B1.    Common errant views of God (Question 18)

• Polytheism: there are many gods (ancient nature religions, such as Greek and Roman, Hinduism, Zen Buddhism, Mormonism)
• Idealism: there is one all-inclusive infinite mind and all components in the universe will merge into this infinite mind (Christian Scientists, Plato, Hegel, Emerson)
• Pantheism: God is identified with everything and everything is ultimately merged into one predominant Over-Soul (Spinoza, Hindus, Transcendentalists)
• Deism: God created the world and now passively watches and not intervenes (Voltaire, Hobbes, Thomas Jefferson)
• Atheism: there is no supernatural being

B2.    Names of God: complete list (Question 21)

a. Yahweh and its related names:

• Yahweh – self-existent: "I am who I am" meaning forever present (Ex 3:14-15)
• Yahweh Jireh – God provides (Gen 22:13-14)
• Yahweh El Gemolah – God of recompense (Jer 51:56)
• Yahweh Elohim – God the mighty one (Jdg 5:3)
• Yahweh Maccaddashcem – God our sanctifier (Ex 31:12-13)
• Yahweh Nakeh – God who smites (Eze 7:9)
• Yahweh Nissi – God is my banner (Ex 17:15)
• Yahweh Raah – God is my shepherd (Ps 23:1)
• Yahweh Rapha – God heals (Ex 15:26; Isa 53:5)
• Yahweh Sabbaoth – God of hosts (armies) (1Sa 1:3; 17:45; Ps 24:10; 46:7,11)
• Yahweh Shalom – God is peace (Jdg 6:24)
• Yahweh Shammah – God is here (Eze 48:35)
• Yahweh Tsidkenu – God our righteousness (Jer 23:6; 33:16)

• Adonai – Lord, master (when avoid using Yahweh) (Ex 4:10-12; Jos 7:8-11)
• Elohim – Mighty one (Gen 1:1,26-27; 3:5; 31:13; Dt 5:9; 6:4; Ps 5:7; 86:15; 100:3)
• El Elohe Israel – Lord God of Israel (Gen 33:20; Is 17:6; Jer 31:31-34)
• El Elyon – Most high (Gen 14:18; Nu 24:16; Is 14:13-14)
• El Olam – Everlasting God (Gen 21:33; Is 40:28)
• El Roi – Mighty one who sees (Gen 16:13)
• El Shaddai – Almighty God or All sufficient God (Gen 17:1-20)

• Yeshua – Jesus, Yahweh is Saviour (Mt 16:13-16; Jn 6:42; Ac 2:36; Titus 2:13; 2Pe 1:11)
• Christos – Christ (Gr.), Messiah (Heb.), the Anointed One (Mt 16:13-16; Jn 1:41; 20:31; Ac 2:36; Ro 6:23; Titus 2:13; 1Pe 1:11)
• Kyrios – Lord, master (Lk 1:46; Ac 2:36; Jude 4; Rev 4:8)
• Soter – Saviour, one who delivers from danger and death (Lk 1:47; 2:11)
• Theos – God (Lk 1:47; Jn 20:28; Titus 2:13; 2Pe 1:11)
• Abba – Father (or more accurately, Daddy) (Ro 8:15; Gal 4:6; Jas 1:17)

B3.    God’s nature and attributes: further clarifications (Question 22)

• Origen’s debate with Celsus: Did Judas freely commit his traitorous deed, or since it was prophesied in Scripture (Ps 108), must God be held responsible, since God foreknew it? Celsus argued the latter. But Origen’s argument was that he who foretold it was not the cause of its happening. It was foolish to say that whatever God foreknows there is no freedom.
• For God, all past, present, and future events are present events (because God knows all). What we call divine foreknowledge is to God simply present knowledge.

• God cannot deny Himself. (2Ti 2:13; Aquinas; Calvin)
• God would not do that which is inconsistent with God’s intelligence or repugnant to God’s goodness, or not in accord with other qualities of God’s character. (Chrysostom)
• God cannot deceive Himself, for this would be counter to God’s integrity, congruity, omniscience, and constancy.
• God paradoxically sustains in being those creatures that oppose God’s authority and goodness. (Westminster Confession, 5-6)
• Absolute, unmediated divine power is not the usual way we experience the power of God. Rather, it is usually expressed through mediated powers in nature and history. If one drops a book, it will fall; one can count on that everyday. Yet it is also within God’s power to transcend the very nature that God has freely provided.

• Primordial will: what God wills eternally before creation (foreordaining)
• Consequential will: what God wills in consequence of creation and in the light of the specific contingencies of creaturely beings; in consequence to various changing historical circumstances
• It is the will of God in response to human willing (1Jn 2:17; Jn 7:17)
• God’s revealed will is made known to the remembering community in at least 5 different ways:

• (1) operations -- when God works to effect something
• (2) permissions -- what God allows something
• (3) precepts -- when God positively commands an action
• (4) prohibitions -- when God negatively requires something not to be enacted
• (5) counsels -- when God teaches or advises but does not coerce an action

• Sinners need the cleansing of repentance and faith to come into God’s presence (2Co 7:1)

B4.    Ecumenical councils to deal with heresies (Question 26)

a. Seven ecumenical councils

• Nicaea, AD 325: defining the triune God in a way that rejected Arianism (that held Son created by Father)
• Constantinople, AD 381: affirming Jesus’ humanity against Appollinarianism and the Spirit’s divinity against Macedonianism
• Ephesus, AD 431: affirming the unity of Christ’s person, and Mary as theotokos (mother of God), against the Nestorians
• Chalcedon, AD 451: affirming the two natures of Christ against Eutychianism
• Constantinople II, AD 553: affirming the union of the two natures of Christ against Nestorianism
• Constantinople III, AD 680-681: against Monothelitism
• Nicaea II, AD 787: against Iconoclasm

• Alexandria, AD 430
• Ancyra, AD 315
• Antioch, AD 378-379
• Arles, AD 314
• Carthage, AD 397, AD 410, AD 416
• Ephesus, AD 449
• Hippo, AD 393
• Laodicea, AD 363
• Milevis, AD 416
• Neocaesarea, AD 320
• Toledo, AD 589
• Tyre, AD 335

B5.    Defence against Arianism (Question 26)

a. Main points of Arianism:

• God is one source of all things; He alone possesses the attributes of Deity.
• The Word was created by God (a demigod, the highest of all creatures)
• The Son has no communion with or even direct knowledge of the Father.

• Col 1:15 "the firstborn of all creation": firstborn does not mean first in time but first in rank or preeminence; the following verse notes that Jesus was the means of origination of all created beings; Paul would have qualified this statement by writing "all other things" instead of "all things"
• Ro 8:29 "the firstborn among many brothers": (see above)
• Ac 2:36 "God has made Him both Lord and Christ": nothing about creation of the Son; this verse about Jesus fulfilling His messianic task with reference to His office and function
• Heb 3:2 "He was faithful to the One appointed Him": (see above)

• Jn 17:3 "they know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou has sent": Jesus is contrasting the Father, not with the Son, but with other false gods; the rest of John asserts the Deity of the Son

• Jn 14:28 "The Father is greater than I": in light of the Son’s functional subordination during the incarnation; Jesus was dependent upon the Father for the exercise of His divine attributes

• Mk 13:32 "But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father": temporal functional subordination to the Father misinterpreted as statements about the essence of the Son; confirming that Jesus was fully human; a temporary limitation; for a short period of time Jesus did not have absolute knowledge and physical ability
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c. Defence: They ignored the overwhelming Biblical evidence on the Deity of the Son. Modern day Jehovah Witness has their doctrine of Christ based on Arianism.

B6.    Genealogy gaps (Question 28)

• Mt 1:8-9 (cf 2Ki 8:16,24; 11:2,21; 14:1,2; 15:1,7) Three names were dropped (Mt 1:8) between Joram and Ozias (Uzziah): Ahaziah (2Ki 8:25), Joash (2Ki 12:1), Amaziah (2Ki 14:1). Also, Jehoiakim is omitted ater Josiah (Mt 1:11; 2Ki 23:34; 1Ch 3:16).

• What Matthew evidently intended was not three fourteens which could be added together, but three fourteens which would be easy to memorize, the last name of the first fourteen, David, being the first name of the second fourteen, and the last name of the second fourteen, Jeconaiah being the first name in the third fourteen. The fact that the three fourteens add up to forty names was not a matter of any concern in Matthew’s mind. When we compare this to Luke’s genealogy of Jesus, we find 56 names from Abraham to Jesus inclusive.

• Mt 1:8; 2Ki 8:25; 12:1; 14:1 (1Ch 3:12)
• 1Ch 6:3-14; cf Ezra 7:1-5
• Ex 6:16-24 (Ex 12:40, 430 years, some skipped)
• Nu 3:19,27,28 grandfather of Moses had 8,600 sons, 30-35 yrs of age in 2750 BC

a. Date of creation:

• Archbishop Ussher published a biblical chronology in 1650-54 dated the earth’s creation in 4004 BC, with the Great Flood in 2350 BC. It was based on the Masoretic text. The total should add 1466 years and 301 years respectively if Septuagint (5470 BC) and Samaritan texts (4305 BC) were used.
• Dr. John Lightfoot (same time as Ussher) said it was Oct 23, 4004 BC at 9 am.
• John Urquhat (1902) dated creation in 8167 BC.
• Because there are proven gaps in the Biblical genealogies, the date of creation was thought to be 8,000 to 10,000 years ago.
• Based on radiometric method, especially uranium, scientists set the age of the Earth as 2-6 billion years and estimated the age of the universe as 15 billion years. The geological time scale was constructed based on sedimentary rock layers.

• 24 hr (Ex 20:8-10)
• relatively determinate period, could be short or long (Gen 41:1, years)
• relatively indeterminate period, Gen 35:3 day of my distress, Gen 40:3, Pr 31:25; Ecc 7:14

a. Origin of angels: the word "angel" means "messenger"

• Angels were created as holy beings (Mk 8:38) by God (Col 1:16) before the creation of the Earth (Job 38:7)
• Some are good, holy, and elect (Mk 8:38; Lk 9:26; 2Co 11:14; 1Ti 5:21; Rev 14:10); some angels are fallen and evil (Eze 28:18; Mt 25:41; Lk 8:2; 11:24-26; Jn 8:44; 2Pe 2:4; Jude 6). They are aligned with God (Jn 1:51) or with Satan (Mt 25:41).

• Angels were created with the ability to fellowship and with personality (2Sa 14:20; Mt 24:36; Jude 6; Rev 14:10) expressed by intellect (1Pe 1:12), emotion (Job 38:7), and will (Isa 14:12-15) but they are never described to be in the image of God, as man is. They are normally invisible (Col 1:16) but have appeared to people (Gen 18:1-8; Da 10:5-6).
• They are greater in intelligence, strength, and swiftness (2Pe 2:11), not subject to physical death (Lk 20:36). However, glorified man will judge angels (1Co 6:3).

• In relation to God:

• worship, praising God continually (Ps 103:20; Isa 6:3; Rev 4:6-11; 5:11)
• bear special revelations and messages of God (Da 9:21-23; Zec 1:12-14; Ps 103:20; Lk 1:19,26-33)
• execute judgments on His enemies (Gen 19:1,13; Ex 12:13,23; 2Ki 19:35; Mt 13:41)

• In relation to believers:

• serve believers by revealing (Ac 7:52-53; Gal 3:19), guiding (Ac 8:26; 10:1-8; 11:13-14), protecting (Dan 6:20-23), delivering (Ac 5:17-20; 12:5-10), strengthening and encouraging (Ac 5:19-20), attending upon the dead (Lk 16:22, Jude 9)
• watch over believers (Ps 34:7; 35:4-5; 91:11; Isa 63:9)
• protect little children (Mt 18:10)
• are present in the church (1Co 11:10; Eph 3:10; 1Ti 5:21)
• rejoice at the conversion of sinners (Lk 15:10)
• communicate blessings to His people (Ps 91:11-12; Isa 63:9; Da 6:22; Ac 5:19)

• cherubim who reveal the power, majesty, and glory of God, and guard His holiness in the garden of Eden, in tabernacle and temple, and at the descent of God to the earth (Gen 3:24; Ex 25:18; 2Sa 22:11; Ps 18:10; 80:1; 99:1; Isa 37:16)
• seraphim who stand as servants around God’s throne, sing His praises, are ever ready to do His bidding; they serve the purpose of reconciliation and prepare men for proper approach to God (only in Isa 6:2-3,6)
• Two angels are mentioned by name: Gabriel who conveys divine revelations to man (Da 8:16; 9:21; Lk 1:19,26), archangel Michael (Da 10:13,21; Jude 9; Rev 12:7) who is the valiant warrior fighting the battles against evil powers
• principalities, powers, thrones, dominions (Eph 1:21; 3:10; Col 1:16; 2:10; 1Pe 3:22): likely different ranks among the angels

a. Satan’s fall:

• Satan, evidently one of the princes among the angels, became the recognized head of the angels that fell away (Mt 25:41; 9:34; Eph 2:2).
• Isa 14:12-17 and Eze 28:1-19 describe persons with superhuman powers, most likely Satan.
• Names: Satan (52 times in Bible, Zec 3:1; Rev 12:9, meaning adversary or opposer), Lucifer (Is 14:12, a shining one in his original state), Devil (Lk 4:2,13, meaning slanderer or one who trips up), old serpent (Rev 12:9), great dragon (Rev 12:3,7,9), the evil one (Jn 17:15, 1Jn 5:18), destroyer (Rev 9:11), tempter (Mt 4:3; 1Th 3:5), accuser (Rev 12:10), deceiver (Rev 12:9; 20:3)
• Satan’s fall was his sin of pride and his aspiration to divine authority (2Th 2:4): "I will make myself like the Most High" (Isa 14:14)

• Demons are most likely evil angels who followed Satan in his defection, numbered as many as one-third of all angels (Rev 12:4; Mt 25:41)

• Opposing God: promoting rebellion (2Th 2:3-4; Rev 16:14), slandering God (Gen 3:1-5), slandering men (Job 1:9,11; Zec 3:1; Rev 12:10; Ro 8:33), promoting idolatry (Lev 17:7; Dt 32:17; Ps 96:4-5; Isa 65:11), promoting false religions and cults (Gal 1:6-8; Col 2:18-23; 1Ti 4:1-4)
• Oppressing mankind: causing injury and death (Job 1:12,16,19; 2:7), degrading man’s nature (Ro 1:18-32), distracting from the truth (2Co 4:3-4; 1Ti 4:1-4; 1Jn 4:1-4), causing physical ailments (Mt 12:22; Lk 13:11-17; Mt 17:15-18; Mk 9:20); possessing individuals (Ac 8:9-24; 13:8-11; 16:16-19)
• Opposing the saints: tempting to sin (1Ch 21:1-8; Rev 2:12-14), inflicting maladies (2Co 12:7); creating divisions in church through false teachers (1Ti 4:1-3), opposing the truth (2Ti 3:8), promoting wrong beliefs (1Ti 4:3-4,8; 2Pe 2:1-2), countering gospel ministry (1Th 2:17-18), causing persecution (Rev 2:8-10)
• Demon possession: no Christian who is walking with God and obeying God’s Word can become demon possessed because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Where Christians have been possessed, they have been involved in occult or demonic things.