Discuss: "The two pillars of true faith in Scripture as God's Word are the objective witness and the internal tesstimony."

The pillars of God's word are ultimately based upon the trustworthiness of God.  Without being able to trust in God for who he is, we would not be able to trust his word for "teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).  The objective witness of Scripture is the trustworthy normative authority on display in the History of Redemption.  We have a comprehesive given to us in Scripture that we must rely upon to provide the message of redemption, in Jesus Christ.  This message is one the whole world needs to hear and be taught as objective authoritative truth.  Without this truth we cannot have the subjective work of the Holy Spirit to truthfully apply the work of redemption to the heart of the hearer.  This is the internal testimony of Scripture to the heart that brings stone to life.  By this true pillar of faith the covenant community can "live by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7).  Thus trusting in the subjective application of God's normative truth to their own heart.  That is what standing upon the trushtworthiness of God's divine revelation produces, a transformed heart made in the image of Christ himself, thus redeeming creation and completing the history of redemption, "from Him, through Him and to Him" (Romans 11:36).

What are the attributes of Holy Scripture and why do they stand or fall together?

The attributes of Holy Scripture are authority, clarity, necessity and sufficiency.  These attributes stand upon the doctrine of God to take their shape.  By Authority, God explimfies his self-authenticating witness to provide Scripture with a transcendant and timeless norm throughout history.  There is no greater authority on Scripture than Scripture itself because it bears the breath of God's authority.  By clarity, God shows the world that he is both transcendant and immanant, so that he can be seen and understood.  That is why man is responsible for his own sin as Romans 1:19 shows us.  Clarity should not be mistaken for comprehensiveness for there is still mystery in Holy Scripture as God is incomprehensible in his transcendance.  But his message is clear, thus the ncessity of Scripture.  Since Jesus Christ is the word of God (John 1:1) we see the two intimately together and thus the immense necessirty of both to provide salvation.  That message of salvation gives the church it's mission as Romans 10:14 shows us the neccessity of Scritpure to provide the life-giving good news by preaching the word.  Ultimately this word provides the message of faith, hope and love to a dead individual who desparately needs the message of salvation.  Finally, by sufficiency, Scripture shows that it is perfect and complete.  There is no need to add anything further to God's word because it is wholly sufficient for its purposes of breathing God's truth into the world and hearts of stone.

With a careful analysis of these attributes we can see the foundation of God's attributes which seal the truth of Scripture.  If these intricately woven attributes of Scripture hold one another up based on who God is, than they all begin to crumble together.  Only a sovereign, immanant and transcendant, creator, sustainer, holy perfect God could ever author the authoratative, clear, neccessary and sufficient Holy Scriptures.

"Mechanical inspiration" and "organic inspiration"

Mechanical inspiration is the view that God dictated precisely down to the letters the inspired Scriptures.  This view maintains that the writers of Scripture were controlled in such a way that thier own perspectives, life experiences and word usage were not a part of inspired Scripture, but that they were mechanically controlled to write only what God wanted them to write.  This view sees God's authority in a very limited way, thus making the human writers of Scripture as nothing more than robots.

While organic inspiration sees the writing of Scripture as utilizing the sum totoal of human lives working through God's creation and providence to give us his breathed word through inspired human writers.  This view seems altogether messier; however, it is more beautiful than can be imagined.  This is the most intricately woven, magnificently authored story in history.  God has shown his ability to provide special revelation, his word, through the amazing grace and divinely inspired writers across centures and cultures.  Organic inspiration ultimately bows down in much greater respect to God's authority by preserving human freedom in the midts of God's amazing story of redemption.

Kline's view of the suzerain-vassal treaty structure

Kline believes that the canon of Scripture is based upon the suzerian-vassal treaty.  As such, the covenant and by extension, all of Scripture is given to man in the form of the Ancient Near East suzarain-vassal treaty.  The suzarain-vassal treaty is comprised of the preamble, or proclomation of who the king is, followed by an historical prologue, or what has theking done, then the stipulations of what is required to maintain the covenant, along with the blessings, cursings and ratification of the covenant.  Finally, the succesion or protection of the covenant to be handed down to future generations.  Kline views all of Scripture through this framework of God as the great king, suzerain and the covenant community as the vassal.

What were the "two tables of the covenant"?

The "two tables of the covenant" were two complete copies of God's covenant made with Moses and Israel at Mt. Siani.  Suzerain-vassal treaties had a documentary clause to preserve a copy for each party.  In this case, since God's dwelling place was with the people with whom he made covenant, Israel kept both copies, which were identical and total in each copy.

"Granting the existence of inscripturated revelation, there are three basic positions on the New Testament canon." What are they?

The three basic positions on NT canon in light of inscripturated revelation are two variations on an open canon and one view on a closed canon.  First, the view that the NT canon is an open human anthology which can be added to as new revelation is found.  Second, the view that NT canon can have have new word revelation given to individual people rather than the covenant people as a whole, maintains an open canon as well.  Finally, the view that the NT canon is closed is based upon the foundational  view of the apostles and prophets found in Ephesians 2: 19-20 and Revelation 21:14.  The closed view maintains the attributes of Scripture's complete sufficiency. 

How is providence distinct from creation?

The distinction between providence and creation is that providence is the preservation and governance of all that God has created.  As author of creation, ex nihilo, only God can sustain, preserve and continuously uphold through His governing power everything that he created.  Thus his providential work is the continual preservation and governance of creation.

The Gift of Revelation

Assignment:
Dialogue paper: Students will write a dialogue on the doctrine of Scripture between two Anglican theologians, J. I. Packer and N. T. Wright. The dialogue should demonstrate a solid grasp of the assigned reading and lectures and should address issues related to the doctrine of Scripture: the role the Bible plays in God’s redemptive purposes (i.e., the Bible as a means of grace), the nature of biblical authority, the meaning of inspiration, and the nature of inerrancy.

Course Reflection - History of Philosophy and Christian Thought

As a student enrolled at RTS-DC and working full-time I have a very busy schedule. The virtual campus allows me to supplement my course work and work towards graduation at a faster and more flexible pace than only taking DC classes allows. I am on the Masters of Divinity track and would like to be able to complete my studies and schedule my courses without having to take vacation time every summer for class when I can sign up for virtual classes.

I have always been drawn to the study of Philosophy and Christian thought as it presents a comprehensive way to view the world. As a former atheist who was greatly influenced by the study of philosophy towards atheism and the study of Christian thought towards theism I understand the need comprehend both and the influences they have had on one another. There are people we encounter every day who have been influenced by the philosophies of the world and have either replaced Christianity with them or integrated the worldly philosophies into their worldview in such a way that it makes it impossible for them to remain consistent. It is the desire of my heart to see more people in the church equipped to confront their friends, family and strangers in a loving way with the message of truth found only in Christian thought that will transform their lives. This course has equipped me to that end and has vastly expanded my knowledge of the historical influences of philosophical ideologies on the worldviews of today.

Theological Ruminations on Kant

Assignment:
The paper needs to develop and unfold your subject, giving enough of the background by way of introduction to show the significance of your subject and to enable your reader to ascertain your purpose in writing the paper. Develop your subject by selecting and presenting data that you have accumulated, and include any additional background that will be helpful. Then analyze, synthesize and evaluate what you have found. Your personal interaction with the data is important, showing your line of thinking, your analysis, your synthesis and evaluation.

What are the main biblical testimonies to the deity of Christ?

The basic presupposition of the entirety of Scripture is not only that God exists, but that man is sinful and Jesus Christ is our only way to salvation. The biblical drama unfolds for us the characters – God and man, the problem – man’s disobedience and sin, and finally the resolution – salvation in Jesus Christ alone. What makes this resolution possible is the deity of Jesus Christ, for no mere man could bring about the resolution we need. That reality is presumed to be true throughout the bible and presented again and again.

Depending upon how one translates monogenes from John 1:14, you will either understand the logos, Jesus Christ, to be the only begotten or the only unique son of God. Either way there is the understanding that there is something altogether different about this Son as compared to the son of any other man. This Son was not only present at creation, but was the very word used to bring it about. Furthermore, as the only-begotten son of God it is evident that that there is an eternal generation from which the Father and the Son both belong. Jesus by his own words in John 14:9-10 admits that anyone who has seen him has seen God the Father because the Father lives in the Son, and the Son in the Father. As C.S. Lewis put it, these are either the ravings of a liar and a lunatic, if not the true words of God. Jesus Christ also assumes the attributes of God, as he has already intimately connected himself to the Father; he now ascribes righteousness to the Father in John 17:25 and by direct implication to himself. For it is only a truly righteous God that could create, love, preserve and save those he chooses.

The deity of Christ is further understood and reinforced by the preaching and epistles of the Apostle Paul. In his exhortation to the Philippian church, Paul states that to be like Jesus Christ, “who, being in the very nature God” humbled himself (Philippians 2:6). Paul clearly states here that Jesus Christ is not only the Son, but is God himself. He has all the characteristics of deity and this truth is proclaimed clearly, without question and authoritatively. Paul continues by pointing the church to the Covenant Lordship of Jesus Christ, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). The Lordship of Jesus Christ pronounces his authority, control and presence as the glorified Son of God.

Finally, the author of Hebrews focuses us in upon the very power and accomplishment of the deity of Christ. Again there is a confession of Jesus Christ as the Son of God (Hebrews 4:14) and that confession is one that is meant to grow faith. By confessing the deity of Jesus Christ, our faith is made stronger for we are humbly submitting to his lordship. The power of our salvation is made manifest in the sinless acts of our savior, that he was tempted in every way and yet was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). There we find mercy; there we find confidence to proclaim not only the deity of Christ, but our everlasting life in Christ.

Discuss the structure of the doctrine of the Trinity

The doctrine of the trinity did not immediately come about through the understanding of the post-apostolic age. BB Warfield said of the Old Testament, that all the elements were there in a dimly lit majestically furnished room. The New Testament threw light upon the darkness, but it took time for eyes to adjust and hearts to understand what they were seeing. As the church fathers learned from scripture and the Holy Spirit actively worked on their hearts they were able to form the doctrine of the trinity out of the biblical text and revealed truths of the word of God.

Both the Old and New Testaments show us that God is one. He is the alpha and the omega, the almighty one (Revelation 1:8). There is a singularity of God revealed in his command to alone be worshiped (Exodus 20:3). Also and not contradictorily, God is three. This is revealed prominently at Christ’s baptism, as the Father declares his love for the Son and seals his baptism with the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:21-22). There is no contradiction here because this revelation shows God as the Father, God as the Son and God as the Holy Spirit – the single God in three.

The revelation of the trinity is thus further understood as the three persons of trinity. Thus each person of the trinity reveals to us that God is an absolute person that each person is distinct and yet each are related. There are both an ontological relationship and an economic relationship revealing a perfectly harmonious, single purpose, single will and single plan made manifest through each person of the trinity. All three persons of the trinity are present and active in the creation and re-creation of the world. The Father eternally decrees, the Son is eternally begotten and the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from both the Father and the Son. There is an immanent relationship and profound mystery in the absolute person of God.

State the meaning of each of these attributes of God, with specific biblical support

Aseity

To understand the aseity or independence of God we must first come to realize the distinction between God and man or the Creator and the creation. As God’s immanent theopomorphic creation we recognize that he is a transcendent being who has revealed himself to us in an anthropomorphic revelation.  These both make him greater than we can imagine and also brings him intimately closer to us than we could ever hope for.  God has shown us that he is set apart and completely independent from us through his acts of creation and redemption.  He has also shown us that he is completely sufficient in and of himself without need of us.

 

Through creation it was God who set apart the darkness from the light (Gen 1:4), it was God who makes each day possible and calls them into being by his very word (Gen 1:5).  God revealed his complete independence by creating a world that was completely dependant upon him, sustained by him alone and for his own good pleasure. Furthermore, when God finally speaks to Job and his friends he reminds them that man was not present when the foundations of the world were laid (Job 38:4), nor was it man who formed the world as clay (Job 38:14), but it was the independent, all sufficient God of the universe.  Now in the New Testament, John reveals to us that the very same God who created us, who was the very Word of God (John 1:2-3), is the same God who by his independent desire to bring salvation would be the redeemer, Jesus Christ.  It is Jesus Christ who would bring our salvation through grace and truth (John 1:17).  Finally, the men of Athens learn from the Apostle Paul that the “unknown God” is the God of creation, the God of life, the wholly sufficient God who breathes life into every living being (Acts 17:22-25).

 

Immutability

We serve a changeless and reliable God that has been with us our entire lives and knew us before we were even born.  God’s immutability or changelessness means that he is not like the deceitful shadows that shift (James 1:17) and cause us to not trust our Lord.  He brings us heavenly light to display the splendor and majesty of his veracity.  He is the rock of our salvation and the firm ground from which we build our house, not like the foolish man who builds his house on the shifting sands (Matthew 7: 26).

 

Goodness

The unfailing love (Psalm 90:14) of our God is his revealed goodness to his creation.  That he would send his son to die on our behalf because of his love for the world and desire to give the free, but expensive gift, of grace to those that would believe in Jesus Christ (John 3:16) is an amazing testimony to the goodness of our Lord.  It is unimaginable that our God would love us so much and desire to pour out his goodness upon his creatures that he would send his son to take on the very nature of a servant, that the King of Kings would humble himself to the point of death upon the cross displays the unfathomable and immense goodness and love of our God (Philippians 2: 7-8).   

 

Holiness

From the beginning of God’s relationship with his covenant people he has called them out of their unrighteousness, out of their unbelief and into the courts of his holiness.  From the establishment of the sacrificial system in Leviticus, God has shown his covenant people the need to find a perfect and blemish free offering (Leviticus 1:3)  to make atonement for them (Leviticus 1:4) because they were not like God in all his perfections.  Once again God revealed his perfection to the covenant people through his encounter with the prophet Isaiah by filling the temple, proclaiming his holiness and bringing the prophet to his knees in humble recognition that he was a man of unclean lips (Isaiah 6:1-5).  Finally, Paul writing to the Colossians proclaims God’s holiness by showing us that it is by Christ’s sacrifice that we are reconciled and made blemish free (Colossians 1:22), thus brought back into right relationship with God, able to stand before him with confidence in our salvation.

Course Reflection - Apologetics

Apologetics is one of my favorite subjects and as a former atheist I believe this topic is crucial for the church. There are people we encounter every day that have little to no understanding of who God is and who he has made them to be. They are outright against Christianity in the way they live, interact with people and work. It is the desire of my heart to see more people in the church equipped to confront their friends, family and strangers in a loving way with the message of truth that will transform their lives. This course has equipped me to that end and instilled a deep desire in my heart towards loving the lost, sharing the gospel with them and defending the faith that has transformed my life.

An Unlikely Conversation

Assignment:
Write a paper of approximately 3000 words presenting an apologetic dialogue between a Christian and a non-Christian. Chapter 9 of AGG provides you a model for the dialogue form. Your dialogue may deal with any subject that might arise in such a conversation, such as the existence of God, the problem of evil, the nature of truth, the authority of Scripture, etc. For this paper, you should do some research beyond the course assignments.

Relational Presuppositional Apologetics

Assignment:
Write a paper of approximately 2000 words describing and arguing your own view of apologetic method. This should show interaction with the course lectures and readings and should present a biblical basis for your view. Some research beyond assigned readings required. The paper should interact with Van Til and with some of the other alternative apologetic methods discussed (both in the historical lectures and in the book Five Views of Apologetics).

Final Exam Part 2: Exodus 20

Discuss the components that make up a loyalty oath (suzerain-vassal treaty)and explain how Exodus 20 (the Ten Commandments) fits into that genre.

The most prevalent and well preserved writings of the Ancient Near Eastern culture were that of the suzerain-vassal treaty structure so it is by no mistake that the writings of the Old Testament from that time period would incorporate that into into their literary structure. The Ten Commandments provides one of the clearest forms of that use. The preamble, or the statement of the covenant parties, shows God to be the great King in verses 1 to 2a. Next, the historical prologue, provides the context for what the great king has done for his vassals, Israel, in delivering them out of slavery. The great king has redeemed his people in verse 2b. As the Ten Commandments continue to unfold in verses 3 - 17, we see the stipulations or the law that set the parameters for loyalty oath such as: remembering the sabbath, honoring your parents and so forth. Within these stipulations we discover divine sanctions or cursings and blessings for disobedience and obedience to these stipulations. Cursing like punishment for sin and blessings like enduring love to the family of covenant keepers. The preservation or documentary clause of this suzerain-vassal treaty was given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai and was to be set inside the Ark of the Covenant protecting and preserving this loyalty oath from any additions, corruptions or redactions. Finally, the witness of this treaty was before the entire assembly of God's people at Mount Sinai as it was consumed by fire. This witness would be preserved in the Ark as the Israelites camped all around it when they rested, and would lead them throughout the wilderness as they marched towards the promise land. Ultimately, God is the divine witness and preserver as he made his presence and dwelling place above the Ark upon the mercy seat.

Final Exam Part 2: Abrahamic Covenant

The Abrahamic Covenant, as we discussed in class, consisted in three promises, two which were significant in Genesis. What were these two significant promises? Describe also the two-fold fulfillment of these covenant promises in the history of redemption.

God gave Abraham the promise of a great blessing in Genesis 12 through the promises of a son or seed, through the promise of a land to call their own in Genesis 15, and finally the promise of a covenant law to govern the people in the land in Genesis 17. The significant promises in Genesis are that of the seed in the promised son and heir, for without an heir Abraham could not become a great nation. And the promise of the land to call their own, so that they could find rest in the dwelling place of God as Adam experienced in the garden. The initial fulfillment of the promised seed is a typological fulfillment in Isaac pointing towards the true fulfillment in Jesus Christ as the seed of Genesis 3 and Galatians 3. The birth of Isaac leads to the establishment of the patriarchal line of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob which gives rise to the royal family in Genesis finding greater fulfillment in the Nation of Israel as evidenced in the Hexateauch. Finally this promise realizes its true and ultimate fulfillment in the birth of Jesus Christ, the true Israel. The second significant promise of land is given its typological fulfillment in the Book of Joshua, but the foundations for the people dwelling in the promise land are laid in Genesis. It is important to note that the dwelling place of God was the focus of the need of land and rest. The true seed, Jesus Christ, would pave the way to the true promise land of the eternal, heavenly Kingdom. This the ultimate dwelling place of God, where true rest and true fulfillment of God's promise will come.

Final Exam Part 1

Describe its significance in the place of the redemptive history. You are free to write as much as you need, but one page per passage should be sufficient. Use additional sheets of paper for your answer.

Genesis 49: 8-12
The line of Judah is the most significant line of the covenant family of Israel because it is form his offspring that the ultimate Redeemer King will come. Jacob's blessing upon his son reveals this truth through the kingly imagery, the promise of the Prince of Peace and through the sacrificial prophesy of the blood covenant. Judah is presented as the typological king that the Lord Jesus Christ truly is. Genesis 49:8 reveals the exalted status of a kingly ruler that is obeyed and bowed down before. Genesis 49: 9-10 continues to show a victorious king who rules as Christ will rule through his victories over sin and death. The climax of the kingly rule of Jesus Christ will be as the Prince of Peace or Shiloh as Genesis 49:10 reveals his true fulfilling nature in the blessings of Judah. This climax is made effectual through the one true blood sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The donkey that Jacob blesses Judah with is the very same donkey that the triumphal king will ride to the cross as a sign of the true nature of his sacrifice. This is the same donkey of Zechariah 9 and Luke 19 showing the promised King's redemptive powers. Finally this passage paints the image of shed blood and victory over death as Jesus Christ fulfills the stained robes with his own blood as the consummation of his redemptive power.

Exodus 12: 12-30
The active power of God to save his people through the shedding of redemptive blood is given through a vivid picture of salvation and death here in Exodus 12. Judgment is delivered upon the Egyptians as was promised as death plagues the land. This was the final sign and wonder given to reveal the Divine Creator King. The sacrifice of the paschal lamb was ultimately fulfilled in the death of Jesus Christ. His death and shedding of blood was like the active protection of YHWH for the people of Israel in Exodus 12. The propitiatory nature of covering the houses of God's chosen people and His active preservation of their lives puts the psach in a more proactive light than does the passive nature of simply passing over. For it is God, seeing Israel's obedience to his command that he actively protects them from the Destroyer. Just like it is Jesus Christ who uses his own blood to actively cover over His chosen people to preserve their lives unto everlasting life.

The Gospel of Leviticus

Assignment:
Describe the theology of the atonement in the Book of Leviticus.

Reading Report - God of Promise

1. The Big Idea?
We are made to be in relationship, the vertical relationship with God and the horizontal relationship with one another. The key factor in that relationship is that of made and kept promises that make covenant theology and Reformed theology synonymous because it is the covenant that Reformed theology attributes the architectural structure of scripture. God’s purposes through the covenant are to be known by his people and to know his people by binding himself to them in the form of promises and blessings. This is what binds the community of Israel together in the Old Testament and what binds Christians together today.

2. God and Foreign Relations
The basic form of the covenant established by God with Israel, as witnessed and attested to in scripture was made within the context of a culture that highly valued the suzerain-vassal treaties of second millennium BC. The elements of a treaty are the preamble which identifies the great king or the one who is making the treaty, in this case God himself. Next is the historical prologue which not only justifies what the great king will do, but shows what he has done. Following that are the stipulations which signify the terms of the treaty and the sanctions which signify the consequences for not upholding the terms. Finally the treaty tablets are deposited in the sacred temples as a witness to all what has been done and to ensure that there would be no modifications. God used the present culture in which to establish his covenant with his people, as the Great King who initiates, keeps and binds himself to his covenant promises taking the punishment of the sanctions on himself.

3. A Tale of Two Mothers
Here Horton begins to distinguish between the Abrahamic covenant as a covenant of grace (or unilateral and eternal) and the Sinaitic covenant as a covenant of law (or conditional and temporal). The basis for this argument is the Galatian heresy and Paul’s distinction between the two mothers in Galatians 3. When God made his bond with Abraham it was out of grace and because of Abraham’s faithfulness his heirs would receive the benefits of the promise; however, in Horton’s estimation the covenant made with Moses was fragile because the people’s faith was fragile and therefore not eternal like the covenant with Abraham.

4. A New Covenant
Horton continues to develop this distinction between law and gospel as he points to the covenantal attorneys, the Prophets, specifically Jeremiah who draws the distinction between external command and internal willingness, conditions and promises, the letter and the Spirit as law and gospel. He then admits that the Sinaitic covenant is offered in terms of the gracious history leading up to it, but then states that the coming messiah displaces the types and shadows of the covenant rather than fulfilling the law by obedience that Israel and we could not. Then Horton does state that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the unilateral promise of the Abrahamic covenant and the typological fulfillment of the bilateral conditions of the Sinaitic covenant, but in my estimation this ignores the requirement for Abraham to respond in faith to God’s promises (bilaterally) and the fact that God is the one who keeps the law perfectly (unilaterally). There are unilateral and bilateral elements found in both covenants; therefore, since God justifies by faith alone and not on the basis of works they are both a part of the covenant of grace.

5. From Scripture to System: The Heart of Covenant Theology
There are three overarching covenants presented in scripture, the Covenant of Redemption, the Covenant of Creation and the Covenant of Grace. These covenants all exist within the framework of federal theology or solidarity of the representative head. The first of these the Covenant of Redemption or the pactum salutis is the covenant established in eternity by the three persons of the trinity to bring about the redemption of God’s people through the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Covenant of Creation or Works (foederus naturae) was established in the garden with Adam which required his obedience to maintain life and integrity, and according to Horton the Sinaitic covenant is a re-establishment of this Covenant of Works. Finally the Covenant of Grace (foederus gratiae) is established with Adam immediately following the fall as a fulfillment of the promise made by the Godhead in the pactum salutis to bring about redemption through Jesus Christ who fulfills the foederus naturae as a federal head for those elect who were trapped in sin by Adam and provided everlasting life by the second Adam, Jesus Christ.

6. Providence and Covenant: Common Grace
There is a real partnership that exists in covenant theology despite the fact that the two parties involved, God and his people are not equals. God’s grace is not limited to the special grace that he provides his covenantal people, but also extends to all of creation and those outside his covenant through common grace. Here we see sin restrained from wreaking more havoc upon the world and we see God’s benevolence to the entire world through sustaining not only the earth but the people who enjoy lives and families just like his covenantal people. The City of God and the City of Man intersect, but they are not infused together. Finally, we must remember that as covenant people of God, the Bible is our constitution and not of the secular state. As we engage society we must not seek to enforce a theocracy, nor can we stand by and watch injustice prevail, but we must engage society recognizing the coming Kingdom and the restraining and sustaining power of common grace.

7. The Covenant People
Horton here makes the distinction between the national covenant of laws made at Sinai and the gracious covenant made with all believers as children of God to show a difference between Israel and the Church before God. As the former has been replaced by the later Horton makes the point that national judgment has been visited upon Israel for their disobedience, but individual salvation remains possible for those in Christ. Finally while the covenants of been formed and the canons have been completed there is still an as of yet unfulfilled fruition of each, so in a sense even though they are final they are left open until that great fulfillment.

8. Signs and Seals of the Covenant
In both the Old and New Testament there are signs and seals that are used to ratify the treaty of peace between God and man proclaiming the truth of the Word of God and pointing towards the fulfillment of a promise. The reality of the sacraments is not found in what these signs and seals physically do to us, but it is found in the spiritual fulfillment of what God does for us as signified by the sacrament itself. Both circumcision and baptism act as an initiation into the covenant of grace, but neither confirms election, regeneration or justification. Both the Passover and the Lord’s Supper are covenantal meals signifying communion and union with the mediator. While there is fulfillment of this initiation and union in the Old Testament there is great fulfillment in the New Testament sacraments which seal upon our hearts as a sign to us and those around us the truths of the Gospel and the God who forever bound himself to us.

9. New Covenant Obedience
Law and love are both necessary as an expression of God’s holiness or transcendence and his deep care and concern for his people or his immanence. The law convicts us of our inability to be and remain holy forcing us to turn towards Jesus Christ who will make us a holy priesthood despite our inabilities and limitations. Apart from Christ the law either lead to despair or self-righteousness, but in Christ we can rest in what he has done for us and in us by reconciling us to God and united us to himself through his covenant promises to his covenant people.

Reading Report - Images of the Spirit

1. The Glory-Spirit and His Human Image
Kline’s basic premise is that the imago Dei or the image of God is best understood by seeing the theophanic Glory of God or the Holy Spirit as being present at the time of creation. Not only was the Spirit present at creation, but was the archetypal Glory of God which gave the image of God, man, a life-giving breath in his physical body. Consequently the image likeness that man derives from the Creator-Spirit is shown by scripture to be like a son deriving his image from his father. Finally we see that not only is man made in the image of God, as in a reproduction, but also in the glory-likeness as in a reflection of the original Glory of God.

2. A priestly Model of the Image of God
Being made holy and being set apart God uses both a architectural structure and human form in which to dwell and show forth his Glory. First we see this in the construction of the tabernacle, being made in the likeness of the garden as God’s dwelling place. Once again the Glory-cloud, like at creation with the Garden fills the tabernacle to seal it as the Spirit-temple. Now the priests were set apart to bear the vestments of the tabernacle and to display the Glory-cloud upon and within them. Finally as a seal upon the people of God, his Glory-cloud fills them and covers over them with the image of God as a covenant sign upon their hearts, their very likeness and their reflection of his glory borne out in the imago Dei.

Reading Report - Numbers and Deuteronomy

19. Towards the Promise Land
The book of Numbers illustrates the preparation of the people of Israel as the leave Mount Sinai and begin their forty year journey through the wilderness to the promise land. The exodus generation did not survive the journey and their death is recorded because of their disobedience and lack of faith and trust in God to provide that which he promised.

20. Murmurings
The people of Israel not only show a lack of faith in God, but in the people that God has chosen to lead them as they rebel against authority. Their rebellion not only displays a lack of trust in God to provide what he has promised to provide, but also ignorance of what he has already done on their behalf by bringing them out of slavery and setting their captive hearts free to worship their God. But even despite their rebellion, God still maintains his promise to provide the land of Canaan. The New Testament implication is that while the Israelites failed in their wilderness testing, Jesus Christ not only does not fail, but triumphs over death and Satan to provide the promise land to the New Testament believer.

21. Love and Loyalty
The book of Deuteronomy draws to a close the wilderness time and is the opportunity for Moses to speak his last words of love, encouragement and reminder to his people of the ways of the Lord. He reminds them of the special relationship they have with God through the covenant that he has established with them to be their God and their provider. The people are continuously reminded that obedience provides life and disobedience brings death, so they must be mindful of both the covenant promises of blessing and the covenant consequences of cursing. The New Testament implication is the same as the old, that we are to have only one God, and we are to give all of ourselves to him as his covenant relationship is established and renewed by Jesus Christ in us, so that we may remain faithful and obedient.

22. Why Israel?
Deuteronomy reminds us that Israel was not chosen because of something special within them, but because the Lord desired to build a covenant community in which to display his gracious and unmerited love. The consequence for Israel in being chosen was the responsibility in keeping the covenant for the world to see, so that they would see the righteousness of God on display. The New Testament implication is that all who are chosen in Christ are divinely elected to keep this covenant by having faith in the Lord and obeying his word.

23. Conclusion
The Pentateuch establishes the back drop from which the rest of scripture unfolds the story of redemptive history. It is established in the people and history of the Israelites continues to shine forth redemptive truth even in the midst of their failures and rebellion against God. The coming messiah is not only promised, but the family line in which he will come from is established, preserved and chosen from the very beginning. The types and shadows that are given in the Pentateuch point us towards a greater fulfillment in the new covenant, in the person and work of Jesus Christ and ultimately an even greater fulfillment in the new heavens and new earth to come.

Reading Report - Leviticus

16. Be Holy
The Exodus narrative continues into the book of Leviticus as the fulfillment of God’s instructions to Moses to set apart a holy priesthood is shown. The focus of Leviticus is the setting a part of the particular people who would minister on behalf of the Lord, their consecration and being made holy before the Lord. The narrative unfolds demonstrating that certain people, places, objects and even periods of time would have differing degrees of holiness associated with them. Being holy allows one to experience life as it is meant to be, unmarred, and reflecting the moral perfection of our God which provides life giving spirit and saves us from death. The New Testament implication is that the people of God are still meant to remain holy even today, as God continues to intervene and make his children holy by the power of the Holy Spirit in the sanctification process.

17. The Sacrificial System
Vicarious satisfaction or substitutionary atonement lay at the heart of the sacrificial system, which lays at the heart of the Levitical process of making one holy, clean and blameless before our holy God. The sins of the people were placed upon the animal whose blood was shed as a substitute for their own, which bears its fullest picture in the Day of Atonement. This was the way for Israel to restore their relationship with God. The New Testament implication is seen in the vicarious death of Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed to make satisfaction for our sins and to provide a restored relationship for those that are in Him with God.

18. The Clean and the Unclean Foods
The food regulations upon the people of Israel where once again meant to set them apart as a holy nation, as clean and unclean animals were most likely representative of clean and unclean people or people in and out of the covenant. Additionally, clean animals were broken down further into sacrificial and non-sacrificial like the people of Israel were priestly and non-priestly. The New Testament implication here is that the clean Jew and the unclean Gentile distinction was no longer necessary and that the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was instituted so that the people of God could be set apart and identified as His by participating in this covenantal meal.

Reading Report - Exodus

12. Who is the LORD?
Exodus is the continuation of the narrative for God's people as the nation of Israel is born, so while the promise of nation has been fulfilled it has been fulfilled without the people experiencing a personal knowledge of the Lord. Exodus focuses on the significant attributes of the Lord that are necessary for Israel to experience intimate blessing and knowledge of the Lord. Thus Israel develops a special relationship with the Lord, established by the Lord himself as he takes the initiative in revealing himself through theophonies, signs and wonders providing Israel with the privilege of growing in the knowledge of the Lord. There is a focus on knowing God as he truly is and not how he is imagined to be, so that he may be properly worshiped. The New Testament implications of this intimate knowledge of the Lord can be found in the person and work of Jesus Christ as he provided an incarnate view of God himself, revealing signs and wonders and ultimately pointing us towards worshiping the true God truly in word and spirit.

13. The Passover
The Passover is a propitiatory event where both God's judgment is averted and the people of Israel are literally covered over by the blood of the lamb which provides salvation from judgment. The Israelites are instructed to keep this as a continual celebration through the reenactment of the Passover, keeping the fest of Unleavened Bread and by the consecration of the first born male. There participation in the Passover sanctified them and presented them as a holy nation to God as a true royal lineage. The New Testament implication is the propitiatory event that Jesus accomplished through his death as the perfect paschal lamb averting God's judgment, taking it upon himself and imputed his righteousness upon us by covering over our hearts with his redemptive blood.

14. The Covenant at Sinai
God engulfs Mount Sinai as a display of his transcendence, but also his immanence as he invites the people of Israel to encamp at the base of the mountain and furthermore invites their mediator, Moses, to the mountain to experience this display more fully so that he could bring back to Israel the very word of God. Again we see God initiating this covenant and inviting Israel to respond in obedience. God's word is set before them so that they may be a holy nation, preserving life and worshipping the Lord as he commanded them to do. The New Testament implication of God's law is that we must first and foremost love God and by implication we will then love our neighbor, as Jesus came to fulfill the law and inaugurate the new covenant through his death, resurrection and ascension.

15. The Tabernacle
Exodus concludes with the command to build the tabernacle and the Israelites obeying this command given to Moses to the very last detail. This was important because this would be where God would dwell among them, at the heart of their camp would be the tabernacle containing the holy dwelling place of the Lord before the people. This is where once again God and humanity would dwell together like in the Garden of Eden, but only certain men consecrated for this particular purpose would be allowed to enter and minister on behalf of the other tribes. The New Testament implication of the tabernacle is that all who are in Christ would be tabernacles and the place where God would dwell among his people.

Reading Report - Genesis

7. An Overview of the Pentateuch
The Pentateuch contains a single plot flowing through each of the books in a skillfully unified narrative from start to finish. There is a focus on the link between the promise of blessing and the nationhood of Israel, for the nation cannot be born without the fulfillment of the promise. There is also a link between the faithful promises of God and the faithful trust that the people must have in those promises to enjoy them. Finally, while the fruition of God's blessing is realized in the people of Israel they do not experience the fulfillment of God's blessing realized in the promise land, so the end of the Pentateuch is future oriented and is an unfinished story completed in the book of Joshua.

8. The Royal Lineage in Genesis
The book of Genesis begins by focusing our attention on the most important family line of Adam and traces this line throughout the book giving careful attention to the seed of the woman, while interweaving a view of the seed of the serpent. Adam's family line though is a royal line of chosen descendants in which God actively works to preserve and continue the seed of the woman unto salvation, from Adam to Seth to Noah to Shem to Terah to Abraham to Isaac to Jacob and ultimately Judah and Joseph. These seeds produce the accounts that are given the most attention to draw a distinction between life and death. The New Testament implications of this are seen as Abraham's offspring natural or adopted are provided life giving spirit by being made righteous through faith.

9. The Blessing of the Nations
God's blessing was present with Adam and Eve within the garden, but when Adam disobeyed the sin of his choice brought about the presence of God's cursing. This meant that not only was Adam's sin imputed upon all mankind, but that we would also experience the increased pain of God's curse upon the ground. Furthermore, the affects would be experienced by the entire family line of Adam, but with the coming of this curse there was also a blessing for the chosen royal lineage. This blessing was given to Adam's descendant Abraham as he was promised to be a blessing to many nations and thus the royal line would function as a mediatorial lineage of God's blessing to others. Genesis lays the foundation for a future descendant of Abraham who would be a blessing to the whole world by removing the curse and obeying like Adam did not. The New Testament implication for this are found in the person and work of Jesus Christ who comes to ultimately fulfill this promised blessing to the nations through the line and as the seed of Abraham.

10. Paradise Lost
There is an inextricable connection between humanity and the earth. Both were created perfectly to abide together in an interdependent relationship as seen in the Garden of Eden, thus the result of sin would not only affect man morally, but would affect man physically as he was expelled from the garden. The garden was where man could commune with God intimately and personally, so the implications of this lost paradise were far reaching. But man was not left without a solution to this problem, as God promised Adam's descendants through their faith in God a promise land. This land would once again be a sign of God's blessing upon the royal lineage which would resemble the garden, but most importantly provide a way for them to experience the riches of his blessing. The New Testament implication here is that of a greater fulfillment in the promise land and a restored harmony between man and earth in the new heavens and new earth, but ultimately a restored relationship to God dwelling in his very presence continually.

11. By Faith Abraham…
God promises Abraham a seed, land and his divine blessing upon both as a result of Abraham's faith and obedience, but his obedience can only come as a result of his faith in the promises. This is how God credits to Abraham his righteousness, through faith alone and not by any meritorious obedience. God not only establishes a covenant with Abraham and promises him the blessing of a seed and land, but he also gives Abraham a sign and seal of this covenant promise through circumcision displaying the special relationship between God and the royal lineage. The New Testament implication for the righteousness of Abraham's seed is that it would be credited to them through faith alone and not through a cultic ritual. While circumcision laid before the royal family the sign of God's promises it was not necessary for Gentile believers to be circumcised for salvation, but for them to experience the saving power by faith alone in Christ alone.

Reading Report - Critical Views

1. Introduction to Pentateuchal Criticism
The reader is introduced to the first five books of the Bible which have been named the Pentateuch from the Greek pentateuchos, meaning five-volume work. From there four methods of criticism from the past 250 years are summarized, source criticism, form criticism, tradition-historical criticism and literary criticism. The first critical view is source criticism which seeks to discover the literary sources used to create the Pentateuch. Form criticism, rather than focus on the written sources, focuses its analysis on the oral traditions that lead to the written sources. The next method looks at the history of the traditions which underlie the stories presented. Finally literary criticism looks at the text as a whole seeking to understand the Pentateuch as a single piece of composed literature.

2. The Rise of the Documentary Hypothesis
The Documentary Hypothesis came about as an evolving critical view of the source documents used in creating the Pentateuch during the post-Enlightenment period. This critical view of the text began by assigning portions of the text to particular sources, combined by Moses and other redactors and copyist eventually forming the composition that we have today. Eventually this viewed evolved by the help of Graf, Vatke, and Wellhausen to the popular view of the J, E, D, P source texts and authorship chronology. The first two sources are labeled J and E for the primary name of God used within the text, YWYH or misnamed Jehovist or J source, and the Elohim or Elohist or E source penned in approximately 840 BCE and 700 BCE respectively. Then we have the D source who penned the book of Deuteronomy in 623 BCE and the P or priestly source who penned the cultic rituals between 500-450 BCE. The implication of this purely mechanical method is that it makes Mosaic authorship impossible, it ignores the context of the story, and permanently changes the history of the Israelites, all of which fail to properly analyze the Pentateuch.

3. Going Behind the Documents
Using the Documentary Hypothesis as a base from which to launch further analysis, scholars like Gunkel and von Rad began to explore even greater speculative methods called form criticism and traditio-historical criticism respectively. Gunkel believed that he could observe oral traditions that took place in various times and contexts that could be used as sources for the various institutions and explanations for names of places, origins of customs, legends of different people groups, etc. Most of this relied heavily on the theory that cultures in history developed from primitive to complex over time, or evolved. Next the traditio-historical criticism brings together the documents used in the Documentary Hypothesis and the oral traditions explained by form criticism to create our present text. The problem with these forms of criticism is that they begin with a flawed framework, the Documentary Hypothesis, speculate further from there in many conflicting directions with no extra-biblical texts or evidence to support their claims.

4. The Documentary Hypothesis Under Threat
New scholars have begun to investigate the shortcomings of the Documentary Hypothesis and have begun to either modify or reject it altogether. One of the most common modifications is the assigning of the J, E, D, P source text to various passages within the Pentateuch. While the J and E sources are broken down into smaller and smaller sections thus producing more sources (J1, J2…Jn and E1, E2…En), the Deuteronomist or D source has gained more attention by Noth’s proposition for a Deuteronomistic History which led to a focus on the book of Deuteronomy in conjunction with the books following it rather than the books preceding it. Alternatives to the Documentary Hypothesis have begun to take hold in the scholarly community. These alternatives reject the focus on the parallel sources and instead focus on a single source of composition with later redactions or supplements provided to the text. While these alternatives and criticism are still coming from a scholarly community that largely rejects the theological influence on the text, they do now admit that there is no clear consensus on when, why, how and through whom the Pentateuch was written.

5. The Sinai Narrative – A Test Case
Alexander here uses the Sinai Narrative in Exodus 19:1-24:11 as a test case for the Documentary Hypothesis and the Deuteronomistic History which views Genesis to Numbers as a fictional prologue for history that unfolds in Deuteronomy and the subsequent books. When analyzing the divine speeches in conjunction with the narrative sections surrounding them, along with the additional material of the Decalogue and the Book of the Covenant, Alexander found that there was no evidence of redactional material and that there was a single author throughout. In addition to this analysis, Alexander found no evidence linking Deuteronomistic influence on the Sinai narrative, but the exact opposite showing the influence of the Sinai Narrative on the Deuteronomistic account.

6. The Future of Pentateuchal Studies
The types of criticism that have been waged against the Pentateuch in the past have many limitations and fail to prove that the content is fictional with their weak arguments against the historicity. Furthermore they fail to ask the most important question when analyzing the Pentateuch, it’s not how they were composed, but why were they composed. The catalytic event for bringing not only the Pentateuch together, but Joshua to Kings as a unified whole made of several authors and redactionists is most likely the post-exhilic period which provides the most obvious reason for the redactions and the cohesive unity of the texts. Since history rolls on without the ability to go back in time and many source documents have eroded away and become nothing, we are only left with the texts themselves which provide the answer to why they were formed, as a revelation of the almighty God, creator of all things, and “source of all true knowledge.”

Discuss Bavinck’s statement: “The obedience of Christ is not only a satisfaction: it is a vicarious satisfaction.”

Vicarious satisfaction is the culmination of the purpose and work of Jesus Christ laying the path of salvation to his elect and providing the Gospel message of hope, faith and love to the world, but especially to the adopted family of God. Bavinck’s main point is that this is the Gospel, that Christ perfectly obeyed God in a way that we could not, that he was sacrificed for us, satisfying God’s divine justice and thus providing eternal life for those who have faith in the covenant promises of God to his people by Jesus Christ alone.

First there must be a sacrifice or the shedding of blood to make atonement for our sins, our transgressions. Within the ordinance of the Day of Atonement, Leviticus 16 reveals the vicarious process of laying our sins upon a sacrificial animal, placing the wickedness, disobedience and transgressions of the elect upon the goat to cleanse them before the Lord making them holy and blameless. Isaiah 53: 10 connects the sacrificial atonement to the future coming of the Lord who would be our guilt offering, who’s blood would be shed vicariously in place of ours.
This shedding of blood is the method by which we are redeemed or our debts are paid on our behalf. Satisfaction has been made by redeeming the elect and paying the debt of our sins and our transgressions. Redemption is the second way in which we see Christ’s vicarious satisfaction come to fruition, as Isaiah 53: 5 says, “he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities.” It is our sin, our debt to pay to God to redeem ourselves from the punishment of his divine justice, but it is Jesus Christ who takes this debt upon himself and makes restitution on our behalf.

That leads us the third view of Christ’s vicarious satisfaction in the expiatory gift of reconciliation given to the elect. Not only does Jesus Christ shed his blood, paying our debt, but he also averts God’s justice and brings about an eternal reconciliation between the created and the Creator. 2 Corinthians 5: 18, 21 says, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ…God made him who had no sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Paul shows us here that through our reconciliation, our sins are removed from our account and God’s justice is expatiated from us and placed on Christ. Though he himself was never sinful, our sins were hung upon the cross in Him, so that we may be reconciled before God as holy and blameless creatures resting in Jesus Christ alone.

Finally, the culmination of the sacrificial blood spilled, which bought and paid for our redemption and which provides an excitatory reconciliation between us and God reaches its apex in the propitiation of God’s righteousness applied to us through the vicarious satisfaction of Jesus Christ. We are not only cleansed of our sin, not only purchased by the ultimate act of sacrifice, but also covered over by the pure blood, covered over by the freedom from debt, covered over by the freedom from divine justice, but ultimately covered over by the righteousness that is Christ’s alone. Again, 2 Corinthians 5: 21 ends with, “so that in him we might become the righteousness of God”, which is Christ’s watershed, propitiatory act of salvation for his elect providing vicarious satisfaction and eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Discuss the teaching of John 1 and Hebrews 1 on the doctrine of Christ's Person.

The second person of the Trinity, the God-man, Jesus Christ was eternally present with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. As John 1 shows Jesus Christ is the Word of God which was also with God and is God from all eternity. The Word of God as Hebrews 1 shows is the reality of God speaking to us and shows the power of His word through the act of creation that both John 1 and Hebrews 1 testifies. The person of Christ was not only present at creation but was through whom all things were made. Through this creative act in the beginning and the re-creative act through salvation, Christ becomes the giver of life and light shining out through the darkness.

This light and life are shown forth through the image of God that man bears, the fuller image that the Christian bears and the even fuller image that the person of Jesus Christ bears to all of creation. This can only be seen through the flesh that Jesus Christ takes on as John 1 describes which enables us to see his glory and as Hebrews 1 describes a radiant glory as the perfect and exact representative of God in the flesh. Jesus Christ is the perfect image of God, as the elect are to be in Christ alone, shining this glory before the entire world.

John 1 continues to unfold the person of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the law given to Moses, as the grace and truth of Jesus Christ. The law continuously points us towards the righteousness of God, as that is fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ by the fullness of his grace and truth revealed to the world through his word and redemptive act as the pure sacrifice on the cross. It is because of this sacrifice that Hebrews 1 shows us that Jesus Christ is the superior and supreme Son of God, the King and Lord of all creation. His humiliation leads directly to his exaltation as he receives a higher adoption as the already existent Son of God, magnified and loved by the Father, and given the reward as the exalted Son to sit at the right hand of God as King.

What is the position of Chalcedon on the Person of Christ? Add your evaluation if you wish.

Chalcedon was the definitive council and subsequent creed that proclaimed from the foundation of scriptural truth and evidence and by the counsel and influence of the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ was indeed two natures in one person. The two natures were one of the divine or the very nature of God or as Colossians 1: 19 says, “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him”. The infinite entered time and space, the invisible became visible, the transcendent became immanent. The second nature in the one person was that of a truly physical man, born into the world able to breath, bleed and die, so that he could identify with us, be humiliated for us and finally exalted before us.

The God-man existed eternally as the second person of the Trinity, but only entered into time and space when the fullness of time had come, so that he could accomplish his eternal purpose of salvation for his elect brethren. He suffered a humiliation in life, which consisted of restraining his rightful powers within this singular person, the humbling of himself taking on the role as servant, the suffering of his temptations and eventual death on the cross. Finally he was humiliated by experiencing a death that that removed him from that perfect communion with God the Father.

The glorious nature of his exaltation however is what lies before us as we see his resurrection, ascension, placement at the right hand of God the Father and power to judge the living and the dead. In the God-man’s exaltation we have the promises of redemption and reconciliation laid before us in the promise of eternal life as adopted sons and daughters and brethren to our Lord Jesus Christ. All those that are in Christ have this promise applied to them and can rest in the righteousness of the God-man, who can both fully indentify with their suffering and fully satisfy the divine justice of God.

Discuss: after the Fall, man remains the image of God.

In the creation of man God did not impute a substance of righteousness into his creation, nor was man created with the capacity not to sin, but to choose between an ethical obedience to his creator or a marred disobedience to the one that breathed life into his nostrils. Therefore, even after the fall and man has been ethically and morally corrupted by sin, he is not totally corrupt through and through because he still bears the glorious image of God his creator.
Genesis 5: 1 says, “When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God” but there is no substantive righteousness given there, only the image of the immutable God the creator. When the fall of man occurs there is no account of a substantive change with Adam and Eve but a moral implication of withheld blessing and no longer withheld cursing upon them both because of the choice they made to disobey God’s command not to eat of the fruit.

1 Corinthians 11: 7 says of man’s creation that “he is the image and glory of God”, and there is no scripture that points to this image being removed from man. There is a corruption, pollution and eventual carnal death as a result of the curse, but the fingerprint, the breath of life and the image of God are still present within the created glory of man. This cannot be removed from man and is eventually restored, recreated and redeemed by the life giving Spirit for those elect that are promised the blessing of eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ.

James 1: 18 says, “He chose to give us birth through the word and truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created”. Here again we see that much like a child who has disobeyed his parents does not lose the image that he bears as a child of his mother and father, but has made a moral choice to disobey. Those that are in Christ are now like the child who obeys their father in word and truth, so that they can properly bear the image of God as a first and most beautiful fruit of his creation. We recognize that all men subsequent to the fall continue to bear the image of God, albeit in a polluted way, but all those that are in Christ Jesus bear the image of God as it is meant to be and will one day bear that image in Heaven fully as it is meant to be.

A reason to hope

Assignment:
This is a major research paper, and should reflect a solid amount of scholarly exploration of any theological interest of your choice, within the ST 2 topics (such as image of God, sin, person and work of Christ, etc.). Your reference points should be what Scripture says and the Reformed Confessions, on the one hand, and what is being affirmed today, on the other. Plenty of critical engagement with theologians on your topic is expected. Though you may choose to focus mainly on 1-2 figures or books, be sure to bring in plenty of other scholarly voices to enrich the discussion. The paper must have a clear central argument (thesis statement), which you argue throughout by presenting evidence in a logical development.