This piece of writing is a sermon preached by C.S. Lewis during World War II. Lewis writes that life has never been normal since the fall so learning in wartime should be no different (1). He acknowledges that a Christians might ask himself, “How is it right to spend fraction of the little time allowed them in this world on such comparative trivialities as literature or art, mathematics or biology?” (1). I agree with Lewis and Plantinga (in chapter 5) that it our calling to learn a lot about various subjects during the time He has given us in this earth.
I think that it is very important for a Christian to be well educated. The most important reason to learn in depth is to learn more about God. Just as we grow in friendship with a close friend the more we know about that friend, the more we grow in knowledge of God closer we grow to Him. For this reason, I disagree with Lewis when he says, “If the world were completely Christian, there would be no need to learn” (4). Studying the intricate details and beauty of the human body reveal to us how powerful and wonderful our Creator is.
The other reason why it is essential to be well educated is so that we are at the same level intellectually as the heathen. Lewis writes, “To be ignorant and simple now would be to throw down our weapons…with no defense but us against the intellectual attacks of the heathen. Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered” (4). We are good examples to our unbelieving neighbors and co-workers if we are able to argue our Christianity logically so that we are able to spread the gospel. It is the calling of a Christian to be educated in many different subjects, including other religions. When we know what other religions and Christian denominations believe, we will be better to tell them why we believe the doctrines that our church teaches.
Although it is very important to pursue knowledge, we must make sure we are doing so humbly and to the glory of God. I like Lewis’ quote, in which he says, “The intellectual life is not the only road to God, nor the safest, but we find it to be a road, and it may be the appointed road for us” (3). The reason why this road is not always the safest is because man can become too much absorbed in this knowledge that we forget about God. Lewis writes, “Every success in the scholar’s life increases this danger” (4). Sometimes we forget why we are really learning and begin studying to get good grades or for fame and riches.
Lewis ends his sermon by warning us not to fear death. A teacher in high school once told us, “If you are not ready to die, you are not ready to live.” If we are enjoying earthly pleasures too much, we are not putting our focus on God. God sends us trials to remind us that this earth is not our home. We are pilgrims and strangers traveling on this earth, who must always be aware of our morality.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Poison of Subjectivism
This piece of C.S. Lewis’ writing was the most difficult for me to understand yet. He went very deep, talking about morals and subjectivism. Lewis begins this piece of work by writing, “One cause of misery and vice is always present with us in the greed and pride of men…” He points out that the pride of men will cause them to be subjective, in which these men believe they are the source of knowledge and moral values. Man reasons with his own logic; therefore, there is no reason for supposing that his subjectivism yields truth.
Lewis writes about how our attitudes are produced in a community by the pressure of its environment and its traditions. Sometimes we do not know why we believe something, but we do it because we are socially conditioned to do so. I see this with people in my own church. They say they believe a certain doctrine, such as predestination, but they do not know why. They say they believe it because it is what the church believes. We have to be careful that we do not fall into this same error, but we must have good reasons behind our individual belief system.
The reason subjectivism is dangerous is because the human mind should not invent new values. Our moral values must be based according to the law of God. This is how we know what it right and wrong. Before we start going around and pointing the finger at others, we must look at our own sin. Romans 2:1 says, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” Often times we judge people of other Christian denominations as being wrong on their views. I am guilty of this too because I often try to argue the truth, thinking that I am right, when really I should do so more respectfully and out of love for my neighbor.
Lewis writes about how our attitudes are produced in a community by the pressure of its environment and its traditions. Sometimes we do not know why we believe something, but we do it because we are socially conditioned to do so. I see this with people in my own church. They say they believe a certain doctrine, such as predestination, but they do not know why. They say they believe it because it is what the church believes. We have to be careful that we do not fall into this same error, but we must have good reasons behind our individual belief system.
The reason subjectivism is dangerous is because the human mind should not invent new values. Our moral values must be based according to the law of God. This is how we know what it right and wrong. Before we start going around and pointing the finger at others, we must look at our own sin. Romans 2:1 says, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” Often times we judge people of other Christian denominations as being wrong on their views. I am guilty of this too because I often try to argue the truth, thinking that I am right, when really I should do so more respectfully and out of love for my neighbor.
Plantinga Book – Chapter 3 (The Fall)
I found this chapter about the corruption of both man and creation because of the fall very interesting, but once again, I disagreed with many of Plantinga’s beliefs. Plantinga writes that evil is what’s wrong with the world, and it include disease, theft, and birth defects. He writes, “Evil is any deviation from the way God want things to be” (51). I disagree because God is omniscient and everything is under His control. God is not the author of sin, but He did plan sin because through salvation is the best way His people can glorify Him. I do agree with Plantinga when he writes, “ Sin grieves God, offends God, betrays God…God hates sin (51).” Just because God hates sin does not mean that it is out of His control. Later on in the book Plantinga questions who hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he talks about God’s rescue attempt (62). In Proverbs 21:1 it says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” God planned that Pharaoh’s sin because it is all under His sovereign will.
Continuing with the corruption of sin, Plantinga acknowledges, “Each new generation, and each new person, reaps what others have sown and the sows what others will reap” (53). I agree with this because in Exodus 20:5 God warns, “I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.” Children will suffer in their lifetime for the sins their great-grandparents committed. For example, because of the way our relatives treated black people a hundred years ago, we still have to take the blame and guilt for being cruel to black people. Another example would be that a child born with fetal-alcohol syndrome has to suffer because of his mother’s drinking of alcohol. God takes sin seriously and will bring consequences upon those who disobey His holy law.
One major point that I disagree with Plantinga on is his denial of total depravity. Because of the fall we are totally depraved, meaning we are capable of doing no good without the Holy Spirit that God gives only to the Elect. On the contrary, Plantinga writes that total depravity “doesn’t mean that we are all as nasty as we can be” (58). He claims that the Holy Spirit distributes common grace to pour out good gifts on believers and unbelievers alike (59). This is not true because Proverbs 3:33 says, “The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked.” What seems like good gifts and good works of the wicked are really a curse because it leads to their damnation.
Continuing with the corruption of sin, Plantinga acknowledges, “Each new generation, and each new person, reaps what others have sown and the sows what others will reap” (53). I agree with this because in Exodus 20:5 God warns, “I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.” Children will suffer in their lifetime for the sins their great-grandparents committed. For example, because of the way our relatives treated black people a hundred years ago, we still have to take the blame and guilt for being cruel to black people. Another example would be that a child born with fetal-alcohol syndrome has to suffer because of his mother’s drinking of alcohol. God takes sin seriously and will bring consequences upon those who disobey His holy law.
One major point that I disagree with Plantinga on is his denial of total depravity. Because of the fall we are totally depraved, meaning we are capable of doing no good without the Holy Spirit that God gives only to the Elect. On the contrary, Plantinga writes that total depravity “doesn’t mean that we are all as nasty as we can be” (58). He claims that the Holy Spirit distributes common grace to pour out good gifts on believers and unbelievers alike (59). This is not true because Proverbs 3:33 says, “The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked.” What seems like good gifts and good works of the wicked are really a curse because it leads to their damnation.
Mere Christianity
Mere Christianity is a book that Lewis wrote to bring people to Christianity by logic rather than discussing all kinds of religious doctrines. He states basic beliefs about Christianity in general, rather than trying to bring people to a specific denomination of Christianity. Just because this book is meant to bring others to Christianity does not mean the it does not hold important things for us to learn about. He wrote about how once one is brought to Christianity, he waits in a hallway with many doors. Christians try these many doors to the different denominations to see which one fits best with their beliefs.
I agree with Lewis that we cannot judge on which denomination in the true church because there is no perfect denomination on this earth because it is filled with sin. We must look for the church that is closest to the truth. The marks of the true Church are the following: the true preaching of the gospel, the proper administration of the sacraments, and the exercise of Christian discipline (Belgic Confession, Art. 29). The denomination that I have found to be closest to these three marks is the Protestant Reformed Church, of which I am a confessing member. I do not believe this is the only true church, but I believe that by going there I can best glorify God and grow in my faith.
Although we are called to join ourselves to the true church, we are not called to separate ourselves from others from our denomination. Just like cancer cells, if we stop communicating with our neighbors from other churches, we will spread apart and cause more damage than good. Christ wants His church to be united in the truth, and he gathers His Church from all nations of the world. We need to work out our differences using scripture, rather than cutting others who believe differently out of our lives.
I disagree with Lewis when he says that there are no such things as good and bad impulses. I disagree because even when someone’s impulse is to kill a father who beats his child, this is wrong because Jesus says, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” (I John 3:15). This verse shows that the desire to murder is just as bad as murder.
Even though I disagreed with Lewis about his denial of good and bad impulses, I did agree with him about how people have lessened the meaning of the word Christian. Just as people now use the word gentleman a term of praise, so people use the word Christian to describe anyone they think is a good man. Because it is so often used in a wrong way, it will speedily become a useless word. We must live our lives as thankful people of God to show what the term Christian really
I agree with Lewis that we cannot judge on which denomination in the true church because there is no perfect denomination on this earth because it is filled with sin. We must look for the church that is closest to the truth. The marks of the true Church are the following: the true preaching of the gospel, the proper administration of the sacraments, and the exercise of Christian discipline (Belgic Confession, Art. 29). The denomination that I have found to be closest to these three marks is the Protestant Reformed Church, of which I am a confessing member. I do not believe this is the only true church, but I believe that by going there I can best glorify God and grow in my faith.
Although we are called to join ourselves to the true church, we are not called to separate ourselves from others from our denomination. Just like cancer cells, if we stop communicating with our neighbors from other churches, we will spread apart and cause more damage than good. Christ wants His church to be united in the truth, and he gathers His Church from all nations of the world. We need to work out our differences using scripture, rather than cutting others who believe differently out of our lives.
I disagree with Lewis when he says that there are no such things as good and bad impulses. I disagree because even when someone’s impulse is to kill a father who beats his child, this is wrong because Jesus says, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” (I John 3:15). This verse shows that the desire to murder is just as bad as murder.
Even though I disagreed with Lewis about his denial of good and bad impulses, I did agree with him about how people have lessened the meaning of the word Christian. Just as people now use the word gentleman a term of praise, so people use the word Christian to describe anyone they think is a good man. Because it is so often used in a wrong way, it will speedily become a useless word. We must live our lives as thankful people of God to show what the term Christian really
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Screwtape Letters
This piece of C.S. Lewis was my favorite so far that we have read in this class. We read Letter XII, The Lukewarm Letter, in which Screwtape (Satan) gives advice to his nephew, Wormwood (a demon), how to lead his patient through small habit forming changes that slowly and subtlety leads to Hell. I thought this piece of writing was very interesting because it is written from Satan’s perspective. It’s frightening to see how Satan is actually working to pull us away from our strong desire for God.
Screwtape begins his letter by congratulating Wormwood in the way he is slowly leading his patient away from the church. He warns Wormwood not to move to fast because the patient might realize what he is doing wrong. Screwtape writes that if his dim uneasiness gets too strong it may wake him up and spoil the whole game. Satan wants us to think we are Christians by acting like it outwardly, when really he is slowly bringing us inwardly to him.
Screwtape also writes to Wormwood, “You will be gradually freed from the tiresome business of providing pleasures as temptations… you will find that anything or nothing is sufficient to attract his wandering attention.” This is how Satan works to tempt us. He offers us pleasures that seem more enjoyable and pleasing to us than worshipping God. He tempts us with vacations that keep us from church, an interesting book that keeps us away from our daily devotions, or a good-looking boyfriend or girlfriend that will lure one away from the church. While these things may fulfill our immediate pleasures, they are really just temptations of Satan that lead us on the path to destruction.
The “Enemy” according to Screwtape is God. Screwtape tells Wormwood that it does not matter that his patient’s sins are small sins, as longs as the patient is being separated from the enemy. He says, “Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” This is true of many people; they begin to accept more and more worldly things into their lives, and they eventually find no room for God in their lives.
This piece of writing was very interesting because it showed me how people in the church slowly die away from the truth. It is a serious warning to us because we have to be careful of the earthly pleasures that Satan is trying to tempt us with. The more we succumb to these pleasures and commit more and more small sins, the faster we will fall on our way to destruction.
Screwtape begins his letter by congratulating Wormwood in the way he is slowly leading his patient away from the church. He warns Wormwood not to move to fast because the patient might realize what he is doing wrong. Screwtape writes that if his dim uneasiness gets too strong it may wake him up and spoil the whole game. Satan wants us to think we are Christians by acting like it outwardly, when really he is slowly bringing us inwardly to him.
Screwtape also writes to Wormwood, “You will be gradually freed from the tiresome business of providing pleasures as temptations… you will find that anything or nothing is sufficient to attract his wandering attention.” This is how Satan works to tempt us. He offers us pleasures that seem more enjoyable and pleasing to us than worshipping God. He tempts us with vacations that keep us from church, an interesting book that keeps us away from our daily devotions, or a good-looking boyfriend or girlfriend that will lure one away from the church. While these things may fulfill our immediate pleasures, they are really just temptations of Satan that lead us on the path to destruction.
The “Enemy” according to Screwtape is God. Screwtape tells Wormwood that it does not matter that his patient’s sins are small sins, as longs as the patient is being separated from the enemy. He says, “Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” This is true of many people; they begin to accept more and more worldly things into their lives, and they eventually find no room for God in their lives.
This piece of writing was very interesting because it showed me how people in the church slowly die away from the truth. It is a serious warning to us because we have to be careful of the earthly pleasures that Satan is trying to tempt us with. The more we succumb to these pleasures and commit more and more small sins, the faster we will fall on our way to destruction.
Show & Tell
Today we had show and tell about something that had to do with what we had talked in class. Some people brought quotes, Bible passages, videos, songs, or various objects. I showed a You-Tube video called “Miss Teen USA South Carolina 2007.” This is a true, funny video of the short speech Miss Teen USA after she won. She gives a speech, attempting to sound smart, educated, and caring about the world around her, but she utterly fails and embarrasses herself in front of the whole nation. I thought that this video tied in very well with what we talked about in Our English Syllabus. In this work of Lewis, he emphasizes the importance of learning. He acknowledges the importance of having knowledge in many different subject areas. In the video I showed, we see that if one does not have good background knowledge about the world around him, others will look down and laugh at that person. Education is more important than beauty.
Check this video out at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww
Check this video out at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Plantinga Book – Chapter 2 (Creation)
This chapter about creation was very interesting. Plantinga made a lot of great points, but there were also many aspects that I disagreed with him about.
The first thing that stood out as interesting to me was when Plantinga wrote, “Creation is neither a necessity nor an accident.” God was not bored because from eternity He has a communal life within himself. Creation is definitely not an accident; rather it is the delicate and careful work of God’s fingers (Psalm 8:3). God created everything He did because He found that this was the best way to glorify Himself. In fact, creation is one of the ways in which God reveals Himself to His people. Article 2 of the Belgic Confession says that the creation is before our eyes as a most elegant book. We have to open this book of creation and examine it with our knowledge, using the scriptures. The more knowledge that a person gains in a particular area, the more he can see the handiwork of God. For example, after I carefully studied the nervous system pathways in anatomy, I discovered how complex the human body and brain is. Only God could have made this wonderful design of our bodies, with all the parts functioning properly.
I loved how Plantinga described how God revels in His creation. God loves and celebrates creation. He even plays with his creation. In this chapter, Daniel Migliore comments, “While the stars, the trees, and the animals do not speak or sing of the glory of God in the same way that humans do, in their own way they too lift up their praises to God…” Plantinga acknowledges that that the singing and breaching of the humpback whale is the language that these great beasts of the deep talk to God.
One thing that I disagreed with Plantinga on was his idea of God resting on the seventh day. Plantinga writes, “On the seventh day God rested and was refreshed, as if even God needs a break from time to time.” God does not need rest; He is eternal and all-powerful. The reason God rested on the seventh day was to reflect on the work that He had done. It is a picture for us. We stop from our daily work on the Sabbath, and we use this day to reflect on God’s glory. It is a picture of the eternal rest we have in Heaven one day.
One other major point that I disagreed with Plantinga was on page 35, where he talks about common grace. He says, “The original goodness of creation implies that all of it, including any human being we meet, is potentially redeemable…so everything made by God retains at least some part of its goodness and promise.” The error of common grace is that it says that God blesses the wicked with “good” things and that unbelieving men are capable of doing civil good.
Romans 3:12 tells us that there is non that doeth good. All men are totally depraved, incapable of any good, until the Holy Spirit works in their hearts. Proverbs 3:33 says, “The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked; but He blesseth the habitation of the just.” He only sends blessing to His own sheep, not to the wicked whom He hates.
One last thing that I do not like about this chapter is that Plantinga never states that the creation was a literal seven days. Our group discussed this matter, and many today believe in theistic evoluation, which says that the days of creation were literal, and God let the creation evolve by itself. In the course of our discussion someone said that as long as you believe that God created the world, it doesn’t matter how He did it. Someone else could not believe that I actually believe everything in the Bible to be true. We are at a Christian college, and our basis should be on the Bible. We can not just regard Genesis 1 as a myth because it throws away the authority and truth of the rest of the Bible. When God says, “And the evening and the morning were the first day, etc,” He really means one day, not a thousands years. God’s Word is to be taken seriously, and it is our job to search and defend His truth in every part of the Bible.
The first thing that stood out as interesting to me was when Plantinga wrote, “Creation is neither a necessity nor an accident.” God was not bored because from eternity He has a communal life within himself. Creation is definitely not an accident; rather it is the delicate and careful work of God’s fingers (Psalm 8:3). God created everything He did because He found that this was the best way to glorify Himself. In fact, creation is one of the ways in which God reveals Himself to His people. Article 2 of the Belgic Confession says that the creation is before our eyes as a most elegant book. We have to open this book of creation and examine it with our knowledge, using the scriptures. The more knowledge that a person gains in a particular area, the more he can see the handiwork of God. For example, after I carefully studied the nervous system pathways in anatomy, I discovered how complex the human body and brain is. Only God could have made this wonderful design of our bodies, with all the parts functioning properly.
I loved how Plantinga described how God revels in His creation. God loves and celebrates creation. He even plays with his creation. In this chapter, Daniel Migliore comments, “While the stars, the trees, and the animals do not speak or sing of the glory of God in the same way that humans do, in their own way they too lift up their praises to God…” Plantinga acknowledges that that the singing and breaching of the humpback whale is the language that these great beasts of the deep talk to God.
One thing that I disagreed with Plantinga on was his idea of God resting on the seventh day. Plantinga writes, “On the seventh day God rested and was refreshed, as if even God needs a break from time to time.” God does not need rest; He is eternal and all-powerful. The reason God rested on the seventh day was to reflect on the work that He had done. It is a picture for us. We stop from our daily work on the Sabbath, and we use this day to reflect on God’s glory. It is a picture of the eternal rest we have in Heaven one day.
One other major point that I disagreed with Plantinga was on page 35, where he talks about common grace. He says, “The original goodness of creation implies that all of it, including any human being we meet, is potentially redeemable…so everything made by God retains at least some part of its goodness and promise.” The error of common grace is that it says that God blesses the wicked with “good” things and that unbelieving men are capable of doing civil good.
Romans 3:12 tells us that there is non that doeth good. All men are totally depraved, incapable of any good, until the Holy Spirit works in their hearts. Proverbs 3:33 says, “The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked; but He blesseth the habitation of the just.” He only sends blessing to His own sheep, not to the wicked whom He hates.
One last thing that I do not like about this chapter is that Plantinga never states that the creation was a literal seven days. Our group discussed this matter, and many today believe in theistic evoluation, which says that the days of creation were literal, and God let the creation evolve by itself. In the course of our discussion someone said that as long as you believe that God created the world, it doesn’t matter how He did it. Someone else could not believe that I actually believe everything in the Bible to be true. We are at a Christian college, and our basis should be on the Bible. We can not just regard Genesis 1 as a myth because it throws away the authority and truth of the rest of the Bible. When God says, “And the evening and the morning were the first day, etc,” He really means one day, not a thousands years. God’s Word is to be taken seriously, and it is our job to search and defend His truth in every part of the Bible.
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