Stumbled on a Soteriology 101 video asking if I am “right” about Matthew 23:37, so we dealt pretty fully with that new presentation for the first ninety minutes, then touched upon some other topics including Bart Barber’s amazing defense of Ed Litton. Mega edition, two full hours! I head out on Road Trip #2, heading for G3, so programs for

We had a problem getting things to work back home and had to restart, but we go through a full discussion of Calvin’s view of the Father, Son and Spirit in the Institutes, I:XIII:19-21. Gave a good bit of background information, too. An important study, I hope you will be blessed! Also, I gave to quotes, one each from Blaise Pascal and John Flavel, which I provide here:Reason’s last step is the recognition that there are an infinite number of things which are beyond it. It is merely feeble if it does not go as far as to realize that.Blaise Pascal, Pensees 188I know there is nothing in the Word or in the works of God that is repugnant to sound reason, but there are some things which are opposite to carnal reason, as well as above right reason; and therefore our reason never shows itself more unreasonable than in summoning those things to its bar which transcend its sphere and capacity.John Flavel
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There is an increasing emphasis today on the primacy of Aristotelian (or Thomistic) Metaphysical Philosophy in the formulation of the Christian Creeds. I have seen some statements such as “like, [Greek philosophy is] the grounding for literally all the creeds.” as well as this from a friend “any time you are teaching the Nicene creed, or any reformed confession with language based on the ancient creeds, you are by necessity teaching a ‘Christian Aristotelianism’”. This from my friend was followed with “I agree that they are wholly Biblical”.Since the Nicene Creed was specifically mentioned as “teaching a ‘Christian Aristotelianism’” and it would be included in “literally all the creeds” for which Greek philosophy is the “grounding”, I would like to take a moment to look at what the grounding for it actually is. I have been wanting to post about this for a while and I have finally put together a table containing the phrases from the Nicene Creed alongside some Scriptural references.Upon even a cursory review, nearly every phrase of the Nicene Creed is found in Special Revelation. As it stands in contrast to Natural Revelation (or as it is sometimes referred to as Natural Theology – grounded in Aristotelian Metaphysical Philosophy which discusses an existence of a Primary Deity), we see that the Nicene Creed (and the Apostles’ Creed, for that matter) are grounded in Scripture – “wholly Biblical”, if you will.This leads me to a brief discussion of some terminology as I would understand it, and as reason would have one understand it. I take words such as “the grounding for” to mean that it is “primary”. If something is “primary”, then it would be the main basis for something. As such, and in the statement above, “Greek philosophy” would be the “primary” means for not only understanding but actually formulating “all the creeds”. This would mean that Scripture is relegated to a secondary place behind the primary grounding. Lest I be accused of exaggeration, we have statements such as this: “some of the most important divine attributes (such as simplicity, immutability, and impassibility) are only known through natural theology, and can only be affirmed through the interaction of natural and biblical theology.” (emphasis mine) This is the same sentiment that we see highlighted above with the Creeds. Certainly the secondary is important, but it begs the question of why someone wouldn’t naturally state, at least for summaries of the Christian faith like the Creeds, that Scripture is the primary grounding for the Creeds.But I digress. I would like to direct you to the table below and would welcome any input. The only phrases that would give us trouble in finding direct citations from Scripture would be “God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God” as well as the general concept of “substance”. However, if we have understood Scripture rightly in its statements regarding Christ being One with the Father (and the preceding sections of the Nicene Creed), then such statements would necessarily follow. Then, secondary means, such as philosophical discussions of being or matter, could aid in how we would explain what we already understand from Special Revelation.Nicene CreedScripture ReferenceI believe in one GodDeuteronomy 6:4 the Father AlmightyRomans 8:15Job 11:7Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.Genesis 1:1Job 38And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,John 3:161 John 4:9begotten of the Father before all worlds;John 1:14Psalm 2:7Hebrews 1:5God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God;Hebrews 1:3Psalm 27:1, 1 John 1:5, John 8:12John 12:41begotten, not made,John 1:14Psalm 2:7Hebrews 1:5being of one substance with the Father,John 10:30John 17:11, 22by whom all things were madeJohn 1:3Colossians 1:15-17Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven,John 17:22-24and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary,Luke 2:35and was made man;Philippians 2:5-10and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate;John 19:1-13He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures;John 19:1, 16, 38-41John 20:1-18and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father;Acts 1:9-11Acts 2:33and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead;Revelation 11:18Revelation 19:11-16Revelation 20:12-13whose kingdom shall have no end.Luke 1:33And I believe in the Holy Ghost,John 14:16-17the Lord and Giver of Life;John 20:221 Corinthians 12:3Ephesians 2:18-19who proceeds from the Father [and the Son];John 14:16, 26John 15:26who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified;Romans 15:162 Corinthians 13:14Ephesians 4:30who spoke by the prophets.Ephesians 3:5And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church.Ephesians 2:20Ephesians 5:22-24I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins;Ephesians 4:4-6and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.1 Corinthians 15:21, 42Revelation 20:5-6Revelation 21-22