Time Is God's Creation And Tool ...

 

(I’m catholic) How can god have an infinite past? If the past was infinite wouldn’t existence cease to exist? Shouldn’t there be a beginning point?

Karl Broberg, Blogger/Bible teacher (10+ yrs), researcher, life coach

Answered 10h ago

“Every house is built by someone; God is the builder of everything” (cf. Heb. 3:4).

There is only a beginning point to all things that exist in time itself—the time-space continuum. NB: if everything has a beginning, nothing would exist—something must be eternal; namely, God by definition. But time had a beginning according to science and even the Bible (cf. 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 1:2). Read A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking.

Time is the corollary of space and matter and doesn’t exist independently of them. No existence of matter means no time. Creation was the beginning of matter and space and therefore time. Some call this the big bang, which is highly regarded by cosmologists, astrologers, and astrophysicists today.

Just because we have a beginning point at creation, we must not jump to the conclusion everything had a beginning (out of nothing, nothing comes). Then there would be a time when nothing existed. By definition, God has no beginning and according to the Bible, He has no beginning and no end the Alpha and the Omega.

His name is I AM meaning He is complete in Himself and just is in Himself and needs no one or nothing else to exist (cf. Acts 17:25).   Theologians call this the self-existence or aseity of God.  He is the eternal I AM who changes not (with time or anything else according to Malachi 3:6). If He had a beginning, He could not be God, but be the slave to time as we are. as an effect or needing something.

If time were infinite with no beginning, we would not be able to arrive at “today”; you cannot cross an infinite amount of time in a definite period. But God is eternal with no cause and not defined by time, space, or matter. God is not defined, limited, nor confined to time. The only way you can be eternal is to have no cause and not be the effect of anything.

The universe had a cause because it’s an event: all events have causes. Everything that begins to exist, an event, namely here the universe, has a cause. But God is the “uncaused cause” or First Cause (how Aristotle described God).   Uncaused causes can exist in logic but not uncaused effects or events. All causes have effects but nothing can be its own cause or cause nor create itself.

Before creation or the big bang, only God existed because He is outside the time-space continuum. The Bible clearly begins: “In the beginning God ….” That is the beginning point, not a way to begin a narrative but necessary for the narrative; i.e.,  not “In the beginning matter/energy.” There’s no other rational way to begin reality. The first verse of the Bible tells of the beginning point: Creation. Genesis means “beginning.”

Does Jesus Need Credentials?...

 Jesus was well-known in Judea but especially in Capernaum and Nazareth where the ministry got off to a start and onto its feet as the first HQ.  His reputation preceded Him! He needed no introduction or publicity agent!   Fame was something that traveled fast in those days as the common folk spread the word, especially that there was a prophet in the nation, maybe even the Prophet that is to come.  Even today, people don't regard Him as Jesus the Great but simply Jesus.  He has no equal, neither predecessor nor successor.

John was His forerunner and character reference so to speak and he was the most highly regarded man in the land at the time, so much that the Pharisees dare not interfere with him, for the people loved him and respected his preaching the baptism of repentance. But Jesus needed no letter of recommendation or to refer to credentials as a way to impress Himself on others. His miracles spoke for themselves. 

What kind of credentials were these then? They consisted of perfect morality and keeping to a faultless degree every point of the Law of Moses, the Torah. No one could genuinely find fault in Him and He asked the Jewish leaders to accuse Him of sin with conviction and they failed; the only charge that could tick before the Sanhedrin was that He was an insurrection threat to Rome. Jesus was so holy that it made everyone who knew Him realized their own faults, shortcomings, and sins; Peter said, "Depart from me O Lord, for I am a sinful man!"  Now, normally familiarity breeds contempt but not in His case!  He could not have been anything but perfect to fulfill the Law and only one sin would have disqualified Him from being our Savior 

Another credential was His works, so ass to say that we should believe on account of the sake of the works alone, that they were of the Father.  He did many signs, wonders, and miracles that elicited faith in some and skepticism and cynicism in others; He had enemies because of the truths He spoke. He never footnoted His sayings but spoke directly as God Himself.  He spoke nothing but the truth but didn't say that He knew the truth or would say it or found it, but that He is the truth (cf. John 14:6); He didn't speak by authority, but with authority "as one who had authority" (cf. Mark 1:22; Matt. 7:29)! His word was binding, authoritative, and final.  He had and was the last word! 

Now, His miracles were not helter-skelter or for no reason scattered in the narrative, but God had a purpose for each of them and without them, the story wouldn't be the same and Christ would be but a footnote in history  If we remove the miracles from Christ then He is nothing and the faith is disemboweled and neutered. Other faiths remain intact even without the miracles--they are unnecessary for the religion. Jesus never did anything for selfish or self-serving reasons, but as acts of compassion and often to be object lessons to His sermons or sayings--no showy or biggie miracles!  

Now, Jesus had many character witnesses, and even if we look at His enemies (the witness of an enemy has a lot of weight in a court of law due to no personal gain by it), we learn quite a deal because they have no agenda or motive to lie about Him; they would unwittingly tell the truth. For instance, Judas said he had betrayed innocent blood, the soldier at the crucifixion called Him an innocent man or even the Son of God, Pontius Pilate said he found no fault in Him, even King Herod was unwilling to convict Him. When at the trial, they found no legitimate witnesses to tell the truth but they contradicted each other--they had to resort to getting a confession and self-condemnation which was illegal.  

But the biggest credential of Christ was His resurrection (cf. Romans 1:4; Acts 17:31), the final sign to a wicked generation.  He prophesied this and rose on the third day to prove His vindication for us and to give us hope of a resurrection, which doctrine had been vague to the Jews. The cornerstone of our faith is the historical truth of the resurrection and this is arguably the most attested fact in antiquity.  Either it's the most astounding fact in history or the biggest, cruelest hoax ever perpetrated according to Josh  MacDowell. If we remove this miracle then our faith is futile and we have no reason to trust Christ and we are indeed the most miserable of all men and most to be pitied (cf. 1 Cor. 15:14). 

But all this is only consistent with who Jesus claimed to be!  Most people mocked at having virgin births like Alexander the Great and Buddha, but if you lived the life of Jesus, you'd take it more seriously.  He claimed to be the Son of God, the Judge of mankind, the Lord of the Sabbath, to be without sin, and many more direct or indirect claims of deity.  Even though He mostly spoke in figures so speech, He didn't always beat around the bush though. His claims were consistent with His character.  Claims in themselves are not proof but in this case, they are consistent. Some cults teach that Jesus never claimed to be God, but Scripture makes it clear that He knew His mission and kept a low profile for that reason when they tried to kill him.

He made the most outstanding and bold claims and man since, or before ever did--even though the Caesars claimed deity, they didn't go this far! But He didn't go around bluntly announcing He was God, for His time had not come and he was looking for faith, not some who would believe had they had enough "evidence." It was obvious to the Pharisees just who Christ claimed to be and they plotted to kill Him for this reason. Jesus had to be both God to fulfill the Law and bear our sins, and man to relate to us as our Mediator. He must be the Go-between, the Daysman.   Soli Deo Gloria! 

The Bible's Limits

 The Bible covers over 10,000 events from some 1118 chapters from some 40 authors and cannot describe or depict all that happened. John said that if all the events of Christ’s life were written down, the world could not contain the books that would be written. But the Bible in Deut. 29:29 says that God has secrets and Scripture is not meant to tell us everything, only what we need to know or what God wants us to know. The rest is none of our business!

The Qualification For Heaven

"Indeed it is the straightedge of the Law that shows us how crooked we really are," (cf. Romans 3:20, Phillips).  The law measures us, it doesn't save us!  

 The chief qualification, it is said, to enter heaven, is to admit or realize you are not qualified; to see how you fall short and are not self-righteous in your own eyes, justifying yourself or minimizing your sin.  We all tend to justify ourselves.    For we cannot know how sinful we are till we try to stop sinning, and we cannot stop sinning!  Then we realize we are slaves to sin! You don't know your enslavement to sin till you try to give it up, and you have to give it up to realize your slavery.  It's like the smoker that thinks he can overcome and kick the habit till he tries to do and realizes he cannot of his own willpower. 

Salvation must be solely the gift of God, and not of our own works or merit thinking we deserve it because of what we've done in our own right.  We are never good enough to be saved, but bad enough to need salvation.  Gifting means grace and that's part of the formula of the Reformers: by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, by the authority of Scripture alone, and to God alone be the glory: the Five Only's (sola gratia, sola fide, soli Christo, sola Scriptura, soli Gloria Deo).  

We must not add merit to grace, works to faith or tradition, or church authority to the rule of our faith--the Bible alone. And we must not pat ourselves on the back in congrats but give God sole glory.  The summation of Reformed theology can be summed up in Jonah 2:9 saying, "Salvation is of the LORD."  That means not of us and the Lord, nor of us alone, but of God alone!  We didn't cooperate even just like at our first birth; therefore, it's called monergistic (one-sided), not synergistic (cooperative). 

In salvation, we must confess and recognize our sin (nature) as well as our sins. This is hardly mentioned in churches today because it's such a killjoy word! We must be saved from what we are (in a state of sin and rebellion or depravity) and justified and forgiven for our sins (our transgressions). As believers, we must realize we are still sinners, though we are justified (cf. Gal. 2:17). We can never achieve entire sanctification or perfectionism (cf. Prov. 20:9) as some denominations teach but we can progress in our power over sin and not let any certain sin dominate us (cf. Psalm 119:133; 19:13; 18:23; Romans 6:14; 1 Cor.6:12)  We are not to be controlled by any sin and to have power and victory over them and not let them have dominion over us.  This can be a pet sin (cf. Heb. 12:1) or one that easily besets us and our secret sins. or we may be known by as the Bible says that for sure our sins "will find [us] out." (cf. Numbers 32:23).  

In repentance, and we must realize that repentance and faith are linked (cf. Acts 20:21) and go hand in hand can be seen as the flipside of each other. There can be no genuine repentance without saving faith! Sometimes we may wonder if our faith is strong enough and not realize our repentance is not thorough enough. God doesn't make us righteous, not even in the eyes of the world, but reckons or considers us righteous--we are declared righteous. Our righteousness is completed in heaven only. Christians just recognize, acknowledge, and know their sins and are not blind to them like the infidel and we confess them and don't attempt to justify ourselves. But there is no condemnation for the believer in Christ, and he shall not come into judgment (cf. Romans 8:1; John 5:24).  

Whenever we sin, we have an Advocate to make intercession (cf. Heb. 7:25). We have admitted our spiritual bankruptcy before God, emptied ourselves of our self-righteousness, and come clean with God with nothing to hide. We realize God doesn't grade on a curve and all are sinners and we are no better than others:  We don't play the "let's compare game." (cf. 2 Cor. 10:12).  We don't have any credentials to boast of but must plead the merits of the blood of Christ shed on our behalf.  

Salvation goes to the lowest bidder as Paul saw himself as the "chief of sinners," and John Bunyan wrote his testimony in Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, not to the one with the highest spiritual pedigree or credentials or best resume: We have nothing to offer but brokenness and strife, a contrite and penitent heart.  This is the catch-22:  To be good we must realize how bad we are; to see how bad we are, we must try to be good.  

Don't think of sins as God not wanting you to enjoy life and He's a cosmic killjoy spoiling it all, but God didn't design us for sin and He knows what's best for us emotionally and spiritually and for our own good--if we had our own way--and sin is doing your own thing and your way, not God's--then we'd surely mess up our lives and our souls; if God ever said, "Okay, have it your way!" we ruin it for ourselves and lose our happiness that is only possible through knowing Him as Augustine said, "Our souls are restless till they find their rest in God."    Soli Deo Gloria! 

Are Christians Obliged To Obey The Law?

Jesus not only was obliged as a Jew to keep the Mosaic Law, but He also fulfilled it. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” (cf. Gal. 3:24–25). “For the law is fulfilled in one word, even this: thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” (cf. Gal. 5:14). Love is the fulfillment of the Law (cf. Romans 13:10). Jesus summed up the whole law in loving God and our neighbor (cf. Mark 12:30–31).

We are not under the Law but under grace (cf. Romans 6:14). Jesus told us to obey His commandments and they are not burdensome, but His yoke is easy and burden light (cf Matt. 11:30). As Christians, the early church debated as to whether we were obligated to obey the Law like circumcision in Acts 15 and decided it was too heavy a yoke that even the Jews didn't and couldn’t keep. Jesus gave a new commandment, to love another as He loves us.

As Christians, our faith is a new religion from Judaism and whatever is not repeated in the New Testament holds no authority over us. We are not the continuation of Judaism but its fulfillment. “They cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the Law, (cf. Romans 10:4). The Formula of Concord in 1577 outlined the purpose of the Law and did not oblige us. Note, I’m not speaking of the moral code which is timeless and never changes: what God considered wrong is still wrong as to what sin is considering the Decalogue. The Ten Commandments have not been rescinded, expect the case that the Sabbath was not reinstated in the New Testament, and are not obliged to be Sabbatarians anymore (cf. Col. 2;16; Romans 14:5) Let no man judge you on your Sabbath-keeping!

Sin is many things, unbelief for one. (cf Romans 14:23) The law was never given to save us or to be our master but to measure us and convict us. Christians are not lawless but need no law for they are under the law of love. We do naturally what is right because we have the Spirit, not because we are educated in the Law of Moses and try to keep it. “Cursed is anyone who depends on the Law unto righteousness, (cf. Gal 3:10).

Answering God's Call

"So he will do to me whatever he has planned. He controls my destiny" (Job 23:14, NLT).
"My times [future] are in your hands..." (Psalm 31:15, NIV).
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you" (Psalm 32:8, NIV).

PART I

God revealed Himself to Samuel through His Word (cf. 1 Sam. 3:21), because visions were rare in those days. In fact, it could have been God's judgment on the land (cf. Amos 8:11) for their inclination to do what they saw fit (cf. Judges 17:6; 21:25). Samuel broke the mold and pleased God and became the last of the judges and founded the school of the prophets. Samuel became obedient to the heavenly call and offered no excuses as Moses did, was eager and willing to do God's will. Consider Paul's attitude: "I am obligated ...I am so eager ... For I am not ashamed..." (cf. Rom. 1:14-16, NIV). He was prepared and ready, and he felt indebted to God!

We must realize that none of us can depend upon our own strength to do God's will, for apart from Christ we can do nothing (cf. John 15:5). Don't confide in your own strength! All that Samuel did was only what the Lord had done through him (cf. Isa. 26:12). Paul had the same attitude in saying that he would not venture to boast of nothing but what the Lord had accomplished (cf. Rom. 15:18). God isn't interested in our achievements, but our obedience and trust--trust and obey, there's no other way, the hymn goes.

Samuel's call proves that God always has His witness and a way to speak to mankind, even in the darkest of times. Solomon asked God for wisdom, and Paul asked that a thorn in his flesh be removed, but in the end, they were blessed by God and enabled by grace to do his bidding. After all, we are God's masterpiece and workmanship (cf. Eph. 2:10), ordained to do good works in His name. In other words, bloom where you are planted, and don't look for greener pastures!

We are all called by God according to His purpose and will (cf. Eph. 1:5) and God has a plan for each of us. Paul's only aim was to complete the task the Lord had given him (cf. Acts 20:24). "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me..." (cf. Psalm 138:8, ESV). God has not made us automatons without a will of our own, but we are to cooperate in doing His will and bringing glory to Him through service manifested by faith. The key to service is to be equipped in your gift and to reach out. We will never find our gift without a servant's heart!

Therefore, a non-serving Christian is a contradiction in terms. We are to "spur one another toward love and good deeds" (cf. Heb. 10:24, NIV). Mother Teresa said that "true holiness consists in doing the will of God with a smile." The greatness of our service is not our natural abilities, but our surrender and commitment to Christ, as we will be judged by our faithfulness; however, don't get into the "let's compare" game and belittle one another's spiritual gift.

There are several calls for the Christian to answer: to salvation, for service, choosing a mate, finding a church home, choosing a pastor, a vocation, an avocation, a ministry, a mission, one's witness and testimony, a fellowship, or inner circle, and good deeds to do. God's not looking for resumes but faithfulness and too many divorce faith from faithfulness. The only resume we need is that we know God and walk with Him in fellowship. There is a place for everyone in the church to contribute and to feel at home in the body, which is an organism of living beings, not an organization of impersonal ones. The righteous will live by faithfulness (cf. Hab. 2:4) and walk by faith and not by sight (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7). Soli Deo Gloria!



PART II


"Those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified..." (Rom. 8:30, ESV). [Note that no one is lost in the shuffle of salvation!]
"This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (cf. John 6:29).
"... Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice" (cf. John 18:37).
"... [A]s many as were appointed to eternal life believed" (Acts 13:48, ESV).
"I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision," (cf. Acts 26:19).

Man gives the outward, general call (cf. Titus 2:11) of the biblical evangel to the world, exhorting repentance and faith via the preaching of the Word's gospel message--to preach the Word. Man's call is often rejected and ineffectual, and can fall on deaf ears! They say that the convert hears the gospel and rejects it 7.6 times before coming to saving faith. Even the demons believe and tremble (cf. James 2:19) and God requires a faith that is alive with worship and devotion, but also discipline and obedience. No fruit--no faith (the instrumental means)--no salvation (no evidence)! We may say in resignation, "Let the chips fall where they may!" but God is the sole primary cause of the universe--we're merely secondary causes used by God to accomplish His will and bring Him glory! We exist, to bring glory to God (cf. Isa. 43:7): "The chief end of man is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever" (cf. The Westminster Shorter Catechism).

Some people merely produce foliage, not fruit, because they aren't abiding in the vine and they will be pruned. It is important to note that the gospel in vogue isn't necessarily the one Paul preached--and he pronounced an anathema on those false teachers who watered down the gospel (a different gospel or dumb-downed version) or mixed it with works, and forsook the way of grace alone. Grace and works don't mix! We are indeed saved by grace alone, through the channel of faith alone, and this must be invested in Christ alone, all according to the authority of Scripture alone, so as to ensure the glory going to God alone. There's no merit system in our salvation--God doesn't grade on a curve.

We must respond to the inner calling of the gospel to our souls (cf. Romans 8:30) that must respond to the so-called wooing or drawing of the Holy Spirit. John 6:44 makes it clear that the Father must "draw" one, and John 6:65 makes it clear that God must "grant" the privilege of believing in Him. God grants faith and salvation (cf. Phil. 1:29) and it is a gift and not a work (a meritorious one)! If it were a work we would have reason to boast, but Titus 3:5 says we're not saved "by works of righteousness which we have done."

Paul says in Eph. 2:9 that we are not saved by works--the reason being to eliminate boasting or bragging before God. Now, the wooing of God is necessary and sufficient to bring us to Christ: no one would come to Him without it; if we came to Him alone, we will leave alone! God's call is irrevocable and efficacious, meaning that it is a permanent call and God gets His desired effect." As many as were ordained to eternal life believed" (cf. Acts 13:48). AND WE HAVE "BELIEVED THROUGH GRACE." (CF. ACTS 18:27). We receive our faith, we don't achieve it (cf. 2 Pet. 1:1).

Some believe that God woos all men, this would make God out to be a failure; however, those whom He woos do come and without regret--no one who believes is ever disappointed in God. (cf. John 5:24). If you are inclined to ascribe universality to wooing, then does He woo equally? And why do only some respond? There is no way to avoid this doctrine without assigning merit. Our salvation is a pure act of grace and there is no room for works--we are not saved by works, but not without them! This doctrine refers to the irresistible grace of God--God's grace is sovereign and reigns (cf. Rom. 5:21). Christ is Master of our fate, and Captain of our soul.

Our destiny is ultimately in God's hands, not ours (cf. Psalm 31:15; Job 23:14)! If we had to do anything for it, we'd fail, and so God does everything in our monergistic salvation--we do not take part in it nor contribute, nor cooperate with "pre-salvation" works either. God must regenerate us by quickening faith and granting repentance (cf. 2 Tim. 2:25) in order to save us--we don't save ourselves--if you put faith ahead of regeneration, you are effectually saving yourself. If you can believe without being regenerated, what good is regeneration? If our salvation were in our hands and up to us, we'd blow it or botch it! Salvation is grace from beginning to end as Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith. It is not a human achievement, but divine accomplishment! God makes us willing and able to believe and repent: Scripture says, "For God is at work with you, both to do and to the will of His good pleasure" (cf. Phil. 2:13; cf. Col. 1:29; Heb. 13:21).

God calls and we answer, those who are of the truth hear the words of truth and hear God's voice and calling. Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. It is not the calling that saves on, nor faith in the calling, but faith in the One making the call: "Many are called, but few are chosen" (cf. Matt. 22:14) refers to the general call of the gospel message to the world at large. "The elect attained unto it, the rest were hardened [blinded]" (cf. Rom. 11:7). We must always remember that we didn't choose Him, but He chose us (cf. John 15:16). 

We are the elected ones, and remember this point of doctrine: We are elected unto faith (see the Golden Chain of Redemption in Romans 8:29-30), not because of faith, which is the false prescient view--Romans 8:29-30 militates against it. For whom He calls, He regenerates unto faith and repentance (cf. 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Thess. 2:13), and simultaneously justifies them. We don't get any credit for believing, it is given or received, not achieved, and we cannot conjure it up--it comes by the hearing and the hearing of the Word of God (cf. Rom. 10:17).

Christians have answered the call and will be fit for being His vessels of honor, we all have to make sure of our calling and election (cf. 2 Pet. 10), though, because assurance is not an automatic fruit of salvation. "Have mercy on some who doubt, [offer reassurance from the Word]" says Jude 22. John writes to give assurance of salvation; obviously, it's not a sure thing (John 20:31; 1 John 5:13). Paul said that if we are faithless, He remains faithful (2 Tim. 2:13). In the final analysis, we must not divorce faith and works, they are distinguished but not separate--we are saved by faith alone, but no by a faith that is alone (from the Reformer's battle cry) as James 2:17 says, "Faith without works is dead" (can that faith save?).

In sum, God reserves the right to call whom He will and to have mercy on whom He will and harden whom He will (cf. Rom. 9:15). Some sinners receive mercy, some receive justice, but God is unjust to no one. God predestined us according to His good pleasure and the purpose of His will, not according to anything we did (cf. Eph. 1:5; Titus 3:5).

Finally, let me sum up citing three verses: "[W]ho saved us and called us to a holy calling not because of our works but according to his purpose and grace..." (2 Tim. 1:9, ESV); "God in heaven appoints each man's work" (John 3:27, NLT).

"... 'A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven'" (John 3:27, ESV). Soli Deo Gloria!

Proof For God Without The Bible

 

1. The ontological, cultural, or anthropological argument or where did we get this idea from and why do people believe universally; God is not an idea made up. Do apes build chapels? Do animals pray? God was self-evident to the founding fathers of America. This ethnological proof, that virtually every tribe, tongue, and people-group has had some belief system concerning God or deity is compelling as circumstantial evidence.; where did they get the idea from, if not God Himself?
2. The cosmological or the that nothing happens by itself and nothing can create or cause itself but needs the First Cause: no First Cause means no beginning because infinite regress is impossible; you cannot cross infinity! A beginning (Big Bang) implies a Beginner. God is eternal without beginning, having no cause but being uncaused!
3. The teleological proof that we cannot escape or deny order, harmony, intelligence, purpose, design, and beauty everywhere and they exist as evidence and this points to the anthropological principle or that there appears to be design or fine-tuning, and this may be called the argument from design; design only implies a Designer; order implies an Orderer, purpose a Purposer, and intelligence an Ultimate Mind. This has been called the anthropic principle in action. The divine order of creation is Thinker, thought, thing. I won’t elaborate on the many wonders of nature that bear witness to this but only bring this up as a point and mention the principle is valid.
4. The moral argument or that it seems that we have morals and there must be justice for that to make sense. Where did we get our conscience from? Guilt proves this to be self-evident. This implies a Judge or Judgment Day. God seems to care a lot about right and wrong and has given man a moral code, compass, or conscience to be culpable. Morals make no sense without a Judge or God to make them universal. God must be the moral center of the universe and standard of Good as Plato called Him, the Supreme Good. Morals then imply a moral Lawgiver; also, how can you believe in justice without a Judge?  Soli Deo Gloria! 

God's Crucible Of Adversity...

"But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold" (Job 23:10, NIV).
"Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty" (Job 5:17, NIV).
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze" (Isa. 43:2, NIV).
"... All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come" (Job 14:14, NIV).
"Though he slay me, yet I will hope in him" (Job 13:15, NIV
"If we are to enter God's kingdom, we must pass through many troubles" (Acts 14:22, CEB).
"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings..." (Rom. 5:3, NIV).
"No matter how deep our darkness, he is deeper still." --Corrie ten Boom

Reality 101 is about adjusting to the curve balls thrown at us by our adversary Satan, as we adjust to the real world with all its pitfalls, known as OJT of real life. "He speaks to [us] in [our] affliction," (cf. Job 36:15). As part of the divine curriculum, it has been granted unto us to suffer for His sake. We have no right to ask God "Why?" because "He is too deep to explain Himself, too wise to make a mistake, and too kind to be cruel"--we must accept it all on faith that God knows what's best. People are always suing for pain and suffering, but Christians must grin and bear it as a given in life (not that we are Stoics who see it as fate from an impersonal force), but making the most of it and learning from the experiences; then we can proudly say, "Been there, done that!"

We all must go through some kind of school of hard knocks and learn from our mistakes. If you haven't made a mistake, it's been said, you haven't made anything! The best way to learn is through adversity, which is the only way to build character. So lay out the welcome mat and apply your experience to comfort others in their affliction. As a consolation, remember that Christ Himself learned obedience by what He suffered (cf. Heb. 5:8)!

What is going on as we progress in our sanctification? God will indeed finish what He has started and isn't finished with us yet, as we are always "works in progress" (cf. Phil. 1:6). The defining characteristic of Christianity that makes its practice unique is that we find meaning in suffering--it's all done through the Father-filtered hands of God and has a purpose. In psychology and religion, there is no meaning to suffering--it's seen as a distraction and unnecessary element of life, and ideally should be eliminated. (Note that Buddha said that "life is suffering").

But there is good stress as well as negative stress (and no one escapes life stress-free!) and it builds character; we shouldn't pray for a life that's stress-free and easy then, but a character that can withstand anything God can throw at us by way of trial and tribulation, this is the stress that no one can avoid and is part of life--can we expect good from God only and not evil? But whatever evil happens, God means it for our good (cf. Gen. 50:20; Rom. 8:28)!

For Christ didn't even exempt Himself from trials and was honest enough to warn us we'd have them, and our crosses pale in comparison to His, who doesn't ask us to do anything He didn't do. Trials, temptations, tribulations, suffering, troubles, and adversity, and discipline are inevitable. It has been said that experience is not what you've been through or what has happened to you, but in you and what you do with it! As an illustration of what God is doing in our lives picture a sculptor who sees a piece of marble and starts work on it and is asked how he can fashion a horse out of it: just by chipping away everything that doesn't look like a horse! God must take away everything that doesn't look like Jesus because we're the icons of God!

We signed up for a crucible when we got saved and it comes with the territory as we enrolled in the school of Christ. But the comforting factor in our suffering is that it's done in love and is not meaningless; in fact, we'll thank God someday for His wisdom. God reserves the right to micromanage our lives at will and does so without our consultation. Every day of our lives has been mapped out by God in Providence and He does so with the motive of love and His glory--for we exist to bring glory to Him (cf, Psalm 31:15; 139:16; Isaiah 43:7).

As a word of encouragement, we should bear in mind that God is always with us, so we are never alone; God is on our side so we cannot lose, and God believes in us so we have purpose and meaning, for God has a purpose for everything! It was proven by Dr. Viktor Frankl, a Viennese Jewish psychiatrist who spent years in a Nazi concentration camp at Dachau, that when we see purpose and meaning in our suffering that we can endure nearly anything, even a POW, or concentration camp (because God is with us)! We don't have to thank God for these troubles, but should praise Him for the opportunities they bring to glorify Him, always remembering that no cross means no crown!

In short, crucibles are necessary because the same sun melts the butter hardens the clay (we either become bitter or better); we must never wonder why bad things happen to good people because no one is good--we should wonder why good things happen to bad people!

CAVEAT: DON'T GET A MARTYR COMPLEX, (WE AREN'T SAVED BY MARTYRDOM!) AND THINK THAT THE MORE YOU SUFFER, THE HOLIER OR MORE RIGHTEOUS YOU ARE, CHRIST WANTS US TO LIVE FOR HIM AS "LIVING SACRIFICES' (CF. ROM. 12:1)!

In conclusion, William Kirk Kilpatrick, psychologist, and educator, said the test of a philosophy is not what it says about the pains it can handle, but the ones it cannot. Soli Deo Gloria!

Fideism Versus Faith

 By definition: faith is trusting in what we have good reason to believe.  We don't have faith in faith but faith in Christ; faith doesn't save, Christ does!  It's the object that counts. 

"Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see," (cf. Heb. 11:1, NIV). 


We choose to believe with our volition, it follows from our heart and where that is; if it's in the right place. We don't believe despite the evidence nor demand that all the evidence be presented before drawing our conclusion or taking a stand. Just like in a jury trial we go with the flow, or in the direction of the preponderance of the evidence--which isn't always conclusive or even certain, and there may be unanswered questions or doubts. Belief is not independent of the facts or evidence but concordant with it.

Evidence is not always conclusive, and may be subjective too (it can be circumstantial, indirect, or direct), but is only one argument to consider in making the final decision. There may be evidence pro and con, arguments for and against, we must weigh all the facts pertinent before making the final decision. We don't reach a conclusion irrespective of the evidence; however, some people cannot be convinced no matter the evidence because they don't want to believe.

(Faith is not believing something you know isn't true! Everyone has faith in something, even Secularists have faith that science can answer the questions of man; it's not a matter of faith versus reason, because we all commence with some presupposition we cannot ultimately prove, whether divine revelation or science. Fideism is the belief that we can attain to knowledge (of God) by faith alone, apart from our reason, while rationalism is the opposite, that truth is arrived only by reason--true biblical faith is based on the evidence and respects the mind, it doesn't insult your intelligence.

Fideism is basically the conviction that faith is mutually exclusive of and opposed to reason. Augustine said all knowledge begins in faith, or "I believe in order to understand." You are entitled to your own opinions and faith in them, but not your own fabricated facts. Conclusions must be based on fact, fitting, and following them, the facts aren't made to fit and follow the preconceived conclusions or notions.)

We must not succumb to the notion that believing something makes it true or disbelieving something makes it untrue-- the evidence is either true or false regardless of acceptance or belief. We cannot prove without a doubt that Christianity is true because God requires a step of faith and we can demonstrate that faith is much more reasonable than doubt and even that doubt can be an element of faith itself (cf. Mark 9:24: "I believe, help thou mine unbelief"). We must make our decision in a rational manner and decide which one fits the facts more fully and completely. Christianity is not rationalism, though, and can be defended on the open marketplace of ideas, but is rational--Christians aren't asked to kiss their brains goodbye.

However, we are exhorted to defend our faith and to have a reason or rationale why we believe in 1 Pet. 3:15 (cf. "have a reason for the hope that is within you")--if we don't, we only confirm infidels in their unbelief! If we just go by feelings we may fall by the wayside and not endure testing and challenges to our faith, as people of other faiths may have duplicate feelings about their God or religion. The unique aspect of our experience in Christ is that it's backed up by and the only religion supported by the objective, external, historical evidence of the resurrection of Christ, as well as personal, internal, subjective experience in the life and heart of the believer--Christianity is based on evidence and facts of history, not fable or sayings of wise men such as Confucius or Buddha--which are really philosophies with religiosity. Christianity is a historical faith or it is nothing, and disproving its historical credibility would discredit the faith itself.

Many have tried to disprove historical references or its historicity, but have failed in the process and have even gotten converted to Christianity in the process against their wills. No amount of argument will convince the unwilling, you cannot argue someone into the kingdom of God or persuade him by rationalism; Christianity is rational, but it isn't rationalism. No one will come to faith in Christ apart from the work of the Spirit within his heart, but he must not base his faith on the fact that he feels Christ lives in his heart--going by feelings--a duplicate experience can be had by other faiths, but he must learn to see the power of the Word in changing and sanctifying him.

God asks no one to have blind faith, which is demeaning to believers and outrage to God, but only to take a reasonable step of faith into the light--faith is the antidote to blindness, not its cause! In the end, we all have a rationale for our faith and should be able to defend ourselves with our personal testimony--like the blind man who testified, "I was blind, but now I see." This cannot be refuted and no one can deny the reality of his profession. We are exhorted to testify of what we do know and the reality of our faith, not another person. When we witness we declare the facts as we see them and can verify by experience--it's admissible in a court of law!

The problem with unbelievers who don't believe is that they don't want to believe, not that they cannot. "Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him" (John 12:37, NIV). John Stott adds that "we cannot pander to someone's intellectual pride, but must cater to their intellectual integrity." No one is required to commit intellectual suicide or believe without any answers. However, we all must take that leap of faith in obedience to the faith. The problem most have is moral rebellion, not intellectual problems or hindrances, and their questions or challenges are mere smokescreens to avoid the real issue of surrender to the lordship of Christ.

The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart! Nonbelievers are described in Rom. 2:8 as those who reject the truth, and this truth is true objectively, regardless of whether one believes it or not or who told us. What they do is feign intellectual problems to try to stump the Christian and change the subject from making a decision for Christ in surrender. God is no man's debtor and will authenticate Himself to any seeker who desires to know Him, but Jesus said that also that only those willing will believe: "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know..." (cf. John 7:17).

In exhorting decisions, one must realize that he doesn't need all the answers to believe, but he can believe anyway if he is willing and wants to believe--no amount of evidence will convince the person whose heart is hardened. Just like a jury making a verdict based on known evidence, not all evidence may be in, so we just go ahead and believe anyway, though we don't know all the answers. The important thing is to know the Answerer!

We must realize that Christianity is a reasonable proposition and we will never be disappointed in our decision. As volumes have been written about the so-called evidence that demands a verdict and God gave us a mind and expects us to use it and inquire of the Lord. The evidence can be presented cogently and there is hardly any question that hasn't been answered--Christianity is not going to come tumbling down by some brand new doubt that hasn't been resolved before!

When the plain facts are presented cogently one will realize that Christianity is based on a rational body of truth, in history, and its veracity was proven in the blood of the martyrs who died for their proclamation about Jesus rising from the dead. Even the historicity of the resurrection is vouched by multiple sources and is probably the most attested fact of antiquity--would any historian doubt the reality of Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great in contrast--Jesus was no myth and his historicity is vouched for by many pagan sources too.

All in all, we cannot deny the facts and one must be confronted with making a decision for or against Him--making no decision, is making a decision against Christ! It is not the believer who has to fear the scrutiny of the facts, but the skeptic who refuses to face the facts and acknowledge the truth! It has been said that Christianity goes beyond reason, but not against it! If the facts of the Bible were presented to any court of law, the jury would have to declare them true based on the evidence which would be admissible.


Most people who don't believe have never examined the evidence or even read the Bible. This is the whole crux of the matter--that we don't have to defend it or prove it, the seeker can do that himself by reading the testimony of the evangelists in Scripture himself. God, indeed, welcomes any honest inquiry and doubt, because He expects no one to believe something he isn't intellectually convinced of, or to commit intellectual suicide. Soli Deo Gloria!

God Judges What's Fair

 

Isn't it unfair that Eve did not have the choice of her partner?

Certainly not! Adam had no choice either! God is incapable of unfairness and He is no respecter of persons and snows no partiality. The reason she was taken from Adam’s rib was so that he wouldn’t look down on her as an inferior but she would be equal. Look at it this way: Eve is the crown of God’s creation; the finishing touch and His final at. How do we know what He told Eve? God could have said that I know that man perfect for you! God is the perfect matchmaker and this was a marriage made in heaven for sure.

There was no favoritism nor sexism involved. If it had been the reverse or converse, Adam could’ve raised an objection by this standard. Eve was created in flawless beauty and I’m sure she had no complaints when she met Adam. When was his partner and equal and it wasn’t till she sinned that Adam was placed in a position as head of the family unit;—that was not God’s fault.

She didn’t belong to Adam as some kind of property but was equal in every way so that Adam could relate to her perfectly with fellowship and companionship? This was only possible because they were equals and complimented each other.  Soli Deo Gloria!