“Theology is like a map. Merely learning and thinking about the Christian doctrines, if you stop there, is less real and less exciting than the sort of thing my friend got in the desert. Doctrines are not God: they are only a kind of map. But that map is based on the experience of hundreds of people who really were in touch with God--experiences compared with which many thrills of pious feelings you and I are likely to get on our own are very elementary and very confused. And secondly, if you want to get any further you must use the map.”
- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Principle II: Predetermined Glory
The History of Scripture is built on an objective. The work anticipates the crown of its fruition. The Scriptures tell us that all things are made for something in particular. That motive, found in God alone, preceded the work and is unchanging until the very end.
Principle III: The Fall
However, this sinful condition can be difficult to shed light on. So, the intent here is to observe and understand this Fall in it’s entirety as an effect laid against the previous principle where God makes clear the purpose humanity would serve. The fall attempts to obstruct, or obscure what God purposed in His work. It would do good then to define all that led to the fall, and make clear the overall effect of the fall.
Principle IV: The Devil
This is a record in regard of the devil, Satan, the serpent, the god of this age, the prince of the power of the air, and the angel that has disguised himself in light. The man and his wife were not alone in the garden. In the created order, humanity was paired with ministers of light and flame in the make of the angels. But regarding the devil, what can we say?
Principle V: Abraham’s Promise
The devil determined to disqualify humanity by death through sin. Humanity, in their condemnation and sin, turned away from the knowledge of God not knowing their purpose and neither understanding the labor of God, because none looked to Him. None looked to His end, but only and always to their own. But God does not relent. He knows our danger, and He would make a way to redeem the work through the righteousness attained by faith because, “without faith it is impossible to please Him.”
Principle VII: The Gentile Inclusion
However, we see something interesting happen in the New Testament. The Gentiles are not only “grafted in", but made equal, and many Jews are refused. The Scriptures make it explicit that the Christ, Who was born of Israel, came first for the Jews. How is it that the Gentile people have gained prominence over Israel?