Carey Conference 2011 03

The third session was the first of Bruce Ware's papers. His overall subject is Jesus' life and ministry in the power of the Spirit: the prototype of new covenant living. In this first paper he looked at

The Trinitarian and Christological background for understanding Jesus and the Spirit

1. Trinitarian Background for understanding Jesus and the Spirit

A. Have you learned to read the Bible with Trinitarian lenses?

B. The twin pillars of Trinitarian doctrine: Distinction and equality; individuation and identity.

1 Equality of essence through an equity of identity

2 Distinction of roles and relations among the fully equal divine persons

3 Definition of the Trinity

2. Christological Background for understanding Jesus and the Spirit

1 Eternal Son of the Eternal Father

2 Incarnate Son, conceived by the Spirit, born the God-man of the Virgin Mary

3 Exalted Son - raised, ascended and reigning with the Father over all

3. Historical Confirmation: Full deity and humanity of Christ as affirmed from Nicea to Chalcedon

A. Nicea 325 Christ fully God

B. Constantinople 381 Christ fully man; Spirit fully God

C. Ephesus 431 Christ one person

D. Chalcedon 451 Two complete natures, one person

4. Old Testament anticipation of the Spirit-anointed Messiah

A. Three groupings of OT texts announce the arrival of the age to come 

1 The age to come comes when Messiah, the Son of David, comes

eg Isaiah 9:6, 7; Ezekiel 37:24-27

2 The age to come comes when the Spirit comes

eg Isaiah 44:1-5; Ezekiel 36:22-28

3 The age to come comes when the Spirit-anointed Messiah comes

eg Isaiah 11:1-5; 61:1-3

B. The nature of the fulfilment of the promised age to come - progressive not punctiliar; incremental not instantaneous

Quite a demanding session it was good to hear these basic truths in readiness for what is to follow.