By Pastor Nick Bibile
Theism comes from theist one who believes in the existence of God. Atheist oppose the existence of God. Jews, Islam and Christians believe in theism, the existence of God. Does all theist Christians? No. James 2:19
This is an attempt to explain
the foreknowledge of God in relationship to the free will of man. They believe
human beings are absolutely free and God doesn’t know the absolute future, so
the future is not really knowable. They believe that God can change his mind
due to circumstances. (Genesis
6:6; 22:12; Exodus
32:14; Jonah 3:10). There are several figures of speech in the
Bible that accommodate the human level of understanding. One is anthropomorphism
(man form), where physical features are ascribed to God, e.g., the eyes of the
Lord (1 Pet. 3:12), Jehovah’s arm (Jn. 12:38), etc. These depict God’s watchfulness
and his power.
There is another figure called anthropopathism (man feeling), whereby human emotions are sometimes attributed to God. To say, therefore, that God “repented,” or that he was “grieved,” is simply a symbolic way of asserting that man’s conduct did not meet the divine standard. This language vividly portrays, from a human perspective, God’s displeasure at our rebellion.
But see the opposing scriptures Psalm 139:4, Isa 46:9-11
Deism believe in God but not personal, he is not involve with our lives. They believe that God created the world but he will not interfere anymore. They also denies the trinity, deity of Christ, supernatural events of the Bible, acts of redemption. Some of the famous deists were, Epicurus an ancient Greek philosopher, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington the first president of United States, Benjamin Franklin one of the founding fathers of America, David Hume the great Scottish philosopher, economist and historian, Thomas Jefferson third president of the United States, James Madison the fourth president of the United States, Thomas Paine one of the founding father’s of America, Mark Twain the great American author and Albert Einstein. When Adam sinned it was God who came to them and clothed them, throughout the Old Testament we see God’s love for his people, sending prophets, redeeming them from Pharoah’s hands, giving them manna and water, providing their needs. God is called the Father. Even sending his own Son.
Dualism believes there is good and evil. They believe in two powerful forces of good and evil, they can be both equal. But Christianity believes God is the most powerful Almighty God and Satan is a created being under the power of God and Satan will be totally defeated. 1 Cor 15:25; 1 John 4:4; Rev 20:10
Pantheism believe God is everything and everyone and that everyone and everything is God. For them everything what you see is god. Pantheists love the natural world. Christians believe God is everywhere, but He is not everything. Everything is created by God. Psalm 139:7-8
Polytheism is the belief that there are many gods. Breaking the word down, “poly” comes from the Greek word for “many,” and “theism” from the Greek word for “God.” Deut 6:4; Mark 12:32; 1 Cor 8:4
The most dangerous heresy which the apostles had to confront during their time. They believed everything is evil and our bodies are prison and need to escape this body and the material world. Gnostics claim to possess an elevated knowledge, a “higher truth” known only to a certain few. Gnosticism comes from the Greek word gnosis which means “to know.” Gnostics claim to possess a higher knowledge, not from the Bible. That knowledge was the secret key to salvation. Gnostics believe originally God never intended to create a material world but all spiritual but there was error in God’s part and the results were material, evil things came upon. Apostle Paul defended this idea by saying, "For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." (Colosians 1:16) some Gnostics believe that Christ had a real body, but it was different than ours. Also there were others who denied the deity of Christ. As this teaching was at the very embryo stage in the early Church, apostle Paul protected the sheep by saying, " So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to that no one takes you captive, through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.." (Colossians 2:6-9) Apostle John proclaimed the deity of Christ in his gospel of John.
One of the most important verses in the Bible Genesis 1:1
The word “monotheism” comes from two words, “mono” meaning “single” and “theism” meaning “belief in God.” Specifically, monotheism is the belief in one true God who is the only creator, sustainer, and judge of all creation. Deuteronomy 4:35: “You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; besides Him there is no other.” Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” Malachi 2:10a, “Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us?” 1 Corinthians 8:6: “Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” Ephesians 4:6: “One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” 1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” James 2:19: “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”