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Pastor William Shifflett discusses PART ONE - Chapter 2 - The Foundations of Creedalism - The Creedal Imperative by Carl R. Truman

The Adequacy of Words.

Genesis 1:1-4 - In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Pastor, our God is a God who speaks. p52 His word is powerful and creative. p53, true?

All divine acts are performed by speech.

(1) His eternal plan (eternal inter-trinitarian communication), Gen.

1:26,Ps.2:7-9, 110,45:6-8, Matt. 11:25-27, John 5:20, 17:1-26, Acts

2:33-36, John 4:34,6:38£

(2) Creation, Gen. 1:3, Ps. 33:6,9,148:5, Prov. 8:22[, John 1:3,10,

Heb.11:3, II Pet. 3:5-7

(3) Providence, Gen. 1:9,11,22, 8:21f, Ps. 145:15f, 119:89-91, 148:8, Job

37:12, 33:11f, Ps. 18:15,28:3-9, Matt. 8:27, Heb. 1:3, II Pet. 3.

(4) Judgment, Gen. 3: 17ff, 6:7, 11 :6f, Ps. 46:6

(5) Grace: Luke 7:1-10, Rom. 1:16

His word is a means of His presence. p53

How is divine speech a fundamental aspect of the special relationship that exists between God and those made in His image?

The Word as God’s Presence

1. God's name is placed upon his people; Gen. 17:5, Num. 6:21, Deut. 12:5, etc.

(cf. above, A, 2,8), I Sam. 12:22, Isa. 43:1,7, 45:3f, 62:2, Amos 9:12, Matt.

28:19f, Rev. 2:17,22:4.

2. The word is written on their heart: Deut. 6:6, Prov. 3:3,7:3, Ps. 119:11, Ezek.

11:19[, 18:31,36:26,37:23,27, Isa.ll:9, 51:7,54:13, Hab. 2:14, Ps. 37:31,40:8,

Jer. 24:7,32:40, John 6:45, II Cor. 3:2f, I Thes. 4:9, Heb. 8:8-12, I John 2:27,

Jer. 31 :31-34 key text.

His word is active and powerful. p54

“As Lord, God controls all things, and controls them by his speech. All of God s actions are performed by his word, his speech. His "decretive will," therefore, by which he controls the whole course of nature and history , is a function of his word. Everything happens

because God has ordered it to happen by his word.” - Dr John Frame

Words are the means God has chosen for His presence. p57

Presence, or Covenant Solidarity (priestly office)

a. "I will be with you," Gen. 26:3,28:15,31:3,46:4, Ex. 3:12,93:14, Deut.

31:6,8 23, Judges 6:16, Jer. 31:33. Isa. 7:14, I Cor. 3:16ff, John 17:25,

Matt. 28:20, Rev.21:22.

God’s chosen means for revealing Himself to His people. p57

Knowing God

1. God knowable (Rom. 1:21 ), but incomprehensible (Isa. 55 :8-9).

a. In one sense, all people know God (Rom. 1:21 )

b. Only believers possess saving knowledge, knowledge of God as friend

(John 17:3, Matt. 11:27, John 1:14,1 Cor. 2:9-15,1 John 5:20). Some of

what I say below will pertain to both kinds of knowledge, but I am

focusing on the first.

2. To know God is to know him as Lord (Ex. 14:18,33:11-34:9,1 Kings 8:43, I

Chron.28:6-9): "that they may know that I am the Lord."

Without a clear word from God, a clear promise, we are without hope.

Words in Service of the Divine.

Are human use of words important in theology?

Words are the human means of responding to God and communicating with each other about God. p57

The importance of history. p58 Exodus 12:26-27 - And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

Is the ritual of Passover meaningless without the historical framework in which to understand it?

What was the role of the prophet?

Does the role of prophet continue in the New Testament?

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