The Works of
DONALD R. WILSON
Doctrinal Positions:
The focus of the book is on how to establish a justified, true belief system and its conclusions support the core tenets of Christianity as the one belief system that meets this definition.
The book supports and defends the following doctrinal positions.
1. Authority of scripture: The bible is the inerrant Word of God, and can be relied upon as true from the first word to the last when read in a natural way against the backdrop of the language and context.
2. Denominational point of view: The author was raised in a non-denominational protestant setting and has spent many years attending Baptist and Wesleyan churches. While the author’s viewpoint is consistent with evangelical protestant doctrine, the book does not criticize in any way the doctrinal beliefs of other protestant denominations, or the various Catholic traditions, although there is much frustration expressed with so-called liberal theology.
3. Faith vs. Reason: Salvation and justification are by God’s grace, through faith. Reason is important for establishing an intellectual framework in which faith becomes possible because it is seen to be rationally justified, but simply understanding that Christianity is the only rational world view does not save anyone.
4. The nature of God: Logically, a being exists who is the source of all things. This being, by logical inference, is both essential and pre-existent. Because He created all things after His pleasure, He is perfect by definition and the ultimate criterion against which all things are compared. This perfection expresses itself in holiness, goodness, judgment, omnipotence and omniscience. This one God, a trinity of persons, spoke into existence all that we know by the power of his will. God has a personality, because it is clear He chose to create for His pleasure and that He placed His crowning work, us, atop all that He made. Therefore He maintains a personal interest in us, and loves us perfectly, because it is His nature to do so.
5. The role of Christ: God, in the person of Jesus Christ, has answered the epic need of mankind for a way of reconciliation with his Creator. This need exists because of the entrance of sin into the world, with which a holy God cannot coexist. The just penalty of death was imposed by our Creator for this sin, but the cruel murder and resurrection of God Himself in human form has opened a conduit for reestablishing this relationship and removing the “sting” of death.
6. The History of the Earth and Mankind: The bible presents the narrative written history of the only Eyewitness of creation and the early history of man. A correct world view cannot be reached if this history is modified or denied.
