Seminar 1 - Ligon Duncan (2013)

Seminar 1 - Sanctificaiton - Ligon Duncan

Seminar 4: Inerrancy - Ligon Duncan

Seminar 1: A Case for the Ordinary Means of Grace - J. Ligon Duncan

Seminar 2: A Case for the Ordinary Means of Grace – Ligon Duncan

(There is a large gap and missed content when the lecture went longer than a disc capacity. It is picked up again when a new cd was inserted.)

Introduction: An Introduction of Twin Lakes Fellowship - Ligon Duncan

Titus 1:1; I Timothy 6:2-4 – “What is Theology For?” – Dr. Ligon Duncan

(I'll be updating as the sermon progress, refresh often)

Titus 1:1; I Timothy 6:2-4 – “What is Theology For?”
Dr. Ligon Duncan

Titus 1:1 - Paul, a servant [1] of God and a an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and b their knowledge of the truth, c which accords with godliness,

I Timothy 6:2-4 - Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are q brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. r Teach and urge these things. 3 If anyone s teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with t the sound [2] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching u that accords with godliness, 4 v he is puffed up with conceit and w understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for x controversy and for y quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions,

These represent an important theme in Paul’s teaching. The teaching which he and Timothy are to do. False teaching leads to vain speculations; does not benefit their well being. The true doctrine of God’s Word by the Spirit is productive in the life of the believer. As you expound the word of God always have the view of what that word is to produce in believers which is a “right apprehension of the 1 true God and His gospel and His grace and what it should produce = Piety, Proper understanding of God. Packer says, the Bible is about God and godliness. It is about doctrine and duty, ____?________, theology and living, God and godliness. The truth is unto godliness. In many circles today the application of the truth is held in great suspicion. Some believe that application is inappropriate. Paul’s words here and his practice makes it clear that it is the preacher’s duty to make His word applicable to the hearer.

In Titus 1:1 he says his service is for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness. Your knowledge of the truth SHOULD produce godliness. “Sanctify them with Thy truth”. “Teach and urge these things.” Convey applicable, practical, profound truth! The purpose of truth, theology is the promotion of godliness, piety, reverance for God.

What is truth, what is theology for, how is it used and applied?
Theology exists in the interests of pastoral ministry. How do you pastor? “Believe in God, believe in Me.” Every doctrine has its application. Every truth has its practical aim and effect in the life of God’s people. What is the truth for? Biblical ignorance is so wide in the truth now that you cannot assume even, “What the truth is for”. Are you receiving complaints of your practical application? It could because you are not applying the word to them. They are asking, What is this truth for?

4 Passages on the Application of Theology
1. Romans 11:32-36 – (Refer to Derek Thomas’ talk on Romans 11 from Wednesday night) - 32 For God r has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and s wisdom and knowledge of God! t How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For u who has known the mind of the Lord, or v who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or w who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For x from him and through him and to him are all things. y To him be glory forever. Amen.

“He consigned all to disobedience.” How do you get from vs. 32a to now the Doxology? Paul shows that by vs. 32b “That He may have mercy on all.” The mind blogging spine tiggling of Romans 11 is to serve the purpose of Displaying God’s Glory! All doctrine is about, is for GOD’s GLORY!

2. Doctrine is for our Assurance – John 15:15-16 - 15 u No longer do I call you servants, [1] for the servant [2] w does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for x all that I have heard from my Father y I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but z I chose you and appointed you that you should go and a bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that b whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. – Jesus is about to die and the thing which He teaches in the Upper Room is about Election, that He has chosen them and them not Him. Matthew tells us that they (the disciples) would abandon Him, not just Judas. Doctrine is for Assurance.

3. Marriage – truth is for marriage – Ephesians 5 – 25 g Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and h gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by i the washing of water j with the word, 27 so k that he might present the church to himself in splendor, l without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. [1] - Doctrine of Atonement. We contributed nothing to this marriage with Christ AND get all the benefits of this marriage. Paul draws us to this passage and points us to an ethical obligation of all husbands. Love her in the light of the doctrine of the atonement. WOW!!! Love her like Jesus loves her. The atonement. Men, don’t let what you’ve heard these 3 days go to waste. Come back to your families with more love, more intimacy, tell her how you learned about your Saviour and how that has made you want to learn how to love your wife more, how you want to hate your sins more, how you want to see God’s glory and have an everlasting zeal for Him. Doctrine is for marriage.

4. Joy – Truth/Theoloy/Doctrine is for Joy – Philippians 3:1-11 - Finally, my brothers, [1] k rejoice in the Lord. l To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. 2 Look out for m the dogs, look out for n the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For o we are the circumcision, p who worship q by the Spirit of God [2] and r glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 s though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 t circumcised on the eighth day, u of the people of Israel, v of the tribe of Benjamin, u a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, w a Pharisee; 6 x as to zeal, y a persecutor of the church; z as to righteousness under the law, [3] blameless. 7 But a whatever gain I had, b I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of c the surpassing worth of d knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I e have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having f a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but g that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 h that I may know him and i the power of his resurrection, and j may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may k attain the resurrection from the dead. – Rejoice in the Lord…. Then doctrine. The joy producing truth is what produced the remaining verses following “Rejoice in the Lord.” In our rejoicing, we should know why. The pastor should always have that “joy” to want to tell people why one should rejoice. He is saying in these passages why he can suffer with such joy and what brings him this joy, it is the truth, the doctrine, the theology. Why? Because of Christology! Justification! Glorification! All doctrine brings joy and points to joy! Rob your people of the joy, don’t bring the truth home.

Systematic Theology AUDIO - Ligon Duncan

This should be a clean good recording.

Audio Recording

Systematic Theology and Pastoral Ministry - Ligon Duncan

Dr. Duncan is pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, MS. He serves on several boards and councils. He is a native of Greenville South Carolina and a graduate of Furman University, Covenant Theological Seminary, and the University of Edinburgh. He has authored books and edited several as well.

FPC Blog

These notes will be from Dr. Duncan's talk. Stay Tuned for the audio, which will be posted when available.

Read Nick's notes here.

Systematic Theology and Pastoral Ministry:
Why a Concern for Sound Doctrine is Essential to Biblical Church Planting
and to Faithful Ministry in the Local Church
being A Joyful Defense and Declaration of the Necessity and Practicality of Systematic Theology
for the Life and Ministry of the Church
Ligon Duncan

An Anti-doctrinal Age?

Why Dubiety of Doctrine Doesn’t Work
Misdiagnosing our culture, our problem, and the relation of Scripture and theology.

A Threefold Discussion
1. The very ideas of doctrine, theology, and systematic theology are under great duress in our own time.
2. Systematic theology is necessary, important, and, in fact, unavoidable.
3. Systematic theology (in general) and doctrine (in particular) are important for.

Aims:
(1) To alert you to an unhealthy contemporary attitude—that doctrine, theology, and systematic theology are under great suspicion in the church today. (2) To demonstrate from the Bible that systematic theology is a biblical discipline (and not an alien philosophical imposition on the Bible), and that doctrine and theology are important. (3) Then, to look at some specific biblical examples of what is doctrine important for.

I. The Concepts and Legitimacy of Doctrine, Theology, and Systematic Theology are under great duress in our own time

People vs. Truth

Deeds over Creeds

Person not Propositions

Systematic Theology is Rationalist/Modernist

Biblical Theology instead of Systematic Theology

Some Examples of these tendencies
Doing not Debating
Dangerous Doctrine
The Self-Contradictive Critique
What’s behind the Allergy?
Relativistic Tolerance or Transcendent Toleration?
A Gospel Opportunity to Engage the Culture
Summary
Emerging Problems with Systematic Theology?
Rejoinder
Systematic or Biblical Theology?
A skewed description of Systematic Theology
Conclusion: Doctrine may be held in suspicion but it is unavoidable and important

II. Scripture shows that truth, doctrine and theology are necessary and important for the Christian life, and that systematic theology is, in fact, unavoidable.

Six Passages that show the legitimacy of the categories and importance of truth, doctrine and theology

Truth is for Joy and Growth

Truth is to be lived

Errant Doctrine destroys, True doctrine leads to love

Life and Doctrine are inseparable

Good doctrine promotes godliness

Servants of the word minister so that faith and truth issue forth in the godliness of believers

Is evangelicalism neo-Erasmian?
But what about Systematic Theology?

The Locus Classicus of Biblical Theology (and ST!)

Apollos and Paul, Systematic Theologians
Further Biblical Testimony for the Practice of Systematic Theology

How are New Testament Books Organized and what does that say about ST?

What do the citation formulas of the NT teach us about ST?

Conclusion

III. What is theology, truth, doctrine important for?

Let us consider four great passages and what they teach us about the application of theology.
God’s Glory

Assurance

Marriage

Joy

And when the detractors of doctrine come. By the grace of the Holy Spirit, we must . . .

Thursday's Schedule

Time	Activity
8:00 - 8:40	Breakfast and Fellowship
8:40 - 8:45	Devotional Reading 7
8:45 - 10:00	Worship Service 3 – The Reverend Doctor Ligon Duncan, Preaching
10:00 - 10:05	Break
10:05 - 11:00	Church Planting Interviews and Reports (2)
11:00 - 11:15	Break
11:15 - 12:00	Tele-Interview with Al Mohler (on his new books)
12:00 - 12:05	Devotional Reading 8
12:05 -	Lunch and Farewell

Tuesday's Schedule

Time	Activity
12:00 Noon	Check-in Begins and Brown Bag Lunch available in the Dining Hall
1:30 – 1:45	Welcome and Singing
1:45 – 2:45	Seminar 1 – Bavinck – Ron Gleason
2:45 – 3:15	Break
3:15 – 4:45	Seminar 2 – Systematic Theology and Pastoral Ministry – Ligon Duncan
4:45 – 5:00	Break
5:00 – 5:05	Devotional Reading 1
5:05 – 6:00	Introduction of Church Planters and Newly Attending Twin Lakes Fellows – Carl Robbins
6:00 – 6:05	Devotional Reading 2
6:05 – 7:25	Break for Supper and Fellowship
7:30 – 9:00	Worship Service 1 – The Reverend Professor Douglas F. Kelly, preaching “God Turns Curses Into Blessings” Deuteronomy 23:3-6
9:00 – 9:05	Meditation, Repentance, Reflection, Rejoicing and Evening Fellowship and Rest

Teasers of What to Expect

Twin Lakes Fellowship Ethos by Dr. Ligon Duncan (2008)

Bendiction (2007)- Dr. Derek Thomas

Christian Worship Overthrows Satan (2006) - Dr. Douglas Kelly

Recovering the Psalms for Worship (pt. 1) - Dr. Terry Johnson (2004)