Feb 19, 2020 | Apologetics
In a previous post I argued that God is the only explanation for the stupefying complexity, functionality, and beauty of creation, the first and most obvious of God’s revelations of himself to mankind. In this post I will argue that the Bible is way too mind blowing to have any other explanation than God himself. In my next, I will show how Christ himself is the ultimate revelation of God, and that God himself is the only explanation!
For the last two hundred years we’ve endured a veritable world war on the Bible, driven by the anti-supernatural bias of the so-called Enlightenment. This was sort of understandable considering the limited scientific knowledge of the 18th and 19th centuries (see previous post on creation). The obvious problem was that the impossibility of the supernatural was never proved, but assumed because Newtonian physics (and the worldview inspired by it) required a closed system to work. In other words, we assume a mechanistic universe, ergo, God is unnecessary. (more…)
Feb 18, 2020 | Apologetics
As you may know, because of improved technology anyone can publish a book today. Writers are no longer dependent on all powerful book publishers to to get their books in print, or face limited shelf space to get it purchased. Publishing is a tough business, so publishers rarely take a risk on first timers, like me, so self-publishing is our only option. I found out the hard way that not all self-publishers are created equal, and the first one I picked delivered a book that wasn’t acceptable. So I decided I would not promote it, and hired another self-publishing company with a catchy name, Dog Ear Publishing. I spoke to the owner a couple times, liked him, and decided to move forward with them. Because of my inexperience, it took longer than I would have liked, but most things do.
So here it is, with a much more professional presentation. The content is the same, and I think as persuasive as ever! Of course you would expect me to say that. It can currently be found at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and I’d be interested to see if you think it’s as persuasive as I do. I know my kids do! They grew up experiencing the persuasion. You can read a bit more about the inspiration and content at The Book.
Feb 13, 2020 | Explanatory Power
When I pray in the morning it seems that I always start praising God for revealing himself to us in creation, Scripture, and Christ. Each means of God revealing himself to us astounds and flabbergasts me in its own way. I have a hard time conveying just how grateful I am to him for making himself so real to me, to us, to his people. It is impossible for me to believe in the alternatives to our biblical Creator God. Whenever I doubt, and every psychologically healthy person does, I just look at creation, and marvel: Our God is real! I will briefly deal with Scripture and Christ in following posts, and show why my reaction to those modes of God’s revelation is the same. (more…)
Feb 8, 2020 | Culture
I rarely get political here because my passion is to defend the veracity of the Christian faith, as I have to my children all their lives, and to rest of my brothers and sisters in Christ. But I feel I must in this case get political because I’m weary of left-wing, progressive, liberal (whatever) Christians thinking they stand in some politically transcendent place where they can condemn their conservative brethren for their moral profligacy of supporting President Trump. I was driven to write by a recent piece at Christianity Today by Scott McKnight, although I’ve encountered many such screeds directed at people like me, and the rest of Evangelical Trump supporters. (more…)
Feb 7, 2020 | Apologetics
In my previous post I argued that the transformed life of converted sinners is a profound defense of the truth of the Christian faith. We can’t see God, like the wind, but the evidence of his reality, like the wind, can be seen in the effects of his Spirit in the lives of his people. I mentioned that Romans 12 gives us an explanation as to how this works itself out in practice, and will explain that here. Paul spent 11 chapters giving us a detailed explanation about the meaning of redemptive history, then transitions with a declaration of the mind-blowing (in modern parlance) nature of it all (11:33-36). Then he transitions to how we are to live in light of it all:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
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