Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Our highest good is God, so let’s study theology


Studying theology by reading our bibles, bible study, reading books, listening to sermons, talking with others, and partaking of the sacraments is for our ultimate good.  Why, because our ultimate good is God.  Polanus (1561-1610) put it clearly is this nice syllogism.  You can find it in volume one of Richard Muller’s Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics page 246.

            1.  That which is our salvation, glory, strength, shield, and, indeed, all things whatsoever are necessary to our blessedness, that is our highest good.
            2.  God alone is our salvation, glory, strength, shield and all things whatsoever are necessary to our blessedness:
            3.  Therefore God alone is our highest good.

The blessedness of all rational creatures then, is the contemplation of and communion with God the Father, Son, and Spirit in eternity, consisting in the vision of God, conformity to God, sufficiency in God, a freedom from all evils, and a possession of all true good.

Here are some Scriptures which show this.  Psalms 27:1; 28:7; 62:2,7; 3:3; 18:2; 1 Corinthians 15:28; Colossians 3:11.

Of course good works and loving our neighbour as ourselves would come under the category of true good.  Being in fellowship with God, and being shaped into conformity to him involves doing the good works of God.  We come into fellowship with God through the good work of his good Son, and therefore we are created in Christ for good works.  Ephesians 2:10   For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

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