Table of Contents
Introduction 9
Acknowledgments 11
The Christian Story in Four Acts 13
Act I Creation
Act II Fall
Act III Redemption
Act IV Restoration You Are Here
Part 1 "How Firm a Foundation: Revelation, Scripture, and Truth" Douglas K. Blount Nathan D. Holsteen Glenn R. Kreider Michael J. Svigel 23
High-Altitude Survey 25
Delving Into the Deep Things of God God Is Knowable … and Has Made Himself Known
The Inspired Word of God Faith-Full Theological Thinking
Passages to Master 31
1 God Speaks Through Creation
Psalm 19.1-6
2 Humans Rebel Against God's Revelation
Romans 1-3
3 God Spoke Through His Prophets … and Then Through His Son
Hebrews 1:1-2
4 All Scripture Is Inspired by God
2 Timothy 3:14-4:4
5 Prophets Moved by the Spirit
2 Peter 1:19-21
6 Words Taught by the Spirit 1
Corinthians 2:10-13
7 God's Word Is True
John 17:17
8 Birth of the Old Testament Canon
Deuteronomy 31:24-26
9 Rise of the New Testament Canon
2 Peter 3:15-16
10 Keeping the [Good] Traditions
2 Thessalonians 2:15
Holy Scripture in Retrospect 57
The Patristic Period (100-500)
The Medieval Period (500-1500)
The Protestant Period (1500-1700)
The Modern Period (1700-Present)
Facts to Never Forget 72
1 God is knowable and has made himself known.
2 God reveals himself through various means.
3 Scripture is true in all it affirms.
4 Jesus Christ is the center and goal of Scripture.
5 The goal of theology is transfor(not just infor) mation.
Dangers to Avoid 78
1 Unnecessary Elective Surgery
2 "Watered-Down Wine
3 Hearing Without Hearing
4 Cold, Dead Orthodoxy
5 Arrogant Reading
6 Doctrine-less Discipleship
7 Christian Pole-Sitting
Principles to Put Into Practice 86
1 Heed Scripture as from the mouth of God.
2 Be taught to be stable.
3 Be a doer, not merely a hearer.
4 Maintain a balanced diet of truth sources.
5 Seek understanding in the context of faith.
6 Nurture the character of a virtuous theologian.
Voices From the Past and Present 95
The Patristic Period (100-500)
The Medieval Period (500-1500)
The Protestant Period (1500-1700)
The Modern Period (1700-Present)
Shelf Space: Recommendations for Tour Library 111
Classic Works From the History of Theology
Modern Systematic Theologies
Books on God's Self-Revelation
Books on the Inspiration and Authority of Scripture
Books on the Canonicity of the Bible
Books on How to Read and Think Theologically
Notes 118
Part 2 "God in Three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" J. Scott Horrell Nathan D. Holsteen Michael J. Svigel 125
High-Altitude Survey 127
Answers to the Ultimate Questions
Ladies and Gentlemen, Meet Your Maker
Where Do We Go From Here?
Passages to Master 133
1 In the Beginning … God
Genesis 1:1-3
2 "Let Us Make Man in Our Own Image"
Genesis 1:26-27
3 What's Your Name?
Exodus 3:13-15
4 What's in a Name?
Exodus 20:7
5 God the One and Only
Deuteronomy 6:4
6 Classifying the Big Attributes of God
Psalm 139
7 God Is Holy; We're to Be Holy Too
Isaiah 6:1-8
8 God Is Love
1 John 4:7-16
9 God the Father
Ephesians 1:3-14
10 God in the Flesh
John 1:1-18
11 The Son Before (and Above) Creation
Colossians 1:15-19
12 The Humility of the Incarnate Son
Philippians 2.6-11
13 The Holy Spirit Is God
John 14-17
14 In the Name of the Father, Son, and Spirit
Matthew 28:19
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Retrospect 168
The Patristic Period (100-500)
The Medieval Period (500-1500)
The Protestant Period (1500-1700)
The Modern Period (1700-Present)
Facts to Never Forget 186
1 Everyone has ideas about "God."
2 The Christian God is both infinite and personal.
3 Evidence and arguments point to God's existence.
4 Jesus Christ is God incarnate, the absolute revelation of God.
5 Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man in one person.
6 As God-Man, Jesus is our complete Savior.
7 The Spirit is fully, distinctly, and personally God.
8 The Holy Trinity is truth we can believe and trust.
Dangers to Avoid 197
1 Deceptive God-Talk
2 Kidnapped and Tortured Verses
3 Single-Attribute Exaggeration
4 The Incredible Shrinking god
5 Holy Triplets (Tritheism)
6 One Person, Three Names (Modalism)
7 Little God, Junior, and His Pet Birdy (Subordinationism)
8 Pretzelizing, Egging, and Watering Down the Divine
9 Driving Christology Into a Ditch
10 God or Man, but Not the God-Man
Principles to Put Into Practice 212
1 Knowing God encourages us to learn more of God.
2 In light of the Trinity, be all you were meant to be.
3 Learn to parent from the perfect Father.
4 Follow Jesus, our Lord and Brother.
5 Trust the Holy Spirit.
6 Be kind but firm with deceivers and the deceived.
7 Glorify the triune God.
Voices From the Past and Present 221
The Patristic Period (100-500)
The Medieval Period (500-1500)
The Protestant Period (1500-1700)
The Modern Period (1700-Present)
Shelf Space: Recommendations for Your Library 242
Classic Works on the Trinity General Books on God and the Trinity
Books on the Existence of God
Books on God's Names and Attributes
Books on God as Trinity
Books on God the Son
Books on the Holy Spirit
Trinity, Humanity, Society, and Culture
Notes 248
Glossary of Terms for Revelation, Scripture, and the Triune God 255
Scripture Index 269