Question Index
1.What is the nature of the transition from soteriology, handled previously, to the doctrine of the Church?
2.Which words in Scripture are used for the concept “church”?
3.Is there a contrast with the assembly of the Jews in the word ekklēsia?
4.What is the distinctive meaning of the word “church” in the mouth of the Savior?
5.What does it mean when the Savior says, “I will build my church”?
6.What is the connection between the two concepts “kingdom of heaven” and “church”?
7.With what meanings does the word “church” occur in the New Testament?
8.What is the derivation of our word “church” [kerk]?
9.Is it easy to give a definition of “the church”?
10.From what three viewpoints has one attempted to define “the church”?
11.What then is the connection between these two?
12.Is the visible church in its essence a visible entity, or is its form of organization something accidental that may also be set aside?
13.What is meant by the attributes of the Church?
14.What are meant by the marks of the Church?
15.Can one show from Scripture that the pure proclamation of the Word is a mark of the true Church?
16.How far must this mark of the pure ministry of the Word be carried out?
17.What are the marks of the true church according to the Roman Catholics?
2.Organization, Discipline, Offices
1.How many views are there concerning the organization and government of the visible church?
Discipline
Offices
1.In how many senses can one speak of grace?
2.What follows when we understand the word “grace” in the expression “means of grace” in this way?
3.In what way can one place some limits on this generalization?
4.Is the concept “means of grace” (media gratiae), so understood, valued equally by all?
5.Where does the difference between us and the Ethical theologians lie?
6.Where does the difference between us and the mystics lie?
7.Where does the difference between us and the Rationalists lie?
8.What is the difference between Rome and us on this point?
9.What is the difference between the Lutherans and us?
10.What is distinctive about the Reformed doctrine of the means of grace?
11.In how many senses can the expression “the word of God” be understood?
12.In what sense is God’s Word a means of grace?
13.In how many ways is the law contained in the Word of God used as a means of grace?
14.What is nature of the relationship between law and gospel?
15.May the difference between law and gospel be interchanged with that between the Old and the New Testament?
16.What is there along with the Word as a means of grace?
17.Will it do to associate Word and sacraments coordinately, or is there certain subordination between them?
18.Show in what respects Word and sacraments agree and in what respects they differ from each other.
19.In how many ways can we proceed in treating the doctrine of the sacraments?
20.Does the word “sacrament” occur in Scripture?
21.Is the word to be rejected because it is not scriptural?
22.Who is the first to have begun giving a definition of the concept of sacrament?
23.How do Reformed theologians define the concept of sacrament in general?
24.With reference to this latter definition, what should be noted further?
25.What is understood by the outward material of the sacrament?
26.Do only the inert elements belong to this outward material, or does still more belong to it?
27.Does Scripture itself take the lead in calling the sacraments signs?
28.How is a sacrament further designated?
29.Does this sealing character of the sacraments mean only that they apply a promise of God to our consciousness theoretically and also confirm it for our consciousness?
30.In what does the form of the sacrament (forma sacramenti) consist?
31.What results from this union or relationship between the sign and the thing signified?
32.What is the nature of the relationship between the word spoken with the sacraments and the sacraments themselves?
33.How far does the import of the word extend with the sacrament?
34.According to Rome, is more needed than the word spoken according to the institution of Christ?
35.What must be taught regarding the necessity of the sacraments?
36.Is there a difference between the sacraments of the old and the new covenants?
37.Show that there is no difference, as Roman Catholics think that there is, between the sacraments of the old and the new covenants.
38.Do all recognize the same number of sacraments?
39.In what does the sacrament of confirmation consist for Rome?
40.What must be observed against this?
41.What is the sacrament of penance, and what end does it serve?
42.What is the sacrament of extreme unction?
43.What is the sacrament of ordination?
44.Can one call marriage a sacrament?
1.What were the two ordinary sacraments for the Old Testament dispensation of the covenant of grace?
2.What is the term for circumcision in Hebrew and Greek?
3.Is this circumcision something original with the Jews?
4.What was signified and sealed by circumcision?
5.When did circumcision take place and how?
6.Was circumcision a temporary thing or a sacrament that would not be eventually abolished?
7.Where should the origin of Christian baptism be sought?
8.Were there practices among pagans that had some similarity with baptism?
9.What was proselyte baptism, and what was its connection with the baptism of Scripture?
10.How should the significance of the baptism of John be assessed?
11.What word in the New Testament is used for baptizing, and what is the force of that word?
12.What is the testimony of the history of the postbiblical period regarding the question of immersion or sprinkling?
13.To what, finally, can one still appeal against the Baptists?
14.Is it only Baptists who have immersion?
15.In what does the outward matter, the outward sign consist for baptism?
16.Indicate further how this water and the action performed with it in baptism becomes a sign.
17.Where does one find the institution of Christian baptism?
18.What is the meaning of these words of institution?
19.What question is related to what is being discussed here?
20.To whom should baptism be administered?
21.How can one further categorize the recipients of baptism?
22.To what adults was baptism administered according to the ordinance of Christ?
23.What is the efficacy of this is baptism for adults?
24.Does baptism or receiving it also have significance as an act of man toward God?
25.To what question have we now come?
26.What is the historical witness of the New Testament in the matter of infant baptism?
27.What is the witness of the postapostolic church regarding infant baptism?
28.What two matters are there to consider in the further discussion of infant baptism?
29.What is the first ground for baptizing infants?
30.Where is a second proof for infant baptism found?
31.Where is a third proof found?
32.Where is further proof for infant baptism found?
33.Is there still another proof for infant baptism?
34.On what does the meaning one attributes to infant baptism depend?
35.What is the first view that can be discussed here?
36.What is the second view that is associated with the one just mentioned?
37.Can this last view of a Half-Way Covenant still be presented in a modified form?
38.Which views are at the extreme opposite of those just mentioned?
39.What, in general, is the view of the Reformed concerning the meaning of infant baptism?
40.Can you provide some citations that show that this conception of matters is what is generally found in Reformed theologians?
41.What is the second view that has existed along with the other in the Reformed church?
42.Are both views, as now described, found beside each other in Reformed theologians?
43.How then should we judge concerning the meaning of infant baptism?
44.In what sense, then, is baptism a means of grace for young children?
45.Which children may or should be baptized?
46.What is understood by baptismal witnesses?
47.How many views are there regarding the baptismal Form?
48.How do we explain the statement in our [Belgic] Confession that by baptism original sin is not entirely abolished or completely eradicated?
49.Give a definition of baptism.
1.Under the old dispensation, what corresponded to the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper?
2.From how many points of view can the Passover be considered?
3.To what extent was the Passover a sacramental meal of remembrance?
4.In what respect was the Passover a sacrifice?
5.What was the meaning of the Passover as a sacrificial meal?
6.Was the Passover also a harvest feast?
7.Does the second sacrament of the new dispensation have a specific fixed name like the first?
8.In the first period in the Christian church, what was associated with the Lord’s Supper?
9.Where is the institution of the Lord’s Supper described for us?
10.How can you briefly show what is included in these words of institution?
11.What questions should be discussed further in relation to the Lord’s Supper?
12.Give an elucidation of the first question.
13.Who among the Reformed took the least mystical viewpoint with respect to the Lord’s Supper?
14.Did Calvin also remain committed to this point of view?
15.What were the scriptural grounds upon which this teaching was built?
16.In what sense can one now say that Christ’s body and blood are present in the Lord’s Supper?
17.In what sense can one say that Christ is eaten in the Lord’s Supper?
18.Give a description of the Lutheran doctrine of the Lord’s Supper.
19.What is the Roman Catholic view of the Lord’s Supper?
20.What views have been developed by modern theology regarding the Lord’s Supper?
21.Who should come to the Lord’s Supper?
22.What is one to understand about the Roman Catholic mass?
23.What is the scriptural basis on which Rome thinks it possible to construct this doctrine?
Part Three: Eschatology: The Doctrine of Last Things
1.What is contained in the term “eschatology”?
2.Is the term “eschatology” a Scriptural term?
3.In many of these passages, is not something entirely different spoken of than what we understand by “the last days,” namely, the New Testament dispensation of the covenant of grace?
4.How is eschatology to be divided?
1.What further brings you to this individual eschatology?
2.What does Scripture teach concerning the intermediate state of souls before the resurrection?
3.What do the Roman Catholics teach concerning purgatory?
4.Where is the alleged proof for this doctrine?
5.What is the limbus patrum of Roman Catholics?
6.What is the limbus infantum of Roman Catholics?
7.What should be observed regarding these two dogmas?
8.What distinction is made presently between Sheol-Hades, on the one hand, and hell-heaven, on the other?
9.What is to be understood by the doctrine of soul sleep?
10.What is meant by the doctrine of a so-called “second probation”?
11.What is meant by the doctrine of annihilation or of conditional immortality?
1.What should be discussed under general eschatology?
2.Has the resurrection of the flesh also been denied?
3.Is the resurrection of the flesh taught in the Old Testament?
4.How is Christ designated?
5.When will the resurrection take place?
6.Who will accomplish the resurrection?
7.Is the resurrection something already prepared for here or something absolutely new?
8.Who will be resurrected?
9.What will be resurrected?
10.What should be discussed in connection with the return of the Lord to judge?
11.What comes up for discussion concerning the events that precede the Lord’s return?
12.Where does the difficulty lie in saying something about these things?
13.From what do you establish that the general calling of the Gentiles must precede the return of the Lord?
14.Where is the conversion of the Jews spoken of as a sign of the end?
15.What makes the treatment of the further details of this conversion so difficult?
16.What does one understand by the antichrist?
17.Must signs and wonders precede the end?
18.What does Scripture teach about the return of the Lord Himself?
19.What views regarding the last judgment must be rejected?
20.Will the last judgment take place in one day or last longer?
21.Where will the judge and the persons to be judged be located?
22.Who will the judge be at the last judgment?
23.Who will appear at the last judgment?
24.Can we specify further how the judgment will take place?
25.What is understood by the thousand-year kingdom or millennium?
26.What are the objections to these chiliastic theories?
27.What names does Scripture give to the abode of the lost to which they will go following the last judgment?
28.What is evident from all these names?
29.In what will the punishment of hell consist?
30.How long will these punishments of hell last?
31.To what grounds is appeal made to deny the eternity of the punishment of hell?
32.Can you show from Scripture that the punishments of hell are of eternal duration?
33.Do the rational grounds that have been brought against the eternity of the punishments of hell have convincing force?
34.Is the punishment of the lost absolutely eternal?
35.What will precede the consummate salvation of the children of God?
36.How are we to think of this bringing into being of the new world?
37.How will that change occur?
38.Can we say very much about heaven and the blessings of heaven?