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THREE THEOLOGICAL STATEMENTS Thomas L. Harders THEO 360-B01 Liberty University

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Three Theological Statements 1. Authority of Scripture The world culture has a problem regarding authority.in the church as well as in state, the word is used in different ways. Some of the usage may be positive and others are negative. In the securer world, the word may have a definitive meaning, however, it is acknowledged that the use and consequently the meaning derived thereof, may vary considerably depending on context in which the discourse or conversation is taking place. It can, therefore be argued that in ordinary usage, the word authority has been used as the fixed point of reference and in some instances has been substituted or adjusted scripture to achieve that objective instead of vice versa1. Nevertheless, the use of the word authority within the church or in Christian discourse has a particular focal point. It generally suggests how things are to be organized in the faith, the boundaries allowed, and what are the things to be believed at the risk of damnation2. It is within the context that the scriptural authority has been recognized in Christian traditions. According to the reformists, including the evangelicals, it is taken for granted that the scripture should be given the central place and everything else should be aligned along or in relation to the scripture. Some people have held the view that the scriptures should be read and applied to the believers' lives and the matters end there. However, the scriptures authority in essence, is and should focus on the authority of God3. As such, when the phrase is used, it should also acknowledge that authority belongs to God and that, In His wisdom, has invested that authority in scriptures. That is the recognition that all authority belongs to God. That notion can be explained through the verse in Genesis that says ‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth’. The bible further says that what God says, it is done. That is authority. However, 1. Ford, Thomas. Scripture's Self Evidence, Puritan Publications, 2014, 24 2. Ford, 27 3 . Ford, 32

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the authority of the scriptures is the notion that the bible is the word of God. Any argument against what the scripture says, is, In essence, an argument against the authority of God. Romans 13:1 says, every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Having said that, it is important to recognize that, while the secular world does not recognize the delegated authority to the scriptures, because the scriptures are the Words of God, the church also fails because In most instances, the recognition of authority is attributed to the scriptures instead of the real wielder of the power, God Almighty. As such, it is okay to recognize the delegated authority to the scriptures, but it is also important to recognize and acknowledge the source of the authority, God Himself. Ultimately, however, In the Christian worldview the authority of the scriptures is a blueprint on how the believers should conduct their lives and shape their behaviors in an unbelieving world. 2. Marriage and Family In the last few generations, marriage and family as social institutions have progressively weakened. In most cultures, the marriage rates are getting lower, the divorce rate has escalated, no marital childbearing has increased, and premarital cohabitation has become socially acceptable. The weakening of the marriage and family institutions can be attributed to economic, cultural, and legal changes, including the increasingly accepted notion of individualism, increased social approval and acceptance of alternatives to marriage, as well greater women economic independence4. These trends are getting transmitted across generations and cultures. Marriage is largely viewed as an interpersonal relationship with mutual, unconditional, and committed love. However, many individuals may think that love is indissoluble, it can

4. Köstenberger, Andreas and Jones, David God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation. Crossway Books. 2010, 53

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nevertheless be argued that people can never make it indissoluble, at any given time. As such, what is needed is the cultivation of a form of relationship that should endure fidelity or betrayal. The biblical description of marriage is ''one body'' (Genesis2:24). Marriage, in essence, is described as the union of two people, a man and a woman, In the participation of divine law. In biblical terms, marriage is a sacred convenience. Indeed, even individuals who do not subscribe to any religion, often recognize marriage as a sacred union. According to the biblical worldview, marriage is a commitment to a life of intimate love and partnership that abides in mutual respect. Since the origin of the Christian faith, the believers have honored holy matrimony as divinely ordained. A lifelong monogamous arrangement between a man and a woman. It is a solemn covenant in the presence of God. The Christian faith further observes that marriage was intended by God for human beings’ mutual joy and comfort in prosperity or in adversity and when God wills it, the procreation of children. For instance, in Genesis, there is the first account of the narrative of how God instituted marriage. It says, The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him…The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man. That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh'' (Genesis 2:18-24). The bible, in addressing the issue of marriage and divorce, encourages the couples to seek counselling and restoration because divorces are either unavoidable or necessary. In the Books of Mathew and Mark, Jesus emphasizes on the will of God where the Almighty created the man and the woman for one another5. Jesus also emphasizes on the permanence of marriage and family as the original will of God. Indeed, Jesus even used the analogy of marriage and family to illustrate the basics of the Kingdom of God. It is also illustrative that Jesus Christ started his ministry by blessing a 5. Köstenberger, 67

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wedding feast in Cana. Suffice to say, the institution of marriage is central to the foundation of Christian doctrine, beliefs, and behavior. It is a sacred engagement and should not only be used for the gratification of human beings, but also in honoring God who ordained it. 3. Gender and Sexuality The field of gender and sexuality studies has evolved over time. It has also had a profound impact on the study of gender and sexuality in the bible as well as other early Christian literature. In these studies, it an be observed that culture has called into question the transhistorical viability of the ever-growing categorizations including gender, sex, sexual difference, as well as sexuality. In the secular world, historian have endeavored to denaturalize these categories include the notion of male a female, feminine, ad masculinity, homosexual and heterosexual, largely pointing to the different cultural logic that have driven human articulation of the obtaining differences that have emerged across place and time6. However, scholars of the scriptures have emphasized on the Christian traditions regarding women and feminism. The biblical notion and foundation of gender has and continues to influence cultural and religious discourse in the western world. For instance, in Galatian, Apostle Paul points or avers that just as people or Christians were baptized into Christ…there is no longer male or female for all Christians are one In Christ (Gal 3:27–28). According to some studies, the notion of gender is largely a socially imposed distinction of the sexes being more of a product of the attribution of social relations of human sexuality. The term is defining the cultural norms that are used to shape sexuality. As such, it is unhelpful to talk about the difference between the body differences of the sexes beyond the cultural framework. It

6. Johnson, Jay. Biblical Sexuality and Gender: Renewing Christian Witness to the Gospel. Retrieved from http://www.campuspride.org/wp-content/uploads/Biblical-Sexuality-and-Gender-Johnson1.pdf.6

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is, nevertheless, recognized that, in the context of the bible, sexual relationships were not anchored on gender but more on social status. Social acceptability of sexual relations was largely understood as involving one dominant partner, who was typically male, with a submissive partner, who was a woman7. It means, therefore, that the contemporary understanding of sexuality and gender, as understood today, were completely unknown in the biblical times. Nevertheless, despite the complexity of the discussion of gender and sexuality, the story of creation in Genesis clearly indicates that God created a male and a female to complement each other for the purpose of procreation in a monogamous marriage. It is also notable that the creation account In Genesis shows distinct gender differentiation that has generally been attributed to the Human race8. For instance, the command that was given to the human race to be fruitful and multiply in Genesis 1:28, be attributed to the general human race and not to an individual. It can be, therefore, argued that the notion of gender in the bible is different from that which dominates contemporary culture. The creation story, and many other verses in the bible, demonstrate the role a responsibility of a man and a woman with the explicit aim of fulfilling God's command and promises. The bible does not dwell on the differences but rather speaks of both men and women in the context of fulfilling God's will.

7 .Köstenberger,Andreas and Jones, David God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation. Crossway Books. 2010 8. Johnson, 8...