Systematic Theology - Biblical and Historical

1652 Pages·2006·7.91 MB·English

by  Robert Duncan Culver

Systematic Theology
Biblical and Historical
Robert Duncan Culver
MENTOR
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (niv) are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL
VERSION®. niv®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission
of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (nkjv) are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982
by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (nasb) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright ©
1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (nrsv) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible,
copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in
the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (rsv) are taken Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952
[2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
© Robert Duncan Culver 2005
ISBN 1-84550-049-0
Published in 2005
Reprinted 2006 in the Mentor Imprint
by
Christian Focus Publications, Ltd.,
Geanies House, Fearn, Ross-shire,
IV20 1TW, Great Britain
www.christianfocus.com
Robert Duncan Culver asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this book.
Cover Design by Alister MacInnes
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Contents
Abbreviations
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Foreword by Walter C. Kaiser jr.
A Prologue to the Reader
PART 1: Theology Proper—Introduction and Doctrine of God
PART 2: Anthropology—Man as Created
PART 3: Hamartiology—Man as Sinner
PART 4: Christology—Person and Work of Christ
PART 5: Soteriology—Salvation Applied
PART 6: Ecclesiology—Church Local and Universal
PART 7: Eschatology—Last Things, Personal and Universal
Bibliography
Scripture Index
General Index
Part 1: Theology Proper: Introduction and Doctrine of God
1. An Introduction to Christian Theology
2. Preliminary to Talk about God
3. Special Terms of Talk about God
4. Why People do Believe in God
5. Reasons for Believing in God
6. How God has Revealed Himself to Mankind
7. The Names of God
8. The Attributes of God
9. The Spirituality of the Godhead
10. The Unity of the Godhead
11. The Greatness of the Godhead
12. The Goodness of the Godhead
13. The Triunity of the Godhead in Biblical and Christian History
14. The Triunity of the Godhead: Questions, Traditional Expressions, Illustrations, Values,
Refinements, Cautions
15. Predestination or the Decrees of God: God’s Eternal Plan for the Heavens and the Earth (I)
16. Predestination or the Decrees of God: God’s Eternal Plan for the Heavens and the Earth (II)
17. God’s Work of Creation (I)
18. God’s Work of Creation (II)
19. The World of Unseen Spirits: Their Place in Creation
20. Satan and Demons: Fallen Created Spirits
21. God’s Work of Preservation and Providence
22. Appendices on God’s Preservation and Providence (Chapter 21)
23. God’s Blessedness, or Impassibility
Part 2: Anthropology: Man as Created
1. Introduction to Anthropology
2. The Origin and Unity of Mankind by Creation
3. Mankind the Image of God
4. The Non-Physical Aspects of Human Nature
5. The Elements of Human Nature
6. The Origin of the Soul
7. Mankind’s Original Environment, Circumstances and Capacities
8. The Divine Purpose In and For Mankind
9. The Apostasy of Mankind: Probation, Temptation and Fall
10. Consequences of the Fall of Mankind
11. Fallen Mankind in the order of Nature
12. Fallen Mankind, in their World
Part 3: Hamartiology: Man as Sinner
1. Introduction to Hamartiology
2. The Vocabulary, Common and Biblical, About Sin
3. The Nature of Sin: Sin As Moral Evil
4. The Nature of Sin: Sin As Disposition
5. Sins As Acts Committed by Sinners
6. Divine Control and Human Extremes
7. The Transmission of Sin Through the Generations of Man
8. Theories of the Imputation of Sin
9. Analysis of the Problem of Imputation of Sin and a Proposed Solution
10. The Worldwide Reign of Sin
11. The Personal Consequences of Sin
Part 4: Christology: Person and Work of Christ
1. Introduction to Christology
2. Preparation for the Coming of Christ
3. The Preexistence of Christ
4. The Deity of Christ (I): Introduction; Names and Attributes of Deity
5. The Deity of Christ (II): Works, Claims, Honors, Assumptions, Position of Deity
6. Anthropotēs, The Human Nature of Christ
7. The Virgin Birth of Jesus
8. The Incarnation of the Son of God
9. The Incarnate Person of Jesus Christ
10. The Saving Work of the Incarnate Son of God: Topics, Terms, Issues, Development
11. Humiliation and Exaltation: Two States of the Incarnate Life of the Son of God
12. The Sinless Life of Jesus
13. The Passion and Death of Jesus
14. The Meaning of the Death of Christ (I): How to Explore the Revealed Mystery
15. The Meaning of the Death of Christ (II): The Biblical Vocabulary of the Atonement
16. The Meaning of the Death of Christ (III): Atonement by Vicarious Satisfaction
17. The Extent of the Atonement
18. Further Benefits and Accomplishments of the Death of Christ in our Place
19. The Doctrine of Atonement before Anselm
20. The Resurrection of Christ (I)
21. The Resurrection of Christ (II)
22. The Ascension of Christ
23. Enthroned in Heaven at God’s Right Hand
24. The Present Heavenly High Priestly Work of Christ our Lord
Part 5: Soteriology: Salvation Applied
Preface
1. Introduction to the Doctrine of Salvation
2. What Salvation Is
3. Ordo Salutis, or the Order of Salvation
4. The Doctrine of Grace
5. The Doctrine of Union with Christ
6. The Doctrine of Election
7. The Doctrine of Calling
8. The Doctrine of Regeneration
9. The Doctrine of Conversion
10. The Doctrine of Repentance
11. The Doctrine of Faith: Linguistic Factors and Specific Elements
12. The Doctrine of Faith: The Theological Construct
13. The Doctrine of Justification by Faith
14. The Doctrine of Adoption
15. The Doctrine of Sanctification: Linguistic Factors and Past Positional Aspects
16. The Doctrine of Sanctification: Present and Future Aspects
17. The Doctrine of Perseverance
18. The Doctrine of Assurance
19. Salvation Through Christ Alone
20. Is Christ Present in Non-Christian Religions?
Part 6: Ecclesiology: Church Local and Universal
1. The Critical Importance of the Doctrine of the Church
2. Defining Ecclesiology
3. The Words ‘Church’ and Ekklēsia
4. Metaphors, Images and Ideas Related to the Church
5. The Twofold Aspect of the Church, Universal and Local
6. Foundation for the Church
7. The Establishment of the Church
8. The Church in Relation to Israel
9. The Church in Relation to the Kingdom of God
10. The Essential Nature of the Church
11. The Unity of the Church
12. The Gifts of Christ to the Church
13. The Mission of the Church in the World
14. The Present Purposes of God for the Church and Her Destiny
15. The Nature of the Local Church
16. The Form of the Church: Organization and Governance
17. Church Polity: Theories of Church Government
18. Church Offices and Ministry (I)
19. Church Offices and Ministry (II)
20. Church Discipline
21. Public Meetings for Worship in the Church
22. The Ordinance of Baptism: The Church’s Rite of Initation, (I)
23. The Ordinance of Baptism: The Church’s Rite of Initiation, (II)
24. Worship at the Lord’s Table (I)
25. Worship at the Lord’s Table (II)
Part 7: Eschatology: Last Things, Personal and Universal
1. Introduction to Eschatology
2. Death, Mortality and Immortality
3. Where Are the Dead Now and What is Their Condition?: the Doctrine of the Intermediate State
4. The Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead (I): Its Main Features and Unique Position in
Biblical Religion
5. The Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead (II): Time and Order of the Resurrection of the
Dead
6. The Doctrine of Judgment
7. The Final Destiny of the Unsaved (I)
8. The Final Destiny of the Unsaved (II)
9. Heaven, the Eternal Home of the Redeemed
10. The Second Advent of Christ and Related Events
11. The Time of the Lord’s Return
12. Precursors to the Day of the Lord: The Great Tribulation, the Great Apostasy and the
Revelation of the Man of Sin
13. The Thousand Years of Revelation 20
14. Recent and Current Views of ‘The Millennium’: Postmillennial, Amillennial, Premillennial
15. The Future Eternal State
Abbreviations
No formal system of abbreviations except for the names of books of the Bible is employed. Most
abbreviations are obvious in context of the chapter. The following are a few of the less obvious
abbreviations employed. Full bibliographical data are in the Bibliography.
ABD—Anchor Bible Dictionary, 6 volumes
ANF—The Ante-Nicene Fathers, 10 volumes
Barth—Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, 13 volumes
Bauer, or Arndt and Gingrich—Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and
Other Early Christian Literature, translation and adaptation from the 5th edition by W. F.
Arndt & F. W. Gingrich.
Bettenson—Henry S. Bettenson, Documents of the Christian Church
BDB—Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament
Calvin, Institutes, or Institutes—John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2 volumes
Catholic Encyclopedia—The Catholic Encyclopedia, An International Work of References on
Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline and History of the Catholic Church, 16 volumes
Denzinger—Henry Denzinger, The Sources of Catholic Dogma
EDBT—Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Ed. Walter A. Elwell
EDT—Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Ed. Walter A. Elwell
HDB—A Dictionary of the Bible, Ed. James Hastings, 5 volumes
Liddell and Scott—A Greek-English Lexicon, Based on the German Work of Francis Passow, by
Henry G. Liddell and Robert Scott
LW—Luther’s Works, Ed. by J. Pelican and H.T. Lehmann, 55 volumes
McClintock and Strong—Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature,
prepared by John McClintock and James Strong, 12 volumes
NPNF, I—Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, 14 volumes
NPNF, II—Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, 14 volumes
OED or Oxford English Dictionary—The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary
Philo—The Works of Philo, New Updated Edition, Complete & Unabridged in One Volume