Delve
Class Details
Length: 90 minutes
Time: Sunday Afternoons
Date: Feb 28th-April 4th
Format:
- Zoom
- Optional in-person study groups of 2-3 ppl
- Mix of in class teaching, reading and discussion
- Aim is to spend half time diving into content and other half applying & processing it
Class Goals
Mature faith of EEC by:
- Reflecting more deeply about the challenging implications of the gospel
- Practical application of doctrine and theology
- Developing enthusiasm and passion for studying doctrine
- Having a clearer understanding when the word “gospel” is mentioned
- Helping EEC brothers and sisters connect with each other
Systematic Theology: Core Gospel Doctrines
Class Outline
| Session | Topic | Textbook Reference | Questions Covered |
| 1 | Sinfulness of Humanity (Pt. 1) | Chapter 24 | What is sin? Where did it come from? Do we inherit a sinful nature from Adam? Do we inherit guilt from Adam? What is depravity/moral inability? |
| 2 | Sinfulness of Humanity (Pt. 2) | Chapter 24 | What is sin? Where did it come from? Do we inherit a sinful nature from Adam? Do we inherit guilt from Adam? What is depravity/moral inability? |
| 3 | The Person of Christ | Chapter 26 | How is Jesus fully God and fully man, yet one person? In what does Jesus dual nature contribute to salvation? What are common ways people fall into heresy in this area? |
| 4 | The Atonement (Pt. 1) | Chapter 27 | Was it necessary for Christ to die? Did Christ’s earthly life earn any saving benefits for us? The cause and nature of the atonement. |
| 5 | The Atonement (Pt. 2) | Chapter 27 | What does it mean when we say Jesus died for the whole world (limited/unlimited atonement) Did Christ descend into hell? |
| 6 | Resurrection & Ascension | Chapter 28 | What was Christ’s resurrection body like? What is its significance for us? What happened to Christ when he ascended into heaven? What is meant by the states of Jesus Christ? |
What is Systematic Theology?
Any study that answers the question, “What does the whole Bible teach us today?” about any given topic. Systematic theology involves collecting and understanding all the relevant passages in the Bible on various topics and then summarizing their teachings clearly so that Christians know what to believe about each topic. It gives much more accuracy and detail than one would normally arrive at without such a study.
Why Study Theology?
Help us grow as Christians. The more we know about God, about his Word, about his relationships to the world and humankind, the better we will trust him, the more fully we will praise him, and the more readily we will obey him
Bible often connects sound doctrine with maturity in Christian living: Paul speaks of “the teaching that accords with godliness” (1 Tim. 6:3) and says that his work as an apostle is “for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness” (Titus 1:1). By contrast, he indicates that all kinds of disobedience and immorality are “contrary to sound doctrine” (1 Tim. 1:10).
To Disciple others
The task of fulfilling the Great Commission includes therefore not only evangelism but also teaching
The task of teaching all that Jesus commanded us is, in a broad sense, the task of teaching what the whole Bible says to us today. A doctrine is what the whole Bible teaches us today about a particular topic. To effectively teach ourselves and to teach others what the whole Bible says, it is necessary to collect and summarize all the Scripture passages on a particular subject. There simply is not time in our lifetimes to read through the entire Bible looking for an answer for ourselves every time a doctrinal question arises. Therefore, for us to learn what the Bible says, it is very helpful to have the benefit of the work of others who have searched through Scripture and found answers to these various topics. We can teach others most effectively if we can direct them to the most relevant passages and suggest an appropriate summary of the teachings of those passages