Theological Term of the Week

deism
The belief that God has created the universe but is not now directly involved in it.1

• Scripture teaching against polytheism:

I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me,

declaring the end from the beginning

and from ancient times things not yet done,

saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,

and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

calling a bird of prey from the east,

the man of my counsel from a far country.

I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;

I have purposed, and I will do it.

(Isaiah 46:9b-11 ESV)


Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31 ESV)

• From the Belgic Confession, Article 10:

We believe that this good God, after he created all things, did not abandon them to chance or fortune but leads and governs them according to his holy will, in such a way that nothing happens in this world without his orderly arrangement.

Yet God is not the author of, nor can he be charged with, the sin that occurs. For his power and goodness are so great and incomprehensible that he arranges and does his work very well and justly even when the devils and wicked men act unjustly.

We do not wish to inquire with undue curiosity into what he does that surpasses human understanding and is beyond our ability to comprehend. But in all humility and reverence we adore the just judgments of God, which are hidden from us, being content to be Christ’s disciples, so as to learn only what he shows us in his Word, without going beyond those limits.

This doctrine gives us unspeakable comfort since it teaches us that nothing can happen to us by chance but only by the arrangement of our gracious heavenly Father. He watches over us with fatherly care, keeping all creatures under his control, so that not one of the hairs on our heads (for they are all numbered) nor even a little bird can fall to the ground without the will of our Father.

In this thought we rest, knowing that he holds in check the devils and all our enemies, who cannot hurt us without his permission and will.

For that reason we reject the damnable error of the Epicureans, who say that God involves himself in nothing and leaves everything to chance.

• From Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem:

Deism generally holds that God created the universe and is far greater than the universe (God is “transcendent”). Some deists also agree that God has moral standards and will ultimately hold people accountable on a day of judgment. But they deny God’s present involvement in the world, thus leaving no place for his immanence in the created order. Rather, God is viewed as a divine clock maker who wound up the “clock’ of creation at the beginning but then left it to run on its own. 

While deism does affirm God’s transcendence in some ways, it denies almost the entire history of the Bible, which is the history of God’s active involvement in the world. Many “lukewarm” or nominal Christians today are, in effect, practical deists, since they live lives almost totally devoid of genuine prayer, worship, fear of God, or moment-by-moment trust in God to care for needs that arise. 

Learn more:

1. Theopedia: Deism
2. Gotquestions.org: What is deism? What do deists believe?
3. R. C. Sproul: Did God Create the Universe and Then Step out of the Picture?
4. Blue Letter Bible: Could God Have Created the World and Then Backed Off?
5. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry: What is Deism?
6. Ligon Duncan: God the Clockmaker - Deism

Related terms:

• henotheism
• idolatry
• monotheism
• panentheism
• polytheism
• atheism
• Trinity

Filed under Isms

1From Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem.

Do you have a term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.

Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms in alphabetical order.

Theological Term of the Week

polytheism
The belief that there are many gods; the worship of multiple deities. 

• Scripture teaching against polytheism:

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,

“and my servant whom I have chosen,

that you may know and believe me

and understand that I am he.

Before me no god was formed,

nor shall there be any after me. (Isaiah 43:10 ESV)

For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens. (Psalm 96:5 ESV)

Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”—yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. (1 Corinthians 8:4-6 ESV)

• From the Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 3:

Truly we detest many gods because it is expressly written: “The Lord your God is one Lord”(Deut.6:4). “I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me” (Ex. 20:2-3). “I am the Lord, and there is no other god besides me. Am I not the Lord, and there is no other God beside me? A righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me” (Isa. 45:5, 21). “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex. 34:6). 

• From God Is Love by Gerald Bray:

When speaking about pagans to the Romans, Paul described them in these words:

What can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, the did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. [Romans 1:19-23]

The picture is hardly flattering, but [this passage] tell[s] us something of great importance about so-called “primitive” or pagan [or polytheistic] religious practices. The pagans knew God in their hearts, and God continued to speak to them by the providential care that he lavished on them. They went wrong because they had no access to spiritual knowledge and found themselves looking for substitutes within the material universe. 

Learn more:

1. Theopedia: Polytheism
2. Gotquestions.org: What is polytheism?
3. Blue Letter Bible: What Is Polytheism?

Related terms:

• deism
• henotheism
• idolatry
• monotheism
• panentheism
• atheism
• Trinity

Filed under Isms

Do you have a term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.

Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms in alphabetical order.

Theological Term of the Week

monotheism
The belief that there is only one God. (Christianity, Judaism and Islam are all monotheistic religions.)

• From scripture:

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,

“and my servant whom I have chosen,

that you may know and believe me

and understand that I am he.

Before me no god was formed,

nor shall there be any after me. (Isaiah 43:10 ESV)

• From the Belgic Confession:

Article 1: The Only God

We all believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that there is a single and simple spiritual being, whom we call God — eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, unchangeable, infinite, almighty; completely wise, just, and good, and the overflowing source of all good.

• From The Christian Faith by Michael Horton:

Faith in the One God—Yahweh—arose not out of Greek speculation but out of God’s self-revelation to Israel. The same God who forbade idolatry was addressed by Jesus as “Father.” In fact, Jesus answered Satan’s temptation by reasserting Israel’s creed, the Shema: “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve” (Mt 4:10, paraphrasing Dt 6:13). Jesus’ acts of healing are pointers to this God and to no other: “And they glorified the God of Israel’ (Mt 15:31)… . Turning Gentiles ‘from idols to serve the living and true God’ was as essential a part of the paostles’ message as it had been for the prophets (1Th 1:9; cf. 1Pe 4:3). Appearing before the Roman governor Felix, Paul entreated, “This I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our father, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hop in God” (Ac 24:14—15). Included in that confession is “one God” (Eph 4:6).

• From What Is a Monotheistic Religion? at Blue Letter Bible:

The fact that a religion is monotheistic is not enough. Belief must not only be in one God, belief must be in the right God! James wrote.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that ‑ and shudder (James 2:19).

Learn more:

1. Theopedia: Monotheism
2. Blue Letter Bible: What is a monotheistic religion?
3. R. C. Sproul: Monotheism (mp3)

Related terms:

• deism
• idolatry
• panentheism
• polytheism
• atheism
• Trinity

Filed under Isms

Do you have a term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.

Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms in alphabetical order.