Cornelius Van Til (1895-1987) was a Christian apologist and theologian. He was born in the Netherlands and moved to America as a child. Van Til was influenced by Abraham Kuyper, Herman Bavinck, and John Calvin. He taught at Princeton Theological Seminary for a short time but left along with J. Gresham Machen and others after it took a liberal turn. Afterward Machen convinced Van Til to teach apologetics at the new Westminster Theological Seminary. Van Til started there in 1929 and stayed there for several decades.
Van Til became unsatisfied with the traditional methods of apologetics, the classical and evidentialist approach. Van Til believed the traditional methods erroneously assumed that there was a neutral ground where the believer and the unbeliever could meet and reason from there. He believed that if you assumed from the start that intelligibility and knowledge were possible apart form the triune God you had already lost the argument.
Cornelius Van Til developed his own apologetic method which became known as presuppositional apologetics. A presupposition is an assumption or basic belief that a person holds from the start through which he interprets everything else. Van Til believed that an unbeliever would interpret evidences and proofs through his basic presupposition of unbelief and deny the Christian God. The unbeliever suppresses the truth about God because of his sin and rationalizes away the evidences and proofs.
Van Til's apologetic used the transcendental argument or indirect reasoning. He believed that intelligibility and meaning are only possible if we presuppose the Bible as true. The Christian worldview is the only worldview that makes sense of your world. Van Til believed that the unbeliever had to borrow from the Christian worldview in order to live his life consistently. The unbelievers worldview will break down because it cannot account for intelligibility, meaning, or the preconditions for life. Van Til's apologetic used the transcendental argument in order to show the contradictions, inconsistencies, and arbitrariness of the unbelievers worldview. He also showed that the Christian worldview was consistent and was necessary for intelligibility and purpose.
Cornelius Van Til's presuppositional apologetics flowed from his Reformed theology. He sought to develop an apologetic that was truly Biblical and truly Reformed. He sought to honor Christ as Lord throughout his entire apologetic method. There is no neutral ground, you are either with Christ or you are against him. Van Til sought to prove the existence of the Christian God not just provide evidence that made the existence of God probable. Notable students of Van Til's
who continued to use his apologetic method include Greg Bahnsen and John Frame.
Monday, December 26, 2016
Monday, December 19, 2016
Jeremiah 29:11 (In Context)
(Jeremiah 29:11) "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (ESV)
Jeremiah 29:11 is a favorite verse for many evangelicals who often quote it. Unfortunately it is usually quoted out of context. We must always look at a verse as part of a passage, and the passage as part of a book. We must take into consideration what comes before the verse and what comes after it. We should also look at the background of the passage and to whom it was written.
The historical background of this passage is the Babylonian exile of the Israelites (Judah). They were sent into exile because of their disobedience and idolatry.
In Jeremiah 29:5-7 God tells the Israelites to build houses, have families, seek the welfare of the city, and to pray to the LORD for the city. They are going to be there in Babylon for a long time. In Jeremiah 29:8-9 God tells them not to listen to the false prophets who are telling them they will return to the land shortly. In Jeremiah 29:10 they are told that after seventy years they will return to their land.
Then comes Jeremiah 29:11, the verse that is so often quoted.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (ESV)
In Jeremiah 29:11, God's plan for the exiles is for their welfare or peace (the Hebrew word shalom) and not for evil. They will have a future and a hope in their homeland.
In Jeremiah 29:12-14, God says he will hear their prayers and they will find God when they seek him with all their heart. The LORD will restore them and bring them back to the land after 70 years.
As we can see Jeremiah 29:11 applied to the Israelites (Judah) who were exiled to Babylon. It applied to a certain people in a certain historical circumstance. We must remember that this verse does not apply to everyone in every situation.
Jeremiah 29:11 is a favorite verse for many evangelicals who often quote it. Unfortunately it is usually quoted out of context. We must always look at a verse as part of a passage, and the passage as part of a book. We must take into consideration what comes before the verse and what comes after it. We should also look at the background of the passage and to whom it was written.
The historical background of this passage is the Babylonian exile of the Israelites (Judah). They were sent into exile because of their disobedience and idolatry.
In Jeremiah 29:5-7 God tells the Israelites to build houses, have families, seek the welfare of the city, and to pray to the LORD for the city. They are going to be there in Babylon for a long time. In Jeremiah 29:8-9 God tells them not to listen to the false prophets who are telling them they will return to the land shortly. In Jeremiah 29:10 they are told that after seventy years they will return to their land.
Then comes Jeremiah 29:11, the verse that is so often quoted.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (ESV)
In Jeremiah 29:11, God's plan for the exiles is for their welfare or peace (the Hebrew word shalom) and not for evil. They will have a future and a hope in their homeland.
In Jeremiah 29:12-14, God says he will hear their prayers and they will find God when they seek him with all their heart. The LORD will restore them and bring them back to the land after 70 years.
As we can see Jeremiah 29:11 applied to the Israelites (Judah) who were exiled to Babylon. It applied to a certain people in a certain historical circumstance. We must remember that this verse does not apply to everyone in every situation.
Monday, December 12, 2016
The Disappearance Of Cultural Christianity
It is helpful to distinguish between cultural Christianity and convictional Christianity. Cultural Christians are those who are nominal (in name only) Christians. They identify with Christianity because of the social benefit, social status, or because it is the tradition. On the other hand convictional Christians are those who are true Christians. They follow Christ and hold orthodox beliefs.
Most of American history has been marked by a Christian consensus. Even those who where not true Christians still went along with basic Christian teaching and morality. But the Christian consensus has disappeared in recent times as society has been overtaken by secularism. Christian beliefs no longer dominate our culture after the rise of secularism.
In the secular city things such as homosexuality and transgenderism have become normal. The media, education, and entertainment industry no longer honor Christianity and are actually hostile to it. Since there is no longer a social benefit for identifying as a Christian, we are seeing the disappearance of cultural Christianity. For some millennials there is now no tradition of Christianity.
The disappearance of cultural Christianity means that fewer of those around us will hold the same values as us. But the disappearance of cultural Christianity is not all bad. We will begin to see who the real Christians are and who the nominal Christians are. When the culture turns against or becomes hostile to Christianity, those who are not the real deal will not stick around. We will see a purifying of the church and it will become stronger.
In reality America never was as Christian as some of us would like to believe. It never really was a Christian nation because there is no such thing. God's people is the church which is comprised of people from all nations.
Most of American history has been marked by a Christian consensus. Even those who where not true Christians still went along with basic Christian teaching and morality. But the Christian consensus has disappeared in recent times as society has been overtaken by secularism. Christian beliefs no longer dominate our culture after the rise of secularism.
In the secular city things such as homosexuality and transgenderism have become normal. The media, education, and entertainment industry no longer honor Christianity and are actually hostile to it. Since there is no longer a social benefit for identifying as a Christian, we are seeing the disappearance of cultural Christianity. For some millennials there is now no tradition of Christianity.
The disappearance of cultural Christianity means that fewer of those around us will hold the same values as us. But the disappearance of cultural Christianity is not all bad. We will begin to see who the real Christians are and who the nominal Christians are. When the culture turns against or becomes hostile to Christianity, those who are not the real deal will not stick around. We will see a purifying of the church and it will become stronger.
In reality America never was as Christian as some of us would like to believe. It never really was a Christian nation because there is no such thing. God's people is the church which is comprised of people from all nations.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Trump VS Clinton
The two major parties have given us Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. In other words pick your poison. This is indeed an historic election, that is an historically bad election. This may be the worst choice in American history.
Apologists for Trump and Clinton have twisted themselves into pretzels trying to defend these two. We must concede that it is very difficult to defend the indefensible. Those defending Trump and Clinton have greatly damaged their credibility.
Republicans once decried the immorality of Bill Clinton. Now they embrace a man with the same morals as Bill Clinton. This is total hypocrisy. Not to be outdone the Democrats have employed the same total hypocrisy in reverse.
Trump has no real political philosophy. On the issues he has been all over the place, basically making it up as he has gone along. Trump is not a conservative, even supporters like Rush Limbaugh admit this. Trump is basically a populist telling people what they want to hear. On the other hand Hillary Clinton is a liberal or progressive who is wrong on almost every issue. Her policy positions are indeed frightening. Trump's association with Breitbart and the Alt Right is troubling. Hillary's association with the Left and all it's various groups is also very troubling.
Donald Trump is an arrogant egomaniac who is unqualified to be president. Hillary Clinton is untrustworthy, corrupt, and involved in scandal after scandal. She too is unfit to be president. In normal, sane times both of these candidates would be disqualified from consideration as president. But we do not live in normal, sane times.
In the media FOX News promotes Donald Trump. In fact Sean Hannity and Lou Dobbs have been part of the Trump campaign since the primaries. The mainstream media supports Hillary Clinton and has an extreme bias against Donald Trump. Many of them have been part of the Clinton campaign all along. The media has been shameful during this presidential campaign.
I cannot in good conscience vote for either one of these candidates. Many make the lesser of two evils argument. But if you vote for the lesser of two evils you are still voting for evil. It is said that a vote for a third party or independent is a wasted vote. In reality those voting for unworthy candidates like Clinton and Trump are wasting their vote.
Finally those expecting to be saved by a politician are going to be disappointed. No politician can save you and placing your hope in a man (or woman) is foolish. America's problems go much deeper than the political level.
Apologists for Trump and Clinton have twisted themselves into pretzels trying to defend these two. We must concede that it is very difficult to defend the indefensible. Those defending Trump and Clinton have greatly damaged their credibility.
Republicans once decried the immorality of Bill Clinton. Now they embrace a man with the same morals as Bill Clinton. This is total hypocrisy. Not to be outdone the Democrats have employed the same total hypocrisy in reverse.
Trump has no real political philosophy. On the issues he has been all over the place, basically making it up as he has gone along. Trump is not a conservative, even supporters like Rush Limbaugh admit this. Trump is basically a populist telling people what they want to hear. On the other hand Hillary Clinton is a liberal or progressive who is wrong on almost every issue. Her policy positions are indeed frightening. Trump's association with Breitbart and the Alt Right is troubling. Hillary's association with the Left and all it's various groups is also very troubling.
Donald Trump is an arrogant egomaniac who is unqualified to be president. Hillary Clinton is untrustworthy, corrupt, and involved in scandal after scandal. She too is unfit to be president. In normal, sane times both of these candidates would be disqualified from consideration as president. But we do not live in normal, sane times.
In the media FOX News promotes Donald Trump. In fact Sean Hannity and Lou Dobbs have been part of the Trump campaign since the primaries. The mainstream media supports Hillary Clinton and has an extreme bias against Donald Trump. Many of them have been part of the Clinton campaign all along. The media has been shameful during this presidential campaign.
I cannot in good conscience vote for either one of these candidates. Many make the lesser of two evils argument. But if you vote for the lesser of two evils you are still voting for evil. It is said that a vote for a third party or independent is a wasted vote. In reality those voting for unworthy candidates like Clinton and Trump are wasting their vote.
Finally those expecting to be saved by a politician are going to be disappointed. No politician can save you and placing your hope in a man (or woman) is foolish. America's problems go much deeper than the political level.
Monday, August 22, 2016
Love And The Ten Commandments
In modern America love is often defined by emotionalism and tolerance. It involves tolerating whatever anyone does including sinful acts. Of course love is most certainly never negative. It is love with no content, we do not know what love really is. The place to find the content for love is the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). We may not think of the Ten Commandments in this way but they do actually show us real love.
If we love God we will have no other gods before him. We will have no other gods in his presence, of course all other gods are false. God is basically telling us to get those false gods out of my face. We must worship the one, true God. If we love God we will not make a carved image or false idol. God is spirit, he has no physical form. We must worship God in the proper way.
If we love God we will not take his name in vain. Taking his name in vain shows hatred of God. Taking his name in vain includes using his name for a false oath, in an empty or casual way, or as a curse word. What about observing the Sabbath Day? It is no longer the same under the New Covenant. Under the Old Covenant it was on Saturday. Christians observe the Lords' Day which is on Sunday because the resurrection was on Sunday. If we love God we will worship him on the Lord's Day.
A person with true love will honor his parents. He will obey them and show them the proper respect. He will also take care of them when they are in need. If you love your neighbor you will not murder him. This would include things like abortion and euthanasia. These things are hateful acts. In fact just hating someone violates the commandment prohibiting murder.
If you love your neighbor you will not commit adultery with his wife. Looking with lustful intent is also considered adultery. If you love your neighbor you will not steal from him. You will respect his property and possessions.
If you love your neighbor you will not bear false witness against him. Love is associated with the truth, lying shows hatred. If you love your neighbor you will not covet his things. In fact coveting often leads to murder, adultery, stealing, lying, and worshiping a false idol.
The Ten Commandments show us the true content of love. Sinful acts are never loving. True love worships and obeys the one, true God and desires what is right for ones neighbor. The ultimate goal of true love is always to glorify God.
If we love God we will have no other gods before him. We will have no other gods in his presence, of course all other gods are false. God is basically telling us to get those false gods out of my face. We must worship the one, true God. If we love God we will not make a carved image or false idol. God is spirit, he has no physical form. We must worship God in the proper way.
If we love God we will not take his name in vain. Taking his name in vain shows hatred of God. Taking his name in vain includes using his name for a false oath, in an empty or casual way, or as a curse word. What about observing the Sabbath Day? It is no longer the same under the New Covenant. Under the Old Covenant it was on Saturday. Christians observe the Lords' Day which is on Sunday because the resurrection was on Sunday. If we love God we will worship him on the Lord's Day.
A person with true love will honor his parents. He will obey them and show them the proper respect. He will also take care of them when they are in need. If you love your neighbor you will not murder him. This would include things like abortion and euthanasia. These things are hateful acts. In fact just hating someone violates the commandment prohibiting murder.
If you love your neighbor you will not commit adultery with his wife. Looking with lustful intent is also considered adultery. If you love your neighbor you will not steal from him. You will respect his property and possessions.
If you love your neighbor you will not bear false witness against him. Love is associated with the truth, lying shows hatred. If you love your neighbor you will not covet his things. In fact coveting often leads to murder, adultery, stealing, lying, and worshiping a false idol.
The Ten Commandments show us the true content of love. Sinful acts are never loving. True love worships and obeys the one, true God and desires what is right for ones neighbor. The ultimate goal of true love is always to glorify God.
Monday, August 8, 2016
To Die Is Gain
To die is gain? This sounds like a strange statement. But for the Christian to die actually is gain because he will go to heaven where there is no more sorrow or pain. To die is not gain for everyone though. Those apart from Christ will face God's wrath for eternity in hell.
(Philippians 1:21) "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (ESV)
The Apostle Paul wrote these words in his letter to the Philippians. He probably wrote the letter from Rome while in prison around A.D. 62. Paul constantly faced persecution and death was always a possibility. Paul's ultimate concern was to honor Christ in life or death. He desired to depart and be with Christ but remaining here was more necessary to accomplish fruitful labor. For Paul to live is to serve Christ and death is gain because he will leave his sufferings and troubles to be with Christ. Paul lived several more years after writing this letter, dying around A.D. 67.
Many modern Christians foolishly cling to this world and life when we should long for heaven. We think we will lose something or lack something when go to heaven. Heaven will not lack anything and it will not be loss but gain. There will be no more troubles, suffering or pain. We will finally live life to the full. To be with Christ is far better. Christians should not fear death.
We must point out that death is not a good thing. We should not long to die, but we should long to go to heaven. Death is not normal but abnormal, it is not natural but unnatural. Death was not part of the original creation but entered the world because of sin. We are now under the sin curse. But Christ through his life, death, and resurrection has defeated sin and death.
Because of sin we all face the wrath of a holy God and are on the road to hell. Salvation is found in Christ alone, there is nothing we can do to earn it. You must believe that Jesus is the Christ or Messiah and the Son of the living God. You must repent of your sins and place your faith in Christ alone. Jesus is the only way to heaven.
(Philippians 1:21) "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (ESV)
The Apostle Paul wrote these words in his letter to the Philippians. He probably wrote the letter from Rome while in prison around A.D. 62. Paul constantly faced persecution and death was always a possibility. Paul's ultimate concern was to honor Christ in life or death. He desired to depart and be with Christ but remaining here was more necessary to accomplish fruitful labor. For Paul to live is to serve Christ and death is gain because he will leave his sufferings and troubles to be with Christ. Paul lived several more years after writing this letter, dying around A.D. 67.
Many modern Christians foolishly cling to this world and life when we should long for heaven. We think we will lose something or lack something when go to heaven. Heaven will not lack anything and it will not be loss but gain. There will be no more troubles, suffering or pain. We will finally live life to the full. To be with Christ is far better. Christians should not fear death.
We must point out that death is not a good thing. We should not long to die, but we should long to go to heaven. Death is not normal but abnormal, it is not natural but unnatural. Death was not part of the original creation but entered the world because of sin. We are now under the sin curse. But Christ through his life, death, and resurrection has defeated sin and death.
Because of sin we all face the wrath of a holy God and are on the road to hell. Salvation is found in Christ alone, there is nothing we can do to earn it. You must believe that Jesus is the Christ or Messiah and the Son of the living God. You must repent of your sins and place your faith in Christ alone. Jesus is the only way to heaven.
Monday, July 25, 2016
Martin Luther Books
About Luther
Here I Stand: A Life Of Martin Luther By Roland Bainton
Martin Luther: A Guided Tour Of His Life And Thought By Stephen Nichols
Luther On The Christian Life By Carl Trueman
The Legacy Of Luther Edited By R.C. Sproul & Stephen Nichols
Collected Works
Martin Luther's Basic Theological Writings Edited By Timothy Lull
Martin Luther: Selections From His Writings Edited By John Dillenberger
By Luther
The Bondage Of The Will
Commentary On Galatians
Here I Stand: A Life Of Martin Luther By Roland Bainton
Martin Luther: A Guided Tour Of His Life And Thought By Stephen Nichols
Luther On The Christian Life By Carl Trueman
The Legacy Of Luther Edited By R.C. Sproul & Stephen Nichols
Collected Works
Martin Luther's Basic Theological Writings Edited By Timothy Lull
Martin Luther: Selections From His Writings Edited By John Dillenberger
By Luther
The Bondage Of The Will
Commentary On Galatians
Monday, July 18, 2016
After Darkness, Light
"After darkness, light" was a motto of the Protestant Reformation in the 1500's. The Reformation was led by men like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli. Darkness referred to the time of the Middle Ages when the Bible was kept out of the hands of the people. The Roman Catholic Church would not allow the the Bible to be translated into the language of the people. It was only in Latin and had to be interpreted by the Pope and the Bishops.
The Reformers put the Bible back into the hands of the people. They believed that the average person could understand the basic message of the Bible. The Reformers proclaimed Scripture alone as authoritative and not the Pope, Bishops, or church councils. The Reformers held to the sufficiency and clarity of Scripture. In fact the clarity of Scripture was part of the great debate between Martin Luther and Desiderius Erasmus. Luther argued for the Protestant view that Scripture is clear because it is from God and he is capable of clearly revealing his Word to his people. While Erasmus argued for the Catholic view that the Scripture is not clear and needs to be interpreted by the Pope and Bishops.
In the Protestant Reformation, Biblical Christianity was recovered. The Bible began to be translated into the languages of the people. The true gospel of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone was recovered. And the glory belonged to God alone. The lives and thought of people were greatly affected. The Protestant Reformation had an enormous effect on Western Civilization leading to much human flourishing. The Bible changes people because it is the Word of God. As Martin Luther said, "the Bible is alive."
But in our time the Western world has turned away from the light and has headed back into the darkness. Liberals long ago abandoned the authority of Scripture and many evangelicals seem determined to follow them down that path. Many evangelicals now deny the authority, inerrancy, sufficiency, and clarity of Scripture. We have rejected the source of truth and gone after lies. We need another reformation with a recovery of confidence in the Bible as the literal Word of God. If we return to belief in the authority of Scripture then we will eventually be able to say, "after darkness, light."
The Reformers put the Bible back into the hands of the people. They believed that the average person could understand the basic message of the Bible. The Reformers proclaimed Scripture alone as authoritative and not the Pope, Bishops, or church councils. The Reformers held to the sufficiency and clarity of Scripture. In fact the clarity of Scripture was part of the great debate between Martin Luther and Desiderius Erasmus. Luther argued for the Protestant view that Scripture is clear because it is from God and he is capable of clearly revealing his Word to his people. While Erasmus argued for the Catholic view that the Scripture is not clear and needs to be interpreted by the Pope and Bishops.
In the Protestant Reformation, Biblical Christianity was recovered. The Bible began to be translated into the languages of the people. The true gospel of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone was recovered. And the glory belonged to God alone. The lives and thought of people were greatly affected. The Protestant Reformation had an enormous effect on Western Civilization leading to much human flourishing. The Bible changes people because it is the Word of God. As Martin Luther said, "the Bible is alive."
But in our time the Western world has turned away from the light and has headed back into the darkness. Liberals long ago abandoned the authority of Scripture and many evangelicals seem determined to follow them down that path. Many evangelicals now deny the authority, inerrancy, sufficiency, and clarity of Scripture. We have rejected the source of truth and gone after lies. We need another reformation with a recovery of confidence in the Bible as the literal Word of God. If we return to belief in the authority of Scripture then we will eventually be able to say, "after darkness, light."
Monday, July 4, 2016
Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin
How often do we hear the phrase, "love the sinner, hate the sin?" But the phrase is not in the Bible. I am told it actually originates with Gandhi. So does God love the sinner but hate the sin? Psalm 5 tells us the very opposite.
(Psalm 5:5) "The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers." (ESV)
People do not just commit sinful actions, their very nature is sinful. The sinner cannot be separated from his sin. It is who the person is, sin is not just something outside of him. Our sinfulness makes us an object of God's wrath. Apart from Christ and the cross we remain under God's wrath.
(John 3:36) "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." (ESV)
We are all sinners, evildoers, and unrighteous people who apart from Christ will face the wrath of God for eternity in hell. The hatred of God is a holy hatred, it is not like the self centered hatred of men. The holiness of God requires that he hate all things sinful.
But at the same time God loves humanity. He sent his Son to save his people from the wrath to come. We can only be reconciled to God through Christ. God's love and grace are shown to us through Jesus and his work on the cross. Christ took the wrath of God on himself in the place of all who believe.
The phrase "love the sinner, hate the sin" is somewhat correct but it tends to be misleading. It tends to downplay the wrath of God and the utter sinfulness of mankind. We do not know who we are because we do not know who God is. The modern church needs to recover its sense of the holiness of God. People must repent and trust in Christ alone to be saved from the wrath of God.
(Psalm 5:5) "The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers." (ESV)
People do not just commit sinful actions, their very nature is sinful. The sinner cannot be separated from his sin. It is who the person is, sin is not just something outside of him. Our sinfulness makes us an object of God's wrath. Apart from Christ and the cross we remain under God's wrath.
(John 3:36) "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." (ESV)
We are all sinners, evildoers, and unrighteous people who apart from Christ will face the wrath of God for eternity in hell. The hatred of God is a holy hatred, it is not like the self centered hatred of men. The holiness of God requires that he hate all things sinful.
But at the same time God loves humanity. He sent his Son to save his people from the wrath to come. We can only be reconciled to God through Christ. God's love and grace are shown to us through Jesus and his work on the cross. Christ took the wrath of God on himself in the place of all who believe.
The phrase "love the sinner, hate the sin" is somewhat correct but it tends to be misleading. It tends to downplay the wrath of God and the utter sinfulness of mankind. We do not know who we are because we do not know who God is. The modern church needs to recover its sense of the holiness of God. People must repent and trust in Christ alone to be saved from the wrath of God.
Monday, June 6, 2016
Donald Trump And Russell Moore
Recently Donald Trump and Russell Moore have had an interesting exchange. Of course Donald Trump is a real estate mogul, celebrity, and presumptive Republican presidential nominee. Russell Moore is with the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. Moore has been a public opponent of Trump even contributing to the National Review issue "Against Trump".
Donald Trump responded to Russell Moore with his usually tact and class saying Moore was "a nasty guy with no heart." Most interesting was Moore's response to Trump because he agreed with him saying, "I am a nasty guy with no heart, which is why I need forgiveness of sins and redemption through the gospel of Jesus Christ."
Russell Moore was right on target with his response. In reality Russell Moore, Donald Trump, and the rest of us are nasty guys with no heart. This is what theologians call total depravity. We are all utterly sinful and unrighteous. We are born sinners and are not the good people we think we are (See Genesis 3, Psalm 51:5, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23).
Because of our sin we face the wrath of God and deserve to go to hell. We can only find forgiveness through Christ and his work on the cross. No one deserves to go to heaven. Salvation is by God's grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
(Romans 7:24-25a) "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (ESV)
Donald Trump responded to Russell Moore with his usually tact and class saying Moore was "a nasty guy with no heart." Most interesting was Moore's response to Trump because he agreed with him saying, "I am a nasty guy with no heart, which is why I need forgiveness of sins and redemption through the gospel of Jesus Christ."
Russell Moore was right on target with his response. In reality Russell Moore, Donald Trump, and the rest of us are nasty guys with no heart. This is what theologians call total depravity. We are all utterly sinful and unrighteous. We are born sinners and are not the good people we think we are (See Genesis 3, Psalm 51:5, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23).
Because of our sin we face the wrath of God and deserve to go to hell. We can only find forgiveness through Christ and his work on the cross. No one deserves to go to heaven. Salvation is by God's grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
(Romans 7:24-25a) "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (ESV)
Monday, May 30, 2016
I'm A Fusionist
So, what in the world is a fusionist? Fusionism is a political philosophy that combines traditionalism and libertarianism. The architect of fusionism was Frank Meyer (1909-1972). Meyer was a former communist who became a conservative and was one of the original editors of National Review. He believed that traditionalists should be libertarians and libertarians should be traditionalists. Meyer believed the two groups had a common enemy (liberalism/socialism) and also a common heritage. The name "fusionism" was actually coined by Brent Bozell Jr. who was a traditionalist opponent of the political philosophy of Frank Meyer.
In 1955 William F. Buckley brought together traditionalists, libertarians, and anticommunists at his new magazine National Review. Buckley credited Frank Meyer for doing the best job of bringing these groups together with his fusionism. Fusionism was embraced by Buckley as well as Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. Fusionism became known simply as conservatism.
Frank Meyer saw the basic functions of government as national defense, maintaining order, and promoting justice. He believed the national government should be limited, states rights should be recognized, and in decentralized power. Of course freedom is of the utmost importance but we must have an ordered liberty. Meyer pointed out that freedom needs virtue and virtue needs freedom. Freedom by itself leads to anarchy and then tyranny will eventually arise. Of course virtue that is coerced is not really virtue at all. Fusionism places great value on freedom while still maintaining respect for religion and tradition. Fusionism combines cultural conservatism with political and economic libertarianism.
The government must be limited because those in government are affected by original sin just like those whom they must govern. Government must be able to restrain evil but at the same time it must be restrained itself. Too much power in the hands of sinful men is horrifying. We must also distinguish between an authoritarian government and the authority of God. The authority of government must be strongly limited but the authority of God should be fully embraced. We must recognize the absolute authority of God. Those who reject the authority of God end up losing truth, virtue, and even freedom.
A fusionist is simply a constitutionalist. The U.S. Constitution was a brilliant political document with its limits on government, containing a system of checks and balances and the separation of powers. America needs to embrace the political philosophy known as fusionism.
In 1955 William F. Buckley brought together traditionalists, libertarians, and anticommunists at his new magazine National Review. Buckley credited Frank Meyer for doing the best job of bringing these groups together with his fusionism. Fusionism was embraced by Buckley as well as Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. Fusionism became known simply as conservatism.
Frank Meyer saw the basic functions of government as national defense, maintaining order, and promoting justice. He believed the national government should be limited, states rights should be recognized, and in decentralized power. Of course freedom is of the utmost importance but we must have an ordered liberty. Meyer pointed out that freedom needs virtue and virtue needs freedom. Freedom by itself leads to anarchy and then tyranny will eventually arise. Of course virtue that is coerced is not really virtue at all. Fusionism places great value on freedom while still maintaining respect for religion and tradition. Fusionism combines cultural conservatism with political and economic libertarianism.
The government must be limited because those in government are affected by original sin just like those whom they must govern. Government must be able to restrain evil but at the same time it must be restrained itself. Too much power in the hands of sinful men is horrifying. We must also distinguish between an authoritarian government and the authority of God. The authority of government must be strongly limited but the authority of God should be fully embraced. We must recognize the absolute authority of God. Those who reject the authority of God end up losing truth, virtue, and even freedom.
A fusionist is simply a constitutionalist. The U.S. Constitution was a brilliant political document with its limits on government, containing a system of checks and balances and the separation of powers. America needs to embrace the political philosophy known as fusionism.
Monday, May 16, 2016
Transgenderism And Modern Society
The secular left is now pushing the acceptance of transgenderism after having succeeded with normalizing homosexuality. President Barack Obama has issued an order for public schools to allow transgenders to use which ever restroom or locker room they choose. Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have both expressed their support for transgenderism. There has been great outrage over a North Carolina law mandating that men use the men's restroom and that women use the women's restroom. ESPN, the liberal politically correct sports network even fired Curt Schilling for speaking out against transgenderism.
Transgenderism has been framed as a civil rights issue. And of course anyone who opposes civil rights is a bigot. Transgenderism was once condemned but is now accepted. And if you oppose it you will be condemned. It seems that the whole world is upside down. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20).
Transgenderism is an abomination to God (Deuteronomy 22:5). God created them male and female (Genesis 1:27). The issue is who determines who you are. Is your identity determined by you or by God? The reality is that God creates you as a man or a woman and that is who you are. Transgenderism is a sin, it is simply rebellion against God.
Transgenderism has been framed as a civil rights issue. And of course anyone who opposes civil rights is a bigot. Transgenderism was once condemned but is now accepted. And if you oppose it you will be condemned. It seems that the whole world is upside down. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20).
Transgenderism is an abomination to God (Deuteronomy 22:5). God created them male and female (Genesis 1:27). The issue is who determines who you are. Is your identity determined by you or by God? The reality is that God creates you as a man or a woman and that is who you are. Transgenderism is a sin, it is simply rebellion against God.
Monday, May 2, 2016
What Proves The Authority Of Scripture?
The Bible is constantly under attack these days and its authority is often rejected. Liberal scholars and sometimes evangelical scholars express doubt about the trustworthiness of Scripture. So how can the authority of Scripture be proven?
Biblical Christians believe that the Bible is the ultimate authority. If something is an ultimate authority it cannot be proven by a lesser authority. The Bible is the Word of God so it cannot be authenticated by the word of man. There is no authority outside of Scripture that can prove its authority. Ultimately the Bible is self authenticating, it proves itself as the Word of God. Since Scripture is the ultimate authority it must be appealed to in order to prove its own authority.
But what about evidences, proofs, and arguments? All of these can be helpful and do provide support for the authority of Scripture but they cannot offer ultimate proof of its authority. All of these would involve appealing to a lesser authority to validate Scripture which is the ultimate authority.
We can see some weaknesses in evidentialism and classical apologetics. They both end up appealing to a lesser authority to prove Scripture as the ultimate authority. They start with the premise that the Bible cannot be used in apologetics. So in order to defend the Bible we must set it aside and not use it. This makes no sense whatsoever. They believe we should start on a neutral ground with the unbeliever. Quite frankly this is simply not Biblical apologetics.
In reality there is no neutral ground to start on with the unbeliever. Everyone operates with basic presuppositions or assumptions. All people start with the assumption that Scripture is authoritative or it is not authoritative. This then shapes how one views evidences and arguments that are presented. The strength of presuppositional apologetics is that it actually uses the Bible to defend the Bible.
Ultimately the Holy Spirit must open a person's heart and mind to the truth of the Bible. Scripture is self attesting or self authenticating, it depends on no outside authority. But is claiming that the Bible proves itself as authoritative a circular argument? To a certain degree all arguments for an ultimate authority involve circular reasoning. For example one who holds that reason is the ultimate authority must use reason to prove it. Only presupposing the authority of Scripture leads to truth and reality.
Biblical Christians believe that the Bible is the ultimate authority. If something is an ultimate authority it cannot be proven by a lesser authority. The Bible is the Word of God so it cannot be authenticated by the word of man. There is no authority outside of Scripture that can prove its authority. Ultimately the Bible is self authenticating, it proves itself as the Word of God. Since Scripture is the ultimate authority it must be appealed to in order to prove its own authority.
But what about evidences, proofs, and arguments? All of these can be helpful and do provide support for the authority of Scripture but they cannot offer ultimate proof of its authority. All of these would involve appealing to a lesser authority to validate Scripture which is the ultimate authority.
We can see some weaknesses in evidentialism and classical apologetics. They both end up appealing to a lesser authority to prove Scripture as the ultimate authority. They start with the premise that the Bible cannot be used in apologetics. So in order to defend the Bible we must set it aside and not use it. This makes no sense whatsoever. They believe we should start on a neutral ground with the unbeliever. Quite frankly this is simply not Biblical apologetics.
In reality there is no neutral ground to start on with the unbeliever. Everyone operates with basic presuppositions or assumptions. All people start with the assumption that Scripture is authoritative or it is not authoritative. This then shapes how one views evidences and arguments that are presented. The strength of presuppositional apologetics is that it actually uses the Bible to defend the Bible.
Ultimately the Holy Spirit must open a person's heart and mind to the truth of the Bible. Scripture is self attesting or self authenticating, it depends on no outside authority. But is claiming that the Bible proves itself as authoritative a circular argument? To a certain degree all arguments for an ultimate authority involve circular reasoning. For example one who holds that reason is the ultimate authority must use reason to prove it. Only presupposing the authority of Scripture leads to truth and reality.
Monday, April 18, 2016
Mormon Beliefs About God
Mormonism has become more and more mainstream in modern America. The Mormons themselves claim to be Christians. Some evangelicals have joined with them and accepted them as orthodox. But are Mormons really Christians? Does their view of God match with that of Biblical Christianity?
First of all Mormons hold to polytheism (belief in many gods). They believe the Trinity is composed of three different gods and not one God in three persons as the Bible teaches. They believe that two of the three persons of the Trinity have physical bodies. Mormons believe there are more than just these three gods, they believe in thousands of gods. The Bible teaches there is one God in three persons and we are only to worship the one true God (Exodus 20:3).
The Mormons believe that God the Father was once a man and has now attained godhood. They believe he has a physical body and a wife. But the Bible teaches that God is a spirit (John 4:24). It teaches that God has always been God, he has eternally existed. God the Father was never a man and he has no wife.
Mormons believe that Jesus was the first spirit child born to God the Father and his wife. Jesus progressed to becoming God in the spirit world. They believe he was physically conceived by Mary through a physical union with God the Father. The Bible teaches that Jesus has always existed and has always been God. In the Incarnation
Jesus was conceived in Mary through a miracle of the Holy Spirit.
The Latter Day Saints believe that Mormon men can become gods. This sounds a lot like the lie the devil told Adam and Eve at the fall of mankind (Genesis 3:4). The Bible teaches that men are not gods and cannot become gods. The desire to be a god is sinful. Humans are creatures created by God their Creator and are meant to worship him alone.
In reality Mormonism is full of idolatry and errors teaching people to worship false gods. Mormonism is not Biblical Christianity, it is a Christian heresy and false religion.
First of all Mormons hold to polytheism (belief in many gods). They believe the Trinity is composed of three different gods and not one God in three persons as the Bible teaches. They believe that two of the three persons of the Trinity have physical bodies. Mormons believe there are more than just these three gods, they believe in thousands of gods. The Bible teaches there is one God in three persons and we are only to worship the one true God (Exodus 20:3).
The Mormons believe that God the Father was once a man and has now attained godhood. They believe he has a physical body and a wife. But the Bible teaches that God is a spirit (John 4:24). It teaches that God has always been God, he has eternally existed. God the Father was never a man and he has no wife.
Mormons believe that Jesus was the first spirit child born to God the Father and his wife. Jesus progressed to becoming God in the spirit world. They believe he was physically conceived by Mary through a physical union with God the Father. The Bible teaches that Jesus has always existed and has always been God. In the Incarnation
Jesus was conceived in Mary through a miracle of the Holy Spirit.
The Latter Day Saints believe that Mormon men can become gods. This sounds a lot like the lie the devil told Adam and Eve at the fall of mankind (Genesis 3:4). The Bible teaches that men are not gods and cannot become gods. The desire to be a god is sinful. Humans are creatures created by God their Creator and are meant to worship him alone.
In reality Mormonism is full of idolatry and errors teaching people to worship false gods. Mormonism is not Biblical Christianity, it is a Christian heresy and false religion.
Monday, April 11, 2016
Return To The Reformation
Modern evangelicalism has lost its way and strayed from its roots. As our country has taken a dramatic secular turn the evangelical church is weak when it most needs to be strong. Evangelicalism has been said to be a mile wide and an inch deep. A return to our Reformation roots is badly needed. The Protestant Reformation began in the 1500's and was led by men like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli. The Roman Catholic Church had gone astray and the Reformation was a return to Biblical Christianity.
The Reformation teaching is generally defined by the "solas". Sola is a Latin word that means only or alone. The "solas" were Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone, and to God alone the glory.
The foundation is Scripture alone because all of the other "solas" flow from it. The Bible alone is the ultimate authority. It is authoritative, inerrant, infallible, and totally sufficient. It is not Scripture plus the church, not Scripture plus tradition, not Scripture plus reason, not Scripture plus experience, not Scripture plus our culture, and not Scripture plus our feelings, but Scripture alone is the ultimate authority.
We must also get the gospel correct. Salvation is by God's grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone. Salvation is totally the work of God, it is not God and man working together. People dead in their sins and trespasses are made alive by God. People are spiritually dead and unable to respond to God. He regenerates his people and brings them to himself. We are justified by faith alone in Christ alone and not by works. If we could be justified by our own works then Christ died for no purpose. Christ accomplished salvation for his people and nothing can be added to his work on the cross. Jesus is the only way to heaven.
To God alone belongs the glory. God does not share his glory with anyone else. We need to stop acting like it is God and us working together and recognize the reality that God is God and we are not. We must recover our sense of the greatness of God. God is sovereign, holy, supreme, transcendent, majestic, and awesome. It is indeed God alone who deserves the glory.
The Reformation teaching is generally defined by the "solas". Sola is a Latin word that means only or alone. The "solas" were Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone, and to God alone the glory.
The foundation is Scripture alone because all of the other "solas" flow from it. The Bible alone is the ultimate authority. It is authoritative, inerrant, infallible, and totally sufficient. It is not Scripture plus the church, not Scripture plus tradition, not Scripture plus reason, not Scripture plus experience, not Scripture plus our culture, and not Scripture plus our feelings, but Scripture alone is the ultimate authority.
We must also get the gospel correct. Salvation is by God's grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone. Salvation is totally the work of God, it is not God and man working together. People dead in their sins and trespasses are made alive by God. People are spiritually dead and unable to respond to God. He regenerates his people and brings them to himself. We are justified by faith alone in Christ alone and not by works. If we could be justified by our own works then Christ died for no purpose. Christ accomplished salvation for his people and nothing can be added to his work on the cross. Jesus is the only way to heaven.
To God alone belongs the glory. God does not share his glory with anyone else. We need to stop acting like it is God and us working together and recognize the reality that God is God and we are not. We must recover our sense of the greatness of God. God is sovereign, holy, supreme, transcendent, majestic, and awesome. It is indeed God alone who deserves the glory.
Monday, April 4, 2016
The Cross And The Resurrection
In modern Christianity we hear many different things proclaimed to us. Much of what we hear is self help, positive thinking, how to have a happy life, and general feel good messages. Unfortunately we often do no get actual Christianity. We are given a man centered message instead of a God centered message. We are told to reach up to God when in reality it is God who reaches down to us.
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4) "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures," (ESV)
True, Biblical Christianity focuses on the cross and resurrection of Christ, it is the very heart of the matter. Adam sinned (Genesis 3) and we all inherited a fallen, sinful nature from him. We are all born sinners in rebellion against God. Sin brings about death, both physical and spiritual. Sin makes us enemies of God and we incur his wrath because of it. God is holy, he cannot tolerate sin, he hates it.
But God loved us and sent his Son to save his people from their sins. Jesus lived a perfect life without sin and died on the cross to pay for the sins of his people. He took God's wrath on himself in our place. Believers have the righteousness of Christ credited to them. Salvation is totally by the grace of God, we can do nothing to earn it. We are saved by faith alone in Christ alone.
Jesus was raised from the dead victorious over sin, death, and the devil. He was vindicated when God the Father accepted his sacrifice for our sins. The resurrection also proves that Jesus is God. If there was no resurrection there would be no Christianity. That is why people are skeptical and attack the doctrine so intensely.
Jesus appeared to over 500 people after he was raised from the dead. It is not likely that all these people would have the same dream or be delusional. All the early opponents of Christianity had to do was produce the body of Jesus. If the body could have been produced, Christianity would have been shown to be a hoax. But they could not produce the body because it was not there. Many of the early Christians died for their belief in the resurrection of Christ. People do not usually die for something they know is not true. Most of all we can believe the resurrection of Christ because the Bible tells us it occurred. The Bible is reliable, inerrant, and infallible. The most plausible explanation is that Jesus really did rise from the dead. Since the resurrection is true, Christianity is true.
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4) "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures," (ESV)
True, Biblical Christianity focuses on the cross and resurrection of Christ, it is the very heart of the matter. Adam sinned (Genesis 3) and we all inherited a fallen, sinful nature from him. We are all born sinners in rebellion against God. Sin brings about death, both physical and spiritual. Sin makes us enemies of God and we incur his wrath because of it. God is holy, he cannot tolerate sin, he hates it.
But God loved us and sent his Son to save his people from their sins. Jesus lived a perfect life without sin and died on the cross to pay for the sins of his people. He took God's wrath on himself in our place. Believers have the righteousness of Christ credited to them. Salvation is totally by the grace of God, we can do nothing to earn it. We are saved by faith alone in Christ alone.
Jesus was raised from the dead victorious over sin, death, and the devil. He was vindicated when God the Father accepted his sacrifice for our sins. The resurrection also proves that Jesus is God. If there was no resurrection there would be no Christianity. That is why people are skeptical and attack the doctrine so intensely.
Jesus appeared to over 500 people after he was raised from the dead. It is not likely that all these people would have the same dream or be delusional. All the early opponents of Christianity had to do was produce the body of Jesus. If the body could have been produced, Christianity would have been shown to be a hoax. But they could not produce the body because it was not there. Many of the early Christians died for their belief in the resurrection of Christ. People do not usually die for something they know is not true. Most of all we can believe the resurrection of Christ because the Bible tells us it occurred. The Bible is reliable, inerrant, and infallible. The most plausible explanation is that Jesus really did rise from the dead. Since the resurrection is true, Christianity is true.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Evangelicals And Donald Trump
Many evangelicals are supporting Donald Trump. So who are evangelicals? They are conservative Protestants, the Bible believing Christians. Some of the Trump support seems to be from the prosperity preachers but some of it is from mainstream evangelicals such as Jerry Falwell Jr., Robert Jeffress, and Pat Robertson. They have said that Trump inspires them and he will save the country. They contend that the usual political issues do not matter during this election cycle. Quite frankly evangelical support for Trump is baffling and stunning.
So what about Donald Trump's Christian claims? He says he is a Presbyterian who admired Norman Vincent Peale, a liberal positive thinker who was no evangelical. Mr. Trump runs casinos (his were the first to have strippers), he has bragged about sleeping with married women, and has even made weird statements about his own daughter. Trump is just as immoral as Bill Clinton, yet evangelicals who were outraged by Clinton give Trump a pass. Trump is also extremely profane and vulgar. He routinely disparages and demeans women and he even mocks disabled people. He is full of greed, a lover of money, a lover of self, and power hungry. Trump is a bully who tries to destroy all who disagree with him. He always slanders and belittles his opponents showing little love and respect for others.
In his own words Donald Trump says that he has never asked for forgiveness or seen the need to do so. He considers himself basically a good person who has done the best he can. The truth is that none are righteous and all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10,23). Trump does not acknowledge that he is a sinner in need of forgiveness. He seem to have little understanding of Christianity itself. All true Christians realize they are sinners facing God's wrath and need forgiveness. They also know that salvation is found in Christ alone. Going by Trump's own words and actions he should be regarded as an unbeliever. The church he belongs to should exercise church discipline and remove him until he repents (See 1 Corinthians 5). Allowing people like Donald Trump to use the label "Christian" makes a mockery of Christianity.
There are similarities between Donald Trump and the prosperity preachers. They both love money, fame, and power. They also deceive people and lead them astray. They both make huge promises to people that they cannot fulfill. Both seem to have a special ability to make things right for people but of course they really do not. Both of them receive blind allegiance from their followers.
The Trump disciples are like mindless zombies who are under his spell. They give him blind allegiance and are led by pure emotion. They have rejected all reason and logic. They believe anything he says, after all they get the truth from "the Donald". How often has Trump denied something he has previously said? He constantly spreads falsehood about all who disagree with him. In reality Trump is not trustworthy and he is as dishonest as Hillary Clinton.
The Trump disciples remind me of the Obama supporters who thought he was a savior. The Trump disciples have an absolute devotion to him which borders on idolatry. This is very frightening for our country and it brings about the wrath of God.
Could evangelical support for Donald Trump be the fruit of a weak modern church? Does it speak to the sad state of the modern evangelical movement? Unfortunately the average Christian knows little theology and does not have a Biblical worldview. Modern evangelicalism has been said to be a mile wide and an inch deep. There is little serious thought from modern evangelicals and they are led by emotionalism. But what about someone like Robert Jeffress? He is usually reliable, definitely knows theology, and has a Biblical worldview. It is hard to understand but perhaps Dr. Jeffress has allowed desperation and emotion to cloud his judgment.
Evangelicals of all people should know that Trump is not their savior. He will not save our country because he cannot save our country. No politician can save
us. Our real problems are not political but are moral and spiritual. Evangelicals supporting Trump should be ashamed of themselves. The only hope for saving our country is turning to Jesus, not Donald Trump or any other politician.
So what about Donald Trump's Christian claims? He says he is a Presbyterian who admired Norman Vincent Peale, a liberal positive thinker who was no evangelical. Mr. Trump runs casinos (his were the first to have strippers), he has bragged about sleeping with married women, and has even made weird statements about his own daughter. Trump is just as immoral as Bill Clinton, yet evangelicals who were outraged by Clinton give Trump a pass. Trump is also extremely profane and vulgar. He routinely disparages and demeans women and he even mocks disabled people. He is full of greed, a lover of money, a lover of self, and power hungry. Trump is a bully who tries to destroy all who disagree with him. He always slanders and belittles his opponents showing little love and respect for others.
In his own words Donald Trump says that he has never asked for forgiveness or seen the need to do so. He considers himself basically a good person who has done the best he can. The truth is that none are righteous and all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10,23). Trump does not acknowledge that he is a sinner in need of forgiveness. He seem to have little understanding of Christianity itself. All true Christians realize they are sinners facing God's wrath and need forgiveness. They also know that salvation is found in Christ alone. Going by Trump's own words and actions he should be regarded as an unbeliever. The church he belongs to should exercise church discipline and remove him until he repents (See 1 Corinthians 5). Allowing people like Donald Trump to use the label "Christian" makes a mockery of Christianity.
There are similarities between Donald Trump and the prosperity preachers. They both love money, fame, and power. They also deceive people and lead them astray. They both make huge promises to people that they cannot fulfill. Both seem to have a special ability to make things right for people but of course they really do not. Both of them receive blind allegiance from their followers.
The Trump disciples are like mindless zombies who are under his spell. They give him blind allegiance and are led by pure emotion. They have rejected all reason and logic. They believe anything he says, after all they get the truth from "the Donald". How often has Trump denied something he has previously said? He constantly spreads falsehood about all who disagree with him. In reality Trump is not trustworthy and he is as dishonest as Hillary Clinton.
The Trump disciples remind me of the Obama supporters who thought he was a savior. The Trump disciples have an absolute devotion to him which borders on idolatry. This is very frightening for our country and it brings about the wrath of God.
Could evangelical support for Donald Trump be the fruit of a weak modern church? Does it speak to the sad state of the modern evangelical movement? Unfortunately the average Christian knows little theology and does not have a Biblical worldview. Modern evangelicalism has been said to be a mile wide and an inch deep. There is little serious thought from modern evangelicals and they are led by emotionalism. But what about someone like Robert Jeffress? He is usually reliable, definitely knows theology, and has a Biblical worldview. It is hard to understand but perhaps Dr. Jeffress has allowed desperation and emotion to cloud his judgment.
Evangelicals of all people should know that Trump is not their savior. He will not save our country because he cannot save our country. No politician can save
us. Our real problems are not political but are moral and spiritual. Evangelicals supporting Trump should be ashamed of themselves. The only hope for saving our country is turning to Jesus, not Donald Trump or any other politician.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Trump, Obama, And The Political Problem
So what is the real problem in American politics? Some believe the government is not doing enough, there is just too much gridlock. Some believe the government is just being run by the wrong people. Still others think the wrong political ideology is prevailing.
Many Republicans think the problem with Barack Obama is that he lacks experience and simply does not know what he is doing. But this is not the case, President Obama knows exactly what he is doing. He is transforming America along his Leftist/Marxist worldview. The problem with Obama is not that he is incompetent but that he is implementing the wrong political ideology.
Meanwhile many supporters of Donald Trump think that we just have the wrong people running the government. The people in charge are just a bunch of losers, instead we need a winner like "The Donald". We just need Trump to manage the bureaucracy. The Trump followers want him to use the levers of government to get what they want. Supporters of Trump are not ideological conservatives. No committed ideological conservative would support Trump. Of course Donald Trump is not conservative, he seems to have no solid political principles. Though he is generally secular and progressive or statist in his political views.
The real problem we face in the political realm is the socialist/progressive agenda that has dominated our political sphere over the last century. From Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" to Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" to "Obamacare", the march toward socialism has continued. Government has continued to get bigger, gaining more power and becoming more intrusive. From retirement to healthcare to welfare to education to the economy, government has gotten involved in all kinds of things it should not be involved in. We have adopted the government as god philosophy.
The solution to our political problem is a radical reversal in our guiding political ideology. We need to adopt a constitutional conservative political philosophy. We need a return to small, limited government. We must stop looking to the government to solve all of our problems. We must stop worshiping the government because it is not God.
Unfortunately most people do not really think about things they just feel and adopt what sounds good. Their decisions are based purely on emotion. Obama was not our savior and Trump will not be our savior. Those looking for a savior need to look beyond the political realm to Jesus Christ, the only savior.
Many Republicans think the problem with Barack Obama is that he lacks experience and simply does not know what he is doing. But this is not the case, President Obama knows exactly what he is doing. He is transforming America along his Leftist/Marxist worldview. The problem with Obama is not that he is incompetent but that he is implementing the wrong political ideology.
Meanwhile many supporters of Donald Trump think that we just have the wrong people running the government. The people in charge are just a bunch of losers, instead we need a winner like "The Donald". We just need Trump to manage the bureaucracy. The Trump followers want him to use the levers of government to get what they want. Supporters of Trump are not ideological conservatives. No committed ideological conservative would support Trump. Of course Donald Trump is not conservative, he seems to have no solid political principles. Though he is generally secular and progressive or statist in his political views.
The real problem we face in the political realm is the socialist/progressive agenda that has dominated our political sphere over the last century. From Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" to Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" to "Obamacare", the march toward socialism has continued. Government has continued to get bigger, gaining more power and becoming more intrusive. From retirement to healthcare to welfare to education to the economy, government has gotten involved in all kinds of things it should not be involved in. We have adopted the government as god philosophy.
The solution to our political problem is a radical reversal in our guiding political ideology. We need to adopt a constitutional conservative political philosophy. We need a return to small, limited government. We must stop looking to the government to solve all of our problems. We must stop worshiping the government because it is not God.
Unfortunately most people do not really think about things they just feel and adopt what sounds good. Their decisions are based purely on emotion. Obama was not our savior and Trump will not be our savior. Those looking for a savior need to look beyond the political realm to Jesus Christ, the only savior.
Monday, February 8, 2016
(Psalm 46) A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Martin Luther's famous hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" was based on Psalm 46. Psalm 46 teaches us to trust in God for protection and security in the face of instability from nature and the nations. The Psalm was written to the nation of Israel and now applies to the church.
(Psalm 46:1) "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (ESV)
God's people are secure in times of upheaval because God is our refuge and strength no matter what the situation.
(Psalm 46:2-3) Even with the instability of nature in things such as earthquakes and floods we should not fear because God is our refuge and strength.
(Psalm 46:4-5) God provides security and stability to his people no matter what the threat.
(Psalm 46:6-7) Even when nations rage and kingdoms totter, God is sovereign over all things, so we should not fear.
(Psalm 46:8-11) God will ultimately bring peace to all the nations. It will be fully realized in the new heavens and new earth.
(Psalm 46:10a) "Be still and know that I am God." (ESV)
We should step back and realize that God is God.
(Psalm 46:11) "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (ESV)
Whether we encounter earthquakes or floods, war or terrorism, we should realize God is sovereign (in total control) and omnipotent (all powerful) and trust in him.
(Psalm 46:1) "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (ESV)
God's people are secure in times of upheaval because God is our refuge and strength no matter what the situation.
(Psalm 46:2-3) Even with the instability of nature in things such as earthquakes and floods we should not fear because God is our refuge and strength.
(Psalm 46:4-5) God provides security and stability to his people no matter what the threat.
(Psalm 46:6-7) Even when nations rage and kingdoms totter, God is sovereign over all things, so we should not fear.
(Psalm 46:8-11) God will ultimately bring peace to all the nations. It will be fully realized in the new heavens and new earth.
(Psalm 46:10a) "Be still and know that I am God." (ESV)
We should step back and realize that God is God.
(Psalm 46:11) "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (ESV)
Whether we encounter earthquakes or floods, war or terrorism, we should realize God is sovereign (in total control) and omnipotent (all powerful) and trust in him.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Donald Trump And Conservatives
Businessman and reality show star, Donald Trump is leading in most polls in the Republican primary and he gets endless media coverage. Many conservatives including the Tea Party and evangelicals are supporting him. After all Trump will take care of America's enemies, fix the economy, stop illegal immigration, and make America great again. Some people have even compared Donald Trump to Ronald Reagan.
In reality Donald Trump is no conservative. He is actually a populist and a statist. Even many prominent conservatives have come out against Trump. He supports government run health care, opposes entitlement reform, and will increase taxes and regulations. Trump has even donated money to people like Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi. Trump says he was just playing the political game. It sounds like Trump was buying favoritism for himself. It seems Trump is actually part of the broken political system he rails against. Trump is the problem, not the solution.
Donald Trump seems to have little regard for the Constitution (Does this remind you of anyone else?). He promises to do all kinds of things regardless of whether they are constitutional or not. Conservatives have been outraged over Barack Obama bypassing Congress with executive orders. Yet they embrace Trump when he promises to do the same sort of thing. No constitutional, conservative can support Donald Trump.
The comparison of Donald Trump to Ronald Reagan is absurd. Look at Reagan in the 1960's and 1970's and then look at Trump over the last couple of decades. Reagan was conservative and Trump is liberal. The comparison of Trump to Reagan shows great disrespect to the legacy of Ronald Reagan. Donald Trump you are no Ronald Reagan!
Many in the Tea Party are supporting Donald Trump. Tea Party favorite, Sarah Palin has endorsed Trump. You have one celebrity endorsing another celebrity. Palin saw an opportunity and hopped aboard the Trump train. The Tea Party has opposed political authoritarianism yet many of it's members have embraced the authoritarian, Donald Trump. They vehemently opposed Obamacare, yet they support Trump who favors a single payer healthcare system. The Tea Party talks of it's love for the liberty and limited government promoted by the Founding Fathers. Yet it seems ready to bring in the reign of King Donald. Trump is not a conservative and is definitely not a libertarian. Much of the Tea Party has sold out.
Donald Trump also has support from many evangelicals. Recently at Liberty University, Trump read from Two Corinthians. "The Donald" continues to demonstrate his ignorance of all things Biblical. Previously Trump has admitted that he has never asked for forgiveness, could not name a favorite Bible verse, and expressed his great admiration for Norman Vincent Peale (a liberal clergyman). Never mind his support of abortion (including partial birth abortion) and homosexuality. Never mind that he operates casinos. Never mind that he is arrogant, self centered, and profane. Evangelicals supporting Trump are simply divorced from reality.
Donald Trump also has no foreign policy experience. He has little knowledge in this area and has said that he gets his information from Sunday talk shows. Does anybody think that operating casinos qualifies one to be Commander-In-Chief?
Trump is full of empty promises. Does anyone really think that he will build a wall on the Mexican border and have the Mexicans pay for it? Donald Trump is nothing more than a populist, demagogue who stirs up trouble and tells people what they want to hear.
Conservatives supporting Donald Trump have abandoned their principles. One wonders if these people ever held to a conservative political philosophy to begin with. How could they support a liberal, populist, statist? Support for Trump is based on emotion and not on reason. Trump recently remarked that he could shoot someone and would not lose a vote. The scary thing is that this statement may actually be true. No constitutional, conservative can support Donald Trump. Conservatives, wake up!
In reality Donald Trump is no conservative. He is actually a populist and a statist. Even many prominent conservatives have come out against Trump. He supports government run health care, opposes entitlement reform, and will increase taxes and regulations. Trump has even donated money to people like Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi. Trump says he was just playing the political game. It sounds like Trump was buying favoritism for himself. It seems Trump is actually part of the broken political system he rails against. Trump is the problem, not the solution.
Donald Trump seems to have little regard for the Constitution (Does this remind you of anyone else?). He promises to do all kinds of things regardless of whether they are constitutional or not. Conservatives have been outraged over Barack Obama bypassing Congress with executive orders. Yet they embrace Trump when he promises to do the same sort of thing. No constitutional, conservative can support Donald Trump.
The comparison of Donald Trump to Ronald Reagan is absurd. Look at Reagan in the 1960's and 1970's and then look at Trump over the last couple of decades. Reagan was conservative and Trump is liberal. The comparison of Trump to Reagan shows great disrespect to the legacy of Ronald Reagan. Donald Trump you are no Ronald Reagan!
Many in the Tea Party are supporting Donald Trump. Tea Party favorite, Sarah Palin has endorsed Trump. You have one celebrity endorsing another celebrity. Palin saw an opportunity and hopped aboard the Trump train. The Tea Party has opposed political authoritarianism yet many of it's members have embraced the authoritarian, Donald Trump. They vehemently opposed Obamacare, yet they support Trump who favors a single payer healthcare system. The Tea Party talks of it's love for the liberty and limited government promoted by the Founding Fathers. Yet it seems ready to bring in the reign of King Donald. Trump is not a conservative and is definitely not a libertarian. Much of the Tea Party has sold out.
Donald Trump also has support from many evangelicals. Recently at Liberty University, Trump read from Two Corinthians. "The Donald" continues to demonstrate his ignorance of all things Biblical. Previously Trump has admitted that he has never asked for forgiveness, could not name a favorite Bible verse, and expressed his great admiration for Norman Vincent Peale (a liberal clergyman). Never mind his support of abortion (including partial birth abortion) and homosexuality. Never mind that he operates casinos. Never mind that he is arrogant, self centered, and profane. Evangelicals supporting Trump are simply divorced from reality.
Donald Trump also has no foreign policy experience. He has little knowledge in this area and has said that he gets his information from Sunday talk shows. Does anybody think that operating casinos qualifies one to be Commander-In-Chief?
Trump is full of empty promises. Does anyone really think that he will build a wall on the Mexican border and have the Mexicans pay for it? Donald Trump is nothing more than a populist, demagogue who stirs up trouble and tells people what they want to hear.
Conservatives supporting Donald Trump have abandoned their principles. One wonders if these people ever held to a conservative political philosophy to begin with. How could they support a liberal, populist, statist? Support for Trump is based on emotion and not on reason. Trump recently remarked that he could shoot someone and would not lose a vote. The scary thing is that this statement may actually be true. No constitutional, conservative can support Donald Trump. Conservatives, wake up!
Monday, January 11, 2016
Democrats And Socialists
What is the difference between a Democrat and a Socialist? Presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton and DNC Chairperson, Debbie Wasserman Schultz both struggled to answer the question. The reason neither could come up with an answer is that there is no difference between a Democrat and a Socialist. Hillary Clinton characterized herself as a progressive. What is a progressive? A progressive is a socialist.
The modern Democrat Party has become purely socialistic. It has really been on that track for the past century. Prominent Democrat leaders who led the way to socialism include Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, and Barack Obama. Democrats have constantly increased the size of government. It has become more and more involved in every area of life. Modern liberalism follows the teachings of Karl Marx.
The Democrats push higher taxes, more government spending, and more regulation. They seem to want government in control of every area of life. They think government elites can micromanage all things because they are superior and know more than the rest of us. Democrats believe that all money belongs to the government, not to the people who earn it. It is there for the government to redistribute as it sees fit.
Socialism has never worked and never will. Government cannot do all things, in fact it has no business being involved in most of the things it does. The government should defend the country, protect citizens, maintain order, promote justice, and restrain evil. Government should do the things it is meant to do and then leave us alone.
The modern Democrat Party has become purely socialistic. It has really been on that track for the past century. Prominent Democrat leaders who led the way to socialism include Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, and Barack Obama. Democrats have constantly increased the size of government. It has become more and more involved in every area of life. Modern liberalism follows the teachings of Karl Marx.
The Democrats push higher taxes, more government spending, and more regulation. They seem to want government in control of every area of life. They think government elites can micromanage all things because they are superior and know more than the rest of us. Democrats believe that all money belongs to the government, not to the people who earn it. It is there for the government to redistribute as it sees fit.
Socialism has never worked and never will. Government cannot do all things, in fact it has no business being involved in most of the things it does. The government should defend the country, protect citizens, maintain order, promote justice, and restrain evil. Government should do the things it is meant to do and then leave us alone.
Monday, January 4, 2016
Star Wars, The Force, And Christianity
With the release of a new film Star Wars has reemerged with great popularity. The Star Wars films have generally been family-friendly containing little profanity and immorality. Some Christians have even compared "the force" in Star Wars to the Holy Spirit. But is this an accurate or wise comparison?
Actually the concept of "the force" has much more in common with Eastern or New Age religion than it does with Christianity. The "force" in Star Wars is an impersonal force that can be tapped into to be used for good or evil. Power is achieved by a blend of discipline and mysticism.
On the other hand the Holy Spirit is a person with intellect, will, and emotions. The Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The Trinity is one God in three distinct persons. The Holy Spirit is equally God with the Father and Son, he has all the attributes of God. The Holy Spirit is only good and not evil. The Holy Spirit is sovereign, leads people to the truth, and convicts them of sin. All true Christians have the Holy Spirit, he is our teacher and the Bible is his textbook.
So comparing the Holy Spirit to "the force" is just plain wrong. They are not the same and are in fact very different. Star Wars does depict good and evil and good is portrayed favorably while evil is portrayed unfavorably. In modern Hollywood this is often not the case. Christians need to be discerning when they watch a film like Star Wars. They need to develop a Christian worldview so they will be able to tell if something is in line with Biblical teaching or not.
Actually the concept of "the force" has much more in common with Eastern or New Age religion than it does with Christianity. The "force" in Star Wars is an impersonal force that can be tapped into to be used for good or evil. Power is achieved by a blend of discipline and mysticism.
On the other hand the Holy Spirit is a person with intellect, will, and emotions. The Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The Trinity is one God in three distinct persons. The Holy Spirit is equally God with the Father and Son, he has all the attributes of God. The Holy Spirit is only good and not evil. The Holy Spirit is sovereign, leads people to the truth, and convicts them of sin. All true Christians have the Holy Spirit, he is our teacher and the Bible is his textbook.
So comparing the Holy Spirit to "the force" is just plain wrong. They are not the same and are in fact very different. Star Wars does depict good and evil and good is portrayed favorably while evil is portrayed unfavorably. In modern Hollywood this is often not the case. Christians need to be discerning when they watch a film like Star Wars. They need to develop a Christian worldview so they will be able to tell if something is in line with Biblical teaching or not.
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