Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
To Watch TV or To Not Watch TV
Should Christians watch TV for entertainment? - Tim Conway from I'll Be Honest on Vimeo.
It's a little hard hitting if you like the telle, but there is truth in Mr. Conway's words and scripture does not lie...
Friday, March 27, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
MacArthur on Theodicy
The below bolded text is taken from the Shepherds' Fellowship website (Dr. John MacArthur), referencing a small section of a lecture John MacArthur gave to wrap up the Shepherds' Conference last week. This is one conference I would have loved to have attended.
Before posting the comments from Shepherds' Fellowship blog about Dr. MacArthur's lecture about "The problem of evil" let me just remind everyone of one thing - outside of God there is nothing...no forces, no gods, no nothing. Everything that exists, except God has been created by God and this does include Satan and evil. Although this can be a tough truth to get our minds around, lets just not forget God is in control over "all" things, and that He is holy.
At the Friday evening session of the Shepherds’ Conference, John MacArthur addressed “The problem of evil,” or theodicy as it is often called in theological circles. In discussing this issue, Dr. MacArthur made the following points:
1. Evil exists and it is folly to claim that it doesn’t. There are several categories of evil:
a. Natural evil (such as natural disasters and disease)
b. Moral evil (the sinful actions of people)
c. Supernatural evil (the actions of Satan and demons)
d. Eternal evil (the eternal condition of those in hell)
2. God exists (and He is the God of the Bible)
God controls absolutely everything. There is no evil outside His plan. There is no evil outside His purpose. He knows everything that can be known, that is knowable. He has comprehensive power to do everything that can be done that is possible. That is what the Bible says about God. And in that perfect knowledge, and in that perfect power, and with perfect holiness, and expressing His perfect love, God ordains everything.
3. God wills evil to exist. He has allowed evil and sin within His sovereign purposes so that His holiness and grace might be put on display.
Without sin and evil, we wouldn't know that He is as righteous as He is, as loving as He is, and as holy as He is. God allowed sin so that He could display His wrath. Without sin, there would be no display of righteousness, no display of love and no display of holiness. God endures sin. "He endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction" (Rom. 9:22). He endures sin patiently so that in the end He might be glorified by displaying both His wrath (v. 22) and His grace (v. 23).
The whole reason God ordained evil to exist was for His own glory sake, so that forever and ever holy angels and redeemed saints would give Him glory in full comprehension of all His attributes. Prior to sin God was not worshiped fully for His righteousness against the background of unrighteousness. He was not worshiped nor could be fully for His love until He demonstrated the kind of love that loves rebellious sinners. He was not worshiped fully for His holiness until His wrath displayed how He hated sin. And He was not worshiped for His grace until He displayed forgiveness and mercy on the elect. In every case there is this great disclosure of the nature of God. Why? In order to fully display His glory.
Before posting the comments from Shepherds' Fellowship blog about Dr. MacArthur's lecture about "The problem of evil" let me just remind everyone of one thing - outside of God there is nothing...no forces, no gods, no nothing. Everything that exists, except God has been created by God and this does include Satan and evil. Although this can be a tough truth to get our minds around, lets just not forget God is in control over "all" things, and that He is holy.
At the Friday evening session of the Shepherds’ Conference, John MacArthur addressed “The problem of evil,” or theodicy as it is often called in theological circles. In discussing this issue, Dr. MacArthur made the following points:
1. Evil exists and it is folly to claim that it doesn’t. There are several categories of evil:
a. Natural evil (such as natural disasters and disease)
b. Moral evil (the sinful actions of people)
c. Supernatural evil (the actions of Satan and demons)
d. Eternal evil (the eternal condition of those in hell)
2. God exists (and He is the God of the Bible)
God controls absolutely everything. There is no evil outside His plan. There is no evil outside His purpose. He knows everything that can be known, that is knowable. He has comprehensive power to do everything that can be done that is possible. That is what the Bible says about God. And in that perfect knowledge, and in that perfect power, and with perfect holiness, and expressing His perfect love, God ordains everything.
3. God wills evil to exist. He has allowed evil and sin within His sovereign purposes so that His holiness and grace might be put on display.
Without sin and evil, we wouldn't know that He is as righteous as He is, as loving as He is, and as holy as He is. God allowed sin so that He could display His wrath. Without sin, there would be no display of righteousness, no display of love and no display of holiness. God endures sin. "He endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction" (Rom. 9:22). He endures sin patiently so that in the end He might be glorified by displaying both His wrath (v. 22) and His grace (v. 23).
The whole reason God ordained evil to exist was for His own glory sake, so that forever and ever holy angels and redeemed saints would give Him glory in full comprehension of all His attributes. Prior to sin God was not worshiped fully for His righteousness against the background of unrighteousness. He was not worshiped nor could be fully for His love until He demonstrated the kind of love that loves rebellious sinners. He was not worshiped fully for His holiness until His wrath displayed how He hated sin. And He was not worshiped for His grace until He displayed forgiveness and mercy on the elect. In every case there is this great disclosure of the nature of God. Why? In order to fully display His glory.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
How Many Times Have You "Got Saved?"
Here is another short six minute video clip from Washer.
We should remember God is not obligated to any power, person or force to give salvation to those who are dying. We should all be proclaiming "All glory to Him who reins forever" and "All power to Him who knows no bounds" for His overwhelming grace, mercy and loving-kindness, that He would offer up salvation to those who repent and turn from their wicked ways and place all their faith and allegiance in Christ.
We should remember God is not obligated to any power, person or force to give salvation to those who are dying. We should all be proclaiming "All glory to Him who reins forever" and "All power to Him who knows no bounds" for His overwhelming grace, mercy and loving-kindness, that He would offer up salvation to those who repent and turn from their wicked ways and place all their faith and allegiance in Christ.
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