i wish with all my heart that i could go back to the start of the summer and change the past, but i cannot. history and the will of God are not about "what ifs", but about "what is".
i may preach it, but do i practice it? i may say it, but do i believe it?
do i believe that 'in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose'?
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28 (NIV)
do i believe that 'God is faithful; he will not let [me] be tempted beyond what [I] can bear'?
"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)
do i believe that '[His] grace is sufficient for [me], for [His] power is made perfect in weakness'?
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." - 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
woe to me if i do not practice what i preach!
"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." - Job 1:21 (NIV)
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name
Tuesday 30 September 2008
why prayer malfunctions
Probably the number one reason prayer malfunctions in the hands of believers is that we try to turn a wartime walkie-talkie into a domestic intercom. Until you know that life is war, you cannot know what prayer is for. Prayer is for the accomplishment of a wartime mission. It is as though the field commander (Jesus) called in the troops, gave them a crucial mission (go and bear fruit), handed each of them a personal transmitter coded to the frequency of the General's headquarters, and said, "Comrades, the General has a mission for you. He aims to see it accomplished. And to that end he has authorised me to give each of you personal access to him through these transmitters. If you stay true to his mission and seek his victory first, he will always be as close as your transmitter, to give tactical advice and to send air cover when you need it."
But what have millions of Christians done? We have stopped believing that we are in a war. No urgency, no watching, no vigilance. No strategic planning. Just easy peace and prosperity. And what did we do with the walkie-talkie? We tried to rig it up as an intercom in our houses and cabins and boats and cars - not to call in firepower for conflict with a mortal enemy but to ask for more comforts in the den.
- John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad!
But what have millions of Christians done? We have stopped believing that we are in a war. No urgency, no watching, no vigilance. No strategic planning. Just easy peace and prosperity. And what did we do with the walkie-talkie? We tried to rig it up as an intercom in our houses and cabins and boats and cars - not to call in firepower for conflict with a mortal enemy but to ask for more comforts in the den.
- John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad!
Monday 29 September 2008
comfort for God's people
"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." - Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)
You are the everlasting God, the everlasting God
You do not faint, You won't grow weary
You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles
You are the everlasting God, the everlasting God
You do not faint, You won't grow weary
You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles
c.s. lewis on prayer
When we are praying about the result, say, of a battle or a medical consultation the thought will often cross our minds that (if only we knew it) the event is already decided one way or the other. I believe this to be no good reason for ceasing our prayers. The event certainly has been decided - in a sense it was decided 'before all worlds'. But one of the things taken into account in deciding it, and therefore one of the things that really cause it to happen, may be this very prayer that we are now offering. Thus, shocking as it may sound, I conclude that we can at noon become part causes of an event occurring at ten a.m. (some scientists would find this easier than popular thought does).
The imagination will, no doubt, try to play all sorts of tricks on us at this point. It will ask, 'Then if I stop praying can God go back and alter what has already happened?' No. The event has already happened and one of its causes has been the fact that you are asking such questions instead of praying. It will ask, 'Then if I begin to pray can God go back and alter what has already happened?' No. The event has already happened and one of its causes is your present prayer. Thus something does really depend on my choice. My free act contributes to the cosmic shape. That contribution is made in eternity or 'before all worlds'; but my consciousness of contributing reaches me at a particular point in the time-series.
The following question may be asked: If we can reasonably pray for an event which must in fact have happened or failed to happened several hours ago, why can we not pray for an event which we know not to have happened? eg. pray for the safety of someone who, as we know, was killed yesterday. What makes the difference is precisely our knowledge. The known event states God's will. It is psychologically impossible to pray for what we know to be unobtainable; and if it were possible the prayer would sin against the duty of submission to God's known will.
- C.S. Lewis, Miracles
sounds like carson in a call to spiritual reformation. sounds like middle knowledge.
The imagination will, no doubt, try to play all sorts of tricks on us at this point. It will ask, 'Then if I stop praying can God go back and alter what has already happened?' No. The event has already happened and one of its causes has been the fact that you are asking such questions instead of praying. It will ask, 'Then if I begin to pray can God go back and alter what has already happened?' No. The event has already happened and one of its causes is your present prayer. Thus something does really depend on my choice. My free act contributes to the cosmic shape. That contribution is made in eternity or 'before all worlds'; but my consciousness of contributing reaches me at a particular point in the time-series.
The following question may be asked: If we can reasonably pray for an event which must in fact have happened or failed to happened several hours ago, why can we not pray for an event which we know not to have happened? eg. pray for the safety of someone who, as we know, was killed yesterday. What makes the difference is precisely our knowledge. The known event states God's will. It is psychologically impossible to pray for what we know to be unobtainable; and if it were possible the prayer would sin against the duty of submission to God's known will.
- C.S. Lewis, Miracles
sounds like carson in a call to spiritual reformation. sounds like middle knowledge.
Sunday 28 September 2008
amazing grace
"So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." - Romans 7:21-25 (NIV)
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see
calvinism vs middle knowledge
both calvinism (which i disagree with) and middle knowledge (which i agree with) affirm that God sovereignly predestines all choices.
the key difference is that according to calvinism, God sovereignly predestines how all choices are made; according to middle knowledge, God sovereignly predestines how all choices are actualised.
to illustrate, let us say that there are two people (A and B) who are either saved or not saved. this gives rise to four possible worlds - A is saved, B is saved; A is saved, B is not saved; A is not saved, B is saved; A is not saved, B is not saved.
let us further say that as it turns out, A is saved and B is not saved.
according to (non-moderate) calvinism, A is saved and B is not saved because God chooses A but God does not choose B.
according to (non-classical) arminianism, A is saved and B is not saved because A chooses God and B does not choose God.
according to middle knowledge, A is saved and B is not saved because it is God's sovereign choice to create the world in which A is saved and B is not saved. at the same time, A is saved by A's own free will to be saved and B is not saved by B's own free will not to be saved. this is if it turns out that A is saved and B is not saved.
if it turns out that A is saved and B is saved, then it simply shows that it is God's sovereign choice to create the world in which A is saved and B is saved. at the same time, A is saved by A's own free will to be saved and B is saved by B's own free will to be saved.
if it turns out that A is not saved and B is saved, then it simply shows that it is God's sovereign choice to create the world in which A is not saved and B is saved. at the same time, A is not saved by A's own free will not to be saved and B is saved by B's own free will to be saved.
if it turns out that A is not saved and B is not saved, then it simply shows that it is God's sovereign choice to create the world in which A is not saved and B is not saved. at the same time, A is not saved by A's own free will not to be saved and B is not saved by B's own free will not to be saved.
note: the free will to be saved is not the ability to be saved. the free will to be saved is the ability to choose to be saved.
the key difference is that according to calvinism, God sovereignly predestines how all choices are made; according to middle knowledge, God sovereignly predestines how all choices are actualised.
to illustrate, let us say that there are two people (A and B) who are either saved or not saved. this gives rise to four possible worlds - A is saved, B is saved; A is saved, B is not saved; A is not saved, B is saved; A is not saved, B is not saved.
let us further say that as it turns out, A is saved and B is not saved.
according to (non-moderate) calvinism, A is saved and B is not saved because God chooses A but God does not choose B.
according to (non-classical) arminianism, A is saved and B is not saved because A chooses God and B does not choose God.
according to middle knowledge, A is saved and B is not saved because it is God's sovereign choice to create the world in which A is saved and B is not saved. at the same time, A is saved by A's own free will to be saved and B is not saved by B's own free will not to be saved. this is if it turns out that A is saved and B is not saved.
if it turns out that A is saved and B is saved, then it simply shows that it is God's sovereign choice to create the world in which A is saved and B is saved. at the same time, A is saved by A's own free will to be saved and B is saved by B's own free will to be saved.
if it turns out that A is not saved and B is saved, then it simply shows that it is God's sovereign choice to create the world in which A is not saved and B is saved. at the same time, A is not saved by A's own free will not to be saved and B is saved by B's own free will to be saved.
if it turns out that A is not saved and B is not saved, then it simply shows that it is God's sovereign choice to create the world in which A is not saved and B is not saved. at the same time, A is not saved by A's own free will not to be saved and B is not saved by B's own free will not to be saved.
note: the free will to be saved is not the ability to be saved. the free will to be saved is the ability to choose to be saved.
Wednesday 24 September 2008
the heavenly man
Earlier, about a month after my arrest, the Lord had impressed this Scripture on my heart, "I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." John 12:24-25.
As I meditated on these verses, I started to think about my time on the farm in Henan, and how it took about seven months for a seed of wheat to appear above the soil after being planted in the ground. I felt the Lord was showing me that I would need to be "in the ground" (prison) for seven months before he would release me.
Jesus taught me many lessons when I was a seed buried in the prison. I have found the Christian life is not glamorous to the flesh. When a little seed is put into the ground it is not comfortable. It lies in the dark isolation of rough soil for months, suffers in the frozen ground of winter and the heat of summer, and is even covered with stinking manure and fertiliser. Only after it has silently endured all these trials is the seed ready to spring to life and produce a harvest that will feed many.
When a seed is buried in the ground it has no choice but to wait patiently for God's time for it to spring to life. In the same way I knew it was completely futile to trust in human efforts to get me out of prison. Instead of trusting in human rights organisations to apply political pressure, I knew my future was completely in the hands of God only, and I would get out only when his time had come.
One day the prison warden came to me and said, "A representative from the German embassy is here to see you. Get dressed and go down to the gate."
As I walked towards the gate where visitors waited to see prisoners, the lady from the embassy saw me and shouted, "Today I have good news for you! You are being released! The moment you sign this release form you're a free man. You'll need to be a little patient and wait inside the hospital for a few days while arrangements are made to take you to the airport, but from now on you are a free man!"
I signed the form and returned to the hospital, bubbling with joy. As soon as I reached my room I took off my prison uniform and threw it on the floor. The guard didn't know about my release and angrily threatened to punish me. I laughed and informed him, "I'm no longer your criminal! I'm free to go!"
I feel so sorry that many Christians live in bondage even though Jesus has signed their release form with his own blood. When you've been set free, you should act like it!
- Brother Yun, The Heavenly Man
As I meditated on these verses, I started to think about my time on the farm in Henan, and how it took about seven months for a seed of wheat to appear above the soil after being planted in the ground. I felt the Lord was showing me that I would need to be "in the ground" (prison) for seven months before he would release me.
Jesus taught me many lessons when I was a seed buried in the prison. I have found the Christian life is not glamorous to the flesh. When a little seed is put into the ground it is not comfortable. It lies in the dark isolation of rough soil for months, suffers in the frozen ground of winter and the heat of summer, and is even covered with stinking manure and fertiliser. Only after it has silently endured all these trials is the seed ready to spring to life and produce a harvest that will feed many.
When a seed is buried in the ground it has no choice but to wait patiently for God's time for it to spring to life. In the same way I knew it was completely futile to trust in human efforts to get me out of prison. Instead of trusting in human rights organisations to apply political pressure, I knew my future was completely in the hands of God only, and I would get out only when his time had come.
One day the prison warden came to me and said, "A representative from the German embassy is here to see you. Get dressed and go down to the gate."
As I walked towards the gate where visitors waited to see prisoners, the lady from the embassy saw me and shouted, "Today I have good news for you! You are being released! The moment you sign this release form you're a free man. You'll need to be a little patient and wait inside the hospital for a few days while arrangements are made to take you to the airport, but from now on you are a free man!"
I signed the form and returned to the hospital, bubbling with joy. As soon as I reached my room I took off my prison uniform and threw it on the floor. The guard didn't know about my release and angrily threatened to punish me. I laughed and informed him, "I'm no longer your criminal! I'm free to go!"
I feel so sorry that many Christians live in bondage even though Jesus has signed their release form with his own blood. When you've been set free, you should act like it!
- Brother Yun, The Heavenly Man
Monday 22 September 2008
taming the tiger
It was hard to come to terms with, but I knew what the Bible taught about sin: no one is perfect, all have fallen short of God's standard. I remembered Michael Wright likening sin to black ink on a white shirt. The smallest white lie might be a tiny black spot on the shirt, but it is enough to ruin it. When the shirt is put in water, the ink spreads, leaving it a dirty grey colour. I thought about my own life. There were great big black blotches all over my shirt!
Staring out through the bars, I reflected back to my time in Cyprus and to some of Michael's teaching. 'The world doesn't know how to handle sin,' I remembered him saying. He'd gestured to the other prisoners in the visiting room. 'We try to grade and measure sin and we lock up those who we think are worse than us.' He'd leaned forward and spoken more quietly, 'Society hides its ugliness in institutions to make itself look more righteous, Tony,' he'd said, 'but to God, there is no difference when it comes to sin.'
'I suppose that's the way the authorities and the outside world look at us lot in here,' I'd told him. 'We're all as bad and as mad as one another.'
'Precisely. And that's the way we all are before God. Every one of us, whether we're locked up for our wrongdoing or not, we're all tainted by sin in God's eyes, so we're all separated from him.'
'But then came Jesus?'
'You got it,' Michael had smiled. 'Jesus tackled sin head on. When he died on the cross he took on the full weight of the world's sin: past, present and future. Because of Jesus we can all be forgiven. We don't need to pay for our sins, or serve the sentence we deserve. Jesus has already done that.'
I smiled as I remember Michael, animated and excited as he spilled out these words in his Irish lilt.
'That's why you're as free a man today as I am, Tony,' he'd grinned, knowing that I understood exactly what he meant.
- Tony Anthony, Taming the Tiger
Staring out through the bars, I reflected back to my time in Cyprus and to some of Michael's teaching. 'The world doesn't know how to handle sin,' I remembered him saying. He'd gestured to the other prisoners in the visiting room. 'We try to grade and measure sin and we lock up those who we think are worse than us.' He'd leaned forward and spoken more quietly, 'Society hides its ugliness in institutions to make itself look more righteous, Tony,' he'd said, 'but to God, there is no difference when it comes to sin.'
'I suppose that's the way the authorities and the outside world look at us lot in here,' I'd told him. 'We're all as bad and as mad as one another.'
'Precisely. And that's the way we all are before God. Every one of us, whether we're locked up for our wrongdoing or not, we're all tainted by sin in God's eyes, so we're all separated from him.'
'But then came Jesus?'
'You got it,' Michael had smiled. 'Jesus tackled sin head on. When he died on the cross he took on the full weight of the world's sin: past, present and future. Because of Jesus we can all be forgiven. We don't need to pay for our sins, or serve the sentence we deserve. Jesus has already done that.'
I smiled as I remember Michael, animated and excited as he spilled out these words in his Irish lilt.
'That's why you're as free a man today as I am, Tony,' he'd grinned, knowing that I understood exactly what he meant.
- Tony Anthony, Taming the Tiger
open theism vs middle knowledge
both open theism (which i disagree with) and middle knowledge (which i agree with) affirm that in theory, there are an infinite number of possible worlds.
the key difference is that according to open theism, God does not have infallible foreknowledge of all possible branches of free choices; according to middle knowledge, God has infallible foreknowledge of all possible branches of free choices.
in fact, God not only has infallible foreknowledge of all possible branches of free choices, but sovereignly actualises this particular branch of free choices (ie. the branch of free choices which we freely live out in the world) out of an infinite number of possible branches of free choices - for His glory.
furthermore, both open theism (which i disagree with) and middle knowledge (which i agree with) affirm that God has infallible foreknowledge of all possible branches of free choices.
the key difference is that according to open theism, God does not know in advance which possible branch of free choices will come about; according to middle knowledge, God knows in advance which possible branch of free choices will come about.
in fact, God not only knows in advance which possible branch of free choices will come about, but sovereignly actualises this particular branch of free choices (ie. the branch of free choices which we freely live out in the world) out of an infinite number of possible branches of free choices - for His glory.
in other words, God causes this particular branch of free choices (ie. the branch of free choices which we freely live out in the world) to come about.
"Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen." - Acts 4:27-28 (NIV)
"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.'" - Acts 17:26-28 (NIV)
divine sovereignty neither undermines nor is undermined by human responsibility. divine sovereignty incorporates human responsibility!
in fact, God not only has infallible foreknowledge of all possible branches of free choices, but sovereignly actualises this particular branch of free choices (ie. the branch of free choices which we freely live out in the world) out of an infinite number of possible branches of free choices - for His glory.
furthermore, both open theism (which i disagree with) and middle knowledge (which i agree with) affirm that God has infallible foreknowledge of all possible branches of free choices.
the key difference is that according to open theism, God does not know in advance which possible branch of free choices will come about; according to middle knowledge, God knows in advance which possible branch of free choices will come about.
in fact, God not only knows in advance which possible branch of free choices will come about, but sovereignly actualises this particular branch of free choices (ie. the branch of free choices which we freely live out in the world) out of an infinite number of possible branches of free choices - for His glory.
in other words, God causes this particular branch of free choices (ie. the branch of free choices which we freely live out in the world) to come about.
"Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen." - Acts 4:27-28 (NIV)
"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.'" - Acts 17:26-28 (NIV)
divine sovereignty neither undermines nor is undermined by human responsibility. divine sovereignty incorporates human responsibility!
a call to spiritual reformation
Perhaps the most startling passages that mingle God's sovereignty and God's personhood are those that speak of God relenting. While Moses is on Mount Sinai receiving the tables of the law, the children of Israel succumb to the terrible idolatry of the golden calf. God is furious: "I have seen these people... and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation" (Exodus 32:9-10).
But Moses simply will not "leave God alone". The arguments in his intercession are remarkable, appealing to God both as the Sovereign and as the supreme personal Deity. Moses argues that if God carries through with this plan of destruction, the Egyptians will sneer that the Israelite God is malicious and that he led his people into the desert to destroy them. At the same time, Moses reminds God of his own sovereign promises: "Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self [for there is none higher by whom to swear]: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever'" (32:12). In other words, if God destroys his people, will he not be breaking his own promises? How can a faithful God do that? In Moses' eyes, this is not an argument for pietistic fatalism - simply trust the promises of God and everything will work out - but for intercession. So Moses comes to the point: "Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people" (32:12).
"Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened" (32:14).
A casual reader might be tempted to say, "See? God does change his mind. His purposes are not sovereign and steadfast. Prayer does change things because it changes the mind of God."
But such a conclusion would be both one-sided and premature. If God had not relented in his declared purpose to destroy the children of Israel, then, paradoxically, he would have proved fickle with respect to the firm promises he gave to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. On the other hand, if God is to remain faithful to the promises made to the patriarchs, then, as Moses realises, God cannot destroy the Israelites, and he must therefore turn from the judgment he has pronounced against Israel. It is that very point Moses is banking on as he prays.
We gain additional insight into God's relenting when we compare the prayers of Amos, a true prophet of God, with the prayerlessness of false prophets. Amos learns of God's threatening judgments against the people, and he passionately intercedes on their behalf: "I cried out, 'Sovereign LORD, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!'" (Amos 7:2). Amos's prayer proves effective. Twice we are told, "So the LORD relented" (7:3, 6). By contrast, God berates the false prophets of Israel precisely because they do not intercede for the people. "You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel [an idiom that means they have not interceded with God on behalf of the people] so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the LORD" (Ezekiel 13:5). No one was seriously interceding with God: "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD" (Ezekiel 2:30-31).
The extraordinary importance of these passages must not be missed. God expects to be pleaded with; he expects godly believers to intercede with him. Their intercession is his own appointed means for bringing about his relenting, and if they fail in this respect, then he does not relent and his wrath is poured out. If we understand something similar to have happened in the life of Moses, we must conclude that Moses is effective in prayer not in the sense that God would have broken his covenant promises to the patriarchs, nor in the sense that God temporarily lost his self-control until Moses managed to bring God back to his senses. Rather, in God's mercy Moses proved to be God's own appointed means, through intercessory prayer, for bringing about the relenting that was nothing other than a gracious confirmation of the covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The really wonderful truth is that human beings like Moses and you and me can participate in bringing about God's purposes through God's own appointed means. In that limited sense, prayer certainly changes things; it cannot be thought to change things in some absolute way that catches God out.
- D. A. Carson, A Call to Spiritual Reformation
in one sense, prayer does not change things. God does not change things based on how He foresees we will pray. in another sense, prayer changes things. God changes things based on how we actually pray. however, prayer cannot both not change and change things in the same respect and at the same time.
prayer does not change things for God
just because prayer does not change things for God does not mean that prayer does not change things for us. (non-moderate) calvinism starts with the premise that prayer does not change things for God and holds that prayer does not change things (but only our illusion of things) for us. however, if prayer does not change things (but only our illusion of things) for us, then there is no point in praying or not praying.
prayer changes things for us
at the same time, just because prayer changes things for us does not mean that it changes things for God. (non-classical) arminianism starts with the premise that prayer changes things for us and holds that prayer changes things for God. however, if prayer changes things for God, then God is not sovereign and promises like 'you may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it' (John 14:14, NIV) ring hollow.
grace is unconditionally given by God and conditionally received by man. likewise, prayer does not change things for God and changes things for us.
chosen but free
that we - together with our prayers (or lack of them) - are chosen from all eternity does not mean that our prayers (or lack of them) are not freely made. indeed, our prayers (or lack of them) are freely made.
that we - together with our prayers (or lack of them) - are chosen from all eternity means that God, acting from all eternity, has chosen to create this particular world (out of an infinite number of possible worlds) in which our prayers (or lack of them) work 'for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose' (Romans 8:28, NIV).
"For 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
apart from this particular world, there are no other possible worlds in which our prayers (or lack of them) work 'for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose' (Romans 8:28, NIV).
if any other possible world could reflect God's glory more than this particular world, then God would have chosen to create that other possible world instead. indeed, if not creating a world at all could reflect God's glory more than creating this particular world, then God would have chosen not to create a world at all instead.
nevertheless, God did not create the world out of the need to love. God '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' (Acts 17:24-25, NIV). God created the world out of the abundance of love between the Father and the Son, expressed in the Spirit.
in one sense, infinity + 1 is still infinity. in another sense, infinity + 1 is greater than infinity. in one sense, God is as infinitely glorious after creating the world as before. in another sense, God is infinitely more glorious after creating the world than before.
But Moses simply will not "leave God alone". The arguments in his intercession are remarkable, appealing to God both as the Sovereign and as the supreme personal Deity. Moses argues that if God carries through with this plan of destruction, the Egyptians will sneer that the Israelite God is malicious and that he led his people into the desert to destroy them. At the same time, Moses reminds God of his own sovereign promises: "Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self [for there is none higher by whom to swear]: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever'" (32:12). In other words, if God destroys his people, will he not be breaking his own promises? How can a faithful God do that? In Moses' eyes, this is not an argument for pietistic fatalism - simply trust the promises of God and everything will work out - but for intercession. So Moses comes to the point: "Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people" (32:12).
"Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened" (32:14).
A casual reader might be tempted to say, "See? God does change his mind. His purposes are not sovereign and steadfast. Prayer does change things because it changes the mind of God."
But such a conclusion would be both one-sided and premature. If God had not relented in his declared purpose to destroy the children of Israel, then, paradoxically, he would have proved fickle with respect to the firm promises he gave to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. On the other hand, if God is to remain faithful to the promises made to the patriarchs, then, as Moses realises, God cannot destroy the Israelites, and he must therefore turn from the judgment he has pronounced against Israel. It is that very point Moses is banking on as he prays.
We gain additional insight into God's relenting when we compare the prayers of Amos, a true prophet of God, with the prayerlessness of false prophets. Amos learns of God's threatening judgments against the people, and he passionately intercedes on their behalf: "I cried out, 'Sovereign LORD, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!'" (Amos 7:2). Amos's prayer proves effective. Twice we are told, "So the LORD relented" (7:3, 6). By contrast, God berates the false prophets of Israel precisely because they do not intercede for the people. "You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel [an idiom that means they have not interceded with God on behalf of the people] so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the LORD" (Ezekiel 13:5). No one was seriously interceding with God: "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD" (Ezekiel 2:30-31).
The extraordinary importance of these passages must not be missed. God expects to be pleaded with; he expects godly believers to intercede with him. Their intercession is his own appointed means for bringing about his relenting, and if they fail in this respect, then he does not relent and his wrath is poured out. If we understand something similar to have happened in the life of Moses, we must conclude that Moses is effective in prayer not in the sense that God would have broken his covenant promises to the patriarchs, nor in the sense that God temporarily lost his self-control until Moses managed to bring God back to his senses. Rather, in God's mercy Moses proved to be God's own appointed means, through intercessory prayer, for bringing about the relenting that was nothing other than a gracious confirmation of the covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The really wonderful truth is that human beings like Moses and you and me can participate in bringing about God's purposes through God's own appointed means. In that limited sense, prayer certainly changes things; it cannot be thought to change things in some absolute way that catches God out.
- D. A. Carson, A Call to Spiritual Reformation
in one sense, prayer does not change things. God does not change things based on how He foresees we will pray. in another sense, prayer changes things. God changes things based on how we actually pray. however, prayer cannot both not change and change things in the same respect and at the same time.
prayer does not change things for God
just because prayer does not change things for God does not mean that prayer does not change things for us. (non-moderate) calvinism starts with the premise that prayer does not change things for God and holds that prayer does not change things (but only our illusion of things) for us. however, if prayer does not change things (but only our illusion of things) for us, then there is no point in praying or not praying.
prayer changes things for us
at the same time, just because prayer changes things for us does not mean that it changes things for God. (non-classical) arminianism starts with the premise that prayer changes things for us and holds that prayer changes things for God. however, if prayer changes things for God, then God is not sovereign and promises like 'you may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it' (John 14:14, NIV) ring hollow.
grace is unconditionally given by God and conditionally received by man. likewise, prayer does not change things for God and changes things for us.
chosen but free
that we - together with our prayers (or lack of them) - are chosen from all eternity does not mean that our prayers (or lack of them) are not freely made. indeed, our prayers (or lack of them) are freely made.
that we - together with our prayers (or lack of them) - are chosen from all eternity means that God, acting from all eternity, has chosen to create this particular world (out of an infinite number of possible worlds) in which our prayers (or lack of them) work 'for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose' (Romans 8:28, NIV).
"For 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
apart from this particular world, there are no other possible worlds in which our prayers (or lack of them) work 'for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose' (Romans 8:28, NIV).
if any other possible world could reflect God's glory more than this particular world, then God would have chosen to create that other possible world instead. indeed, if not creating a world at all could reflect God's glory more than creating this particular world, then God would have chosen not to create a world at all instead.
nevertheless, God did not create the world out of the need to love. God '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' (Acts 17:24-25, NIV). God created the world out of the abundance of love between the Father and the Son, expressed in the Spirit.
in one sense, infinity + 1 is still infinity. in another sense, infinity + 1 is greater than infinity. in one sense, God is as infinitely glorious after creating the world as before. in another sense, God is infinitely more glorious after creating the world than before.
Saturday 20 September 2008
living water
"On the last and greatest day of the Feast [of Tabernacles], Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified." - John 7:37-39 (NIV)
"The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." - Revelation 22:17 (NIV)
it is no coincidence that Jesus makes the same universal offer of salvation on the last and greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles (ie. the 7th day of the 7th festival) and at the end of the biblical canon. after all, the 7 'appointed feasts of the LORD' (Leviticus 23:2, NIV) are not abolished but fulfilled in Christ.
in fact, there is good reason to believe that Scripture consists of 49 (not 66) books. Jesus makes the same universal offer of salvation on the 7th day of the 7th festival and at the end of the 49th book of Scripture!
"The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." - Revelation 22:17 (NIV)
it is no coincidence that Jesus makes the same universal offer of salvation on the last and greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles (ie. the 7th day of the 7th festival) and at the end of the biblical canon. after all, the 7 'appointed feasts of the LORD' (Leviticus 23:2, NIV) are not abolished but fulfilled in Christ.
in fact, there is good reason to believe that Scripture consists of 49 (not 66) books. Jesus makes the same universal offer of salvation on the 7th day of the 7th festival and at the end of the 49th book of Scripture!
Friday 19 September 2008
tuesdays with morrie
living and dying
"When you know how to die, you know how to live." - Morrie Schwartz
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." - Philippians 1:21 (NIV)
love one another
"We must love one another or die." - W.H. Auden, quoted by Morrie Schwartz
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." - John 13:34-35 (NIV)
love always wins
One afternoon, I am complaining about the confusion of my age, what is expected of me versus what I want for myself.
"Have I told you about the tension of opposites?" he says.
"The tension of opposites?"
"Life is a series of pulls back and forth. You want to do one thing, but you are bound to do something else. Something hurts you, yet you know it shouldn't. You take certain things for granted, even when you know you should never take anything for granted.
"A tension of opposites, like a pull on a rubber band. And most of us live somewhere in the middle."
"Sounds like a wrestling match," I say.
"A wrestling match." He laughs. "Yes, you could describe life that way."
"So which side wins?" I ask.
"Which side wins?"
He smiles at me, the crinkled eyes, the crooked teeth.
"Love wins. Love always wins."
"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbour as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." - Romans 13:8-10 (NIV)
"When you know how to die, you know how to live." - Morrie Schwartz
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." - Philippians 1:21 (NIV)
love one another
"We must love one another or die." - W.H. Auden, quoted by Morrie Schwartz
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." - John 13:34-35 (NIV)
love always wins
One afternoon, I am complaining about the confusion of my age, what is expected of me versus what I want for myself.
"Have I told you about the tension of opposites?" he says.
"The tension of opposites?"
"Life is a series of pulls back and forth. You want to do one thing, but you are bound to do something else. Something hurts you, yet you know it shouldn't. You take certain things for granted, even when you know you should never take anything for granted.
"A tension of opposites, like a pull on a rubber band. And most of us live somewhere in the middle."
"Sounds like a wrestling match," I say.
"A wrestling match." He laughs. "Yes, you could describe life that way."
"So which side wins?" I ask.
"Which side wins?"
He smiles at me, the crinkled eyes, the crooked teeth.
"Love wins. Love always wins."
"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbour as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." - Romans 13:8-10 (NIV)
Thursday 18 September 2008
a visit to the dentist
i paid a visit to the dentist this morning and thankfully, my teeth are fine. but as i was lying down in the dentist's chair, i realised that even if my teeth were not fine, it would have been too late to make amends (short of something drastic).
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'
'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'
But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'
But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
- Matthew 25:1-13 (NIV)
the point is not that we are going to be judged by our teeth. the point is that the time is coming when the door will no longer be opened to those who knock.
"As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." - John 9:4-5 (NIV)
"You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." - John 12:35-36 (NIV)
"If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God." - Hebrews 10:26-27 (NIV)
if we should pay attention to our physical health even when we are not physically sick (and all the more when we are physically sick), how much more should we pay attention to our spiritual health when we are spiritually sick!
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'
'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'
But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'
But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
- Matthew 25:1-13 (NIV)
the point is not that we are going to be judged by our teeth. the point is that the time is coming when the door will no longer be opened to those who knock.
"As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." - John 9:4-5 (NIV)
"You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." - John 12:35-36 (NIV)
"If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God." - Hebrews 10:26-27 (NIV)
if we should pay attention to our physical health even when we are not physically sick (and all the more when we are physically sick), how much more should we pay attention to our spiritual health when we are spiritually sick!
Monday 15 September 2008
the chase
Maybe you don't live on a farm. Maybe you've never even been to one. But you should be able to get this analogy.
Farmers work hard without knowing how things will turn out. A farmer plows his field, plants seeds, fertilises, and gets rid of weeds that can kill healthy crops - but in the end he completely depends on forces outside himself. He knows he can't cause the seed to start growing. He can't make it rain. He can't force the sun to shine at just the right times for growing and harvesting the crop. To be a successful farmer and businessman, he totally depends on God for all these things to take place.
Yet if the farmer doesn't do everything he needs to do - plow, plant, fertilise, and cultivate - he can't expect a harvest at the end of the season. He's in sort of a partnership with God. The farmer has a chance of benefitting only when he has fulfilled his own responsibilities.
Farming is a joint venture between God and the farmer. The farmer can't do what God must do, and God won't do what the farmer is responsible for.
Chasing after holiness is like that. Holiness is something we need God to do, yet on the flip side we need to do some of the work ourselves. If God isn't present, true holiness can't be present. Yet if we rely solely on God and don't put any effort into it ourselves, holiness isn't possible either.
God has marked out the path for us to run down, but he's given us the responsibility of the chase. We have to do the running ourselves.
- Jerry Bridges, The Chase
"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." - Psalm 127:1 (NIV)
"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." - 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 (NIV)
God is responsible when we choose to do good, and we are responsible when we choose not to do good.
however, that 'God is responsible when we choose to do good' does not mean that 'God is responsible for us choosing to do good'. God is not responsible for us choosing to do good - we are responsible for us choosing to do good. this is why we are responsible when we choose not to do good.
rather, that 'God is responsible when we choose to do good' means that 'in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose' (Romans 8:28, NIV).
"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." - Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)
God works in us in the sense that He gives us life, not in the sense that He forces us to live!
Farmers work hard without knowing how things will turn out. A farmer plows his field, plants seeds, fertilises, and gets rid of weeds that can kill healthy crops - but in the end he completely depends on forces outside himself. He knows he can't cause the seed to start growing. He can't make it rain. He can't force the sun to shine at just the right times for growing and harvesting the crop. To be a successful farmer and businessman, he totally depends on God for all these things to take place.
Yet if the farmer doesn't do everything he needs to do - plow, plant, fertilise, and cultivate - he can't expect a harvest at the end of the season. He's in sort of a partnership with God. The farmer has a chance of benefitting only when he has fulfilled his own responsibilities.
Farming is a joint venture between God and the farmer. The farmer can't do what God must do, and God won't do what the farmer is responsible for.
Chasing after holiness is like that. Holiness is something we need God to do, yet on the flip side we need to do some of the work ourselves. If God isn't present, true holiness can't be present. Yet if we rely solely on God and don't put any effort into it ourselves, holiness isn't possible either.
God has marked out the path for us to run down, but he's given us the responsibility of the chase. We have to do the running ourselves.
- Jerry Bridges, The Chase
"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." - Psalm 127:1 (NIV)
"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." - 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 (NIV)
God is responsible when we choose to do good, and we are responsible when we choose not to do good.
however, that 'God is responsible when we choose to do good' does not mean that 'God is responsible for us choosing to do good'. God is not responsible for us choosing to do good - we are responsible for us choosing to do good. this is why we are responsible when we choose not to do good.
rather, that 'God is responsible when we choose to do good' means that 'in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose' (Romans 8:28, NIV).
"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." - Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)
God works in us in the sense that He gives us life, not in the sense that He forces us to live!
Friday 12 September 2008
transforming grace
There are five words all beginning with the letter L that we need to keep in right relationship to one another. All five are either used or implied in Galatians 5:13-14. They are law, liberty, love, license, and legalism. (I have not used license up to now, and by that word I mean an abuse of our freedom in order to indulge our sinful nature.) We need to learn to live within the right relationships of law and love, law and liberty, and liberty and love. Only when we have those relationships in proper order will we avoid the traps of license on the one hand and legalism on the other. Grace keeps the law, love, and liberty in right relationship to one another.
In one southern state, a narrow two-lane highway has been built through a swampland by building up the road bed above the swamp. You must be extra alert not to drift off the road because there is no margin for error. If you go off the road, you do not end up on a grassy shoulder but rather submerged in a swamp.
As shown in the following illustration, the built-up road bed represents grace that allows you to drive safely through the swampland of legalism and license.
*legalism - law, liberty and love - license*
When you focus on grace in the fullness of its meaning, you will keep the law, liberty, and love in their proper relationship to one another. But if you focus on any one of them instead of grace, you will invariably end up in the swamp of legalism or license.
What do I mean by the phrase, "grace in the fullness of its meaning"? An expression often used in a pejorative sense is cheap grace. The term denotes an attitude that, since God's grace is unconditional, I may live as I please; I may sin as much as I want because God will still love me and forgive me. That is the attitude of license. It results from focusing exclusively on liberty and denigrating God's law. To counteract this sinful attitude, some of us in Christian ministry have fallen into legalism. We have taught, either directly or implicitly, that God's grace is conditional, that there is a degree to which it is based on our performance. We have unduly focused on God's law and disparaged liberty.
- Jerry Bridges, Transforming Grace
in one sense, grace is unconditional. it is not based on how God foresees we will respond. in another sense, grace is conditional. it is based on how we actually respond. however, grace cannot be both unconditional and conditional in the same respect and at the same time.
grace is unconditionally given by God
just because grace is unconditionally given by God does not mean that grace is unconditionally received by man. (non-moderate) calvinism starts with the premise that grace is unconditionally given by God and holds that grace is unconditionally received by man. however, if grace is unconditionally received by man, then man is not free.
furthermore, if grace is unconditionally received by man and not all unconditionally receive grace, then grace is not unconditionally given to all. if grace is not unconditionally given to all, then grace is not unconditionally given at all. to this end, the calvinist formulation of election is not 'unconditional election', but 'unknown election'.
grace is conditionally received by man
at the same time, just because grace is conditionally received by man does not mean that grace is conditionally given by God. (non-classical) arminianism starts with the premise that grace is conditionally received by man and holds that grace is conditionally given by God. however, if grace is conditionally given by God (ie. based on how God foresees we will respond), then God is not sovereign.
therefore, grace is unconditionally given by God and conditionally received by man. as geisler puts it, election is 'unconditional for God and conditional for man' (the sole condition being faith in Christ alone).
In one southern state, a narrow two-lane highway has been built through a swampland by building up the road bed above the swamp. You must be extra alert not to drift off the road because there is no margin for error. If you go off the road, you do not end up on a grassy shoulder but rather submerged in a swamp.
As shown in the following illustration, the built-up road bed represents grace that allows you to drive safely through the swampland of legalism and license.
*legalism - law, liberty and love - license*
When you focus on grace in the fullness of its meaning, you will keep the law, liberty, and love in their proper relationship to one another. But if you focus on any one of them instead of grace, you will invariably end up in the swamp of legalism or license.
What do I mean by the phrase, "grace in the fullness of its meaning"? An expression often used in a pejorative sense is cheap grace. The term denotes an attitude that, since God's grace is unconditional, I may live as I please; I may sin as much as I want because God will still love me and forgive me. That is the attitude of license. It results from focusing exclusively on liberty and denigrating God's law. To counteract this sinful attitude, some of us in Christian ministry have fallen into legalism. We have taught, either directly or implicitly, that God's grace is conditional, that there is a degree to which it is based on our performance. We have unduly focused on God's law and disparaged liberty.
- Jerry Bridges, Transforming Grace
in one sense, grace is unconditional. it is not based on how God foresees we will respond. in another sense, grace is conditional. it is based on how we actually respond. however, grace cannot be both unconditional and conditional in the same respect and at the same time.
grace is unconditionally given by God
just because grace is unconditionally given by God does not mean that grace is unconditionally received by man. (non-moderate) calvinism starts with the premise that grace is unconditionally given by God and holds that grace is unconditionally received by man. however, if grace is unconditionally received by man, then man is not free.
furthermore, if grace is unconditionally received by man and not all unconditionally receive grace, then grace is not unconditionally given to all. if grace is not unconditionally given to all, then grace is not unconditionally given at all. to this end, the calvinist formulation of election is not 'unconditional election', but 'unknown election'.
grace is conditionally received by man
at the same time, just because grace is conditionally received by man does not mean that grace is conditionally given by God. (non-classical) arminianism starts with the premise that grace is conditionally received by man and holds that grace is conditionally given by God. however, if grace is conditionally given by God (ie. based on how God foresees we will respond), then God is not sovereign.
therefore, grace is unconditionally given by God and conditionally received by man. as geisler puts it, election is 'unconditional for God and conditional for man' (the sole condition being faith in Christ alone).
Wednesday 10 September 2008
the case for annihilationism
i do not agree with everything greg boyd says (eg. open theism), but i think the case for annihilationism is worthy of serious consideration.
also, boyd's response to Romans 9 confirms (at least for me) that Romans 9-11 is not about the saved and the unsaved, but about the Jews and the Gentiles. to this end, Romans 9-11 is not about individual election for salvation, but about corporate election for service.
also, boyd's response to Romans 9 confirms (at least for me) that Romans 9-11 is not about the saved and the unsaved, but about the Jews and the Gentiles. to this end, Romans 9-11 is not about individual election for salvation, but about corporate election for service.
Tuesday 9 September 2008
two kinds of hell
while 'Scripture cannot be broken' (John 10:35, NIV), there are many words which are lost in translation. we should not assume that Scripture always uses the same word in the same respect and at the same time. after all, there is one will in two senses, one election in two senses and two kinds of works. there are also many different kinds of love!
we should not assume that there is only one kind of hell. in fact, there are two kinds of hell - Hades/Sheol/'the heart of the earth' (Matthew 12:40, NIV) and Gehenna/Valley of Hinnom/'the lake of fire' (Revelation 20:15, NIV).
1. Hades/Sheol/the heart of the earth is a literal place in the heart of the earth. it is where believers and unbelievers who have died sleep until they are resurrected on the day of Christ and the day of the LORD respectively.
2. Gehenna/Valley of Hinnom/the lake of fire is a literal place in the Middle East. it is where unbelievers are thrown into after they are resurrected and judged on the day of the LORD.
3. after His death on the cross, Jesus descended to Hades/Sheol/the heart of the earth, where He slept for three days and three nights until He was resurrected. Jesus did not go to Gehenna/Valley of Hinnom/the lake of fire and get tormented for our sins there!
4. believers who have died are not playing their harps in heaven in right now. they are sleeping in Hades/Sheol/the heart of the earth. they will be resurrected at the first resurrection, on the day of Christ - the first day of the millenial kingdom. 'they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years' (Revelation 20:6, NIV).
5. both Enoch and Elijah died. they are not playing their harps in heaven right now. they are sleeping in Hades/Sheol/the heart of the earth. they will be resurrected at the first resurrection, on the day of Christ - the first day of the millenial kingdom. 'they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years' (Revelation 20:6, NIV).
6. unbelievers who have died are not being tormented in Gehenna/Valley of Hinnom/the lake of fire right now. they are sleeping in Hades/Sheol/the heart of the earth. they will be resurrected at the second resurrection, on the day of the LORD - the last day of the millenial kingdom. they will then be judged and 'thrown into the lake of fire' (Revelation 20:15, NIV).
7. 'they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever' (Revelation 20:10, NIV) means 'they will be tormented day and night until the first heaven and the first earth pass away', not 'they will be tormented for eternity'.
8. both Hades/Sheol/the heart of the earth and Gehenna/Valley of Hinnom/the lake of fire will cease to exist when the first heaven and the first earth pass away.
9. purgatory does not exist.
10. the story of the rich man and lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 is a parable.
we should not assume that there is only one kind of hell. in fact, there are two kinds of hell - Hades/Sheol/'the heart of the earth' (Matthew 12:40, NIV) and Gehenna/Valley of Hinnom/'the lake of fire' (Revelation 20:15, NIV).
1. Hades/Sheol/the heart of the earth is a literal place in the heart of the earth. it is where believers and unbelievers who have died sleep until they are resurrected on the day of Christ and the day of the LORD respectively.
2. Gehenna/Valley of Hinnom/the lake of fire is a literal place in the Middle East. it is where unbelievers are thrown into after they are resurrected and judged on the day of the LORD.
3. after His death on the cross, Jesus descended to Hades/Sheol/the heart of the earth, where He slept for three days and three nights until He was resurrected. Jesus did not go to Gehenna/Valley of Hinnom/the lake of fire and get tormented for our sins there!
4. believers who have died are not playing their harps in heaven in right now. they are sleeping in Hades/Sheol/the heart of the earth. they will be resurrected at the first resurrection, on the day of Christ - the first day of the millenial kingdom. 'they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years' (Revelation 20:6, NIV).
5. both Enoch and Elijah died. they are not playing their harps in heaven right now. they are sleeping in Hades/Sheol/the heart of the earth. they will be resurrected at the first resurrection, on the day of Christ - the first day of the millenial kingdom. 'they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years' (Revelation 20:6, NIV).
6. unbelievers who have died are not being tormented in Gehenna/Valley of Hinnom/the lake of fire right now. they are sleeping in Hades/Sheol/the heart of the earth. they will be resurrected at the second resurrection, on the day of the LORD - the last day of the millenial kingdom. they will then be judged and 'thrown into the lake of fire' (Revelation 20:15, NIV).
7. 'they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever' (Revelation 20:10, NIV) means 'they will be tormented day and night until the first heaven and the first earth pass away', not 'they will be tormented for eternity'.
8. both Hades/Sheol/the heart of the earth and Gehenna/Valley of Hinnom/the lake of fire will cease to exist when the first heaven and the first earth pass away.
9. purgatory does not exist.
10. the story of the rich man and lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 is a parable.
Monday 8 September 2008
se7en
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." - Matthew 5:17-18 (NIV)
the gospel is not just about the cross. for that matter, the gospel is not just about the cross and the resurrection. the gospel is about:
1. the cross (Passover)
2. the burial (Feast of Unleavened Bread)
3. the resurrection (Feast of Firstfruits)
4. the Holy Spirit coming at Pentecost (Feast of Weeks)
5. the rapture (Feast of Trumpets)
6. the day of Christ (Day of Atonement)
7. the millennial kingdom (Feast of Tabernacles)
*****
8. the day of the LORD (Revelation 20:7-15)
9. the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21-22)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."" - Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)
the gospel is not just about the cross. for that matter, the gospel is not just about the cross and the resurrection. the gospel is about:
1. the cross (Passover)
2. the burial (Feast of Unleavened Bread)
3. the resurrection (Feast of Firstfruits)
4. the Holy Spirit coming at Pentecost (Feast of Weeks)
5. the rapture (Feast of Trumpets)
6. the day of Christ (Day of Atonement)
7. the millennial kingdom (Feast of Tabernacles)
*****
8. the day of the LORD (Revelation 20:7-15)
9. the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21-22)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."" - Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)
Saturday 6 September 2008
gens una sumus
Speech at SCF Fundraising Dinner 2008
6 Sep 08, 6.30pm at The Grassroots' Club
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The local chess scene comprises of many different stakeholders. Personally, I am here tonight both as a council member and a former junior player. I will share more on that later.
The local chess scene has changed dramatically over the years. By the way, I am not that old - I just happen to have been around for a long time! 10 years, to be precise. When I first joined the SCF as a junior member back in 1998, the SCF had a total of 320 members. As of 2007, the SCF has a total of 1463 members. A big factor behind this increase has been the growing number of young people taking up chess.
This brings me to my next point. Chess is no longer viewed as a pastime for retirees. Of course, God-willing, I would like to continue playing chess after I retire. But society has changed, and young players have more opportunities than ever.
Not too long ago, I read on chessbase.com that our 12-year old FM Daniel Fernandez was the youngest participant in the 23rd Acropolis 2008 International Open Chess Tournament held in Athens, Greece. When I was 12 years old back in 1998, I did not even have a proper system of training.
Speaking of a proper system of training, much of what the SCF has put in place today is the brainchild of our current SCF President Mr Leong, or Ignatius. I am still not used to calling him Ignatius! I say this not in my capacity as a council member but in my capacity as a former junior player.
Some of us here tonight - especially among the younger players - may have never tasted defeat in a Singapore vs Malaysia match, be it individually or as a nation. But this did not come about by chance. I remember losing both my games in the 1998 Singapore vs Malaysia match held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I cannot remember what the final score was like, but Singapore lost very badly. Imagine what the coach ride back to Singapore was like!
In the aftermath of the 1998 Singapore vs Malaysia match, Ignatius set out to establish the National Junior Training Squad. It was then that a proper system of training was put in place. I was privileged to be part of the first batch of trainees in the National Junior Training Squad, which has since developed into the National Youth Squad (Gold and Silver) and the National Junior Development Squad today.
It took a while before this proper system of training began to bear fruit. In fact, Singapore lost the next two Singapore vs Malaysia matches, in 1999 and 2000. When the SCF held its last fundraising dinner in March 2001, Singapore was trailing 3-9 in the Singapore vs Malaysia series. However, Singapore has since won the last seven Singapore vs Malaysia matches to take the overall lead. Hopefully, the funds raised tonight and beyond will reflect our progress over the years!
I have spent the last few minutes talking about results. But chess, like life, is not about results. Chess, like life, is about the journey. I mentioned earlier that I am here tonight both as a council member and a former junior player. Similarly, not all of us are here tonight as professional players, trainers, arbiters or administrators. And that is perfectly fine.
During my primary school, secondary school and junior college days, I devoted my time to chess as a co-curricular activity. It was an extremely rewarding experience - not only from a material perspective, but also in terms of the friends I made and the lessons I learnt about life through chess. I am currently studying in the UK and have not played in any tournaments for a while. But as a council member, I guess you could say that I am still devoting my time to chess as a co-curricular activity!
In closing, tonight’s fundraising dinner is really about you, too! As the motto of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) goes, gens una sumus, or ‘we are one family’. As members of one body, I encourage each of you to contribute to the local chess scene as you are able to. This need not be limited to giving financially. It could include telling your friends about chess or introducing your children to chess. Of course, there is always the opportunity to serve on the Exco!
On behalf of the SCF, I thank you for your support and wish you a pleasant evening.
Thank you.
6 Sep 08, 6.30pm at The Grassroots' Club
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The local chess scene comprises of many different stakeholders. Personally, I am here tonight both as a council member and a former junior player. I will share more on that later.
The local chess scene has changed dramatically over the years. By the way, I am not that old - I just happen to have been around for a long time! 10 years, to be precise. When I first joined the SCF as a junior member back in 1998, the SCF had a total of 320 members. As of 2007, the SCF has a total of 1463 members. A big factor behind this increase has been the growing number of young people taking up chess.
This brings me to my next point. Chess is no longer viewed as a pastime for retirees. Of course, God-willing, I would like to continue playing chess after I retire. But society has changed, and young players have more opportunities than ever.
Not too long ago, I read on chessbase.com that our 12-year old FM Daniel Fernandez was the youngest participant in the 23rd Acropolis 2008 International Open Chess Tournament held in Athens, Greece. When I was 12 years old back in 1998, I did not even have a proper system of training.
Speaking of a proper system of training, much of what the SCF has put in place today is the brainchild of our current SCF President Mr Leong, or Ignatius. I am still not used to calling him Ignatius! I say this not in my capacity as a council member but in my capacity as a former junior player.
Some of us here tonight - especially among the younger players - may have never tasted defeat in a Singapore vs Malaysia match, be it individually or as a nation. But this did not come about by chance. I remember losing both my games in the 1998 Singapore vs Malaysia match held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I cannot remember what the final score was like, but Singapore lost very badly. Imagine what the coach ride back to Singapore was like!
In the aftermath of the 1998 Singapore vs Malaysia match, Ignatius set out to establish the National Junior Training Squad. It was then that a proper system of training was put in place. I was privileged to be part of the first batch of trainees in the National Junior Training Squad, which has since developed into the National Youth Squad (Gold and Silver) and the National Junior Development Squad today.
It took a while before this proper system of training began to bear fruit. In fact, Singapore lost the next two Singapore vs Malaysia matches, in 1999 and 2000. When the SCF held its last fundraising dinner in March 2001, Singapore was trailing 3-9 in the Singapore vs Malaysia series. However, Singapore has since won the last seven Singapore vs Malaysia matches to take the overall lead. Hopefully, the funds raised tonight and beyond will reflect our progress over the years!
I have spent the last few minutes talking about results. But chess, like life, is not about results. Chess, like life, is about the journey. I mentioned earlier that I am here tonight both as a council member and a former junior player. Similarly, not all of us are here tonight as professional players, trainers, arbiters or administrators. And that is perfectly fine.
During my primary school, secondary school and junior college days, I devoted my time to chess as a co-curricular activity. It was an extremely rewarding experience - not only from a material perspective, but also in terms of the friends I made and the lessons I learnt about life through chess. I am currently studying in the UK and have not played in any tournaments for a while. But as a council member, I guess you could say that I am still devoting my time to chess as a co-curricular activity!
In closing, tonight’s fundraising dinner is really about you, too! As the motto of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) goes, gens una sumus, or ‘we are one family’. As members of one body, I encourage each of you to contribute to the local chess scene as you are able to. This need not be limited to giving financially. It could include telling your friends about chess or introducing your children to chess. Of course, there is always the opportunity to serve on the Exco!
On behalf of the SCF, I thank you for your support and wish you a pleasant evening.
Thank you.
Friday 5 September 2008
the Jewish-Christian worldview
i came across two rather interesting articles while randomly surfing the net last night.
Jewish Marriage Traditions and New Testament Applications
Understanding the Seven Major Jewish Feasts and their Messianic Significance
incidentally, i have been spending a lot of time in recent weeks thinking about the Jewish-Christian worldview.
the gospel is not about Western ideas of health, wealth and prosperity. the gospel is about the Jewish-Christian conviction that 'life - all life - is meaningful and good, and that evil distorts and disrupts the good and cries out to be set right' (Westerholm, Understanding Paul).
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." - 2 Corinthians 4:16 (NIV)
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
the old creation which is wasting away has gone, the new creation which is being renewed day by day has come!
Jewish Marriage Traditions and New Testament Applications
Understanding the Seven Major Jewish Feasts and their Messianic Significance
incidentally, i have been spending a lot of time in recent weeks thinking about the Jewish-Christian worldview.
the gospel is not about Western ideas of health, wealth and prosperity. the gospel is about the Jewish-Christian conviction that 'life - all life - is meaningful and good, and that evil distorts and disrupts the good and cries out to be set right' (Westerholm, Understanding Paul).
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." - 2 Corinthians 4:16 (NIV)
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
the old creation which is wasting away has gone, the new creation which is being renewed day by day has come!
Thursday 4 September 2008
Ezekiel 18
The word of the LORD came to me: "What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: "'The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'?
"As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son - both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
"Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right. He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbour's wife or lie with a woman during her period. He does not oppress anyone, but returns what he took in pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. He does not lend at usury or take excessive interest. He withholds his hand from doing wrong and judges fairly between man and man. He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD.
"Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things (though the father has done none of them):
"He eats at the mountain shrines. He defiles his neighbour's wife. He oppresses the poor and needy. He commits robbery. He does not return what he took in pledge. He looks to the idols. He does detestable things. He lends at usury and takes excessive interest.
Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he will surely be put to death and his blood will be on his own head.
"But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:
"He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbour's wife. He does not oppress anyone or require a pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. He withholds his hand from sin and takes no usury or excessive interest. He keeps my laws and follows my decrees.
He will not die for his father's sin; he will surely live. But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.
"Yet you ask, 'Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?' Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.
"But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the offences he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
"But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die.
"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die. But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. Because he considers all the offences he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die. Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
"Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offences; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offences you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!
- Ezekiel 18 (NIV)
firstly, Ezekiel 18 refutes the notion of generational sin. clearly, 'the son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son' (Ezekiel 18:20, NIV).
secondly, Ezekiel 18 refutes the notion that some persons are chosen to glorify God by receiving His mercy whereas others are chosen to glorify Him by receiving His wrath. while it is true that 'in Adam all die' (1 Corinthians 15:22, NIV), it is also true that 'in Christ all will be made alive' (1 Corinthians 15:22, NIV).
if God did not count the guilt of Adam against Abel, but 'spoke well of his offerings [when] by faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did' (Hebrews 11:4, NIV), how much more will God not count the guilt of Adam against us - not because of us, but because of Christ!
of course, we have to be in Christ.
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." - Romans 8:1 (NIV)
thirdly, Ezekiel 18 refutes the notion that Ezekiel 36:26-27 is about Israel's unconditional election.
[by the way, the calvinist formulation of election as 'unconditional election' is a misnomer. according to calvinism, we do not know how God elects. but just because we do not know how God elects does not mean that God elects unconditionally. to this end, the calvinist formulation of election is not 'unconditional election', but 'unknown election'.]
"Repent! Turn away from all your offences; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offences you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit." - Ezekiel 18:30-31 (NIV)
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." - Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV)
for God to give Israel a new heart and put a new spirit in Israel, Israel must rid itself of all the offences it has committed. while it is true that election is unconditional in how it is given, it is also true that election is conditional in how it is received.
as geisler puts it, election is 'unconditional for God and conditional for man' (the sole condition being faith in Christ alone). therefore, Ezekiel 36:26-27 is not about Israel's unconditional election.
even if Ezekiel 36:26-27 is about Israel's unconditional election (which it is not), it is not about Israel's election for salvation, but about Israel's election for service.
"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes." - Ezekiel 36:22-23 (NIV)
"I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign LORD. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, O house of Israel!" - Ezekiel 36:32 (NIV)
salvation (even under the Old Covenant) was never only for Jews in the house of Israel. salvation (all the way from Genesis 3:15 to Revelation 22:21) was always for both Jews and Gentiles, through Jews in the house of Israel.
in particular, through a Jew in the house of Israel - our Lord Jesus Christ.
"As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son - both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
"Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right. He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbour's wife or lie with a woman during her period. He does not oppress anyone, but returns what he took in pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. He does not lend at usury or take excessive interest. He withholds his hand from doing wrong and judges fairly between man and man. He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD.
"Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things (though the father has done none of them):
"He eats at the mountain shrines. He defiles his neighbour's wife. He oppresses the poor and needy. He commits robbery. He does not return what he took in pledge. He looks to the idols. He does detestable things. He lends at usury and takes excessive interest.
Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he will surely be put to death and his blood will be on his own head.
"But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:
"He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbour's wife. He does not oppress anyone or require a pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. He withholds his hand from sin and takes no usury or excessive interest. He keeps my laws and follows my decrees.
He will not die for his father's sin; he will surely live. But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.
"Yet you ask, 'Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?' Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.
"But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the offences he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
"But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die.
"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die. But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. Because he considers all the offences he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die. Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
"Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offences; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offences you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!
- Ezekiel 18 (NIV)
firstly, Ezekiel 18 refutes the notion of generational sin. clearly, 'the son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son' (Ezekiel 18:20, NIV).
secondly, Ezekiel 18 refutes the notion that some persons are chosen to glorify God by receiving His mercy whereas others are chosen to glorify Him by receiving His wrath. while it is true that 'in Adam all die' (1 Corinthians 15:22, NIV), it is also true that 'in Christ all will be made alive' (1 Corinthians 15:22, NIV).
if God did not count the guilt of Adam against Abel, but 'spoke well of his offerings [when] by faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did' (Hebrews 11:4, NIV), how much more will God not count the guilt of Adam against us - not because of us, but because of Christ!
of course, we have to be in Christ.
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." - Romans 8:1 (NIV)
thirdly, Ezekiel 18 refutes the notion that Ezekiel 36:26-27 is about Israel's unconditional election.
[by the way, the calvinist formulation of election as 'unconditional election' is a misnomer. according to calvinism, we do not know how God elects. but just because we do not know how God elects does not mean that God elects unconditionally. to this end, the calvinist formulation of election is not 'unconditional election', but 'unknown election'.]
"Repent! Turn away from all your offences; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offences you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit." - Ezekiel 18:30-31 (NIV)
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." - Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV)
for God to give Israel a new heart and put a new spirit in Israel, Israel must rid itself of all the offences it has committed. while it is true that election is unconditional in how it is given, it is also true that election is conditional in how it is received.
as geisler puts it, election is 'unconditional for God and conditional for man' (the sole condition being faith in Christ alone). therefore, Ezekiel 36:26-27 is not about Israel's unconditional election.
even if Ezekiel 36:26-27 is about Israel's unconditional election (which it is not), it is not about Israel's election for salvation, but about Israel's election for service.
"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes." - Ezekiel 36:22-23 (NIV)
"I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign LORD. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, O house of Israel!" - Ezekiel 36:32 (NIV)
salvation (even under the Old Covenant) was never only for Jews in the house of Israel. salvation (all the way from Genesis 3:15 to Revelation 22:21) was always for both Jews and Gentiles, through Jews in the house of Israel.
in particular, through a Jew in the house of Israel - our Lord Jesus Christ.
what?
While God commands all to repent and takes no delight in the death of the sinner, all are not saved because it is not God's intention to give his redeeming grace to all... God wants all to hear the gospel, but he intends to save only some. Why that is the case, we do not know.
- Peterson and Williams, Why I Am Not An Arminian
what?
i am not an arminian, at least not a contemporary one. but ironically, after reading why i am not an arminian (the companion to why i am not a calvinist), i am even more convinced that i am not a calvinist.
*****
of course, just because i am not a calvinist does not mean that i am an arminian (regardless if the authors of why i am not a calvinist are both arminians). likewise, just because i am not an arminian does not mean that i am a calvinist (regardless if the authors of why i am not an arminian are both calvinists).
as things stand, i am neither a calvinist nor an arminian. in short, this is what i believe:
total depravity - yes
unconditional election - no
limited atonement - no
irresistible grace - no
perseverance of the saints - yes
- Peterson and Williams, Why I Am Not An Arminian
what?
i am not an arminian, at least not a contemporary one. but ironically, after reading why i am not an arminian (the companion to why i am not a calvinist), i am even more convinced that i am not a calvinist.
*****
of course, just because i am not a calvinist does not mean that i am an arminian (regardless if the authors of why i am not a calvinist are both arminians). likewise, just because i am not an arminian does not mean that i am a calvinist (regardless if the authors of why i am not an arminian are both calvinists).
as things stand, i am neither a calvinist nor an arminian. in short, this is what i believe:
total depravity - yes
unconditional election - no
limited atonement - no
irresistible grace - no
perseverance of the saints - yes
Wednesday 3 September 2008
single and free
two of my friends at york have just gotten married (to each other). i also found out that one of my childhood friends has just gotten attached, and i am genuinely happy for all of them in the Lord.
marriage is not about sex or security. marriage is definitely not about having three or more if you can afford it. (of course, there is nothing wrong with having three or more if you can afford it.) marriage 'is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church' (Ephesians 5:32, NIV).
in his first letter to the corinthians, paul writes that 'it is good for a man not to marry' (1 Corinthians 7:1, NIV), 'but if you do marry, you have not sinned' (1 Corinthians 7:28, NIV). paul affirms that 'each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that' (1 Corinthians 7:7, NIV). this builds on Jesus' teaching that 'some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven' (Matthew 19:12, NIV).
God gives some of us the grace to be married and some of us the grace to be single. those of us who have the grace to be married should work out our salvation in accordance with being married, while those of us who have the grace to be single should work out our salvation in accordance with being single.
being married is about understanding the profound mystery of Christ and the church through being married, and being single is about understanding the profound mystery of Christ and the church through being single. after all, Christ Himself is still waiting for His bride - the church.
it is good to be married, and it is good to be single. at the end of the day, 'keeping God's commands is what counts' (1 Corinthians 7:19, NIV).
marriage is not about sex or security. marriage is definitely not about having three or more if you can afford it. (of course, there is nothing wrong with having three or more if you can afford it.) marriage 'is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church' (Ephesians 5:32, NIV).
in his first letter to the corinthians, paul writes that 'it is good for a man not to marry' (1 Corinthians 7:1, NIV), 'but if you do marry, you have not sinned' (1 Corinthians 7:28, NIV). paul affirms that 'each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that' (1 Corinthians 7:7, NIV). this builds on Jesus' teaching that 'some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven' (Matthew 19:12, NIV).
God gives some of us the grace to be married and some of us the grace to be single. those of us who have the grace to be married should work out our salvation in accordance with being married, while those of us who have the grace to be single should work out our salvation in accordance with being single.
being married is about understanding the profound mystery of Christ and the church through being married, and being single is about understanding the profound mystery of Christ and the church through being single. after all, Christ Himself is still waiting for His bride - the church.
it is good to be married, and it is good to be single. at the end of the day, 'keeping God's commands is what counts' (1 Corinthians 7:19, NIV).
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