2009-07-29

Anderson defends Piper’s point about how God’s foreordination of all things doesn’t imply that petitionary prayer are pointless against an Arminian, who in taking a shot, is in danger of shooting himself. i) Appealing to divine timelessness doesn’t solve the problem of divine foreknowledge with libertarian choices (cf. Helm, Eternal God). Indeed, temporal causes affecting timeless causes is even more incoherent, making more problems than it solves. ii) Even on the Arminian view, God’s decisions about how to answer prayers are settled from eternity. So on the Arminian’s assumptions, how could those prayers be ‘genuine’ causes of those decisions? iii) Our prayers aren’t the causes of God’s decisions on how to answer prayer, but rather the causes of the answers to those prayers. iv) The prayer temporally proceeds the answer, and on a counterfactual theory of causation this thus makes sense. Piper on Predestined Prayers

Burk points to an article writing that no matter what end of the spectrum an American falls on, he likely thinks the War in Iraq was a mistake, and he’d sooner like to forget it. “These twists and turns make Iraq look less like either Vietnam or World War II -- the analogies that politicians and pundits keep closest at hand -- and more like an amalgamation of the Korean War and America’s McKinley-era counterinsurgency in the Philippines. Like Iraq, those were murky, bloody conflicts that generated long-term benefits but enormous short-term costs. Like Iraq, they were wars that Americans were eager to forget about as soon as they were finished.” Of note, "Pro-war Democrats like Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton talked a good game about seeing the conflict through, but they got both of the crucial decisions wrong – backing the invasion in 2003 and then, fingers in the wind, voting against the surge in 2006.” The War We’d Like To Forget

Here’s a glimpse of what happens when Muslims who refuse to accept American values/principles gain political power in an American community. A Christian coach has been fired (and the ACLU doesn’t care – strange, huh!), followed by a seeming threat, after a Muslim student converted to Christianity. The coach is a hall of famer. Behold “The Religion of Peace. Coming to power near you.” Muslim principal fires Christian coach after Muslim student converts — off-campus

Adams briefly discusses that anthropomorphisms are a condescension to communicate to us. ANTHROPOMORPHISMS

This post echoes my thoughts on Leviticus. It is often sadly the subject of mockery by both unbelievers (who don’t like its statements on homosexuality) and believers (who try to pander to those who think the Bible is boring) alike. Aside from the dangers, Cheng anecdotally illustrates that Leviticus shows us how we can be reconciled to God. The Jews knew what they were doing on the day of atonement – transferring their guilt to another. And that sacrifice points to Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. The unbeliever should be asking, “Has God provided an Offering for me, that I may lay my sins on His head?” The law of God forces our conversion from self-centredness and guilt to the acknowledgement of his glory and grace. Conversion by law

AiG addresses the ‘three days/nights’ ‘contradiction’. They argue briefly, with some citations, that the Jews used a different method of counting days (e.g. Esther 5:1), reckoning a day from the previous day’s sundown to that day’s sundown. [I’ll note that the expression is probably idiomatic as well, see the archives of this blog].  http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2009/06/29/contradictions-three-days-and-nights

Challies endorses the short read, Does Grace Grow in Winter?, authored by Ligon Duncan and J. Nicholas Reid, which seeks to prepare and arm Christians for hardship and pain, which all of us will face. Most simply try to put a happy face on trials. But careless platitudes are vacuous, and one cannot treat suffering in a cold and pedantic manner. Moreover, it must also be addressed objectively from Scripture, or a world of despair will arise. Does Grace Grow Best in Winter-

There is a push in the UK for compulsory annual registration of homeschooled children and inspection visits by representatives of the Local Education Authority (LEA). AiG notes that i) In many cases, it is precisely because of the poor standard of LEA provision that parents have chosen to educate their children at home. ii) Interviews with the child alone violate parental responsibility and right. iii) Education is not the responsibility or decision of the state, but the parents, who may delegate it to those they trust – but if parents choose to send their children to a collective school, rather than educate them at home, the school must still educate them according to the wishes and direction of the parents. The teacher is in loco parentis. http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2009/06/30/inspection-of-homeschooling

This post by a Southern Baptist at Genderblog expresses this thanks: “issues of sexuality and gender are not matters for debate within the SBC.  Southern Baptists invariably get this issue right and this was evidenced once again Wednesday morning, June 24, as more than 8,500 messengers voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution upholding biblical sexuality and opposing federal policy proposals extending special rights to homosexuals.” SBC Messengers Approve Resolution on Biblical Sexuality

If you’ve ever wondered about the meaning of the ichthus (Jesus fish) and the Darwin fish (the one with legs), Creation.com discusses the ‘fish wars’. Yeah… Darwin Fish

Mohler summarizes the reports of Governor Sanford’s adultery. “Governor Sanford may cite King David, and he may even suffer the illusion that his response is similar to that of Israel's King. Nevertheless, the difference is clear. David's adultery was mixed even with murder, but his own acknowledgment of sin came in a flood of contrition, remorse, broken heartedness, and humility. David acknowledged the reality of his sin, expressed his hatred of the sin, and became a model for us all of repentance. Governor Sanford, on the other hand, demonstrates the audacity to speak wistfully of his sin, longingly of his lover, and romantically of his descent into unfaithfulness.” http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=4089

Dever cites Spurgeon as an example of how to preach on hell. Spurgeon extolled the sovereignty of Christ in heaven, earth, and in hell. “While in heaven the glorious notes shout forth his goodness; in hell the deep growlings resound his justice, and his certain victory over all his foes. Thus his empire is higher than the highest heaven, and deeper than the lowest hell.” How To Preach About Hell by mdever

Futato on the purpose of Jonah: The primary purpose of the book of Jonah is to engage readers in theological reflection on the compassionate character of God, and in self-reflection on the degree to which their own character reflects this compassion, to the end that they become vehicles of this compassion in the world that God has made and so deeply cares about. The Purpose of the Book of Jonah

DeYoung posts this update on Iran, from the inside. More Iranians are becoming disillusioned with Islam in light of the regime’s actions. Ahmadinejad finished a distant third – the one who reported this suffered a ‘fatal accident’. Many Iranians are desperate to leave the country. Update from Inside Iran

JT points to a reveiw of Larry Hurtado's The Earliest Christian Artifacts: Manuscripts and Christian Origins, which comes recommended for all those with a high view of Scripture, and should be of interest to those with questions of how the NT came into being. Hurtado's The Earliest Christian Artifacts

Turk points to an article which says some scientists are concerned that machines are becoming too close to human intelligence. [I’ll note that the article cites botnets (which are more like insects than intelligent) and Predator drones [and I say, from my own experience, that most assuredly these drones are not even close to human intelligence – the article grossly overstates it]. Turk argues that building a machine because you are philosophically a misanthropist and a committed worshipper of yourself violates both of those, no matter how you dress it up. Culture and Science

This post at ETC notes that the exhibit in Glasgow, which allows people to write in the Bible (the intent of the artists is allegedly but unbelievably "to reclaim the Bible as a sacred text"), has received almost exclusively negative response, with profanity, etc. being thrown in. The Christian community has reacted negatively to texts altered and torn out in the name of ‘art’. This post observes that this provides a postmodern and negative parallel to things like Ehrman’s Orthodox Corruption. One must consider the possible motivations for the numerous various readings, whether positive or negative, to avoid assuming that an individual’s personal opinion is more valuable than the text he altered. Rewriting the Bible in Postmodern Parallel

Piper reminds us that prayer wins battles. Literally. Throwback- Winning Battles Through Prayer

“Adult stem cell research, which is using stem cells from anything other than embryos, is very successful. There are people walking around today who are alive because they had an adult stem cell treatment, using their own stem cells. There are also other alternatives to produce embryonic stem cell lines that don’t involve the destruction of an embryo: Altered Nuclear Transfer, which is still in active research, and IPS, Induced Pluripotent Stem cells. If Christians were going to pick one to be well informed on, stem cell research is probably the one I would encourage them to spend a little time with.” Interview with New Director of Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity

Challies points to an article by Mohler discussing recent research into what is called ‘confirmation bias’, i.e. "The moment a person forms a theory his imagination sees in every object only the traits which favor that theory." The study finds a strong correlation between particular activities in the brain (notably not so much the part responsible for reasoning) and such bias. Mohler cautions against biological reductionism and biological determinism, being "suspicious of all efforts to reduce human consciousness and cognitive activity to measurable or observable studies of the brain.” It’s quite the claim to think we can map out and solve why humans love, feel, believe, etc. Nevertheless, we are inclined to seek evidence that confirms our bias and discard that to the contrary. This is a product of the fall, and Christians, being aware of this, must read widely and think carefully and study opposing positions carefully. John Calvin, in his Institutes wrote "If we regard the Spirit of God as the sole fountain of truth, we shall neither reject the truth itself, nor despise it wherever it shall appear, unless we wish to dishonor the Spirit of God." Confirmation Bias

T-fan points to an index of the works of Hugh Binning. Hugh Binning is little known today. However, in his day he was viewed as one of the leading young Scottish ministers. It is even reported that John Owen was left unable to answer his arguments. Works of Hugh Binning – Index

Turk writes, in response to the suggestion that preaching should be about the application, i.e. the ‘how-to’ in the Pew, that even in the “how-to” letter by Paul, 1 Corinthians, all the problems of the Corinthians were because they had a wrong view of Jesus Christ. There were real people in real time doing real things and they should have been doing something else, but the solution wasn’t self-help, but Jesus Christ. The solution to culture is Jesus Christ. The Gospel. To those who would say, “but in what way?” and “that’s sloganeering,” Turk points out that this is the primary purpose of reading and expositing the Scriptures every Sunday from now until Christ returns: not to get a better life, but to get Jesus. Interlude- Y-O-U

Here’s the definition of utilitarianism, and the point that it’s only half a moral theory – that it requires another moral theory to tell you what’s actually right and wrong, particular for a human being. It only works if you know what’s good for a human. Philosophy Word of the Day – Utilitarianism

White is debating Harold Camping. Day 2 audio is available here. Day Two of the Debate with Harold Camping

Here’s a sad statement – despite all the different takes on Michael Jackson, as Genderblog points out, perhaps he is a tragic and extreme case of an effectively fatherless childhood. As he said, “what I really wanted was a dad.” What I Really Wanted Was a Dad

Tozer: "The man of pseudo faith will fight for his verbal creed but refuse flatly to allow himself to get into a predicament where his future must depend upon that creed being true. He always provides himself with secondary ways of escape so he will have a way out if the roof caves in. What we need very badly these days is a company of Christians who are prepared to trust God as completely now as they know they must do at the last day." Tozer on Pseudo-Faith vs Biblical Faith

Lewis draws a distinction between receiving and using art. Using’ is inferior to ‘reception’ because art, if used rather than received, merely facilitates, brightens, relieves or palliates our life, and does not add to it. Using it is treating it as assistance to our own activities. Receiving it is using the imagination, senses, etc. according to the pattern invented by the artist. Lewis on the Distinction between Receiving and Using Art

Phillips writes, “we warned people who were trying to profess Christ and Obama that the two weren't a good mix, given (among other things) Obama's pro-abort extremism.” Obama’s new appointed science czar doesn’t think a person is human at conception, human during conception, human after birth, human at first birthday, perhaps not human at his second birthday... and so on. John P. Holdren says, “The fetus, given the opportunity to develop properly before birth, and given the essential early socializing experiences and sufficient nourishing food during the crucial early years after birth, will ultimately develop into a human being.” He also thinks the best think for the poisoned, burnt, dismembered baby is abortion. Phillips adds, “But we already knew what Obama thought, well before the election. Inconvenient children are a punishment, and their lives are forfeit at a whim.” This is nothing a biblically faithful Christian could ever accept. Obama science czar says babies may become human, eventually (another bloody hands alert)

Hays continues interacting with an objector to Reformed theodicy. i) Hays doesn’t need to prove Reformed theodicy to disprove the objector’s attack; rather, he only needs to disprove the general argument. ii) Since the Genesis narrative was never about the origin of evil, the silence of the narrative on that question is altogether unremarkable. iii) We can find the essentials of the greater good defense in the Bible itself, so disregarding it is dangerous out of the gate. iv) The objector admits that God is omnipotent. But God either willingly allowed evil to enter the world, or unwillingly, and if He’s omnipotent, then He could have prevented it, and so He willingly allowed it to enter. v) We need not be more pious than the Bible, using ambiguous terms like ‘author of sin’. Too much football without a helmet

Pike discusses Signs as an excellent example of compatibilism. “What sets this movie apart from others such as Final Destination is that this determinism is not fatalistic. That is, the characters are not trapped by fate and unable to alter their final destination no matter how hard they strive. Instead, every single member of the Hess family behaved exactly as they would have under those circumstances. Indeed, they acted freely and were never coerced. Yet they did exactly what was determined that they must do.” Signs As An Example of Compatiblism

Grimmond at Solapanel notes that, seemingly oddly, in Romans 5, what produces hope is the character of God’s people. Not that the death of Christ is unimportant. But the tested, proven character is an important piece in Paul’s exhortation. Indeed, throughout the NT is is those whose faith are proven who persevere through suffering )1 Thess 1:4-7; Phil 1:27-30). Godly endurance in the face of suffering displays a person's character; it shows that they belong to Jesus. And if you belong to Jesus, then God's hope is absolutely certain, because Jesus has died to save you and God's wrath holds no terror. No hope without character