0 Lecture Outline (6) : DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

By: Dr. John Frame

DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

Lecture Outline (6)

These are Dr. Frame's systematic theology lecture outlines for the doctrine of the Word of God. Though only in outline format, they are highly detailed and hopefully useful to all.

Previous: Lecture Outline (5) “VI.The  Power Of The Word”

VIII.The Clarity of the Word  ("Perspicuity")

A.Clarity and the Divine Presence

1.Connection with covenantal blessing and curse: Deut. 30: 11-20.

a.Israel's problem: not understanding, but choosing.

b.The reward and curse are also near (v. 15)--God's covenantal presence.

2.Presence of Christ in the word preached: Rom. 10:4-11.

3.Since God is near, word is near. "Direct revelation in history," vs. much modern theology.

0 Lecture Outline (5) : DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

By: Dr. John Frame

DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

Lecture Outline (5)

These are Dr. Frame's systematic theology lecture outlines for the doctrine of the Word of God. Though only in outline format, they are highly detailed and hopefully useful to all.

Previous : Lecture Outline (4) “IV.The Message Of The  Word”

VI.The Power of the Word

Sections VI through VIII deal with perfections of the word which derive from the attributes of Lordship. If the function of the word is to express God's lordship, then it will express his control, authority and presence. This fact is the basis of its power, authority, clarity. Although the control of God is particularly associated with the word as decree, his authority with the word as address, and his presence with the word as presence, the power, authority and clarity of the word pertain to all forms, all utterances of the word.

A.The Greatness of the Power: The word is not just an intellectual object, but a great power, indeed the divine omnipotence itself. It has this power because of its union with God. We tend to ignore its power because we are insufficiently aware of the presence of God in the word. With such power, with such a God, we dare not trifle.

0 Lecture Outline (4) : DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

By: Dr. John Frame

DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

Lecture Outline (4)

These are Dr. Frame's systematic theology lecture outlines for the doctrine of the Word of God. Though only in outline format, they are highly detailed and hopefully useful to all.

Previous : Lecture Outline (3) “The Fuctions of The Word In And For Creation”

IV.The Message of the Word: 

In the broadest sense, the Word utters a declaration of God's Lordship (cf. II, above). It expresses that Lordship in a great many ways as it directs all things to the fulfillment of God's purposes. The unity and diversity of the message must both be guarded.

A.The Content of Covenant Revelation: Meredith Kline (StructureOf Biblical Authority) argues that the Decalogue and the book of Deuteronomy are examples of an ancient near eastern literary genre known as the "suzerainty treaty," of which extra-biblical examples (from the Hittite culture) have keen discovered. In Kline's view, the decalogue and deuteronomic "treaties" are the origin of the biblical canon, and the rest of the Bible is but an expansion of these "treaties," both in its character and content. Whether or not we endorse this analysis in detail, Kline's outline of the elements or the treaty form provides a useful tool for organizing the aspects of God's revelation as a whole. Note references to the decalogue.

1.Declaration of Lordship: "I am the Lord thy God..."

a. Revelation as exposition of God's name--cf. above I, C, 3.

b.Includes all aspects of his character and works--cf. references just noted, also Prologue.

c.Declares God's relation to his covenant people: "Lord" (relational term) "thy" God. Cf. "book of life", above, III, C, 2, c, (2), (b).

0 Lecture Outline (3) : DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

By: Dr. John Frame

DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

Lecture Outline (3)

These are Dr. Frame's systematic theology lecture outlines for the doctrine of the Word of God. Though only in outline format, they are highly detailed and hopefully useful to all.

Previous : Lecture Outline (2) “ I.TheConcept Of The Word Of God”

II. The Functions of the Word in and for Creation

In I, above, we have been talking about God's speech as such, whether uttered purely in reference to himself (ad intra, necessary speech) or having some reference to the creation (ad extra, free speech). Now we focus particularly on the latter category and ask about the various works which God's word performs in creation ant for creation. The three creation-functions will correspond roughly to the triad "meaning, power, self-expression" which we considered under I. Since the word is the powerful, meaningful self-expression of God, and since God is related to creation as Lord (cf. Introductory lectures), the word functions in and for creation as the self-expression of God's lordship. The threefold function outlined below, therefore, parallels the "lordship attributes."

A. The Word as God’s Decree

As Lord, God controls all things, and controls them by his speech. As we have seen (I, C, 2, c ), 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 (Eph. 1: 11 ).

0 Lecture Outline (2) : DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

By: Dr. John Frame

DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

Lecture Outline (2)

These are Dr. Frame's systematic theology lecture outlines for the doctrine of the Word of God. Though only in outline format, they are highly detailed and hopefully useful to all.

 

Previous : Lecture Outline (1) “Introduction”

I.The Concept of the Word of God: The Word is God's powerful, meaningful, self-expression.

A. Powerful: Ps. 33:3-6, 46:6, 148:5-8, 29:3-9; Rom. 1: 16; cr. VIII below.

1.The power of the word is the omnipotence of God himself, Isa. 55: 11, Gen. 18: 14 (Luke 1:37). It is therefore never void, never weak.

2.To study the word (in seminary or anywhere else) is to encounter something explosive, something that inevitably changes you--either for the better or the worse. (Isa. 6:9-10, NT parallels).

0 Lecture Outline (1) : DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

By: Dr. John Frame

DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

Lecture Outline (1)

These are Dr. Frame's systematic theology lecture outlines for the doctrine of the Word of God. Though only in outline format, they are highly detailed and hopefully useful to all.

 

 

Introduction

I.The Comprehensiveness of God’s covenant Lordship.

A. Centrality of Lordship in Scripture: "Lord," (Yahweh. Adonai, Kurios) is the basic    covenant name of God, Ex. 3:13-15,6:1-8; cf. John 8:59, Rom. 14:9.

1. Use in confessions of faith: Deut. 6:4ff; cf. Rom. 10:9, I Cor. 12:3, Phil. 2:11. 
2. God performs his might acts "that they might know that I am the Lord," Ex. 14: 18, I Kings 8:43, Ps. 9: 10, etc. 
3. "I am Lord, I am he," Isa. 41:4,43:10-13, etc.

B.Lordship is a covenantal concept.

1. "Covenant": relation between the Lord and a people whom he has sovereignly consecrated to himself. He rules over them by the sanctions of his law and fulfills in and through them the purposes of his grace. 
2. Lordship is a relation. Where you have a Lord, you have servants, i.e. a people over whom the Lord rules. "Lord" names God as head of the covenant relationship. The centrality of lordship implies the centrality of covenant, and vice versa.