Theology
Theology comes from a Greek word that means "study of God." Theology is simply humanity's attempt to understand God as He is revealed in the Bible.
1. Biblical Theology is the method of theology that deals with the process of the self-revelation of God deposited (progressive) in the Bible. It is the perspective of understanding the progressive history of God revealing himself to Man. Biblical theology (God’s revelation to man) can be summarized by Heb 1:1-3.
Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he made the universe and everything in it. The Son reflects God's own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command. After he died to cleanse us from the stain of sin, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven. (Heb 1:1-3 nlt)
2. Covenant Theology is a conceptual overview and interpretive method of understanding the overall flow of the Bible centered around God’s revelation of Himself and His requirements of man as a covenant relationship.
Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and constantly loves those who love him and obey his commands. (Deut 7:9)
There are a number of different views of how many covenants God has established, however the above reference uses the singular form of the word covenant. One can view this covenant relation of a single covenant with the “New Covenant” as the antitype (fulfillment) and the Old Testament covenant revelations as types.
However many view God’s covenant relationship as three covenants:
· the Covenant of Redemption
· the Covenant of Works
· the Covenant of Grace
Most covenant theologians view covenant theology to be in direct contrast to Dispensational theology. Many covenant theologians believe that God has abandoned the promises made to the Jews and has replaced the Jews with Christians (church) as His Chosen People in the earth (replacement theology).
3. Dispensational Theology can be defined very simply as a system of theology that develops the Bible’s philosophy of history representing the whole of Scripture as being covered by several dispensations of God’s rule. "A religious order or system instituted in a progressive manner, expressly adapted to the needs of a particular period of time". A dispensation (period of time) is a particular (different) way of God administering His rule over the world as He progressively works out His purpose for world history.
Each dispensation makes mankind responsible to obey God in accordance with the dispensation’s unique ruling factor or combination of factors of that period. A dispensationalist sees the progressive revelation of God superceding the previous and not adding to it. Where many covenant theologians see each covenant revelation adding to the previous ones.
4. Systematic Theology is systematic because it involves the organization of biblical teachings on a logical basis (around doctrines).
5. Practical Theology way the Word of God impinges on people's lives. It is the application of Biblical truths in the lives of people.
Four Soils Ministry’s Preaching School tries not to force a theology upon the student, but make the student aware of the differences and how they impact Bible interpretation, while allowing the student to maintain or develop (choose) they own theology.
All of the above theologies are discussed through out our study of the Bible. We continuly ask the questions about how different school of theology influence the interpretation of certain Biblical doctrines.