Systematic Theology

Hey Friends,

I have a few friends who are really into systematic theology. I started to look at a few as well and found it really edifying but also overwhelming

I know there are quite a few different ones out there (Wayne Grudem's is a popular one.) I wanted to ask about the differences between them all and see which would be best to take a look at.

thanks
Evangel

Hi Evangel,

It is great that you are looking at doing bible study. We are to show our selves approved by study. it is the word that washes us and the truth shall set us free.

I went to Harvest Bible College in Melboourne Australia and we used this as a text book. Recently on a Linkedin Christian site a systematic theology book was used to support a view that after you are saved, you then repent.

Hopefully you will understand both the error and the danger of this view. Systematic Theology and commentarys are good as support for your own study. If they are the key to understanding the word of God then there is no room for a rhema from the Holy spirit.

Listening to the still small voice and the gentle leadings of the Holy Spirit will give you a safer place to learn from. For example we see in page 309 a beautiful understanding of repentance in that it includes a rejection of sin in particular and sin in general that many omit.

However as a Pentecostal support it contains both the strengths and weaknesses of the Pentecostal worldview.

For example on 429 looking at when christ will return it is stated as "simply and evasion of the force of those passages to say that we cannot know the day or the hour but that we cna know the month and year". This shows the a short sighted view that includes the lack of understanding of the raptures or being caught up as there is more than one. In short this as you will hear often when confronted with something that requires study or a challenge from the denominations perspective.

The scripture says for a very good reason you will know the times and the season, this means the months and the years.

For example look at Syria, America, the public key based identity system that has been set up globaly but still to be fully implemented. This is from the world.

We could and should look at the word and the church at the end it is said that there will be a great falling away, some would say one third of all christians will fall away because iniquity shall abound

There are "teachers" who are being treated like rock stars and they are saying you dont need to repent to be saved. Sanctification is legalism. I wont go on but it appears most of the Pentecostals in Australia are following these new enlightened teachings.

Are we not to watch and pray? Are we not also advised that by doing so we will not be overtaken as a theif in the night? THat being so makes the understanding of the times and seasons imperative as ignorance will not cut the mustard.

I am not saying Waynes book is bad but all books have limitations and wrong teaching. The word of God does not. Use them together with the bible not the theology book as the reference point.

After 30 years of study I can say with at least my experience that the vast majority of theology books have a significant amount of academia and self interest in them.

Academia is does not prepare you to be a person of God it is an intellectual pursuit. This was told me by the dean of Harvest bible college from Perth. It is not to prepare someone to understand the word and to get and share the holy Spirit inspired or God breathed word. THis is what I was told.

Secondly many writers want to be recogninsed for saying something different. This desire to be noticed frequently ends in error and heresy. Not always but do not think that theology is all good far from it.

I hope this brings some light. My favourite commentators are FF Bruce and Lightfoot.

May God bless you as you study his word, the bareans were regarded as being more noble because they studied and held the preacher, Paul, accountable to the word of God.

A time is coming when there will be afamine of the hearing of the word of God, not of the word but of hearing. You very well may have a ministry to preach the word with clarity so that people do not turn away from it, in the church. The word says to wait on God for your ministry I think if you do then it will quickly become self evedient.

If I am wrong as I have been in the past please stop to tell me as we are all to be as I understand it mutually submissive and to hear correction from any person not just as some say from someone of the same office or church "owner" or the same five fold ministry.

God Bless Oskar

I do not think you will find that any of your friends have this one. If you get it and read it you will probably want to recommend it to them. May God bless you abundantly!

G. H. Kersten's Reformed Dogmatics: A Systematic Treatment of Reformed Doctrine

Of the 98 publications that came from his pen, Reformed Dogmatics is clearly the most important and definitive work that Rev. Kersten produced with the help of the Lord. It is the outgrowth of his lectures to his theological students which he labored zealously to finish in final form the last years prior to his death...Reformed Dogmatics clearly reveals the ability which God has granted him to explain and defend the true doctrines of God's Word simply and powerfully, which truth shall yield fruits of godliness under the blessing of the Holy Spirit. It is our hearty wish and prayer that this sound work on all the major doctrines of God's Word may be blessed to many souls also in our own language, to the firm establishing of the truth in our midst, and to the up building of His church to the honor and glory of the Triune God's thrice-holy Name. – From the Translator’s Preface

http://www.heritagebooks.org/products/Reformed-Dogmatics%2C-2-Volumes.html

Hi EvangelTam,

My favorite is Thomas C. Oden's Systematic Theology, it's very unique in that it pulls much of it's content from pre and post nicene, reformers, and beyond on the various subjects.

http://www.christianbook.com/systematic-theology-3-volumes/thomas-oden/9781598560367/pd/560360

God bless,

Russ

This one is my personal recommendation:

Chafer's Systematic Theology in 4 Volumes by Lewis Sperry Chafer

http://www.christianbook.com/chafers-systematic-theology-4-volumes/lewis-chafer/9780825423406/pd/2345?

Thanks for the replies! For those who recommended a book would you please explain why you recommend it over others?

Also I agree that systematic theology in general many times have bias that one should be aware. I find that there are a lot of academic things in there, however I find that there is also good thoughts and content that can help edify the believer if they are hearing from the Holy Spirit. The mind is the gateway way for things to be taken in the spirit and heart.

Systematic theology is awesome and something every beliver should read.
I cant understand all theese people warning bout theology.
Eternal life is to know God and what better and more glorifying way is there expect prayer to get to know God than to study Theology? Theology is basiclly the teachings about God.

Surely there are somebad systematic theology like the one of Charles Finney that denies alot of christian doctrines such as justification by faith alone.

But there are also some great systemtic theology books out there.
The one with Grudem is very good even though I personally dont agree on everything stated in there.
But that book gave me a good solid christian foundation.

THe good thing with Grudems systematic theology is that he is stating different views than his own and their bible verses and arguments.

I changed views on many things after reading his systematic theology.

bearmaster wrote /// You have the Holy Spirit to teach you what his word says///

Amen!!
"1 john ch 2 v 20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things"

1 john ch 2 v 26 "These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."

Systematic theolgy systematicaly uses selective blindness to many scriptures to make its point.
The foundation of most systematic theolgy with the exception of Finney and perhaps a few others is the Augustinian catholic tradition thus the objective is already concluded before the study began.

Jesus said to the religious Jews of his day and in reality speaks to us today you have made the word of God of none effect through your tradition.

The Scripture is so Dimensional that to Systematicaly bind it, is a great mistake.

Systematic theology is awesome and something every beliver should read.
I cant understand all theese people warning bout theology.
Eternal life is to know God and what better and more glorifying way is there expect prayer to get to know God than to study Theology? Theology is basiclly the teachings about God.

Hebrews 8:11:-“And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen,
And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
For all will know Me,

If Eternal life is to Know God then we have the access to it through Jesus Christ who pours out his holy Spirit into us abundantly. We do not need to read any man made theology to know God. This is why I am not interested in Bible schools. Also the problem with all these theologies is they make eternal life as a Theory. But Jesus demonstrated Eternal life (1 John 1:3) to us, which means it is a practical life and not a theory. That is I can live this eternal life and show it to people like Jesus did.

The word 'Know' is the same word that was used in Genesis, Adam knew Eve and Eve conceived (Genesis 4:1). It is to have an internal fellowship with God and know him intimately. Not just having a head knowledge about him.

Sree > If that how to interpret that verse.
U dont have to listen to sermons in here nor go to any church and have any Pastor over u or go to any bibleschool or bible collage.
Surely there are many deceptive thing on thoose places but there are good aswell.

God has placed teachers inside the church eph 4:11
To build up the body and teachers will teach theology.
Every preacher u listen to will deliver theology in some way or another.

If somone say "God is love" Surely that is theology.
Because he is stating something about the character of God
If someone say "Baptize the belivers" Then its theology.
If somone says "Lay hans on the sick " THen its theology.
What systematic theology does is to teach what bible teaches in all aspects such as baptism, salvation, character of God etc.

The opinion about Bible school is my personal view and I clearly stated it in my previous post. I personally believe one does not need to attend Bible schools to know God.

A Church and Bible school are not the same. Purpose of a Church is to raise up disciples. There are believers of different spiritual levels in a Church. Some might be new to faith, they still need teachers. Other might require a fellowship that encourages them to walk with Christ everyday. There are rooms for both teaching and sharing in a Church. Eternal life is a gift from God, for example, A rich man can write a 1 million dollar cheque to a roadside beggar. Now this begger needs to believe in this Cheque and take it to the bank to retrieve benefits from it. If he thinks this that the cheque might be a dummy one then he will never do it. Same way even a new believer in Christ is given access to know God but he might not access it as he does not understand the previlage of knowing God. In other words the value of it. Hence you need teachers in a Church to show this.

The mistake I find in seeing every word of God as theology is you take the practical aspect of it out. Jesus did not come to this earth to preach and teach alone. He came to live and show the nature of God. That is why when his disciples asked him about showing the father, he said 'have you not seen me?'. He did not say, have you not heard my teachings or theologies on God. Instead he asked have you not seen God in my life? In the way I lived?

If your argument is true, then Jesus could have easily written a book about God, instead he lived and showed his disciples. Which is easier? To write a book or live and show it.

I'm glad to see you have this interest in systematic theology! It's a very good discipline that allows you to see how the teachings of the Bible are all related one to another. But I'm going to make a slightly different recommendation, especially if you are new to theology.

My personal recommendation is that you start with the Westminster Shorter Catechism. It's old in wording but very simple, and is careful and specific in its explanation of the principles of the Word. It's 107 questions long, but each word has a world in it.

By the time you are done with an thorough study on that (or memorized it, which I highly recommend), you will understand what it means to glorify God, how to enjoy Him, who God is, the Trinity, His decrees, creation, providence, the fall, sin and its effects, Christ's redeeming work, how Christ saves us, the blessings of the Christian life (justification, adoption, sanctification, assurance, peace, etc.), death and resurrection, the Ten Commandments, Bible reading, the power of the Spirit in reading and preaching on the believer, baptism (the one part I'm at odds with), the Lord's Supper, and the Lord's Prayer. This was written by godly men and is widely recommended by the godly.

As for teachers and books, in Ephesians 4 Paul tells us that God gave us apostles, prophets, teachers, preachers and evangelists for the equipping of the body. The Holy Spirit must empower every nugget of truth you receive, and you must faithfully study the Bible for yourself and grow in knowledge of it, but the implication of the verse is that if you reject teachers that God has given us (both past and present) you will be a wave tossed about on the sea. We are all part of one body, and must build each other up.

May the Lord prosper you in your study, and may He firmly fix your feet in the solid ground of His Word!

hi, i had a dear friend who had much influence in my walk who earned his doctorate under f f bruce. he is highly recommended from clark pinnock , my friend.jimp

We ought to be leery of any book named "Systematic Theology", even if there are a few decent books that go by that title. Systematic Theology is an effort to encapsulate all the mysteries of the kingdom into a closed, finite system which answers all questions and leaves no divine mystery unexplained. Such an achievement is outside the realm of human possibility and is in most cases an effort to establish dogmatic dominion over us. "The will to a system is a lack of integrity."

The Wikipedia article lists over 300 rivaling Systematic Theologies, all of which should be consigned to the flames.

Very Well Said, Wayneman

wayneman said "We ought to be leery of any book named "Systematic Theology""The Wikipedia article lists over 300 rivaling Systematic Theologies, all of which should be consigned to the flames."

Careful,

Many of the old preachers, listed on this sight, have spoken of the importance and need of the systematic study of theology. Now some of those 300 books, perhaps many, maybe should be burned, but not all of them. It all depends on what the authors view of God was, did he approach God's word as inspired, all sufficient, authoritative, infallible? Did did the author believe in the real God of Scripture? If he didn't then sure, throw the book away. But if he did then it just might have some really valuable insights. I for sure stand in need of them.

Everyone is a systematic theologian; whether you want to be or not. You are a systematic theologian even if you don't like systematic theology. You are a systematic theologian even if you haven't written one or posses one. The question is, is your theology biblical? If I ask you about any truth of the Gospel you will no doubt give me some kind of answer, which to you must seem reasonable, right and comprehesible enough for me, the hearer, to understand. Congratulations you are a systematic theologian. Good or bad i know not, but you are one. You have taken facts from the Bible and interpreted them in such a way as that you think they can be best understood.

Any systematic theology author, who has a high view of God, is not going claim that his book by any means covers all of the panorama of Scripture nor sound the depths of any doctrine or revelation. A good author will try to be well balanced, thorough, and detailed, but would not claim to have, by any means, covered all the bases. Every biblical systematic theologian treats God's word as the final say.

God made man with a mind and made us reasonable creatures with reasoning powers and logic and such. We weren't made just to absorb facts and stop at that, but God gave us the ability to figure out the relationship between different facts and how they correspond to each other. He wants us to put the puzzle together. He wants the eyes of our understanding to be enlightened! The truth will set you free!

Everyone seems to be pointing out the fact that one can have the right doctrine, the right thing on paper, but yet be dead as a doornail. Yes, I agree. But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. That fact that that can be so does not put the blame on "theology" or truth. It puts it on the person who is spiritually dead.

The other extreme is, one can be full of spiritual zeal and enthusiasm but wind up in shadowy mysticism in never never land where no one knows anything for sure and no one really cares. Not every spirit is genuine. We are to test the spirits. Zeal without knowledge is zeal to be avoided.

Truth be told we need both the Holy Spirit and good doctrine/truth. They go hand in hand. They aren't enemies, they are friends. We have to have the Spirit in order to be saved. But this doesn't mean we should not teach at all or not be concerned about doctrine. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. Jesus said
the Holy Spirit would come and guide you into all truth. How? through the word of Truth. The sum of all His word is truth. We are to rightly divide the word of truth. We are to be theologians, we are to study the scriptures, Paul spent much time preaching and teaching people. There is nothing wrong with writing books about theology and doctrines; we should do this. We should desire to have a right understanding of the truths of the Gospel. The question is was it rightly divided and are these truths reality in my life? There certainly are a lot of books written with bad theology; but that doesn't mean that there aren't any good ones. I don't want a doctor operating on my heart who didn't study his medical books too well. I wouldn't want to be a lost man in a jungle somewhere and have a "missionary" who had lots of passion but didn't know any truth about God or the Gospel. That would be scary.

Good theology has a very practical side and will penetrate into the believers daily life, it will guide and affect his daily walk. So will bad theology.

A church who throws theology and good doctrine out the window is going to be in serious trouble down the road. You will make shipwreck sooner or later.

If you say theology isn't important than what your saying is that you don't want to know anything about God. Because theology means; the knowledge of, and or the study of, God.

Paul Washer, who's messages are on this sight, says that the study of a good systematic theology, is a very good and necessary thing, especially for pastors and those wanting to be missionaries or evangelist. He bemoans the lack of good theology in the average "evangelical" american congregation.

1Ti 4:6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.
1Ti 4:7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;

Tit_2:1 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.

1Ti 4:16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

I found the most eye-opening, heart rendering book of systematic theology. It is full of amazing truth and blazing light. I have read it several times from cover to cover. It spans several thousand years of history, poetry of breathtaking depth and beauty, wisdom unspeakable, and striking illustrations by the lifes of many saints. Nothing can be added to its content without marring it, and nothing can be taken away from it without incurring serious loss.
I also have a private teacher who lectures me out of this book with wisdom like no one else can. This man is always there for me. I never pay any tuition, yet his lessons are priceless. He rejoices over my progress albeit slow, and at times he is grieved about my dullness and ignorance.

;)