AN OUTLINE OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT

An Outline of Christian Thought is designed to provide a thorough consideration of Christianity, as revealed in the Bible, Old and New Testaments, and as generally understood by professing Christians across the theological/denominational spectrum. I will be presenting my particular views on the issues we will be considering, and these will be divided into seven sections, each containing three subjects, as follows:

Section I – 1) Revelation 2) Humanity 3) God

Section II – 1) Love 2) Law 3) Liberty

Section III – 1) Sin 2) Death and Judgment 3) Mediation and Reconciliation

Section IV – 1) The Purpose of God 2) Covenants and Promises 3) Jesus of Nazareth Section V – 1) Grace 2) Legalism, or Works of Law 3) Faith, or Works of Faith

Section VI – 1) Repentance 2) Salvation 3) Sanctification; or Holiness

Section VII – 1) the Sovereignty of God 2) the Providence of God 3) History

It goes without saying that there will be differences of opinion amongst my fellow Christians, especially in areas of theology and doctrine which have been debated for generations in the Church at large. It is my great desire to stimulate and facilitate Biblical dialogue for thinking Christians. To that end, I welcome all questions, comments, and objections. Let Christian forbearance and brotherly love rule, and nothing but fruitful and happy dialogue should follow.

Likewise, it is my hope and prayer that many who do not know or profess to follow Jesus Christ and Christianity will honestly and sincerely consider the truths presented here, as this work unfolds. Again, I will welcome and be most pleased to consider and respond to comments, questions, or objections any interested reader would be inclined to submit.

For the sake of brevity, the material contained in An Outline of Christian Thought will be presented in an extended outline form. Bible references will, for the most part, be cited but not quoted. This will of course require additional study and thought on the part of the serious reader.

Let us therefore begin An Outline of Christian Thought with a consideration of

SECTION I

1) DIVINE REVELATION

A) A revelation is defined as an enlightenment or illumination; a disclosure of something which has heretofore remained hidden or unknown.

B) Revelation, or opening the consciousness to facts, principles, or concepts previously unknown, is what the art and science of teaching in general, and religious instruction in particular is all about. There are, no doubt, endless illustrations of this fact from the many subjects we humans are prone to study.

C) Religious instruction must inevitably deal with ultimate issues:

1) How did we get here? How do we explain the origin of the universe, especially mankind?

2) Is there a purpose for us being here; for me being here?

3) Where am I going? How shall we deal with the ultimate reality and meaning of death and its aftermath?

The consideration of these questions will involve a substantive and thorough study of all the issues mentioned in the introductory statement inasmuch as 

D) It is a certainty that every living soul must deal in some way with these ultimate issues, even if that means simply ignoring them.

E) All religious instruction, especially that divine revelation which An Outline of Christian Thought is particularly concerned with, will involve some definite ideas or principles as follows:

1) Light

2) Truth

3) Direction which calls for decision and action. This involves a distinction between that which is purely theoretical or academic from that which is “known” experientially, and therefore involves, 

4) The certainty and trustworthiness of what is taught, and hence,

5) The authoritative nature of what is revealed, and finally

6) The danger of ignoring or neglecting the direction, or call to action, which results from said divine revelation.

F) The following is a statement regarding the linkage between the ideas and principles just mentioned:

1) First, there must be an acknowledgment that there is such a thing as universal truth which is absolute, discoverable, and authoritative. This truth must be acknowledged as 

being an entirely objective reality, that is, absolute and authoritative truth regardless of whether anyone believes it or not. Indeed, the whole point of religion and religious instruction is the pursuit and discovery of a real and vital connection to this Universal Truth or Universal Reality, which is otherwise known as God. This requires communication from God Himself. This requires divine revelation. 

2) Light is needed in order to bring illumination to certain conditions, claims, actions, and outcomes in life which may be inherently sensed but which remain hidden from conscious view. That is, we may naturally have light enough to illuminate a sense that something is wrong, but not enough to know what to do about it. For this we need additional light or revelation. We need divine revelation. History has proven time and time again that none of the various endeavors which men may pursue in this life are capable, in and of themselves, of imparting the light necessary to answer the ultimate questions of human existence.

3) By virtue of the manifestation of light, truth imparts knowledge and direction regarding the reality of divine moral law and human moral obligation. This involves the existence of sin and its aftermath, which is death. 4) Before anyone will actually receive and obey the directions which light and truth impart to the heart and mind, those directions must be considered certain and trustworthy reality. That is,

5) The light and truth which is imparted to the soul, along with the resulting instructions, must manifest an objective authority powerful enough and persuasive enough to be voluntarily submitted to subjectively; powerful enough and persuasive enough to carry with it a sense of danger and condemnation if that authoritative direction is ignored or neglected, for whatever reason.

G) Let us now consider each of the above-mentioned ideas a little more deeply.

1) Light

a) Light is revelatory. It exposes what is real or true.

b) Light reveals outwardly to our physical sense of sight. Light also reveals inwardly to our spiritual sense of sight.

c) The way light reveals outwardly is self-evident. No proof is needed beyond the fact of what the light has just revealed. In theory, someone may argue that the wall which the light has just revealed is somehow an illusion. But if he insists on proving his theory by running his car into that wall, the absurdity of his theory will be instantly known. There are endless illustrations which prove this point.

d) Light which reveals inwardly is illuminating the heart and mind, that is, the spirit and soul. It involves the realm of philosophy and religion. The nature of this kind of illumination requires proof which is persuasive and provably authoritative and conclusive.

e) The Bible claims to provide this kind of spiritual light. It claims to be the Word of God; the self-revelation of God to all humanity for the purpose of the reconciliation of all mankind to Himself. In An Outline of Christian Thought, we are proceeding under the assumption that the Bible is all that it represents itself to be – a perfect divine revelation – and that during the course of this portrayal of Christianity the truth of this assumption will be proven.

f) Jesus of Nazareth claims to be the literal incarnation of God’s self-revelation to humanity and hence He is called the living Word of God. (John 1:1-6; Revelation 19:11-16) In Hebrews 1:3, the Bible states that Jesus of Nazareth is “the radiance of [God’s] glory and exact representation of His nature.” Accordingly, Jesus also calls Himself the Light of the World. (John 8:12; 9:5; and 12:46) We shall consider the person of Jesus more deeply at the proper place in our outline.

2) Truth

a) Truth is defined as that which accords with reality. It is therefore infallibly and incontestably certain. 

b) Truth is first of all an objective reality. It is reliably true whether I or anyone else believes it or not.

c) Truth is mutually exclusive. There can only be one “truth” or “reality” concerning a single event or fact at a time. One toss of a coin must be heads or tails. It cannot be both heads and tails at the same time. Two plus two can only equal four. Two or more conflicting accounts of the same fact or event cannot be equally true at the same time. d) Subjectively held beliefs or opinions cannot be true merely because they are mine, or merely because I really want them to be true. The idea that there can be more than one “truth” about the same fact or event is a dangerous myth. A subjectively held idea regarding truth, as it concerns any fact or event, must be shown to accord with the certainty of objective reality or it is merely self-deception. 

e) The “you have your truth and I have my truth” myth becomes all the more dangerous when it concerns the great ultimate issues we must inevitably deal with – right and wrong, life and death, and eternal moral judgment after death.

f) The Bible claims to reveal infallible and authoritative truth with respect to these ultimate issues: God, creation, life, physical death, salvation from sin and spiritual death, and eternal judgment. The Bible claims to be truth worthy of all trust and obedience. (Psalm 37:3; 62:8; 119:142,151,160; Proverbs 3:5-6; John 1:14-18; 8:31-32; 17:17) 

g) The Lord Jesus Christ, as the incarnate Word of God, claims also to be the embodiment of all truth and hence worthy of all trust and obedience. (Matthew 28:18-20; John 14:1, 6, and 15) Jesus Himself, through the pages of the Bible, claims to give authoritative direction which is infallible truth and which ought to be followed. 

3) Direction

As implied in what has been said thus far, we need moral and spiritual instruction which has the above-mentioned qualities, namely, that which is fully consistent with revealed light and truth and hence is authoritative. We have stated that the Bible claims to give us this kind of instruction; that which will direct our lives in just and true ways, and prepare us for eternity. But we ask ourselves, “How, exactly is this accomplished in the pages of the Bible? Let us consider this question. 

a) In the Bible we find the following: history or historical narrative, poetry, the writings of men called prophets, the Gospels, which relate the life of Jesus from four different perspectives, the parables of Jesus, which we shall define in the proper place, and letters written by the apostles who were commissioned by Jesus Himself.

b) Contained within all these writings we find the revelation of the moral law of God, with all its principles and applications.

c) Law can be defined as a rule of action or conduct; that which is right, just, and equitable in the eyes of the Lawgiver.

d) The moral law of God is revealed first of all through His act of creating all humankind in His image. This image is revealed most strikingly in our innate moral consciousness ascommunicated through the conscience.

e) The principles and rules of conduct which are expected of us by God are revealed in the Bible by way of commandments which are referred to sometimes as statutes, ordinances, judgments etc. These commandments are enlarged upon for our benefit by way of counsel, instruction, reproof, rebuke, admonition, correction, etc.

f) These principles or rules of action are as necessary to a sound and lasting spiritual life as principles for a sound physical life are for good health, so long as we live in our bodies. More so, in fact, because our physical lives are bound to end at some point. Our spirituallives will continue on throughout the vastness of eternity. 

g) The Bible states emphatically, and without hesitation or qualification, that “God is love.” (I John 4:7-8,16) The moral law, as given to us by God, is simply a reflection of that love, revealed to our moral consciousness, and to our minds through the Bible.

h) The purpose of this revelation, through creation and through the pages of the Bible, is to establish the law of love as the ultimate ruling principle of life in relations between God and men, and between ourselves and our fellow man.

i) All the direction we receive in the pages of the Bible is designed to achieve a reconciliation between God and man and between man and man. It is a sad fact of human history that all the ways and means which have been devised by men have never accomplished a thorough and universal reconciliation between the various races and cultures of mankind, let alone a reconciliation between God and all humanity.

j) The Bible proposes to accomplish this dual reconciliation and to give us the direction by which it is, in fact, accomplished. Christians, therefore, declare without any doubt or qualification that the direction which is revealed to us in the pages of the Bible is a certain and trustworthy revelation from God. 

 4) The Certainty and Trustworthiness of Biblical Direction 

a) In terms of the totality of human experience in this life, the nature of the truth or reality we must be most certain of is that which is spiritual and eternal; that which really begins when this life ends.

b) There is a sense in which the spiritual and eternal aspects of truth and reality are unconcerned with merely temporal matters, in the sense that they go far beyond them in their importance. (Matthew 6:19-21; 31-34; Luke 12:15)

c) Obviously, there are temporal concerns in this life which must be met responsibly. However, materialistic concerns and accomplishments are not essential to true happiness in this life or in eternity. Neither are the various kinds of self-indulgence which people drown themselves in.

d) The truths of Christianity – as revealed by the light of the Bible, the Word of God – do not depend upon, lead to, or result in any kind of worldly utopian vision. All the strivings of humanity to achieve a utopian ideal have failed, and will always fail simply because they are not based in truth. Utopian strivings of whatever kind have only added to human misery.

e) The temporal reality which alone is certain and trustworthy is death. This is the only certain and trustworthy physical proof we have or need of the spiritual and eternal reality we must deal with, as the Bible plainly states in Hebrews 9:27: “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.”

f) The proofs of the certainty and trustworthiness of Biblical direction are made known to our “inner man,” that is, to our moral consciousness as reflected in our hearts and minds. 

g) The certainty and trustworthiness of Biblical revelation and direction concening spiritual and eternal issues are as tangible to our moral nature as earthly reality is to our physical nature. In fact, it is the inner desires and conflicts of the heart and mind which drive all human endeavor, and every attempt on the part of all mankind to satisfy those desires and resolve those conflicts. This is but a certain and trustworthy testimony that we are, in the final analysis, spirit beings, created in the image of a God who is Spirit.(John 4:24)

h) These inner desires and conflicts also bear certain and trustworthy testimony to the ultimate spiritual and eternal reality we are surrounded by in our earthly lives, and into which we are ushered when we die. 

i) We know by the certain and trustworthy testimony of our inner moral nature that we are essentially spiritual beings and that our lives ultimately transcend life on earth. We know that we need instruction that transcends merely temporal concerns. We know that we need spiritual instruction that will prove to be eternally certain and trustworthy, that is, instruction upon which we can stake our very eternal existence. We need instruction which will prove to be persuasive, conclusive, and authoritative. In essence, we know that we need divine instruction. The question is, “Where do we get it?”

j) This is precisely what the Bible gives us, as the apostle Paul told his friend and protégé Timothy, in I Timothy 3:15 as follows: “…from childhood you have known the sacred writings 

[the Bible] which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

k) The conclusion of the matter is this – The certainty and trustworthiness of all Biblical teaching and direction is made known first of all by its persuasive, conclusive, and authoritative testimony in the human heart and mind, and secondly by its infallible validation throughout all human history. 

5) Authority

a) As we enter upon a discussion of the subject of authority we must first define two terms, namely, authority itself, and moral law. These definitions will be taken from “Webster’s Third New International Dictionary Unabridged.”

b) First, we shall define “authority” as follows: “The right to expect obedience; superiority derived from a status that carries with it the right to command and give final decisions.” In other words authority, in the sense in which we are using it, is the right to rule. 

c) Second, we shall define the term “moral law” as follows: “A general rule of right living; especially, such a rule or group of rules conceived as universal and unchanging and as having the sanction of God’s will, of man’s moral nature, or of natural justice as revealed to human reason.” The moral law as we shall use it is a unit. That is, it is an absolute and united compilation of principles or rules of action which can be summed up as the law of love or of that which is inherently good. This law exists as an absolute and unchanging reality in the mind and will of God and is communicated to the heart and mind of all humanity by God’s act of creating man in His image. (James 2:8-12)

d) Therefore, Christianity and the Bible teach that God has the right to rule and does, in fact, rule in the affairs of men and nations. But wherein does this right exist? Namely, in the perfect harmony of all God’s attributes by which we say, and again the Bible teaches, that God is good, and that God is love.

e) In defining these terms we have defined also the only true standard under which all righteous, just, and equitable human authority can exist and be exercised.

f) God alone, by virtue of His role as Creator and the perfection of His attributes, is our moral governor and has the right to rule; the right to command and expect entire obedience. His sovereignty is absolute and universal in both the physical and moral realm.

g) The perfect harmony of God’s attributes, His moral law, and His communication of that law to the heart and mind of all mankind is distinctly stated in Psalm 19, and in Romans 1:18-2:16. h) All human authority, governmental or otherwise, can only possess and exercise a qualified and limited authority; qualified and limited by the absolute and universal moral law of God. Again, God alone has and exercises a universal, absolutely true, and absolutely obligatory moral authority at all times and under any and all circumstances. i) God’s authority is perfectly and unconditionally objective. His authority is fact; it is truth whether anyone believes it or submits to it or not.

j) To this perfect objective reality is added God’s perfect, unqualified, and unconditionally subjective knowledge of His absolute and perfect worthiness to have and exercise an ultimate, final, and supreme authority in time and eternity over the whole of His creation, especially over all humanity. (Isaiah 42:8; 48:11)

k) The passages cited above from Isaiah make reference to God’s glory, which He does not and will not give to anyone else. By virtue of His glory (which involves His holiness, goodness, and love) God possesses and exercises perfect knowledge, perfect and unlimited moral authority, all-wise and loving moral suasion, and unlimited power. All of us are accountable to the moral government of God in this life, and in the existence into which death ushers us.

l) The attributes of all true authority, divine or otherwise, are as stated above, namely, knowledge, moral authority, moral suasion, and power. We, as finite and flawed beings, can only possess these attributes in a qualified and limited fashion. All human authority is given by God for right, wise, and good reasons. All human authority is rightly subject to the moral government of God. (Romans 13:1-4)

m) The most common reality in all human history is the unjust arrogation of that authority which belongs to God alone, arrogation being defined as “the assumption or claiming as one’s own unduly, proudly or presumptuously.” (Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Fifth Edition)n) What has been stated in this consideration of the nature, possession and exercise of authority, divine and human, is plainly revealed to us in the pages of the Bible through plain declaration and through historical illustration. These facts have been experienced and recounted throughout human history time and time again. It is the plainest and most well known fact of human history, whether honestly acknowledged or not.

o) The considerations which have been introduced here involve what can be described as “the divine- human interplay.” We shall delve more deeply into these things as An Outline of Christian Thought unfolds.

6) The Danger of Neglecting or Ignoring God’s Revelation to Us in Creation and in the Bible

a) While we are “in the dark” concerning a condition or circumstance which poses a risk or danger to us if not acted upon, there can be no sense of danger or urgency to address the situation.

b) What we need in such a case is revelation. We need light which will sufficiently illuminate the mind in order to perceive the condition or circumstance which poses a threat to us.

c) Furthermore, we need revelation which can be regarded as credible; revelation which imparts to us light which is deemed to be substantive and true, and not merely an abstract or academic possibility. Such revelation must possess the knowledge, moral authority, and moral suasion sufficient to convince the mind that the condition or circumstance involved poses a certain risk to the well-being of the soul if not acted upon.

d) This kind of revelation must be communicated to the heart and mind with sufficient moral and spiritual weight so as to move the will to voluntary action.

e) There are numerous examples of this truth exhibited in the affairs of our ordinary lives involving medicine and health; business, finances, and estate planning; law, government, the administration of justice, and war; family life situations, and finally the ultimate reality in this life which we call death.

f) Here we again find a familiar and all-too-regular failing of human nature, namely, the tendency to ignore or neglect these kinds of revelations for any number of reasons. We will seek out second, third, fourth opinions, ad infinitum, until someone is found who will tell us what we want to hear.

g) This is especially true in the area of religious belief and instruction which by its very nature goes far beyond and far deeper than the comparatively superficial realities of life. An Outline of Christian Thought is considering the very spiritual and moral core of human existence and the eternal substance of human experience, which transcends this temporal life.

h) Christianity, through the pages of the Bible, deals with the deepest yearnings of the hearts and minds of all men. This has special and crucial importance as we deal with the ultimate issues of human life, namely, the spiritual and moral core of our lives now, and that final reality we must deal with – death, judgment, heaven and hell – in short, the kind of existence we shall have in eternity and how our actions now affect that reality.

i) We shall see, as An Outline of Christian Thought continues to develop, that the Bible gives us credible, definitive, and authoritative direction respecting how we are to live our lives now and how we ought to prepare ourselves for the ultimate eternal reality which awaits us after death.

j) Likewise the Bible, the Word of the true and living God, gives us plain and pointed warnings as to the cost of ignoring, neglecting, or rejecting the revelation it brings to the human heart and mind respecting the eternal reality in which we live. (Proverbs 1:20-33; Hebrews 2:1-3; 12:25)

We have now completed the first consideration in our opening section of An Outline of Christian Thought, namely, that of the reality of divine revelation. Our next subject involves an examination of the biblical understanding of humanity.

2) HUMANITY

A) A Consideration of Life

1) Of first importance in our consideration of humanity is the question of our genesis, or our “coming into being.” Lurking behind this question – “Where do we come from?” – we 

find a more comprehensive issue we must deal with, namely, “Where does life itself, any form of life, come from?”

“Can that which is mere matter somehow generate or create its own life?” The truly Christian answer to this question is a resounding “No!”

2) Life is something which is completely distinct from matter. It is something which is bestowed upon and breathed into matter. That life is distinct from matter is proven by the fact that when life departs from any living object, be it a tree, a dog, or a man, that object begins immediately to return to its fundamental material elements; it begins to “decompose.”

3) Christianity teaches that life comes from the One, and the only One who is, in fact, selfexisting; the One who is Himself Life, and from Whom all life proceeds. All life, in whatever form it exists, comes from God and all life is sustained by God, and by God alone.

4) This truth of self-existence is also spoken of as belonging to Jesus of Nazareth in John 1:4, which simply states that, “In Him[Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of men.” This truth is reiterated more profoundly in John 5:25-29 as follows: “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and He has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” Lastly, Jesus says, in John 8:58, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” I have quoted these verses in their entirety because the truth of the self-existence of God, and the deity of Jesus Christ, that is, that He is Immanuel, the God-Man, is of supreme importance in An Outline of Christian Thought.

5) Of all forms of life, the human race is unique in that we are created in the image and likeness of God. Genesis 1:26-27 and 2:7 plainly and specifically teaches this reality. We have already seen that God is a spirit. Therefore, our being created in His image is not a visual or material image but a spiritual and moral one, which we will deal with later in this discussion.

6) We have also already noted that the reality of our being created in the image of God is implanted in the consciousness of all mankind. This fact we know innately by what is called a “first truth of reason,” or something that is known instinctively without needing to be taught. In creation, God has made this reality known to all mankind. All men know that the essence of their being is spiritual and moral, and not material. Those who would deny this truth must do so by muting the voice of human consciousness and resorting to human concocted philosophy and fable. (Romans 1:18-22) 

7) Genesis chapters one and two recount God’s work of “creating the heavens and the earth.” We are the culmination of His creation, and we are created to have true and lasting communion and fellowship with Him.

8) An interesting summation of the creation of mankind is related in Genesis 5:1-2. Verse two makes the following statement: “[God] created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind [Adam] in the day they were created.” The Hebrew word for Adam simply means Mankind. Man and Woman are simply two sides of the same coin. Together we are Mankind, and we share equally in the spiritual and moral nature which God has implanted within each one of us. Likewise, we share equally in both the privileges and responsibilities which are inherent in that reality.

9) This leads us to a consideration of those aspects of human nature which reveal mankind’s spiritual and moral nature, and the reality of our being truly created in God’s image and likeness. 

B) A Consideration of Man’s Spiritual Nature

1) Mankind is unique in creation because, as has been stated previously, we are created in the image of God. As He is Spirit, so the essence of our existence is a spiritual one, notwithstanding the brief time we spend living in this world. (Proverbs 20:27; John 4:24) 

2) Because of this fact, the human race has, and always will, search in vain for proofs of the existence of God in the physical realm alone. The proofs of God’s existence, which are exhibited in creation, are known and understood spiritually in the heart and mind of man because there He has revealed Himself to us directly. Creation merely bears witness to this inner reality.

3) So long as we deny these inner spiritual realities we cannot expect any satisfying and certain answer to our quest for an understanding of God and His ways. Our knowledge of God begins with an honest appraisal and admission of these inner spiritual realities. 4) The following are some of the truths or realities which are communicated directly to human reason by God Himself, concerning our understanding of God:

a) There is a God.

b) He is Spirit and must therefore be known in a spiritual way.

c) He is eternal. That is, He is self-existing. He has no beginning, no ending, and undergoes no change of any kind.

d) He is Supreme in knowledge (omniscience), in power (omnipotence), and in being always, and at the same time, universally present (omnipresence). 

e) He is eternally and universally sovereign. For our purposes, this means that He ultimately governs and guides the lives of men and nations, notwithstanding appearances at any given time. This involves what we shall call the divine/human interplay or interaction, which we will consider at the proper time. 

f) He is known initially by the testimony of creation and those laws by which it is governed.

g) He can be known more deeply, in a truly spiritual way, which, by the very act of knowing, imparts eternal life to the spirit, soul, and body. (John 17:3) 

h) This knowledge is beyond our capacity to understand, given the light we have through creation, and therefore requires additional light by way of divine revelation. (Witness the universal religious impulse of all mankind, from the most primitive of societies to the most advanced. This human tendency is true and universal, even if this inner spiritual drive ends in self-deification and worship.)

5) The following are some of the truths or realities which are communicated directly to human reason by God Himself concerning our understanding of ourselves:

a) The human soul is immortal. That is, death is not the end of existence but merely a change in the nature of existence.

b) There is a distinction between the fact of existence – the immortality of the soul – and the quality of that existence – the eternal state of the soul.

b) There is absolute and universal right and wrong.

c) We are responsible and accountable beings in accordance with those principles of right and wrong.

d) We are, therefore, subject to a divine and eternal judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) 

e) The One to whom we are accountable, and the One who is alone qualified in every sense to judge us is the true and living God who gives us life, and who has placed within us a mirror which reflects the reality of His moral law, namely, the human conscience. This brings us to,

C) A Consideration of Man’s Moral Nature

1) Since the fundamental essence of human existence is a spiritual one, by virtue of our being created in God’s likeness, we have an inborn and inescapable understanding that He is holy, that He is truth, that He is love, that He is just, and that He is impartial in His dealings with all mankind. We know therefore, that He is perfectly and infallibly good. 

2) It is granted that we do not understand these things perfectly, or as we would like to, but human consciousness acknowledges that we are under a moral obligation to reflect in our own lives this divine goodness. We understand, therefore, that there is a divine moral law which requires a perfect and wholehearted obedience.

3) We understand that moral obligation implies a Moral Governor, a Lawgiver, we are obliged to obey. Jesus says, in Matthew 5:48, “Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” The apostle Peter expands upon this injunction in his instruction to Christians in I Peter 1:13-16.

4) The moral law of God, implanted in the human heart by His creative act, is but a reflection of divine goodness. The expression of this law in the Bible, such as in the Ten Commandments, is given only to strengthen our sense and understanding of our obligation, and to impart conviction relative to our failings. Therefore, the apostle Paul states in Romans 3:20 that “through the law is the knowledge of sin.”

5) Because of the strong human inclination for self-deception and vain imagination, God, in His mercy, has granted us His written law to awaken within us that sense of moral obligation which our proclivity for self- deception and vain imagination has muted, or even quenched. (Jeremiah 17:9-10)

6) A simple observation of young children will demonstrate our innate moral consciousness and understanding of moral obligation. We shall consider two illustrations:

a) Illustration #1 – Timmy and Johnny are playing outside. Johnny decides that he wants the toy or whatever object Timmy is playing with, so he takes it from Timmy. Timmy goes to an adult authority figure, be it a parent or teacher etc., not to discover the moral essence of the situation but to make it right, because he knows he has been wronged. When challenged, and asked why he did what he did, Johnny may shuffle his feet and say, “I don’t know,” not because he truly doesn’t know, but because he knows he is wrong and simply does not want to admit it. If pressed further, he will either admit his wrong, or stubbornly cling to his misdeed.

b) Illustration #2 -- Sally has been instructed to clean her room by her parents. But, she decides it’s more important to go outside and play with her friend. When mom or dad challenge her regarding her disobedience her response is, “I meant to do it but…” Why does she say that? Because she knows intuitively that if her parents truly believe that she honestly intended to obey but was prevented, for whatever reason, her disobedience must either be mitigated or excused.

7) In the realm of divine moral law, relative to our inborn moral nature and consciousness, motive and intention are everything, and we understand this intuitively. This reality is declared throughout the Bible, Mark 7:20-23, being one distinct example. What happens in the heart encompasses the entirety of morality.

8) Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Fifth Edition defines “motive” as follows: “That within the individual, rather than without, which incites him to action.” This same dictionary 

defines “intention” as follows: “A determination to act in a certain way or to do a certain thing. The object toward which the thoughts are directed.”

9) Motives can exist in the human heart without being acted upon; without, that is, an accompanying intention whereby the given motive is acted upon so as to satisfy it in some way. But we do nothing in this world apart from an active intention which has a directing motive behind it. Therefore, motive is the fundamental reason or desire which incites or induces us to act, and intention is that which I aim to do; the goal at which I am aiming, in order to satisfy the directing motive. Again, I would ask the serious reader to consider Mark 7:20-23 and Jeremiah 17:9-10.

10) Early in life each one of us is faced with a choice which must be made. The nature of human life in general, and of living in this world in particular, makes it in inescapable that a choice must be made. In making this choice there are only two motives in view and only one of two ultimate intentions which must inevitably result.

11) One choice involves the supremacy of my “self,” and thus my preeminence with respect to all other people and considerations. This is indicated by the following traits: self-will, self-rule, self-indulgence, and self-justification. According to this choice, the way in which I value and treat all other people, circumstances, conditions, and potential outcomes are regarded and acted upon based on how these things will affect “my” wellbeing, “my” happiness, “my” reputation, and so on. 

12) The second choice is one which is compatible with God’s moral nature and attributes. It is also compatible with that which the Bible announces and defines as the two greatest commandments. All other commandments are based on these two greatest commandments, as is all obedience to the law of God. Jesus, when questioned as to which was the greatest commandment in the law, answered as follows: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.” He then added this, … “and the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40)

13) Again, the essence of human nature and the conditions into which we are born in this world – wherever we happen to be born – make these two ultimate choices a first and inevitable necessity and reality of life, as God has ordained it. Christianity confidently teaches that the entire history of the world, individually and collectively, hinge upon the operational reality of these two choices.

This leads us to,

D) A Consideration of Man’s Social Nature

1) Again, mankind – male and female – are created in God’s image or likeness.

2) The one true and living God is self-existing in a trinity, or as some have said, a “triunity,” of persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

3) In the God-head, there exists a perfect sociality or fellowship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

4) Likewise, there is an innate social drive by which we, as one common humanity, naturally need to, and seek to, form voluntary associations.

5) God has specifically ordained and established three particular forms of voluntary human association from which flow all other types of human interaction. These are: a) the family – Genesis 1:27-28; 9:1; Matthew 19:3-6 b) human government – Genesis 9:6-7; Exodus 20:1-17; Romans 13:1-7 c) the Church – a comprehensive biblical concept, Old and New Testaments, representing an assembly or congregation of the souls of men, women, and children who have submitted themselves to the saving grace and rule of God. This work continues today, and will continue until the day of judgment.

6) Just as the moral law of God is designed to rule over and regulate the motives and intentions of individuals, so it is intended that His law should govern and regulate the many endeavors and institutions which we, as a race, are involved in during our lifetimes. 

7) As we are involved in those interactions we call human society, the total moral corruption of the human heart is inevitably and strikingly revealed. When the Bible states, in Romans 3:23, that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” the Word of God is simply stating what is obvious to any honest human observer. 

8) We live in a world in which competing motives and intentions are governed by the self, which is to say, the self-will, self-rule, self-indulgence, and self-justification, of individual moral agents. This most obvious reality is what leads to all manner of governmental upheaval, conquest, and revolution within nations and between nations, as well as all manner of conflict between families and every other institution through which our societies operate.

9) Although we are judged as individuals, and therefore accountable to God specifically for those personal sins which are born and sustained in our hearts, a part of that accountability involves the influence we exert upon those with whom we are associated, however intimate or casual that association may be.

10) There is a striking historical example of the power of both individual and collective influence related in Genesis chapters ten and eleven. This story involves the example and influence of a man named Nimrod. He is considered to be the first prominent rebel against God, and the first tyrant and empire builder among men.

11) The influence and command which Nimrod exerted upon his fellow man resulted in the first large scale united rebellion against God, as well as the first large scale utopian vision, in which the possibilities of united human achievment independent of God’s power and authority was concieved.

12) The power and possibilities of united human action are a major factor in the relating of this story. However, the overruling sovereignty of the true and living God is the decisive and all-important reality to be learned from this crucial event in human history. The incident we are talking about is the attempt to build the Tower of Babel and God’s decisive judgment upon it, from which results the confusing of human language and the separating of humanity into nations and the geographical regions in which those nations would live and operate, according to the ruling purpose and will of God.

13) The essential elements of this story are related in Genesis 11:1-9, and the human race has been learning and relearning these lessons ever since. Concerning this incident, the primary considerations we are concerned about in An Outline of Christian Thought are these:

a) Since the days of historical Nimrod and the Tower of Babel, many “Nimrods” have arisen in the sense of a man or group of men seeking world domination, which must include the tyrannizing of mankind. It also involves those who are in league with the tyrant seeking the fulfillment of his ideological and falsely utopian vision, which must ultimately include the unseating of Almighty God from His throne of sovereign rule over all mankind.

b) To further make the point, consider these questions: Where are the ancient empires, and those who led them; the Hittites, the Babyonians, the Assyrians, Alexander’s Grecian empire, and Rome? Where is Karl Marx and his vision of a godless utopia? Where will Kim Jong Un, Xi Jinping, or Vladimir Putin be in one hundred years, along with their hunger for world conquest and human domination? They will be, along with everyone else who has ever lived, in the grave and subject to the judgment of the true and living God, whose universal rule will be as secure then as it is now.

c) As it relates to the legitimate and universal rule of God over all humanity, and all the nations into which we are formed, consider this – In exercising His authority, all the acts of God in dealing with mankind, individually and collectively, are only varying manifestations of His love and long-suffering toward us, with the design to save the souls of all who will consent to be saved.

d) The apostle Paul makes this point plain in his comments to the Athenians on the Areopagus in Acts 17:24-28 as follows: “God, who made the world and everything in it, since 

He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being…”

e) Unfortunately, the words of Isaiah the prophet are true of all humanity, from Isaiah 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way…” f) So the end of the matter is this: In spite of all the efforts of all mankind individually, and in spite of all the efforts of all mankind socially, through philosophy, false religion, and united governmental action, the Lord God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – is ruling, and the souls of all men are perishing, except those who will yield and submit to the work of God in their hearts and minds to convict of sin, and to bring about a true and sincere repentance which results in a true and saving faith in the work of Jesus Christ our Lord, on our behalf. This brings us to,

3) GOD

A) The Natural Attributes of God

1) First, we must acknowledge that all our considerations regarding this discussion of the person of the Godhead will be far from comprehensive. In An Outline of Christian Thought, we will be considering those ideas which can give us a sound beginning in understanding the plan of redemption which God has freely and lovingly revealed to mankind. Accordingly, we will first discuss the three natural attributes of God under which all, or nearly all, other aspects of the Godhead can be organized. The first of these is the omnipresence of God.

2) The reality of the omnipresence of God involves the universal presence of God in terms of both time and space.

3) Regarding the reality of His omnipresence spatially, He is at all times universally present, not only throughout this world but also throughout the entire universe. In Psalm 139:7, the Psalmist asks the question, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? Likewise, through the prophet Jeremiah the Lord Himself asks, in Jeremiah 23:23-24, “Am I a God who is near, declares the LORD, and not a God far off? Can a man hide himself in hiding places, so I do not see him, declares the LORD? Do not I fill the heavens and the earth, declares the LORD?”

4) Regarding the reality of His omnipresence chronologically, we can only say that there is no chronology at all with God. He exists personally outside the realm of time. This is not to say that He does not enter into and involve Himself with time factors in dealing with humanity. He does. But this involvement is a manifestation of His love and grace towards mankind and not an indication that He is in any way constrained by temporal considerations of any kind. In this regard Moses says, in Psalm 90 verses 2 and 4, the following, “Even from everlasting to everlasting You are God… For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it passes by.” In the New Testament, the apostle Peter expresses the same idea when he says, in II Peter 3:8, “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

5) In these matters we are reminded of one primary reality regarding the “true and living God,” namely, that He is an eternally self-existing spiritual being completely independent of the constraints of time and space. He is the Creator and Ruler of time and space. He is likewise the Creator and Ruler of everything that fills time and space. This brings us to a consideration of,

B) The Omniscience of God

1) Here we add to the reality of His omnipresence in terms of time and space, the reality of His onmiscience. His knowledge of all things, especially those things which have to do with human nature and action is infinite and perfect.

2) Because He is both an eternal and spiritual personality, and in keeping with His omnipresence, the totality of His knowledge is an eternal present tense. That is, God’s knowledge is an everlasting NOW. For Him everything is eternally TODAY; or more precisely, this very moment. From His eternal and spiritual perspective there is no possibility of there being any type of lapse in His knowledge of all things, especially that which pertains to this world, past, present, and future.

3) This omniscience is not merely an academic nicety. We can understand more completely the awesome reality of God’s all-knowing nature when we see that His omniscience in His dealings with every human soul is tempered or regulated by perfect love for the human race. His great desire to be reconciled to every soul and to redeem us from the just consequences of sin. This we will consider more thoroughly when we come to our discussion of God’s moral attributes.

4) In acknowledging that God’s perfect knowledge with respect to the human soul is regulated or tempered by His perfect love for us, we are led to go beyond the mere knowledge of facts to that aspect of knowledge we call understanding and wisdom. Accordingly, we ought to first of all define each of these terms. To do this we will be using 

“Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Fifth Editiion and “Webster’s Third New International Dictionary Unabridged.”

a) Understanding is defined as follows: “Discernment, comprehension or interpretation; the power to render experience intelligible by bringing perceived particulars under appropriate concepts; the capacity to formulate and apply to experience concepts and categories … and to draw logical inferences.”

b) Wisdom is defined as follows: “Ability to judge soundly and deal sagaciously with facts,” that is, with keen penetration and judgment, “ especially as they relate to life and conduct; ability to discern inner qualities and essential relationships; insight or sagacity.”

5) The wisdom and understanding of God is seen first of all by our participation in, and understanding of Creation, and second of all by the way in which He has guided every aspect of world history, considering that history relates personally to every soul who has ever lived, or ever will live.

6) In this regard, we find another very interesting and appropriate definition of wisdom which has a direct bearing on An Outline of Christian Thought. Here we find wisdom defined as follows: “the effectual mediating principle or personification of God’s will in the creation of the world.” This is a specific reference to the Living Word, Jesus, which, again, we will discuss at the appropriate place.

7) So we see that God’s wisdom and understanding are intimately involved with all the intricacies of creation in all of its aspects, material, moral, and spiritual. We find the above-related truths concisely stated in Hebrews 11:3, which says that, “by faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” It is interesting to note that in the original Greek, the language in which the New Testament was first written, the word for “worlds” is “aion” which is translated as an interval of time, or the ages, meaning that which relates to the complete span of human history. This idea is also stated in Hebrews 1:2, Colossians 1:13-18, and Ephesians 1:7-10.

8) And here we must again stress that a consideration of God’s omniscience must include not merely His wisdom and understanding as seen in His material creation, but also His complete and perfect comprehension of, and ordering or regulating of, the totality of human history in both a corporate and individual sense.

9) This brings us to the truly awesome reality of the spiritual omniscience of God, or that which relates to the human heart and mind. The Lord is intimately acquainted with the secrets, motivations, and intentions of every human heart and mind. Nothing is hidden from Him. This is made clear in Hebrews 4:13, which plainly states that “there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Other scriptures which declare this same truth are: I Samuel 16:7, I 

Kings 8:37-39, I Chronicles 28:9, Psalm 44:20-21, Psalm 94:9-11, Psalm 139:1-6, Proverbs 21:2, Proverbs 24:11-12, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, Jeremiah 17:9-10, Luke 16:15, John 2:23-25, Romans 2:14-16, and Revelation 2:21-23. These are only some of the many Bible passages that plainly teach that God intimately knows and understands the thoughts and intentions of every human heart, and will therefore justly judge all men according to their works, understanding that every outward work which any of us does begins and ends inwardly, in the heart.

This brings us to a consideration of,

C) The Omnipotence of God

1) For the sake of clarity, we shall first define what we mean by omnipotence, again using the dictionaries mentioned above. Omnipotence is defined as follows: “Having unlimited power or influence; unlimited in power, ability, or authority.”

2) The fact of God’s omnipotence in creation is stated very concisley in Psalm 33:9, “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded and it stood forth.” This fact is made clear in the account of God’s creative act, as found in Genesis chapters one and two; also in Psalm 19:1-6, Psalm 33:6, Psalm 145:8, Acts 17:24-28, and Romans 1:20.

3) God’s omnipotence, as seen in creation, regards primarily His unlimited power and ability. When we consider the amazing complexities of creation, especially all forms of life, we clearly see His omnipotence operating in complete conjunction with, and in complete harmony with, His omnipresence and omniscience.

(To be continued)