Yet Another Neomodern Link

I found an article about neomodernism on probe.org today, which addresses the inevitable coming of the new age of thought and how that might possibly affect us.  Since I am (admittedly) not an expert in the area, I am trying to soak up every bit of knowledge I can find about what this new mindset and worldview would consist of.  I doubt this author would contend to be an expert in defining the term, but he does have an M.A. from Southwestern (so that helps).

link:  What Comes After Post-Modern?

ps – If anyone knows of any good, scholarly sources for this topic, let me know.

A Few Truly Wonderful Things

I love hearing the testimonies of others.  Often, it’s wonderful to know the details of how God changes the cold hearts of men, calling them to Himself.  Perhaps that’s why one of my favorite radio programs to listen to as a kid was “Unshackled” by the Pacific Garden Mission.  Hearing the testimonies of others who were saved from much worse circumstances and hardships than I was truly changed my perspective of life.  I found a testimony that moved me today:  Click here for that.  As I thought about the finite limits of human knowledge and the futility and frustration that is found upon reaching the limits of it, I couldn’t help but remember the amazing sense of relief that I experienced when I accepted Christ as the Lord and Savior of my life.  I was moved to tears as I read, following the experience of this woman and her quest for knowledge, with her finally coming to the realization that ”The more I emptied myself of myself, the clearer the truth became. It had been my own selfish sin that had kept me from seeing it before.”  I’m so thankful that God emptied me of myself, and I’m so much more thankful that he continues to do so regularly.

Another wonderful thing for today is in the form of music.  It’s a myspace page, so you’ll have to click the song title there to hear it:  Brave Saint Saturn – Daylight  This describes the changeover from darkness to light, from restless pursuit to complete rest in Christ, in ways that I could never have thought to express it.  Keep in mind as you listen that Brave Saint Saturn is a concept band that tells the story of a space crew (a bit hokey, but still interesting).

*EDIT: 4:00 PM* – It seems that the author of the testimony is, in fact, a woman.  Thus, the post has been changed appropriately.

Shoddy Biblical Scholarship

Oftentimes critics of the Bible engage in rather shoddy scholarship, resorting to weak theories of analysis, picking apart apparent inconsistencies, and then acting as if they are indeed scholars of the highest regard.  (Perhaps not always the last part.)  What many fail to realize is that the Bible is indeed one of the most complex books ever written, which draws upon at least 9 different areas of expertise.  I ran across a well-written article on the internet that addresses this topic.  Be aware though:  he’s rather sarcastic and blunt; however it’s worth reading if you are new to reading the Bible or have questions regarding Biblical interpretation.

Calculated Contempt: Why Bible Critics Do Not Deserve the Benefit of the Doubt

What amazes me is how the Bible can be so complex, yet simple enough that all who will can understand and accept Christ.  Only the inspiration of God could have led to the formation of such a book.

On a side note, the same author addresses in detail the flaws in the popular atheistic film “The God Who Wasn’t There,” which caused a bit of a stir last year (I think last year???).

Again, I do not quite agree with his overall presentation.  Sure, it can be funny to sarcastically make fun of the inconsistencies of others (as atheists often attempt with Christianity), but it does nothing to further the cause of Christ (or atheism, for that matter).  Instead of attacking boldness and pride with boldness and pride, perhaps it would be better to respond with Christ-like humility.

Somewhat of a Break

I am taking a few days to collect my thoughts and try to ponder over some content.  I have lots that I have been thinking about, but I want to read up on subjects before I actually make postings about them.  The better read I am about an issue, the more informative and accurate the post will be.  Otherwise, what would differentiate me from countless others who are posting half-thought-out religious information every day?  Of course, this will take time, so if you want something a bit more immediate (and much less formal), check out my other blog:  http://randomslant.wordpress.com/

Here is a taste of a few upcoming subjects that I hope to post on:

• The series on various Christian approaches to war (probably 4 separate posts).
• The Christian doctrine of Hell, and the implications thereof.
• More postings on Christian testimony, specifically on why Christians do not speak boldly about their faith.
• The search for truth, and how one responds to truth when confronted with it.

Much more will follow in the future, but this is to give you an idea of what I am planning for the immediate future.  I am fairly sure that some posts will encourage debate as well, which is absolutely fine, as long as the debate is simply DEBATE and is not intentionally hurtful toward others.  One (and just one) of my goals here is to answer the questions “What do Christians believe?” and “Why do Christians believe what they believe?” in a precise way.  There will be specific blogs which will work toward answering those questions.  I will label them appropriately.  At other times, this blog will be more geared toward Christians and Christian living and relations.  In those instances, keep in mind the topic on which I post.  There is a time for everything, and not every post is for the debate over whether Christianity is valid or not.  There are many who believe strongly on both sides, but please only post on topics that are open for such discussions.

Thanks for stopping by!

-Daniel

On Dangerous “Absolute Unabsolutes”

I am a very, very BIG fan of doctrine.  It is the safeguard of the church against false teachers.  Also, the way in which one views and interprets the Bible can have a huge impact on that person’s holistic view of life.  As I learn more about Scripture, God changes my thinking about myself and those that I come into contact with.  I am very much in support of Christians consulting God’s Word as inspired scripture and building doctrine based on the exegetical meaning of passages.  I am also in support of churches adopting doctrine to follow (as long as they don’t approach it with hubris).

That having been said, it’s obvious that there are certain viewpoints of Christianity that are still disputed and have been disputed for a long time.  Let’s use Calvinism and Arminianism as examples.   I also believe that there are other areas of Christianity that are simply indisuptable to all (Based on a plenary verbal interpretation of the Bible), such as the way to salvation (by grace through repentance of sin and faith in Christ Jesus), and the concept that all men are sinners before a Holy and Just God.

A big problem that I see taking place, and it’s something that I have seen ever since I have been a young person growing up in church (even if I wasn’t aware of what was going on), is that these “absolute unabsolutes” are driving problematic wedges between the unified body of Christ.

Here’s a good example, fresh off of the front page of WordPress.com today, by one of the most-read religious bloggers on the site.  You may not have time to read the whole article, so just take a look at the last paragraph if you are short on time:  A Short Response to the Arminian Doctrine of Prevenient Grace.  The overall conclusion to this post is as follows:

My prayer for the universal church is that we would all come into the unity of the truth as God has revealed it to us … and that God-dishonoring theology, wherever it may come from, would be trampled under foot.

In this case, “God-dishonoring theology” is in direct reference to Arminian theology, which is followed by a group of well-researched, well-respected, Godly men.  I know this, because the Bible College that I attended largely taught this doctrine.  I am not ridiculous enough to assume that all Calvinists are dishonoring to God, even though I do believe, personally, that the doctrines of Reformed Arminianism are more cohesive with a holistic view of scripture.  The “us” in this passage acts as though all rational thinking Christians will come to the same conclusion that the author did.  In this case, the “us” is ill-founded.  The author should know better.  There are God-fearing, wonderful Christians on both sides of the coin.

The question that I am asking is quite simple:  Does this difference of interpreting scripture justify mud-slinging, bitterness, and lack of communion among brethren?  I consent that it does not, and in fact I wish that it were not so.  Someone once said that if you took today’s best theologians from the Calvinist side and put them in a room with today’s best theologians from the Arminian side, neither side would ever give in to the other side’s theological system.  The issue would still remain.  Scholars and seminaries have been debating it for years.  Certainly only one side can be the absolutely correct answer, as all scripture is hermeneutic; HOWEVER, since the issue has not been absolutely resolved at this point, it makes no sense to act like it HAS been and completely dismiss the other course of thinking.

Again, let me say that I am firmly certain of my belief in Free Will doctrine.  If others want to believe in the doctine of Calvinism, however, I cannot call them heretics.  I personally enjoy studying the differences between the two, and there is nothing wrong with debate over the issue either.  If these issues are in the Bible, then they are important to study.  Doctrine is important to formulate; however, acting as though one person’s doctrine is the end-all-be-all of all doctrines everywhere demonstrates an immense pride in human knowledge.  Remember: Biblical wisdom and understanding is of God, not of man.

There should be healthy debate over the scriptures.  I welcome healthy debate here on my blog and whereever else I may post, as long as it is founded on the basic, indisputable doctrines of scripture that all Christians believe in (in other words, as long as we approach the scripture with the same frame of reference: inspired by God).  I cannot tolerate blatant heresy, nor should any Bible-believing Christian.

I have said all of that to say this:  Instead of blasting one another, name-calling, and mud-slinging over scriptural disputes, we should be working together to resolve such disputes in a rational, good-natured manner.  This is one way in which Christians can witness to the immense love of God, by loving each other and working with one another out of respect for one another’s viewpoints on scripture.  Most of all, since the basic doctrines are indisputable, as a unified body we should put aside our differences and focus on spreading the good news that Christ has paid the penalty for all men and that God will save men from their sins.

I submit that doctrine is indeed important, but the spreading the gospel to those who have not heard it is much, much more important in the scheme of eternity.

What Is the Last Line of the Bible?

I get quite a bit of traffic from internet search engines on the terms “the last line of the bible” and “what is the last line of the bible?”  So, in response to such searches, I have the answer right here in my blog for your internet browsing convenience!

Our present-day Bible is not divided into “lines” but rather into ”verses”.  The original texts were not so, as they were in written letter form, but the original manuscripts have been translated and divided into verses for the sake of convenience and instruction. 

The last verse of the Bible is as follows:

Revelation 22:21 (ESV) – “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.  Amen.”

And there you have it!  Hopefully that will help out those of you who get directed to my blog by accident.  While you’re here, why not look around a bit more?  Hopefully you will find other discussions and topics that you might want to comment on.  May God bless you.

-Daniel

On Christian Testimony Part One: A Preface

This next short series of posts will deal with the topic of Christian outreach and with the outspoken testimony of the Christian faith.  I fear that there are opportunities for some rather offensive issues to arise here and there, so before I get a bunch of nasty comments, I feel that I must first post a short preface. (*Note: This preface will eventually end up being a portion of a bonifide doctrinal statement page in the future*)

I believe, as I have mentioned before, based on Scripture (Romans 3:23) that all men are basically sinners, including myself.  Without the grace of God and the perfect offering of His Son, Jesus Christ, for our sins, we would be hopelessly lost and would receive the just reward of our sin:  Eternal damnation in Hell.  I believe this based on the idea that scripure is inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16) in plenary verbal form.  I do NOT believe in Bibliolatry, though, as some would state that this viewpoint leads to.  Does it not make sense that in order to have accurate translations of the ancient texts we need to study them in their original language and context?  I submit that it does.  This does not mean that the original texts are intrinsically better than the new translated texts, but it does place a vital importance on quality, translation, and accuracy.

Before I get too lost on non-topical topics, I will pull the reins in and get back to the original point.  Bear with me.

I am afraid that there has been a widespread misconception about Christians in the past.  Hopefully this preface will work to clarify a bit about that.  For those who might be unfamiliar with Scripture, you might be persuaded to think that once a person becomes “saved” and becomes a Christian that they are mystically transformed into a flawless, perfect being.  Okay, so not many would believe that.  There are no perfect people, obviously.  Then perhaps a much more widespread view of Christianity is that they view Christians as being just like themselves, but with a self-righteous, hypocritical bent.  Many people end up leaving the church for this reason.  In fact, it’s the very reason why my grandmother would not go to church any more.  Personal disputes with so-called “holy rollers” and “holier-than-thou” Christians have driven people away from the church body time and time again over the course of history.

For clarification’s sake, certain things DO happen when a person repents of his sin and accepts Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of his life:  1) That person is made to be righteous in the sight of God the Father.  The only way this can happen is through Christ, as GOD the Father cannot tolerate sin.  God’s wrath is taken away and is placed on His only begotten Son (in that fateful instance in time when Christ suffered and was forsaken by God) for all eternity.  (Romans 6:10)  2) The free gift of salvation is given. (eternal life with God after death)  3) The Holy Spirit indwells the believer and acts as a constant comforter and director. 4) The Spirit begins the process of sanctifying the believer.  The believer becomes regenerate, conforming his image to the Image of Christ as he is changed by God.

In summation, the key differences between the believer and the non-believer are that the believer is now under the grace of God instead of the wrath of God, the believer has hope after death, the believer has the Holy Spirit as a constant comforter and guide, and the believer has begun the process of sanctification, or becoming Christ-like in every area of his or her life. 

DON’T MISS THIS – HERE’S AN IMPORTANT NOTE!!!!  This is where many get frustrated with Christianity.  Just because a person becomes regenerately saved does not mean that the person will completely stop sinning immediately!  Certainly there is no longer a desire to offend God and other people after the act of true repentance of sin has taken place.  It does not mean that the person will live a miraculously flawless life after salvation, however.  We are constantly surrounded with Christians who are in different stages of sanctification and maturity.  Unfortunately, we are also surrounded by many who are only Christian in name, yet they do not show forth any fruit of the Spirit.  If a person is truly repentant, that person will eschew the old sin nature and will cling to the regenerate nature that God has given.  Also, that person will want to serve and worship God in Spirit and in Truth.  Occasionally that person might even make a mistake, possibly even a big mistake, and get involved in sin, but “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)  Also, the Bible is clear that a Christian will not continue in sin.

So, I said all that to say this:  If you have ever had a bad experience in church or with Christians outside of church, it’s understandable, but not acceptable.  Christians should be the ones reaching out, loving, caring for, and sacrificing for the community.  Christians should also be the ones who are working to abstain from sinful acts.  Sadly, quite sadly, too often it is not so. 

To the Christian:  We can and must do better in all points of the Christian life.

To the skeptic: Please do not confuse the actions of a few individuals who may or may not be truly repentant and regenerate for the actions of the entire Christian religion.  To do so is quite stereotypical and illogical.  If you want to find good examples of Christian living, there are many out there.  Look to those who are staying the course as good examples of Christianity.  Also, I implore you to seek out the input rather than the output.  Look to the Word of God, the Bible, instead of the average Christian.  The only one who was ever perfect was Jesus Christ.  He is truly worth looking at, and ultimately worth getting to know.

A Few Musings About the John Edwards Affair

If you have been paying attention to the news at all over the past month, you will have seen at least one or two news stories about Presidential candidate (and almost Vice Presidential nominee) John Edwards and his affair with political videographer Rielle Hunter.  It’s an unexpected, shocking story.  When you consider that Edwards’s wife is suffering from terminal cancer, it becomes even more saddening that something like this could happen under such circumstances.

Once the story was validated, the media started buzzing…and why shouldn’t they be?  Journalism is 25% news and 75% marketing.  The more shocking the story, the more people want to buy the paper and read about what happened.  I was thinking the other day about just what it was that made this story so shocking to begin with, and it made me think about some of the issues that are at the heart of the matter.

1:  In our culture, how is it that sexual promiscuity is celebrated outside of marriage but is frowned upon inside of marriage?  Which begs the question:  How can society expect a man to go from woman to woman before marriage and then be satisfied with only one woman for the rest of his life?  This seems to be at the very least paradoxical.

2: The very fact that adultery is a huge story in the newspapers points to the idea that there is a general sense of morality.  C.S. Lewis notes in Mere Christianity that there is indeed a moral law that everyone is aware of.  Some consider it to be a part of the General Revelation of God to the world, but I believe that an awareness of the Moral Law is the direct result of Adam and Eve’s biting into the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  In effect, it is a result of the fall of man.  Regardless of how it first appeared, it is unmistakable and evident.

3:  When I thought about this story, I couldn’t help but recall the Biblical account of the woman caught in the act of adultery that is found in John 8.  The media and many in the blogging world are quick to throw stones at Edwards and other public figures whose sins are made known.  As fallen creatures who want to shift the blame to someone else, we are quick to point out the blemishes of others while ignoring our own mistakes.  We should take this opportunity to truly examine ourselves and our lives, including our thoughts, hearts, and intentions.  After all, in Matthew 5:28, it is written that Christ said “everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  And that’s a hard pill to swallow.

Katy Perry: Another Warning

I recieve quite a few spam emails, and most of them end up in the trash bin before I even consider opening them.  Today, for some reason, I decided to open a mass mailing from my cell phone carrier, which just so happens to be one of the most popular ones, Verizon Wireless.

Inside was a list of the most-downloaded ringtones.  The number one ringtone on the list is the song “I Kissed A Girl” by Katy Perry.  You can bet that almost all of those ringtones are not on adult cell phones.  Now, I know that this song has been on the radio for a long time now.  I heard it almost as soon as they started playing it and was immediately shocked.  I also noticed that one of my friends posted a warning about this song on his blog in June, for which I was grateful.  Unquestionably, the boundary lines keep getting pushed further and further in the mainstream media.  Here’s another recent example: I was shocked just the other day to see two men full-on making out on a daytime soap opera.  I saw this not because I watch soap operas, but because I was in a nursing home on my job.  How many elderly people, or even young children who were off from school, were subjected to it?  I shudder to think of my grandpa, who is unable to change the channel, having to watch this display. 

Where is the line between tolerance and acceptance?  How can Christians show these people that we care for them out of love while still standing up for Biblical truth?  Is there anything that we can or even should do about it?  These questions have to be answered (and answered well) before our entire nation and way of life disappears forever, never to return again.  Whatever action Christians DO take on the issue of homosexuality, I am persuaded that it should be complimented with a clear understanding of the idea of the total depravity of man.  Basically, all men, without the redemptive power of Christ, are depraved and unregenerate, regardless of what good they do.  Life is meant to be God-centered, not man-centered.

Just a Reminder

Just for the sake of reminding those who might (or might not) be interested, I have TWO separate blogs now.  This blog will continue to be the same material that it has been from the getgo.  No major changes in content will happen, and it will continue to carry the same theme that it always has (for the whole, what, 2 months now?? 

My other blog, http://randomslant.wordpress.com/ will be updated daily if I have the chance.  It will be a much more diverse, silly blog that I have been creating since I started blogging.  You know….I was counting the other day and I have had close to 10 different blogs now, if you count thedpage.com as being one.

I hope all is well with everyone, and I look forward to posting about Biblical Nonresistence in the near future.  I hope you do too. 

-Daniel