The Cosmological Argument

Dr. Ware shared with us about three evidences for the existence of God last Friday night.

• The Cosmological Argument
• The Teleological Argument
• The Moral Argument

In case you missed it, or just want a review, below is a video about the cosmological argument (note: this is not from Dr. Ware but William Lane Craig).
(HT: Challies)

Are You Living The Radical Christian Life?

There has been a lot of talk about doing big things for God or being a radical Christian. In many ways this a good thing. We need to "stir one another up to love and good deeds." We need to challenge the cultural Christianity that promotes a dead faith.

That being said, we do need to be careful not to assume that radical Christianity is the equivalent of selling everything you own and going on the mission field.1 There is nothing wrong with that (and there is a lot that can be right about that). But, it is not the definition of living for Christ (though it may be a good application of that command). If it is, then what are we saying about the faithful Christian mother who devotes her energy not to reaching an unreached tribe in Africa but to reaching the unreached people group living in her home. And what are we saying about the Christian man who lives a life of faithful, steady plodding at his job and in his home for the sake of God's kingdom. If done to the glory of God, such living is radical, for it necessarily involves dying to self and living for Christ. What's more,

So, in that sense, radical Christianity is simply biblical, faithful Christianity. It is loving Jesus more than anything else. It is trusting in him when life is difficult and confusing. It is obeying his commands instead of living by my varying emotions.

Clearly, when we live this way it will look radical to the world around us. We will give and serve and pray with fervency. We will kill sin in our lives and put on righteousness. We will make no provision for the flesh to indulge its desires. We will carry out the "one another" commands of the New Testament. In short, we will have a true, living faith.

This does not mean we will be doing all those things perfectly. But, we will, by faith, cling to Jesus when we see that we fail, and we will cling to him for strength to obey.

To summarize, here is a helpful excerpt from a blog post by Barnabas Piper on being a radical Christian.

The push to be radical, on mission, a world-changer can seem like a crushing weight. Sometimes life is just too hard and stuff is too broken. It’s all I can manage just to keep my world from flying to bits, let alone change anyone else’s. That’s so far outside of reality it sounds more like the twilight zone. No — reality is simply clinging to what I do know of God, His Son, and His faithfulness and just not letting go.  

Maybe this is radical in its own right. It refuses to be a flight of fancy or a passing whimsy. No emotion drives it and therefore it won’t fall apart when the emotion ebbs. Faith in these crumbled, crushing times is radical because of its single-minded, iron-willed determination to hold on tight. It is the radical work of a man clinging to a life preserver instead of the radical achievement of the one who built the ocean liner, the one that is heading to the sea floor.

Sometimes all the radical I can manage is that death grip on faith as I’m tossed to and fro. No, it’s not society-reforming, world-altering, life-changing mission. It’s just how I make it; without it I wouldn’t have a life at all.

- See more at: http://www.barnabaspiper.com/2013/08/all-radical-i-can-manage.html#sthash.Rr71JjXI.dpuf

The push to be radical, on mission, a world-changer can seem like a crushing weight. Sometimes life is just too hard and stuff is too broken. It’s all I can manage just to keep my world from flying to bits, let alone change anyone else’s. That’s so far outside of reality it sounds more like the twilight zone. No — reality is simply clinging to what I do know of God, His Son, and His faithfulness and just not letting go.  

Maybe this is radical in its own right. It refuses to be a flight of fancy or a passing whimsy. No emotion drives it and therefore it won’t fall apart when the emotion ebbs. Faith in these crumbled, crushing times is radical because of its single-minded, iron-willed determination to hold on tight. It is the radical work of a man clinging to a life preserver instead of the radical achievement of the one who built the ocean liner, the one that is heading to the sea floor.

Sometimes all the radical I can manage is that death grip on faith as I’m tossed to and fro. No, it’s not society-reforming, world-altering, life-changing mission. It’s just how I make it; without it I wouldn’t have a life at all.

- See more at: http://www.barnabaspiper.com/2013/08/all-radical-i-can-manage.html#sthash.Rr71JjXI.dpuf

The push to be radical, on mission, a world-changer can seem like a crushing weight. Sometimes life is just too hard and stuff is too broken. It’s all I can manage just to keep my world from flying to bits, let alone change anyone else’s. ...

Maybe this is radical in its own right. It refuses to be a flight of fancy or a passing whimsy. No emotion drives it and therefore it won’t fall apart when the emotion ebbs. Faith in these crumbled, crushing times is radical because of its single-minded, iron-willed determination to hold on tight. It is the radical work of a man clinging to a life preserver instead of the radical achievement of the one who built the ocean liner, the one that is heading to the sea floor.

Sometimes all the radical I can manage is that death grip on faith as I’m tossed to and fro. No, it’s not society-reforming, world-altering, life-changing mission. It’s just how I make it; without it I wouldn’t have a life at all.

So, if you are struggling just to trust and obey, keep up the fight of faith. It isn't a waste, and you are not a lame.


1. Note: I am not saying any specific author is saying this. I have not read the books that are promoting radical Christian living. I am just saying I have seen some think this way whether it is a result of something they actually read or something they merely misunderstood.

The push to be radical, on mission, a world-changer can seem like a crushing weight. Sometimes life is just too hard and stuff is too broken. It’s all I can manage just to keep my world from flying to bits, let alone change anyone else’s. That’s so far outside of reality it sounds more like the twilight zone. No — reality is simply clinging to what I do know of God, His Son, and His faithfulness and just not letting go.  

Maybe this is radical in its own right. It refuses to be a flight of fancy or a passing whimsy. No emotion drives it and therefore it won’t fall apart when the emotion ebbs. Faith in these crumbled, crushing times is radical because of its single-minded, iron-willed determination to hold on tight. It is the radical work of a man clinging to a life preserver instead of the radical achievement of the one who built the ocean liner, the one that is heading to the sea floor.

Sometimes all the radical I can manage is that death grip on faith as I’m tossed to and fro. No, it’s not society-reforming, world-altering, life-changing mission. It’s just how I make it; without it I wouldn’t have a life at all.

- See more at: http://www.barnabaspiper.com/2013/08/all-radical-i-can-manage.html#sthash.Rr71JjXI.dpuf

The push to be radical, on mission, a world-changer can seem like a crushing weight. Sometimes life is just too hard and stuff is too broken. It’s all I can manage just to keep my world from flying to bits, let alone change anyone else’s. That’s so far outside of reality it sounds more like the twilight zone. No — reality is simply clinging to what I do know of God, His Son, and His faithfulness and just not letting go.  

Maybe this is radical in its own right. It refuses to be a flight of fancy or a passing whimsy. No emotion drives it and therefore it won’t fall apart when the emotion ebbs. Faith in these crumbled, crushing times is radical because of its single-minded, iron-willed determination to hold on tight. It is the radical work of a man clinging to a life preserver instead of the radical achievement of the one who built the ocean liner, the one that is heading to the sea floor.

Sometimes all the radical I can manage is that death grip on faith as I’m tossed to and fro. No, it’s not society-reforming, world-altering, life-changing mission. It’s just how I make it; without it I wouldn’t have a life at all.

- See more at: http://www.barnabaspiper.com/2013/08/all-radical-i-can-manage.html#sthash.Rr71JjXI.dpuf

The push to be radical, on mission, a world-changer can seem like a crushing weight. Sometimes life is just too hard and stuff is too broken. It’s all I can manage just to keep my world from flying to bits, let alone change anyone else’s. That’s so far outside of reality it sounds more like the twilight zone. No — reality is simply clinging to what I do know of God, His Son, and His faithfulness and just not letting go.  

Maybe this is radical in its own right. It refuses to be a flight of fancy or a passing whimsy. No emotion drives it and therefore it won’t fall apart when the emotion ebbs. Faith in these crumbled, crushing times is radical because of its single-minded, iron-willed determination to hold on tight. It is the radical work of a man clinging to a life preserver instead of the radical achievement of the one who built the ocean liner, the one that is heading to the sea floor.

Sometimes all the radical I can manage is that death grip on faith as I’m tossed to and fro. No, it’s not society-reforming, world-altering, life-changing mission. It’s just how I make it; without it I wouldn’t have a life at all.

- See more at: http://www.barnabaspiper.com/2013/08/all-radical-i-can-manage.html#sthash.Rr71JjXI.dpuf

The push to be radical, on mission, a world-changer can seem like a crushing weight. Sometimes life is just too hard and stuff is too broken. It’s all I can manage just to keep my world from flying to bits, let alone change anyone else’s. That’s so far outside of reality it sounds more like the twilight zone. No — reality is simply clinging to what I do know of God, His Son, and His faithfulness and just not letting go.  

Maybe this is radical in its own right. It refuses to be a flight of fancy or a passing whimsy. No emotion drives it and therefore it won’t fall apart when the emotion ebbs. Faith in these crumbled, crushing times is radical because of its single-minded, iron-willed determination to hold on tight. It is the radical work of a man clinging to a life preserver instead of the radical achievement of the one who built the ocean liner, the one that is heading to the sea floor.

Sometimes all the radical I can manage is that death grip on faith as I’m tossed to and fro. No, it’s not society-reforming, world-altering, life-changing mission. It’s just how I make it; without it I wouldn’t have a life at all.

- See more at: http://www.barnabaspiper.com/2013/08/all-radical-i-can-manage.html#sthash.Rr71JjXI.dpuf

The push to be radical, on mission, a world-changer can seem like a crushing weight. Sometimes life is just too hard and stuff is too broken. It’s all I can manage just to keep my world from flying to bits, let alone change anyone else’s. That’s so far outside of reality it sounds more like the twilight zone. No — reality is simply clinging to what I do know of God, His Son, and His faithfulness and just not letting go.  

Maybe this is radical in its own right. It refuses to be a flight of fancy or a passing whimsy. No emotion drives it and therefore it won’t fall apart when the emotion ebbs. Faith in these crumbled, crushing times is radical because of its single-minded, iron-willed determination to hold on tight. It is the radical work of a man clinging to a life preserver instead of the radical achievement of the one who built the ocean liner, the one that is heading to the sea floor.

Sometimes all the radical I can manage is that death grip on faith as I’m tossed to and fro. No, it’s not society-reforming, world-altering, life-changing mission. It’s just how I make it; without it I wouldn’t have a life at all.

- See more at: http://www.barnabaspiper.com/2013/08/all-radical-i-can-manage.html#sthash.Rr71JjXI.dpuf

Sinners and Sociopaths - Thinking about The Ariel Castro Case

At his sentencing hearing, Ariel Castro, the man who kidnapped and kept three girls as sex slaves for 11 years, said, "I am not a monster. I am a normal person. I am just sick." Dr. Al Mohler has some very helpful thoughts on how we should think, as Christians, about Ariel Castro and people like him. Is he just sick? Is he a monster? Why are we so repulsed by his particular crimes? I encourage you to read Dr. Mohler's article.

"Are You Free NOT to Drink?"

The issue of alcohol has always been an issue for faithful Christians. The main issue centers around what is Christian freedom. Brett McCracken has written a helpful article on the issue at Mere Orthodoxy entitled "Are You Free NOT to Drink."   He notes that alcohol is not inherently sinful, but he also states his concern with the increased movement in young, Christian circles to celebrate alcohol:

What worries me is this question: Are we so embracing our Christian liberty to partake of alcohol that it threatens to become less a “liberty” and more a shackling legalism–something we can’t, or won’t, go without? As my pastor Alan often says, are we as free to abstain from alcohol as we are free to enjoy it?

He goes on to list a few other questions to consider that are quite helpful:

• Is alcohol a “nice to have” or a “must-have”? Can we go out to eat without ordering an alcoholic beverage? Attend a party and only drink soda? Dare to not have some booze in our house for a stretch of time? 
• Are we mindful of those around us, and if they struggle with alcohol in any way are we willing to abstain for their sake? Drinking alcohol may be a perfectly biblical, perfectly Christian thing to do. But if for others in our community it is a hardship or a temptation, then shouldn’t we abstain? As Christians, the ascetic call to deny ourselves perfectly good things for the sake of a community or a commitment is a worthy pursuit. 
• Do we wear our freedom as a badge of honor, as “proof” that we are under grace and thus can drink and party to our heart’s content? If so, we should check ourselves, because reducing grace to a sanctioning of pleasure is tragic; furthermore, if we are talking about freedom under grace, then what about the freedom to deny ourselves and go without? Grace makes this possible too. 
• Do we have a serious-enough understanding of how dangerous alcohol can be? Alcohol has a long and tumultuous history as an addictive wrecker of lives. We all know people who’ve been ruined or nearly ruined by it. We must be careful that our incremental habituation of it in our lives doesn’t become a controlling idol. Alcohol is not something to be trifled with.

He then gets to the heart of the issue when it comes to alcohol and all other sorts of "good" things. The dangers of turning enjoyable things into ultimate things. McCracken notes:

There are all sorts of good items and activities in culture that we are free to enjoy in moderation. Food, fitness, movies, music, travel, sports, gaming, and on and on. But the minute any of this becomes something we can’t live without, or something we excessively consume to the point that we need it more than we enjoy it, we should be concerned. 

Because ultimately, the goodness of something that we might consume is at its most good when we enjoy it in a God-centric way rather than a me-centric way. That is: when we see it as a gift from God and something to reflect glory back to him, rather than something that serves us and our needs.

(HT: Patrick Schreiner @ http://patrickschreiner.com).

"Ten Things Every Christian Should Know about Islam"

Here is a short list of things you should know about Islam by Zane Pratt.It's a quick read and, while not anywhere near exhaustive, it will help you better understand one of the fastest growing religions. I pray this helps equip you to evangelize Muslim friends, classmates, and coworkers.

Two Difficulties of Holding to an 'Old Earth' View of Creation

In a talk entitled "Why does the universe look so old?", Al Mohler discuss two main concerns with "old earth" views- namely a historical Adam and our understanding of the consequences of the fall into sin.  Below are excerpts.

Historical Adam

 The first is the historicity of Adam. In Romans 5:12 we read, “Therefore just as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin and so death spread to all men because man sinned.” Paul bases his understanding of human sinfulness and of Adam’s headship over the human race on a historical Adam. A historical fall. Adam may be—indeed I believe really is—the most pressing question: the historicity of Adam and Eve and the historicity of the fall. An old earth understanding has serious complications because the old earth is not merely understood to be old. The inference that it is old is based upon certain evidences that also tell a story. The fossils are telling a story. And the story they are telling is of millions and indeed billions of years of creation before the arrival of Adam. But the scientific consensus of the meaning of that evidence goes far beyond that to suggesting that there were hominids and pre-hominids and there were hundreds of thousands of hominids and there were... It is possible to hold under an old age understanding to a historical Adam, to the special creation of humanity, but it requires an arbitrary intervention of God into a very long process, billions of years in which at some point God acts unilaterally to create Adam and Eve. Eve out of Adam.

It comes with very serious intellectual entanglements. It is actually difficult and that is reflected by the fact that the contemporary conversation in terms of the age of the earth is requiring a redefinition of who Adam was. Interestingly as I’ve looked at this question I’ve been surprised quite frankly to see how many older evangelicals had already seen this and come to terms with it. In his commentary on the book of Romans, John Stott actually suggests that Adam was an existing hominid that God adopted in a special way, and out of Homo sapiens God implanted his image, and made Adam particularly in his image by ensouling him, and creating in Adam not only Homo sapiens but Homo divinus. Let’s just imagine for a moment what that would theologically require. It requires that there were Homo sapiens who were not the image bearers of God. It requires an adoptionistic understanding of Adam, rather than special creation of Adam. 

The Fall

We understand from Genesis 3 and from the entire narrative of scripture from texts like Romans 8 that what we know in the world today as catastrophe, as natural disaster, earthquake, destruction by volcanic eruption, pain, death, violence, predation—that these are results of the fall. We end up with enormous problems if we try to interpret a historical fall and understand a historical fall in an old earth rendering. This is most clear when it comes to Adam’s sin. Was it true that, as Paul argues, when sin came, death came? Well just keep in mind that if the earth is indeed old, and we infer that it is old because of the scientific data, the scientific data is also there to claim that long before the emergence of Adam—if indeed there is the recognition of a historical Adam—and certainly long before there was the possibility of Adam’s sin, there were all the effects of sin that are biblically attributed to the fall and not to anything before the fall. And we’re not only talking about death, we’re talking about death by the millions and billions........ What sense does it make to point to the kingdom and the consummation as when the lamb and the lion shall be together and lay together, if indeed there was predation before the fall.

How Should Christians Respond to the Court Ruling on Same Sex Marriage?

As you know, the Supreme court has set the stage for a full legalization of so called same sex marriage. As Christians living in this nation, we must think biblically about how to respond. Here are a few thoughts I've rounded up:

This from Denny Burk "Enemies of the Human Race"

Christians need to beware of going to extremes in the face of today’s news. Some may be tempted to view this in apocalyptic terms, as if it’s the end of the world. Others will be tempted to shrug their shoulders as if this is no big deal. I think that neither of those reactions rings true. If God is sovereign and His purposes unshakable, we can have courage in the face of whatever may come down the pike. Likewise, if we love our neighbors, then how can we be indifferent about things that hurt them and debase the culture? That is why we have an interest in promoting ours and our neighbor’s good in the public space. And that means that we have a continuing stake in the public debate over gay marriage.

I had a reporter ask me today if a hysterical and panicked response from Christians would be helpful to the cause of traditional marriage. I think the question kind of answers itself. We may be unjustly labeled as “bigots” and “enemies of the human race.” But panic and hysterics help no one, much less Christians who profess to believe in a sovereign God. Nothing happened today that diminishes the power of the gospel or the fortunes of Christ’s church in this culture. The Supreme Court found itself on the wrong side of history today. The Kingdom of God marches on, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

This from Russell Moore's article "How Should Same-Sex Marriage Change the Church’s Witness?"

This gives Christian churches the opportunity to do what Jesus called us to do with our marriages in the first place: to serve as a light in a dark place. Permanent, stable marriages with families with both a mother and a father may well make us seem freakish in 21st-century culture. But is there anything more “freakish” than a crucified cosmic ruler? Is there anything more “freakish” than a gospel that can forgive rebels like us and make us sons and daughters? Let’s embrace the freakishness, and crucify our illusions of a moral majority.

This from Mark Dever's article "How to Survive a Cultural Crisis" (If you are going to read one article, this is the one to read.).

The whole Christian faith is based on the idea that God takes people who are spiritually dead and gives them new life. Whenever we evangelize, we are evangelizing the cemetery.

There's never been a time or a culture when it was natural to repent of your sins. That culture doesn't exist, it hasn't existed, it never will exist. Christians, churches, and pastors especially must know deep in their bones that we've always been about a work that's supernatural.

From that standpoint, recent cultural changes have made our job zero percent harder.

...

Each nation and age has a unique way to express its depravity, to attack God. But none will succeed any more than the crucifixion succeeded in defeating Jesus. Yes, he died. But three days later he got up from the dead.

Christ's kingdom is in no danger of failing. Again, Christians, churches, and especially pastors must know this deeply in our bones. D-Day has happened. Now it's cleanup time. Not one person God has elected to save will fail to be saved because the secular agenda is "winning" in our time and place. There shouldn't be anxiety or desperation in us.

Dever gives 7 points in the article mentioned above:

1. Remember that churches exist to work for supernatural change.

2. Understand that persecution is normal. 

3. Eschew utopianism.

4. Make use of our democratic stewardship.

5. Trust the Lord, not human circumstances.

6. Remember that everything we have is God's grace.

7. Rest in the certainty of Christ's victory.

I hope this encourages you and helps you have a biblical perspective.