Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith

An Instructor’s Manual to

Bible Doctrine:

Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith

Daniel Julian

with a foreword by the author

Foreword to Faculty

When I first wrote Bible Doctrine, I was eager to incorporate several factors that I had observed in several years of classroom teaching at both the college and the seminary level. I hope you will find these useful as you teach from this book.

First, students wanted a textbook that was understandable, one that didn’t assume they already knew hundreds of technical theological terms. After all, this was an introductory course.

Second, they always wanted to see “where this comes from in the Bible” – and I found out quickly that if I just gave Bible verse references without quoting the words, they simply would not take the time to look them up in their Bibles. In that case, they would miss the power of God’s Word speaking to their own hearts, and they would be left relying on my weak human reasoning rather than on the truth of God’s Word. That is why the book cites so many verses.

Third, they wanted to know “what difference does this make?” They appreciated it when I could show how each doctrine had specific influence on their lives and their relationship with God. The application questions at the end of each chapter are intended to help you do that as well.

Fourth, they appreciated it when the class had a doxological aspect – when it inspired in them heartfelt worship and reverence. For the last 34 years of teaching I have made it a habit to have the class begin with a hymn and a prayer. I want us to remember that we are in God’s presence as we study theology.

This instructor’s manual is designed to give you a head start as you teach through these chapters. There are lists of key terms and key points, a quick summary of the chapter, suggestions for opening each class, and ideas for discussion questions and essay topics. Numerous recent Internet resources are also listed.

This entire resource was written by my former teaching assistant Dan Julian, an Arizona pastor and an outstanding graduate of Phoenix Seminary. I was thrilled (but not surprised) to see what excellent work Dan did in capturing the heart of what I aim for in my teaching.

My hope is that God will bless you with the same blessing he has given me as I have taught these chapters again and again, year after year. The blessing is that every time I teach a chapter, God awakens in me new amazement that he has given me the privilege of teaching about himself, and he gives me a fresh appreciation for the excellence of his Word, for the greatness of his infinite power and wisdom and love, and for the surpassing majesty of his sovereignty over the entire history of the universe. To God alone be praise and glory forever!

Wayne Grudem, PhD

Phoenix Seminary, Phoenix, Arizona

Introduction

It was a privilege to sit under and to work for Wayne Grudem during my time at Phoenix Seminary. The same clarity and grace that characterize his Bible Doctrine also marked his class lectures and his personal conversations. I have continued to use his text as an instructor and a pastor, and I continue to witness its benefits for the body of Christ.

I had several goals in preparing this instructor’s guide and the related helps: (1) I wanted to summarize the chapter content clearly and still retain the shape of the author’s arguments. Out of necessity, some chapters experienced a bit more summarizing than others, but I believe the core of his arguments remains intact. (2) I wanted to preserve the textbook’s emphasis on Scripture. (3) I wanted to provide suggestions that would drive classroom discussion and engage the students. (4) I wanted to supply resources that would expand the student’s study of the various doctrines.

Chapter Summaries: These provide a “30,000-foot view” of the chapter, and the instructor may find it helpful to review the summary before class. Each chapter summary also includes a list of key terms, some key points, and a few suggested essay questions. The key terms will often appear on chapter quizzes. Some essay questions address key points in the chapter, while others require the students to present some line of argument. Many of the points in the summaries will include references to the relevant passages in Scripture, and instructors will find it helpful to bring those verses into the class discussion.

PowerPoint Presentations: These follow the analytical outline of the chapters, and they include a number of the relevant Scripture passages. The last slide or two will provide a list of the key terms for review.

Pedagogical Suggestions: I have “field-tested” many of the recommended questions and found them to be useful. Dr. Grudem’s students will remember opening each class session with a hymn, and so some chapters recommend a song. After all, the study of God should lead to the praise of God. In one or two chapters, I have recommended that the instructor administer communion or lead a time of worship. Often, after studying a doctrine, students find it enriching to put the content into immediate practice.

Additional Resources: Some of these are recent articles by well-known authors and teachers; others are classic texts and sermons that the church has found to be continually edifying. Instructors can incorporate these as they see fit. Many would provide interesting material for a term paper assignment.

Suggested Websites, Chapter Quizzes, Example Syllabi: These appear at the beginning and end of the instructor’s guide. The suggested websites provide articles, resources, and classic works on doctrine and faith. The chapter quizzes often focus on key terms and key points, though some will test a student’s comprehension of finer points within the chapter. The suggested syllabi distribute the material over the course of a semester, and an instructor can modify these to fit his or her individual needs.

I want this resource to glorify God and to serve the body of Christ. The study of theology is unique: we cannot consider these truths without some response to them. It has been my prayer that at the end of the academic term, students and instructors will have grown in “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” (2 Cor 13:14).

Daniel Julian

Table of Contents

Suggested Websites 5

Chapter Summaries 6

Chapter 1: Introduction to Systematic Theology 6

PART I: THE DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

Chapter 2: The Authority and Inerrancy of the Bible 8

Chapter 3: The Clarity, Necessity, and Sufficiency of the Bible 11

PART II: THE DOCTRINE OF GOD

Chapter 4: The Character of God—“Incommunicable” Attributes 14

Chapter 5: The “Communicable” Attributes of God 17

Chapter 6: The Trinity 20

Chapter 7: Creation 23

Chapter 8: God’s Providence 26

Chapter 9: Prayer 29

Chapter 10: Angels, Satan, and Demons 31

PART III: THE DOCTRINE OF MAN

Chapter 11: The Creation of Man 34

Chapter 12: Man as Male and Female 37

Chapter 13: Sin 39

PART IV: THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST

Chapter 14: The Person of Christ 42

Chapter 15: The Atonement 44

Chapter 16: Resurrection and Ascension 46

PART V: THE DOCTRINE OF THE APPLICATION OF REDEMPTION

Chapter 17: Common Grace 48

Chapter 18: Election 50

Chapter 19: The Gospel Call 53

Chapter 20: Regeneration 55

Chapter 21: Conversion (Faith and Repentance) 57

Chapter 22: Justification and Adoption 59

Chapter 23: Sanctification (Growth in Likeness to Christ) 62

Chapter 24: The Perseverance of the Saints (Remaining a Christian) 65

Chapter 25: Death, the Intermediate State, and Glorification 68

PART VI: THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

Chapter 26: The Nature of the Church 71

Chapter 27: Baptism 74

Chapter 28: The Lord’s Supper 77

Chapter 29: Gifts of the Holy Spirit (I)—General Questions 79

Chapter 30: Gifts of the Holy Spirit (II)—Specific Gifts 81

PART VII: THE DOCTRINE OF THE FUTURE

Chapter 31: The Return of Christ—When and How? 83

Chapter 32: The Millennium 86

Chapter 33: The Final Judgment and Eternal Punishment 89

Chapter 34: The New Heavens and New Earth 91

Chapter Quizzes 93

Sample Syllabi 128

Suggested Websites

Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals: A group of evangelical Christians from many denominational backgrounds, as well as their online journal
http://www.alliancenet.org/
http://www.reformation21.org/

Bible Researcher: An online directory of articles related to textual studies, theological issues, and the canon of Scripture
http://www.bible-researcher.com/

The Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon: A biographical encyclopedia covering historical church figures
http://www.bautz.de/bbkl/

The Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics: A collection of many online resources, organized according to areas of doctrine, and specifically Reformed in their theological commitments
http://www.reformed.org/

The Chicago Statements on Biblical Inerrancy and Biblical Hermeneutics
http://www.bible-researcher.com/chicago1.html
http://www.bible-researcher.com/chicago2.html

The Christian Classics Ethereal Library: An online collection of early church documents, including Calvin’s Institutes, the works of the early church fathers, and many others
http://www.ccel.org

Christian Essentials at Scottsdale Bible Church: An online collection of Wayne Grudem’s lectures through Systematic Theology
http://christianessentialssbc.com/messages/

The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: Covers issues of marriage, church leadership, and biblical manhood and womanhood from a Complementarian perspective
http://www.cbmw.org/

The Evangelical Theological Society: A professional and academic society of evangelical scholars, pastors, students, and others as well as their quarterly journal
http://www.etsjets.org/
http://www.etsjets.org/JETS

Monergism Directory of Theology: Perhaps the most comprehensive online collection of theological resources, providing many online articles and sites divided by category and doctrine
http://www.monergism.com/directory/

The New Testament Gateway: A collection of many online resources for New Testament studies
http://www.ntgateway.com/

Threshold: Many online works by various theologians including Wayne Grudem, J. Gresham Machen, Augustine, R.C. Sproul, and many others
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/books/onlinebooks.html

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 – Introduction to Systematic Theology

Key Terms

apologetics, biblical theology, Christian ethics, contradiction, doctrine, historical theology, major doctrine, minor doctrine, New Testament theology, Old Testament theology, paradox, philosophical theology, presupposition, systematic theology

Key Points

· Systematic theology looks at the whole witness of Scripture and applies it directly to the lives of Christians.

· The study of systematic theology enables Christians to fulfill the Great Commission.

Chapter Summary

We can define systematic theology as “any study that answers the question, ‘What does the whole Bible teach us today?’ about any given topic.”[1] This book focuses specifically on this field of inquiry, rather than addressing philosophical, historical, or biblical theology. When appropriate, these other approaches will come to bear on the discussion, but each takes a backseat to the larger task of systematizing and applying the whole witness of Scripture on various topics. Rather than looking exclusively, for instance, at Paul’s views on the people of God, this text will look at what the whole Bible says about the people of God (including what Paul says about them), and how that doctrine should be understood by believers today. The church needs this type of study today because so many Christians regularly “do” systematic theology, albeit in a disorganized manner. The following chapters will attempt to treat seven major areas of doctrine (the Word of God, God, man, Christ and the Holy Spirit, Redemption, the Church, and the Future) in a carefully organized, detailed, accurate, and Bible-centered manner. In addressing these doctrines, this text begins with two assumptions: (1) The Bible is true, and (2) the God of the Bible exists and is who the Bible says he is.

The study of systematic theology enables Christians to fulfill the Great Commission—this is the most basic reason for doing systematic theology—and it will result in many benefits in our lives. It will help us put away wrong ideas, will enable us to come to better conclusions whenever doctrinal issues and controversies arise, and will help us become mature Christians.

As Christians, we must study systematic theology prayerfully and humbly. We must also study it with reason. The student of God’s Word is never to leave his or her mind at the door. In studying systematic theology, we are taking part in a practice that demands community involvement; we learn much from our discussions with other Christians.

Our study of systematic theology must also be comprehensive. We pursue a doctrine by collecting all of the relevant passages in Scripture; by reading, studying and summarizing the claims of these passages individually; and finally by attempting to summarize all of the results of our study into one or more points.

Finally, we must study systematic theology with hearts that are full of praise and delight in the God who has revealed himself to us in Scripture.

Pedagogical Suggestions

· Open class with the hymn “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing.”[2]

· Initiate discussion by asking students to offer a definition of God or to explain the Trinity in three sentences. Promote further discussion by asking whether God predestines certain individuals to salvation, or whether we have the ability to take those first steps toward God on our own. Use the results of this discussion to transition into an explanation of the definition of, and our need for, systematic theology.