Fundamental Thoughts about Theology & Philosophy

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” – 2 Timothy 3:16

In this blog, I will be teaching fundamental thoughts of professors, philosophers, and theologians of history. Through my research, I want you to become inspired by truth. After this read, you will hopefully be able to quote scripture and resources more efficiently and be able to think, reflect, and conclude upon your logic.

Having a foundation of philosophical and theological thought, will allow you to grow in your faith, career, and purpose.

Philosophical Thought

Truths about God do not begin where philosophy ends; they are the telos (purpose) of the whole philosophical enterprise. Theology defends “scientific/philosophical” truths against attack, will show that they do not conflict, and is a vehicle of truth for the ones who accept faith at its starting points.

Thomas sees philosophy as the necessary instrument for a meditation on faith that exemplifies faith seeking understanding.

God creates by talking, is the logos (Word), and can be proven to exist by natural reason, image, and likeness. The Creator makes Himself known through creation, then the Good Book, and then ultimately through Jesus Christ. Interestingly enough, philosophers actively sought to understand the logos: The rational principle, divine order, and structure of the universe. My thought is that philosophers of antiquity knew “God” existed but did not believe in the Old Testament God/Jesus, so they could never comprehend Him.

John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

We are able to understand the logos through Jesus!

Thomas Aquinas argues that perfection is possible, because the more you understand and become knowledgeable, the easier or simpler it is to explain. He suggests that because we perceive degrees of goodness and perfection, there must exist a maximum standard of perfection that CAUSES these qualities.

For example, to say a room is warmer than another, requires an understanding of the “hottest.” To say something is more perfect, or more good, implies a standard of absolute perfection that must exist.

So, if some of the truths about God that have been revealed to us and known, then it is reasonable to accept other truths about God found in a revelation that cannot be thoroughly known.

This is where philosophy comes in, which ultimately tries to prove the existence of God.

God does not need us, as He was without us for infinity. Rather, He created us so He could show His perfect mercy and grace. God created the world from a desire to work in a manner that fills needs and reacts to no obligation or entitlements. God created this beautiful world as a gift for humanity.

God shows grace to people who hope, and wait, and trust in Him.

Old Testament & New Testament

The Old Testament, with its laws and prophets, set a baseline for the disgust of the times, and the grace coming in the future.

As you have heard that the whole Bible is about Jesus, this can be confirmed through correlation, prophecy, and the need for a savior due to the weakness of the flesh. As Matthew and Isaiah correlate for Incarnation, Luke and Jeremiah for Passion, Mark and Ezekiel for Resurrection, and John and David being of prophetic spirit; it all leads back to Jesus. The Old Testament, through the fall of man, prepares you for the Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament prophets prepare you for the New Testament gospel.

The Old Testament commands, and the New Testament helps.

Jesus fulfilled the law of Moses through his grace and commands you to follow Him and His truth. The power of Jesus Christ’s grace is symbolized by God’s wrath on Israel through the words of the prophets. The people of Jerusalem and Judah had fallen astray and could not convince God to spare them from destruction. Therefore, it took a divine sacrifice, of the one begotten Son, to save the souls and sins of man.

No worldly sacrifice sufficed, it had to be from Jesus’ divine grace and power.

What we believe about God shapes and reflect what we believe about everything else. We give God worship, reliance, honor, to show our love for Him. He shows us love by mercy, support, and protection. The law was given to Moses, to show that He will work for you if you are loyal to Him. The Ten Commandments are not a job description, rather, a doctor prescription.

This is where the pagan religions get it wrong, they think that humanity must be slaves to God. But our God, our Father, works for us.

All we must do is believe in Jesus as God and be obedient to the Word.

Conclusion

The study of Aquinas in his “Selected Writings,” and the words of Dr. Westblake at Hillsdale College allowed for me to come to my own conclusion about the fundamental thoughts of theology. The importance of thinking this profoundly about the God we must transform our lives for is a necessity.

Nobody changes if the end goal is unknown.

I pray that you learned much today and have been lit on fire for the Lord. Being able to learn more about the God we love, allows us to grow as a person spiritually, mentally, and rhetorically. The more we know, the more we trust, and the more we trust, the more we want to convert others to THE truth.

This is our goal as people.

God bless.

Key Terms:

Wisdom – Knowledge of the first principles and causes; but the first principles and causes are divine.

Philosophy – Strives towards knowledge of the divine, and if successful, ends as theology.

Knowledge – Discourse whose conclusion shares in the necessity of the premises from which it follows.

Science – Demonstrative reasoning or apodictic discourse.

Faith – The acceptance as true of what the mind cannot comprehend.

Theology – Inevitable effort to diminish the strangeness by putting what is believed into juxtaposition with what is known.

Ontology – The philosophical study of being, existence, and structure of reality.

Cosmology – The study of the nature of the universe.

Neoplatonism – All existence emanates from a single, transcendent source.