A Biblical Framework for Facing the Intellectual, Moral and Spiritual Challenges of the 21 st...

A Biblical Framework for Facing the Intellectual,

Moral and Spiritual Challengesof the 21st Century

Charles A. Clough

January 21-23, 2005 Hosted by

West Houston Bible Church

Shall I Bow To My Creator?

• YES!– ancient monotheism

– ancient Israel

– Bible

– Fundamentalism

• CREATOR/creature– God || man | nature

– everlasting distinctions

• PERSONAL SOVEREIGN– ultimate responsibility

• NO!– ancient myths– eastern religions– western philosophy– modern theology

• Continuity of Being– nature > gods > man– transmutation / evolution

• IMPERSONAL FATE / CHANCE– ultimate victimization

UNBELIEF SWALLOWING UP A BIT OF THE WORD OF GOD

A portion of the Word of God presented to unbelief

Unbelief reinterpreting the Word of God within its own categories

CHRISTOLOGICAL CONTROVERSY

MODALISM

UNITARIANISM

JESUS CHRIST

WHOLLY GOD

DISTINCT FROM THE FATHER

TRINITY

SOLITARY

MONOTHEISM

NT CANON > signs/wonders

TRINITY & PERSON OF CHRIST

CROSS: SATISFACTION OF DIVINE JUSTICE

JUSTIFICATION: SOLA FIDE

ECCLESIOLOGY & ESCHATOLOGY

UNIVERSAL HISTORY: CREATIONISM

CONTINUITY OF BEING

IDEALISTIC LOGIC

ARBITRARY JUSTICE

HUMAN MERIT

DIVINE STATE-SAVIOR

“NATURAL” HISTORY

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S ENVELOPMENTAL STRATEGY THROUGH CHURCH GROWTH IN THE WORD OF GOD

WHERE DOES INFORMATION

RESIDE ?

in symbols

or in the minds that interpret the symbols?

. .

.- - -

.

.

.

Audible words

GOD’S STANDARD MEANING

Do A and B’ ideas impute to the audible words the same God-given meaning?

A’s idea B’s idea

A’s idea B’s ideaGOD’S STANDARD MEANING

Audible words

CLARIFYING MEANING UNDER “HOSTILE” CONDITIONS

CONTRAST: Truth vs. Vanity (arbitrary foundation, self-contradictory) [Doctrinal & Categorical Aspect]

RANGE of MEANINGRANGE of MEANING: Revealed Facts vs. Fog (avoidance of facts) [Exegetical & Historical/Scientific Aspect]

CONTEXTCONTEXT: God’s Plan vs. Various Pagan Religion/Philosophies (thousands with common base) [Worldview Aspect]

“You can’t say anything about anything without saying something about everything”

“KNOWLEDGE” OR “FAITH” ?

“I believe that. . .” or “I know that. . .”

Julian Huxley: “I believe firmly that the scientific method, although slow and never claiming to lead to complete truth, is the only method which. . .will give satisfactory foundation for beliefs”

“We quite assuredly at present know nothing beyond this world and natural experience.”

REALITY

APPEARANCE

“We don’t know anything for sure, except that the Bible can’t be true.”



– ancient Israel

– Bible

– Fundamentalism







UNBELIEF SWALLOWING UP A BIT OF THE WORD OF GOD

A portion of the Word of God presented to unbelief

Unbelief reinterpreting the Word of God within its own categories

KEY EVENTS & DOCTRINAL IMAGES

• Creation• Fall• Flood• Covenant• Call of Abraham• Exodus• Mt. Sinai• Conquest & Settlement• Rise and Reign of David• Golden Era of Solomon• Division & Decline of Kgdm• Fall of Kgdm & Exile• Restoration. . . . .

• God, man, nature

• Evil, suffering

• Judgment / Salvation

• God, man, nature

• Election, Justification, Faith

• Judgment / Salvation

• Revelation, Inspiration, Canon

• Sanctification

• Sanctification

• Sanctification

• Sanctification

• Sanctification, Religion

• Canon, prayer. . . .

?

ALL POSSIBLE FACTS PLAN OF GOD

The FRAMEWORK guides one in STRATEGICALLY MANEUVERING against unbelief by exploiting DIMENSIONS of MEANING.

It thus exposes areas needing REPENTANCE in order to stimulate strong Biblical FAITH

THE BURIED FOUNDATIONTHE BURIED FOUNDATION

CREATIONCREATION

FALLFALL

FLOODFLOODCOVENANTCOVENANT

God

Man

Nature

Evil & Suffering

Judgment / Salvation

God

Man

Nature



– ancient Israel

– Bible

– Fundamentalism








CREATIONCREATION

FALLFALL


God

Man

Nature

Evil & Suffering


God

Man

Nature

Who Has the REAL “Evil Problem”?Who Has the REAL “Evil Problem”?

Christian:Christian:

Pagan:Pagan:

Good

Evil

88

Good/Evil Mix is Forever “Normal”

Good/Evil Mix is “Abnormal” & Temporary

Creator:

creation:

8

8Good

| | |Good

Evil

Good

EvilCr F J


CREATIONCREATION

FALLFALL


God

Man

Nature

Evil & Suffering


God

Man

Nature

THE DISRUPTIVE KINGDOMTHE DISRUPTIVE KINGDOM

CALL OF ABRAHAMCALL OF ABRAHAM

EXODUSEXODUS

MT. SINAIMT. SINAI

CONQUEST & SETTLEMENTCONQUEST & SETTLEMENT

RISE & REIGN OF DAVIDRISE & REIGN OF DAVID

ElectionJustificationFaith

Judgment / Salvation(Blood Atonement)

Revelation

InspirationCanonicity

Sanctification

Sanctification(Confession & Restoration)



Pagan:Pagan:

Good

Evil

88



Creator:

creation:

8

8Good

| | |Good

Evil

Good

EvilCr F J



EXODUSEXODUS

MT. SINAIMT. SINAI





Revelation


Sanctification



CREATIONCREATION

FALLFALL


God

Man

Nature

Evil & Suffering


God

Man

Nature



EXODUSEXODUS

MT. SINAIMT. SINAI





Revelation


Sanctification


THE KING’S DISCIPLINEGOLDEN ERA OF SOLOMONGOLDEN ERA OF SOLOMON

KINGDOM DIVIDED

KINGDOMS IN DECLINE

EXILE

RESTORATION

Sanctification (Growth & Wisdom)

Sanctification (Chastening & Repentance)

Sanctification (Chastening,Repentance, & Final Cleansing)

Sanctification (Separation)Revelation / Inspiration (Apocalyptic Literature)

Canonicity (Preservation of the Text); Prayer; Eschatology (premillennialism)

EXILED JEWS’ WORLD INFLUENCE??

( from 600 B.C. to 500 B.C.)

Philosophy (via Egypt?) Judaism (from Babylon)

Zoroasterianism (Persia) Taoism (China)

Jainism (India) Confucianism (China)

Buddhism (via India)

Vedanta Monism (India)

( All anti-supernatural and ethically focused )

THE KING’S DISCIPLINEGOLDEN ERA OF SOLOMONGOLDEN ERA OF SOLOMON

KINGDOM DIVIDED

KINGDOMS IN DECLINE

EXILE

RESTORATION

Sanctification (Growth & Wisdom)

Sanctification (Chastening & Repentance)

Sanctification (Chastening,Repentance, & Final Cleansing)

Sanctification (Separation)Revelation / Inspiration (Apocalyptic Literature)

Canonicity (Preservation of the Text); Prayer; Eschatology (premillennialism)

THE KING AS CREATOR & CREATURE

BIRTH

Hypostatic Union

LIFEKenosisImpeccabilityInfallibility

DEATHSubstitutionaryBloodAtonement

RESURRECTION Glorification



Pagan:Pagan:

Good

Evil

88



Creator:

creation:

8

8Good

| | |Good

Evil

Good

EvilCr F J

THE KING’S QUALIFYING CAMPAIGN

ASCENSION & SESSIONASCENSION & SESSION

PENTECOSTPENTECOST

EMERGENCE OF THE CHURCHEMERGENCE OF THE CHURCH

MATURING OF THE CHURCHMATURING OF THE CHURCH

DESTINY OF THE CHURCHDESTINY OF THE CHURCH

Judgment / Salvation(Last days begin)

Person & Work of the Holy Spirit; Sanctification

Dispensations (Israelology & Ecclesiology)

Historical Theology (doctrinal clarification)

Eschatology (Rapture, Bema, Return)

OT Image Source

Accomplishment of the Session

Accomplishments Still Awaited

Daniel 7Christ given kingly authority to rule over all nations;

comes face-to-face with the Father

Judgment of nations; acquisition of a kingdom people; evil powers set

aside

Psalm 2 Christ given kingly authority to rule

over all nations by a decree of the Father

Subduing of the nations; nations given opportunity

to bow to Christ’s authority before they are

forced to; Christ not sitting on David’s throne

at physical Mt. Zion

Psalm 110

Christ given both kingly and priestly authority to rule

over all nations; sits at the Father’s right

hand

Enemies not yet defeated

OT Imagery of the Session of the Son

Name of the Doctrine

Content of the Doctrine

Satan’s Possible Appeal Refuted

Substitutionary Blood

Atonement

All grace is grounded upon total

restitutionary satisfaction of God’s just demands against

sin

There is no unavoidable contradiction between God’s holiness and His acceptance of sinful

creatures covered legally by the SBA

ImputationGod credits Christ’s righteousness to the account of those who

believe

The righteousness that is credited is that of Christ whose credentials have

been accepted permanently at the

Father’s Throne.

The King Individually Qualified



PENTECOSTPENTECOST









Name of the Doctrine

Content of the Doctrine

Satan’s Possible Appeal Refuted

Substitutionary Blood

Atonement

All grace is grounded upon total

restitutionary satisfaction of God’s just demands against

sin

There is no unavoidable contradiction between God’s holiness and His acceptance of sinful

creatures covered legally by the SBA

Imputation God credits Christ’s righteousness to the account of those who

believe

The righteousness that is credited is that of Christ whose credentials have

been accepted permanently at the

Father’s Throne.

The King’s Body Becoming Qualified



PENTECOSTPENTECOST









“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals;

For you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation

And have made us kings and priests to our God

And we shall reign on the earth.” Rev. 5:9-10

Fully The King and His Body Qualified to Begin the Kingdom of God on Earth

UNBELIEF FORCED INTO A CONTRAST IN MANY AREAS SIMULTANEOUSLY

A portion of the Word of God presented to unbelief as part of a network

Unbelief challenged in each of its categories needed to reinterpret the Word of God

cclough @ bellatlantic.net

A Biblical Framework for Facing the Intellectual, Moral and Spiritual Challenges of the 21 st...

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