Bad Things, Good God| Difficult Conversations Week 2 | Chad Fagundes

Definition: Systematic Theology is the discipline of studying and organizing the teachings of Scripture in a coherent and comprehensive way. It involves examining all of what the Bible says about a particular topic (such as God, sin, salvation, or the church), and then arranging those teachings into an orderly system. This approach is holistic—it seeks to interpret Scripture in light of Scripture, considering the entire biblical witness rather than isolated passages.

(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

Matthew 15:21-28

“21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” 25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. 26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.”(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

• How do I start developing systematic theology?

1. Start with the Right Posture

Be okay with tension

Pursue truth with humility(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

2. Anchor Yourself in Scripture

Read the whole Bible regularly

Study

Look for patterns or themes across the entire Bible(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

3. Ask Good Theological Questions

What does the Bible say about God’s nature?

How is salvation accomplished?

Why did Jesus have to be both fully God and fully man?

What is the purpose of the church?

Don’t be afraid to wrestle with hard questions. Honest doubt and curiosity are often the birthplace of deep faith(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

• • “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world”- CS Lewis (The Problem with Pain)
  • You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end–which you can never afford to lose–with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.” -Vice Admiral James Stockdale (MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

• Stockdale Paradox(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

• We have a future and a hope but that hope is to a brutal fact.(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

• What is the brutal fact of Christianity?(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

• There is a relationship between sin and suffering. (MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

• There is a relationship between sin and suffering. John 9:1-5 NIV(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

Christians have that God doesn’t allow bad things to happen to good people. In fact just the opposite, christians believe that the worst possible thing happen to the best possible person. (MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

Romans 5:17 NIV (MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

Grace: (MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

GIft of Righteousness: (MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

• Philippians 2:6 NIV(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

• Hebrews 4:15 NIV (MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

• Hebrews 4:16 NIV (MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

• Romans 8:18 NIV(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)