SBTS Collegiate conference: Elective Session 1

The Conference has an incredible choice of 22 elective sessions, of which each delegate gets to choose only two. This makes the $10 mp3 of all the sessions incredibly good value.

This morning I attended Steve Wellum's introduction to a biblical theology of sex. As well as presenting a good brief biblical theology of sex (much of which was going over the ground that Mohler went over last night, and I guess pre-empting the other Geneneral Sessions) there was also an excellent & clear introduction to biblical theology more generally.

Elective Session 1: Steve Wellum – A Biblical Theology of Sex.

1) What is Biblical Theology?
Biblical Theology is an entire discipline asking what the whole of the bible teaches, attempting to do justice to the unfolding plan of God, and particularly how the biblical revelation finds its fulfillment in the coming of Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:9, Hebrews 1:1-4)

2) How do we do Biblical Theology?

a. Follow the Bible’s own internal grid:
Creation – Fall – Redemption – New Creation
These are the key themes in any biblical worldview and must be applied to any biblical theology.

b. Observe the 3 horizons of biblical interpretation

i. Textual (What does it say in its immediate context)

ii. Ephochal (How does it relate to what has previously been revealed)

iii. Canonical (How does this relate to what is revealed later)

3) What is a Biblical Theology of Sex?

Steve then applied this method of biblical theology to the area of sex & marriage.

a) Creation: Genesis 1-2

• Male and female are created equal but with role differences. Gender distinctions are not accidental (as evolutionism might teach us). They are intended.
• Headship doesn’t imply superiority but a role difference.
• Wherever the New Testament considers authority implications of gender, creation order is what is referred to (1 Tim 2:10-13)
• Whole purpose of male-female creation is marriage. Leave-cleave-weave.
  Our society reduces everything to do with sex to a mere act. One flesh is certainly about the sex act it is more than that: One in terms of aim, goals – together they carry on the purposes of dominion.
• Only a creation order understanding of marriage will inform us as to why homosexuality, polygamy, divorce are so terribly wrong and bring such disaster on their lives.

b. Genesis 3: Fall

• All that is good is now distorted.
• Our relationships with God, the earth & significantly the marriage relationship are distorted. Genesis 3:16. The woman tries to usurp the man’s role. The man abuses his role.

c. Redemption

• Redemption restores the creation order: now submission and love, not rebellion and abuse.
• Ephesians 5: marriage is not merely restored to the creation order, it is revealed to point beyond itself to the relationship between Christ and the church.

d. New Creation

• The marriage will fulfil and replace human marriage.
• The new creation relativists our sexuality. The reality is more important than the model in marriage. The end of all our creation is to know God. Thus, just as marriage is prophetic of the marriage to Jesus in heaven.
• Singleness is also prophetic because it points beyond itself to the fact that nobody in heaven will be given in marriage.