The Truth About The Christ (Click here to see the
entire Christology
Table of Contents )
There is no better introduction to the
doctrine of
Christ than is found in God's first sentence to the Hebrews.
God, who at sundry times and in
divers manners spake
in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last
days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all
things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of
his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all
things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our
sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made
so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a
more excellent name than they.
Hebrews 1:1-4
The doctrine of Christ is foundational to
everything one
is to know in theology. It is “first principle” it
is “milk”
and it is what brings us to “strong meat.”
Of whom we have many things to
say, and hard to be
uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye
ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be
the first principles of the oracles of God; and are
become
such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one
that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is
a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even
those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern
both good and evil. Therefore leaving the principles of the
doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection...
Hebrews 5:11-14, 6:1a
The most central theme of a thorough
systematic theology
is the doctrine of Christ. In segregating systems of the key
'ologies'
of the whole revelation of God for a thorough analysis, it is
Christology which interfaces with every other system. It is indeed
central. In order of our topic coverage, it may rank in third place,
behind Bibliology, and Theology Proper, but it is prima-facie the
principle and central doctrine of God's whole revelation. Bibliology
sets the foundation for all Bible doctrine, and Theology
Proper presides as a grand overview of all Bible theology, but
Christology is the central key to all theology and all doctrine.
Whatever is to be gleaned from a discourse on Pneumatology, the
doctrine of the Holy Spirit, and certainly all Anthropology,
Hamartiology, Soteriology, studying the doctrine of man, sin, and
salvation, must find its root in a discourse on the redeemer of
mankind, the Christ. Ecclesiology and Eschatology, the doctrine of
His Church and the doctrine of last things, yea, even ones
Angelology, the study of His angels, springs with rapture from the
study of the person of the Christ. It is, therefore, needful to
dwell here, on the person of the Christ, and make it a true “ology.”
A systematic
theology must first have as its
foundation a true and rich Bible doctrine. From that foundation a
discourse must systematically analyze such doctrine, keeping it pure
from its detractors, and evaluating its fit into the larger arena of
theology. Detractors from truth are myriad from outside but fall
under three major considerations when guarding against internal
sabotage. The first is Roman Catholic religion which has always
directly opposed Bible truth; second the Protestant Reformers, who
are supposed to have come back to Bible truth, but, subtly, they
carry the Roman error as concealed weapons; and third the
post-modernist ecumenical Bible correctors who make a pretense of
using textual criticism and modern language to "fix" what
they suppose God was unable to preserve. These three are primary
enemies to Bible doctrine, Roman, directly, reformed, more
subliminally, and ecumenical Bible correctors, very shrewdly.
Exposing their pernicious ways is not generally the focus of a Bible
doctrines book, and in a world where Bible doctrine is under constant
attack, a careful type of systematic theology needs be developed.
Herein a solid Biblical doctrine must form the basis and starting
point for a purified systematic theology.
There is no truer, or more thorough,
published, Baptist,
and Biblical doctrine than that of Dr. Mark G. Cambron.
His teachings on Christology at Tennessee Temple Bible School
thoroughly lay the foundation for this systematic theology. His
book, Bible Doctrines
will, with the permission of the Cambron Institute,
be given in block quotes throughout this effort. The book is readily
available through http://www.thecambroninstitute.org
, and it forms the foundational basis for this systematic theology.
The Names of
Christ
www.truthaboutthechrist.com/thetruthaboutthechrist/names.html
Christology
Table of Contents