Systematic Theology (Volume 3 of 3)

Augustus Hopkins Strong

Chapter II. The Reconciliation Of Man To God, Or The

Chapter I. The Constitution Of The Church. Or Church Polity.

Chapter II. The Ordinances Of The Church.

I. Physical Death.

II. The Intermediate State.

III. The Second Coming of Christ.

IV. The Resurrection.

V. The Last Judgment.

VI. The Final States of the Righteous and of the Wicked.

Index Of Subjects.

Index Of Authors.

Index Of Scripture Texts.

Index Of Apocryphal Texts.

Index Of Greek Words.

Index Of Hebrew Words.

Systematic Theology

A Compendium and Commonplace-Book

Designed For The Use Of Theological Students

Augustus Hopkins Strong, D.D., LL.D.

President and Professor of Biblical Theology in the Rochester Theological Seminary

Revised and Enlarged

In Three Volumes

Volume 3

The Doctrine of Salvation

The Griffith & Rowland Press

Philadelphia

1909

Part VI. Soteriology, Or The Doctrine Of Salvation Through The Work Of Christ And Of The Holy Spirit.
Chapter II. The Reconciliation Of Man To God, Or The Application Of Redemption Through The Work Of The Holy Spirit.
Section I.—The Application Of Christ's Redemption In Its Preparation.
I. Election.
1. Proof of the Doctrine of Election.
2. Objections to the Doctrine of Election.
II. Calling.
A. Is God's general call sincere?
B. Is God's special call irresistible?
Section II.—The Application Of Christ's Redemption In Its Actual Beginning.
I. Union with Christ.
1. Scripture Representations of this Union.
2. Nature of this Union.
3. Consequences of this Union as respects the Believer.
II. Regeneration.
1. Scripture Representations.
2. Necessity of Regeneration.
3. The Efficient Cause of Regeneration.
4. The Instrumentality used in Regeneration.
5. The Nature of the Change wrought in Regeneration.
III. Conversion.
1. Repentance.
2. Faith.
IV. Justification.
1. Definition of Justification.
2. Proof of the Doctrine of Justification.
3. Elements of Justification.
4. Relation of Justification to God's Law and Holiness.
5. Relation of Justification to Union with Christ and the Work of the Spirit.
6. Relation of Justification to Faith.
7. Advice to Inquirers demanded by a Scriptural View of Justification.
Section III.—The Application Of Christ's Redemption In Its Continuation.
I. Sanctification.
1. Definition of Sanctification.
2. Explanations and Scripture Proof.
3. Erroneous Views refuted by these Scripture Passages.
II. Perseverance.
1. Proof of the Doctrine of Perseverance.
2. Objections to the Doctrine of Perseverance.
Part VII. Ecclesiology, Or The Doctrine Of The Church.
Chapter I. The Constitution Of The Church. Or Church Polity.
I. Definition of the Church.
A. The church, like the family and the state, is an institution of divine appointment.
B. The church, unlike the family and the state, is a voluntary society.
II. Organization of the Church.
1. The fact of organization.
2. The nature of this organization.
3. The genesis of this organization.
III. Government of the Church.
1. Nature of this government in general.
A. Proof that the government of the church is democratic or congregational.
B. Erroneous views as to church government refuted by the foregoing passages.
2. Officers of the Church.
A. The number of offices in the church is two:—first, the office of bishop, presbyter, or pastor; and, secondly, the office of deacon.
B. The duties belonging to these offices.
C. Ordination of officers.
(a) What is ordination?
(b) Who are to ordain?
3. Discipline of the Church.
IV. Relation of Local Churches to one another.
1. The general nature of this relation is that of fellowship between equals.
2. This fellowship involves the duty of special consultation with regard to matters affecting the common interest.
3. This fellowship may be broken by manifest departures from the faith or practice of the Scriptures, on the part of any church.
Chapter II. The Ordinances Of The Church.
I. Baptism.
1. Baptism an Ordinance of Christ.
2. The Mode of Baptism.
A. The command to baptize is a command to immerse.
B. No church has the right to modify or dispense with this command of Christ.
3. The Symbolism of Baptism.
A. Expansion of this statement as to the symbolism of baptism.
B. Inferences from the passages referred to.
4. The Subjects of Baptism.
A. Proof that only persons giving evidence of being regenerated are proper subjects of baptism.
B. Inferences from the fact that only persons giving evidence of being regenerate are proper subjects of baptism.
C. Infant Baptism.
(a) Infant baptism is without warrant, either express or implied, in the Scripture.
(b) Infant baptism is expressly contradicted.
(c) The rise of infant baptism in the history of the church.
(d) The reasoning by which it is supported is unscriptural, unsound, and dangerous in its tendency.
(e) The lack of agreement among pedobaptists.
(f) The evil effects of infant baptism.
II. The Lord's Supper.
1. The Lord's Supper an ordinance instituted by Christ.
2. The Mode of administering the Lord's Supper.
3. The Symbolism of the Lord's Supper.
A. Expansion of this statement.
B. Inferences from this statement.
4. Erroneous views of the Lord's Supper.
A. The Romanist view.
B. The Lutheran and High Church view.
5. Prerequisites to Participation in the Lord's Supper.
A. There are prerequisites.
B. The prerequisites are those only which are expressly or implicitly laid down by Christ and his apostles.
C. On examining the New Testament, we find that the prerequisites to participation in the Lord's Supper are four.
First,—Regeneration.
Secondly,—Baptism.
Thirdly,—Church membership.
Fourthly,—An orderly walk.
D. The local church is the judge whether these prerequisites are fulfilled.
E. Special objections to open communion.
Part VIII. Eschatology, Or The Doctrine Of Final Things.
I. Physical Death.
1. Upon rational grounds.
2. Upon scriptural grounds.
II. The Intermediate State.
1. Of the righteous.
2. Of the wicked.
III. The Second Coming of Christ.
1. The nature of this coming.
2. The time of Christ's coming.
3. The precursors of Christ's coming.
4. Relation of Christ's second coming to the millennium.
IV. The Resurrection.
1. The exegetical objection.
2. The scientific object.
V. The Last Judgment.
1. The nature of the final judgment.
2. The object of the final judgment.
3. The Judge in the final judgment.
4. The subjects of the final judgment.
5. The grounds of the final judgment.
VI. The Final States of the Righteous and of the Wicked.
1. Of the righteous.
(a) Is heaven a place, as well as a state?
(b) Is this earth to be the heaven of the saints?
2. Of the wicked.
A. The future punishment of the wicked is not annihilation.
B. Punishment after death excludes new probation and ultimate restoration of the wicked.
C. Scripture declares this future punishment of the wicked to be eternal.
D. This everlasting punishment of the wicked is not inconsistent with God's justice, but is rather a revelation of that justice.
E. This everlasting punishment of the wicked is not inconsistent with God's benevolence.
F. The proper preaching of the doctrine of everlasting punishment is not a hindrance to the success of the gospel.
Indexes.
Index Of Subjects.
Index Of Authors.
Index Of Scripture Texts.
Index Of Apocryphal Texts.
Index Of Greek Words.
Index Of Hebrew Words.

[Transcriber's Note: The above cover image was produced by the submitter at Distributed Proofreaders, and is being placed into the public domain.]

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“The eye sees only that which it brings with it the power of seeing.”—Cicero.

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”—Psalm 119:18.

“For with thee is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light.”—Psalm 36:9.

“For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.”—1 Cor. 13:9, 10.

[pg 777]

[Transcriber's Note: This Volume begins with “Chapter II”, because “Chapter I” of “Part VI” was printed in Volume II.]

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