Mere Theology

Mere Theology:

Christian Bible Doctrine for Beginners, Refreshers for Experts, and Study for Third-Millennium Saints in Diaspora

Jesse Steele

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For My Professors at the Moody Bible Institute

I studied under more than one semester

Dr. Gregg Quiggle

Whom I could not call by Doctor in my time as his student and nonetheless influenced my understanding of theology more than any other

Dr. Ron Saur

Advisor, soldier, Greek scholar, advocate, mentor, and friend

Dr. Mike McDuffee

Evangelist, approachable guru, German scholar, and gentleman

Dr. Bill Marty

Veteran and leader who let the Bible speak for itself

Dr. C. Marvin Pate

Quiet, comical, transparent, thoughtful, diligent, and caring;

Paul, Daniel, and Revelation

Dr. Lou Barbieri

Who knows his Systematic Theology in brief and at length, as in pain and in joy everlasting

Dr. John Hart

Who knows the Gospel of John and the river-like big picture consistency of Biblical Hermeneutics

Dr. Michael Wechsler

Who did not hesitate to recite Hebrew poetry to a Hebrew-illiterate class to demonstrate the role of phonetics in lower criticism, and whose project assignment gave me the opportunity to meet Dr. Ken Taylor

Dr. Harold Foos

Apologeticist, scholar, and dissident of new books already written by different names when it is better to save a tree

Dr. David Fetzer

Communicator par excellence, mentor, leader, and role model

Dr. Rosalie deRosset

Friend, confidant, contagious connoisseur of language well used, and evangelist for the cult of the anti-cliché

And, special Dispensation for

Dr. Thomas Cornman

Whom, though I studied under only once, personally sold me my student edition of MS Office as a freshmen, cried in class when I asked if the Church had become distracted in its calling, and opened his door even after taking a heavy promotion

Table of Contents

For My Professors at the Moody Bible Institute

Prologue: The Academics of It All

Introduction: Theology, Death & Today

Another Book on Theology

Why Study the Bible

Hermeneutics, Exegesis, and Expository Preaching

The Audience

Pastoring the ‘Diaspora’

Doctrinal Reconciliation Today

Lordship v Grace

Language: Literal and Poetic

Supplementary Articles

Starting Basics

Core Purpose and Starting Premises

The Terms ‘Christian’ and ‘Christianity’

Note on Scripture Reference Style

Note on Non-Cited Generic References

Bibliology – The Bible

Textual Criticism and the Nature of the Bible’s Authority

Bibliology Proper

History and Sections of the Bible

The Two Great Commandments

The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch)

Time of Job, Enoch, and Biblical Theology of ‘the Righteous’

A ‘Righteous’ Man

‘The satan’

Epic-Scale Events

Most High and Mighty to Save

Paul

Paul and Proverbs

Paul and History

Paul and the Church

Paul and Hebrews

On Interpreting Scripture

Cultural Experience and Hermeneutics

Hermeneutics and Vantage Point of Homily

Interpreting the Genre of Dreams and Visions

Example: A Walk through the Elements

God’s Voice Today

Theology Proper – Who God Is

The Trinity

God the Uncreated Author and Sustainer

God the Creator of Days

God the Most High, the Merciful, and the Just

God of Means

Dealing with Other gods

Anthropology – Humanity

Sabbath, Work, Rest, and Death

Men and Women: Equal in Value and Strength; Different in Nature

Soul, Spirit, and Flesh

Man: A Multi-Faceted Being

Heart & Mind: Junction of Soul, Spirit, and Body/Flesh Proper

Prosperity and Profit

Godly Goals, Covetousness, and Sexual Lust

Divorce and Remarriage

Morality, Homosexuality, and Categories of a Biblical Worldview

Christology – The Person of Christ

The Uncreated God-Man

Many Crowns and ‘Many Hats’

Significance of the Virgin Birth

In Regards to Christ’s Nature

Soteriology – The Work of Christ

Imputed Righteousness

On the ‘Eternal Security’ Discussion

Pneumatology – The Holy Spirit

Director of Wisdom and Leadership

Baptism and Drenching

On Terminology for the Holy Spirit’s Presence in One’s Life

Chronological Occurrence of Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Signs Validating Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Two Kinds of ‘Tongues’

On the Apparent ‘Silliness’ of a Prayer Language

False Prophecy

Modern Activity of Signs and Wonders

Modern Prophecy: Particular Revelation

A Needed Summary of Anthropology, Soteriology, and Pneumatology

Free Will and Predestination

Faith and Works

Faith, Prayer, and Works as a Progression

Health, Prosperity, and Pain

Purpose: The Decider of Miracles and Prosperity

Divinization: ‘Becoming gods’

Synopsis of the Human Dilemma

Ecclesiology – The Church

Priesthood of all Believers

Objectives of the Church

Living and Growing Together

Four-Fold Ministry of Ephesians 4:11

Leadership and Beauty in Ministry, Marriage, and Assembly

Church and the Gospel

Missions Today

Missions & the Gospel: Spreading v Clarifying

Sacraments

Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

Sacrament of Water Baptism

Tongues and Prophesy in Assembly

Christianity and Economic Models

Tradition and Cultural Relevance

Human Institutionalization of Christian Fellowship

Tent-Making and Professional Clergy Today

Proseucheology - Prayer

Knowing God’s Will

Proseucheology Expanded: Prayer & Deliverance

Forgiveness

The Root of Strongholds

Release from Bondage

Cleansing the Ground

Our Authority and Jurisdiction Regarding Forgiveness

Generational Sin

Prayer and Fasting

Eschatology – End Times

On Satan

The Question of Evil and God’s Goodness

Eternal Judgment: Punishment and Reward

Parousia in Conjunction with the Millennium

Satanic Propaganda Concerning Latter Days

‘Armageddon’

Parousia in Conjunction with the Great Tribulation

Two Bodies of Believers in Revelation 7

Seven Churches: The Introduction to Revelation

Four Bodies of Believers throughout Revelation

Etymology and Context of the Seven Churches

Perseverance: Smyrna and Philadelphia

Rapture, Israel, and the Churches

Christ and Antichrist

Christian Suffering and Victory Regarding the Great Tribulation

Summary of the Final Judgment

Salvation by Faith v Book

Light, Darkness, and the New Daytime

Summary of End Times

Works Cited

About the Author

Prologue:

The Academics of It All

I started this paper in 2002, at the 24-7 restaurant, Tempo, in downtown Chicago, the night before my 12 page senior Doctrinal Statement paper was due. My only research tools were a mini laptop Libretto computer and my exhaustive concordance of the NASB. Since then, I continued to expand on it whenever I felt that diligence demanded that I further my research of the Scriptures.

Then Mr. Quiggle and Dr. Bill Marty, whom I had class and counsel with many times, explained that one day we Bible students might need a basic theology statement on seven basic areas of doctrine and this would be an important starting point. It was; and I wrote this book in the original word processor document file I used for that class assignment 15 years ago.

In 2005, I spent four consecutive 14-hour days with the same concordance and expanded the 12 page paper into 20 pages, and slowly moved to 40 pages in the following years. During that time, Internet research was not widely available for research. The Scripture references herein, even most in this 2017 revision, were done with nothing but my memory and a hardcopy exhaustive concordance of the NASB 1995. In Taiwan, about February 2009 and during the Lunar New Year holidays in Asia, I edited half of it before I became exhausted with toning-down my own overuse of complex language from years previous. In 2017, over the Lunar New Year holidays in Asia again, and during travels over the holidays, I decided I needed to re-edit and finish my doctrinal statement. It grew from 44 pages to 143 and I finally finished my edit, through to the last page on St. Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2017. I promptly wrote my thanks in the For page, to my many professors whom I often think about, especially in these matters. The next day, February 15, I added introduction thoughts on Theology Proper and Ecclesiology, along with some citation comments for the Book of Enoch and Paul’s years of solitude. After that, any afterthoughts I had to expand on I found I had already written at length. So, it was time to call it a book.

Not long after, and in full disclosure, Mike Bickle in his sermon to his students on February 17, 2017, reminded them of a paper they needed to write on The Person of Jesus. I thought my own section to be inadequate, even though most every section of this study seems to be about Jesus. So, I added an introduction to Christology and researched four hours for the section Many Crowns and ‘Many Hats’. I may expand on this several years in the future, but, right now, there is so much about Jesus that could be said, all the books I could write in the world would not be enough.

While I had heard of it, I had not read Pagan Christianity by Barna and Viola until finishing this 2017 edition, though I read Barna’s Revolution in 2005. I wrote this Prologue section as an afterthought for the sake of history and accounting, and I am only through Viola’s and Barna’s introduction; I haven’t even started Chapter 1. As I read Barna’s introduction, I find that the same concepts they address I also address here.

As for Viola, I haven’t seen his factual claims or his contentions, though I plan to give him no easy review, though fair. It seems to me that my position seems more or less that of Don Carson’s position about the Emergent Church, that there is much to be learned from the accusation of even fools since the Church is not entirely undeserving of the overly harsh critique of which it has been on the receiving end. I will continue to discuss these topics with challenging minds whom I remain in touch with. My general agreement is with Barna and his basic research of our day, that being unconventional in the extras does not mean less love for Jesus; I argue from the Bible, Barna argues from the Bible and research. Actually, being unconventional as a Christian may even be necessary to love Jesus more than is allowed by the constrains of what Sunday morning has become.

As for Church Fathers, I openly admit that I have not read them. Now that I have finished my own expanded study in Bible theology, I feel that I can. Remember, this study (this book you are reading) is not a study in Church history. It is a theological work based solely in Scripture. I do not develop theology from the Church Fathers because I believe in Sola Scriptura. Though I borrow some terms from the Church, such as Trinity, I develop my own definitions and constructs of truth from the Bible alone.

It has always been important for me to, in some ways, limit what I read so as to protect my biases. While Pagan Christianity is on my Kindle, so is Chesterton’s The Everlasting Man.

Another work I just reviewed, since finishing this study, but before writing this Prologue, was a publication from Pew Research in February 2012, Inaccurate, Costly, and Inefficient: Evidence That America’s Voter Registration System Needs an Upgrade. Pew observes that lack of technology updates in America’s voter system costs over $4 USD per registration while Canada’s costs were only $0.35. With lack of technology and reconsideration for how information is processed, not only is America’s outdated system expensive and inaccurate, it is begs opportunity for voter fraud. One of the main problems is travel, that people can move around the country more easily and the old system of voter registration creates many duplicates and inaccuracies, merely because it doesn’t expect people to be able to travel or relocate out of their voting precincts. I basically wrote the same thing in this study about Christian fellowship, but without Pew’s input at the time.

Again, for me, it was important that I not read these other works before writing this because this is not a research paper that collects other research data. I wanted my conclusions about the Bible to have come from only the Bible as much as possible. Bible study is not an exercise of reading the Bible and pretending to understand it while merely regurgitating what we were told it means. My New and Old Testament Survey professor, Dr. Mary, first helped me to understand how the Bible speaks for itself. Later, when I began to study Greek under Dr. Saur, he was interested and mildly entertained at my supportive comments to him after our first class, "Preaching should be a demonstration of good Bible study methods to teach people how to listen to the Bible as it speaks for itself, not train people to ‘twist’ Scripture accurately."

I learned to understand and study the Bible among the great minds at Moody, both among students and the faculty. We reviewed Church History, of course. I know what people have said about the Bible. But, for a season, having learned from godly men who study God’s Word, I wanted to shut away the voices of interpretation and look at the Bible purely for what it is.

For me, and having learned from Quiggle of how to track theological and epistemological influences, it was important to me that I write this theology paper with a focus on Bible with as little influence from outside literature as possible. I wanted to write what I really believed myself, basing ideas in Scripture as much as I could. I didn’t just want Barna or anyone else talking through my work. Now that I have finished, and I have begun to read those other works, I see that I wasn’t off track in the least.

I plan, Lord-willing, to honor my professors with my humble gift of this book to them, which I hope they do not waste the time to read. I have nothing to teach them. At most, they could review and critique what I say and easily see how little I have read of their vast knowledge of history. The Bible says that a student should share what he has learned with the one who teaches (Gal 6:6). So, while I wrote this on my own, with no purpose other than that I felt it to be a basic diligence, it became my intention to finish that diligence to deliver it back to my professors so that they might know that their work was not wasted.

Introduction: Theology, Death & Today

My grandfather was a plumber and my father a teacher. Today they are both with the Lord. Like the others with them who now know the Lord face-to-face, they see more from their vantage point in glory than any theologian in this lifetime. It is with great humility that I write about the One on the Throne whom my dad and grandpa talk with. Christians ourselves are among those most likely to take offense to theological writings penned by each other, arguably more so than non-Christians. While Satan is rightfully considered the arch-enemy of the Church, it is the doctrine dictated by the Lord Himself that Satan is opposed to, not doctrines authored by Man. Our best theology is a least-worst description of the living God whom we will one day see beyond any need for explanation.

Another Book on Theology

When I started writing this I asked myself, Does the world need yet another book on theology? Erickson and Boyce have done wonderfully. This study, however, aims at being more concise, as well as being aware of the matters of the start of the third millennium.

The great theology works, from the Church Fathers through Ryrie and Grudem, were written prior to the Emergent Church discussion. Since that wave, liberal theology has permeated sectors of the Church that would formerly have been considered, practically speaking, incorruptible. The theology books of the past, as good as it was to stand on giants, didn’t stop the pop-culture tsunami and they can’t answer the aftermath. Another factor is the digital age and the impact of transportation-communication capabilities on Christian fellowship. Of course, as a serious student of the Bible in my personal life, writing out my own theology seems every bit as much a matter of diligence (2 Tim 2:15) as an MD reading up on journals and keeping careful records of every patient he sees. In Bible study spheres, writing theology keeps us anchored in evaluating our own beliefs in preparation to handle ad hoc Apologetics gently in the real world (1 Pet 3:15-16). But, it also acts as a lens for transparency. As a trained Bible student with a presence in media (podcasting, authoring, blogging) people need to be able to examine my own framework to see where I stand on specific topics. Yet, those two reasons alone (diligence and transparency) do not justify publishing a theology work to be as easily available to the public as this. I decided to publish this as I have to provide some sort of continuing framework of orthodoxy, retaining the truth, expanding on the normal topics, and rebutting popular errancies, and to do all this in the post-EC and digital age contexts.

Why Study the Bible

Different people read the Bible for different reasons. Some people read it merely to arrange theories of how they believe it was made up and invented, ignoring the value and power of applying it to our lives. With the power the Bible demonstrates in the lives of people who study it and take it seriously, the question in studying it should be about how to benefit from it the most. Other people believe in the Bible’s power, but they don’t study it to apply that power to their lives. Instead, they read it for its great enjoyment, all the while trying to dismiss small teachings that should compel them to change the way they live. They read it for comfort and notoriety of their own ideas, to help themselves sleep at night when they know what they are doing is wrong.

Generally, people know that the Bible has power in the life of its readers. So, even when we insist on doing things our consciences condemn, it is easy for us to read the Bible because we know we should, slowly forgetting that the Bible doesn’t give us its power when we twist it to mean what we want it to mean. The Bible’s power only goes so far as we are willing to obey it correctly.

This is the reason why I study the Bible.

I don’t want to know what I can get away with; I want to know how I can seize the rights of being a child of God. His commands and His wisdom are a liberating and empowering delight expressed in Psalm 119:32. Delight in Him and in wisdom that leads to abundance are the presumed goals that the Bible assumes about anyone who reads it. If I don’t have those presumed goals then I will be able to make the Bible say anything I want it to. Then, there is no point in studying it nor is there a need.

I have no objection if someone does not want to study the Bible. But, reading the Bible with the goals contrary to its purpose and benefit, merely to appease one’s own conscience, confuses people who want to learn how to study the Bible with the Bible’s presumed goals. If someone does not want to learn what directions and pursuits are and are not worthwhile—to learn how to more effectively focus and benefit oneself—then there is neither purpose nor need in studying the Bible.

By reading the Bible in order to contort it against its own purpose, one is merely fabricating one’s own framework for truth and morality. One does not need the Bible to make one’s own invention of morals—just make them up anyway if that is the goal! But, pretending to use a contorted interpretation as some kind of basis to rationalize a self-invented moral framework is as foolish as the idol maker of Isaiah 44:9-20—he grows a tree only because the rain sent water, burns half of it for food and warmth, and shapes the other half with his own hands into his own god to seek deliverance from. This thinking doesn’t have the sound reason to say, In my own hand is a lie!

Hermeneutics, Exegesis, and Expository Preaching

The Bible can speak for itself. We do not need a super-smart person—a professional, trained expert, or mystically wise teacher—to divine its meaning for us. With some basic understanding about literature, history, what an author means in writing, and a lot of time familiarizing ourselves with the Bible, everything becomes clear with time. When one thing doesn’t seem to make sense, we keep reading and find another paragraph or sentence that helps it all make sense. Someone who reads the Bible selectively can easily be proven wrong, usually by surprise.

These basic rules of study are called hermeneutics and they are relatively easy to learn. Many books have been written about them, so I won’t try to cover too many of them here. In summary, consider the Bible like a river that twists and winds with eddies and rapids. While water seems to move at different speeds and in different directions, the river has an eventual destination. Sometimes it flows east to wind its way around a mountainous topic, then it will turn south to show us a beautiful valley. Every river’s destination is the ocean and they always move down. In seeing these overall themes, don’t take every microscopic statement of the Bible as its final teaching point. Just enjoy the scenery and remember where it is eventually headed.

Hermeneutics is a study all to itself, but even the most basic overview can help. I highly recommend Living by the Book by Howard Hendrix because it is thorough and easy to understand.

When we teach the Bible, every preacher, every Bible study leader—everyone who teaches from the Bible must demonstrate how basic hermeneutics allow the Bible to speak for itself. An audience must not only learn what the Bible teaches, but also learn how to see the Bible’s truth for themselves in their own study. This is called expository preaching, where the teacher reads the Bible, explains its ancient meaning, identifies its eternal truth, then discusses its contemporary relevance often called application. This four-step process is called exegesis. A good expositor will help listeners walk away with better knowledge of both the Bible passage of the day and hermeneutics so they understand the Bible better in their own time of study.

One key of hermeneutics, interestingly, is obedience. The Bible has power because it is partially a spiritual book. God’s powerful Holy Spirit works behind and through the Bible. While Bible public speaking basics and Bible hermeneutics can be reviewed as an academic study, Bible preaching must be done under the direction of the Holy Spirit. An ongoing preacher does not live by the Bible he teaches from and who preaches without God’s calling will kill people spiritually. And, that accounts for much of the mess we see today.

The Audience

This study is written for any Christian’s benefit. I intentionally mix a conversational, first person tone with theological babble because this is a study in theology. Perhaps this can help introduce laymen to theological ways of thinking while helping experienced theologians keep their feet on the ground, at least in manner of style.

I do intend that the experienced and theology genre initiated reader will gain a perspective to consider on the times. There are some contributions that I haven’t seen come up in theological circles, such as Salvation by Book (named with pithiness as a Biblical theology of Salvation in Revelation, but still implying systematic theology called Salvation by Faith alone, of course,) the term Departure of the Church in terms of End Times (as a more fluid term, making room for discussable ambiguity,) Rapture for the Persevering (based on theological framework from Old and New Testament threading themes of light, wisdom, perseverance, and deathless transformation at Christ’s return,) that the Book of Enoch applies to End Times (and is therefore not Scripture, but, by implication, perhaps the Church should dust it off,) and technological-historical arguments for why having a pastor and being on a tax-reported Christian fellowship list should not be a test of whether a Christian is in Biblical fellowship (though useful and practical in the past, considering aged scaffolding a hindrance and potential hazard today.) Nearly all of these relate to the End Times, if not theologically then situationally.

In terms of non-conventional, ad hoc Christian fellowship, the term diaspora does not come up in any section, only in the title. James wrote to the saints scattered. Unfortunately, due to internal politics, immorality, grossly false doctrine, or any combination of the above, many Sunday morning ministries have forced the hand of dedicated Christians to leave without always having a place to leave to. New Testament authors predicted as much. Unfortunately, there are many Marie Antoinette Christian pockets where the local Church is strong, having a plethora of doctrinally sound, non-controlling Christian establishments; but who do not sympathize with other geographical pockets that don’t have it as good as they do. In order to reject the Emergent Church movement and dig deep enough to grow in the truth necessary to withstand EC, which many doctrinally sound, but entertainment-focused congregations did not provide, Christians have opted to study the Bible at home and supplement with online, audio, video, and print media.

In about 2005, George Barna observed these tendencies, but since then, many have suggested that those Christians need to change their own perspective and thereby return to the abusive marriage, rather than putting the burden on the leadership to change themselves to such a point where the diaspora would want to return without a sales pitch. Leadership needs to be blamed for failure at some point—and we passed that point a long time ago. The Church has been changed, this time being dispersed not by non-Christians in government, but by mediocre Christians in leadership within the Church. Given how often clergy grant each other instant notoriety, the people who saw the EC wave on the horizon didn’t have much support from the establishment. That was back in the days when pastors in my own back yard would have scorned someone for leaving Mars Hill Bible Church—until Rob Bell published Velvet Elvis. Then, it was about a five year scramble in Mid Michigan when no one knew what to do because, no matter what damage control sermons they preached, bad news just kept wiring in.

The same thing that happened to the newspaper industry also happened to the Sunday preaching industry; the same thing that happened to brick-and-mortar retail also happened to brick-and-mortar church—or in the last 30 years what we should probably call Church Majal: the Internet happened. It happened to everything, including families and militaries. The Internet shook the jar of raisins and members of the old guard didn’t make life any easier for themselves. Was it fair? Gravity, weather, and the common cold aren’t fair nor are they merciful, but they aren’t biased either. We can withstand many of their surprises with some vitamin C and proper preparation. The problem is that most people don’t prepare like they should, whether in architecture, health, business, family, or even the Church. Blaming other people isn’t enough. If the Church isn’t prepared to deal with all the people leaving, how in Heaven or on Earth will it be able to shepherd us through the times of the Antichrist?

At the close of the 1900s, professors at Moody warned us students about the dangers of money and entertainment taking over professional ministry; those warnings were overlooked by much of the Western Church, and ignoring those warnings was not without consequence. The new wine has found its new wineskins. Christians found a way to survive. The Church has been changed. There isn’t any going back to romanticized nostalgia.