Mathers Systematic Theology. Norman W. Mathers

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СКАЧАТЬ S. Chafer (1971:1:180-81) argues that John 4:24 refers to the personality of God. A more careful exegesis of this passage demonstrates that the Being of God is taught rather than attributes manifested from His Essence. The passage and the context of John 4 center on true worship in comparison to false worship rather than the components of personality. A. A. Hodge (1972:139-140) summarizes man knows substance that is experienced by the manifestation of such on our senses. God has not any material limitations. He is not perceived by our senses (John 1:18). Jesus explained the Father (John 1:18, 14:9). God is a rational being who distinguishes between true and false worship. It follows (logical deduction) that he is a moral being differentiating between right and wrong (ibid:140).

      3.2 The Unity of God

      3.2.1 Definition

      The unity of God means that God is one God (Deut. 6:4, James 2:19). The One God subsists in 3 persons, the Father, the Eternal Son, and the Holy Spirit. All three persons are co-equal, co-eternal and of one essence (substance), and indivisible (Matt. 28:19-20, John 14:16-17, 2 Cor. 13:14). Each person of the Godhead is God of very God. The Father is God (John 6:27, Eph. 4:6). Jesus, the Eternal Son is God (Heb. 1:8). The Spirit of God is God (Acts 5:3-4). Walvoord (1974:39-40) gives additional scriptural references for the unity of God (Ex. 20:3, Is. 44:6, John 10:30, 14:9, 17:11, 12,23, Col. 1:15). He adds these verses for the Eternal Son (Is. 7:14, 9:6). The verse added for the Father is Psalm 2:7. The verse added for the Spirit is Psalm 104:30 (ibid:39-40). A. A. Hodge (1972:138) writes on the Unity of God arguing for the uniqueness of God. There is only one God. This excludes all others. The three persons of the Godhead, constitute one essence (substance) which is indivisible. Chafer (1971:1:136) views Theology Proper as having a twofold division. The first is Theism which consists of the existence and attributes of God. The second is Trinitarianism which is the presentation of the three persons in the Godhead, their role, attributes, and relationships within the Godhead. Chafer (ibid:180) expands the definition of unity of God to include His person, His attributes, His decree, and names. The truth of the three persons of the Godhead that are co-equal, co-eternal, co-existence, of one essence or substance, and indivisible belong to Trinitarianism. Charles Hodge (1975:1:367) references the “Westminster Cathechism” that “God is a Spirit.” This statement includes both the incommunicable and communicable attributes of God. These attributes are “infinite, eternal, unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.” It would be better to state God is spirit. The Greek text uses the abstract of the noun spirit without the article. The order of the words in the Greek New Testament is “spirit God” (Aland & Black 1968:334). The verb is has to be supplied. It is understood. God is perfect being (Hodge 1975:1:366). Being means God has real existence. He is of one substance (essence) (ibid:367). God is not an idea or a force or a power but is a person (ibid:367). Shedd (1979:1:251) confirms the Divine unity. God is a tri-unity or trinity. He is one God but a plural unit existing in three persons.

      3.3 Historical Theology on the Unity of God

      3.3.1 The Early Church On the Doctrine of God.

      Tertullian was one of the early figures in the Christian church to use the word trinity. He asserted that the triune God is of one single substance (essence) in three persons and is indivisible (Berkhof 1975:63). However, he was not clear on the role of the members of the Godhead (ibid:63). Berkhof defines the Trinitarian controversy as the Arian controversy (ibid:84). Arius denied the deity of Jesus Christ. He did not believe in the eternality of Jesus Christ. Arius argued that the Father generated the Son so that the Father could create the world by him (ibid:84). Cairns (1974:141-45) calls this period one of theological controversy (325-451 A.D.). Alexander, the bishop of Alexandria, gave a sermon on the Unity of the Trinity. Arius attacked it (ibid:142). The Council of Nicaea met in the summer of 325 A.D. to determine the relationship of Christ to the Father. Arius took refuge in Eusebius, bishop of Nicomedia. This dispute took place in Asia Minor. The unity of the Roman Empire was threatened as well as that of the church. Three hundred bishops of the church attended this council. Arius argued that Christ was a created being (ibid:143). He maintained that Christ was of a different essence (substance) than the Father. Arius believed that Christ was subordinate to the Father. In addition, this means that Christ would not be co-equal and co-eternal with the Father.

      Athanasius was the champion of the orthodox view that Christ was co-equal, co-eternal, of same essence (substance) as the Father, and indivisible (ibid:144). The historian, Eusebius of Caesarea, was present. His view was orthodox. The Council of Nicaea was dominated by the emperor Constantine. The Council of Nicaea should not be confused with the Nicene Creed today (ibid:144). The Council of Nicaea affirmed the eternality of Christ and that He was one substance with the Father. The views of Arius were condemned. The Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. affirmed the eternality of Christ. He was one substance with the Father. These conclusions concerning the Lord Jesus Christ were reaffirmed at Chalcedon in 451 A.D. The Constantinople Creed is known today as the Nicene Creed. Modernism and Unitarianism are related to Arianism. The Jehovah Witnesses do not believe in the eternality and deity of Christ. Macedonius, bishop of Constantinople (341-360 A.D.), held the view that the Holy Spirit was not God. The views of Macedonius were condemned. The Council of Toledo (589 A.D.) affirmed the deity of the Holy Spirit. They added the filoque clause that the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Son as well as the Father (ibid:145).

      Latourette (1953:157) concurs that a consensus was reached at the Council of Nicaea in the relationship of Jesus Christ to the Father. It was Athanasius who was the champion of the Nicene position (ibid:157). Aryes (2004:11) presents the concise summary of Florensky on the Council of Nicaea. It was one decision and one announcement that the church had recognized the doctrine of the Trinity and of Christ. Gwynn (2007:3) provides a point of interest that the church grew in status and wealth under the reigns of Constantine. Constantine was supposedly converted in 312 A.D. He reigned from 306-337 A.D. His sons, Constantine II (337-40 A.D.), Constans (337-350 A.D.), Constantius II (337-61 A.D.), favored Christianity. The church continued to grow even under Julian the Apostate (361-63 A.D.).

      3.4 The Incommunicable Attributes of God

      3.4.1 These are attributes that are only in God.

      3.4.1.1 The Infinity of God

      God fills both heaven and earth. Hodge admits that fatal errors have been made in philosophy and religion. God is infinite in both His being and perfections. God acts and is present everywhere (Hodge 1975:1:380-384). The infinity of God involves both his immensity and omnipresence. He fills all in all (Jer. 23:23-24, Eph. 1:23). God is both far off and near at the same time. God is everywhere with his complete being. A.A. Hodge (1972:141) argued that is proven from scripture (1 Kings 8:27, Is. 66:1, Acts 17:27-28).

      Hodge points to Acts 17:28 that in God, man lives, moves, and has his being (1975:1:385). God is presented in scripture as a spiritual being, invisible, without material form, and dwelling in unapproachable light. God is the creator and the sovereign in all things (ibid:385). “One God and Father of all, the One overall, and through all and in all” [things] [author’s translation- Eph. 4:6](Aland & Black 1968:671). But God is not the all. He is separate from creation (Gen. 1:1). The Sovereign God controls and guides to fulfill His will. Shedd argued that infinity should be defined by his immensity and his omnipresence. God is infinite. He is not finite. God is without limitations imposed by time and space. Yet, he moves in and out of time and space. He is omnipotent bringing things to pass (Shedd 1979:1:399). Chafer clarifies that it is because of the decree of God that foreordained both the events and the means to accomplish the events until completed (Chafer 1971:1:215-216). L.S. Chafer categorizes the infinity of God as an absolute attribute. God controls history. He has fixed the duration of the life of nations and fixed their boundaries (Acts 17:26). Shedd (1979:1:339) argued that all of God’s communicable attributes are infinite. Job 11:7-9 communicates the infinity of God. The immensity or the vastness of God is related to his being in relationship to space (2 Chr. 2:6). СКАЧАТЬ