Christian Theology

A Systematic Presentation

by P. B. Fitzwater, D. D.

Summary

This is a 69 chapter systematic theology book which has sections on Holy Scriptures, Theology Proper, Anthropology, Deontology (duties), Soteriology, Ecclesiology, and Eschatology.

Note that I did not follow his outlining through the work. It appears to me that some of his points are miss numbered. I do not think that there is material missing, just simply when he has a list of a, b, c, points under major point I., a lot of times he skips listing the a and goes directly into the text of a, and then list “b.” which causes some confusion. I did not attempt to fix this.

Evaluation by David Cox

Fitzwater was a doctrines teacher at Moody Bible Institute, so based on that I would suppose that the present work is very sound. It is very detailed so, I would consider this to be an excellent systematic theology. I would recommend this work.

Chapter Content

PREFACE ……… 7.
Introduction
DEFINITION OF THEOLOGY ………. 19.
Relation of Theology to Other Branches of Science ………. 19.
Relation of Theology to Human Reason ……… 19.
POSSIBILITY OF THEOLOGY ………. 20.
Existence of a Personal God Who Created and Controls the Universe ………. 20.
Existence of Man Bearing the Likeness and Image of God Who Can Apprehend Him ………. 20.
God Has Revealed Himself as Revealed in the Scriptures ………. 20.

THE ANTECEDENT REQUIREMENTS OF THEOLOGY ………. 20.
The Historical Verification of the Canonical Books of the Bible ……… 20.
An Exegesis of the Bible Text ………. 20.
Biblical Theology ………. 20.
THE IMPERATIVE NEED FOR THEOLOGY ………. 21.
The Demands of the Constitution of the Human Mind ………. 21.
Its Bearing on Christian Character ………. 21.
In the True Understanding of Christianity ………. 21.
The Need for a Vital Christian Message ………. 22.
Relation to the Propagation of the Christian Faith ………. 22.
THE DIVISIONS OF THEOLOGY ………. 23.

Part One
THE SOURCE OF THEOLOGY — THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

I. THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE ………. 27.
The Meaning of Canon ………. 27.
How the Canon Was Formed ………. 27.
Formation of the Old Testament Canon ………. 28.
Formation of the New Testament Canon ………. 28.
II. PROOFS FOR THE GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY OF THE BIBLE ………. 31.
Printed Copies of the Scriptures ………. 32.
Manuscripts ………. 33.
Translations ………. 34.
III. THE INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE ………. 36.
Definition ………. 36.
Common Theories of Inspiration ………. 37.
Proof of the Inspiration of the Scriptures ………. 38.
Some Objections to the Inspiration of the Scriptures ………. 60.

Part Two
THEOLOGY PROPER — THE GODHEAD

DEFINITION ………. 64.
I. IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF GOD ………. 65.
It’s Magnitude ………. 65.
The Effect of Ignorance Concerning God ………. 65.
II. WHO IS GOD? ………. 69.
III. THE BEING OF GOD ………. 72.
IV. THE NATURE OF GOD AS REVEALED IN HIS NAMES ………. 75.
V. THE NATURE OF GOD AS REVEALED IN HIS ATTRIBUTES ………. 81.
VI. THE TRINITY OF GOD ………. 86.
VII. GOD THE FATHER ………. 90.
VIII. GOD THE SON ………. 111.
IX. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT ………. 179.
X. THE PURPOSE OF GOD ………. 224.
XI. THE DETERMINATE COUNSEL OF GOD ………. 236.
XII. THE WORKS OF GOD ………. 243.
Creation ………. 243.
The Universe ………. 243.
Personal Beings ………. 249.
Preservation ………. 280.
Miracles ………. 282.
The Providence of God ………. 288.
Definition ………. 288.
Proof of Divine Providence ………. 289.

Part Three
ANTHROPOLOGY

DEFINITION ………. 298.
I. ERRONEOUS VIEWS CONCERNING MAN ………. 299.
II. THE ORIGIN OF MAN ………. 303.
III. THE UNITY OF THE HUMAN RACE ………. 305.
IV. THE CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS OF MAN ………. 308.
V. MAN’S PRIMITIVE STATE ………. 311.
VI. THE FALL OF MAN ………. 315.
VII. SIN IN RELATION TO THE UNIVERSE ………. 320.
VIII. THE DESTINY OF MAN ………. 326.

Part Four
Deontology

DEFINITION ………. 348.
I. FUNDAMENTAL POSTULATES OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS ………. 349.
II. THE NATURE OF GOD’S LAW ………. 355.
The Circumstance of the Giving of the Law ………. 355.
Law Given for Government of a Theocratic People ………. 356.
Purpose of the Law ………. 357.
III. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT ………. 360.
IV. THE SECOND COMMANDMENT ………. 365.
V. THE THIRD COMMANDMENT………. 368.
VI. THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT ………. 371.
VII. THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT ………. 377.
VIII. THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT ………. 381.
IX. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT ………. 385.
X. THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT ………. 389.
XI. THE NINTH COMMANDMENT ………. 392.
XII. THE TENTH COMMANDMENT ………. 396.

Part Five
SOTERIOLOGY

DEFINITION ………. 400.
I. THE SOURCE OF SALVATION ………. 401.
The Grace of God ………. 401.
The Covenant Relation of God and His People ………. 404.
II. THE PLAN OF SALVATION ………. 407.
III. THE PLACE OF THE PLAN OF SALVATION IN THE SCRIPTURES ………. 412.
In the Old Testament ………. 412.
In the New Testament ………. 414.
IV. JESUS CHRIST AS THE MEDIATOR ………. 418.
His Authority ………. 418.
His Qualifications ………. 418.
His Exclusive Prerogative ………. 420.
His Execution of the Office of Mediator ………. 422.
As Prophet ………. 422.
As Priest ………. 423.
As King ………. 430.

V. THE APPLICATION OF CHRIST’S REDEMPTION ………. 424.
Faith ………. 424.
The Constituent Elements of Faith ………. 426.
The Object of Saving Faith ………. 437.
The Ground of Faith ………. 437.
Repentance ………. 437.
What It Is ………. 437.
Importance of Repentance ………. 438.
How Repentance Is Manifested ………. 439.
How Repentance Is Effected ………. 440.
Regeneration ………. 441.
What It Is ………. 442.
The Necessity of Regeneration ………. 443.
The Results of Regeneration ………. 444.
The Proofs of Regeneration ………. 445.
Justification ………. 446.
The Meaning of Justification ………. 446.
The Elements Involved in the Act of Justification ………. 446.
The Grounds of Justification ………. 447.
The Results of Justification ………. 448.
Adoption ………. 450.
What Adoption Means ………. 450.
The Ground of Adoption ………. 450.
The Proof of Adoption ………. 451.
Sanctification ………. 451.
What Is Sanctification? ………. 451.
How Men Are Sanctified ………. 453.
When Sanctification Takes Place ………. 453.
Assurance of Salvation ………. 455.
The Meaning of Assurance of Salvation ………. 455.
Proofs of the Believer’s Assurance ………. 456.
Prayer ………. 460.
What Prayer Is ………. 460.
Conditions of Prevailing Prayer ………. 461.
To Whom to Pray ………. 462.
For Whom to Pray ………. 463.
For What to Pray ………. 465.

Part Six
ECCLESIOLOGY

DEFINITION ………. 468.
I. THE NEW TESTAMENT USAGES OF THE TERM “CHURCH” ………. 469.
An Assembly ………. 469.
A Local Assembly of Believers ………. 469.
The Body of Professing Believers ………. 469.
The Body of Christ ………. 469.
II. THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH ………. 472.
In the Counsel of God ………. 472.
Historically at Pentecost ………. 472.
The Respective Work of the Trinity in Constituting the Church ………. 473.
III. THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH ………. 476.
Negatively Considered ………. 476.
Positively Considered ………. 477.
IV. THE CONSTITUTION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH ………. 482.
The Organization of the Church ………. 482.
The Officers of the Church ………. 482.
The Minister ………. 483.
Ordination of the Minister ………. 483.
Qualifications of the Minister ………. 484.
The Duties of the Minister ………. 485.
The Deacons ………. 486.
Qualifications of the Deacon ………. 486.
The Duty of the Deacon ………. 486.
V. THE ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH ………. 488.
Baptism ………. 488.
The Communion ………. 491.

VI. THE WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH ………. 497.
Reading of the Holy Scriptures ………. 497.
Prayer ………. 498.
Singing ………. 498.
Preaching ………. 498.
Almsgiving ………. 499.
VII. THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH ………. 500.
To Reveal the Purpose of God ………. 500.
To Make Known God’s Wisdom ………. 500.
To Witness of Christ’s Saving Grace ………. 501.
To Develop Spiritually Those Who Receive Jesus Christ as Their Saviour ………. 501.
VII. THE WALK OF THE CHURCH (Ephesians 4-6) ………. 502.
The Walk in Unity ………. 502.
The Walk in Separation from the World ………. 505.
IX. THE WARFARE, OR CONFLICT, OF THE CHURCH ………. 509.
The Enemy ………. 509.
The Believer’s Source of Strength ………. 510.
The Christian’s Armor ………. 510.

X. THE DESTINY OF THE CHURCH ………. 513.
It is to be Conformed to Christ ………. 513.
To be Rewarded by Christ ………. 513.
Presented as a Bride to Christ ………. 514.
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb ………. 514.
Joint-Heirship with Christ ………. 514.
Exalted to a Place of Royalty with Christ ………. 514.

Part Seven
ESCHATOLOGY

DEFINITION ……….. 516.
I. OUTLINE OF EVENTS OF ESCHATOLOGY ………. 520.
Physical Death ………. 520.
The Intermediate State ………. 521.
The Second Coming of Christ ………. 522.
In the End of the World ………. 522.
Christ Now Appears in Heaven ………. 522.
Christ Shall Appear the Second Time ………. 523.
Events Associated with Christ’s Coming ………. 523.
The First Resurrection ………. 523.
The Living Saints Caught Up ………. 524.
Preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom ………. 524.
The Great Tribulation ………. 525.
The Gathering of the Elect ………. 526.
The Kingdom Established ………. 528.

III. THE BIBLICAL CONCEPTION OF THE KINGDOM ………. 529.
The Royal or Kingdom Covenant ………. 532.
The Kingdom in Prophecy ………. 533.
The Interregnum of the Kingdom ………. 536.
The Kingdom at Hand ………. 536.
The Laws Proclaimed Which Shall Govern in the Kingdom ………. 537.
The Dynamics of the Kingdom ………. 537.
The King and Kingdom Rejected ………. 537.
The Kingdom in Mystery ………. 538.
The Seven Parables of Matthew 13 ………. 539.
The Relation of the Mysteries of the Kingdom to the Church ………. 544.
The Kingdom in Manifestation ………. 546.
A Look Beyond ………. 547.

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