GOD

IS

LOVE

A BIBLICAL AND SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY

GERALD BRAY

CROSSWAY

wheaton, illinois

God Is Love: A Biblical and Systematic Theology

Copyright © 2012 by Gerald Bray

Published by Crossway

1300 Crescent Street

Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

Cover design: Faceout Studio

Cover image: Shutterstock

First printing 2012

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4335-2269-7

ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-2272-7

PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-2270-3

Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-2271-0

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bray, Gerald Lewis.

God is love: a biblical and systematic theology / Gerald Bray.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4335-2269-7 (hc)

1. Theology, Doctrinal—Popular works. I. Title.

BT77.B755

2012

230—dc23

2011039137

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

CONTENTS

Preface

PART ONE

THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE

1 The Christian Experience of God

KNOWING GOD

COMMUNICATING THIS KNOWLEDGE TO OTHERS

THE SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THEOLOGY

THEOLOGICAL DISAGREEMENTS

2 God Has Spoken to Us

THE FINITE AND THE INFINITE

THE SCANDAL OF PARTICULARITY

CHRISTIANS AND ISRAEL

DIVINE REVELATION TO ISRAEL

DIVINE REVELATION TO THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH

HOW THE BIBLE WAS REVEALED

THE DIVINE INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE

THE INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE

DIVINE REVELATION OUTSIDE THE BIBLE?

3 The Christian Worldview

THE COHERENCE OF THE UNIVERSE

DISORDER IN THE UNIVERSE?

THE SUSTAINING LOVE OF GOD

4 Speaking about God

THE WAY OF NEGATION

THE WAY OF AFFIRMATION

RESPONDING TO REVELATION

5 The Practice of Theology

THE ROLE OF THEOLOGY

THEOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY

THE BIBLE AS THE SOURCE OF THEOLOGY

THINGS UNKNOWN AND THINGS INDIFFERENT

6 Theology and Faith

THE NEED FOR GOOD THEOLOGY

THE BASIS OF OUR FAITH

KNOWING THE LOVE OF GOD

PART TWO

GOD’S LOVE IN HIMSELF

7 The Mystery of the Trinity

THREE PERSONS IN FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER

THE TRINITY IS ETERNAL

THE TRINITY IS RELATIONAL

WHAT IS A PERSON?

MODERN DIFFICULTIES WITH THE TERM “PERSON”

8 The Being of God

DIVINE SUBSTANCE AND DIVINE NATURE

GOD IS ALL-POWERFUL

CAN GOD CHANGE OR SUFFER?

WHAT GOD IS NOT

THE GOODNESS OF GOD

WHAT GOD LETS US SHARE WITH HIM

9 The God of the Old Testament and the Father of Jesus Christ

THE GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

THE FATHER OF JESUS CHRIST

THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE FATHER

OUTSIDE” AND “INSIDE” GOD

TRANSCENDENCE

10 The Divine Son of God

THE IDENTITY OF THE SON

THE GENERATION OF THE SON IN ETERNITY

THE GENERATION OF THE SON IN TIME AND SPACE

JESUS’ SELF-UNDERSTANDING

THE ...

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About God Is Love: A Biblical and Systematic Theology

While there is no substitute for personal, faithful, and careful Bible reading and prayer, the Bible’s vast size and diversity can make distilling its truth a daunting task. Thus most Christians benefit from supplemental resources to help learn and apply what Scripture teaches. Renowned theologian, Gerald Bray has produced just such a resource in his new biblical theology. Though packed with robust content, he writes about this volume: “the aim … is to reach those who would not normally find systematic theology appealing or even comprehensible.”

This volume is unique from others in that Bray traces the common theme of God’s love through the Bible categorically—from God’s love for himself and his creation to the cross as the ultimate expression of God’s love, among other categories. The centrality of God’s love in Bray’s theology reflects a deep conviction that the Bible shows us God for who he really is. This volume is of interest to Christians seeking to grow in their faith.

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Table of Contents