We never do know how things will work out, but we know that God will work them out. He will work them out for our redemption. We will fall in love, change jobs, bury loved ones, say goodbye to children, move to faraway cities, raise cats, lose a fortune on the stock market, go to war, and end up living in Singapore. Sometimes we will choose to put God first; sometimes we will choose not to. Still, somehow God will work things out for our good, both because that is his nature and because that is his will for our lives.
- Jerry Sittser, The Will of God as a Way of Life
we never know.
Wednesday 27 February 2008
Monday 25 February 2008
faith and reason
this is in a sense the continuation of a previous post on philosophy and theology. i've been thinking about what separates a believer from an unbeliever. must you shun philosophy, go hide in a cave (not plato's cave) and hold that 1+1=3 in order to believe in God? is faith really opposed to reason?note: believing that God exists and believing in God are two separate things.
no one can believe in God without believing that God exists.
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." - Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)
on the other hand, someone can believe that God exists without believing in God.
"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder." - James 2:14-19 (NIV)
reason is neutral with respect to belief in God
it is possible for a believer not to have reason, just as it is possible for an unbeliever to have reason. a believer might not have reason, just as an unbeliever might have reason.
reason (or the lack thereof) does not distinguish between believers and unbelievers. properly conceived, reason simply grounds believers in their belief (making their belief reasonable to them) and unbelievers in their unbelief (making their unbelief reasonable to them). to this end, reason is neutral with respect to belief in God.
nevertheless, although reason is neutral with respect to belief in God, it still points towards the belief that God exists (through apologetics). it is able to remain neutral with respect to belief in God - while pointing towards the belief that God exists - because believing that God exists and believing in God are two separate things.
faith is the very condition for belief in God
it is impossible for a believer not to have faith, just as it is impossible for an unbeliever to have faith. a believer must have faith, just as an unbeliever must not have faith.
faith (or the lack thereof) distinguishes between believers and unbelievers. belief comes from faith and the lack of belief comes from the lack of faith. at the same time, faith results in belief and the lack of faith results in the lack of belief. to use propositional logic, faith is both a necessary and sufficient condition for belief.
if and only if!
reasonable believers, unreasonable believers, reasonable unbelievers and unreasonable unbelievers
reasonable believers are true believers who will never fall away. they do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but are transformed by the renewing of their minds.
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
unreasonable believers are believers in name, but not in nature. they have yet to examine themselves to see whether they are in the faith.
"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test." - 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 (NIV)
reasonable unbelievers are like the demons in James 2:19. they believe that there is one God - and shudder. they shudder because they believe that God exists without believing in God.
unreasonable unbelievers think that whether or not God exists, they do not have to believe in Him. in reality, God does exist and calls each one of us to believe in Him. the lack of belief does not come from the lack of evidence (the Bible itself is sufficient, not to mention apologetics) but from the lack of faith.
"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." - Romans 1:18-20 (NIV)
however, this does not undermine the basis for evangelism.
"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"" - Romans 10:14-15 (NIV)
salvation by grace through faith
the good news is that God does offer all men salvation by grace through faith, as well as the ability to respond in faith which accompanies it.
"But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." - John 20:31 (NIV)
faith and reason are not in perfect opposition to each other, but in perfect harmony with each other.
Monday 18 February 2008
new leaders training
i spent the weekend away in doncaster, at new leaders training for all incoming cu postholders in the northeast region. good food, good company and above all, being reminded of God's goodness.amazing grace
apart from participating in the training tracks for small group leaders, i learnt more about grace in the Bible during the main teaching sessions:
Hosea 11 - grace reaches lower than your worst mistake
Romans 3:21-31 - grace justifies us in Christ
Luke 15 - grace seeks the lost
Philippians 3:1-11 - grace leads to rejoicing
i also watched amazing grace, the story of william wilberforce and his parliamentary campaign to abolish the british slave trade. the church and the state must be kept separate, but not divided against each other.
famous last words
i remember sharing at the last kprbc prayer meeting before i left for the uk that i was going as a student, not a missionary. looking back, that was a rather limited definition of the word "missionary" (or "student", for that matter).
the cu is not merely a fellowship of believers, but more importantly the missionary arm of the church on campus. in fact, the church is not merely a fellowship of believers, but more importantly the missionary arm of the body of Christ on earth.
just as worship is not limited to worship services, missions is not limited to mission trips. whether we are in the worship ministry or missions department (or neither, or both), we are all worshippers and missionaries in Christ, and we are all students of God's Word.
"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." - Isaiah 55:10-11 (NIV)
green pastures
quiet waters
the doncaster countryside
smoking pipes7 weeks to new word alive!
Thursday 14 February 2008
the will of God as a way of life
God works in mysterious ways. i've been trying to get hold of jerry sittser's discovering God's will ever since rev timothy phua referred to it in his visiting sermon (on what else but discovering God's will) sometime last year. i thought it was all over when sks told me it was out of print, but as it turns out, God has led me to the updated edition of the work here in york - for only 99p!reading the will of God as a way of life has been the right thing at the right time, and doing the will of God as a way of life is also always the right thing at the right time.
A Startling Conclusion
As I struggled with the issue of discovering God's will, I came to a startling conclusion. The will of God concerns the present more than the future; it deals with our motives as well as our actions; it focuses on the little decisions we make every day even more than the big decisions we make about the future. The only time we really have both to know and to do God's will is the present moment. We are to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength, and we are to love our neighbours as we love ourselves. These are the basic responsibilities Jesus challenges us to pay attention to, just as a basketball coach emphasises the fundamentals of dribbling, passing, and shooting.
Jesus' teaching about the simple will of God is therefore always relevant in every situation imaginable, whether we are doctors or ministers, single or married, young or old, healthy or sick. It is the daily choices we make to honour and serve God that determine whether we are doing the will of God. We already know the will of God for our daily lives, however cloudy the future appears to be. That we do not know what God wants for tomorrow does not excuse us from doing His will today.
This perspective on the will of God gives us astonishing freedom. If we seek first God's kingdom and righteousness, which is the will of God for our lives, then whatever choices we make concerning the future become the will of God for our lives. There are many pathways we could follow, many options we could pursue. As long as we are seeking God, all of them can be God's will for our lives, although only one - the path we choose - actually becomes His will.
God does have one will for our lives - that we seek first His kingdom. But God allows us to follow many possible pathways to live that one will out. For example, God does not have one person selected for us to marry whom we must "find". Instead, there are many people we could marry, if we choose to marry at all. Nor does God have one career mapped out for us, which we must then figure out. Instead, there are many careers we could do and perhaps will do. The "one" will God has for us consists of a commitment to put Him first in everything. Then, when we make specific decisions concerning the future, we can be confident that what we choose becomes God's will for our lives.
God is thus surprisingly flexible about the future because He is supremely inflexible in the present. You are free to marry any number of people, just as you are free to pursue any number of careers (subject, of course, to certain limitations, as we shall see). But we are not free to put anything before or above God. God must be first and foremost in everything. Once we seek first God's kingdom and entrust our lives wholly to Him, the world suddenly becomes full of possibilities. As Paul claims with utter boldness, "For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future - all belong to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God." All things are ours in Christ. God works all things to our ultimate and eternal advantage, including the future. The only significant condition is that we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ and follow Him as Lord.
Why the Ambiguity?
Do I like the ambiguity of this theology? Not at all! Nevertheless, there may actually be good reasons for the ambiguity. For one, it keeps us from dividing life into sacred and secular. As C.S. Lewis has argued, God does not want just a few religious things from us - say, a tithe or a few hours of voluntary service or weekly attendance at a Bible study. As our Creator and Redeemer, He lays claim on every moment of our lives and has rightful jurisdiction over us. In the Christian faith, all of life is religious and falls under God's authority. He gives all things to us; He demands all things from us. God doesn't want something from us; He simply wants us...
There is a second reason for the ambiguity of Jesus' words in seeking God's will. They prevent us from putting off obedience to God until some later time. When Jesus taught "Seek first God's kingdom" and "Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day," He was insisting that we treat the present moment as the proper time - the only time, really - to follow and serve God. It is not enough to refrain from worrying about a future beyond our control; rather, we should be fully present to what is immediately at hand, like a child playing her favourite game on a beautiful summer day. If we associate God's will with some great work we hope to do in the future, it is so easy to overlook the little works we can and should be doing every day. It is far too convenient to use our future aspirations (eg. "What a wonderful contribution I will make as a surgeon") as an excuse for neglecting to serve God in the present...
Finally, the ambiguity of seeking God's kingdom first gives us freedom, confidence, and security to make decisions. If we truly seek God above all, then we will always be doing the will of God, no matter where our particular choices lead us, because seeking God's kingdom first is God's will. When we come to a crossroads with no signposts to guide our way, we then have the freedom to choose what we want, the confidence of knowing God will go with us, and the security of trusting our decisions become His will. In other words, we simply cannot lose. We cannot make a decision that is "outside" the will of God because we are already "inside" that will. As it turns out, the weightiest choice we make is never between two future options - say, taking a job in California or staying in Iowa - but between two ways of life, one for God, the other against God.
- Jerry Sittser, The Will of God as a Way of Life
God will provide the right thing at the right time. the lack of faith has nothing to do with how it is given, but with how it is received.
Teach Me How To Trust You
Doubts come easily when discouragement comes my way
When people let me down and all I've counted on seems to fail
Help me find a way and the strength today
Just to see me through
And give me the courage to take Your hand
And simply follow You
Teach me how to trust You, Lord
Growing daily in Your word
Just believing what I've learned
Placing all my faith in You
Show me how to love You more
Certain of the things in store
Teach me how to trust You, Lord
And to walk by faith in all I say and do
When the struggles and pain of making decisions come
Feeling so all alone, wondering if I'm the only one
Help my unbelief become perfect peace
Knowing that I'm Yours
Committing all that I am to You
Within Your will secure
Teach me how to trust You, Lord
Growing daily in Your word
Just believing what I've learned
Placing all my faith in You
Show me how to love You more
Certain of the things in store
Teach me how to trust You, Lord
And to walk by faith in all I say and do
Teach me how to trust You, Lord
Teach me how to trust You, Lord
link: three kinds of will (28 jul 09)
Tuesday 12 February 2008
the believer's freedom
""Everything is permissible" - but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible" - but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
("Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." - Philippians 2:4, NIV)
Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."
If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. But if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience' sake - the other man's conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God - even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved." - 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 (NIV)
freedom in Christ
the believer has freedom in Christ in all that he or she does. as macarthur affirms, God's will is that you be saved, Spirit-filled, sanctified, submissive, and suffering - then do whatever you want!
"Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defence to those who sit in judgment on me. Don't we have the right to food and drink? Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas? Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?" - 1 Corinthians 9:1-6 (NIV)
with great power comes great responsibility (again!)
"Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall." - 1 Corinthians 8:9-13 (NIV)
to this end, discernment in christian liberty is not just about proving the will of God with our free will, but also about expedience, edification, excess, enslavement, equivocation, encroachment, example, evangelism, emulation and exaltation.
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)
judging others: a matter of conscience
it is not for us to judge others because anything and everything the Bible is silent on is a matter of conscience.
"Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand." - Romans 14:1-4 (NIV)
judging others: graded absolutism
it is also not for us to judge others because we often do not have our facts right (and even when we do, it may be that the same facts mean different things to different people - at least from a human perspective).
graded absolutism holds that there is a hierarchy of moral absolutes which determines how we are to deal with moral dilemmas. if we have to choose between two (or more) moral duties, we are to perform the greater (greatest) good.
abraham was ready to sacrifice his one and only son, 'even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."' (Hebrews 11:18, NIV). hosea was instructed to take to himself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the kingdom of Israel was 'guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD' (Hosea 1:2, NIV). rahab was commended for her faith in lying to protect the lives of the Israelite spies in Jericho.
nevertheless, this does not give us the licence to kill, commit adultery or give false testimony. graded absolutism is always in accordance with God's good, pleasing and perfect will.
judging others: God and the individual
finally, it is not for us to judge others because sin is ultimately between God and the individual. to be sure, sin may affect our relationship with others; but when we sin, we sin only against God, not against others.
"Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge." - Psalm 51:4 (NIV)
likewise; when others sin, they sin only against God, not against us (even though our relationship with them may be affected). therefore, the law of the Lord is not for us to judge others with, but for God to judge us by.
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." - Matthew 7:1-5 (NIV)
"Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you - who are you to judge your neighbour?" - James 4:11-12 (NIV)
"Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." Because of this, the rumour spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"" - John 21:20-23 (NIV)
who are you to judge?
to recap, it is not for us to judge others because anything and everything the Bible is silent on is a matter of conscience, we often do not have our facts right (and even when we do, it may be that the same facts mean different things to different people - at least from a human perspective) and sin is ultimately between God and the individual.
at the end of the day, our relationship with God is all that matters.
("Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." - Philippians 2:4, NIV)
Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."
If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. But if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience' sake - the other man's conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God - even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved." - 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 (NIV)
freedom in Christ
the believer has freedom in Christ in all that he or she does. as macarthur affirms, God's will is that you be saved, Spirit-filled, sanctified, submissive, and suffering - then do whatever you want!
"Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defence to those who sit in judgment on me. Don't we have the right to food and drink? Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas? Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?" - 1 Corinthians 9:1-6 (NIV)
with great power comes great responsibility (again!)
"Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall." - 1 Corinthians 8:9-13 (NIV)
to this end, discernment in christian liberty is not just about proving the will of God with our free will, but also about expedience, edification, excess, enslavement, equivocation, encroachment, example, evangelism, emulation and exaltation.
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)
judging others: a matter of conscience
it is not for us to judge others because anything and everything the Bible is silent on is a matter of conscience.
"Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand." - Romans 14:1-4 (NIV)
judging others: graded absolutism
it is also not for us to judge others because we often do not have our facts right (and even when we do, it may be that the same facts mean different things to different people - at least from a human perspective).
graded absolutism holds that there is a hierarchy of moral absolutes which determines how we are to deal with moral dilemmas. if we have to choose between two (or more) moral duties, we are to perform the greater (greatest) good.
abraham was ready to sacrifice his one and only son, 'even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."' (Hebrews 11:18, NIV). hosea was instructed to take to himself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the kingdom of Israel was 'guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD' (Hosea 1:2, NIV). rahab was commended for her faith in lying to protect the lives of the Israelite spies in Jericho.
nevertheless, this does not give us the licence to kill, commit adultery or give false testimony. graded absolutism is always in accordance with God's good, pleasing and perfect will.
judging others: God and the individual
finally, it is not for us to judge others because sin is ultimately between God and the individual. to be sure, sin may affect our relationship with others; but when we sin, we sin only against God, not against others.
"Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge." - Psalm 51:4 (NIV)
likewise; when others sin, they sin only against God, not against us (even though our relationship with them may be affected). therefore, the law of the Lord is not for us to judge others with, but for God to judge us by.
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." - Matthew 7:1-5 (NIV)
"Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you - who are you to judge your neighbour?" - James 4:11-12 (NIV)
"Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." Because of this, the rumour spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"" - John 21:20-23 (NIV)
who are you to judge?
to recap, it is not for us to judge others because anything and everything the Bible is silent on is a matter of conscience, we often do not have our facts right (and even when we do, it may be that the same facts mean different things to different people - at least from a human perspective) and sin is ultimately between God and the individual.
at the end of the day, our relationship with God is all that matters.
Monday 11 February 2008
on liberty and christian liberty
as part of my political theory module this term, i'm studying mill's on liberty, rousseau's the social contract and machiavelli's the prince. even though political theory is under politics, it's probably closer to philosophy. maybe that's why it's also called political philosophy.
mill begins on liberty by stating that 'the subject of this essay is not the so-called 'liberty of the will', so unfortunately opposed to the misnamed doctrine of philosophical necessity; but civil, or social liberty: the nature and limits of the power which can be legitimately exercised by society over the individual'. his thesis is that 'the individual is not accountable to society for his actions in so far as these concern the interests of no person but himself'.
however,
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body." - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)
who/what are you a slave to?
"Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:16-23 (NIV)
with great power comes great responsibility
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." - Galatians 5:1 (NIV)
"Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God." - 1 Peter 2:16 (NIV)
in the social contract, rousseau expounds that 'the constant will of all the members of the state is the general will; it is through it that they are citizens and free'. on a theological level though, the constant will of all the members of the body of Christ is the will of God; it is through it that we are chosen and free.
once again, discernment in christian liberty is really about proving the will of God with our free will - more precisely, our God-given capacity for exercising our free will within our God-given capability of accomplishing all that our free will desires.
mill begins on liberty by stating that 'the subject of this essay is not the so-called 'liberty of the will', so unfortunately opposed to the misnamed doctrine of philosophical necessity; but civil, or social liberty: the nature and limits of the power which can be legitimately exercised by society over the individual'. his thesis is that 'the individual is not accountable to society for his actions in so far as these concern the interests of no person but himself'.
however,
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body." - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)
who/what are you a slave to?
"Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:16-23 (NIV)
with great power comes great responsibility
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." - Galatians 5:1 (NIV)
"Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God." - 1 Peter 2:16 (NIV)
in the social contract, rousseau expounds that 'the constant will of all the members of the state is the general will; it is through it that they are citizens and free'. on a theological level though, the constant will of all the members of the body of Christ is the will of God; it is through it that we are chosen and free.
once again, discernment in christian liberty is really about proving the will of God with our free will - more precisely, our God-given capacity for exercising our free will within our God-given capability of accomplishing all that our free will desires.
Sunday 10 February 2008
on philosophy and theology
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." - 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (NIV)
holding a worldview which accords with the christian faith isn't the reason why someone is a christian. the reason why someone is a christian is the 'message of the cross' and the 'power of God'. having said that, holding a worldview which does not accord with the christian faith isn't an excuse for why someone isn't a christian either.
"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles." - Romans 1:18-23 (NIV)
whether someone is a christian has nothing to do with the worldview he or she holds, but with whether he or she freely chooses to believe. of course, a christian necessarily holds a worldview which accords with the christian faith and a non-christian necessarily holds a worldview which does not accord with the christian faith.
Paul's example
"While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone - an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." At that, Paul left the Council. A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others." - Acts 17:16-34 (NIV)
we bring people to Christ not by speaking in philosophical terms but by 'preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection', proclaiming the 'message of the cross' and the 'power of God'.
"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 it 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." - Colossians 2:8 (NIV)
true christians will never fall away on account of 'hollow and deceptive philosophy'. indeed, true christians will never fall away.
on philosophy and theology
while at first glance not everything that is philosophically sound accords with the christian faith, everything that accords with the christian faith is philosophically sound. nevertheless, given that whether someone is a christian has nothing to do with the worldview he or she holds but with whether he or she freely chooses to believe, the christian faith should be examined not on a philosophical but on a theological level. in other words, the christian faith should be examined from a christian perspective.
"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test." - 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 (NIV)
the genuine test of a worldview is not how well it is able to stand up to other worldviews, but how well it is able to support itself. to wit, the christian faith is false from a non-christian perspective. obviously the christian faith is false from a non-christian perspective. that is what makes a non-christian perspective a non-christian perspective. the real question is whether the christian faith is true from a christian perspective, which it is. in contrast, other worldviews are neither true from a christian perspective nor a non-christian perspective.
the difference between the christian faith and other worldviews on a philosophical level is that the christian faith is able to support itself, while other worldviews go round in circles, tie themselves up in knots and ultimately collapse upon themselves. furthermore, the difference between the christian faith and other worldviews on a theological level is the 'message of the cross' and the 'power of God'.
the philosophy of philosophy
philosophy neither causes a non-christian to become a christian nor a christian to become a non-christian. rather, it strengthens believers in their belief and comforts unbelievers in their unbelief. ironically, philosophy reinforces the christian faith by providing the christian faith (which is philosophically sound) with the philosophical tools to demonstrate the very futility of philosophy.
at the end of the day, philosophy is the handmaiden of theology. if what is false could be made to sound true, how much more could what is true be said to be true!
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." - 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (NIV)
holding a worldview which accords with the christian faith isn't the reason why someone is a christian. the reason why someone is a christian is the 'message of the cross' and the 'power of God'. having said that, holding a worldview which does not accord with the christian faith isn't an excuse for why someone isn't a christian either.
"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles." - Romans 1:18-23 (NIV)
whether someone is a christian has nothing to do with the worldview he or she holds, but with whether he or she freely chooses to believe. of course, a christian necessarily holds a worldview which accords with the christian faith and a non-christian necessarily holds a worldview which does not accord with the christian faith.
Paul's example
"While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone - an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." At that, Paul left the Council. A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others." - Acts 17:16-34 (NIV)
we bring people to Christ not by speaking in philosophical terms but by 'preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection', proclaiming the 'message of the cross' and the 'power of God'.
"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 it 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." - Colossians 2:8 (NIV)
true christians will never fall away on account of 'hollow and deceptive philosophy'. indeed, true christians will never fall away.
on philosophy and theology
while at first glance not everything that is philosophically sound accords with the christian faith, everything that accords with the christian faith is philosophically sound. nevertheless, given that whether someone is a christian has nothing to do with the worldview he or she holds but with whether he or she freely chooses to believe, the christian faith should be examined not on a philosophical but on a theological level. in other words, the christian faith should be examined from a christian perspective.
"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test." - 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 (NIV)
the genuine test of a worldview is not how well it is able to stand up to other worldviews, but how well it is able to support itself. to wit, the christian faith is false from a non-christian perspective. obviously the christian faith is false from a non-christian perspective. that is what makes a non-christian perspective a non-christian perspective. the real question is whether the christian faith is true from a christian perspective, which it is. in contrast, other worldviews are neither true from a christian perspective nor a non-christian perspective.
the difference between the christian faith and other worldviews on a philosophical level is that the christian faith is able to support itself, while other worldviews go round in circles, tie themselves up in knots and ultimately collapse upon themselves. furthermore, the difference between the christian faith and other worldviews on a theological level is the 'message of the cross' and the 'power of God'.
the philosophy of philosophy
philosophy neither causes a non-christian to become a christian nor a christian to become a non-christian. rather, it strengthens believers in their belief and comforts unbelievers in their unbelief. ironically, philosophy reinforces the christian faith by providing the christian faith (which is philosophically sound) with the philosophical tools to demonstrate the very futility of philosophy.
at the end of the day, philosophy is the handmaiden of theology. if what is false could be made to sound true, how much more could what is true be said to be true!
Tuesday 5 February 2008
mid-term update
time flies when you're busy, having fun and the days are short. they'll officially get longer on the last sun of mar, when the clocks spring forward an hour.it's week 5 of spring term and i'm halfway through my first year at york. at this time next year, i'll be halfway through my degree. i've been thinking about a lot of things, but haven't had the time to sit down and flesh all of them out. this post itself is being done in a few sittings.
someone (was it c.s. lewis?) once said that you don't really understand something until you're able to explain it to someone else. hopefully i'll be able to clarify my thoughts and post a bit more regularly in the next couple of weeks leading up to easter.
the course
the modules i'm doing this term are rather interesting, especially for philosophy (ethics) and politics (political theory). so that leaves economics. anyway, it's always useful to learn more about the world; though at the end of the day, none of the disciplines actually answer any of the questions they purport to.
incidentally, the centre for criminal justice economics and psychology (ccjep) - established in partnership with the uk home office - is located in york, on campus itself. this has nothing to do with my course, but there's clearly the potential for an internship of sorts. i've been to discuss a few possibilities with the director of the ccjep and we'll see how things develop in time.
christian union and church
it's an immense privilege to be part of two different teams on campus, the james cu college team and the main cu international team. being a small group leader/member of the college team is a great way to get involved in the college, not just by sharing with fellow christians within a small group setting, but also by reaching out to other students in the college through various events.
meanwhile, the main cu international team focuses on reaching out to international students on campus. it's exciting to meet people from different cultures (or even the same culture) and more importantly, share the Gospel with them as the opportunities arise.
"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."" - Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
"And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."" - Revelation 5:9-10 (NIV)
ultimately, the christian union is the missionary arm of the church on campus, just as the church is the body of Christ on earth. speaking of church, i'm quite settled at york baptist church now. i might even be about to start playing the keyboard for service sometime.
life in general
one of a kind! end jan is a good time to visit york, if only for the minster ball.apart from it being chinese new year, this week also marks the start of lent. lent is the 40 day liturgical season of fasting and prayer leading up to easter. it is symbolic of the 40 days and 40 nights Jesus spent in the desert following His baptism, fasting and overcoming temptation from the devil.
in the uk, it's a tradition to either give up something or take up something for lent. this year, i'm going to give up worrying about the future.
"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:31-34 (NIV)
instead,
"Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." - Philippians 2:4 (NIV)
God will provide the right thing at the right time; most recently, great housemates and a great house. the lack of faith has nothing to do with how it is given, but with how it is received.
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