MacArthur Essential Christian Doctrine

A Handbook on Biblical Truth
1. Auflage 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4335-7188-6
Verlag: Crossway
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, 544 Seiten

A Concise Summary of Biblical Truth by John MacArthur Doctrine not only equips you with more knowledge about God, it also shapes your affections toward him and directs your actions for him-but it can be difficult to know where to begin. This concise handbook, developed from John MacArthur's larger work Biblical Doctrine, is an entry point for studying theological topics such as the Bible, the Holy Spirit, the church, and more. As MacArthur walks through the essentials of the Christian faith doctrine by doctrine, he'll not only encourage your heart and mind, but also empower you to proclaim the faith that was 'once for all delivered to the saints' (Jude 3).

John MacArthur is the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, where he has served since 1969. He is known around the world for his verse-by-verse expository preaching and his pulpit ministry via his daily radio program, Grace to You. He has also written or edited nearly four hundred books and study guides. MacArthur is chancellor emeritus of the Master's Seminary and Master's University. He and his wife, Patricia, live in Southern California and have four grown children.

Autoren/Hrsg.

MacArthur, John

Macarthur, John

Leseproben

2

God’s Word

Bibliology

The Bible is fundamental to evangelical theology because it provides the sole infallible and ultimate authority for a truly Christian worldview. That the Bible should play such an exclusive role is only reasonable, since from beginning to end it consistently claims to be God’s Word to man. There can be no higher, more authoritative source of knowledge than this Word. Without it there is no true theology.

More than 2,500 times in the Old Testament the biblical writers assert that God spoke what was written within its pages. What the prophets spoke and wrote was synonymous with the Word of God that had come to them (Ex. 24:3). To believe the prophets was to believe God. To disobey them was nothing less than rebellion against God himself.

The phrase “the word of God” occurs more than forty times in the New Testament. Jesus and his apostles testified that the Old Testament writings were the words of God (Matt. 15:6; Rom. 3:2). They looked to the Old Testament as the basis for their teaching, and boldly equated their own words with the words of God himself. The Word of God is what Jesus preached (Luke 5:1; John 3:34). It is what the apostles taught (Acts 4:31; 1 Thess. 2:13). It is what formed the church (Acts 6:7; 12:24; 19:20).

As “the holy Scriptures” (Rom. 1:2), “the oracles of God” (Rom. 3:2), “the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15), and “the sacred writings” (2 Tim. 3:15), the Bible possesses unparalleled authority in establishing doctrine, identifying and correcting error, and instructing in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16). It can never be supplanted or amended by a different authority, for it always contains that which is perfect for achieving its purpose (Ps. 19:7–11; Isa. 55:10–11; Rom. 1:16–17; 2 Tim. 3:16–17; Heb. 4:12).

God’s Word declares that its content is without error and is never misleading in whatever it asserts or describes (Pss. 12:6; 119:140; Prov. 30:5). Its promises never fail, for God can never lie (Num. 23:19; Matt. 5:18; John 10:35; Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18). Since it is absolutely true, it is totally trustworthy. Since it comes directly from God, it is universally binding.

According to Scripture, the person and word of God are so interrelated that the text of Scripture unequivocally reflects the qualities of its ultimate author. God is true, pure, unchanging, reliable, living, and active; therefore, so is his Word. God himself has given his Word the same glory as he has given his name, which is the sum of his character (Ps. 138:2). No other source of knowledge, no other literature written by humankind, possesses such qualities or functions.

The Inspiration of Scripture

God freely initiated the revelation of himself to humankind. The means he used were varied (Heb. 1:1–3), but the most thorough and understandable self-disclosures were through the written propositions of Scripture (1 Cor. 2:6–16). The written Word of God is unique in that it is the only source of knowledge that clearly explains man’s plight and God’s accomplishment of salvation through a Savior.

The knowledge of God was captured in the writings of Scripture by the special activity of the Holy Spirit in the writings of the biblical authors. This activity is known as inspiration. Zechariah describes this activity when he writes of “the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets” (Zech. 7:12). Paul refers to this same process by stating that “all Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Tim. 3:16). Peter also states that “no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21).

Through this process of inspiration, God ensured that the particular knowledge he determined to disclose would be revealed to its intended audience perfectly, without error, omission, or defect. Through the process of inspiration, God also ensured that this knowledge would be revealed intelligibly to humankind, in the language and thought structures of human beings.

Revelation and Inspiration

The finite creature and the infinite Creator differ fundamentally. God enjoys infinite and perfect knowledge. He always knows everything innately and exhaustively. He never learns; he always knows. On the other hand, humankind possesses a finite and dependent knowledge. Man must always learn, and he cannot know anything about his infinite Creator unless the Creator reveals it. This revelation comes in two forms: general revelation (Ps. 19:1–6) and special revelation (vv. 7–11).

General Revelation

General revelation is God’s witness of himself through creation. David states that this witness is unavoidable: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). This witness is also continuous: “Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (v. 2). This general witness is nonverbal in nature: “There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard” (v. 3). And this witness is universally accessible to everyone at all times and in every place: “Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (v. 4; cf. Acts 14:17; 17:23–31; Rom. 1:18–25; 10:18).

The kind of knowledge that can be discerned from general revelation includes an appreciation of God’s wisdom and power. The more a person examines the vastness of space or the finest particles of molecular structure, the more he is compelled to recognize with wonder the greatness of the Creator. The way the hydrologic cycle works to water the earth, provide food, and preserve life attests to the goodness of its Creator. The fact that rain falls on the fields of those who love and worship God as well as those who do not reveals God’s love for all his creatures (Matt. 5:45; Acts 14:17). God’s providential care and governance of the human race can also be included as a part of general revelation (Acts 17:26).

Another form of general revelation can be observed in humanity’s inherent acknowledgment of the existence of right and wrong and the need for justice (Rom. 2:14–15). Solomon also affirms that man instinctively knows there is more to life than this temporal existence, since God “has put eternity into man’s heart” (Eccles. 3:11).

While general revelation conveys a great deal of knowledge about the Creator, it has a fixed content and purpose. Its clarity and unavoidable nature leaves humanity without excuse for failing to recognize and appreciate the nature of their Creator (Rom. 1:19–20). However, its purpose is not to prescribe the way by which fallen humanity might obtain reconciliation with its Creator. That end—redemption—is exclusively the purview of special revelation. Consequently, no one can be saved by the content of general revelation alone (Rom. 10:5–17; 1 Cor. 1:18–2:5).

Special Revelation

Special revelation is God’s disclosure of himself in a more personal and detailed manner than that provided by general revelation. God has provided this special knowledge through (1) direct acts, (2) dreams and visions, (3) Christ’s incarnation, and (4) Scripture.

God has revealed himself uniquely by direct acts at various times and in various ways throughout redemptive history. He spoke directly with Adam in the garden (Gen. 2:16–17; 3:9, 11). He spoke to Moses individually and confirmed his authority through unique signs and wonders (Deut. 34:10–12). He audibly confirmed his Son to others on three separate occasions during his earthly ministry (Matt. 3:17; 17:5; John 12:28). He performed special seasons of miracles at pivotal moments in the unfolding of his redemptive plan.

God has also revealed himself uniquely through dreams and visions. He revealed special knowledge to Joseph in the form of dreams (Gen. 37:6–7, 9). He gave Isaiah a personal vision of the Son of God in his preincarnate glory (Isaiah 6; John 12:41). The apostle John saw a vision of the resurrected and ascended Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:10–16). In each case, the dream or vision provided the human recipient with special knowledge of God’s character and will.

The climax of God’s special revelation occurred at the incarnation of his Son (Heb. 1:1–2). The Son of God took on human nature and dwelt among humankind as the ultimate act of the revelation of God to men (John 1:1–5, 14, 18). While he was not generally recognized for who he was because of the hardness of human hearts (Isa. 53:2; John 1:10–11), he nevertheless revealed God to humankind unlike any other medium of revelation (John 1:18; 14:9–10; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3).

Another form of special revelation is the written text of Scripture. Certainly, the Scriptures are not of the same category as the revelation of God’s Son. The Scriptures serve to point to the Son, not to themselves (John...