True Love endures all-things for the Glory of God (Part Two)

True Love endures all-things for the Glory of God

Enduring all-things expresses the lasting and abiding nature of the principles of divine love in the soul of man. This love which God births in our hearts at conversion is a love that does not fail. True love does not fail, Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy, love does not parade itself, and it is not puffed up. It does not behave rudely, does not seek it own, is not provoked, thinks no evil and does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Bears all-things, believes all truths of God and hopes all-things in the promises of God and endures all-things. Love never fails. (1 Cor 13; 4-7).

There are many times in our Christian walk when we feel that much of life is suffering. Suffering brings us to ask many questions, Why does God allow some people to suffer so much pain? There are a number of answers, but I want to deal with the main text of enduring all-things with/for love. This love that endures is a love that demonstrates to the world that whatever opposition comes our way, nothing can overthrow true love, it does not fail to love.

I have personally known two people who have died of Cancer and have had to die extremely painful deaths. Life has shown me that the best Christians seem to be the ones that suffer the most in this life.

To some unbelievers, they cannot see any moral reason or purpose in the suffering of people., especially in the so called children of God (Christians). But as Gold is tested in the furnace of fire to see and show what is pure, so also the soul of a child of God is tested. Suffering shows the world God’s love as it manifests a love that does not fail. It endures all-things to love God, no matter what because this suffering is showing the world the glory of Gods love. Gods divine love is manifested through his people in to the world, showing that love does not fail, love does not give up on love. True love endures all-things. It is an unbreakable love. It counts no wrongs..
As God lives in us, it is him who gives us this love and it is him who preserves us to the end with this love for his own glory to demonstrate true love.

Where is does truly exist in the heart, all its enemies cannot destroy it, and all opposition against it cannot crush it. It endues all-things.6 For nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rom. 8; 35).

God's Glory, Part One

The end in which God created the World.
Plato once asked, "How do you know what a things function is?" This reflective question is inquiring whether an object has a correct way to function and does this function act towards an ultimate end or purpose. Are our individual acts and pursuits relative to our selves or do they correspond to an ultimate plan which we, and every other individual is a part of?

To answer this question, one must agree that objects have been created and designed for a purpose and that its actions or reactions are corresponding to the way it has been made to function. If it does, then this is what a things function is; It is acting according to its designers plan and purpose. There are no random impersonal acts that just happen by chance.

When asking about "what is the universes ultimate purpose and for our lives" we are seeking an ultimate meaning for the universe and our actions as a whole. If there is an ultimate goal or purpose in life, then there is a mind behind the universe who has created objects to function according to a rational purpose. If the world is rational then God has given reality an interpretation giving matter meaning and a purpose for the functions that take place.

The end for Which God Created the World
Why did God create the world? It certainly was not because he had to or was incomplete with out it. He did not need to create creatures to be loved because God in the Trinity has been in a loving relationship from eternity. God is eternal fullness, that being perfect and complete in all things. His nature is perfection. Because God’s existence and will is the highest perfection that exits, all other finite perfection’s flow from his for their existence. Gods will is the ultimate end for which creation was created and is unfolding too. What is in itself most valuable and eternally perfect is God’s ultimate end in creation. God shows by his works of creation what he values most, that being himself, his glory. He creates to manifest his glory, as his glory is the highest perfection.

Because God has infinite wisdom he knows what he creates will be rationally perfect. Because he is sovereign he knows that his eternal decrees of rules and measures of proceedings will achieve its perfect end for what he created it for. As Ephesians 1; 11 says, "being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. Because God is eternally good and is in fact "Love" we know his ultimate purpose in general providence and his final end will be in accordance to his eternal Holiness, Love, Mercy, Justice, and Judgment.
The original ultimate end of creation governs all God’s works that being the emanation and true expression of God’s eternal fullness, his glory. God does everything for his names sake, because there is no higher perfection.

This is what Romans 1;20 confirms,
"For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse"
This verse is telling us that what is made is in fact demonstrating and manifesting God’s invisible attributes (Perfection, Glory).
For his Names Sake

Probably no text in the Bible reveals Gods passion for his own glory more clearly than Isaiah 48;9-11,

"For my names sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another."

John Piper concludes from this verse in his book "Let the Nations be Glad" that the Bible gives six hammer blows to a man-centered way of looking at the world.

For my names sake!
For the sake of my praise!
For my own sake!
For my own sake!
How should my name be profaned!
My glory I will not give to another!

Texts concerning God’s making himself the ultimate end of creation.
The Scriptures speak on all occasions as though God made himself his end in all his works, and as though the same being, who is the first cause of all things, were the supreme and last end of all things. Revelation 1;8 says "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, says the Lord, which is, and was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Verse 11; "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and last." Verse 17; I Am the first and the Last." Chapter 21;6, And he said unto me, it is done, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end." Chapter 22;13, I Am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."

The meaning of the Texts and its Biblical confirmation
For when God is so often spoken of as the last as well as the first, the end as well as the begnning, it is implied that as he is the first efficient cause and fountain from whence all things originate; so, he is the last, final cause for which they are made; the final term to which they all tend in their ultimate issues. This seems to be the most natural import of these expressions; and is confirmed by other parallel passages;

Romans 11; 36 "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things."

Colossians 1; 16 "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him."

Hebrews 2; 10 "For it became him, by whom all things, and for whom are all things."

Proverbs 16; 4 "The Lord has made all things for himself."

And the manner is observable, in which God is said to be the last, to whom and for whom are all things. It is evidently spoken of as a fitting and suitable thing, a branch of his glory; a meet prerogative of great, infinite and eternal Being; a thing becoming the dignity of him who is infinitely above all other beings; from which all things are by whom they consist; and in comparison with whom all other things are as nothing.
Jonathan Edwards makes a beautiful insight when he says that God has created the world ( a thing) to become the dignity of him who is infinitely above all other beings.

The Ultimate end of God’s providence
God’s providence is the power that is in all things which directs every atom and event in history from the beginning to the end to demonstrate Gods glory. God is in charge over all things. He has ordained all our days, even the good and the evil that befalls us.

Isaiah 64; 8 "O Lord, You are our Father, we are the clay and you our the potter and all of us are the work of your hand."

Jeremiah 20; 23 "O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself, it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps."

Proverbs 19; 24 "Mans steps are ordained by the Lord, How can man understand his ways."

Isaiah 45; 7 "I Am the Lord and there is no other, I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity, I the Lord do all these things."

As I have said in great detail in my other works, Evil is evil in itself, but God has a morally good reason for its existence. God has made vessels of clay for glory and some for destruction both for his ultimate glory ( Rom 9; 1-33). God ultimate Justice and Holy wrath will be demonstrated for eternity upon those who have rejected Gods glory. Suffering also has a mysterious power in it, like medicine, to heal us and force the compassion of God to flow out of our lives to others. It is part of the universe to manifest God’s love through his people. Jesus Christ was perfected through suffering. It is the sting of pain that brings out the biblical love that suffers long, counting no wrongs, loving our enemies to the point of death.

Isaiah 46; 9-11 "I am God and there is no other, I am God and there is none like me. My purpose will stand and I will do all that I please, what I have said I will bring about, what I have planed I will do."

God without fail will manifests the greatest good, love, justice, mercy, judgement that exists to demonstrate his eternal glory. Everything that happens will rebound to God’s glory.
"From him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." (Rom 11; 36)


As there is an infinite fullness of all possible good in God, a fullness of every perfection, of all Excellency and beauty and of infinite happiness. This fullness is capable of communication, or emanation ad extra; so it seems a thing pleasant and valuable in itself that this infinite fountain of good should send for abundant streams. And as this is in itself excellent, so a disposition to this in the Divine Being, must be looked upon as an excellent disposition. Such an emanation of good is, in some sense, a multiplication of it. So far it may be looked on as an increase of good. And if the fullness of good that is in the fountain is in itself excellent, then the emanation, which is as it were an increase, repetition, or multiplication of it is excellent.

Since there is an infinite fountain of light and knowledge, that this light should shine forth in beams of communicated knowledge and understanding, and as there is an infinite fountain of holiness, moral excellence, and beauty, that so it should flow out in communicated holiness. And as there is an infinite fullness of joy and happiness, so these should have an emanation and become a fountain flowing out in abundant streams, as beams from the sun. This appears reasonable to suppose that it was God’s last end that there might be a glorious and abundant emanation of his infinite fullness of good and that the disposition to communicate himself, or diffuse his own fullness was what moved him to create the world.

God creates creation to manifest his perfections and creates creatures to taste his perfect nature and express it back to him.

The Whole is of God.
The emanation or communication of the divine fullness, consisting in the knowledge of God, love to him, and joy to him, has relation indeed both to God and to the creature; but it has relation to God as its fountain, as the thing communicated is something of its internal fullness. The water of a stream is something of the fountain; and the beams of the sun are something of the sun. And again they have relation to God as their object; for the knowledge communicated is the knowledge of God; and the love communicated is the love of God, and the happiness communicated is, the joy in God. In the creatures knowing, esteeming, loving, rejoicing in, and praising God, the glory of God is both exhibited and acknowledge; his fullness is received and returned. Here is both an emanation and remanation. The refulgence shines upon and into the creature, and is reflected back to the luminary. The beams of glory come from God, are something of God, and are refunded back to again to their original. So that the whole is of God, and in God, and to God; and he is the beginning, and the middle and the end.

The Chief end of man
The first question of the Westminster Catechism states that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. God has created us to behold his attributes in a finite form to manifest his perfect nature. God created us as moral creatures to manifest his character of goodness to others. God has created creatures so that his perfect nature can be glorified in his saints and reflect back his glory to himself. All that we experience and taste that is good is what we have received as being created in God’s image. It is his moral heart that has been placed in our hearts to beat forth his love. Without God’s light shining in our hearts there would be no goodness felt in the world. For what we have, is only what we have been created to feel and express.

2 Corinthians 4; 6 "For it is God who has commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

For many of us we live our lives living for ourselves, enjoying everything for our own sakes. But there is an ultimate end for us having this beating heart. It is to love others and by doing this we are manifesting Gods glory in his creation. Trinity love, is loving others we the same love you love yourself. God delights in shining his fullness in to our hearts so that we can enjoy him and have fullness of life forever. God in seeking his glory seeks the good of his creatures because the emanation of his glory implies the communicated Excellency and happiness of his creatures. When we feel God’s love we with love others and love God back, God’s love is not selfish for he is an eternal trinity.

Our moral actions are to bring glory to God.

1 Corinthians 10; 31 "Whether therefore you eat or drink, or what ever you do, do all to the glory of God."

1 Peter 4; 11 "That in God all things may be glorified."

Philippians 1; 10-11 "That you may approve things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ Jesus, unto the glory and praise of God."


In giving creatures an ever-increasing likeness to God, God makes himself first cause and last end.
There are many reasons to think that what God has in view in an increasing communication of himself through eternity is an increasing knowledge of God, love to him, and joy in him. And it is to be considered that the more those divine communications increase in the creature the more it becomes one with God, for so much the more is it united to God in love, the heart is drawn nearer and nearer to God, and the union with him becomes more firm and close and at the same time the creature becomes more conformed to God. The image is more and more prefect and so the good that is in the creature comes forever nearer and nearer to an identity with that which is in God. Who has a comprehensive prospect of the increasing union and conformity through eternity. It must be an infinite strict and perfect nearer, conformity and oneness.
So that the eyes of God who perfectly sees the whole of it in its infinite progress and increase, come to an eminent fulfillment of Christ’s request in John 17; 21-23. That they all may be ONE, as the Father is in me (Jesus) and I in him, that they also may be ONE is us; I in them and thou in me that they may be perfect in one.

Our Pains, Sufferings and Failures with not destroy Gods glory
Many of us think that when we are suffering or failing God we are in fact hindering God’s glory shining. But this is impossible, God created everything for his glory. Our sins are evil but God has an ultimate good purpose for them. In our pain he will show us his comfort, in our failures of sin, he will show us his mercy. To those who reject him to the end, God will be glorified when his holy wrath and justice will punish and bring perfect goodness to all wrongs that have taken place. There will be eternal happiness for those who love Gods glory and there will be eternal justice and judgement of God’s glory on those who hate his glory. But those who love God and fail him he will hold by his grace to demonstrate the glory of his grace. Most of our suffering are part of redemptive suffering, which is a pain that perfects the moral attributes of God in us as we learn to get closer to God. He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness (Heb 12;10). True love, suffering long. 2 Corinthians 12; 9 " For my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness

Absolute Personality and False Worldviews

Absolute personality and false worldviews

As we have seen from 1 Peter 3;15 all Christian are called to defend and give a reason for their hope in Christ. But how is the average Christian supposed to refute every false Philosophy and Religion. Do we have to master the whole history of thought? Or study every religion? One can and it would be very helpful, but if every Christian could understand the basic formula of the worldview of "absolute personality" there is no need to be masters of so much material. This formula has the power to disarm all false worldviews to utter irrationalism.

Let’s get our brains thinking!

Reality exists, so there must be an eternal foundation for its existence. As reality can not come into existence from nothing. Nothing has no power and from nothing, nothing comes.
If nothing can produce "nothing", then there has to be an eternal foundation, which has no cause for its existence. It is self-existent. To explain it simple, there has to be a starting place.
This foundation is either rational or impersonal, God or the universe. If it is God and science is correct, the universe had a beginning so God is the eternal foundation for all finite reality. If it is not God then the universe is impersonal (irrational) with no meaning to it or behind it. Also this universe would have to of had existed forever, as being eternal.

Because God is eternal and has existed from all eternity as the absolute fixed foundation of ultimate reality. He is the creator and source of all other existence.
He is the sole interpreter of all events and facts in this universe. He is the sovereign creator of all things. Also all finite things are governed, guided, preserved, sustained, and accomplished according to the counsel of his will and purpose for his Glory (Eph 1; 11). Every event runs according to a rational purpose, there is a plan behind the running of the universe.
If you got lost with the above, then this is the basic conclusion! There must be an eternal source for the existence of reality. Either a rational personal mind (God) or the impersonal universe.

The major Worldviews and Religions

Materialism –All that exists is the material world of matter (Atheism, Buddhism, No souls or spirits)

Pantheism- Pan meaning "All" and theism meaning "God". The worldview that the universe is God and so are YOU (all is God, Hinduism, Taoism). This God is impersonal…Has no mind!

Finite Godism - that there is a finite god. He came into existence.

Polytheism- that there are many finite Gods beyond this world (animism, some forms of Hinduism, Greek, Rome, Egypt religions, Mormonism)

Deism- a personal eternal God who is beyond the universe and does not care for it.

Theism- There is an eternal God who is the creator of the finite world (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam).

How to refute them,

As we have seen for the world to be rational there must be an absolute personality behind it to infuse meaning to the universe. This is Theism (God). Any worldview that does not start of with an eternal personal God is proclaiming an irrational world. If the world is not intelligent then one can not defend it rationally. Any one who tries to make you believe that their beliefs are caused from an irrational world has destroyed any hope in trying to defend their worldview. Their worldview does not have a foundation for it.

This refutes Materialism and Pantheism as they both believe the world is impersonal. There is no ultimate mind behind the universe.

Finite Godism holds that God is not eternal, so then we must ask where this god came from? If this God is not the cause of all things, then this God needs a cause for its own existence. Finite Godism would say that the universe or evolution has produced this God. If it is the universe, then the cause is impersonal and the universe is irrational. As we saw in our studies non-intelligence can not be the source for intelligence or even intelligent finite Gods! Again this worldview does not have a foundation to defend it rationally.

Polytheism is very much the same as above. For one you can not have two all-powerful Gods. One would have to be more powerful than the others to make the statement meaningful. So these many Gods must be finite. So again we see its source for a ultimate foundation for intelligence is the impersonal world of matter.

Deism may be an eternal God but he does not care for the world or inter the world, so he cannot be known. A God that cannot be known cannot be defended, as no one knows anything about him. He has to reveal himself for us to know facts about him.

Theism
When it comes to theism we have three worldviews left. In fact we only really have two as Judaism and Christianity has the same God. Many Christian believe that Allah the God of Islam is the same the God, But this is clearly false if one does there homework. The God of Islam is not a trinity. Islam rejects the doctrine of the trinity. Yes both Christianity and Islam believe in an eternal God, but this does not mean that Islam can give us a rational world. The trinity is very important in proclaiming a rational world.

Absolute personality and the Trinity

The Doctrine of the Trinity teaches that God is one being with three persons. This may seem strange but in fact is very true. If God were just one blank unity this would be impersonal. Consider Love, as an attribute of God. If God is a mere unity without Trinity then what is the object of Gods eternal love? Himself? But love in the fullest biblical sense by its very nature reaches out to another, not merely to the self. For Islam God s to be love means he is dependent on the world to be love; it needs the world to be love. If this was true then God before he had created anything was not a God of love, as he had no one to love. Only when he had created could he be bound to love, by being dependent on the world. This is what Islam’s God is like because he is a single being. As for the Trinity God is personal and has been in a eternal relationship which reach member of the Godhead. As for Islam there is no eternal personal community.
So Islam is impersonal and irrational

We have seen that all worldview fall to bits when one pushes for a eternal foundation for intelligence and rational world. Only Christianity as the eternal personal trinity can give a an answer to how our belief in God can be rational. Our Faith is what establishes the foundation for using reason. Because there is a rational mind behind all reality giving it meaning and purpose we can defend our faith against all the philosophies of this world..

Foolishness of Unbelief

Foolishness of unbelief

In the book of Psalms, chapter 14; 1 it says boldly "The fool has said in his heart there is no God". Why is the Bible so strong on unbelief? It is because it is a rejection of Gods revelation. It is to reject that the world is rational with an ultimate rational source behind it. It is to imply that the world is impersonal or irrational. But the fool thinks he can go out into the world and interpret a world, which has no interpretation or meaning to it. How foolish is that!

To reject Gods revelation is to reject knowledge, which is Gods interpretation of reality.
This is why the apostle Paul made the rhetorical question "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world ( 1 Cor. 1 ;20).That being the philosophies of man who try to explain reality without acknowledging God.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes (Prov. 12; 15). Professing to be wise they have become fools ( Rom. 1; 23 ).

To reject that the universe has a rational mind behind it is to make a world with no meaning and purpose. The unbeliever wishes to believe that the world is irrational, but they can tell us all about it purpose rationally. This is not wise or deep it is irrational, Foolishness.

The fool says,

There is no God or ultimate interpretation or meaning for life! But they use meaning and rationality to tell us this.

They say that there is no such thing as absolute truth! But one only has to ask them if their question is true.

They say that we can not know anything for sure! But they know this for sure "that we cannot know anything for sure.

They deny God existence and complain that evil exist, for which they have no standard to judge reality against.

Some say but how do you know that this world is not just an illusion? Well if this world is an illusion and our minds are in this illusion then our very thought that this world is an illusion is an illusion too, so don’t trust it.

But how do we know reality exists, maybe I don’t? Well the fact that you are trying to deny it shows you must exist. For who is doing the denying?

The unbeliever wants to be the ultimate standard for all things. He wants to have meaning but deny Gods existence for a rational world. He wants to have design, but not a designer, he wants to believe that he is a moral good person, but not that there is a moral lawgiver.

Instead of being a servant for the Creator, unbelievers want to be the Creator. They want to be the ultimate and stand in Gods place.

Eternal Revelation

Eternal Revelation

Because the Unbeliever lives in God’s world, we only have to push him hard enough and he will expose himself and his thinking. The Bible makes it clear that God has revealed himself through all creation. There is know where that one can turn and not see God

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. (Rom. 1;18)

"For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are they about excuse" (Rom. 1; 20)

The first Chapter of the book of Romans verse 18- tells that the unbeliever lives in God’s world suppressing God’s truth. We only have to ask the unbeliever for his foundation for rationality and he will say from an impersonal universe. The unbeliever will never go to an eternal rational source for his rationality or intelligence. He will suppress its connection. His rationality and intelligence he will answer comes from non-intelligence. He will deny that a designed creation needs a designer, that a world full of purpose needs a God who is control guiding this world according to a rational plan, he will deny that objective evil needs an eternal standard to judge something against. He will deny that his mind and soul has been created in the image of God, which is why he can think and correspond with interpreting God thoughts about the world on a human level, that he can find "facts". He simple suppresses the truth of divine general revelation.

Romans says, that God’s invisible attributes are clearly seen, namely his eternal power and divine nature. They have been clearly seen by all people through the creation of the world and the things that are made. Creation demonstrates that there is knowledge, meaning, justice, good and evil, a purpose for all things, Holiness, laws of nature, beauty, Truth. There is an absolute mind with absolute standards that can be perceived through creation. There is revelation in this world, God has given meaning and interpretation to matter. There are rational facts to be found.

Psalm 19;1-2 also says,

"The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.

So according to scripture God is involved in a "show" and "tell" presentation. He shows us who he is through the creation. That God is showing is a proclamation that gives human creatures knowledge. It is because it is so obvious that an irrational universe could not produce these attributes that every human is without excuse. Meaning there is no defense that can wipe God out of the picture. If you want to use reason to try and deny God, you will be implying that the world is rational presupposing but suppressing that God exists.

" For although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles" (Rom. 1;21-23)

Paul tells us they know God alright, but they have chosen not to honor him and let him be the final standard. He says that claiming to be wise they became fools. Why are they fools? Because who will believe that non-intelligence can produce intelligence. There foundation for reality is irrational. Instead of worshiping the Creator, they have chosen to worship the creation. Their philosophy of evolution does the same thing, it worships the creation and creatures. Thinking that the world is impersonal and we have evolved from creatures. Most unbelievers have the philosophy of evolution as their idol, they worship it being fully committed to it.

To deny Christianity is to deny that Knowledge is even possible.

Conflict between final Authorities

Conflict between final Authorities

The Christian and non-Christian come to debate with two different views of the world. We both come with presuppositions, which influence how we interpret the world we live in. The Christian will use the ability of "reason" as a tool to find facts or revelation in the world to defend his position and the non-believer will use his ability to "reason" not as a tool to find revelation but as a final standard to reasoning upon his own reasoning. This is the unbeliever final standard of truth as he does not believe that God has revealed himself.

As I have said before in great detail, either you believe that there is an absolute eternal mind behind the universe, which gives an objective interpretation to all objects of reality according to a rational plan making this world meaningful and rational, or you believe in an impersonal universe without God.

But if you believe that there is know God then you become the final standard for truth, your intuition is the standard. Because if there is know God then there are no facts to be found out in the universe as a criteria for truth. As an impersonal universe has know mind or interpretation behind its objects.

A "fact" is an interpretation of an object. A mind has to be behind it. God is the ultimate interpreter of what he has created as it follows from the eternal source of knowledge( His mind and will). Without God the world is irrational. To try and find revelation or facts in an impersonal universe is irrational, either finite man has all knowledge some where in his head or he is doomed in finding correct knowledge. Once we come into a saving relationship with Christ we put on the mind of Christ and see God’s interpretation of reality. We see that there is a mind behind the world, and his word reveals how we are understand this world. As Christian we are to interpret God ultimate interpretation.

So we see that there is a conflict of ultimate authorities either God’s interpretation or man’s finite intuition (interpretation of reality). Yes the unbeliever seems to have the same knowledge as we do because the truth is he lives in God’s world.

There are two choices to take,

God is the eternal foundation for rationality, giving the world meaning and revealing his interpretation of reality or the universe is impersonal and has evolved and made our minds which look out to a random irrational world imposing our theories and human concepts on it. If the impersonal created our thinking, then it is irrational, and if the world outside our minds has know interpretation behind it then it is irrational and will lead us to know truth. In the end we are stuck with our abstract irrational concepts that correspond to nothing as the world is meaningless anyway. They are random inventions…

When it comes to defending our faith we must push these truths, because the unbeliever will use, reason, will believe in meaning, good, and evil, and value, design, purpose, laws of nature. But will have no ultimate rational source for them. They will have to accept that the impersonal irrational world which they find themselves in some how produce there rational mind, that some how we just think things are evil, why they are or who’s standard we are following they cant say. Which is more rational, Our Intelligence came from a absolute intelligence God who has made the world rational, being a mind behind all the facts of the universe so they all relate to reach other, or that unintelligence produce intelligence, meaning and purpose making unintelligence more intelligent than intelligence.

When defending the faith we must use our weapon "God’s Word, his interpretation" to press the antitheses between God and unbelief.

"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinions raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Cor 10;3-)

In my next post I will look at the weapons of Romans One, when it comes to pressing the antithesis on the unbeliever.

Humble Boldness

Humble Boldness

Every Christian is called to give a reason for why he has this hope in Christ. It is vitally important that we learn how to deal with our emotions and passions. We are to boldly defend our faith with no fear, but this must be done with humbleness and respect.

1 Peter 3;15-16 says,

"But set apart Christ as Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed".

Peter tells us to set apart Christ as Lord in our hearts. This means that Christ is to be LORD of our life, thinking, motives, and actions. He is to be the final standard that we seek to follow. As Christians we are called by God to give a defense for why we believe what we believe and why we have this great hope in Christ. This is to be done with meekness and respect. The word "defense" in its Greek translation is where we get the word "apologia". It is a legal word used often in courtroom settings. It carries the idea of setting forth a response to an accusation. We are to be ready always to give this defense for why we have this strong foundation in Christ.

When we come to defend our faith, we must start by defending it by the word of God. The word of God is our authority. The unbeliever may be quick to say that we are presupposing that the Word of God is true first, and then forcing it upon them. But as Christian this is what we must do, We have set apart our minds to God when we believed in him. For we did not learn Christ from the principles of this world. We have put on the mind of Christ. The unbeliever will still say "But you are just making the word of God your final authority. To this we answer, yes we do, but by what authority other than yourself do you use to justify yourself. Don’t you reason upon your own reasoning and then become the final standard in what you think. If reason is your authority then the Bibles claim to absolute authority, as God’s Eternal revelation is it’s own standard too.

The Truth lies in which worldview is consistent in its thinking and defense about all reality. As we will see, the bible says that unbelief is foolishness. This foolishness is not a mocking of a person, but of his worldview, that being an impersonal universe. The battle comes down to two conflicting ultimate commitments.

In the end there are only to views, you will presuppose that God exist or you will not. There will be two conflicting presuppositions on reality and two final authorities. Either your final authority will be the Word of God or finite reasoning.

The Battle belongs to the Lord

The Battle belongs to the Lord

How should we defend the Faith?

Its is time to start a new series of posts on "How we as Christians should defend the Faith". This post will be an introduction for the following posts that shall follow.
Ephesians 4; 17-20 says,
This I say, therefore and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. Who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you did so learn Christ after this manner, if indeed you have heard him and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus"

Paul makes it clear in verse 20 that we did not learn about Christ from the principles of this world. The world walks in sin, with their minds darkened in ignorance being alienated from God in the blindness of their hearts.

We did not learn or come to Christ by the wisdom of this world. We learned Christ by being drawn and by having repentance granted to us from God. The Christian who posses a knowledge of the truth, does so only because faith has been given to him as a gift (Eph. 2; 8-9).

Our sinful world see’ Christ as foolishness (1 Cor. 1; 18;25) so why would we use the principles of this world to defend our faith. Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world, its philosophies, principles ... Romans 8; 7-8 describing the sin nature of the unbeliever saying that the carnal mind is enmity (opposed, hates) against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor can it indeed be. So then those who are of the flesh cannot please God.

When one becomes a Christian his faith has not been generated by the thought patterns of worldly wisdom. There are no principles to be taken from the word to defend our faith, for it is against our faith. We are to submit our thinking to the Lordship of Christ. We are to have the mind of Christ and walk in the new man and not in the old which is empty foolish reasoning, rejecting Gods existence. Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4;4).

In the words of 1 Peter 3;15, the perfect way for offering a reasoned defense of the Christian faith is to have "set apart" Christ as Lord in your hearts. Christ must be the ultimate authority over our philosophy, our reasoning, and our argumentation. Not just at the end, but at the beginning of the apologetic endeavor. If we are to "cast down reasoning and every high thing exalted against the knowledge of God. We must bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10;5). For "In Thy sight (God’s) shall we see light (Ps. 36;9).

After all in Christ "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are deposited (Col. 2;3). If you want true knowledge then you must have God’s interpretation of reality. You must have the Truth "Thy word is Truth" (John 17 ;17). As John 1;1 starts of, In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and the Word became flesh. This Word is also Gods mind given to us as revelation, that being the Bible.

We are to use the weapon that God has given us to defend our Faith that being his sword, the Word of God.

To try and defend the faith any other way or even thinking that one must be neutral is infact to be immoral. No one is able to serve two lords (Matt. 6;24). Either you have the mind of Christ or you live with the vain mind of the unbeliever. As Christians we are to "set apart" our minds to the Lordship of Christ. Any other way makes you a double minded person (James 1; 8) unstable in all your ways.

This means that the believer must presuppose the truth of God’s word from start to finish in his apologetics witness. The Christians final standard is the word of God, for the "fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge"(Prov.1;7)

As we will see as these posts go on all the believer needs to defend his Faith is the power of the word of God. It will make every other worldview unintelligible and will press the unbeliever to see that he is suppressing the knowledge of God in unrighteousness making his so-called knowledge foolishness.

The next post will look at 1 Peter 3;15 and also at the believers and unbelievers ultimate commitments.

For Their sake's

For Their Sake’s (John 17; 19)

"And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth"
In John chapter 17 Jesus prays to his Father and reveals some distinct information on whom he lays his life down for. We will work our way through this chapter analyzing verses, which reveal Jesus intentions.

Verse 1 starts out with Jesus praying to his Father "Father the hour has come, glorify your Son that your Son also may glorify you. As you have given him authority over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him." (1-2).

Jesus says that his hour has come to glorify his Father on earth. He also says that he has been given authority over all flesh to give eternal life to as many as the Father has given him. The idea of the Father giving Jesus authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all those which the Father has given him implies that the Father has a group of people he has given to the Son to receive salvation. This we know was done in eternity Eph 1;1-9.

"I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word" ( 6 ).

What does Jesus mean when he says that the Father had given him a people group out of the world and they were the Fathers? What Jesus is saying is that the Father has a chosen people out of the world, which are his, It is these he gives to the Son to save and look after. Take notes the Father does not give the whole world to the Son to save.

"I pray for them, I do not pray for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. And all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them" ( 9-10).

Jesus makes it clear that he is not praying for the world, but for those the Father has given him. Jesus also says that all his Fathers people are his people and both the Father and the Son are glorified in them. What does this mean? It means who ever the Father gives to the Son will be saved, Jesus will die in their place so that they will be glorified.

Some may says; But Jesus is only taking about a few people he has manifested himself to while being on earth, what about other believers today. This is true, but in John 10; 16 it says that Jesus has other sheep which are not of this fold which he must bring and they will hear his voice and they will be one flock and of one Shepherd. These Jesus will manifest himself to by his spirit as he draws them.

"I have given them your word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world"( 14)

The world hates them because they are not of this world. They are a chosen elect race of people chosen out of the world. They are not members of this sinful world, just as Christ is not of this sinful world. They are his body chosen form the foundation of the world to be glorified and redeemed.

"And for their sakes I sanctify myself that they also may be sanctified by the truth" ( 19).

It is this verse that Jesus tells us whom he lays his life down to save. "For their sakes" who are they? They are those who the Father has given to the Son. It is not every person who has ever lived. No the cross is intended for all those who were in Christ from the foundation of the world (Eph 1; 4). It is those who are "in him" from the foundation of the world that have redemption (Eph 1; 7).

What does the word sanctify mean in Jesus context? One thing it does not mean is that Jesus was making himself holy, as Jesus was sinless from eternity. The word means namely dedication, consecration, a setting apart for a special work of God. It means an entire offering of oneself to God for his glory and for his purpose. This offering was his life on the cross for his chosen people, the children of God.

The amazing thing is that Jesus Christ has devoted himself entirely to our redemption. He came to save his Fathers people and he saved them at the cross.

When Jesus Christ rose again from the dead, he rose not merely in and of himself, but also as the representative of his people.