7 LSB

High Priest or Chief Priest – ἀρχιερεύς – archiereus

Now the main point in what is being said is this: we have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the holy places and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.

Hebrews 8:1-2 LSB

King

.. for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Malachi 1:14b KJV

king – meleḵ – מֶלֶךְ

occurs 2,526 times in the Hebrew Bible

Israel follows YAWWEH as its King of kings and Lord of lords.

What other people have GOD as its King by their covenant with the LORD?

king – βασιλεύς – basileus
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Strong's Number G935 matches the Greek βασιλεύς (basileus),
which occurs 118 times in 107 verses in the TR Greek.
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And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING G935 OF THE JEWS.

Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John

Outline of Biblical Usage
1. leader of the people, prince, commander, lord of the land, king
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probably from G939 (through the notion of a foundation of power); a sovereign (abstractly, relatively, or figuratively):—king.
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JESUS showed POWER on earth, signs and miracles no created man could do except the expected Messiah of GOD !

The King, as Judeans had hoped, would be more powerful than Herod the Great (who rebuilt the Temple, a civil project still under construction under one of his sons (King Herod). Jerusalem and all the lands and their kings were subject to ROME and its Caesars.

“Hosanna,

Ὡσαννά εὐλογημένος ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραήλ

hōsanna eulogeō ho basileus israēl

“.. Blessed [is] the King of Israel..

John 12:13c

Rome’s Governor Pilate would decide a pre-ordained mortal fate of this earthly KING Jesus, a man seemingly powerless as Jerusalem’s King Herod and his appointed priests of the Judean Temple.

The Apostles Peter and John also preached Christ crucified and risen with signs from God. ACTS 3-4

JESUS, according to God’s Word

HOW should we address JESUS?
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Wouldn't HOLY SCRIPTURE; written, God-breathed words of the BIBLE (faithfully translated); provide the best, true guidance of how Christian should proclaim JESUS?
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Consider how the New Testament speaks about Jesus - source
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- “Jesus” occurs 980 times in 940 verses in the LSB.
- 942 times in the KING JAMES VERSION
- 1000+ times in translations substituting ‘Jesus‘ for prepositions such as ‘He.’
- “Jesus” AND “prophet” occurs in 5 verses in ‘The Gospels” in the LSB.
  - and JESUS never uses it Himself as a title, only confirming this office.
- “Jesus” AND “priest” occurs 30 times in 14 verses in the LSB.
- He is never addressed as a ‘Priest,’ but the letter of HEBREWS and other Scripture makes clear that JESUS is both Priest and Sacrifice.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us take hold of our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things like we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:14-15 LSB
- “Jesus” AND “king” occurs 18 times in 8 verses in the LSB
- Jesus never refers to Himself as King yet acknowledges the recognition of Him by others.
So Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king G935, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Gospel of John 6:15 LSB – G035 – basileus

The Lord Christ Jesus

“Jesus” AND “Lord” occurs 379 times in 179 verses in the KJV
- The Twelve Apostles and others frequently address the man Jesus as, “Lord.”
- Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. – Matthew 20:30b
- When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. – Luke 5:8
And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

Gospel of Luke 24:23 KJV – the women at the tomb of Jesus on Resurrection Sunday

HE IS RISEN!

Jesus the Christ of GOD

“Christ” occurs 559 times in 522 verses in the KJV.
- The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. – Matthew 1:1
- And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. – Matthew 1:16
- And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. – Matthew 16:16
- For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. – Matthew 24:5
- Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. – Matthew 27:22
- Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, – Romans 1:1
- Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 1:3 ESV
He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:8 Christian Standard Bible

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Acts of the Apostles 2:36 Legacy Standard Bible

‘.. what should we do?”

And Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized

in the name of Jesus Christ

for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts of the Apostles 2:38 LSB

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September 30, 2024
Syncretism – a little leaven added to Christ’s Church
Leaven & Syncretism

In an earlier Saturday Post in this series I coined the teaching, preaching and study of Everythingology – definition:

1. Endless study of everything;

2. Theoretical theology of humanity as god.

Today our focus turns toward the ‘isms‘ applied to the Church. Specifically, syncretism is form of everythingology stirred into the beliefs of Christians and leavening the 21st century Church to its own destruction.

First, a couple of definitions for my fellow amateur theologians of the Church:

Syncretism
- Reconciliation or fusion of differing systems of belief, as in philosophy or religion, especially when success is partial or the result is heterogeneous. – source: Wordnik.com
‘What’s wrong with that,’ you may ask. Sounds like a pretty good thing. ‘Can’t we all just get along?”

I even saw some syncretism on a bumper sticker of a pastor’s car.
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We'll get back to the definition of Syncretism shortly, but here is where understanding leaven comes into our understanding. (So let's take a Biblical view at leaven -- and this, from the New Testament.)
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Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
Paul’s first letter to the Church at Corinth 5:6 LSB

ζύμη – leaven
- metaph. of inveterate [chronic, deep-rooted] mental and moral corruption, viewed in its tendency to infect others
Leaven is applied to that substance which is small in quantity, yet thoroughly pervades a thing by its influence. The NT uses it in both a positive (cf. Mat 13:33) or negative sense (e.g., “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump”).
- ζύμη zýmē, dzoo’-may; probably from G2204; ferment (as if boiling up):—leaven.
- source: BlueLetterBible.org linked above
Where Everythingism Leavens the Church

Note our definition of Syncretism where philosophy and religion, specifically Christology, intersect.
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Two additional definitions [linked above]:

- The merging of two or more originally different inflectional forms.
- The attempted reconciliation or union of irreconcilable principles or parties, as in philosophy or religion; specifically, the doctrines of a certain school in the Lutheran Church, followers of Callixtus, who attempted to effect a union among all Christians, Protestant and Catholic. Sec syncretist.
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Our 20th century trained tolerances sometimes cause us to pause, if not cringe, at any Scriptural reference to a culture other than our own. For example:

One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
Paul’s letter to Titus 1:12 LSB

Where does the Apostle Paul come off by saying this to a Pastor Titus about the culture of Crete?

(And dare we preach this in our mostly white or mostly black evangelical Christian churches?)

Syncretism from ancient Greek philosophy

The connection is true (as Paul says) and intersects once more with an origin of syncretism found in nearby ancient Greek philosophy.

That, of course, would be the world of the Greek culture of the Roman Empire; a world which universally embraced MANY gods — Greeks and Cretans and Romans to whom the Apostles proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ.
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From συγκρητίζω (sunkrētízō) +‎ -μός (-mós), or possibly from συν- (sun-) +‎ Κρῆτες (Krêtes, “Cretans”) +‎ -ισμός (-ismós, “-ism”) if the verb is a back-formation. - source: Wikipedia
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Doesn’t Syncretism Multiply our numbers of Christians in the Evangelical Church?

If you do not agree with the Biblical caution of Paul for the churches in Crete; then, my fellow “evangelical Christian,’ you may want to reconsider a long-stagnant fermentation of Greek philosophy into a 21st century self-definition of syncretist:
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What is it to be a Syncretist 
"Syncretism is the science of integrating and understanding all fields of human knowledge, whether it be theological, philosophical, alchemical, astrological or spiritual. 
All fields of human knowledge can be syncretized and unified rather than divided, dividing and separating is the modus operandi of the control... - Syncretism Society [not linked here]

Consult your philosophers and alchemists (think magic potions) and astrologers (zodiac signs, earth worshipers) and spiritualists (palm readers or an enlightened Buddhist monk on a mountain).  
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Are these the humans YOU count as those in the Sunday gathering (or broadcast) of your evangelical church?

HOW WILL YOU CONVERT THEM TO CHRIST?
- Does the world see YOU and beloved friends of your local evangelical CHURCH as worshipers of Jesus Christ?
Here is the ‘Did god REALLY SAY’ QUESTION of the SYNCRETIST:
- WILL YOU AFFORD THE SAME HONOR TO BUDDA, VISHNU and MUHAMMED as you do Jesus?
That’s syncretism.

Must the CHURCH MULTIPLY our inclusion of so many anti-Christs of rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers.. upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of dishonest gain? [see: Titus 1:10-11]
- Didn’t these come to your ‘CHURCH’ because YOU, being Christ-like, live differently than others?
What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
Second letter of the Apostle Paul to the Church in Corinth Greece 6:15-16 NLT

How are Christians Different?

We examined philosophy (briefly).

Even Atheists make a religion of their teachings against God.

Religion, as we have seen, has many faces.

Even Atheists make a religion of their teachings against God, especially preaching a philosophic evangelism against Jesus Christ and against the Church and ALL Christians.

IS SYNCRYTISM a religion or is it a PHILOSOPY?

As you can see from their own self-defining society, we should probably be asking all of these syncretist churches:

SO WHY DON’T YOU TOLERATE ALL philosophies, ALL religions (as you claim), ALL gods and ALL idols and ALL human behaviors including worship of Jesus Christ? — AND WHY can’t you ever be ALL-INCLUSIVE of Christians?

“All fields of human knowledge can be syncretized and unified rather than divided..”

ANSWER: Because we are divinely ordained. [Isaiah 43:21] Although all have sinned [Romans 3:23] and deserve the wrath and punishment of God [Ezekiel 7:8], WE who believe in and follow our Lord Jesus Christ will have ETERNAL LIFE [numerous N.T. Scriptures].

Sadly, by their own disobedience to the Lord God and Jesus Christ, OTHERS will be judged!

It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Hebrews 10:31 LSB

Let no one deceive you with empty words,
for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Letter of Paul to the Church in Ephesus [Greece] 5:6 LSB

For many deceivers have gone out into the world..

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
Second letter of the Apostle John to the Church 1:7 LSB
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I could launch into a full sermon from John's letter and his CAUTION to the CHURCH here -- briefly --
Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. - v.9
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting, for the one who gives him a greeting [fellowships] participates in his evil deeds. vs.10-11
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- The syncretist will NOT allow the true Biblical Christian into their all-inclusive fellowship.
- The Apostle John cautions that true believers should NOT EVEN GREET one who wants to become part of Christ’s Church who does not live [abide] in the teaching of Christ.
Syncretism, Humanism, Universalism, and ALL of the diverse ism’s of the philosophers who constantly ask their disciples, “DID god REALLY SAY…” would lure the faithful to turn altogether toward dark pits bubbling with the leaven of evil to torment all souls.

A Unitarian Universalist CAUTION:

One closing thought. (I cannot even begin to list every syncretist so-called ‘Church,’ but here’s an approach.)

The individual unitarian (all truths are equal) and humanist (man is god) are “anti-Christs” by definition. Their own false premise of self stands against salvation where Jesus must mediate between God and mankind. [1 John 2:1-2, 1 Timothy 2:5] For He IS both GOD and man. [John 10:30]

Faithful evangelical Christian theologians more studied than this lay theologian in such divisive arguments of philosopher-syncretists have CAUTIONED the Church many times in the past.

.. I have written three pieces about the Christological debate, and about the gravity of allowing flagrant Unitarian heresy to be unanswered, unchecked, and undisciplined in the church. The central issue is neither one of semantics nor of [church creeds], but rather of salvation, (whether Jesus can in any sense mediate between God and mankind if he is not himself both God and man) and of discipleship (for we cannot worship him, believe in him, or obey him if he is not God).
Already by the middle of the first century, the deity of Jesus was part of the faith of the universal church. It cannot and must not be compromised today.
John Stott – Christ the Cornerstone Conclusion – JESUS IS LORD! HAS WIDE RAMIFICATIONS; pp. 202-203

Stott has much more to say about this, some which I may quote as we continue in this Saturday Post Series: A 21st c. RECALL of the CHURCH {linked at the top of our homepage.

Please COMMENT and tell us what YOU observe and think about the leaven of SYNCRETISM in your church. – RH
August 20, 2022
Atheology- Expelling Christology
What makes GOD so offensive to the a-theist who avows opposition to the LORD?
In a WORD: CHRIST +

Atheology – Scientific study of Everythingology

The Religion of A-theism likely has as many branches as Protestantism, which also continues to splinter into several inclusive branches teaching humans Everythingism.

The Letter of Paul to the Churches at Rome

God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness
1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.

So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Romans 1:22-23 ESV

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Has much changed in twenty-two centuries?

Atheology studies and applies Everythingology to dismantle the exclusive truths of theology.

“This is what the LORD says, He who is the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of armies:
‘I am the first and I am the last,
And there is no God besides Me.
‘Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it;
And, let him confront Me…
Isaiah 44:6-7a NASB20

And So they shall question the LORD

But FIRST, the a-theist must question Scripture to tear down Trinity and bring down Christ.

The Biblical Premise:

Our God is One, yet is three distinct persons.

“The heart of Christian faith in God,” writes J. I. Packer, “is the revealed mystery of the Trinity. Trinitas is a Latin word meaning threeness. Christianity rests on the doctrine of trinitas, the threeness, the tripersonality, of God.
Ronald Kohl, The Triune God [ix] – quoting “Knowing God” p.65 , J. I. Packer

Trinity and the place of Jesus Christ in worship of the Lord God become the crux of the problem for the a-theist; and also, let the believer beware, ‘christian‘ claimants cloaked in false teaching.
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Philosopher Pastors of the School of Everythingology would have us believe that Theology (the study of God) is too complicated for the church. However IF you would READ and believe your BIBLE as written from any reliable translation, then you would see that an informed faith and the study of God are really quite straightforward.
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True theology from the teachings of GOD-WITH-US gives disciples of Jesus, the Son of God GOOD NEWS of God’s saving grace proclaimed directly through the Gospels.

For example:

Gospel of John:
- 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- .. grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,
“How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
Gospel of John 10:22- ESV v.24

I and the Father are one.”
Gospel of the Apostle John 10:30

Since the days God walked on the earth in the Person of the Son Jesus, CHRIST has been a stumbling stone to the false teachers of everythingology – a-theists willing to teach everything, that is, except Christology.

PLAIN THEOLOGY FOR PLAIN PEOPLE
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by Charles Octavius Boothe

Beloved fellow believer and fellow theologian,

In the following section I outline & quote this study of God extensively.  You may find this brief book for the layman [plain people] of the Church as a rich resource on the link above. - Roger@talkofJESUS.com  
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Evangelicals often presume that the task of theology is merely to comprehend God. God, not context, has ultimate authority, and yet wisdom demands understanding the context in which Christians live and God works.
Walter R Strickland II – Introduction to PLAIN THEOLOGY FOR PLAIN PEOPLE, p. xi
1. Being and Character of God
  - “The knowledge of God and of the divine government is sometimes called the science of theology. – p. 4
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The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament showeth his handiwork. 
Day unto day uttereth speech,
And night unto night showeth knowledge. 
(Psalm 19:1-2) [Boothe points to numerous Scriptures in this & every section.] RH
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- The honest QUESTIONS of Theology include these same topics to which you may not have all the answers. Boothe supports each of these headings by Scripture:
  - WHERE GOD APPEARS TO US
  - WHAT MAY BE KNOWN OF HIM
  - THE UNITY OF GOD
  - THE TRINITY
I could preach Boothe’s sermon on TRINITY from his first chapter on GOD (pp. 21-23) and incite the intolerance of every A-THEIST who hides the leaven of everythingology in his/her preaching and the bread of the church’s communion.
Roger@talkofJESUS.com
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For this they wilfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God; by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 

but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

Second Letter of the Apostle Peter to the Church 3:5-7 ASV
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Think now of YOUR answers about GOD & Christ.

CHAPTERS
1. The Being and Character of God. [A-theology will NOT consider a premise of Almighty God. – RH]
2. Man [yet an a-theology reasoned in the mirror of humankind’s Darwinist mind may not have evolved to truth. – RH]
3. The Way of Salvation – John 3:16 ‘This is the language of the Son of God, and is a wonderfully compact statement of the way of salvation from the mighty and gracious Saviour himself. – Charles Boothe
4. The Son: His Coming and His Work
5. Gifts Flowing from the Grace of God
6. How Christians Should Live and Labor [*Everythingologists MUST help christians reconstruct this away from Biblical Truth. – RH]
7. The Bible [THE BIBLE CANNOT be god’s word if there is NO GOD. – Teaching of the a-theologist. – RH]
8. The Christian Church [As soon as an everythingologist can convince a christian to accept ALL religions, the church can then be reconstructed into a morally inclusive body which evolves with humankind.
  - “IN THE BEGINNING there was a wordless primate. – Darwinist evolution of the Church of Humankind. – RH]
9. The Last Things [Humans will be the demise of the world we destroy. – Ecology of Humanistic Religiosity RH]
A Brief Commentary on Plain Theology
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Again, please note that the Contents listed above are those of Charles Octavius Boothe; however the commentaries are all mine and intended to provoke your comments to ANY section of this post on Theology - the STUDY OF GOD. - 
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I cannot cover most of the implications of bad theology, false teaching and deceptive doctrine in this brief glance at theology; however as an introduction to WHY I have selected some of these terms to describe various philosophies, we will glance at dangers of a few known philosophies leavening the evangelism of the 21st century church.

The Dangers of Atheology
- IF god is dead in the evolved minds of humankind,
  - THEN PhD’s of Everythingology can create culture to worship whatever we want and invent iconic heroes idolizing who we want to become.
- IF JESUS is NOT God,
  - THEN Jesus was just an ordinary man and Christology just another philosophy.
- IF the HOLY SPIRIT has never shown God’s power,
  - THEN god remains impotent to act in a cosmos or specifically in humankind.
DOCTRINE – What do you believe? Can you affirm it to others?

But IF the BIBLE is Truly God’s Word,

Only Scripture Becomes a Valid Premise
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Returning now to "PLAIN THEOLOGY FOR PLAIN PEOPLE," Chapter 4, The Son: His Coming and His Work, consider the simple yet powerful theology of the word of Jesus Christ as given to the ages in Scripture. 
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(7) THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

It is interesting to notice what stress is laid in the New Testament on the resurrection of Christ. The sacred writers were deeply impressed with the importance of testifying to those to whom they preacher the gospel, that, after his death on the cross and his burial in the new tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus rose from the dead, and to present to them clear proofs of the wonderful fact.
Charles Octavius Boothe, PLAIN THEOLOGY FOR PLAIN PEOPLE, p.51

Boothe continues his Christology, supported by Scripture, noting:

‘It was true that Jesus again and again had foretold his rising from the dead..’

Boothe then guides us to the Scripture which immediately came to mind for me.

1 Corinthians 15:

The Fact of Christ’s Resurrection

For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom remain until now..
First Letter of the Apostle Paul to the Church at Corinth 15:3-6a NASB20

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
Question of the Apostle Paul to Christians at Corinth – 1 Cor 15:12 ESV
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What a great QUESTION to some believers doubting Christ due to false philosophy questioning their faith. But the learned theological teacher Paul has an even better reasoning to question their questioning:
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- But if there is no resurrection of the dead,
  - then not even Christ has been raised.
- And if Christ has not been raised,
  - then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
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Then the negative argument and presumed logic of the A-theologists of Corinth:
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We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.
1 Corinthians 15:15 ESV
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And repeating himself for the sake of argument, Paul agrees.
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- For if the dead are not raised,
  - not even Christ has been raised.
- And if Christ has not been raised,
  - your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
- Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
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The Apostle Paul then reasonably etches a line in the stone of Scripture the Christian must know is the true Doctrine of Christ.
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If in Christ we have hope in this life only,
we are of all people most to be pitied.
1 Corinthians 15:19 ESV

THAT is WHAT the A-theologist and Everythingologists would like to convince Christian to think.

HOWEVER; The Apostle Paul provides our better answer in the truth of this Scripture:

But the fact is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end..
I Corinthians 15:20, 22-24a NASB20

Christology is all-inclusive of a fearful Truth for A-theologists: death and then the Judgment!
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NEXT Saturday Post, God-willing:

The Divisive Philosophies of Evangelical Christians
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July 23, 2022