Discussion Board Forum (1)
Doctrine of God (THEO 626-B01)
By A.C. Donahue
To appropriately address this discussion, I think it best to do so
from two vantage points. First, in relation to the class at hand – the
Doctrine of God. Second, personally as a follower of Christ.
Doctrine of God
As I was reading, I was struck by a sentence that seemed to focus
the necessity of this course and the pursuit of theology in general – “. .
the heart of all theology is nothing less than to know God, and to make
him known”.[1]Therefore, my primary theological goal is to know the
Triune God.
That knowledge is of no benefit – even to me – if it is not shared
with others. That is the essence of Jesus’ Great Commission – “go and
make disciples”. We gain knowledge; then ‘go’; and pass that knowledge
on to others ‘making them disciples’ in the process. As theology – knowing
God – changes our lives, so should its natural result be to communicate
that positive change to others so that their lives may be changed as well.
Do I seek a specific answer from this course? No, but what has
been made clear by my theological studies to date is that I woefully knew
very little about God and His Word. So, my goal for this course would be to
know God – the Father, Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit – better than
when I started. If I am a good student and come before the throne of God
expecting, then the result should be a better experience in my
relationship with God.
Personal Spiritual Growth And Awareness
For some time now, I have been enamored by Enoch. In Genesis
5:21-24 (NIV) we read:
When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah.
After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with
God300 years and had other sons and daughters.Altogether, Enoch lived
a total of 365 years.Enoch walked faithfully with God;then he was no
more, because God took him away. (See alsoHeb. 5:5,6)
My personal life’s goal spiritually, therefore, is to be found ‘walking
faithfully with God’.
The specific question that naturally arises from Enoch’s story is,
what does it mean to ‘walk faithfully with God’? In Enoch’s example, it
certainly means to do so long term or consistently. One would also have
to imagine that this was Enoch’s consuming thought every moment of his
life – How do I please God?; How do I glorify God?; How can I praise and
worship God?; How can I make God known to others? Enoch’s life
belonged solely to God. Was Enoch perfect? No. Enoch’s faithfulness,
however, demonstrated that when he fell short of God’s law he got up;
dusted himself off; and began his faith walk with God anew.
Given that my long-term goal is to be a minister to men, I would
very much like to share what I learn about Enoch with other men in a book
or a teaching series. Can you imagine the impact of ‘men walking
faithfully with God’ within our families, in our churches, in our
communities and around the globe?
These thoughts remind me of a story out of Francis Chan’s
bookCrazy Love:
As a pastor, I’m often called upon when life “vanishes like a mist.” One of
the most powerful examples I’ve seen of this was Stan Gerlach, a
successful businessman who was well known in the community. Stan was
giving a eulogy at a memorial service when he decided to share the
gospel. At the end of his message, Stan told the mourners, “You never
know when God is going to take your life. At that moment, there’s nothing
you can do about it. Are you ready?” Then Stan sat down, fell over, and
died.[2]
How awesome it would be teaching about Enoch and the idea of walking
faithfully with God at a men’s conference and suddenly . . [mic drop] . . I
am gone.
[1]Gerald Bray,The Doctrine of God, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press, 1993), 24.
[2]Francis Chan,Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God(Colorado
Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2013), 48. Accessed May 17, 2021. ProQuest
Ebook Central.
