The Doctrine Of God Theology Religion Essay

Published Date: 23 Mar 2015

Many people find the study of the principals of Christianity to be interesting and even intriguing. For some, however, the interest goes well beyond idle curiosity. For this group of truth seekers, a hunger for knowledge and truth drives them to dedicate years of their lives to the pursuit of deeper and meaningful insight into "what it all means". They dive into their studies: reading, analyzing, listening, discussing, and debating the issues surrounding creation, divinity, and human relationships with nature, one another, and deity. Though their paths may be diverse, they share the universal hope that their efforts are fruitful; that they are able to tell the story of Jesus Christ, the history of the Christian church, and share the message of a loving Creator in a way that will have a positive impact on humanity and be pleasing to God. This is where my colleagues and I find ourselves today. We are charged with explaining what we have read, heard, learned, and understand, and the magnificent task of doing so with clarity and authority. The greatest challenge of sharing this message of hope, that is both exciting and challenging, is to be able to teach it (and live it) in a way that is not hypocritical or exclusive. While some are passionate and some are curious about the gospel message, there is still an entirely different group of people who are affected by it: those who are ignorant of Christian teachings and those who have negative feelings toward them. It is perhaps the majority of society, whom we should be reaching out to. Those people who are living outside of religion and spirituality are doing so because someone failed to share the message of God with them, or because someone failed to share it effectively. I believe there is more danger in being ineffective in sharing the message than in not sharing it at all.

I grew up a pseudo-Southern Baptist. I say "pseudo" because my family's attendance at church was very inconsistent. We were faithful to attend church at least once a month, maybe twice in some months. I was never involved in youth activities, vacation bible school, or bible study groups. I did not have a close group of friends within the church. My experience with pew sitting included hellfire and brimstone sermons delivered by preachers who were well-versed in salvation founded in fear rather than faith. It is easy to imagine that, for me, church was not a place where I felt peace or grace. I eventually stopped attending church altogether during my teens. I had not felt any affirmation or nurture during my church experiences, so for a long time, all I felt I was missing was the guilt and fear I associated with church membership. I stayed away for about fifteen years before I felt God calling me to a relationship. Shortly after meeting Christi, who would soon become my wife, we visited the United Methodist Church with our daughters. It was then that I became deeply involved in a bible study for the first time in my life, and so much of the gospel message from my hit-and-miss church attendance finally began to make sense. We began to participate in several church activities with our children, volunteering in youth events, Sunday School activities, mission projects, and small group bible studies. It wasn't long before I was drafted into the church praise band, leading worship on Wednesday nights and at the early service on Sunday mornings. I had known for a while that I had a desire to serve more fully, but it was through a very unexpected event at church that I was rapidly introduced to full-time ministry. Stepping out on faith, I was hired as the youth minister and soon became a licensed local pastor. This served my purpose temporarily, but it did not provide fully for the kind of education I felt was necessary to preach and teach in pastoral ministry. The more that I learned during this time of rapid growth and awakening, the more I hungered for even more knowledge. My understanding of Christianity and church membership has since changed drastically from the narrow-minded perspective I had maintained throughout my childhood and well into adulthood. My perspective has shifted and my understanding continues to evolve. There are things which had no importance to me at all, that have become priorities. I have grown passionate about social justice and have gained a true appreciation for programs that promote the wellness and interests of women, children and others who are oppressed or marginalized. I have felt a calling to be a voice of support for women in ministry; to support their ministries and ensure that they are fully enabled to accomplish all of the good that they can, particularly in areas of ministry that they can be far more effective than a man could be. I feel strongly about the importance of encouraging inclusiveness in the church. I believe that it is important for all God's people to have a place to participate in corporate worship. Church membership should not exclude members of the gay and lesbian community, as we all are in desperate need of feeling ever closer to God. There are several mainstream congregations within our communities that would not welcome gay or lesbian individuals into their churches. It is often openly and overtly preached against such blatant sinners becoming church members. I believe that none of our own sins can fairly or accurately be judged. Inclusiveness must be an overriding theme in all areas of the mission field. We are called to go make disciples and since we are all sinners, we would be hard-pressed to make disciples among those who are perfect. Our worship space and our church families should be places that are welcoming and inclusive, rather than rejecting and exclusive. If we are to model ourselves after Jesus, the Christ, we must remember that our savior ate with sinners. In those examples of love and forgiveness, Christ showed us the perfect model. If we are to be like Him, we must remember all those on the fringes; not just those who are victimized, but also those who are marginalized of their own poor choices. I believe that Jesus is my example and I am to model myself after Him. This is my calling.

Prolegomena-

The central theme of the Bible is God calling us, God's people, back into a relationship with God. If we believe this, then we can only accomplish this restored relationship by ensuring that all of God's people have not only the chance, but the understanding of what that relationship means. But, for many, the Bible is a strange writing. It is filled with stories and situations and language that are not easily understood. In fact, for many, it is like a foreign language. In addition, as I have come to experience in the world of theological education, there are so many terms that are indecipherable to the common person. We take our knowledge of the Bible and continue to turn it into terms that are still "not user friendly." I believe that as theologians and faithful followers of Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to humanity to give our best efforts to share God's message with others. We are called by God and by the scripture in Matthew to go out and spread the gospel in order that all people may have the Bible accessible to them and to bring the message of scripture interpreted to them in a language that they might understand. When I use the phrase "for the fringes", I am referring to those who are outside the church. For whatever reason, they do not have any affiliation with a church- possibly from a bad experience, never having been exposed, or disbelief. I believe that this is partially what we are being told in the passage from Matthew 25, "the least of these." These children of God may be in the far corners of the earth, or in our back yards. They may be from the poorest of society, or they may be in the wealthiest ten percent. They may be pre-teen children, or they may be in the eve of their lives. In any case, I feel as though it is the responsibility of those who know the truth of scripture, the Christian community, to educate in common terms. More specifically, I believe that it is my responsibility, as a response to God's amazing grace, to make it a priority to share Jesus with everyone that I can, in a language that everyone can understand. Dr. Rieger referenced our God as a "fairly radical God." [1] This God of creation and liberation is the radical God that can appeal to the masses of those who are believed to be on the fringes, those just outside the church. Some believe that God is only available to those who gather in community and in relationships found within the fellowship and experiences of like-minded persons. We characterize those outside established congregations with terms like "unchurched", or "underchurched", or "lost." The fact that they are not incorporated into an organized body of believers does not make them wrong. Too often the Christian community carries within itself, perhaps even in its doctrines, the belief that God can only be found inside the church. There are some who may even believe that they are the only ones who "do church right." As theologians, we are faced with the challenge of presenting good God-talk, rather than bad. Unfortunately, many people experience theology as nothing more than another's unlearned opinion or agenda, which could be limiting, damaging, or complete destruction. It is the responsibility of every person to seek knowledge and to share that knowledge.

The Doctrine of God-

Theology begins and ends with God. In an effort to firm our theological stance, we seek resources to support what we have learned and understand of God. The Bible and other historical documents are not written to provide proof of God, but to show what God has done, what God is doing, and what God is yet to do. They are, in fact, a documentation of God's existence throughout history. Of these resources, there is no place better to start than with the Bible. In Genesis, we see that "God created the heavens and the earth…." and "God swept over the face of the waters." [2] We see evidence of God's existence at the beginning of time. However, God's existence in the lives of the individuals is measured not by the accounts of others, but in the relationships and experiences of the individuals.

The book of Deuteronomy, chapter 26 carries a hidden creed showing that the God of mercy and love delivered the writer from captivity and bondage. "We cried to the Lord…..the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egypt….with a terrifying display of power." [3] Throughout the text, a merciful image of God is evident as God helped liberate a people from their captors. The Word shows that while being a God of great mercy and faithfulness, and love, that there is the existence of a God who can be terrifying. Both characteristics are contained within the same account. But, the testimony would not carry the same effect had it not been in a relational setting. The oppression and captivity were very real and very personal to the writer; also the action of God was also very personal. It is through these kinds of stories that the God of our Christian faith can be better understood.

God has been presented to us with many attributes. These include Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, omniscient, omnipotent, holy, loving and forgiving, to name a few. Perhaps the best defining words for God would be self-existent. The fact that God's existence does not rely on anything but God is somewhat overwhelming. The challenge is not only to gain a personal understanding of who and what God is, but to be able to effectively articulate God to others. This is the mystery of God. God can be described as everywhere, yet among us. God is said to be "the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." [4] These terms provoke questions within those who do not have a relationship with God. God has been said to be all things to all people. It is through these examples that we begin to gain an understanding of the enormity of God. God is immeasurable through our human understanding. We cannot possibly have a complete understanding of God. To simply say that God is Christ leaves God somewhat boxed and therefore not the true God.

Origen said that "God is incomprehensible, transcending being itself. God is known only by inference from the created order." [5] We see the presence and existence of God through the world around us. God is seen in the actions of neighbors and strangers. The God of creation is seen through the beauty of nature and in the faces of our fellow humans. God said in Genesis 1:26, "let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness." [6] It is clearly seen that God is intentional in God's communion with humankind. Biblically speaking, the image of God can be seen in each and every person. John Wesley referenced in his Sermon 111, the scripture found in Jeremiah 23:24, "Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? Says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth?" [7] Both John Wesley and biblical scholars agree that we see through this scripture that God is both immanent and transcendent. God exists entirely in this world and beyond. But the way that God is going to be seen in each person's perspective is going to depend on where this person is in his or her life. God will meet us where we are at. The circumstances that surround a person's life will shadow how God is viewed. A person who is suffering from loss, or poverty, or oppression might view God as uncaring, or distant. Whereas a person who is experiencing success- either socially, financially, spiritually, and relationally, may see God as very involved in their lives. It is those times where it is easier to see and acknowledge the existence of God. It is much harder to give God credit when times are hard. But the bridge to a better understanding of God is putting the two together and showing where God is present throughout. Trying to completely describe God would be failure. We cannot accurately speak of God's greatness. Too many facets would be left out, and that would illustrate a God who fell short of the God that we have in our midst.

Explaining the Trinity is equally difficult. As theologians, we are to be able to put into words that the three- God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all one. In our limited ability to understand, we seek to make sense not only to ourselves, but others. The Trinity may be likened to a full chord on a guitar. Each note, or string, has equal responsibility and equal worth. Each has its own tone and depth. But when all the notes are played simultaneously, the chord makes a complete and beautiful sound- a harmony, a relationship. This is how the Trinity works. As previously discussed, God the Father, Creator is with us always, from the beginning of time. As Christians, we understand that each point of the Trinity is equal to the other two. There is no subordination. If subordination were the case, the idea of the Trinity would be pointless. A wonderful example of the Trinity in modern writing would be illustrated in the book The Shack. The main character has suffered loss and brokenness and experiences all three facets while dealing with his circumstances. Though based on a fictional account, the lesson of each point of the Trinity, being in harmony with each other rings true. Each point of the Trinity was able to help the character in a different way.

Understanding God and the Trinity has and will be a continuous journey. As we move and study and live, the presence and knowledge of God will move within. Our understanding will change daily, as will our maturity in explaining. By helping others to identify God in their own personal experiences and relationships, we have a greater chance of helping them to understand scripture and the greatness of God.

The Doctrine of Jesus Christ-

Jesus Christ the Son, born of a virgin, is both fully divine and fully human. Jesus came and lived among sinners and died for our sins. This is the general idea of what Jesus Christ is to the world. But, there is so much more to the idea of the Son of God. The Christian faith says that the most significant way in which it has been able to see God present within the world is through the life, work, and legacy of Jesus Christ. It is claimed that Jesus Christ is the physical embodiment of God in the world. Jesus himself is not all there is to God, but He is God as God has chosen to physically manifest Godself in the midst of God's creation. The historical Jesus is the Jesus of today, acting in history. In Mark 8:29, Jesus asks, "Who do you say that I am?" [8] It seems that the world has been trying to answer the question since it was asked. The problem is that many different people have many differing answers. Or is that a problem. For some, He is simply a man who lived over two thousand years ago. To others, He was a prophet, much like Elijah. To some He was a politician, or a public figure that was well known and killed for His views. And yet to many of us, He was a man, who lived over two thousand years ago, who was able to tell us things that were of another dimension, who was political and stood for a cause greater than we could humanly imagine. And then, just as He said, He would be betrayed by a close friend, arrested for upsetting the higher political figures, and murdered- all the while, changing the course of history and the future of the world.

Jesus only had a short ministry, but the magnitude of things done in that time would shape a faith that give millions hope and peace all over the world. He began by assembling a group of men who were not in the upper crust of society. He never promised wealth or position, something that the average person might aspire to achieve, but instead offered life, unlike they had ever experienced before. These young men would have been the 'blue collar' workers of our times. They understood what it was like to work long hours for very little pay. Most of them were barely educated. But Jesus saw something in them and He chose them to help Him carry the message- His message. Much of the time, they did not understand the words or actions of this man. He spoke unlike anyone had ever spoken. He used parables to teach them how to live and how to love. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, ate with sinners, and basically drew outside all the lines of societal normalcy. Jesus spoke of a kingdom 'not of this world' where we would go to be with the Father. Jesus spoke about loving their neighbor and forgiving them of their wrongdoings. He challenged them to carry His teachings to the world. And this message was for the multitudes of people who believed, and followed. We are the disciples of Christ who are called to take this message now.

The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit-

In the Old Testament, we see 'the Spirit' connected with deep experiences, through which its power might overcome an individual, it may rest upon an individual, or might be poured out over many people. [9] In the New Testament, this spirit is identified with Jesus Christ and is the bringer of justice, mercy, and the complete knowledge of God to the Jews and Gentiles alike. The idea that the spirit will be poured on the many- ie, Male and female, old and young, slave or free, as well as people of other nations, languages and cultures was radical considering the context of the time. The Spirit was granting knowledge to the outcasts. Not only were the wealthy and privileged receiving it, but so were the common folks. [10] We are told in scripture, "beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God." [11] In fact, considerable time and study has been spent in exploration of this topic. The subject of spiritual warfare comes to mind. There are spirits that work daily in our lives. Theses spirits are not for the good of us, rather the opposite. The Holy Spirit is that presence that is carried within us every minute of the day. It is often the guidance that we seek when making a difficult decision. This Holy Spirit lives in contrast to the negative spirits. It is the spirit of both our God and Creator, as well as the spirit of Jesus Christ the Son. And this Holy Spirit will not act always the same way. Our individual needs and context will cause the spirit to respond in Its necessary capacity. Wisdom scripture say that the spirit "has filled the world and holds all things together." [12] It is through our personal experiences that we see the Holy Spirit at work. It is often masked as the 'nudging' to participate or to not participate in any given activity. It is the feeling or calling of reaching out to those who are in need. We see the holy Spirit at work in the actions of others who show grace and compassion when their situations would not ordinarily warrant it. The Holy Spirit is the third element of the trinity, and is God and Jesus both active within our everyday lives. The Bible is a collection of all that God has said and done, as seen and recorded through the words of persons who were inspired to write by the Holy Spirit. It is a good example of how the Spirit works and speaks in their time and situation. The image of the spirit, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament is that of wind or breath. [13] In the Book of John, Jesus promises the spirit as encourager to come after He is returned to God. "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth…he abides in you and he will be in you." [14] The Holy Spirit is God living in us. "And the Spirit helps us in our weakness." [15] The work of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives, just like in the lives of the Old Testament and New Testament people, helps to offer guidance even in our darkest hours. The battle that goes on within- 'should I or shouldn't I?' is the direct activity of the Spirit, working against the evil and sin in our lives. It may be very complex and often difficult to explain, but the fact is that the Holy Spirit is simply our God, the Creator of all things, living inside, present at all times.

The Doctrines of Creation and Providence-

The doctrine of creation tells us that God is the source and the Creator of all things. God is the Creator of the universe as well as individual human existence. All life comes from God and all life returns to God. We are told in Genesis 1 that God created and saw that everything was good. We have no doubt that God was pleased with creation. [16] Creation, however, is not simply a process that 'was.' Creation is a continuous, ongoing process in which God is actively involved- a relationship between God and the world. Throughout Biblical history, we have seen the hand of God at work, primarily in the acts of creation. For example, this is evident in the story of the flood, through the imagery of the olive leaf returned to the hand of Noah by the dove. We saw God establish the covenant afterwards, the creation of Israel, and then the creation of a new community of faith through Jesus Christ. These are just a few examples of the love that God has continued to show for God's creation. We have to be able to share that creation did not create itself. It is the gift of a God who is love, and through this gift, we are shown the magnificence of God.

But why did God create the earth and everything in it? Some have pondered that God was lonely, so God created. We believe that God is complete in Godself. We have already established that God is self-existent and ultimately that God's existence does not rely on anything but God. with that in mind, it does not make sense, even to or limited understanding of this all-loving God, that God would become lonely and subsequently create. Karl Barth believed that God was radically separate from this world. Barth said "that "the One who loves in freedom" was acting out of no external necessity but freely creating simply because love seeks to share its goodness." [17] This loving God that we worship, and often fear, is seeking to share God's greatness. Through creation, God begins the relationship with humanity, not out of need, but out of love.

John Calvin said, "God's providence is not that by which God idly observes from heaven what takes place on earth, but that by which, as keeper of the keys, he governs all events." [18] According to Wood, in the Oxford Handbook of Systematic Theology, we are not to believe that we are tied to our situations simply because God has willed it that way. "This God who sends pain has also sent the means to alleviate it. The God who sends flood and fire has given is the intelligence to prevent it from happening, or to minimize its harmful effects." [19] Providence is God's divine guidance and care. God the Creator is continues as the sustaining force for creation and the guiding force for human destiny. But why would a loving God allow evil into the world. Placher points out that often, we just don't have answers, but we might look at a few possible reasons. Sometimes good is not possible without evil, humanity abuses its freedom and the result is evil, evil helps refine our souls to be what God would have us to be, or simply that God allows some limited evil to act in the world. [20] It is only through God's grace that humanity experiences free will. Sometimes, our choices through this free will cause us to be in harm's way. God's allowance of evil helps humanity to become the people God would desire us to be. Plainly speaking, we learn from our mistakes and through trials, we turn our hearts toward God. In the end, our relationship to God is strengthened, as is our witness to others.

The Doctrine of the Human Creature-

"The problem with the issue of human being is that we all believe that we have a complete understanding of human being. And because we already know about the human being, we tend to work from that assumption." Our human condition, or human creature, or human existence is based upon our relationship with God. When we have a relationship with and we follow Jesus Christ, we become more fully human. [21] We are told that the human creature is not just individual, but collective, as well. [22] Our humanness comes with both possibilities and limitations. There is something in the individual, and in that individual's desire for personal success that is adverse to the human creature. "We are qualified by the claim that what distinguishes them as specifically human is that God creates them in the image of God." [23] The one who is created in the image of God seeks to form and sustain loving and caring relationships with God and other human beings. When the humans desire to achieve personal success overlaps the desires of another, conflict is created. Often in conflict, healthy relationships are not nurtured. This conflict is called sin.

The Doctrine of the Church-

"The church is the people of God." [24] Though there are many divisions, facets, communities, denominations, the church stands as the people, the body of Jesus Christ, who founded the church and charged us with the task to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." [25] "God will speak where God will and the community will form around where God is." The role of the church is to re-present Christ to the world. [26] In a recent lecture, Dr. Rieger alludes to a personal struggle that was similar to the struggle of Luther, Wesley, Barth, and Bonhoffer. That struggle was not about the people not believing, but that the people were being taught wrongly and therefore believed wrongly. Rieger offers that rather than idealizing the church, we begin to analyze the church. To do this, we must look at the four marks of the church to function as a framework for our analysis.

First, we look at the unity of the church- "One holy, catholic, universal church." But we are not one church. We have both social threats to church unity, as well as theological threats. One threat is segregation. We are primarily segregated. Racially, church is referred to as the "most segregated hour in America- from 11am to 12 on Sunday morning." [27] Class stratification is not easily overcome, especially in America. If we are really interested in the unity of the church, we have to address the issues that divide us. We are also divided by our differing doctrines. As a United Methodist now and formerly a Baptist for 35 years, I appreciated the joke about a Methodist being a Baptist that can read. There is humor intended in the statement but the sad truth is that Baptists, United Methodists, Catholics, Presbyterians, Church of Christ, and Pentecostals have been divided in their beliefs for ages. In addition to these differences, we also create divisions with the Jewish people. We believe that the new covenant of Jesus Christ has somehow nullified the covenant of God with Israel in the Old Testament. Instead, we need to look to our similarities, oppose anti-Judaism, and work toward a future that is jointly glorifying to God. [28] 

Next, we look at the holiness of the church. Within our Credos, we are asking what we do with the doctrine. It is not merely enough to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, but we have to decide what to do with the knowledge. Simply wanting the church to be counter cultural is not enough. We look to the One who makes us apostles and sends us out. We begin to think of how we talk about God and ourselves. Then we challenge ourselves to keep the focus on God. As simple apostles, we have nothing to offer, but when we begin to understand that it is about God, and not about us, we can then begin to effect some changes.

The catholicity of the church helps to maintain the identity of the church. When we say catholicity, we often think that every church has to be alike- a cookie-cutter mentality. As Americans, we believe that we are the model for "correct Christianity." We see everyone else in terms of ourselves. The doctrine of the church is, and should be the work of God, in Jesus Christ, in the world. Going against the norms of modern churches, we have to begin to put less emphasis on numbers, the budgets, or attendance when assessing growth. The growth of our churches should be measured by the quality of the ministry. A popular phrase for this now is "effective or fruitful ministry." As the church, we are a part of what Jesus is doing. "The heart of Christian ministry is Christ's ministry of outreaching love." [29] 

We celebrate the Sacraments within the church and we recognize them as God's gift of self. The ministry of the Sacraments is to enable thanksgiving. [30] In the United Methodist church, we recognize two- Baptism and Holy Communion, also called the Eucharist or the Lord's Supper. These are also considered means of grace. "An outward sign of an inward grace and a means whereby we receive the same" [31] John Wesley said, "by means of grace I understand outward signs, words or actions, ordained of God and appointed for this end, to be the ordinary channels whereby he might convey His grace to humans." According to Augustine, "Baptism is an indelible seal in which a person is marked as belonging to Christ." It is not only a symbolic, but a literal change that happens within the heart of the believer- the beginning of a new relationship with God. It is initiated by God, and responded to by us. It is because of this initiating action by God that we do not repeat Baptism. God initiates, we accept, and that is sufficient. There is no re-Baptism. Once we are baptized, we belong to Christ. Martin Luther, when he would struggle and doubt, he would simply remember his baptism and that he belonged to God. Where Baptism is your one time initiation into relationship with Christ, Holy Communion is your ongoing practice re-affirming that relationship. There is much discussion and debate as to the real presence of Christ in both Baptism and Communion. Wesley added "the works of mercy" to the means of grace. He believed that these works were always necessary in response to God's grace, and spent his life practicing those works. This fits nicely with "do no harm, do good, and follow the ordinances of God." Works of mercy is not your works, but the works of God. Wesley worried that the Methodists have fallen from grace. The idea of "once saved, always saved" does not apply to the Methodists. He thought that we believed that works of mercy were done by us. Works of mercy is part of the core of anything that we do. If you are not participating, you are not doing as you are called. We have to be careful with works of mercy that we are not fostering a type of feeling of superiority or by "creating in our own image." The works have to be done to the glory of God.

In the United Methodist Book of Discipline, order is defined as "ordering the church for its mission and service." As ordained Elders, we are called to Word, Sacrament, and Order whereas deacons are called to service. However, by the definition in the discipline, we are all to be concerned with service.

The Doctrine of Salvation-

"Salvation denotes the healing or making whole of individuals." [32] Growing up in a Baptist environment, this idea of salvation has always been pushed on me as a quick decision about heaven or hell. It generally started something like, "if you were to die tonight, where would you spend eternity?" I would be told that I needed to make a decision right then and to make my confession of sin and once again receive Jesus Christ as my personal savior. Looking back on the many times I sat through that, I have to wonder how lost the pastor himself must have been. Hans Urs Balthasar says that "salvation is 'coming closer to God.'" [33] John Wesley said, "by salvation I mean, not barely, according to the vulgar notion, deliverance from hell, or going to heaven; but a present deliverance from sin, a restoration of the soul to its primitive health, its original purity; a recovery of the divine nature; the renewal of our souls after the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness, in justice, mercy, and truth." [34] These two examples refute the fundamentalist idea of heaven and hell. We are told that we cannot buy or earn our salvation, but, if we were to work toward pureness of heart and restoration of the soul, would not our worries be pointless? And if our time was better spent by proclaiming that through our repaired relationship with Jesus Christ we might become more perfect, our efforts would be more fruitful? When we consider those who are on the fringes of society, these terms of salvation might be foreign, but the idea of heaven and hell are not. Most everyone has heard those used. We have to approach those "others" with a heart for teaching about God, the Son that God gave for us, and the Holy Spirit that continues to live in our midst and guides us through difficult times. We must help them to understand that "salvation is both 'from' something and 'to' something. We are always moving toward divinity, or God and moving away from sin." [35] Professor Bogle talked about atonement in his recent lecture. He broke it down to be 'at-one-ment'. This is another example of restoring, or healing this broken estranged relationship. [36] In one of our preceptorial discussions, we talked about evil being the opposition of 'God with us.' Sin is our active participation in that opposition. It is only through the grace of God that we are enabled to resist that evil. The term 'grace' means 'God for us.' The initiative of grace is from God. We can only respond. The free will that we understand to have as humans is only available because of God's grace. It does not exist in and of itself. It is a choice. It is not imposed by God. Because God's grace is resistible, our freedom and salvation are considered to be very valuable- not a cheap grace. We first receive grace and then freedom. God's grace can be explained in three facets identified by John Wesley. They are prevenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace. Prevenient grace would be the air that we breathe and the work of God in our lives prior to us really knowing about it. This might be an invitation to the relationship. Justifying grace would be the image of our move to come up onto the porch of God's house. We have been invited and this is our first step to participate. Sanctifying grace is entering the house and a relationship with Christ. Because of this grace given by God, we have the choice of freedom. But the one must precede the other. Augustine believed that prior to the fall, it was not possible not to sin. But because Adam and Eve had freedom and made their choice accordingly, we do not have that ability any longer. Now, we cannot do other than sin. When sharing the idea of salvation with those who do not "belong" to any particular church, it is important that we stress the necessity of fostering a relationship with Jesus Christ, and in making efforts to purify our hearts.

The Doctrine of Eschatology-

When we think about eschatology, or the last things, I believe that we think of Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. For the majority of the population, these are accepted as the "what lies ahead" for the believer beyond life, as we know it. Although their understanding is probably very limited, they get the idea that there will be a judgment day, where we will all stand before God and answer for everything that we have done- both good and bad. Depending on how we fare in the judgment will determine whether we are cast into Hell or spend an eternity in Paradise, with Jesus Christ and the saints who have gone before. Though very simplistic, this idea is what most believe. The Bible gives reference to judgment in Daniel 12:2, saying "many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt" [37] , but we understand the concept to be much older. One school of thought is that judgment has already taken place and that Christ paid the price at the cross. This idea is supported by Romans 3:24, "now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Our judgment will not have anything to do with anything that we did for the good because the act of divine grace, given at Calvary renders us just. We are guilty of sin, but those sins have been forgiven by Christ's offering. Jesus says in John 5:24, "anyone who hears my word and believes who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life." This message is in contrast to what appears to be the most popular view of judgment. For most, judgment is the point where we are forced to stand before God and our sins will be listed and read one by one. Then, we will receive our punishment as God chooses. For many, this is a very frightening thought. Especially for those who were lost, but are now living a Christian life. What will be our punishment? And though we are told that Christ has taken the burden of our sins on Himself, there is still the concern that we are going to be held accountable for all that we have done wrong. Those who live out their faith in Christ and try to live in His service are often hindered by guilt and worry, rather than freed for a life lived in grace because the unknown is unsettling.

To many, heaven is considered to be "up" among the clouds and the skies, where God and Jesus and the angels dwell. While many see heaven as a physical place set among the clouds, others believe it to be an existence that transcends our limited human understanding of physical boundaries. Heaven, in the minds of many, is the reward of a life lived in accordance with scripture. When we are faithful and righteous, we are going to spend an eternity" there", with the loved ones who have gone on before. It is believed by many that heaven will be a wonderful place of dazzling whites and streets of gold. There will be no sickness, no sorrow, and no pain for all who go there. It will be a place of wonderful music and worship and we will worship God all day, every day. I have heard it said that church is just the training ground for heaven. It will be like the Garden of Eden- paradise. We will be surrounded by beauty forever. Even Jesus tells us that "blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." [38] I believe we are forced to us our symbolic understanding of heavenly places, the most heavenly earthly places, because our limited human minds cannot comprehend the limitlessness, the fullness, or the blissfulness of eternity with our Creator.

Hell is a place absent from God. The term conjures thoughts of fire or darkness. We relate hell to the acrid smell of sulfur, the lakes of fire, chains and the gnashing of teeth. We tend to think of the most unthinkable suffering imaginable. To many, hell is like a prison, a place of punishment. It is the end of the road for those who live without repentance and acceptance of new life offered in Jesus Christ. Karl Rahner said that hell's fire is "something radically not of this world." The text points out that "regardless of whether we take hell literally or metaphorically, its function is clearly that of a warning and a challenge for us to make a decision in the face of the possibility of being forever separated from God. Hell is the product of our rejection of God resulting in everlasting estrangement." Timothy Ware argues that because free will exists, hell also exists, and that it is simply the "rejection of God." [39] Yet the idea of eternity separated from the love of God is something we cannot fathom because as long as we live, we cannot be separated from God's love. No one has known life completely separate from His beckoning to us. Even the most despicable examples of human suffering are filled with stories of faith where those individuals comforted and reminded others of God's presence under the worst circumstances. Therefore, since we can't comprehend the absence of God, we have to use symbolism to express and explain our understanding of hell. The prevailing thoughts about judgment, and heaven, and hell are founded in society. These ideas are given to us through our family and friends throughout our lives and our individual journeys. Often, the things we are taught as young children mold our thinking and our personal theologies. It is because of the understanding, or lack of understanding that people have about the future that they are inclined to cling to the ideas of judgment, and heaven, and hell. When dealing with the topic of "after death", people are fearful of the unknown. And the finality of death is not only unknown, there is no way of gaining a better understanding. The concepts of heaven and hell will, at the very least, offer some insight to a question that has no answer for them. When speaking of salvation, many times, preachers use heaven and hell as the answer to the question. Fundamentalists use fear when trying to get children and adults to make a decision for their lives. "If you don't get saved tonight and say the prayer of salvation, and you die tomorrow, you will spend an eternity in hell." If I had a dime for every time I was told that growing up, I would be able to pay cash for seminary. And we heard the fallacy that receiving salvation is a necessary repeatable action. We are being told that the relationship with God has to be updated, like apps on an iPhone. People come away from religion confused about what it all really means. The only understanding that we can gain from that with which we have no experience is by assigning meaning based on our experiences that can be symbolically applied to it. Heaven, hell and judgment are therefore the best understanding that we can attempt to gain in the concept of hope with our limited human experiences. The subject of eschatology is far too complex to address with any depth to most common folks. Again, we see that a faithful relationship with Jesus Christ is our only chance for a future in His kingdom. We will have to illustrate that with the relationship, there comes no anxiety about the unknown.

Conclusion-

The discussions that we have begun in this class and in other classes won't stop when we complete the class, or graduate. It is a conversation that will continue throughout our ministry. Spencer Bogle said in our last lecture that "Systematic Theology is not the place where our questions get answers. It is the place where our answers get questions." As theologians, I realize that our understanding of God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and their work in the world will be ever changing and evolving as I mature and as I study further. Even after this class is completed and I move toward the completion of my other requirements, I accept that the real work, the true core of my calling will just be starting. I know that the things that I have learned will assist me in bringing the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus to those who I serve, and the 'others' that I encounter. My prayer is that I don't stray far from Christ and the Biblical truths that I have had my eyes opened to. The true challenge, as I indicated in the beginning of this credo, will be to share the scripture in a language that is easy to understand for those folks who are on the fringes of society. I believe that it comes down to God is the Creator. God gave us Jesus to pay the price for our sins. Jesus died and left the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and among us. We are supposed to share the Good News with everyone, often stepping outside our comfort zones. God calls us to be radical, not safe. I believe that not only are our brothers and sisters who are outside and separated from the church worth the effort, but also Jesus Christ is worth the effort. "We are finding out gradually who we are and who God wants us to be." [40] 

Bibliography -

Bogle, Spencer, "Interpretation of the Christian Message", Notes taken from lectures, Perkins

School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Fall, 2012 and Spring, 2013.

Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church. Nashville, TN: The United Methodist Publishing House, 2008

The HarperCollins Study Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books. New Revised Standard Version. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1993.

The Holy Bible (New International Version Translation)

Morse, Christopher. Not Every Spirit: A Dogmatics of Christian Disbelief. Valley Forge: Trinity Press, 1994.

Placher, William C., ed. Essentials of Christian Theology. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003.

Rieger, Joerg. Christ and Empire: From Paul to Post-Colonial Times. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2007.

Rieger, Joerg, God and the Excluded: Visions and Blindspots in Contemporary Theology,

Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001.

Rieger, Joerg, "Interpretation of the Christian Message", Notes taken from lectures, Perkins

School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Fall, 2012 and Spring, 2013.

Webster, John, Kathryn Tanner, Iain Torrance, eds. The Oxford Handbook of Systematic Theology. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.

Wood, Charles, "Interpretation of the Christian Message", Notes taken from lectures, Perkins

School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Fall, 2012 and Spring, 2013.