What Are The Five Major Biblical Sciences?

There are many great doctrinal chapters in both the Old and New Testaments, but Matthew 16 contains all of these major sciences in a comprehensive way. Therefore, there is perfect harmony between each science when the word of truth is handled correctly. That is why Paul said, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and thus they upset the faith of some. Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, The Lord knows those who are His, and, Let every one who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness” (II Tim. 2:15-19 NASB).

Paul’s conversion from Phariseeism to Christianity made a difference in the God-called apostle that is seen very little in today’s professing Christendom. Having been separated by God’s grace, Paul was no longer associated with “the brood of vipers” (Matt. 3:7). Furthermore, he was not ashamed to admit what he was before he was regenerated and converted. Paul stood before Ananias, “But perceiving that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council [Sanhedrin], Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead! And as he said this, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor a spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge them all” (Acts 23:6-8 NASB).

Paul had not forgotten what God told him by the mouth of Ananias when he was converted on the road to Damascus. The Lord said to Ananias, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:15 NASB). Since there was a great uproar and dissension developing because of Paul’s testimony, the Lord stood at his side and said, “…Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also” (Acts 23:11 NASB). There was a conspiracy to kill Paul, but such a conspiracy is nothing apart from God’s purpose. God did not bring something into existence that He does not control.

In Matthew 16, we find these five major Biblical sciences: theology, science of the Godhead; anthropology, science of man; soteriology, science of salvation; ecclesiology, science of the assembly; and eschatology, science of last things. These, with all their parts, fit together like a puzzle to the natural mind. However, the spiritual mind, the fruit of regeneration, has a thirst for spiritual food. Peter, by the Spirit of regeneration, stated it perfectly when he said, “THEREFORE, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord” (I Pet. 2:1-3 NASB). Peter gave both a warning and an admonition in the last two verses of his second letter for the purpose of giving spiritual strength to his brothers. “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (II Pet. 3:17, 18 NASB). Christ told Peter, subsequent to his being sifted by Satan “…but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32 NASB).

A concise account of each one of the five Biblical sciences is necessary. The order in which they have been named is important, because God is the God of order. Since God created man, it is not a statement lacking in freshness because of its excessive repetition. Speaking of God’s existence never takes second place. God’s essence cannot be comprehended, and His existence cannot be denied. Paul proved that in his Roman Epistle. (Study Romans 1:18-23.)

The Christian never becomes weary of studying new evidences for God’s existence. God is so inaccessible that we cannot know Him perfectly. On the other hand, God is so greatly manifested that we cannot be totally ignorant of His existence. Augustine said, “God is more truly thought than He is described, and exists more truly than He is thought.” Expanding on that statement one could say, the subjective idea of God is less real than the objective fact. That means God has more of existence than the thought of Him has existence.

The fact of God’s existence is not causally grounded upon the abstract laws of logic and not causally determined by any other fact. Our finite minds are not geared to conceive of an uncaused eternal Being. We are accustomed to studying finite objects and relationships. What is the principle by which an endless series of causes can be avoided? The principle difference between the Creator and creation avoids the endless series of causes. How can we formulate that principle? Formulate the objective, and you will better understand the subjective. When the objective is formulated, the subjective will take care of itself in God’s chosen ones who have been regenerated.

In order to understand primary creation, one must view the finite world solely in relation to Divine intelligence. By God’s absolute power, the image of the world formed in the Divine mind became the actual external world. Man can create to the extent of forming the mental image of something, but it is only in the externalization of his idea that he is restricted by his finite nature. The omniscient (infinite knowledge) God did not create at random, because He said, “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish” (Luke 14:28-30 NASB). Since the infinite God can never be entrapped by His finite creatures, nothing can stop the infinite God from finishing what He starts. No doubt Paul had this in mind when he wrote to the Philippian saints. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me” (Phil. 1:6, 7 NASB). Therefore, we human creatures learn much by way of contrast.

God did not create by necessity, because there was no pressure from anything outside of the Godhead. There was nothing but the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God used no means in creation. Therefore, created things are here in obedience to God’s command. In giving praise to the Creator and Preserver, the inspired Psalmist said, “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap [container]; He lays up the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance” (Ps. 33:6-12 NASB).

Distinction must be made between the original creation and its subsequent reconstruction with a view to it becoming the habitation of man. The six days give the account of a new beginning, but they are not the first beginning. The question is often asked, How could a good God make a world like ours? This is the answer: He did not make the world as it now exists. What we see is not what came from the hand of God. What we see is an originally good creation with a curse upon it because of man’s sin. That is why Paul said, “For the anxious longing of creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now” (Rom. 8:19-22 NASB).

Planet earth, which is now under the curse because of sin, will be purified. There is a circular movement from God to God. Ezekiel saw a wheel within a wheel (Ezek. 1). In the highest view, the whole symbol declares that God is the Lord of the universe. The “earth” is in God’s plan. Therefore, the creation, catastrophe, and restoration must be considered. The first man, Adam, was told to subdue the earth. What the first Adam failed to do, the second Adam, Jesus Christ, shall accomplish.

The earth, though small in comparison to other planets, acquires significance for the whole universe. This is always God’s plan. God said to Israel, “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deut. 7:6-8 NASB). Paul takes up the same song and the second stanza in I Corinthians 1:18-31.

This planet earth was made for man. The Psalmist said, “The heavens are the heavens of the LORD; But the earth He has given to the sons of men” (Ps. 115:16 NASB). Upon this small planet earth will be fought the decisive battle between God and the devil. On this earth, the Son of God became the Son of Man. On this earth stood the cross of the Redeemer. On this earth, subsequent to its purification (II Pet. 3:10-13), the new Jerusalem will come “down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev. 21:2).

Job magnifies the greatness of our God: “He stretches out the north over empty space, And hangs the earth on nothing” (Job 26:7 NASB). The rotundity (roundness of an object) of the earth is proved: “When He established the heavens, I was there, When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep” (Prov. 8:27 NASB). Isaiah said, “It is He who sits above the vault [circle] of the earth…” (Is. 40:22 NASB). Luke 17:34-36 proves the circle of the earth: “I tell you, on that night there will be two men in one bed; one will be taken, and the other will be left. There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken, and the other will be left. [Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left]” (NASB). Rotation of the earth is seen in the fact that some will be in bed and others at the mill or in the field when Christ comes for His own.

ADDENDUM—

The following information is given in answer to some questions which were recently asked regarding statements made by a preacher on television:

Recently, a television preacher read Galatians 2:16 and Romans 3:2-3 and then made some remarks. He said that God had given him a revelation concerning God’s faith and Christ’s faith that had revolutionized his life and ministry. He said that it is God’s faith and Christ’s faith, not his faith, that was given to him. He said that this faith will do through him what it has done through God and Christ. He further stated that this faith can heal the sick and raise the dead and that he had witnessed both. (Read Gal. 2:16 and Rom. 3:2-3 in both the KJB and NASB.) The following are some questions in regard to that preacher’s statements. Does God, like Christians, possess faith? Who would He have faith in? Are God’s miracles performed by His faith? Can God’s faith grow? Our faith grows as we grow in knowledge of the Lord. Is faith needed in eternity? Christians will not exercise faith in eternity. What about the end of faith? Faith is terminated in time (I Pet. 1:9) because it is a “time” word. Read Romans 13:11. This refers to the completion of salvation (salvation of the body), not salvation of the soul. Does faith give assurance? Yes, but only in time.

The Greek word for faith is pistis and is used 243 times in the New Testament. It is used in the following ways: 1. Faith, belief, or firm persuasion (II Cor. 5:7; Heb. 11:1). 2. Assurance or firm conviction (Rom. 14:23). 3. Ground of belief, guarantee, or assurance (Acts 17:31). 4. Good faith, honesty, integrity (Matt. 23:23; Gal. 5:22; Titus 2:10). 5. Faithfulness or truthfulness (Rom. 3:3; Gal. 2:16—This is the correct translation of the word in the verses used by the television preacher.). 6. Faith in God and Christ (Matt. 8:10; Acts 3:16). 7. The matter of gospel faith or the system of truth (Jude 3; Acts 6:7). 8. End of faith (I Pet. 1:9—the Greek word telos is translated “end” in the KJB and “outcome” in the NASB. It means termination or cessation, conclusion, or goal to which a movement is directed. Faith is terminated in time).

Here are a few good translations. Romans 3:3— “For what if some did not believe. Will their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God?” “Well then, if as in the case, certain ones did not exercise faith, their unbelief will not render the faithfulness of God ineffectual, will it?”

Galatians 2:16— “Knowing that a man is not justified out of the works of the law except through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ and we believe in Jesus Christ that we might be justified out of the faithfulness of Christ and not out of the works of the law because out of the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” “And knowing that a man is not justified by law works but only through faith in Christ Jesus we also place our trust in Jesus Christ in order that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by law works because by law works there shall no flesh be justified.”