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The Ministry of Writing

Beyond the Manger — Seminary in 5: Christology

 

Save money. Learn theology. Become a better writer. Minister more effectively. That’s my hope for you. In this second year of my column, The Ministry of Writing, I want to take you to seminary — writing seminary. If you have had the chance to go to seminary, then let this be a refresher. If you haven’t please soak up this tuition free theological education given each month in 5 points. God has called you to write. You want to glorify Him and reach the world, but the problem is that we can easily be false teachers and not know it. Therefore, growing and learning in biblical and theological knowledge is vital to your writing ministry.

 

What is Systematic Theology?

In this series, “Seminary in 5” we are taking a brief look at seminary courses. In the last installment, we looked at five points from Systematic Theology. Theology in and of itself is the study of God, and the term systematic explains how the material about “God” is gathered. In Systematic Theology, all of Scripture is considered to pull together a complete picture of God. This is in comparison to other type methods of study such as Biblical Theology which may only focus on what each testament tells about God or what each book of the Bible does. I am a strong proponent of the systematic approach because it takes in account the whole counsel of God and presents the subject in complete context. But I mention the different disciplines because often you will run across books, title New Testament Theology or Old Testament Theology.

[bctt tweet=”Theology in and of itself is the study of God, and the term systematic explains how the material about “God” username=”@soldoutjake”]

Another complicating factor to an already complicated topic is that theology can be used in a couple to mean multiple things. As mentioned, theology is the study of God—therefore only one subject—God. I refer to this as “Theology Proper,” but often Systematic Theology goes beyond just the subject of God and covers other topics like Jesus (Christology), the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology), Angels (Angelology), Nature of Man (Anthropology), Salvation (Soteriology), Church (Ecclesiology), Future Events (Eschatology), and others. Most Systematic Theology books you pick up will not just cover “Theology Proper,” but also these other topics. In addition, the comprehensive and systematic study of each of these subjects lay the basis for our “doctrines” on the subjects. Our church or denomination’s doctrinal statements are brief summaries of the systematic conclusion of each topic.

 

Christology…

Moving forward over the next few months we will continue in Systematic Theology, but we’ll look at these other subjects, starting with Christology. Christology is study of Jesus—not just a history of His life on earth, but a comprehensive look into the nature of Jesus.

Every subject we will look at for the next several months is important. I’m sure I will preface each of them with “it is vital you understand this doctrine.” Each time I say that it will be true, but I do believe that for our culture today needs to look beyond just Jesus’ time on earth. In these next five points you will do so. Will Ferrell’s movie, Talladega Nights exemplifies why our culture needs this study. If you are familiar with the show or if you have only heard movie quotes one thing you probably remember is that repeatedly in the family prayers they prayed to “little baby Jesus.” Many across our nation think of Jesus as that baby in manger. If they have learned a bit more they recognize Jesus as the one on the cross or even better the one who beat death in the tomb. But there is so much more about Jesus. Theologians have hammered out this full picture for centuries, and we need to stand on their shoulders.

[bctt tweet=”Many across our nation prays to Little Baby Jesus, when He is so much more. ” username=”@soldoutjake”]

  1. God is Triune, Jesus is God the Son

In writing about God, the Father, I shared a point about the Trinity, which you can read HERE. I encourage you to check out that post for more detail, but I again want to reinforce—the term Trinity is not found in the Bible. Rather it was a systematic conclusion in the first few centuries of Christianity. We are blessed that these early theologians hammered out a doctrine that helps us understand the Bible with more clarity. Although we can completely explain the Trinity, it helps us a lot.

As the Bible was canonized, and churches taught the teachings of Jesus, they faced a problem. The Bible was very clear that there is only one God. This was a vital piece of Israel’s faith. There being One God separated them from the rest of the nations around them. Jesus would also continue those teachings in His time on earth, as did the Apostles that followed Him. But Jesus also taught He was God. Scripture also taught that the Holy Spirit was God. The Bible further complicated things by placing God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit at the same events as Creation (Psalm 102:24, Col. 1:15, Gen. 1:2), Inspiration (2 Tim. 3:16, 1 Peter 1:10-11, 2 Peter 1:21), Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:16-17), and others. Theologians poured over the texts and came to the conclusion of the Trinity. That there is one “what” and three “whos.”

Therefore, according to the doctrine of the Trinity, Jesus is a distinct person, but is at the same time one with God the Father.

[bctt tweet=”We’re blessed early theologians hammered out doctrines like the Trinity. ” username=”@soldoutjake”]

  1. Jesus is 100% God

The doctrine of the Trinity was not the only theological issue that had to be hammered out by the church fathers. For close to five centuries, theologians went back and forth seeking to explain the nature of Jesus. Scripture revealed He was God, but also revealed He was man. How could this be?

Theologian J. I. Packer, said, “Here are two mysteries for one.” This is a very difficult concept to consider. It is not enough to say that Jesus was half and half. For if He was only half man then how could it be said He was empathetic of our human plight. This issue was mostly settled in AD 451 at the Council of Chalcedon. From that meeting, the Creed of Chalcedon explains Jesus as somehow being fully God and fully man at the same time.

Matt Perman wrote for Desiring God that Chalcedon could be summarized,

  1.  Jesus has two natures — He is God and man.
    2. Each nature is full and complete — He is fully God and fully man.
    3. Each nature remains distinct.
    4. Christ is only one Person.
    5. Things that are true of only one nature are nonetheless true of the Person of Christ.

 Therefore, we must view Jesus as being 100% and 100% God at one time.

[bctt tweet=”We must view Jesus as being 100% and 100% God at one time.” username=”@soldoutjake”]

  1. Jesus is 100% Man

As mentioned above Jesus is fully God and fully man. It is important for us to recognize that as Jesus was on earth He faced life as we do. The temptations were real to Him. He truly experienced what we do in our humanity as revealed in Hebrew 4:15. He was fully a man.

 

  1. Jesus Died to Atone for Sin

Multiple times as Jesus’ arrest and sentence to Cross loomed, He revealed t the reason He came was to die as an atonement of sin. Throughout the Old Testament sins were atoned through the sacrifices. Jesus came to be the “lamb that took away the sin of the world.” He came to be final sacrifice.

Although Jesus never sinned, when He hung on the cross somehow all the sin of humanity was placed on Him. He died in our place. Understanding, Jesus’ death as a substitutionary atonement brings understanding to the necessity of that death. It is also our vehicle for salvation. We take hold of that sacrifice through faith.

In the Old Testament, when an Israelite sacrificed the perfect sinless Passover lamb they placed their hand on it. This represented a transfer of sin from the individual to the lamb. The lamb then died in the place of the person. This is what Jesus did. This fact also points to why it is essential to understand that Jesus was perfect and without sin.

[bctt tweet=”Jesus’ death as a substitutionary atonement brings understanding to the necessity of that death.” username=”@soldoutjake”]

  1. Jesus is Coming Back to Reign

Jesus’ work is not done. Much of the confusion with the Jews in day of Jesus was that the promised Messiah was to establish a kingdom for Israel. The promises made to Abraham and David would both be fulfilled in the Messiah. Jesus did not do this when He was here on earth, but His work is not done. Although He died on the cross and was placed in a tomb—He came back to life and left the tomb. For forty days, He appeared to His followers and then He ascended to Heaven.

The Bible tells He is now at the right hand of God the Father, and that He intercedes on our behalf. But the Bible also tells He will return. He will come back and set up His kingdom on earth. Jesus was not just a historical person, but He is still alive and well. He is coming back.

 

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The Ministry of Writing

Writers Must Keep Their Foot on the Gas

So, I guess it’s ok for a writer to be a NASCAR fan—especially a Southern writer, right? I’m a race fan, but last year one of my favorite drivers retired. At one point, in his career he was a perennial winner and champion, but he had struggled the past few years. As a fan, it perplexed me how someone who once dominated could lose pace. His equipment had gotten better, competition had fallen off, and he had gained lots of experience, therefore, why would he regularly finish in the back of the pack?

In one of his final races, a commentator shared how it was common for past champion drivers to lose speed the older they got. He went on and explained, “In a sport where each competitor is only separated by tenths of a second and the winners are often the ones who let off the gas the last in the turns. Past champions struggle as they get older and become more cautious. They tend to pull off the gas pedal sooner in those curves.” He went on to say how that when drivers begin their careers they are pushed by a singular vision and often they don’t have families. As they grow older, their interests vary beyond the track and they have children who are relying on them. This caution brings them to dial it back and not push as hard.

This was a clear explanation, but it also resonated with me because I have been describing one of my pastoral ministry failures as occurring because I took my foot off the gas. We had a long-term plan to grow our church through creating new Bible study classes with a DNA to multiply. Right out of the blocks we found success then we hit a difficult stretch. I was convinced of our strategy, but I became discouraged. And I let the voices of caution around me lead me to take my proverbial foot off the gas pedal. I aborted the plan and went back to the way things were before. I gave up. And the ministry suffered.

Now looking back, I wish I had stayed the course and continued. Now as I’m chiefly ministering through writing now, I’m tempted to do the same thing. Like the older race car driver who brakes earlier than they did in the past due to worries of life around them, I hear the concerns and stop. But we must not waver from our call.

[bctt tweet=”Christian writers you’ve been given a mission and you must keep your foot on the gas even in the scary turns” via=”@soldoutjake”]and the mundane straight-a-ways.

In however you have been called of God to write and complete a particular project, it was for a reason. Your task is important, and no matter how difficult or depressing it might be—God will come through. He will keep you on the track even if the mission turns your knuckles white.

We can’t give up. We can’t be hesitant. Our pedal needs to be to the metal.

This “gas pedal” you must not let up could be your calling to write, your vocation to be a writer, the leading to relay a message, or the call to create a certain resource. Whichever one or ones applies to you needs to be followed through.

If you have been called to write—write. Don’t start and stop. Don’t wait. Do it. For years, I felt called to do so. I put it off forever. Then when I finally started I would write for a little bit and then stop. I got nowhere. It was only when I plowed on through the writer’s block, rejection, and stress that things began to come together.

If you have been called to write as a vocation, do it. Learn the craft. Get the training. Quit your job, whatever it takes to be obedient. Don’t wait—press the hammer down. Even if you are broke and starving, stay the course.

If you have been called to share a message with the world and that involves writing about it—share it. Learn to write. But don’t put it off, share the message. Even if no one listens, keep sharing that message. If the message is the hill you are prompted to die on—die.

If you have been called to create a particular resource—create it. Get to work and don’t stop until its done. Shop it until it sells. Never put it in the trash or let it collect dust.

Christian writer there are some scary turns in this writing journey. Unlike NASCAR there are even right turns. There are also silent depressing seasons that make you want to shut it down. [bctt tweet=”But whatever you do put your foot on that Christian writing gas pedal,” username=”@soldoutjake”] push it through the bottom of the race car, and do not let it off.

 

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The Ministry of Writing

Profiling God — Seminary in 5: Systematic Theology

Save money. Learn theology. Become a better writer. Minister more effectively. That’s my hope for you. In this second year of my column, The Ministry of Writing, I want to take you to seminary — writing seminary. If you have had the chance to go to seminary, then let this be a refresher. If you haven’t please soak up this tuition free theological education given each month in 5 points. God has called you to write. You want to glorify Him and reach the world, but the problem is that we can easily be false teachers and not know it. Therefore, growing and learning in biblical and theological knowledge is vital to your writing ministry.

To be able to know how surprising this experience was for me, you have to understand the blessed, strong foundation I had in the Bible and church. I was blessed to grow up in church — there every time the doors were open and even when they were closed. My pastor preached the truth, we had all kinds of things to teach us kids. Then I began to preach while in high school, and studied the Bible for myself.

But sitting in that 2:00 pm college course my freshman year; my head was spinning. I felt I had parachuted into another country, and had no idea the language they were speaking. Each day I left with a splitting headache. There was a literal fog around me. It wasn’t until mid-semester that the headaches stopped.

The course was Systematic Theology I. Theology is simple to define — it’s the study of God. Systematic Theology means that all that the Bible says about God explicitly and indirect, all of the views in history, and the multiple doctrines concerning God is taught collectively so that one can form the best understanding of the Infinite that we can.

I had heard Bible stories taught, verses read, and life applicational lessons; but, never had I considered God’s existence or wrestled with His nature. It was foreign and challenging, but in the end beautiful. Like how Mr. Geisel wrote in the philosophical work, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, that the Grinch’s heart grew three times that day, and later it strengthened to “ten Grinchs plus two”; my understanding of God grew exponentially. God became so much bigger than I had even once imagined.

I believe everyone should spend time working through a course or book on Systematic Theology. My favorite is Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology. J.I. Packer’s Knowing God is another must read on the nature of God.

In theology, all that can be understood of God gathered from direct statements and His acts create a growing picture of Him. In these five points, I want to point out five aspects of God.

  1. God has always been and will always be.

I believe one of the most necessary aspects of God we need to solidify in our hearts and mind goes beyond the starting point of theology. Theology has to start with the question of God’s existence. The Bible never argues that He exists, it picks up the story with assumption that He does. For one, until the last few centuries God’s existence had never really been challenged. Theologians and philosophers have sought to provide an argument that proves God exists. There is a list of such arguments like the cosmological, teleological, anthropological, and many others. But if you are reading an article from a column on ministry through writing then I imagine God’s existence is something you have confirmed in your mind.

So, let’s go a step further. We need to solidify in our understanding that God has always existed and always will exist. Such an idea is mind-blowing, but God did not have a beginning. In terms of theories on motion, we must realize an “ummoved” mover must exist. This is God.

Although this concept can be deciphered throughout the Bible, God explicitly states this in Genesis 3 when He told Moses his personal name. God stated He was Yahwah, which meant “I am”. God has always been and will always be. Some might feel by stating He is “eternal” that this concept is explained, but I believe even in our minds “eternal” has a starting point.

  1. God is transcendent.

This statement basically states that God is “out of this world.” Which is probably obvious to us, but I feel its important that we let it sink in. God is beyond everything that exists. He is unimaginable. Anything that we can find greatness in merely pales in the shadow of God.

I like how this nature of God is stated in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

We can not put God in a box for nothing could contain Him.

[bctt tweet=”We can not put God in a Box for nothing could contain Him” username=””]

This term also points to how that God is self-existence. Unlike all other living beings, God does not rely on anything. He doesn’t need us, but rather He loves us in spite.

  1. God is Creator, Sustainer, and Sovereign.

Yes, I cheated and combined multiple aspects of God in one point, but these all go together. In the opening lines of revelation of Himself that God gave we see that He created all things. Nothing exists that did not have its genesis apart from God. We spend so much time arguing over the time span of Creation we miss out all that God’s work reveals about Him. When I visit a zoo with my daughters I am reminded of the Creativity of God.

Not only did He create all things, but He continually sustains it. The two acts, creation and sustaining, reveal that God is Sovereign. God’s sovereignty means that He controls all things.  I love one of the ways Pastor John Piper has stated this. He preached, “God does all that He pleases, and nothing can derail his ultimate purposes.”

I also love how theologian R.C. Sproul explained the sovereignty of God, “Nothing escapes God’s notice; nothing oversteps the boundaries of His power. God is authoritative in all things.” At another point, Sproul stated that in the universe there is no “maverick molecule.”

Many questions arise about human will and salvation through the topic of God’s sovereignty, but regardless of what battle we want to fight there — we must know that God is clearly sovereign.

  1. God is Triune.

I’m not going to pretend to act as if I have the concept of the Trinity down! I don’t understand how it works or how it can be, but I do recognize the need for such a philosophical concept of God. The Bible is very clear that there is Only One God (Isaiah 43:10, 44:6, 45:22), but the Bible also makes clear that Jesus is God, as well as, the Holy Spirit. In Genesis 1:26 God refers to Himself as “us”. We find God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit present at Creation, the Inspiration of Scripture, the Incarnation, the baptism of Jesus, the resurrection, and at salvation.

The balance is mind-boggling. The early church found themselves in the same situation. In seeking to wrestle with how it all worked much heresy was born. The false teachings caused by the confusion led to the gathering of Christian leader in 325 AD in what is known as the Council of Nicaea. From this conference, a standard understanding was given to the mysterious. The Nicene Creed and especially the later Athanasian Creed spelled out how that was somehow three in one.

Again, the Trinity is difficult to navigate, but the creation of an orthodox stance has been essential for the Christian church. I struggle with how to explain how that God is one, but is three persons. Yet, I believe the best way to handle it is in the footsteps of my 5-year-old. Regularly, she interchanges Jesus and God. It might be that Jesus created the world, or God died on the cross.

  1. God is love.

In these few points I barely scratched the surface of all Scripture reveals about the nature of God. Stephen Charnock produced an absolute beast of a book that lists these attributes of God. He lists a ton. The study is fascinating, but one attribute that must be listed is that God is love. 1 John 4:8 explicitly states that God is love, but the passage I really like to go to is found in Exodus. In Exodus, God tells Moses that He will pass in front of him. During this “pass-by” God revealed one-thing about Himself. He could have listed anything, but when God had the chance to declare something about Himself, He chose to remind Moses that He was a God of love. Listen to what God revealed about Himself in Exodus 34:6-7, “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.’”

I also chose to share this point because it was in the fog of that systematic theology class that I finally begun to taste the depth of God’s love. With each attribute learned about God, He rose higher and higher. When His transcendence and sovereignty come into focus, then we see how big He is, but we also see how much He stoops to love little ole us.

Jake McCandless is the executive director and lead speaker for Prophecy Simplified. A long-time pastor, Jake has a B.A. in Bible and Pastoral Studies from Central Baptist College, and an Advanced Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a contributor to WND News, The Baptist Press, Almost an Author, Inspire a Fire, graytotebox.com, and prophecysimplified.com.