A Biblical Framework for Facing the Intellectual, Moral and Spiritual Challenges of the 21st Century

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A Biblical Framework for Facing the
Intellectual,Moral and Spiritual Challengesof
the 21st Century

• Charles A. Clough
• January 21-23, 2005
• Hosted by
• West Houston Bible Church

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Shall I Bow To My Creator?

• NO!
• ancient myths
• eastern religions
• western philosophy
• modern theology
• Continuity of Being
• nature gt gods gt man
• transmutation / evolution
• IMPERSONAL FATE / CHANCE
• ultimate victimization

• YES!
• ancient monotheism
• ancient Israel
• Bible
• Fundamentalism
• CREATOR/creature
• God man nature
• everlasting distinctions
• PERSONAL SOVEREIGN
• ultimate responsibility

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UNBELIEF SWALLOWING UP A BIT OF THE WORD OF GOD
Unbelief reinterpreting the Word of God within
its own categories
A portion of the Word of God presented to unbelief
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CHRISTOLOGICAL CONTROVERSY
MODALISM
JESUS CHRIST WHOLLY GOD DISTINCT FROM THE
FATHER TRINITY
UNITARIANISM
SOLITARY
MONOTHEISM
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THE HOLY SPIRITS ENVELOPMENTAL STRATEGY THROUGH
CHURCH GROWTH IN THE WORD OF GOD
CONTINUITY OF BEING
NT CANON gt signs/wonders
IDEALISTIC LOGIC
TRINITY PERSON OF CHRIST
ARBITRARY JUSTICE
CROSS SATISFACTION OF DIVINE JUSTICE
HUMAN MERIT
JUSTIFICATION SOLA FIDE
DIVINE STATE-SAVIOR
ECCLESIOLOGY ESCHATOLOGY
NATURAL HISTORY
UNIVERSAL HISTORY CREATIONISM
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.
WHERE DOES INFORMATION
RESIDE ?
.
.
-
-
-
.
.
.
in symbols or in the minds that interpret the
symbols?
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GODS STANDARD MEANING
Bs idea
As idea
Audible words
Do A and B ideas impute to the audible words the
same God-given meaning?
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GODS STANDARD MEANING
Bs idea
As idea
Audible words
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CLARIFYING MEANING UNDER HOSTILE CONDITIONS
CONTRAST Truth vs. Vanity (arbitrary
foundation, self-contradictory) Doctrinal
Categorical Aspect RANGE of MEANING Revealed
Facts vs. Fog (avoidance of facts) Exegetical
Historical/Scientific Aspect CONTEXT Gods
Plan vs. Various Pagan Religion/Philosophies
(thousands with common base) Worldview Aspect
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You cant say anything about anything without
saying something about everything
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KNOWLEDGE OR FAITH ?
I believe that. . . or I know that. .
. Julian Huxley I believe firmly that the
scientific method, although slow and never
claiming to lead to complete truth, is the only
method which. . .will give satisfactory
foundation for beliefs We quite assuredly at
present know nothing beyond this world and
natural experience.
REALITY
APPEARANCE
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We dont know anything for sure, except that the
Bible cant be true.
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Shall I Bow To My Creator?

• NO!
• ancient myths
• eastern religions
• western philosophy
• modern theology
• Continuity of Being
• nature gt gods gt man
• transmutation / evolution
• IMPERSONAL FATE / CHANCE
• ultimate victimization

• YES!
• ancient monotheism
• ancient Israel
• Bible
• Fundamentalism
• CREATOR/creature
• God man nature
• everlasting distinctions
• PERSONAL SOVEREIGN
• ultimate responsibility

15
UNBELIEF SWALLOWING UP A BIT OF THE WORD OF GOD
Unbelief reinterpreting the Word of God within
its own categories
A portion of the Word of God presented to unbelief
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KEY EVENTS DOCTRINAL IMAGES

• God, man, nature
• Evil, suffering
• Judgment / Salvation
• God, man, nature
• Election, Justification, Faith
• Judgment / Salvation
• Revelation, Inspiration, Canon
• Sanctification
• Sanctification
• Sanctification
• Sanctification
• Sanctification, Religion
• Canon, prayer. . . .

• Creation
• Fall
• Flood
• Covenant
• Call of Abraham
• Exodus
• Mt. Sinai
• Conquest Settlement
• Rise and Reign of David
• Golden Era of Solomon
• Division Decline of Kgdm
• Fall of Kgdm Exile
• Restoration. . . . .

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ALL POSSIBLE FACTS ? PLAN OF GOD
?
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The FRAMEWORK guides one in STRATEGICALLY
MANEUVERING against unbelief by exploiting
DIMENSIONS of MEANING. It thus exposes areas
needing REPENTANCE in order to stimulate strong
Biblical FAITH
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THE BURIED FOUNDATION
CREATION
God
Man
Nature
FALL
Evil Suffering
Judgment / Salvation
FLOOD
God
COVENANT
Man
Nature
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Shall I Bow To My Creator?

• NO!
• ancient myths
• eastern religions
• western philosophy
• modern theology
• Continuity of Being
• nature gt gods gt man
• transmutation / evolution
• IMPERSONAL FATE / CHANCE
• ultimate victimization

• YES!
• ancient monotheism
• ancient Israel
• Bible
• Fundamentalism
• CREATOR/creature
• God man nature
• everlasting distinctions
• PERSONAL SOVEREIGN
• ultimate responsibility

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(No Transcript)
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THE BURIED FOUNDATION
CREATION
God
Man
Nature
FALL
Evil Suffering
Judgment / Salvation
FLOOD
God
COVENANT
Man
Nature
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Who Has the REAL Evil Problem?
Christian
Good/Evil Mix is Abnormal Temporary
Good
8
8
Creator
Good
Good



creation
Evil
Evil
J
Cr
F
Pagan
Good/Evil Mix is Forever Normal
Good
8
8
Evil
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THE BURIED FOUNDATION
CREATION
God
Man
Nature
FALL
Evil Suffering
Judgment / Salvation
FLOOD
God
COVENANT
Man
Nature
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THE DISRUPTIVE KINGDOM
CALL OF ABRAHAM
Election
Justification
Faith
Judgment / Salvation
EXODUS
(Blood Atonement)
MT. SINAI
Revelation
Inspiration
Canonicity
CONQUEST SETTLEMENT
Sanctification
RISE REIGN OF DAVID
Sanctification
(Confession Restoration)
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Who Has the REAL Evil Problem?
Christian
Good/Evil Mix is Abnormal Temporary
Good
8
8
Creator
Good
Good



creation
Evil
Evil
J
Cr
F
Pagan
Good/Evil Mix is Forever Normal
Good
8
8
Evil
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THE DISRUPTIVE KINGDOM
CALL OF ABRAHAM
Election
Justification
Faith
Judgment / Salvation
EXODUS
(Blood Atonement)
MT. SINAI
Revelation
Inspiration
Canonicity
CONQUEST SETTLEMENT
Sanctification
RISE REIGN OF DAVID
Sanctification
(Confession Restoration)
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THE BURIED FOUNDATION
CREATION
God
Man
Nature
FALL
Evil Suffering
Judgment / Salvation
FLOOD
God
COVENANT
Man
Nature
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THE DISRUPTIVE KINGDOM
CALL OF ABRAHAM
Election
Justification
Faith
Judgment / Salvation
EXODUS
(Blood Atonement)
MT. SINAI
Revelation
Inspiration
Canonicity
CONQUEST SETTLEMENT
Sanctification
RISE REIGN OF DAVID
Sanctification
(Confession Restoration)
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THE KINGS DISCIPLINE
GOLDEN ERA OF SOLOMON
Sanctification (Growth Wisdom)
KINGDOM DIVIDED
Sanctification (Chastening Repentance)
Sanctification (Chastening,Repentance, Final
Cleansing)
KINGDOMS IN DECLINE
EXILE
Sanctification (Separation) Revelation /
Inspiration (Apocalyptic Literature)
Canonicity (Preservation of the Text) Prayer
Eschatology (premillennialism)
RESTORATION
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EXILED JEWS WORLD INFLUENCE??
( from 600 B.C. to 500 B.C.)
Judaism (from Babylon)
Philosophy (via Egypt?)
Zoroasterianism (Persia) Taoism (China) Jainism
(India) Confucianism (China) Buddhism (via
India) Vedanta Monism (India)
( All anti-supernatural and ethically focused )
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THE KINGS DISCIPLINE
GOLDEN ERA OF SOLOMON
Sanctification (Growth Wisdom)
KINGDOM DIVIDED
Sanctification (Chastening Repentance)
Sanctification (Chastening,Repentance, Final
Cleansing)
KINGDOMS IN DECLINE
EXILE
Sanctification (Separation) Revelation /
Inspiration (Apocalyptic Literature)
Canonicity (Preservation of the Text) Prayer
Eschatology (premillennialism)
RESTORATION
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THE KING AS CREATOR CREATURE
BIRTH
Hypostatic Union
Kenosis Impeccability Infallibility
LIFE
Substitutionary Blood Atonement
DEATH
Glorification
RESURRECTION
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THE KING AS CREATOR CREATURE
BIRTH
Hypostatic Union
Kenosis Impeccability Infallibility
LIFE
Substitutionary Blood Atonement
DEATH
Glorification
RESURRECTION
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Who Has the REAL Evil Problem?
Christian
Good/Evil Mix is Abnormal Temporary
Good
8
8
Creator
Good
Good



creation
Evil
Evil
J
Cr
F
Pagan
Good/Evil Mix is Forever Normal
Good
8
8
Evil
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THE KINGS QUALIFYING CAMPAIGN
Judgment / Salvation (Last days begin)
ASCENSION SESSION
Person Work of the Holy Spirit Sanctification
PENTECOST
Dispensations (Israelology Ecclesiology)
EMERGENCE OF THE CHURCH
Historical Theology (doctrinal clarification)
MATURING OF THE CHURCH
DESTINY OF THE CHURCH
Eschatology (Rapture, Bema, Return)
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OT Imagery of the Session of the Son
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The King Individually Qualified
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THE KINGS QUALIFYING CAMPAIGN
Judgment / Salvation (Last days begin)
ASCENSION SESSION
Person Work of the Holy Spirit Sanctification
PENTECOST
Dispensations (Israelology Ecclesiology)
EMERGENCE OF THE CHURCH
Historical Theology (doctrinal clarification)
MATURING OF THE CHURCH
DESTINY OF THE CHURCH
Eschatology (Rapture, Bema, Return)
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The Kings Body Becoming Qualified
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THE KINGS QUALIFYING CAMPAIGN
Judgment / Salvation (Last days begin)
ASCENSION SESSION
Person Work of the Holy Spirit Sanctification
PENTECOST
Dispensations (Israelology Ecclesiology)
EMERGENCE OF THE CHURCH
Historical Theology (doctrinal clarification)
MATURING OF THE CHURCH
DESTINY OF THE CHURCH
Eschatology (Rapture, Bema, Return)
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Fully The King and His Body Qualified to Begin
the Kingdom of God on Earth
You are worthy to take the scroll and to open
its seals For you were slain, and have redeemed
us to God by your blood out of every tribe and
tongue and people and nation And have made us
kings and priests to our God And we shall reign
on the earth. Rev. 59-10
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UNBELIEF FORCED INTO A CONTRAST IN MANY AREAS
SIMULTANEOUSLY
Unbelief challenged in each of its categories
needed to reinterpret the Word of God
A portion of the Word of God presented to
unbelief as part of a network
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cclough _at_ bellatlantic.net