Survey of Bible Doctrine
Survey of Bible Doctrine
Dr. Clayton R. Hall Jr., Ph.D.
Survey of Bible Doctrine
Introduction
Systematic theology, the study of
the doctrines of the Bible, as commonly known, seeks to take the teachings of
Jesus along with the apostles from scripture and to structure them into
categories, or “systems,” where that Word of God, or as the apostle Paul puts
it, “the whole counsel of God” [1](Acts
20:27), can be easily understood by the disciple, explained to the ignorant,
and defended in the face of false doctrines in the text, while in turn being
personally applied to life and practice. Doctrine is not man-made or artificial
requirements added to Scripture; the doctrines of the Bible arise from the
necessity of harmonizing divine revelation with our standards for Christian
living. Doctrine as an English word derives from the Latin word, “doctrina,”
meaning teaching [2]([Gk.
didaskalia – διδασκαλίᾳ] 1 Timothy 1:10; 4:16; 6:3; Titus 1:9).
Thus, biblical doctrine encompasses
the authoritative teaching of scripture concerning God, the Word, humanity,
sin, salvation, the Church and ultimate things. We care about Christian
doctrine because it answers our concerns about the basic assimilation of
believers’ lives and communities.
Doctrine directs the Christian way.
And the more I discover it is that doctrine isn’t nothing but an abstract
theory, teaching us the principles that drive solid Christian living –
understanding that to be together with Christ should force us into complete
surrender; understanding God’s love and impartiality should inform how we treat
others; predicting the arrival of Christ should purify how we behave; and
realizing Christ’s love puts us first.
A survey of what we understand as
Bible doctrine does not aim to exhaustively address each theological stand but
lays out a structure for understanding key themes of biblical revelation. In
this survey Scripture is unified from Genesis to Revelation, allowing
progressive revelation, while also upholding God's unmovable character. This
essay will touch on biblically-centered categories: Bibliology, Theology
Proper, Christology, Pneumatology, Anthropology, Hamartiology, Soteriology,
Ecclesiology and Eschatology. Every theology adds to the story of redemption
and a better understanding of God.
Bibliology
The Doctrine of Scripture. The
principles of the Scriptures is the foundation of theology of Christianity.
Without a trustworthy revelation, doctrinal formulation becomes nothing but
speculation. It’s from its source in Greek and further than in other languages;
The word θεόπνευστος shows that the origin comes from God. No: inspiration of
Scripture is not just divine, but its source. Inspiration. Biblical inspiration
is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in which the human writers wrote
precisely what God intended, with no mistakes in the original manuscripts.
It is commonly called verbal plenary
inspiration: verbal as this can be expressed in the very words themselves;
plenary as it relates to everything in Scripture. Inerrancy and Infallibility.
Inerrancy says that Scripture, in its original autographs, is errorless in all
that it says, historical, doctrinal, spiritual, and moral. Infallibility
underlines the fact that Scripture will not fail in meeting the purpose of God.
The soundness of doctrine depends upon the stability of the text itself.
The canon of Scripture is the
acknowledged collection of inspired writings. The Old Testament canon was
largely produced in Jewish tradition before the day of Christ. The New
Testament canon arose from apostolic authority, orthodox scripture, popular use,
widespread recognition within the early Church, and spiritual recognition.
Authority and Sufficiency. The
Bible, as final authority when it comes to faith and practice, reigns. Its
sufficiency (as a general word of God meaning that it has everything which it
has it is sufficient for saving mankind, and for living according to godly
living. No revelation of an extra-biblical substance can be superior to or
greater than the biblical text.
Theology
Theology in its proper form is the
doctrine of God. Theology Proper deals with the nature, attributes and
character of God. The Bible discloses God as eternal, self-existent, and
sovereign.
The Existence of God
The Bible does not claim God’s
existence but presupposes it. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created
the heaven and the earth [3](Genesis
1:1).” The name YHWH - delineates God as the self-existent One. In Exodus 3:14
we read, “I AM THAT I AM,” in order to assert aseity and eternal existence.
Attributes of God
God’s traits can be divided into
communicable and incommunicable. The Incommunicable attributes include:
·
Eternity
·
Immutability
·
Omnipotence
·
Omniscience
·
Omnipresence
The Communicable attribute, those
attributes that can be shared with man, of God include the following:
·
Holiness
·
Love
·
Justice
·
Mercy
·
Faithfulness.
These attributes are not separable from
God’s character, but they are perfections of the divine nature of God. He is
able to share them with man through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
As man seeks to serve God by walking in the Spirit, his nature is made new by
the Holy Spirit. As the individual submits to the leading of God’s Spirit, he
or she, begins to transform, not perfectly but gradually, and to reflect the
character of the Creator.
The Unity of God
The scripture is very clear on the
issue of monotheism, it is not ambiguous concerning the oneness of God.
Deuteronomy 6:4 says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD [4](Deuteronomy
6:4).” The Hebrew word Echad/Ehad, “One [5](Strong’s,
H259)” stresses unity. The New Testament corroborates this in 1 Corinthians
8:4: “there is none other God but one.”
Deuteronomy 6:4, known as the Shema,
is the most celebrated appearance of it in scripture. Here Echad affirms the absolute, inseparable preeminence
of YHWH the covenant keeping God, above and against the followers of polytheism.
The Shema became Israel’s daily confession, proclaimed every morning and
evening, shaping Israel’s worship, their ethics, and their national identity as
the people of the covenant. Jesus affirms the Shema in Mark 12:29, linking the
oneness of God to the core of faithful obedience.
Christology
The Doctrine of Christ. The person
and work of Jesus Christ is the focus of Christian teaching. In the New
Testament, Jesus was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and the
incarnate manifestation of God according to the prophet Isaiah, “For unto us a
child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his
shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace [6](Isaiah
9:6).”
The Incarnation.
“And the Word was made flesh [7](John
1:14).” The eternal Word (λόγος) became human, not ceasing to be divine. Incarnation
is the addition of humanity to deity, not the change of deity into human.
The Deity of Christ
The word of God gives names,
attributes, works, and worship to Jesus. Thomas admitted, “My Lord and my God” [8](John
20:28). Colossians 2:9 says that “in him dwelleth all the fulness of the
Godhead bodily.”
The Apostle Paul links the name of
Jesus to YHWH twice in his letters. The first time is found in Romans 10:9-13.
Paul proclaims that anyone who confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord [kurios: Kurios] and believes that God has raised Him from
the dead, shall be saved [9](Romans
10:9). Then in v.13 Paul quotes Joel 2:32 when he states that whoever calls on
the name of the kurios [kurios
– Lord] shall be saved [10](Romans
10:13). In the second chapter of Joel it says that whosoever calleth upon the
name of YHWH [LORD in the King James Version (KJV)] shall be saved. But in the Septuagint
[LXX], it says, “whoever calls on the name of Kurios shall be saved [11](Joel
2:32, LXX).”
The second time Paul links the name
of Jesus directly to YHWH is in Phillipians chapter 2. In Philippians 2:11 when
he says that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Kurios [Lord] [12](Philippians
2:11). This is a direct quote from the book of Isaiah chapter 45, “‘To me every
knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance [13](Isaiah
45:23, ESV).”
There is no question when reading
the writing of the apostles that they knew that Jesus was the One God
manifested in the flesh. To deny this truth is to be without salvation, “if you
believe not that I AM, you shall die in your sins [14](John
8:24, Berean Greek NT).
The
Humanity of Christ
Jesus had genuine humanity, with
hunger, fatigue, and temptation. And without sin was He [15](Hebrews
4:15). Because of his authentic humanity, he is the mediator between God and
man. In the letter to the Philippian Church the Apostle Paul stated clearly
that Jesus was equal with God but laid aside His right to be God and made
himself, “nothing… and being found in the likeness of man he humbled Himself…[16](Philippians
2:8).”
The Work of Christ.
The work at the core of Christ is
the atonement. Redemption with His death, burial, and resurrection. The
atonement is substitutionary, propitiatory, redemptive, and reconciling. Isaiah
53 depicts the suffering servant who bears the iniquities of many: “But He was
pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; The punishment
for our well-being was laid upon Him, And by His wounds we are healed. 6All of
us, like sheep, have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the
LORD has caused the wrongdoing of us all To fall on Him [17](Isaiah
53:5-6, NASB).”
Pneumatology
The Doctrine if the Holy Spirit.
Pneumatology deals with the purpose and operation of the Holy Spirit. The
Spirit is not impersonal but a divine Spirit who acts, speaks, and wills. The
Spirit in the Old Testament. The Spirit enabled men and women for service, such
as prophets, priests, and kings. The Hebrew word Ruach means breath, wind,
spirit.
The Spirit is presented in the New
Testament. Jesus also promised the Comforter to come [18](John
14:16–17). At Pentecost [19](Acts
2), the Spirit was poured out upon believers, beginning the Church age.
Ministries of the Spirit. The Spirit convicts of sin, regenerates believers,
indwells them, sanctifies them, and provides them with spiritual gifts.
Biblical Anthropology
The Doctrine of Mankind. What is
Man's Source, Nature? What the Christian is striving towards is the purpose of
God. Humans were created in God’s image [20](Gen
1:26–27). This gives dignity, moral competence, and relational power.
The Nature of Man. There are both
material and immaterial things about humans. Though Scripture differentiates
body from spirit, there is debate in the theological literature on dichotomy
versus trichotomy. The Purpose of Humanity. Humanity came into being (God
designed mankind to glorify God and exercise stewardship over creation). A life
connected with God is the basis of human satisfaction.
Hamartiology
The Doctrine of Sin. Sin came into
the world because of Adam’s disobedience [21](Genesis
3). Romans 5:12 states that through one man sin entered the world and death by
sin. What is the Nature of Sin? Sin is lawlessness [22](1
John 3:4): man fell short of the essence of divine holiness. It impacts every
part of human nature.
Sin produces spiritual death as well
as separation from God, moral corruption as well as physical death. Humanity
cries out for divine redemption.
Soteriology
The Doctrine of Salvation.
Soteriology studies the work of God to redeem. Grace and Faith. Salvation is by
grace through faith [23](Ephesians
2:8–9). It is not earned work but received trust in Christ.
Regeneration refers to the new birth
produced by Faith in Jesus which is demonstrated Repentance of sin (We crucify
the flesh), we turn from our life serving the lusts of the flesh and die to
self and turn toward Christ. Turning toward Christ is demonstrated by a
willingness to follow Him as He commanded in baptism [24](Romans
6:4) and to walk in the Spirit and not the Flesh [25](Romans
8:1). Justification is the legal statement of righteousness based on Christ’s
atoning work.
Sanctification is both positional
and progressive. Believers are set apart in Christ and then gradually altered
to conform to the image of Christ, thus fulfilling God’s will [26](Romans
8:29). This work is done by the reception and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Perseverance
and Glorification. Glorification is the result of salvation, and is the process
by which those under salvation become new born, new birth can only come to
those who die to their flesh and through submission to the Lordship of Christ
and the leading of the Holy Spirit, seek to live lives that are free from sin [27](Galatians
5:16-18; I John 3:5-10).
Ecclesiology
The Church’s Doctrine. Ecclesiology
is about the Church, the Church mission. Nature of the Church. The Church is
the called-out assembly of believers.
Ordinances of the Church
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are
ordinances instituted by Christ. According to the Apostle Paul Baptism is
participation in the burial and resurrection of Jesus [28](Roman
6:4; Colossians 2:11-12). And Communion was typically withheld from any
believer who had not been baptized in the name of the Lord: “But let no one eat
or drink of your Thanksgiving (Eucharist), but they who have been baptized into
the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, Give not that
which is holy to the dogs [29](Didache,
9-5).”
The Lord’s Supper commemorates His
atoning act of sacrifice. When we partake of communion, we are obeying Christ’s
command to, “do this in remembrance of me [30](Luke
22:19; I Corinthians 11:24-25).”
The Lord’s Supper consists of the
elements of bread and the cup, which represent His body and His blood, given
for the atonement of sin. The ordinance serves as a memorial of Christ’s
sacrificial death, a proclamation of the gospel, and a means of spiritual
participation in the benefits of His redemptive work.
Mission of the Church
The Great Commission [31](Matthew
28:19–20) sets out the Church’s purpose: to preach the gospel, to teach
obedience to the commandments of Christ and to make disciples of all nations.
Eschatology
The
Doctrine of Last Things
Eschatology, from the Greek ἔσχατος
(eschatos, “last”) and λόγος (logos, “study” or “word”), is the theological
discipline concerned with the final events of God’s redemptive plan. It
addresses both the individual destiny of man and the cosmic consummation of
history. Scripture presents eschatology not as speculative philosophy, but as a
divinely revealed certainty rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the
promises of God. Eschatology unfolds in two primary dimensions: personal
(individual) eschatology and corporate (universal) eschatology, each revealing
distinct yet interconnected aspects of God’s ultimate purposes.
Personal Eschatology
Personal eschatology concerns the
destiny of the individual after death. The Bible consistently teaches that
physical death does not terminate consciousness but rather marks a transition
from earthly life into a continued, conscious state. For believers, this
transition results in immediate fellowship with the Lord. Paul affirms in 2
Corinthians 5:8 that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,
while Philippians 1:23 expresses his desire to depart and be with Christ, which
he describes as far better. Likewise, Jesus declared to the repentant thief in
Luke 23:43, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” These passages
collectively demonstrate that the believer experiences an immediate transition,
not a state of unconscious “soul sleep,” that personal identity is retained
after death, and that conscious communion with Christ begins at once.
The ultimate hope of the believer is
not disembodied existence, but bodily resurrection. Scripture teaches that at
the return of Christ, the dead in Christ shall rise first, as stated in 1
Thessalonians 4:16–17. Paul elaborates in 1 Corinthians 15:42–44 that the body
is raised incorruptible, glorious, powerful, and spiritual, meaning governed by
the Spirit rather than subject to decay. Jesus Himself affirmed in John 5:28–29
that all who are in the graves shall hear His voice and come forth. This
resurrection underscores the holistic nature of redemption, encompassing both
body and soul, and affirms the goodness of God’s original creation. Christ’s
own resurrection serves as the prototype and guarantee of this future reality,
as declared in 1 Corinthians 15:20.
Corporate Eschatology
Corporate eschatology, by contrast,
concerns the culmination of God’s plan for humanity and creation as a whole.
Central to this is the return of Jesus Christ, often referred to as the
Parousia. Scripture presents this event as visible, bodily, and unmistakable.
In Acts 1:11, the angels declare that this same Jesus will return in like
manner as He ascended. Jesus Himself taught in Matthew 24:30 that all will see
the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and
Revelation 19:11–16 portrays Him returning as King of kings and Lord of lords.
This return is not symbolic, but literal, public, glorious, and decisive,
marking the climax of redemptive history.
Accompanying Christ’s return is the
resurrection of all humanity. Daniel 12:2 speaks of a resurrection to
everlasting life and to shame and everlasting contempt, while John 5:28–29
confirms that both the just and the unjust will be raised. This universal
resurrection establishes the reality of accountability before God, the
continuity of personal identity, and the certainty of divine justice. Following
this resurrection comes the final judgment. Revelation 20:11–15 describes the
Great White Throne judgment, where all stand before God, while 2 Corinthians
5:10 affirms that all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. This
judgment involves the evaluation of deeds, as seen in Romans 2:6, the
revelation of motives according to 1 Corinthians 4:5, and the separation of the
righteous from the wicked as illustrated in Matthew 25:31–46. For believers,
this judgment does not result in condemnation, as Romans 8:1 makes clear, but
determines reward, as described in 1 Corinthians 3:12–15. For the unrepentant, however,
it results in final and eternal separation from God.
Thus, eschatology reveals that
history is not cyclical or random, but linear, purposeful, and centered in
Jesus Christ. On the personal level, it traces the believer’s journey from
death to conscious fellowship with Christ, to resurrection, and finally to eternal
life. On the corporate level, it culminates in the return of Christ, the
resurrection of all humanity, final judgment, and the establishment of a
renewed creation where God dwells with His people forever.
Conclusion
To see the coherence and oneness of
the Bible is to look at the Bible itself. From Bibliology to Eschatology, the
doctrines weave a redemptive pattern by which to make sense of the person and
works of Christ. Theology is far less abstraction than the systematic study of
supernatural revelation about the nature of life and worship. A sound doctrine
protects the Church from error and roots the people in truth.
Doctrine, the teaching of sound and
orthodox biblical truth, is the result of an accurate understanding of biblical
theology. Sound doctrine ultimately leads to pure doxology. As Paul said, “For
of him, through him and to him. Are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen [32](Romans
11:36).”
Bibliography
n.d.
Childs, Brevard s>. Biblical Theology of the
Old and New Testaments. . Fortress, 1992.
Clayton R. Hall Jr., PhD. Guardians of the Rule
of Faith. Petal, MS: Midnight Cry Publishers, 2025. Paperback.
—. Unshakeable: Why I believe the Bible.
Petal, MS: Midnight Cry Publishers, 2025. Paperback.
God. The Berean Greek NT. The Berean Bible,
2024.
—. The Holy Bible English Standard Version.
cossway Bibles, 2016.
—. The Holy Bible KJV. Oxford UP, 1998.
—. The Holy Bible New American Standard Version.
Lockman Foundation, 2020.
Raggio, Ken. The Greatest Doctrines Of The Bible:
The Oneness of God and the New Birth. CreamSpace Independant Publishing
Platfrom, 2016.
Strong, James. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of
the Bible. Lockman, 1995.
Thayer, Joseph. Thayer's Greek - English Lexicon.
Hendrickson, 1996.
YHWH. The Lexham English Septuagint (LXX0.
Lexham Press, 2020.
[1] The Holy Bible, Authorized King
James Version (KJV), Oxford UP, 1998, Acts 20:27
[2] Joseph Thayer, Thayer’s Greek –
English Lexicon, Hendrickson, 1996, STRONGS NT 1319: διδασκαλία
[3]
Ibid, Genesis 1:1
[4]
Ibid, Deuteronomy 6:4
[5] Strong,
James. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, Lockman Foundation, 1995, H259
[6]
Ibid, Isaih 9:6
[7]
Ibid, John 1:14
[8]
Ibid, John 20:28
[9]
Ibid, Romans 10:9
[10]
Ibid, Romans 10:13
[11]
The Tanakh, The Lexham English Septuagint (LXX), Lexham Press, 2020, Joel 2:32
[12]
Ibid, Philippians 2:11
[13]
Ibid, Isaiah 45:23, ESV
[14] Berean
Greek New Testament, Berean Bible, 2024, John 8:24
[15]
Ibid, Hebrews 4:15
[16]
Ibid Philippians 2:8
[17]
New American Standard Bible (NASB),Lockman Foundation: 2020, Isaiah 53:5-6
[18]
Ibid, John 14:16-17
[19]
Ibid Acts 2:1-4
[20]
Ibid Genesis 1:26-27
[21]
Ibid, Genesis 3
[22]
Ibid, 1 John 3:4
[23]
Ibid, Ephesians 2:8-9
[24]
Ibid, Romans 6:4
[25]
Ibid, Romans 8:1
[26]
Ibid, Romans 8:29
[27]
Ibid, Galatians 5:16-18; I John 3:5-10
[28]
Ibid, (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:11-12)
[29] Allen,
C G, M. A., The Didache: The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, The Astolat
Press: 1903, 9-5
[30]
Ibid, Luke 22:19; I Corinthians 11:24-25)
[31]
Ibid, Matthew 28:19
[32]
Ibid, Romans 11:36
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