The Rest of Sunday

Who's Voice Are You Listening To?

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:52:00 +0000

There is no such thing as existing in a silent, "obedient-less", "rewardless" vacuum. We all listen to someone. We all obey some command. And we all experience the repercussions (good or bad) of our obedience to those commands. This is the human way. As image bearers of God we will always listen, obey and reap.

The mass media understands this. The fact that some believe in a neutral existence is evidence that they have been following a voice so long that they don't even hear it anymore. Magazine covers know all about justification. Talk shows know all about sanctification. And ESPN knows all about glorification. These institutions have made billions off of the innate desire in every person to be acceptable, to remain acceptable and to be happily satisfied.

We have been listening and believing their voices for a while now. And as a culture, we are reaping the rewards. Contrary to popular belief, righteousness doesn't come from looking like Kim Kardashian, or making People's list of best looking guys. Oprah knows nothing about becoming a better individual - that is, becoming more Christ-like. And athletic championships continue to become more and more anti-climactic; while societal celebrations like Mardi Gras continue to miss the mark on what a true celebration really is.

Those striving for the promises of society listed above, are, and will continue to do just that - strive. Kim will get wrinkles. Oprah has retired. Super Bowls will be forgotten. And people will always be puking at Mardi Gras. The voices are nothing but empty lies. The hot sign outside of Krispy Kreme promises a delicious snack, while delivering one big bellyache.

But there is a voice that is always good. The Word of God gives the authoritative command that is always loving, safe, and true. Righteousness can be found only in Christ. Pure instruction comes only from his Word, as we are empowered by his Spirit to hear, understand and obey.

And as we follow, we become more like him; knowing with certainty that our obedience to his voice will be rewarded in heaven. The inheritance is ours in Christ - and the celebration upon receiving it fully will be one like this world has never seen or experienced.

How do we attain all of these things? Rebels don't deserve a safe command. Enemies of God don't deserve to freely obey God. And people who should be punished are not supposed to be rewarded with a heavenly estate.

We attain these things, not by striving, but by trusting Christ alone by faith. By repenting of our wayward obedience, we may have eternal life by faith in this wonderful Savior. In so doing, we are free from the endless hustle of trying to be like whoever, to attain whatever our culture says is glorious. Instead of reaching heaven, heaven has come and rescued us. All striving has ceased. Christ and his glorious benefits are ours! It is because of Christ that I can be like Christ. It is because of Christ that I can act like Christ. And it is because of Christ that I can enjoy Christ's Kingdom forever, and ever.

Listening to someone else simply doesn't make sense. Who's voice are you listening to?

Free Kindle Book: Transforming Power of the Gospel

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:46:00 +0000

Jerry Bridges' book, The Transforming Power of the Gospel, is free at the Kindle Store.

Enjoy!

Dr. Knox Chamblin (1936-2012)

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:58:00 +0000

I will never forget the first day of Johannine Literature when Dr. Chamblin trembled and wept as he began to teach on the Word of God, Jesus Christ. The moment was sobering as well as sacred. That semester I was so blessed by his teaching - that was rigorous, but most helpful in getting us to see Christ in the primary source. He was relentless in his desire for his students to wrestle with God and to find refuge in his Word.

But he was also a gracious man. He not only studied the Word of God, but he studied his class role before every class so that he could know his students. He ended every class with an invitation to join him for lunch.

I was convinced that he loved me, with a Christ-centered and enabled love. He always answered my questions. And if he could not answer then, he would tell me so. Days even weeks later, I would receive an email or a note with either an answer or direction towards an answer. I was overwhelmed by his humility and his simplicity.

After emailing him about a biblical question, some year and a half after taking his course, Dr. Chamblin wrote this:

Scott, It was good to hear from you. I have fond memories of our study together during the fall of 2008, pondering the depths of the Fourth Gospel...May our faithful God enlighten and empower you by his Holy Spirit for the work of this term - including your study of the Gospels and Acts. Yours in Christ, Knox

Dr. Knox Chamblin was brilliant, yet modest; simple, yet obviously desired to use his deep knowledge for the glory of his Lord - the Lord that he now sees clearly. I eagerly await the day when I will be able to see this man again in glory.

Dr. Knox Chamblin (1936-2012)

A Cartoon on Racism

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:04:00 +0000

Absolutely Certain Proof for the Existence of God

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

There are many who say that if they were provided proof for the existence of God, they would believe in him. This is nothing new. Even in Jesus' day, people were asking for a sign so that they might believe (Matt 12:38-39; Jn 3). The trouble with this is that it presupposes something incorrect about the nature of mankind. It asserts that the chief problem with man is that he lacks information, and, that given more learning, he will turn in the right direction.

The truth is that man is not inherently innocently ignorant, ultimately in need of more information or scientific facts. Jesus, truth itself, stood in front of a man who asked, "What is truth?" (Jn 18:38) Christ, the God-man, stood right in front of the religious who demanded a sign that would somehow be more convincing than God himself!

Even if we were to try and prove something other than theistic matters, I think most of us can agree that we have empirically seen how man, being presented with the clearest, most-resonable proof, is knuckle-headed and stubborn. How many times have we experienced in others (or even ourselves!) the direct denial of truth ultimately because untruth was simply more desirable?

As a man who sleeps with someone other than his wife ultimately knows he should do otherwise, he does not do otherwise. He wants the other woman more than his wife, and will argue (against what he knows to be true) why he should be allowed to have her.

The fact is that man follows and argues for what he loves; and, he rejects and argues against what he does not love - even though it may be completely unreasonable to do so. Therefore, God himself could stand right in front of an atheist, and because the atheist hates God, he will deny God. Reason is pushed aside by moral hatred.

This is why we must not confuse that which is objectively valid and that which is subjectively acceptable. We could give the most objectively valid proof, and it would still be subjectively unacceptable to the unbeliever. As Van Til once wrote, "It is true that no method of argument for Christianity will be acceptable to the natural man. Moreover, it is true that the more consistently Christian our methodology, the less acceptable it will be to the natural man."

There is absolute certain proof for the existence of God. Van Til pointed this out when he said, "The existence of the God of Christian theism and the conception of his counsel as controlling all things in the universe is the only presupposition which can account for the uniformity of nature which the scientist needs. But the best and only possible proof for the existence of such a God is that his existence is required for the uniformity of nature and for the coherence of all things in the world...Thus there is absolutely certain proof for the existence of God and the truth of Christian theism. Even non-Christians presuppose its truth while they verbally reject it."

Every time an unbeliever opens his mouth, performs a scientific experiment, or even flushes the toilet, we can point to that as proof for the existence of God. For, in doing each one of these things he is presupposing the uniformity and coherence that only Yahweh provides. And, in denying God in this, he is allowing his hatred to triumph over his reason.

Not That I Have To, But That I Get To - An Amazing Story of How A Husband Kept His Word

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:01:00 +0000

Robertson McQuilkin was the third president of Columbia International University from 1968-1990. He stepped down from his duties to preach and teach in order to care for his wife who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

This is truly a God-glorifying story.

Falling With The Facts: How My World Is Presently Collapsing

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:09:00 +0000

We are not primarily thinking beings. There is a trap to believing this; a trap that is set by the right laws, facts, and morals; and that is sprung by our deep acceptance that the changing of one's mind will ultimately change one's life. And so we read more than repent, we learn more about him than lean more upon him, and we are more dedicated to hearing with our ears than feeling with our hearts.

We cannot understand why the Bible just doesn't work in the heat of the moment - when the girl walks by, when the curse comes our way, and when we simply cannot make ourselves feel the way we know we are supposed to. Our facts seem sharp when we write them down, but then sink into dullness when we attempt to take them when we are at war.

I believe in facts. I believe in doctrine. I love to learn, read, and argue my orthodox positions. It is not right to abandon these things. But it is wrong to believe that they are to remain alone - colorless, lifeless, loveless. Weapons are no good without strength. Laws are no good without love. And right now, I feel like a boy trying to swing Conan's sword.

I have always believed that to follow Christ is simply to learn his way and then to do it. I was thinking one way, now I must think another way. I was living one way, I must now live another way. A changed mind, after everything has made reasonable sense, has been my ultimate goal. Why repent when you have a big library...

I have been forced to believe otherwise. I have learned that, even after being well informed, I have wounded, bruised, and abandoned God's gift to me. This education has made my ultimate goal now my ultimate condemnation. What good is the Bible when we beat people over the head with it?

Yesterday, my eyes burned because they were emptied of their tears. I sat there with my head in my hands, leaning upon her shoulder, feeling my world collapse right before me. I have never felt so helpless.

I wanted to run and watch less than honorable things on the internet - but covenant eyes stopped me in my tracks. I wanted to go read some apologetics - but my desire to read quickly faded. I wanted my wife's approval - but she had already given it, and it wasn't enough. I knew all of the right things. I understood my errors. At that time no amount of learning could fix me.

My heart, for the first time in a while, longed deeply for Jesus. But I didn't know how to reach him, other than to simply ask my heavenly Father to help me. At that moment, color filled my life's picture. I felt more human as I felt the Divine add life to my heart. It was enough for me.

Nothing has been more humbling than to know what to do and how to act, but to be completely paralyzed when it matters most. No matter how hard I try, I cannot make my heart feel something I won't. This tall man, fell. No, rather, this tall man is falling. Intellectually I know it's a good thing. But it hurts. I want it over. I want to be fixed.

At the same time, however, I desire heaven more. I have called upon my Lord more. And quite frankly, because all other options have abandoned me, I have trusted him more. I may be reading ten chapters of my Bible per day and thus remaining faithful to my reading plan; but without love it is utterly useless - a painful clanging in the ears of those around me. Only his faithfulness is enough. Only Jesus can change my heart to give life to my informed (and otherwise dead) mind.

Lil' Wayne and Gang Rape Are At Least First Cousins

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:26:00 +0000

I get asked all of the time if it is okay to listen to secular music? My typical answer (depending on the person asking) is that it is okay, given he or she is listening to it redemptively - with the goal to glorify God, through the standard and lens of Scripture, and with the motive of love.

Secular music is extremely powerful, having the ability to steer emotions, transform culture, and motivate millions to do things they otherwise would never do. Therefore we must not only listen redemptively, but carefully. More importantly, however, we must not allow our over-desire for "over-cleanliness" to keep us from this redemptive activity.

The work of redemption demands that we come in contact with dirty things - even dirty people. If we don't, dirty people will die. If no one had, we would have already died. Our refusal to learn about the things that harm other people, simply because WE do not struggle with those things, leads us into countless accounts of spiritual malpractice. It's like refusing to stop a child from smoking crack because you don't want to touch drugs.

With this said, I want to address some things that I have recently come in contact with, and propose that the two are very related.

While driving down the road the other day, I was listening to the radio and heard the Lil' Wayne's song, "I Just Wanna F**k Every Girl in the World." Yes, this was on the radio. If the title has startled you, the lyrics are nothing short of derogatory and explicit verbal pornography.

Place really good music behind those lyrics, and you have a song that makes its way onto public radio. When confronted, people say things like, "I just like the beat...I don't really listen to what he is saying..." Sure. Countless songs from this artist and others are filled with this misogynistic, heinous, image of God hating crap.

Then I read things like this in the news:

In 2009, in Richmond, CA, investigators say as many as 20 people were involved in or stood by and watched the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl outside a California high school homecoming dance. Even more disturbing was that not one student sought to intervene during the 2.5 hour ordeal.

In April of 2010, a 15-year-old went to a house party in an apartment complex in Trenton, NJ. She was accompanied by her 7-year old step-sister. During the party, the older girl allowed men to have sex with her for money. Seeing an opportunity to make more money, she began to take offers to touch her younger sister. This initial molestation quickly turned violent as at least seven men raped the child.

In March of 2011, The New York Times reported the gang rape of an 11-year-old Texas girl by 18 men ranging in ages from 16 to 28.

The purpose of this post is to simply state that the music and the news above are not unrelated. And while we cannot relieve the criminals of their obvious responsibility for their crimes, we should not relieve the arts of their culpability either.

The constant objectification of women; the constant promotion of the acceptance of such; the constant message that women must act this way to be accepted; and the condoning of all of the above has led to a culture where the grace of God seems to be waning, and where the gospel of redemption seems to be completely absent.

As Christians we must see the connection and attempt, by whatever means possible (without falling into sin), to bring the fulness of Christ to these dark, related areas of our culture. The shock of the lyrics and news above should bring color to our doctrine of depravity; it should bring us to our knees; it should send us into the streets with the Good News. Christians do have something to say. Nothing but redemption will do. There is simply too much at stake.

For more on this, I suggest the book called "The Deadest Rapper Alive" by J. Johnson

The Glory of Marriage

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:37:00 +0000

The vows of two individuals to remain committed, loyal, understanding, honoring, and faithful til death is nothing less than glorious. And when a community gathers to observe such a union, in marriage, they see a reflection of that glorious love Christ has for his church. It is a shame that many from Justin's community have seen more funerals than weddings. This is a fact that should plague our prayers, haunt our evangelism, and completely remove superficiality from our very existence.

Marriage is glorious. And when it is marred and left without expression, Christ is misrepresented and defamed. But when it is celebrated and fought for, Christ is proclaimed as the strong, faithful, sacrificial, and loving husband that he is.

Meet the Bumpers who are now married. With every serious and sincere bone in my body I beg you to pray for this couple who have made Christ the object of their faith and seek to live under his reign and rule every day.

Sin In Other People

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:09:00 +0000

Every person is sinful. This is theology we know and even notice in our world. Though the media may not call it sin, they know it is; and because it is what brings the most traffic, they love it.

While we may respond to the reports of sin by giving our attention, we often fail to know how to address sin when it slaps us in the face. Americans are really good at trying to avoid it altogether. Billions of dollars are spent on numbing activities such as sports, movies, games, and the like. Not that these things are bad; but to deny that they can be is plain denial.

Again, every person is sinful. Relationships will always be spotted with inevitable sinful collisions. Trying to avoid them is like kicking the proverbial can down the road. Only people are not cans. And if you kick them long enough, they become more like pit bulls. Eventually you're gonna lose a leg, a hand, or worse.

If we are honest, the most common way we deal with sin in others is by making every attempt to have them stop sinning. We neglect, avoid, yell at, pacify, or even abuse in order to put out the sinful flame in those around us. No matter what, however, we can never reach sin-deep. Instead of saving, we end up aggravating. Why? Because if we use another means other than the gospel, we only treat sin with sin.

We do this because we don't really believe that Jesus can and does redeem us, and others, from the enslaving chains of sin. He simply takes too long. I want sin gone now. But, he apparently doesn't.

The gospel calls us to love and trust. We are to turn the other cheek, to return good for evil, to bless when we are cursed. We are to give when others take - to die so that others may live. I understand this is harder than it sounds - even impossible. But this is the light of the gospel. If we don't believe it, we are fools.

The Spirit gives us the faith to trust that Jesus works in the lives of others. After all, he saved us. I personally struggle to trust him here. Even with those closest to me, I feel as if it is my job to save - to get the sin out. But lately I have been so broken by this activity, I simply cannot do it anymore. I have found that when I try to be Jesus to others, I turn out to be more a Pharisee.

And as odd as it sounds, he is using the sin in others to humble me and to sanctify me. He is using the sinful actions of others to point out my own sin. And he is using all of this to draw me closer to himself, in complete dependence upon his grace, to save me and those I love so much.

A Few Example of How Not To Do Church

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:53:00 +0000

I might get in trouble for this but...

People Lack Neither Information Nor Evidence

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:19:00 +0000

Here is a helpful excerpt from Dr. Bahnsen's work on Van Til concerning the "believing" status of all people, and how the apologist is to address such in the work of evangelism or argumentation:

"Based on our previous observations about knowledge, we would analyze the concept of intellectually knowing God as believing certain propositions concerning God that are true and for which one has good evidence. Scripture teaches that nobody is ignorant of the living and true God. People lack neither information nor evidence. Everybody believes important things about God that are true and well supported. Thus, all men know that God exists, that he is almighty and all-knowing, that his holy character forbids theft and murder, that we will all be judged by him, etc. Accordingly, the apologist embarks on the wrong road altogether if he thinks his task requires, for instance, providing data and proofs about God to someone who does not possess such things and simply needs them cogently brought to his attention in order to become a believer. In a crucial sense, all men already are "believers" - even "unbelievers" who will not respond properly by openly professing and living obediently in accordance with the knowledge they have of God. In the end, the work of the apologist is not simply an intellectual mission (akin to a scientist trying to convince colleges about his new research conclusions), but embodies as well the work of morally convicting the non-Christian for not owning up to the truth that he already knows and cannot escape. The apologist is not simply challenging the unbeliever's reasoning, but in the process also (inherently) challenging the unbeliever's controlling personal attitudes, intellectual behavior, and lifestyle."

As I have said at other times, if you don't own this book, get it. If you do own it and have not read it, read it. It is worth its weight.

It Goes Both Ways

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:05:00 +0000

Every human is created in the image of God. This means, at the very least, that everything we do as image bearers is extremely significant. When we communicate with words, people are affected. When we act with our volition and use our hands, we are creating ripples that continue on in the lives of other image bearers. There is no way around this. When it's good - it's good. But when it's bad - it's bad.

This is one reason why we desire to be noticed when we accomplish something great. Parents praise a child's first words, friends praise the graduation of a friend, and societies praise the heroic efforts of others they don't even personally know. When people do great things, people praise and rejoice greatly. This validates the weight of our lives as image bearers. In these times we find significance beyond our failings - a significance that is rooted in the intrinsic value given by our Creator.

But it goes both ways. When image bearers commit heinous acts, other image bearers notice and respond accordingly. The height of human experience reached when a hero saves a life is now thrown into the depths of human sorrow when a murderer takes one, or twenty. And the praises that are given a student at graduation are transformed into charges given a criminal at his trial. It goes both ways. It must in order to preserve the value of the image bearer - the value of the victim as well as the criminal.

This is why societies that praise no accomplishments and punish no crimes are filled with people who feel as if they have no value whatsoever. A student who is awarded a degree for doing nothing is worthless - not to us necessarily, but to himself. And a criminal who is left unpunished for his crime is also worthless. Though he would probably never say it, he would ultimately agree that a death sentence is better than no sentence at all.

We have to wonder if this is why crime is to prevalent in our day. Kids are rewarded for doing absolutely nothing. They are not justly punished for committing crime. A lack of justice on either side of the spectrum - reward or punishment - has left them empty, devalued, and less than image-bearers. This is probably why the strong hands of a police officer, though painful, are deeply meaningful. And this is why the indicting voice of a judge, though condemning, feels loving. He at least has value now. His actions have meant something. Finally, even behind bars, he is somebody.

The Average Life Span...

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:25:00 +0000

The average life span of an individual living in the United States is roughly 75-78 years. Now that I am creeping into my mid-thirties, I am becoming more and more aware of this fact. At any moment I could receive news that would drastically change my life. Am I to die early? What about a family member or friend?

Death is something we all look at with a particular uneasiness, hoping it doesn't visit us "before our time."

Things would be different if we knew for sure that the dead are raised. We would say with the Apostle that "dying is gain." And instead of uneasiness, we would have a particular excitement when the word "death" showed up in conversation or life.

We would spend money differently knowing that storing up treasures for 75-78 years is relatively futile when compared to storing up treasures in heaven for eternity - for billions and billions of years.

We would spend our time differently knowing that every act of obedience to God's law could change another person's spiritual condition.

Yes, the law is for the other. When we obey, they are safe. When we obey, they see our Master. When we obey, they are led to the gospel that saved us, and provides the gracious foundation of our belief (Jn 15:17).

The fact is, we do know for sure that the dead are raised. The Bible tells us so. What more do we need? Christ's bones are nowhere to be found! His grave is empty. He is alive.

Therefore, those who have hope only in this life should see our life, as Christians, and pity us. They should consider us foolish for investing in eternity; for spending our time and resources for something very different - something very "other." Losing our life is odd. We save our life by different means.

Those who hope in eternity are different. Christians are different. We do not say, "Eat, drink and be merry (now) for tomorrow we die." We say, "Let us die to ourselves now, for tomorrow we live!"

I personally struggle to believe that Christ is raised from the dead. My own selfishness attests to this. I can only pray that the Lord will help my unbelief. I make it my request to trust his word more and more.

The average life span of a person is about 75-78 years old. This is true. But it is not all true.

The average life span of a person (in Christ) is eternity. We have souls that never die. And one day, when the trumpet sounds, we will put on the imperishable (1Cor 15)! I cannot wait! Come Lord Jesus!

The Things I Am Willing To Do As A Daddy...

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:28:00 +0000

If you are a parent, you know exactly what I am talking about. I cannot believe what I am willing to endure in order to get my 18 month old to sit still for any length of time. I listened to that big purple whatever-he-is for 45 minutes today and enjoyed every minute of it!

The Incarnation & Its Implications

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:37:00 +0000

I wrote an article entitled The Incarnation for Holy Culture. In it I talk about how Christ's incarnation has and is changing my life. Christmas was different this year. It meant more and brought with it more weight than years past. For that I am thankful. Here is a snippet from the post:

Christmas is almost like a military draft, calling us, as it were, across enemy lines. The incarnation of Christ calls us to life among those who make the outside of our cup physically and emotionally dirty; all the while the One who lives in us makes the inside of our cup spiritually clean. The irony alone should shock us, and even convict us. We have stayed long enough among those who do not inconvenience us, that have the same moral idiosyncrasies as we do, and who will not demand more of us than what is socially acceptable.

But Christ came to the world, fasted in the dessert, sat at the well, sweat blood in the garden, and shed blood on the Cross.

Christmas brings us the gift of life through death. We are not in heaven yet. And we should cease trying to drag it down. It will be given soon enough. Becoming a Christian does not mean that we are delivered out of the world. Christian liberty is not about being free from the moral, social, emotional and physical inconveniences of those who have no moral compass, little social skills, who are on multiple psychiatric medications, and who would rather harm us than hug us. Liberty is found by losing one’s life. It is our mark to love the unlovable, to give to those who steal, and to embrace those who would rather us dead.

You can find the rest of the article here.

Content With This World or Encouraged By Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:34:00 +0000

It may be that we are just too content here. We are just fine with the way things are. Money affords us the luxury of living without hunger, thirst, and, for the most part, pain. If there are inconveniences, that's just what they are - inconveniences; most of which only need to be "fixed" before we die. Make that note: get it all in before we die.

But do we really believe in heaven after we die? Do we have hope that there is really a life that, for billions and billions of years, will be so much more familiar to us than this life? Do we live in eager expectation of a time when things don't just get better or get fixed, but when all things are perfectly and gloriously recreated and are in complete subjection under Christ Jesus?

Do we believe that sacrificing things in faith, hope and love for others will really turn out to benefit us in heaven? Does God reward those who diligently seek Him?

Does cancer, back pain, cerebral palsy, depression, bi-polar disorder, ingratitude, brutal persecution, and even unexpected death bring us to long for the day when we are "made perfect in holiness"?

I have to admit that I find myself quite content here, although I am slowly becoming less so. It may be that I am getting older; and that my life as a husband, father and pastor now has more responsibility attached to it. It may be that life is going by much faster than it ever has.

I trust that sanctification is playing a role as well - by His grace of course. More than ever, I feel the loss of this worldly life with every step of obedience; from helping my children brush their teeth, to ministering in a more "dangerous" part of town than I'm used to.

Regardless of it all, I am becoming more aware and more convicted by the call to preach the gospel of Christ to as many as I can. Ironically, going to the dark places (of my own heart as well as the hood) has enabled me to see more light. I have seen the power of the gospel at work. And I really like it. I believe that Christ saves more now than ever.

In short, I am thankful that the Lord is enabling me to believe that heaven is worth giving up everything for. My life is an absolute wreck right now; but I have never prayed more in my life. Nor have I believed this much that Christ, via death, is truly gain.

I was encouraged today by Paul's words to the Thessalonians and I would like to leave those words with you. It is my prayer that as the Lord sanctifies us, that we will be more and more encouraged by the truth of His inevitable return and by our glorious eternity in heaven:

For the Lord Himself will decent from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of GOd. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who hare alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words (1Thess 4:16-18).

Some Pretty Amazing Videos! Enjoy Your Friday!

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:18:00 +0000

You Can't Have Your Cake And Eat It Too

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:43:00 +0000

Cornelius Van Til once wrote, "Modern science holds not only to the idea of pure contingency or indeterminacy, but also to that of pure determinism." In saying such, CVT is referring to the deep inconsistency of the unbeliever's position when attempting to formulate a coherent scientific argument for his atheistic case.

To rely heavily upon strict laws such as uniformity of nature, laws of gravity, and the speed of light, while making a case for the evolutionary view of chance, randomness, and openness is deeply contradictory, making such an argument completely incoherent and even absurd.

An example of this can be found in the common argument against the creation account found in Genesis. I'd like to step back and say that the point of this example is NOT to defend a young-earth view, but to show how common arguments against it are logically inconsistent, thus proving to be no argument at all. Until a consistent argument is put forward, the Genesis account remains not disproven.

Many unbelievers dismiss the biblical creation account by saying that we know that the earth is millions of years old. The fact that there are galaxies and celestial bodies millions of light years away makes it empirically obvious that the universe that contains those bodies is at least millions of years old.

The formula is pretty simple: the light that radiates from those bodies travels at a constant speed; it takes millions of years for that light to reach our eyes (via regular sight or telescope, etc.); it follows then that those bodies, and the universe that contains them, are at least millions of years old.

Therefore, the Genesis account, they say, is incorrect.

But I see huge problems with this argument. In my experience, many who dismiss the Genesis account because of this type of argument are deeply committed to an evolutionary theory of nature (one of "pure contingency or indeterminacy" and openness). There was/is no creator, and thus everything happens and has happened by chance - a product of randomness. Lifeless matter evolved over time to be what it is now. And the evolutionary process continues. Change is constant.

But why are the strict laws, upon which every single scientific argument is based, not subject to the evolutionary process? Why is the speed of light somehow protected against evolutionary change? I wonder if it is empirically possible to prove that the speed of light has remained a constant over millions of years, as well as under atmospheric conditions millions of light years away. Further, why isn't the uniformity of nature called also into question by his evolutionism?

It seems to me that if evolution is embraced, then every so called constant is constantly subject to that change - even evolution itself!

These questions are frustrating to the unbelieving position. If he remains committed to his worldview, the study of the historical universe becomes highly problematic; and what he "knew" must now be degraded from fact to mere unjustified, false belief.

Here we see CVT's observation in action - the unbeliever's deep commitment to unchangeable laws which form the basis for his argument that the universe is and has always been open, changeable, and random. Unfortunately, it is impossible for an unbelieving position to have it's cake and eat it too.

If Jesus Had a Cell Phone

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:03:00 +0000

I am reading A Praying Life by Paul Miller. The book so far is very good, very practical, and very inspiring. Praying in our world is very difficult because we are so busy. We have emails coming in, thoughts running around in our minds, and pressures coming from all directions. Finding a snippet of time where we can be uninterrupted by another can be quite an obstacle.

I was greatly encouraged by Miller's comments about the life of Christ. He writes: "But even a cursory glance at Jesus' life reveals a busy life. All the gospel writers notice Jesus' busyness, although Mark in particular highlights it. At one point Jesus' family tries to state an intervention because he is so busy (Mk 3:20-21)...But he loves people and has the power to help, so he has one interruption after another. If Jesus lived today, his cell phone would be ringing constantly...The quest for a contemplative life can actually be self-absorbed, focused on my quiet and me. If we love people and have the power to help, then we are going to be busy. Learning to pray doesn't offer us a less busy life; it offers us a less busy heart."

I don't know why this makes me feel better. I guess it is because my life feels like it is completely out of order. No matter how hard my wife and I try, we just cannot seem to run a perfectly regimented home-machine that is without the constant "Bing!" and "Ring!" of the cell phone. But, I know we love people. And, a love for people and the gospel make for a pretty busy life it seems.

I am reminded now of Spurgeon and Calvin, both dying at a relatively young age due to illness and overwork. When asked by a parishioner how he could get so many things done, Spurgeon replied something to the effect of, "Don't you know? There are two of me." I can only imagine how many interruptions he would have faced if he had a cell phone!

And these men - Christ, Spurgeon and Calvin (along with scores of others) - were devoted to a life of prayer. In the midst of all of the interruptions, they communed with their Father in prayer. Christ even had to wake up before everyone to find the time.

I pray that my life would resemble theirs. That the grace of God would drive me to a busy life bathed in prayer to my Father.

A Little Lewis For You Concerning Nature vs. Supernature

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Interest in evidence in order to obtain knowledge about a certain topic or fact must take the student a bit deeper than the evidence itself. All "evidence" is interpreted by the one observing it. To state it another way, all facts are interpreted by an underlying philosophy or deep-seated commitments. Some call these presuppositions. They are the lens through which one views and interprets the world around her.

C.S. Lewis describes this well in his book Miracles. He says, "The question whether miracles occur can never be answered simply by experience. Every event which might claim to be a miracle is, in the last resort, something presented to our senses, something seen, heard, touched, smelled, or tasted. And our senses are not infallible. If anything extraordinary seems to have happened, we can always say that we have been victims of an illusion. If we hold a philosophy which excludes the supernatural, this is what we always shall say. What we learn from experience depends on the kind of philosophy we bring to experience. It is therefore useless to appeal to experience before we have settled, as well as we can, the philosophical question."

He goes on to speak about determining whether or not miracles happened in the past on the basis of evidence: "The result of our historical enquiries thus depends on the philosophical views which we have been holding before we even began to look at the evidence. The philosophical question must therefore come first."

Lewis begins the chapter by giving an example of a lady who has seen a ghost. However, because of her presuppositions that supernature does not exist, the concludes that she must be hallucinating. In other words, even if God did come down, even if He worked wonders in our day, many who exclude super nature in their basic philosophy would conclude that there must be a natural explanation for it, and would spend their lives in search for such an explanation.

We Cannot Repair What We Have Done.

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:46:00 +0000

Imagine a child as he sneaks into the corner to play with matches. As he lights the first match he doesn't notice that he is a bit too close to the curtains. Before he knows it, the entire house is in flames. The family escapes and watches their home burn to the ground.

The child, with guilt welling up inside, knowing that his disobedience was the cause of this disaster, looks up at his parents and says these words: "Don't worry Mom and Dad. I'm going to fix this."

They look down at the child with a depressed, but frustrated face knowing good and well that their five-year-old cannot even come close to repairing what has just been lost. Sure, he is capable of the damage. But he is completely unable to repair it.

And that is the irony of our situation. We have the ability to damage, but the inability to repair. We are immensely valuable, but extremely vulnerable. Sin is not only tragic in that it condemns us; it is even more so because it violates an image bearer. Tragedy lies less in the one who takes and more in that which is lost.

To make matters even worse, we, like the child, move immediately from damage to reparation. We simply try and fix that which is broken. When we hurt, we quickly try to heal.

The idea that we can make reparations for our sin devalues the one against whom we have sinned. We forget that, as image bearers, we carry a divine value - not that we are gods, but that we are created in the image of God. Penalties reflect the worth of the victim. And if we believe we can pay sin's penalty, we devalue the One who has been transgressed. Sin against God demands a divine payment. We simply do not have the resources to pay.

Further, the reparation idea is extremely prideful as it overvalues our abilities. In thinking we can repair things, we become God. Our works have divine worth and are not to be thought of as "filthy rags." So, not only do we think less of the victim (and of God), but we think too much of ourselves.

Last, reparations can only be made by Christ - the God-Man. As Anselm so rightly said, "It could not have been done unless man paid what was owing to God for sin. But the debt was so great that while man alone owed it, only God could pay it, so that the same person must be both man and God."

So, when we sin, we should never skim past repentance. We should value the image of God in the other, and ultimately the God we have sinned against. And we should recognize our utter inability to repair what our hands have done. This is why He is the Prince of Peace. And this is why faith in Christ is critical for every relationship in life. The Gospel is not about what we can do, but about what He has done.

Faith Is Not Blind Faith

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:50:00 +0000

Van Til was often accused of fideism - the view which assumes knowledge originates in a fundamental act of faith, independent of rational presuppositions; and, that Christian assertions are matters of blind belief and cannot be known or demonstrated to be true. Fideism, we are told, is based upon a leap of faith and a negation of rational constructions.

Van Til's accusers could not be further from the truth.

In his work, Van Til's Apologetic, Dr. Bahnsen quotes Van Til who said, "Faith is not blind faith...Christianity can be shown to be, not 'just as good as' or even 'better than' the non-Christian position, but the only position that does not make nonsense of human experience."

Bahnsen further explains that, "Van Til's presuppositionalism explicitly aims to provide rational and objective proof of the inescapable and certain truth of Christianity...Fideism maintains that the believer cannot (and perhaps should not) offer rational grounds for the full certainty of Christianity's truth-claims. Thus, Van Til is at the opposite pole from fideism, while his critics, ironically, stand closer to it, for they agree with it (to this extent) that full rational proof of CHristianity cannot be given. Van Til aims for rational certainty, while his critics settle for far less, namely, probability."

If you are in the least bit interested in Christian apologetics, I would strongly suggest getting and digesting this book. It will strengthen your faith, hope and love for God, as well as enlarge your heart for unashamed evangelism.

Have a Great Friday!

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:20:00 +0000

I have no categories for this or why I roll in the ground every time I watch!

And, this is my brother-in-law (KP) reenacting the above - even funnier!

This Is Our Logo.

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:17:00 +0000

I am grateful for my good friend Mike Phelon from Vision Communications Design for putting up with me long enough to get this done! Good work on the logo Mike!