Andrew Fuller the reader

It has been about a week since the Andrew Fuller conference. I want to give some things that I took from it. I would have posted them earlier but class work prohibited such. now I got some time to write some things down.

1. Andrew Fuller belief’s of the Scripture.

Andrew Fuller held that the Bible stands above all others means of knowing. Reason, senses, experiences, or any other ways of knowing was never to be put on the same plain as Scripture. God’s revelation stands as the judge of every thought, idea, and system of knowing.

The Bible is the sole authority of knowing God. This point ties closely to the first one. When considering and seeking the character of God, The only thing that shows what we are looking for is the Bible. Human reason can never lead people to the knowledge of the Most High. One, also, was not to just look to other teachers for there theology. The Bible should be our guide to who God is.

Yet, Andrew Fuller had a balanced view with regard to reading other teachers. Great Christian minds of the past were not to be rejected. On the contrary, they should be read with open and humble ears. Yes, Only the Bible should determine our theology, but we need to listen to others findings. Fuller, himself, was greatly influenced by the likes of John Owens and Jonathan Edwards.

So, one should study the works of those who thought deeply and walked with God. The Bible, however, should be the only thing we rest our doctrines on.

Moving at a Snails Pace

Sorry about the slowness around here. This has been and will continue to be a busy weekend. Lord willing, I will get the time to finish my thoughts on Pacifism. But College comes before blogging.

All Sovereign Grace Messages for Free

All Mp3 downloads from Sovereign Grace ministries are for free now. Solo Feminity has links by author and subject. So, make room in your Mp3 player.

(John Piper has really started something. Which I am gald of)

Pacifism

Not to be left out on the Pacifism verses war thoughts going on at Agent Tim Online. I want to give my thoughts on Pacifism.



This is one of my thoughts on the subject. This point is not a struggle with the texts of Scripture, per say. It is just thinking about a implication of Pacifism. The Bible should give us the most satisfying worldview in which to act. Thus, I believe, viewing the implications of this disputed ideology is with in the bounds of Christian thinking.



I ask the question, “Can pacifism exist without some person or nation allowing it to exist?” Or why is it that pacifists live in nations with militaries that protect them? It seems to me that pacifists cannot exist on their own. They have to be a attached to a non-pacifist group or nation to keep on living. If a nation said that it was not going to engage in warfare any more, How long would they last? How long would Israel be a nation if they became pacifists?


Pacifism, however, is suppose to be a Biblical teaching. What would happen if, a national leader based his laws on Biblical teaching. What Bible believing Christian would not want that to happen. If pacifism is the Christian position, The ruler would have to dismantle the military and remove all the defenses. His country would be completely open to be conquered. And I doubt the new regime would be as willing to adopt Biblical polices. So, A nation that founds its self on Biblical teaching (if pacifism is Biblical), practically offers its throne to who gets there first. And when another power takes over the Godly leadership that is in place is removed from office and a government that is less godly assumes command . So, the Bible would defeat its self. Causing less righteous rulers to always rule.


I know that this is a hypothetical situation. Or is it. How long would Israel be Israel if the leaders start basing there laws on the Bible that supposedly commands pacifism.


Now most Christian pacifist will say, “If people are not Christians, they do not have to follow this rule. It is the Christian community that should stay away from warfare. Not pagan nations.” But this does not make sense. So, are God’s laws pointless to those on the outside of Christianity? If God commands Christians to abstain from war, is that not the best thing for man to do? And is it not sin to do other wise? So, why should governments be exempt from God’s law? And if they can get away with this law. Why can they not get away with the rest of God’s law? It just does not fit to say that nations can sin and we should do nothing about it.


One could also ask, “How do we pray for a nation if the Bible teaches pacifism?” Is one to pray that the nation will disband the army? Basically allowing any nation to take over? Where does this leave the Christian in Israel? If he prays that his government would be righteous, he is essentially praying that Israel would be know more! That Israel would lower its arms and let the first Arab nation that marches in dominion over the land! So, if Israel wants freedom for its people it better stay far away from Biblical teachings! Or, are we to ask that our nation be righteous, except in one respect. That is, in regard to warfare? “God make our nation and its leaders, mostly, holy. For we still want the people around us free.” Either we want our leaders to be evil, or we do not care about the well being of our nation.


Maybe should not care about who runs the nation? I mean, our citizenship is not of this world, right? So, we should not care if a righteous ruler, or a Saddam Hussein runs the country? Is that really loving the people that are not Christians? Giving no care about the freedom that they should have? (In this respect, pacifism is a little bit selfish.)


All in all, I see Pacifism as a parasite ideology on a nation, if I can call it that. What I mean by parasite is, pacifism can only survive off a non-pacifist nation. It can never exist by itself (or not for long at least). Because it will be taken over buy another nation if does exist by its self. It must take the protection given by the host, non-pacifism, and it gives really nothing in return.


I am going to be coming out with some other thoughts some time soon. But, you can just think over this one for now. If you find in problems in my reasoning do not fear to point them out(in a humble manner, of course).

Man's Dependence on God by Jonathan Edwards

Some quotes from Jonathan Edward's sermon I read this morning,


The redeemed have all their objective good in God. God himself is the great good which they are brought to the possession and enjoyment of by redemption. He is the highest good, and the sum of all that good which Christ purchased. God is the inheritance of the saints; he is the portion of their souls. God is their wealth and treasure, their food, their Life, their dwelling-place, their ornament and diadem, and their everlasting honor and the glory They have none in heaven but God; he is the great good which the redeemed are received to at death, and which they are to rise to at the end of the world.


God hath made man’s emptiness and misery, his low, lost, and ruined state, into which he sunk by the fall, an occasion of the greater advancement of his own glory, as in other ways, so particularly in this, that there is now much more universal and apparent dependence of man on God. Though God be pleased to lift man out of that dismal abyss of sin and woe into which he was fallen, and exceedingly to exalt him in excellency and honor, and to a high pitch of glory and blessedness, yet the creature hath nothing in any respect to glory of; all the glory evidently belongs to God, all is in a mere, and most absolute, and divine dependence on the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.


Now whatever scheme is inconsistent with our entire dependence on God for all, and of having all of him, through him, and in him, it is repugnant to the design and tenor of the gospel, and robs it of that which God accounts its luster and glory.


It is the delight of a believing soul to abase itself and exalt God alone.


Let us endeavor to obtain, and increase in, a sensibleness of our great dependence on God, to have our eye to him alone, to mortify a self-dependent and self-righteous disposition.


Hath any man hope that he is converted, and sanctified, and that his mind is endowed with true excellency and spiritual beauty? That his sins are forgiven, and he received into God’s favor, and exalted to the honor and blessedness of being his child, and an heir of eternal life? Let him give God all the glory; who alone makes him to differ from the worst of men in this world, or the most miserable of the damned in Hell. Hath any man much comfort and strong hope of eternal life, let not his hope lift him up, but dispose him the more to abase himself, to reflect on his own exceeding unworthiness of such a favor, and to exalt God alone. Is any man eminent in holiness, and abundant in good works, let him take nothing of the glory of it to himself, but ascribe it to him whose “workmanship we are, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.”

Books for the Semester

I have got all my books for my classes. I have already started into most of them. It is read, read, read, and read some more up here! But, I would not have it any other way! So let me give you the list.

For Old Testament Survey I,

Old Testament Today, by John H. Walton and Andrew E. Hill

It gives a overview of the Old Testament. We are, however, only going through the Pentateuch and Historical Literature sections. The rest is for OT Survey II.

Preaching and Teaching from the Old Testament, by Walter C. Kaiser Jr.

I have not started into this one yet. This book is to do a review on.

Hammond Atlas of the Bible Lands

An atlas, used in this course and the New Testament Survey course.

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary

One big book!There is just some selected reading form it for the course. But it is one that I am going to use continually in my ministery.

New Testament Survey I,

Jesus and the Gospels, by Craig L. Blomberg.

The book is to introduce you to the accounts of Christ's life found in the New Testament. Giving the reader historical background, interpretation, and commentary on the Gospels.

(I already told you that the Atlas was for this course as well)

Christian Education,

Purpose Driven Church, by Rick Warren.

Quite a surprise to find this book for Christian Education. I do need to read, so, it works out.

Introducing Christian Education, edited by Michael J. Anthony.

I just got this book, so I do not know anything about it.

Worldviews I,

Philosophy Made Slightly Less Difficult, by J. DeWeese and J. P. Moreland

A simply overview of philosophical thinking.

Life's Ultimate Questions, by Ronald H. Nash

Introducing one to philosophy. This book gives you a basic course on worldviews and a quick look at some big names in philosophy.

English Composition I,

Student's Book of College English, by David Skwire and Hervey S. Wiener

Basic English text book for college.

Well, there goes my work for this semester. I am giving a educated guess of 2325 pages of reading to do. Not including studying for tests.

The Cost of Being Rich

Just in case you thought money gives satisfaction. Read this by Albert Mohler

A Thought on Sin

A thought to muse over,

"Choosing to sin is declaring before God, that wickedness is a more honorable thing than who Christ is!"

Social injustices and Christians

As Christians, our number one priority on this earth is to glorify God in all we think and do and be satisfied in Him completely. And God has called all His children to proclaim His name to wicked in every part of the world, that every person on earth would trust in Him for everything and praise Him above all things. That is the foundation of solving all other problems in the world. The Bible makes it clear the every man is evil in nature "There is none who does good, no not one." (Romans 3:10) So by just appealing to man to live rightly by his own strength would profit none. It is only by God common grace and the holy light of the His Church on earth that keeps this world from turning in to a living hell! The renewing work of the Holy Spirit must take place for there to be a true turn to righteousness. So the proclamation of Christ is the first priority when dealing with the lost world. Christ must be in our hearts for real peace to be on the earth.

Now let’s say that everybody in United States becomes a true believer, yet hostilities still exist between people of other races. My answer would be, yes there is trouble, not because Christ does not really get rid of evil. It is because sin still remains in us. Christians are not perfect until they are glorified in heaven. God's word must still be preached to us and sin must still be confessed from us. With Christ in our hearts, however, true peace and love can be produced in through us by God's Spirit. Though Christians are not perfect, Christ has begun the renewing process in them.

Social justices are important none the less. It should pierce the Christian's heart when we hear of injustices done to people. For God is justice and will fight against those who work injustices. Working for the good of mankind should be near to the Christians. However, seeking to see the lost come to Christ should be before seeing people live a better life. What good is it to see that a person lives with no hate against him, yet, he would lose his spirit in hell. No, we work for the world to come, not just the world here.

First Weekend at Boyce

Here I am at Boyce College. My family and I pulled in Friday, around noonish. Things have been going good for the most part. I have been able to get to know several of the guys. It is different from JBC in the fact that the guys I have meet are pretty much the same page theologically. (I have a strong feeling that I am not going to run into any Deist here)

Here are some pictures that I took this evening.



This is my dorm room; I got the bottom bunk. And the much needed laundry room.

This is Carver Hall. The front, inside, and back.

Now for some shots around the main campus.

Please keep me in your prayers.

Renewing Thoughts, Up and Running

Well, I have got my blog up now. Yea! Now everybody can hear what I have to say. That may be good or bad...(leans heavily to the bad!)