November/December 2019 • $3.95 FrontLine BRINGING THE TRUTH HOME November/December 2019 | VOLUME 29 | NUMBER 6 THE FUNDAMENTALS: Who Is God? Theology Proper 10 12 15 FEATURES Our Desperate Need for the 18 Doctrine of God: Deuteronomy 32 Is the Doctrine of God Passé? Bryan Brock 6 Matt Walker The point of every narrative and every Modern man—including many Christians— name in the Pentateuch is God! has marginalized God to the outer fringes of his thoughts. DEPARTMENTS The Trinity: The Uniqueness of On the Home Front 8 Christianity 20 Larry Oats Filtering Feminism: Reaffirming There is no other religion in the world that 25 God’s Good Plan for Women has a god like our God. Amy D. Herbster Is Nicaea Still Relevant? Regional Reports 10 David Saxon 28 The mystery and complexity of the Trinity On Language & Scripture are not a reflection on God’s inability to 31 Mark L. Ward Jr. communicate clearly. At a Glance God the Holy Spirit 32 A Visit with the Magi 12 Larry Oats Layton Talbert There can be some significant problems with a study of the Holy Spirit. Chaplain Ministry to the United 36 States Coast Guard Job: How Not to Talk about God and Trenten Long 15 Theology Preston Mayes A Biblical Focus When Facing Are Job’s perspectives on suffering the 38 Difficulties primary contribution of the book? Jerry Sivnksty Visit us on the Web at Our sincere thanks to Mark Herbster for coordinating this issue of FrontLine magazine. fbfi.org or proclaimanddefend.org 2 Charles Spurgeon said, Although the finiteness of men’s minds The highest science, the loftiest specula- precludes their ever fully knowing God on tion, the mightiest philosophy, which earth, the fact that God has revealed Himself can ever engage the attention of a child means that God is, in some way, knowable. of God, is the name, the nature, the God has revealed Himself generally through person, the work, the doings, and the His creation (Acts 14:16–17; Rom. 1:20; Ps. existence of the great God who he calls 19:1) and more specifically through the his Father. It is a subject so vast, that all Holy Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16–17) and His our thoughts are lost in its immensity; Son Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1–2). His revelation so deep, that our pride is drowned in its of Himself, however, cannot possibly be infinity. But while the subject humbles comprehended apart from faith in His Word the mind it also expands it.1 leading to genuine salvation in Christ alone (Rom. 10:17). This knowledge of God is not The doctrine of God is the very founda- for intellectual purposes alone but rather to tion of all other theology and is therefore empower a life that is worthy of His Name. called “theology proper.” The word “theol- The goal of the contributors to this issue ogy” itself refers to speech about God. Theos of FrontLine magazine is to connect intel- means “God” and logos means “word.” lect with devotion. The deeper a believer’s In a sense, if you call the doctrine of God understanding of theology, the greater his “theology proper,” all the other subjects you’re going to talk about in Christian doc- commitment should be to live in a way that trine are, in some ways, improperly the- honors God. The bookend articles in this ology—that is to say, we just extend the issue, written by Dr. Matt Walker and Dr. notion of theology to cover all the other Bryan Brock respectively, speak to the neces- fields because we talk about all the other sity and significance of theology proper. Two things in light of their relation to the doc- articles by Dr. Larry Oats and one by Dr. trine of God.2 David Saxon speak concerning the historic Theology proper is a systematic, theologi- trinitarian position of Christian theology. cal approach to the biblical teaching con- Dr. Preston Mayes’ article presents one key cerning God’s existence, His attributes, His aspect of practical application of theology deeds, His Persons, and His interaction with as seen in the Book of Job. mankind. It is a vast and overwhelming May God alone be praised as our under- subject because God is transcendent above standing of Him grows. May each reader be His creation and totally indescribable with motivated to greater awe and adoration for the finite words of men. Psalm 145:5 declares the great God who alone is worthy! that “his greatness is unsearchable,” while —Mark Herbster Romans 11:33 asserts that “his ways [are] ____________________ 1 past finding out.” Job’s rhetorical questions Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “The Immutability about God (“Canst thou by searching find of God,” sermon from Malachi 3:6. 2 out God? canst thou find out the Almighty F. Sanders, “The Doctrine of the Triune God,” unto perfection?” [Job 11:7]) demonstrate in M. Ward, J. Parks, B. Ellis, and T. Hains to us that only God is capable of revealing (eds.), Lexham Survey of Theology (Bellingham, who He is. WA: Lexham Press). 3 ENTIRELY ONLINE Any class. Any time. Anywhere. You can earn a seminary degree from Maranatha Baptist Seminary without leaving the places, people, and ministry that you love. Work from the church office or home office. Join our classes live—or wait and watch later. You’ll receive biblical training from professors who have years of experience shepherding local churches and serving others around the world. Biblical. Flexible. Engaging. Apply online at mbu.edu/seminary or call 920.206.2324 for upcoming start dates. 4 FrontLine • November/December 2019 Maranatha Baptist University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. www.hlcommission.com | 312.263.0456 ENTIRELY ONLINE F B Any class. Any time. JOIN US FOR OUR 100TH ANNUAL FELLOWSHIP Anywhere. Praise for the Past -Foundations for the Future You can earn a seminary degree from Maranatha Baptist Seminary without leaving the places, people, and ministry that you love. Work from the church office or home office. Join our classes live—or wait and watch later. You’ll receive biblical training from professors who have years of JUNE 15-17, 2020 experience shepherding local churches and serving others around the world. Biblical. Flexible. Engaging. Colonial Hills Baptist Church Apply online at mbu.edu/seminary or call 920.206.2324 for upcoming start dates. 8140 Union Chapel Road Indianapolis, IN 46240 FrontLine • November/December 2019 5 Maranatha Baptist University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. www.hlcommission.com | 312.263.0456 Matt Walker Is the Doctrine of God Passé? ineteenth-century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche This is somewhat peculiar, because no one can actually wrote “Gott ist tot” (“God is dead”). His point “do” theology without beginning with God. The word itself, was not a tribute to atheism; it was a criticism of “theology,” is a God-word (Gk., theos). Every theological dis- the Enlightenment. God died, Nietzsche wrote, cussion, whether deep or mundane, must begin with God. N 1 because mankind killed him. Of course, the problem is Theology is not theology if God is not at the forefront. He not that God is actually dead. It is just that He is no longer is the center of all theology, which is why His name is part interesting. Modern man—including many Christians—has of the word. The “-ologies” that are taught in seminary and marginalized God to the outer fringes of his thoughts. Tozer’s the systematics function only because God is at the center of observation, that the most important thing about us is what them: bibliology is a study of the divine revelation of God; we think about when we think about God,2 needs updating. Christology is the study of God incarnate; anthropology and Many go through their day without any thought of God creationism are studies of the material works of God’s power because our culture has relatively little interest in Him (Rom. and creative genius; pneumatology is the study of His Spirit; 1:28). He is not dead. He is passé, out of style. The bestselling and ecclesiology is the study of His Church. Even the theologi- Christian books of 2018 have almost nothing to do with God. cal systems, so disparate at times, begin at the same starting Their focus is on being the right kind of person by addressing point: there is a God, and He has revealed Himself. If man’s such subjects as how to manage money, speak loving words, primary purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever,3 and treat others with respect. While these are all important, what does the fact that we have so little affinity for God and their emphasis is not on God. He is almost entirely left out. almost no real knowledge of Him say about our society?4 6 FrontLine • November/December 2019 God Is Greater Consider God’s ferent worldview, Mormonism has The psalmist marveled at God’s also declared that God and man are creation (Ps. 19:1) before turning his questioning of functionally synonymous. The famous thoughts to God’s law. He writes that statement by Lorenzo Snow, “As man while creation is incredible in both Job (Job 38–41). now is, God once was: as God now is, its beauty and complexity, the law is If God’s questions man may be,” has never been officially without blemish, trustworthy, correct, repudiated. In fact, Joseph Smith once and sincere (vv. 7–8). There is nothing had been a quiz in declared God to be someone who was on earth greater than God’s Word.