Systematic Theology Quotes

“But ignorance of divine revelation affects all of thought and life, from one's view toward history and philosophy, to one's interpretation of music and literature, to one's understanding of mathematics and physics.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“We must never allow the non-Christians to think that we are prepared to accept their beliefs or to make the slightest adjustment to the Christian worldview.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“One who respects non-Christian beliefs and who thinks that some of them might be true is probably not a Christian in the first place. Just as Jesus has nothing to learn from the devil, Christians have nothing to learn from non-Christians (2 Corinthians 6:15).[84]”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“All things are decided and caused by God – nothing is free from his control, and he has not chosen to forego his control on anything. The doctrine is repulsive to those who abhor the rule and honor of God, and so they oppose it. But the doctrine is a source of comfort and celebration to those who love him. Why would we want it any other way, than for God to rule over all things? And what better life can we wish for, than to be ruled by God?   The doctrine contradicts the religious tradition that God does not decree evil or that he does not cause evil. Of course God does not make decrees against his other decrees. Since God is not insane, he has only one will, one desire.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“Jeremiah says that God is one who enforces and delights in justice (Jeremiah 9:24), and Isaiah calls him "a God of justice" (Isaiah 30:18). He will one day "judge the world with justice" (Acts 17:31).”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“to love God means to devote our intellect to the worship and service of God, to acquire knowledge about him and his commands, and to obey all biblical precepts.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“God is infinite and we are finite; therefore, we can never know everything about God. But just because we cannot know everything about God does not mean that we cannot know anything about him, and to know him in an accurate and definite manner.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“The necessity of theology is a question of the necessity of communication from God. Since this is God's universe, divine revelation is the infallible and binding source of information and interpretation regarding all of thought and life. Since God has spoken, and since it is necessary to hear him, to believe him, to obey him, and to declare him, theology is necessary.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“Religious experiences are meaningless unless they are accompanied by verbal communication that carry intelligible content.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“the study of theology is the most important human activity.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“A person who has a billion times the wealth of another still operates within human limitations and the monetary system, but one who has infinite resources operates on an altogether different level. A person who lives a thousand times longer than another person is still mortal, but one who is immortal is not greater only in degree, but also in kind.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“Scientists and non-Christians may wallow in contradictions, but Christians must not tolerate them.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“The necessary result is that the person who claims to believe both divine sovereignty and human freedom believes neither.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“it is clear that divine sovereignty and human freedom contradict each other.[16] If God controls everything, including man's thoughts, then man is not free from God. If man is free from God in any sense or to any degree, then God does not control everything.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“God has made a point of preventing non-Christians from knowing him through their own wisdom.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“The Bible, or Scripture, is the ultimate authority and first principle of the Christian system, and it is the source of our knowledge about God and the things of God. Therefore, it is appropriate to begin the study of theology by considering the attributes of Scripture.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“Theology is the systematic study and expression of the teachings of Scripture. It defines and interprets all that a person thinks and does. It ranks above all other necessities (Luke 10:42); no other task or discipline approaches it in significance. Therefore, the study of theology is the most important human activity.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“person who fellowships with God must know that there is a God, that God is a Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – and not Allah, or Buddha, his neighbor's cat, or the tree in his backyard.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“the very ideas of right and wrong remain undefined without his verbal revelation – he must define these concepts for us, and only his definitions are authoritative, relevant, and binding on all people.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“Since this is God's universe, only his interpretation about anything is correct, and he has revealed his thoughts in the words of the Bible. It follows that an ignorance of theology means that a person's interpretation of every subject will lack the defining factor that puts it into the proper perspective.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“ignorance of divine revelation affects all of thought and life, from one's view toward history and philosophy, to one's interpretation of music and literature, to one's understanding of mathematics and physics.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“Theology is necessary for all of thought and life.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“Theological reflection is the most important activity a person can perform.”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours" (John 17:9).”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“And just as Jesus prayed for Peter, now he prays for all Christians, so that no matter what spiritual problems they face, their faith will not fail:”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“Sometimes even a true Christian may fall into serious sin, but such a fall is never permanent. Nevertheless, as long as a person persists in a sinful lifestyle, we have no reason to believe his profession of faith, and therefore should think of him as an unbeliever. Jesus teaches that a stubborn refusal to repent is sufficient reason for excommunication:”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? (Acts 13:10)”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology

“Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" (John 6:70)”
― Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology