this term's philosophy module, problems in the philosophy of mind, has really got me thinking about, well, problems in the philosophy of mind. in particular, the idea that we have free will. it's true, it's true.
looking back, i think that a lot of my confusion and resistance to the idea that we have free will came from conflating corporate election and individual election. i now recognise that free will does exist, insofar as it pertains to individual election and not corporate election.
*****
1. first creation
a) man is good, but can do bad
b) freedom in Adam
c) free will exists
"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realised they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves." - Genesis 3:6-7 (NIV)
2. fall
a) man is bad and cannot do good
b) slaves to sin
c) free will does not exist
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient." - Ephesians 2:1-2 (NIV)
3. redemption
a) man is bad, but can do good in Christ
b) freedom in Christ
c) free will exists
"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)
4. new creation
a) man is good in Christ and cannot do bad
b) slaves to God
c) free will does not exist
"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 6:22-23 (NIV)
Wednesday 28 May 2008
Monday 26 May 2008
one election in two senses
corporate election: election for service
God's decretive will
God's sovereign choice
the capacity to be saved
the meritorious cause of God's blessing
individual election: election for salvation
God's preceptive will
man's free choice
the choice to be saved
the instrumental cause of God's blessing
God's decretive will
God's sovereign choice
the capacity to be saved
the meritorious cause of God's blessing
individual election: election for salvation
God's preceptive will
man's free choice
the choice to be saved
the instrumental cause of God's blessing
Sunday 25 May 2008
capacity and choice
we must not confuse the capacity to be saved with the choice to be saved. the capacity to be saved is entirely of God; the choice to be saved is entirely of us.
ultimately, it is possible to have the capacity to be saved (all of us have the capacity to be saved) without making the choice to be saved. however, it is not possible to make the choice to be saved without having the capacity to be saved.
ultimately, it is possible to have the capacity to be saved (all of us have the capacity to be saved) without making the choice to be saved. however, it is not possible to make the choice to be saved without having the capacity to be saved.
Saturday 24 May 2008
the pursuit of holiness
It is helpful to distinguish between a meritorious cause of God's blessing and an instrumental cause. The meritorious cause is always the merit of Christ. We can never add to what He has already done to procure God's blessing on our lives. The instrumental cause, however, is the means or avenues God has ordained to use. God has clearly set forth certain disciplines for us to practice in the pursuit of holiness. As we practice them God will use them in our lives, not because we have earned His blessing, but because we have followed His ordained path of blessing.
- Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace
- Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace
Friday 23 May 2008
God's sovereign choice
"Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad - in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls - she was told, "The older will serve the younger." Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden."
- Romans 9:10-18 (NIV)
after reading glenn miller's article on predestination and free will, i am convinced that God's sovereign choice does not pertain to election for salvation. rather, God's sovereign choice pertains to election for service.
romans 9 is not about predestination, but God's sovereign choice. in fact, there is a break between romans 1 to 8 (the Gospel, which mentions predestination) and romans 9 to 11 (the election of Israel, which does not mention predestination). romans 1 to 8 deals with election for salvation, while romans 9 to 11 deals with election for service.
conflating predestination and God's sovereign choice - as i have been guilty of doing - is faulty exegesis. clearly, the Gentiles in the Old Testament who believed were saved by faith; even as they were not sovereignly chosen to serve God by being part of the Messianic line (the Jews were), they were sovereignly chosen to serve God in other ways.
God sovereignly chooses to use us to serve Him whether or not we believe. if we believe, God sovereignly chooses to use us to serve Him in our belief - as a positive example, pulling others towards God. if we do not believe, God sovereignly chooses to use us to serve Him in our unbelief - as a negative example, pushing others towards God.
all in all, God does not sovereignly choose whether or not we believe!
on this note, it was misleading of me to say that if you freely choose (from a human perspective) to serve like Judas, then you prove that you were sovereignly chosen (from a divine perspective) to serve like Judas, and that if you freely choose (from a human perspective) to serve like John, then you prove that you were sovereignly chosen (from a divine perspective) to serve like John. this implies that God sovereignly chooses some to be saved but not others.
rather, if you freely choose (from a human perspective) to serve like Judas, God sovereignly chooses (from a divine perspective) to use you to serve like Judas. if you freely choose (from a human perspective) to serve like John, God sovereignly chooses (from a divine perspective) to use you to serve like John. the point is,
"You will certainly carry out God's purpose, however you act, but it makes a difference to you whether you serve like Judas or like John." - C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden."
- Romans 9:10-18 (NIV)
after reading glenn miller's article on predestination and free will, i am convinced that God's sovereign choice does not pertain to election for salvation. rather, God's sovereign choice pertains to election for service.
romans 9 is not about predestination, but God's sovereign choice. in fact, there is a break between romans 1 to 8 (the Gospel, which mentions predestination) and romans 9 to 11 (the election of Israel, which does not mention predestination). romans 1 to 8 deals with election for salvation, while romans 9 to 11 deals with election for service.
conflating predestination and God's sovereign choice - as i have been guilty of doing - is faulty exegesis. clearly, the Gentiles in the Old Testament who believed were saved by faith; even as they were not sovereignly chosen to serve God by being part of the Messianic line (the Jews were), they were sovereignly chosen to serve God in other ways.
God sovereignly chooses to use us to serve Him whether or not we believe. if we believe, God sovereignly chooses to use us to serve Him in our belief - as a positive example, pulling others towards God. if we do not believe, God sovereignly chooses to use us to serve Him in our unbelief - as a negative example, pushing others towards God.
all in all, God does not sovereignly choose whether or not we believe!
on this note, it was misleading of me to say that if you freely choose (from a human perspective) to serve like Judas, then you prove that you were sovereignly chosen (from a divine perspective) to serve like Judas, and that if you freely choose (from a human perspective) to serve like John, then you prove that you were sovereignly chosen (from a divine perspective) to serve like John. this implies that God sovereignly chooses some to be saved but not others.
rather, if you freely choose (from a human perspective) to serve like Judas, God sovereignly chooses (from a divine perspective) to use you to serve like Judas. if you freely choose (from a human perspective) to serve like John, God sovereignly chooses (from a divine perspective) to use you to serve like John. the point is,
"You will certainly carry out God's purpose, however you act, but it makes a difference to you whether you serve like Judas or like John." - C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
Thursday 22 May 2008
full circle
after turning the doctrine of election over and over again in my mind, i must say that there are a number of things to be ironed out. this post is an attempt to clarify my position on the doctrine of election and indeed, calvinism as a whole.
total depravity
yes. however, total depravity does not mean that we are unable to save ourselves by faith in God. total depravity means that we are unable to save ourselves by faith in ourselves.
it is no more a work to believe because God enables us to believe, than it is to breathe because God enables us to breathe. that is, it is not a work to believe.
God has provided a way out - all we have to do is take it!
unconditional election/universal enablement
yes. however, unconditional election does not mean that God enables some to be saved but not others. unconditional election means that God enables all to be saved, regardless of their worldly status.
God 'wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth' (1 Timothy 2:4, NIV). God does not want 'anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance' (2 Peter 3:9, NIV). indeed, 'God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life' (John 3:16, NIV).
on this note, it was misleading of me to say that faith is the point at which we come to realise that we were saved all along. this implies that God enables some to be saved but not others. rather, faith is the point at which we come to realise that God enables all to be saved all along.
of course, that God enables all to be saved does not mean that all will be saved. while the capacity to be saved does not depend on our faith (it depends on God's grace), being saved depends on our faith. equally, it is not the case that the capacity to be saved depends on our faith, or that being saved does not depend on our faith.
*****
the capacity to be saved does not depend on our faith (true)
the capacity to be saved depends on our faith (false)
being saved depends on our faith (true)
being saved does not depend on our faith (false)
limited atonement
no. Jesus does not atone for the sins of some but not others. Jesus atones for the sins of all, who are then free to accept/reject Jesus' atonement.
irresistible grace
no. God does not effect grace on some but not others. God effects grace on all, who are then free to accept/reject God's grace.
perseverance of the saints
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV)
"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." - Hebrews 10:35-39 (NIV)
"They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." - 1 John 2:19 (NIV)
yes. however, the perseverance of the saints does not mean that God enables some to persevere but not others. the perseverance of the saints means that God enables all to persevere, upon believing in Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit.
it is finished.
total depravity
yes. however, total depravity does not mean that we are unable to save ourselves by faith in God. total depravity means that we are unable to save ourselves by faith in ourselves.
it is no more a work to believe because God enables us to believe, than it is to breathe because God enables us to breathe. that is, it is not a work to believe.
God has provided a way out - all we have to do is take it!
unconditional election/universal enablement
yes. however, unconditional election does not mean that God enables some to be saved but not others. unconditional election means that God enables all to be saved, regardless of their worldly status.
God 'wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth' (1 Timothy 2:4, NIV). God does not want 'anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance' (2 Peter 3:9, NIV). indeed, 'God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life' (John 3:16, NIV).
on this note, it was misleading of me to say that faith is the point at which we come to realise that we were saved all along. this implies that God enables some to be saved but not others. rather, faith is the point at which we come to realise that God enables all to be saved all along.
of course, that God enables all to be saved does not mean that all will be saved. while the capacity to be saved does not depend on our faith (it depends on God's grace), being saved depends on our faith. equally, it is not the case that the capacity to be saved depends on our faith, or that being saved does not depend on our faith.
*****
the capacity to be saved does not depend on our faith (true)
the capacity to be saved depends on our faith (false)
being saved depends on our faith (true)
being saved does not depend on our faith (false)
limited atonement
no. Jesus does not atone for the sins of some but not others. Jesus atones for the sins of all, who are then free to accept/reject Jesus' atonement.
irresistible grace
no. God does not effect grace on some but not others. God effects grace on all, who are then free to accept/reject God's grace.
perseverance of the saints
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV)
"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." - Hebrews 10:35-39 (NIV)
"They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." - 1 John 2:19 (NIV)
yes. however, the perseverance of the saints does not mean that God enables some to persevere but not others. the perseverance of the saints means that God enables all to persevere, upon believing in Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit.
it is finished.
Tuesday 20 May 2008
one will in two senses
There is no inconsistency or contrariety between the decretive and preceptive will of God. It is very consistent to suppose that God may hate the thing itself, and yet will that it should come to pass.
Yea, I do not fear to assert that the thing itself may be contrary to God's will, and yet that it may be agreeable to His will that it should come to pass, because His will, in the one case, has not the same object with His will in the other case.
To suppose God to have contrary wills towards the same object, is a contradiction; but it is not so, to suppose Him to have contrary wills about different objects. The thing itself, and that the thing should come to pass, are different, as is evident; because it is possible that the one may be good and the other may be evil. The thing itself may be evil, and yet it may be a good thing that it should come to pass. It may be a good thing that an evil thing should come to pass; and oftentimes it most certainly and undeniably is so, and proves so.
- Jonathan Edwards, Decrees and Election
"What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath - prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory - even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?" - Romans 9:22-24 (NIV)
it is significant that the objects of God's wrath are prepared - but not by Him in advance - for destruction, while the objects of God's mercy are prepared - by Him in advance - for glory. to this end, the objects of God's wrath are only part of God's decretive will, while the objects of God's mercy are part of God's decretive and preceptive will.
the question is not whether we resist God's decretive will. it is logically impossible to resist God's decretive will. the question is whether we resist God's preceptive will to be saved, Spirit-filled, sanctified, submissive and suffering.
Yea, I do not fear to assert that the thing itself may be contrary to God's will, and yet that it may be agreeable to His will that it should come to pass, because His will, in the one case, has not the same object with His will in the other case.
To suppose God to have contrary wills towards the same object, is a contradiction; but it is not so, to suppose Him to have contrary wills about different objects. The thing itself, and that the thing should come to pass, are different, as is evident; because it is possible that the one may be good and the other may be evil. The thing itself may be evil, and yet it may be a good thing that it should come to pass. It may be a good thing that an evil thing should come to pass; and oftentimes it most certainly and undeniably is so, and proves so.
- Jonathan Edwards, Decrees and Election
"What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath - prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory - even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?" - Romans 9:22-24 (NIV)
it is significant that the objects of God's wrath are prepared - but not by Him in advance - for destruction, while the objects of God's mercy are prepared - by Him in advance - for glory. to this end, the objects of God's wrath are only part of God's decretive will, while the objects of God's mercy are part of God's decretive and preceptive will.
the question is not whether we resist God's decretive will. it is logically impossible to resist God's decretive will. the question is whether we resist God's preceptive will to be saved, Spirit-filled, sanctified, submissive and suffering.
Monday 19 May 2008
whose responsibility is it anyway?
God is sovereign and man has choice. the key to holding this dynamic lies in grasping how God - in His sovereignty - inevitably chooses what is good, and man - in his freedom of choice - inevitably chooses what is not good.
just because God predestines the elect to be saved does not mean that God predestines the unelect to be unsaved. it is logically impossible for God (who is uncreated and therefore perfect) to predestine the unelect to be unsaved. predestination works one way, not two ways.
"When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." - James 1:13-15 (NIV)
at the same time, just because man has the capacity to sin in and of himself does not mean that man has the capacity to do good in and of himself. it is logically impossible for man (who is created and therefore imperfect, even if he is 'very good' - Genesis 1:31) to have the capacity to do good in and of himself. total depravity also works one way, not two ways.
"Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created." - James 1:16-18 (NIV)
the elect are chosen by God because God chooses them and the unelect are not chosen by God because they do not choose God.
"Everything that does not come from faith is sin." - Romans 14:23b (NIV)
"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." - James 4:17 (NIV)
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
when we do not live by faith, it is by our lack of faith. when we live by faith, it is by God's grace. God is responsible when we choose to do good, and we are responsible when we choose not to do good.
there are no tenses in God
"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." - Romans 8:29 (NIV)
from a human perspective, God's foreknowledge of the elect (His foreknowledge of who would choose Him) precedes His predestination of the elect (His predestination of who He would choose).
however, this does not mean that God's foreknowledge of the elect causes His predestination of the elect, or that God's predestination of the elect is based on His foreknowledge of the elect. as c.s. lewis writes in the four loves, 'there are no tenses in God'.
descriptive vs prescriptive certainty
there is a difference between describing something that is going to happen and prescribing something to happen. to lay a foundational truth, God's revealed will only ever mentions sin with descriptive, not prescriptive certainty.
for example, when God tells Moses that He WILL harden Pharaoh's heart - even before Moses goes to speak to Pharaoh - God is not saying (with prescriptive certainty) that He will cause Pharaoh's heart to be hardened, or that He will cause Pharaoh to harden his heart.
rather, God is saying (with descriptive certainty) that as history unfolds, He is going to harden Pharaoh's heart in accordance with Pharaoh's refusal to let His people go.
God is sovereign and man has choice. to be chosen by God is to choose God, and to choose God is to know that we are chosen by God.
*****
God's foreknowledge of the elect, God's predestination of the elect and our free choice all accord with each other. God's foreknowledge of the elect and God's predestination of the elect accord with each other on the same plane (the eternal plane of divine sovereignty), and they both accord with our free choice on a different plane (the temporal plane of human responsibility).
just because God predestines the elect to be saved does not mean that God predestines the unelect to be unsaved. it is logically impossible for God (who is uncreated and therefore perfect) to predestine the unelect to be unsaved. predestination works one way, not two ways.
"When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." - James 1:13-15 (NIV)
at the same time, just because man has the capacity to sin in and of himself does not mean that man has the capacity to do good in and of himself. it is logically impossible for man (who is created and therefore imperfect, even if he is 'very good' - Genesis 1:31) to have the capacity to do good in and of himself. total depravity also works one way, not two ways.
"Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created." - James 1:16-18 (NIV)
the elect are chosen by God because God chooses them and the unelect are not chosen by God because they do not choose God.
"Everything that does not come from faith is sin." - Romans 14:23b (NIV)
"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." - James 4:17 (NIV)
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
when we do not live by faith, it is by our lack of faith. when we live by faith, it is by God's grace. God is responsible when we choose to do good, and we are responsible when we choose not to do good.
there are no tenses in God
"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." - Romans 8:29 (NIV)
from a human perspective, God's foreknowledge of the elect (His foreknowledge of who would choose Him) precedes His predestination of the elect (His predestination of who He would choose).
however, this does not mean that God's foreknowledge of the elect causes His predestination of the elect, or that God's predestination of the elect is based on His foreknowledge of the elect. as c.s. lewis writes in the four loves, 'there are no tenses in God'.
descriptive vs prescriptive certainty
there is a difference between describing something that is going to happen and prescribing something to happen. to lay a foundational truth, God's revealed will only ever mentions sin with descriptive, not prescriptive certainty.
for example, when God tells Moses that He WILL harden Pharaoh's heart - even before Moses goes to speak to Pharaoh - God is not saying (with prescriptive certainty) that He will cause Pharaoh's heart to be hardened, or that He will cause Pharaoh to harden his heart.
rather, God is saying (with descriptive certainty) that as history unfolds, He is going to harden Pharaoh's heart in accordance with Pharaoh's refusal to let His people go.
God is sovereign and man has choice. to be chosen by God is to choose God, and to choose God is to know that we are chosen by God.
*****
God's foreknowledge of the elect, God's predestination of the elect and our free choice all accord with each other. God's foreknowledge of the elect and God's predestination of the elect accord with each other on the same plane (the eternal plane of divine sovereignty), and they both accord with our free choice on a different plane (the temporal plane of human responsibility).
Thursday 8 May 2008
prayer and evangelism
as we pray according to the will of God, our prayers will be answered according to the will of God. as we evangelise according to the will of God, our efforts will bear fruit according to the will of God.
what does it really mean to pray and evangelise according to the will of God?
"When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"" - Esther 4:12-14 (NIV)
rest assured that prayer and evangelism are the very means through which God works to save the elect. in the grand scheme of things, prayers will be answered as God sovereignly ordains and efforts to evangelise will bear fruit as God sovereignly ordains. the elect will not perish simply because we do not pray for them or make efforts to evangelise them. indeed, the elect will never perish.
God will rouse the elect (who know that they are the elect) to reach the elect (who do not know that they are the elect... yet).
from a divine perspective
there will be prayers which God will answer and prayers which God will not answer. there will also be efforts to evangelise which God will make bear fruit and efforts to evangelise which God will not make bear fruit.
from a human perspective
the question is not whether God will answer prayers or make efforts to evangelise bear fruit. there will always be prayers which God will answer and efforts to evangelise which God will make bear fruit. the question is whether we are praying the prayers which God will answer and whether we are making the efforts to evangelise which God will make bear fruit. in other words, the question is whether we are praying the right prayers and making the right efforts to evangelise.
from our perspective
"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)
what we should be thinking about is whether our prayers are being answered (in Christ, not in and of ourselves) and our efforts to evangelise are bearing fruit (in Christ, not in and of ourselves).
of course, not all of us will have the opportunity to witness our prayers being answered and our efforts to evangelise bearing fruit.
"What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe - as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labour. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building." - 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 (NIV)
nevertheless, all of us should be praying and evangelising such that we have the assurance that our prayers will be answered and our efforts to evangelise will bear fruit. this means that we do not pray counter to God's revealed will (eg. asking for the sign gifts in this day and age) or evangelise counter to God's revealed will (eg. missionary dating).
if our prayers are consistently not being answered or our efforts to evangelise are consistently not bearing fruit, then how can we say - with assurance - that we are praying for the right things and making the right efforts to evangelise?
and if we are consistently not praying for the right things or making the right efforts to evangelise, then how can we say - with assurance - that we are praying and evangelising according to the will of God?
and if we are not praying and evangelising according to the will of God, then how can we say - with assurance - that we are truly saved? like the nature of faith, prayer and evangelism are not about salvation, but the assurance of salvation.
at the end of the day, God works to save the elect through prayers which are answered and efforts to evangelise which bear fruit. are we praying such that the prayers which are answered are ours (in Christ, not in and of ourselves) and evangelising such that the efforts to evangelise which bear fruit are ours (in Christ, not in and of ourselves)?
what does it really mean to pray and evangelise according to the will of God?
"When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"" - Esther 4:12-14 (NIV)
rest assured that prayer and evangelism are the very means through which God works to save the elect. in the grand scheme of things, prayers will be answered as God sovereignly ordains and efforts to evangelise will bear fruit as God sovereignly ordains. the elect will not perish simply because we do not pray for them or make efforts to evangelise them. indeed, the elect will never perish.
God will rouse the elect (who know that they are the elect) to reach the elect (who do not know that they are the elect... yet).
from a divine perspective
there will be prayers which God will answer and prayers which God will not answer. there will also be efforts to evangelise which God will make bear fruit and efforts to evangelise which God will not make bear fruit.
from a human perspective
the question is not whether God will answer prayers or make efforts to evangelise bear fruit. there will always be prayers which God will answer and efforts to evangelise which God will make bear fruit. the question is whether we are praying the prayers which God will answer and whether we are making the efforts to evangelise which God will make bear fruit. in other words, the question is whether we are praying the right prayers and making the right efforts to evangelise.
from our perspective
"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)
what we should be thinking about is whether our prayers are being answered (in Christ, not in and of ourselves) and our efforts to evangelise are bearing fruit (in Christ, not in and of ourselves).
of course, not all of us will have the opportunity to witness our prayers being answered and our efforts to evangelise bearing fruit.
"What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe - as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labour. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building." - 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 (NIV)
nevertheless, all of us should be praying and evangelising such that we have the assurance that our prayers will be answered and our efforts to evangelise will bear fruit. this means that we do not pray counter to God's revealed will (eg. asking for the sign gifts in this day and age) or evangelise counter to God's revealed will (eg. missionary dating).
if our prayers are consistently not being answered or our efforts to evangelise are consistently not bearing fruit, then how can we say - with assurance - that we are praying for the right things and making the right efforts to evangelise?
and if we are consistently not praying for the right things or making the right efforts to evangelise, then how can we say - with assurance - that we are praying and evangelising according to the will of God?
and if we are not praying and evangelising according to the will of God, then how can we say - with assurance - that we are truly saved? like the nature of faith, prayer and evangelism are not about salvation, but the assurance of salvation.
at the end of the day, God works to save the elect through prayers which are answered and efforts to evangelise which bear fruit. are we praying such that the prayers which are answered are ours (in Christ, not in and of ourselves) and evangelising such that the efforts to evangelise which bear fruit are ours (in Christ, not in and of ourselves)?
systematic theology
there should definitely be a bridge between theology and philosophy. however, the bridge should not be from philosophy to theological philosophy, but from theology to philosophical (or systematic) 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)
faith is not the bridge between philosophy and theological philosophy. it is not the bridge between what we think we know (philosophy) and what we don't think we know (theological philosophy).
rather, faith is the bridge between theology and philosophical theology. it is the bridge between what we know (theology) and what we know that we know (philosophical theology).
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)
it is difficult enough barking up the right tree (and branch!) of theology (old vs new perspectives on paul, calvinism vs arminianism, continuationism vs cessationism etc); what more barking up the wrong tree of philosophy?
"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)
faith is not the bridge between philosophy and theological philosophy. it is not the bridge between what we think we know (philosophy) and what we don't think we know (theological philosophy).
rather, faith is the bridge between theology and philosophical theology. it is the bridge between what we know (theology) and what we know that we know (philosophical theology).
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)
it is difficult enough barking up the right tree (and branch!) of theology (old vs new perspectives on paul, calvinism vs arminianism, continuationism vs cessationism etc); what more barking up the wrong tree of philosophy?
Sunday 4 May 2008
the nature of faith
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
faith is not the point at which we* are saved. (election is the point at which we are saved.) rather, faith is the point at which we come to realise that we were saved all along.
*the elect
faith is not the point at which we* are saved. (election is the point at which we are saved.) rather, faith is the point at which we come to realise that we were saved all along.
*the elect
Thursday 1 May 2008
justification by faith
it's incredible how God has been speaking to me over the past few weeks.
firstly, i was convicted of the truth of the doctrine of election, of the dynamic of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. God is sovereign and man has choice. this is the cornerstone of systematic theology.
following this, i began to look at grace and faith with new eyes. just as the unwilling elect and the willing un-elect simply do not exist, there is no grace which does not result in faith, and no faith which does not result from grace. like divine sovereignty and human responsibility, grace and faith do accord with each other, but not on the same plane.
finally, as i was reading n.t. wright's new perspectives on paul, i was struck by wright's contention that justification by faith is not 'how someone becomes a christian', but 'God's declaration about the person who has just become a christian'. i think we're on to something here.
all the options
what is the real meaning of justification by faith?
a) through our faith, we are justified by God
b) through our faith, we have the assurance that we will be justified by God
c) through our faith, we reveal that we are the elect and that we will be justified by God
i had always assumed (a), but i no longer hold this to be the case. to hold that God justifies us based on our faith would be to treat faith as a condition, if not a work.
it is not enough to argue (as i used to) that faith is merely the means by which we receive the gift of God. this still leaves the justification of God dependent on our faith.
rather, it is (b) and (c) which bear out the real meaning of justification by faith.
God's big picture
"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified." - Romans 8:29-30 (NIV)
"But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." - 1 Corinthians 6:11 (NIV)
1. foreknowledge
2. predestination
3. calling/washing/justification by faith
4. sanctification
5. justification
6. glorification
justification and justification by faith are separate entities. while justification is from a divine perspective, justification by faith is from a human perspective. justification does not take place before sanctification, even as justification by faith does. justification takes place after sanctification, on the day of Christ when God declares the righteous to be justified in Christ.
justification by faith calls us to 'continue to work out [our] salvation with fear and trembling' (Philippians 2:12, NIV), 'run with perseverance the race marked out for us' (Hebrews 12:1, NIV) and 'be all the more eager to make [our] calling and election sure' (2 Peter 1:10, NIV).
the future of justification by faith
b) through our faith, we have the assurance that we will be justified by God
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
justification by faith is not an act of justification by God, but an act of faith by us. it is not God's just response to our faithfulness, but our faithful response to God's justness. according to n.t. wright, justification by faith is the 'anticipation in the present of the verdict which will be reaffirmed in the future'.
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." - Romans 5:1-5 (NIV)
Romans 5:1-5 is about peace and joy, the hope of salvation. in this context, justification by faith refers to the present assurance that we will be justified by God in the future.
c) through our faith, we reveal that we are the elect and that we will be justified by God
God, in whom no tenses are found, has already justified the elect in Christ. to this end, we reveal that we are the elect in Christ from all eternity and that we will just as surely be justified by God to all eternity as we '[fight] the good fight, [finish] the race and [keep] the faith' (2 Timothy 4:7, NIV).
"You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone." - James 2:20-24 (NIV)
James 2:20-24 is about how faith and deeds are simply different sides of the same coin. the certainty of faith being made complete by deeds mirrors the certainty of election being made complete by faith, sanctification, justification and glorification.
ultimately, (b) and (c) bear out the real meaning of justification by faith in two unique yet mutually reinforcing ways. we have the assurance that we will be justified by God because we reveal that we are the elect, and we reveal that we are the elect because we have the assurance that we will be justified by God.
the future of justification by faith lies in the present.
firstly, i was convicted of the truth of the doctrine of election, of the dynamic of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. God is sovereign and man has choice. this is the cornerstone of systematic theology.
following this, i began to look at grace and faith with new eyes. just as the unwilling elect and the willing un-elect simply do not exist, there is no grace which does not result in faith, and no faith which does not result from grace. like divine sovereignty and human responsibility, grace and faith do accord with each other, but not on the same plane.
finally, as i was reading n.t. wright's new perspectives on paul, i was struck by wright's contention that justification by faith is not 'how someone becomes a christian', but 'God's declaration about the person who has just become a christian'. i think we're on to something here.
all the options
what is the real meaning of justification by faith?
a) through our faith, we are justified by God
b) through our faith, we have the assurance that we will be justified by God
c) through our faith, we reveal that we are the elect and that we will be justified by God
i had always assumed (a), but i no longer hold this to be the case. to hold that God justifies us based on our faith would be to treat faith as a condition, if not a work.
it is not enough to argue (as i used to) that faith is merely the means by which we receive the gift of God. this still leaves the justification of God dependent on our faith.
rather, it is (b) and (c) which bear out the real meaning of justification by faith.
God's big picture
"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified." - Romans 8:29-30 (NIV)
"But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." - 1 Corinthians 6:11 (NIV)
1. foreknowledge
2. predestination
3. calling/washing/justification by faith
4. sanctification
5. justification
6. glorification
justification and justification by faith are separate entities. while justification is from a divine perspective, justification by faith is from a human perspective. justification does not take place before sanctification, even as justification by faith does. justification takes place after sanctification, on the day of Christ when God declares the righteous to be justified in Christ.
justification by faith calls us to 'continue to work out [our] salvation with fear and trembling' (Philippians 2:12, NIV), 'run with perseverance the race marked out for us' (Hebrews 12:1, NIV) and 'be all the more eager to make [our] calling and election sure' (2 Peter 1:10, NIV).
the future of justification by faith
b) through our faith, we have the assurance that we will be justified by God
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
justification by faith is not an act of justification by God, but an act of faith by us. it is not God's just response to our faithfulness, but our faithful response to God's justness. according to n.t. wright, justification by faith is the 'anticipation in the present of the verdict which will be reaffirmed in the future'.
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." - Romans 5:1-5 (NIV)
Romans 5:1-5 is about peace and joy, the hope of salvation. in this context, justification by faith refers to the present assurance that we will be justified by God in the future.
c) through our faith, we reveal that we are the elect and that we will be justified by God
God, in whom no tenses are found, has already justified the elect in Christ. to this end, we reveal that we are the elect in Christ from all eternity and that we will just as surely be justified by God to all eternity as we '[fight] the good fight, [finish] the race and [keep] the faith' (2 Timothy 4:7, NIV).
"You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone." - James 2:20-24 (NIV)
James 2:20-24 is about how faith and deeds are simply different sides of the same coin. the certainty of faith being made complete by deeds mirrors the certainty of election being made complete by faith, sanctification, justification and glorification.
ultimately, (b) and (c) bear out the real meaning of justification by faith in two unique yet mutually reinforcing ways. we have the assurance that we will be justified by God because we reveal that we are the elect, and we reveal that we are the elect because we have the assurance that we will be justified by God.
the future of justification by faith lies in the present.
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