It Really is ALL About Jesus

"I hear the Savior say,
Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all."

For a while now, a wise friend has been telling me that Jesus needs to be the focal point of my life. No matter how much time I spend reading and thinking, blogging and journaling,  working and playing....Jesus must be my all in all. I realize now that I did not pay attention to how important that fact is. Now I am understanding as the Holy Spirit convicts me.

Every once in a while, I become completely exhausted because of doing "stuff". When I step back and question why I'm doing the "stuff", I answer, "because I need to be doing it". This is where the Holy Spirit convicts me, because all my attempts at living a godly life to honor God are worthless if Christ is not at the center of all that I do. He must be behind every motive, every action, every thought, every word.

Without Jesus, there is no purpose in life. Just think about it. Christ died to be the redemption of sin. But his death would not have mattered that much  if he hadn't risen from the grave. If he had just died, he would have been like any other dying  man. But his resurrection, his conquering of death, made all the difference. By conquering death, He gave us, the human race, hope for a future beyond the grave. Think of it: life is lived and in the end, you die. That's all. If all that occurs in the end is death, a body lying in the grave, then why not live this life to the fullest, selfishly enjoying all the pleasures it has to offer without caring about consequences.  But because Jesus conquered the grave, there is something beyond our bodies decaying in a cemetery. Jesus gave us something other than ourselves to live for: Him. By living godly and holy lives on this earth, we have something to hope and long for, a perfect and pure relationship with God for eternity, exactly what we were made for in the first place. So because Christ died, saving us from our evil, sinful hearts, and then conquered death, He gave us a purpose, a reason for doing "things", for doing "stuff", but for Him.

When from my dying bed,

My ransomed soul shall rise,

"Jesus died my soul to save,"

Shall rend the vaulted skies.

Understanding that then, all that we do from day to day should be centered around Jesus, since he gave us the meaning of doing  all "things". If we lose focus of Him, then our purpose becomes blurry and we wander around aimlessly wondering why we do the things we do. In order for the purpose to become clear again, we must draw near to the One who gave us that purpose, that hope for which to live. " 

And when before the throne

I stand in Him complete,

I'll lay my trophies down,

All down at Jesus' feet.

When I came back home from my schooling at Rivendell Sanctuary, the youth group I help lead was focusing on a series of lessons called, "It's All About Jesus". When it was explained to me by one of the leaders that doctrine and theology do not matter as much as Jesus, I think I was fairly shocked. At that time I had just finished up a semester focusing on theology and philosophy, and was holding theology in pretty high regards. Now that I think more about it, I realize that the leader was right. Developing one's own theology is important in order to develop a logical defense for one's beliefs, in addition to many other important practices and studies; however, if Christ is not at the center of those studies, what's the point? Why develop a study of God, theology, without focusing on Christ, the very Son of God?

So yes, acquiring wisdom, developing relationships, working hard, and enjoying life's pleasures are to be done, but they must be done with Jesus as the focus. So do things, but only do those things if they are being done for the glory of God. "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

And when you get exhausted of doing things, as I often do in this hectic life, step back and question yourself as to why and for whom you are doing these things. Are you trying to be productive and accomplish much to feel valuable, to pay off some sin, to appease a guilty conscience, to please God, or to repay Christ for what he's done for you? If so, draw near to God and repent. Then be filled up in Christ so that you may continue pouring out Christ until that time when you grow weary again. Fill up, so that you may pour out. 

Jesus paid it all,

All to Him I owe,

Sin had left a crimson stain,

He washed it white as snow

Lyrics from Jesus Paid It All by Elvina Hall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NntEuGCsWwM

Musings from Mexico

Leaving Mexico last year left me with the same doubts and questions I had at the beginning of this year concerning whether I belonged in Mexico and whether our efforts were making any difference. Instead of spending the year brainstorming about new ideas for Mexico or figuring out if God really wanted me there, God took me to Summit Semester and Rivendell where my attention was focused in a different direction. Despite this, throughout the weeks there, God really answered my prayers in surprising ways.

First of all, he reminded me to live moment by moment, instead of trying to figure out the future in one day. For the past couple years, I had it set it my mind that I would be doing youth ministry and missions long term. Whether this really is God's plan for my life doesn't really matter at the present moment since I will never know my future. My goal is not to figure out God's plans for my life, but to live lovingly and obediently every day, to take captive every moment he has given me, and to remember that each breath I take is a gift from the One who sustains my life.

Second of all, God gave me an answer to my doubts about whether or not VBS was worth the time and money and whether it was actually making a difference in the lives of the children we ministered to each year, God truly showed me our efforts are worth it. Because of my family and church's many years of missions work in Mexico, relationships have grown, and I really saw the fruit of that this year. One of these fruits was Josue, whom I have known since my first year in Mexico, eleven years ago. He has gone from a childish boy to a young man strong in his faith and zealous for his Savior. He traveled with us to many of the VBS's leading music, teaching lessons, moving felts, and using a microphone to draw children in. He is only fourteen and stands up for his beliefs despite his peers opposition to his beliefs. Despite his age, he is such an example to me, and God really used him to show me that relationships there are worth the effort. Josue is worth the effort. Oh, how I love that boy. It was so hard to leave him this year.

 New relationships also are beginning to flourish, and through this, new ministry opportunities are presenting themselves through God's great plan. This was also encouraging to discover. 

 Kids would come up to many of us asking if were were going to make the salvation bracelets or if they would be given t shirts to color or whether we would be having a water balloon fight again. The children remember that we come down every year and they remember what we do with them. My prayer is that they would remember the love of Christ that we try so hard to share with them and that seeds would be planted in each of their little hearts so that in years to come, they would look back on their childhood and remember, not us but Christ in us and that that would make all the difference. 

In two locations, Santa Cruz and Cuitaca, I found two little children to whom I devoted my attention. They were both sweet joys in the daily struggle of doing something I did not have the desire or strength to do. It seemed as though my heart was not involved with the work during the week of VBS like it had been in past years. I really think God used those children in my life even as I may have been used in their life. As I showed them kindness since those around them were ignoring them, He showed me that even through my efforts that seem insignificant to me, He can do great and mighty things. God works in beautiful ways.

Through these happenings, God helped me realize that my work as a follower of Jesus is not about the results that I see within people, but that my focus should constantly be on being a light in this dark world. I can do this by being an example, by sharing Christ's great love in all that I do and say. 

Thirdly, God revealed to me a spiritual gift(administrative: 1 Corinthians 12) that he has given me. I have always loved scheduling and organizing things. This year I was able to do a lot of that from writing schedules for girl's camp and the VBS week to assigning people to different teams to writing fliers and menus. Most people seem to look at challenges like that and get thoroughly confused, but I find great joy and satisfaction in the challenge. I was also able to lead a few of the meetings we had, which was pretty crazy. In previous years I would have been extremely nervous doing something like that, but God gave me the strength and courage to use the gift he has given me. Knowing of this gift and how practical it is gives me great joy and really excites me to see how God will use it in me.

When I decided to go to Mexico this year, despite only returning home after five months of being away, I had no clue God had all these lessons in store for me. The two weeks there were incredibly challenging and difficult, but focusing on my source of strength and joy gave me the perseverance to push on. I am so glad he kept challenging me, otherwise my character would not be sharpened like it is today. These lessons learned do not solely affect me in Mexico, but affect me daily here in Utah.

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this gracein which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:1-5

Attempting to Disciple Eighteen Girls

This year's girl's camp, held in the dormitory in San Lazaro, Mexico, lasted from Sunday, July 1^st until Thursday, July 5^th. The team from Utah consisted of Rich and Wendy(my padres), Lisa Evans and Cathy Craner( two women from my church body), Samantha de la Cruz( a young girl from another church body), Mary Kate(my sister), and myself(that's me!).

All the girls and leaders

Day One-Sunday Night

Although it began differently than expected with groups arriving at times different than the allotted time, and most of the girls being disobedient and not sleeping the first night, we tried to give our expectations of the week to God to do according to His will. Since most of us knew that things would not go according to our schedules having the previous year's experience to compare, we welcomed God to change our plans according to how He desired to move. Despite this, it was still a struggle to be flexible and not frustrated when things changed because of our human weakness in wanting things to go our way.

Day Two-Monday

The majority of the “dorm dwellers” began the day exhausted due to lack of sleep. A different strategy tried this year(compared with the previous year) were the three small groups led by Samantha, Mary Kate, and Deborah, a young woman from Nogales. Discussions focusing on the theme, “Su Vida En Cristo” or “Your Life in Christ” lasted about an hour. Because of the girls' fatigue(one girl even asked if it was time to sleep), the discussions lacked responses causing a bit ofdiscouragement for the leaders. As a lesson in consequences for disobedience(referring to the previous night), siesta time replaced game time. I became discouraged at that point due to an increase of disrespect because when I put effort into fixing a problem, I assume that the problem will be fixed right away. This was not the case with these girls; although, it did lead us to realize that respect is an issue that needs to be dealt with especially in these girls.

After lunch, a second siesta, the actual scheduled siesta, was pronounced. In the words of Samantha to the girls, “Siesta time is necessary. If there is no siesta time for the leaders, they will die. We don't want dead leaders.” Because of the continual disrespect, we gringos decided to take time to give the issue to God asking him to work in the hearts of the girls, especially the troublemakers, and that He would use this time to change all of them. My prayer was that even if we did not see a change in the girls right away or even in a few years, that they would eventually look back at their time at the girls camp and be reminded of what they learned; that somehow our efforts in discipling them would be used for God's glory in their lives.

We attempted to show the girls creation science videos led taught by Ken Ham. That attempt failed, sadly, because of their boredom and fatigue. It was a good lesson to learn though that they are not usually made to do things that they don't want to do: another “problem to be fixed”. Samantha and Deborah taught “worship dance” to the girls in which they used their streamers made during craft time. It seemed as though they really enjoyed that.

Deborah

Let me take a moment to share with you about Deborah. She came as a leader last year, and we enjoyed getting to know her heart and character and seeing her leadership qualities. It's not often that we come into contact with leaders in the relationships we make in Mexico(or maybe anywhere). In my eyes, Deborah stands out and deserves acknowledgment for her faith and her zeal for Christ.

Beatrize teaching

Following the nighttime teaching led by Beatrize, a woman from Sinaloa( the state below Sonora, where the dorm is located), a new tactic was tried. Because of the many cliques developing, we decided to break those up by dividing the girls into four different teams to play games involving team work. This caused the girls to get to know those outside of their circle, to communicate better, and to work together to accomplish a certain goal. Laughter erupted constantly, shy girls spoke up, those left out were included, and those in charge were joyful in the success of the game.

At lights out time, Samantha and I walked up and down the hall checking the rooms. Every single light was off and all the girls were sleeping quietly. We hoped it was due to the lesson on disrespect and disobedience we had tried to instill within them, though I think they were thoroughly exhausted.

Day Three- Tuesday

Compared to the previous day, Tuesday was grand. They enjoyed breakfast(happiness filled my mama's heart) and most of the girls responded well and paid attention during small group. Focusing on grace, faith, and salvation, Mary Kate(I was in her group as a helper), made the discussion personal by asking lots of questions. And instead of letting them get away with typical, “Sunday school” answers, Mary Kate asked, “Porque? Ok, pero, porque?(Why? Ok, but, why?) many times. I was surprised, yet encouraged, by their honest answers and questions. An hour passed by quickly as we discussed the biblical doctrines.

Meeting together

Beatrize taught again after small groups. All of us gringos were so thankful for her presence at the camp. Instead of lecturing the girls, she engaged them with questions and didn't constantly shush them. Throughout the day I saw her sitting down with different girls asking them about themselves and also pitching in to help with cleaning and cooking. She truly displayed a servant's heart throughout the week.

Despite being behind on schedule(something that usually bothers me a lot), the day went incredibly smoothly. The girls were more respectful, ventured out of their cliques and made new friends, and loved when we played games with them during their free time.

In the afternoon, the gringos had the time to sit down with Beatrize, inquiring about the problems in the church and culture in Mexico. We asked questions regarding the early pregnancies in young girls, the great disrespect issue we had discovered in the previous days, etc. The answers we got were discouraging in that we realized the problems were greater than we had thought, but simultaneously encouraging because it gave us new thoughts and ideas of how we need to work on fixing those problems through God's grace and strength in the coming years. New ideas about future girls camps were discussed and also about starting boys and girls camps in Beatrize's village, in addition to maybe beginning a parenting conference the following February. The whole discussion greatly encouraged me. Although the problems became bigger and more evident, I realized how much easier they would be to try to conquer because of the developing relationships we have, especially the new one with Beatrize. I could tell that she really cared about the girls at the camp and about the youth in her village as she gave us new ideas and ways we can reach them.

Day Four-Wednesday

The respect and kindness of the girls seemed to increase as the days went on, to our great surprise. The morning small group had great interaction and lots of sarcasm and joking from Mary Kate to lighten the mood. It was really funny to watch them interact with her especially the faces they made when they couldn't figure out if she was being serious or not.

After a combination of all the small groups(also known as gigantic group), we sat the girls in front of an actual movie, Pilgrim's Progress, instead of a lecture based video. My dad made his famous popcorn for them which they thoroughly enjoyed, and after giving it to them, we told them they could not come back into the dormitory until dinner time due to a surprise. See, the girls were famous for having to go to the bathroom or for needing a drink of water during the “attention grabbing” movies we showed them. I did not know that in order to get a drink or go to the bathroom, one girl had to take three other people with her.

As they watched the movie, we women decorated the room with balloons, tablecloths, place settings, and prepared dinner and dessert. Once the preparations were complete and the movie finished, we announced to the girls that they could finally enter the dormitory. As soon as we told them, they raced out of the church building into the dorm and screamed with delight. Their reactions were hilarious as they grinned, shouted and posed for pictures with each other!

To finish off the night, Samantha, Mary Kate, and I told our testimonies of how God had changed our lives and hearts into new ones and what our lives looked like in Christ(Su Vida en Cristo). The girls were attentive and most seemed to relate to at least one of the testimonies. We “allowed”(no, we really wanted them to!) the girls to stay up later because it was the last night at camp. Because of this, some of the girls really opened up to us about themselves. We found out that some really enjoyed reading, which was great since we were beginning a reading program the next week.

Day Four-Thursday

Before the girls departed for their homes, we all gathered in the church building for the girls' testimonies. Each of the girls stood up and described what they had learned during their three days at the camp. Surprisingly and thankfully, most of them talked about how they learned to respect each other and that faith was very important, the two things we really desired them to take away from their time there. Other things mentioned were staying abstinent, being yourself, loving one another, obeying parents, and spending alone time with God. Hearing these testimonies were encouraging to us  all and made our efforts worth it.

I think despite the fatigue of us leaders and the disobedience of the girls at first, the days were spent well. Perhaps we will never know if we actually did make a difference in the lives of each of the girls. I know that we pray and plead with God that seeds were planted and that those seeds would be watered and would begin to flourish. And I know that the goal should not be to see the reward, but to obey Christ's command to go and disciple. I think in a small way we did disciple these girls, and we have received new ideas and techniques for how to better disciple the girls in the coming years. I am so thankful to be a part of the miracles and transformation that God is doing in the lives of the Mexican girls.

If you would like to partner with us( my family and Oasis Vineyard Church) in reaching the teenage girls of Sonora Mexico or being a part of the Vacation Bible School team that occurs annually in July, post a comment. God is truly working in the hearts of our brothers and sisters in Mexico, and help is always needed!

A Story to Be Lived

We, the human race, are a people that love stories. From childhood and adolescence to adulthood and old age, stories consume our lives. A few moments ago, I was sitting with my niece as she listened to and watched a story be played out on an I-pad. Fascinated, she couldn't take her eyes off the screen and eagerly asked for another story once the previous one had finished. My niece is only three. The prevalence of children's books, in addition to many movies and TV shows, indicate how stories are a major part of a child's life. For adolescents and young adults, the longing for stories is satisfied in books, but especially in movies and TV shows. The happiness in telling their own stories is fulfilled in many ways, such as status updates on Facebook, blogging, photography, texting, writing poetry, and making music. I assume that this continues onto adulthood, though I have not studied adults as much. Those in the category of old age probably find fulfillment in some of the areas mentioned above, though TV, movies, and books are probably most popular. The elderly also love to tell stories; stories from when they were children, stories from growing up, stories of encouragement, and stories of warning.

Stories obviously are an incredible part of every person's life, but why? I remember in the past year hearing an explanation of this either from a book or a lecturer. We love stories because we are involved in the greatest story of all time. God created the characters-all human beings-, the setting-earth-, and the plot-creation, the fall of humans, redemption, and restoration. He created each of us to play a part in the greatest play ever written. What a great privilege!

My question then, is how are you playing your part in this story? Are you following the script you've been given, the Bible? Are you acting in accordance with what the director desires? Or are you ignoring his voice as he directs you to where you belong on the stage? In Crazy Love, Francis Chan talks about how life is like a movie, but instead of you or me being the main character as we constantly think, God is the main character. Are you living your life in such a way that God is the main actor, the most important part of the movie, the star, the one whom everyone loves? Or are you living as though you are the main actor who gets all the credit, who should get all the attention and affection, who deserves all happiness?

The most recent book I have been reading, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years( by Donald Miller), discusses this idea in a different way. The book's emphasis is that your life is a story, and the author proceeds to tell about how boring and pointless his story was and how he changed that. I love how Miller explains what a story is. To sum it up, a good story should be one that involves conflict, overcoming fear, taking risks, loving, and enjoying the beauty God has given us. A good story is also one that should affect others in a positive way, one that changes lives for good. Every day is like another page that God writes according to how we act out the story. Each day brings us closer to the ending of the story. What's your story like? Is it impacting the lives around you, or is it focused inwardly? Is your story a story of sacrifice or a story of selfishness? Does your story involve risk taking or is it consumed in fear?

I urge you to live an amazing story, one that God would read again and again, like we do with a good story. Be courageous; love; act sacrificially; be humble; serve. Act just as all the heroes in the best movies act. As a character in the greatest story ever written, act your part as though the greatest play writer in the world were watching every move you made, because He is.

Living Life Moment by Moment

I just finished a book, Crazy Love, by Francis Chan. This convicting book challenges the Christian to live a life completely surrendered to Christ instead of living a lukewarm life. I would encourage all believers to read this thought provoking book because it really awakens one to what the church is actually supposed to look like in the areas of loving, serving, and giving.

In the back of the book, Chan placed a chapter from his book, Forgotten God. This chapter was incredibly challenging for me. It talked about how stuck a lot of believers are on "the will of God".

"I think a lot of us need to forget about God's will for my life. God cares more about our response to His Spirit's leading today, in this moment, than about what we intend to do next year. In fact, the decisions we make next year will be profoundly affected by the degree to which we submit to the Spirit right now, in today's decisions. It is easy to use the phrase "God's will for my life" as an excuse for inaction or even disobedience. It's much less demanding to think about God's will for your future than it is to ask Him what he wants you to do in the next ten minutes. It's safer to commit to following Him someday instead of this day."

I thought this very interesting to think about. I know that I am often so focused on what I will be doing or how God will be using me in the future, that I rarely consider the present. And a lot of that attention on the future consists of worry and fear. 

In Luke 9:22 Jesus said, " Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." We are to take up our cross daily. We are to be his disciples right now in the present moment. We can't wait around for next week or next year to come before we start serving him as disciples. 

This really challenged me to begin taking every moment captive, constantly asking myself, "How can I right now serve someone else or give to someone else." In doing this, "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"(Matthew 25:40)

In addition to being obedient to Christ, I think that by focusing more on the present, it will take the worry and fear away from the future that so easily pervades our thoughts. It also helps to focus your attention on heaven because if you continue to humble yourself by loving others in each moment, you will be reminded that you may not get a reward right then(though we actually don't deserve one anyhow), but by obeying Christ, a reward awaits you in heaven.

So many of us have the concept of, "when this day comes, then my life will begin", and that should change. God has given us each day as a gift to be used in a way that is glorifying to him. Every moment is precious to God and should be precious to us as well. What about you? Where is your focus? Are you always waiting for the future to come to change or obey or are you living in obedience right now every moment? I encourage you to live your life moment by moment, step by step, instead of continually focusing on the next chapter of your life. Be grateful for each day and use it for God's honor and glory, not your own.

Saying Goodbye to Rivendell

Looking back on my experience at Rivendell Sanctuary, I thank God with a grateful heart for giving me the privilege of being there for an incredible four months. When I began my journey at Rivendell in January, I had no idea what God held in store for me. Coming straight from Semester, I imagined it to be quite similar. Although it was fairly similar, for example the importance of thinking critically and deeply and the emphasis on living in community, in a way it was completely different. For the first few weeks, it was a complete shock and very hard for me to get used to. God had a plan for me through it all, though. Even when I thought I couldn't handle living in a dorm or reading page after page of homework, He gave me the strength to pull through. He shaped and molded my character by testing and trying me. I know that at the beginning, I didn't want to stay longer than one semester because of how "hard" everything was. By the end though, I had such a great longing to stay there. Which leads into the point of this blog....

Deciding whether to stay or go was a difficult decision. The deciding factor came down to finances, of course. I think the hardest part was knowing that if I chose to stay or leave, either way I would not be acting in sin towards God. I knew that if I stayed I would learn so much, and that was and is my greatest desire. But I also knew that if I stayed, in the end I would probably regret it because of the debt. I knew that if I went home that I could continue to learn by being disciplined and motivated, and would also have the freedom of no debt. In the end, that's what I chose.

The greatest part in making that decision(and I hate making decisions) was that my focus was completely on God. I prayed often, fasted, sought wise counsel, and read the Word. God's presence every day as I thought and prayed was incredibly evident. I think this was the first decision making process in which stress and worry were at a very low point. I felt complete peace knowing that in the end, whatever path I chose, God would be with me, would provide for me, would teach me, and would love me unconditionally. That gave me such hope and thanksgiving in my heart for Him. When it finally came to decision time, I knew that I was making the right decision even though I so longed to stay at Rivendell. The peace that surpasses all understanding flooded me, and still is flooding me.

Saying goodbye to Rivendell, the education and the people, proved to be difficult. I will miss the friends I made, the method of learning, my professors, and the lessons that could have been learned. But, I will not forget the friends-what they taught me and the laughter, fun, and tears I enjoyed with them. I will not forget the method of learning, but will continue to use what I was taught in my own studies and also hopefully pass it own to others. I will not forget my professors, but will hear their voices in my head and remember and be grateful for the wisdom and practical tools they handed down to me. I know that even more lessons could have been learned, but I will not forget the ones I did learn, nor will I avoid new lessons.

All in all, God gave me an amazing, unforgettable gift by allowing me to attend Rivendell the past four months. It was an awesome journey that started with a leap of faith, continued in faith,  and ended with a leap of faith.





PS All photos were taken by Alexandra Petree.

Why Philosophy is Significant to the Christian Faith

Philosophy has nothing to do with Christianity does it? Many claim that the two have no connection. I have heard it said that as Christians, our sole ambition should be to preach the gospel; or in other words, such subjects as philosophy should not be studied because it does not aid in the gospel. However, in this essay, I will prove that philosophy is vital to Christianity, that Christians use it on a daily basis in their walk with God, and that even a “basic” thing as sharing the gospel is dependent on philosophy. I will show the significance of philosophy by revealing that God commands us in the Bible to be philosophical, that philosophy is a necessary component to both theology and apologetics, and that philosophy can be used on a daily basis in the Christian’s life.

The Bible will be our starting place in finding whether philosophy should be part of Christianity. In the Old Testament, Moses gave the second generation of Israel various laws that required obedience in the Promised Land. One of those commands was this: “ Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”(Deuteronomy 6:4-5) In the New Testament, Jesus responds to a lawyer’s question, “What is the greatest commandment in the Law?” by saying, “ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”( Matthew 22:36-37). In order to be obedient to Christ, a Christian must love God with his mind.

God focuses on the mind here because it is his gift to humanity. In creating humans, God made them in his image; therefore, he gave them something that set them apart from all other creations: the intellect. Human beings can be said to be rational animals because of this. One definition of philosophy corresponds with this description exactly: the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct(emphasis added). Because humans are rational which comes from the intellect or mind, philosophy by definition also comes from the intellect or mind. It follows then that by loving God with our mind, we are loving God through philosophy.

In addition to these scriptures, other portions of the scripture emphasize using the mind by testing things and examining things before accepting things to be truth. Examples are the following: Romans 12:2 says, “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” (emphasis added). Having a sharp mind is necessary to understand what God’s perfect plan is. Also, 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says, “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.” In order to obtain good things, everything must be questioned carefully by the mind. Another critical scripture is Colossians 2:8, which says, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” Now, many take this verse to mean that we should avoid all philosophies. But this cannot be true, because Paul uses philosophy constantly by arguing for the gospel. What Paul means is that n order to not be taken captive by deceptive worldviews, a philosophy that corresponds with the truth that Christ presented is vital for the Christian. By using our minds critically, testing and examining everything, an adequate worldview can be obtained.

Next, we will tackle the issue of theology and how it relates to philosophy. Although at first glance it may not seem like it, theology is laced with philosophical implications.

First of all, certain theological doctrines use philosophy first hand. For example, when discussing the trinity, we use the words “essence” and “subsistences” to formulate the theory of God being three in one. Both of those words are philosophical terms used to describe being and persons.

Secondly, philosophy is necessary to complete a systematic theology. Before systematizing, an inductive study of the Bible must be done. Induction relies on logic which comes from the intellect and is a branch of philosophy.. In addition to induction, the biblical data relating to God must be connected. This connection is dependant on formulating logical premises. Those premises must follow to make a logical conclusion. This method of philosophy within theology is called a positive construction of Christian doctrine. Third, a negative method in formulating a doctrine also relies on philosophy. The theologian must prove that things that seem like contradictions in the Bible are actually not contradictions. Examples of these contradictions that seem apparent are God being a rock(Psalm 18:2) or Jesus being a door(John 10:7). The theologian must know how to explain these difficulties to those who question them, but this cannot be done without thinking critically and developing logical arguments, both of which are dependent on philosophy.

A warning must be mentioned here when talking about using philosophy to help interpret God’s word. Reason should never take the place of God’s authority. As mentioned before, reason is a gift from God and we are to glorify him by using it. Philosophy is called the handmaiden of theology for that very reason because philosophy is used as a tool to interpret the Bible, not to replace the Bible.

Because philosophy aids theology, it must aid in apologetics since apologetics is a branch of theology. Apologetics defends the Christian faith from attacks from the world. In a sense, it is the Christian worldview against all other worldviews. Apologetics has a basis in the Bible found in 1 Peter 3. There the author calls us to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”(1 Peter 3:15-16). The Bible calls Christians to be apologists, to defend the faith against the many attacks from the world.

In order to give a defense for that faith, philosophy is required. C.S. Lewis supports this by saying that, “Good philosophy must exist if only for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered.” This “good” philosophy focuses on developing solid, reasonable arguments by thinking critically, analyzing, and questioning other arguments. The reasonable arguments will provide concise evidence for the Christian worldview that is more plausible than any other worldview if understood correctly.

Usually when we hear the word “argue”, we think of petty squabbles where no one listens to the other side. However, the type of argument that philosophy focuses on is one that brings logical reasons for the claim which is being supported. Such an argument is not and should not be a petty squabble, which is why Peter calls us to use reason in a gentle and respectful way. By doing this, we can show those who are maliciously attacking the faith without reason and respect that we have presented our argument with honor and respect, and thus they will be or should be distraught over their slander of the faith in Jesus Christ.

Although many Christians may have the belief that theology and apologetics are too lofty of subjects for a layman(although I have shown in the previous arguments that such a belief is not necessarily true since each of us have a theology and use apologetics in some way), philosophy can still be used every day in a dedicated life unto God. Such examples are the following: critical thinking is necessary for weighing the accuracy in sermons, books, songs, and discussions. One must have a correct Christian philosophy if they are to communicate the gospel in Sunday school classes and youth groups. Correct reasoning is needed for interpreting the scriptures as they are to be interpreted. As you can see, in addition to being used in seminaries with theology and apologetics, philosophy can also be used daily in the life of the Christian as he learns, teaches, and studies. One can further such a philosophy by reading books, questioning ideas, and discussing important concepts.

In conclusion, I have shown that against popular belief, philosophy is incredibly significant for the Christian faith because God has commanded us to love him with our philosophically-made minds; because it is the handmaiden of theology which in turn affects apologetics, a branch of theology; and last, but not least, philosophy is referenced daily in the journey of walking as disciples of Christ. Socrates sums it up well, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Without an emphasis on philosophy, the Christian life loses great significance and is not worth pursuing.

These are the resources I used:
Genesis 1:26-27
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/philosophy?s=t
http://www.reasons.org/articles/why-christians-should-value-philosophy-part-1-of-3
http://www.reasons.org/articles/why-christians-should-value-philosophy-part-2-of-3
Norman Geisler's "Introduction to Philosophy"
C.S. Lewis' "The Weight of Glory"
Plato's "Apology, 38a"
This paper was written for my final philosophy paper at Rivendell.

Philosophy...

It's been a long while since I blogged. During the theology module, it was much easier to write about what I was learning because it was so close to my heart. Philosophy has been a bit different because it's so abstract, not in the sense that it's not practical, but that it's difficult to understand and think about.
The first week was spent on the history of philosophy-watching R.C. Sproul videos and reading Norman Geisler's Introduction to Philosophy. During the second week we studied metaphysics, the study of being or reality answering the question, "What is real?". Epistemology, the study of knowledge, was the topic of the third week, and we answered the question, "What is knowledge?". The fourth week was spent studying the philosophy of ethics and answering the question, "What is the right?". And this past week was spent studying the philosophy of religion and summing up everything we had learned, which was very necessary because made all the topics fuse together and make more sense.
I learned so many incredible things these past five weeks; it's hard to put it into words because I have never thought about most of what I learned. I guess I will just point out what stood out most to me:

• I now can say that I have studied and read the primary texts of the ancient philosophers, such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas. I love that I now know who they are, what they believed in, and how they impacted philosophy, including mine. I also studied modern philosophers such as Descartes, Pascal, Locke, Berkely, Hume, and Kant. It was incredibly interesting to realize how these men have impacted the philosophy and worldviews of today including modernism and postmodernism.
• For my final paper, I was assigned to write about how philosophy is significant to the Christian faith. I loved it because I finally understood how philosophy and Christianity fit together, and how without philosophy, Christianity loses so much importance. I wonder if Christianity could even exist without philosophy; however, I wonder if any other area of study could exist without philosophy. I say this because philosophy covers critical thinking, logic, argumentation, reason, knowledge, worldviews...Without these, how are we to approach science, theology, missions, government, psychology, etc? Perhaps this is why it was so difficult for me to try to separate philosophy from Christianity and try to figure out how they work together; they are so intricately connected! I really enjoyed writing that paper and realizing how important philosophy is to all areas of study and how I can and do use it daily in all that I do.
• One of the things I realized during this module is that I rarely ever stop thinking. When I am sleeping may be the only time when my mind is  at rest( I rarely have dreams). One of my readings discussed how the mind is constantly trying to summarize things and simplify concepts from large to small. This really intrigued me, because it's totally true if you think about it. :) Thinking about this made me wonder if in heaven we will think the same or if our minds will work in a different way. Will we still try to simplify? Will our minds be constantly going all the time? Will our thoughts be completely pure?
• During this module, I realized what a gift the mind is. The intellect is what sets us apart from all the other creatures, which is why we are called rational animals. God made us in his image; only us, not anything else. He gave us the gift of the mind because that's what helps draw us into a relationship with him. Reason is what we have in common with God( in addition to other things), because God is reasonable. Understanding this, it causes me to wonder if I am bringing glory to him through my mind, through my thoughts; whether I am thinking critically; whether I am using my mind to study and learn more about him through the many concepts and areas of study he has provided....It causes me to want to change the habits of my mind.

There is so much else I could discuss: reality, knowledge, more about the mind, being...Maybe someday I will write more about those subjects, but for now I will leave you with what I have written today. Enjoy!

An Argument Against Atheism

In his article, On Being an Atheist, H.J. McCloskey argues against the existence of God with objections popular even to non-atheists. Because he claims that most theists base their beliefs on proofs such as the cosmological argument and the teleological argument, McCloskey focuses on these. If he can point out their defects, he assumes that God‘s existence is not plausible. In addition to these arguments, he addresses the impossibility of evil and God existing together and also claims that religion is cold and comfortless. In my argument against the atheist, I will display that each of these claims can be logically shown to be faulty and illogical while God’s existence is factually logical.

The Cosmological Argument

The cosmological argument is stated as: The universe had a beginning, Anything that had a beginning had to have a cause, Therefore, the universe had a cause or a Creator.

McCloskey believes in an uncaused cause, but does not think that the universe points to a being that has always necessarily existed. He claims that the universe only needs a cause that is equal to the effects and that it does not have to be an all powerful perfect being, since the imperfect creation does not correspond with it. The creator only has to be powerful enough to create the earth and imperfect enough to be equal with its imperfections. These imperfections consist of many evils done to innocent human beings, and therefore, the evil in the world must correspond to a “malevolent powerful being… that the creator and ruler of the universe is either not a god but an evil spirit or a well intentioned finite being whose limitations result in very disastrous consequences.”

First of all, the universe does point to a being that has always existed. All earthly beings can be defined as “possible beings” in which existing is an accidental to their nature instead of an essential essence. Humans do not have to exist, but must receive this possibility from something that has the essence of a “necessary being”. “And since a being cannot give existence to another when it is dependent for its own existence on another, there must be a Being whose existence, was not given to it by another, but who gives existence to all others.”

Secondly, this Necessary Being cannot be imperfect, as McCloskey claims it must be in order to correspond with the imperfect world. The universe does have imperfections, but these are impossible to comprehend without being aware of some perfect, ultimate standard with which to compare it. Also, the cause cannot be identical to the effects. The one who caused the finite is pure actuality and can then actualize a potential. Human existence is only a potential as explained above.# God is pure perfection and actualized the potential of imperfection by giving his creation, Adam and Eve, the freedom to choose good or evil. Because they chose to do evil, imperfections arose. Thus, the human race, not God, is responsible for the imperfections this world portrays.

Therefore, McCloskey’s arguments against the causer of the universe being a perfect, necessary being have been logically shown to be false. Consequently, the cosmological argument still stands as an adequate form of reasoning for the theist’s belief in God.

Teleological or Design Argument

The teleological argument or the argument from design assumes that due to the order and design in the universe, there must be an ultimate designer.

McCloskey insists that because of evolution there are no examples of design. Nevertheless, he states that, “Even if we uncritically accepted the examples of purpose and design pointed to by exponents of this argument, all we should be entitled to conclude was that there was a powerful, malevolent, or imperfect planner or designer.”

First of all, McCloskey claims that if examples of design exist, they will not point to an all powerful God. He seems to imply that evolution can explain the “design” in the world such as the complexity of the human cell or the intelligence and rationality of humans. If considered thoroughly though, evolution and chance cannot explain such design logically. William Paley uses the analogy of watch and a watchmaker to illustrate this. No sensible person happening upon a watch with its intricate detail and complex function would think that it popped into existence without a maker or a purpose. Why then would a sensible person, seeing the design of the universe, believe that it came into existence without a designer or a purpose? Consequently, McCloskey is mistaken to say that examples of intelligence do not exist and that the theist’s examples do not point to a designer.

Therefore, McCloskey’s objections to the teleological argument have been shown to be inconsistent. Hence, the teleological argument still stands as reasonable for believing in God‘s existence.

The Problem of Evil

The problem of evil states that since evil exists, God cannot exist too.

Transitioning to evil, McCloskey states that the theist’s faith in the existence of a perfect being is an irrational, reckless risk considering the evil in the world. After describing evil as physical and moral, he claims that a perfect God would never create a world with avoidable suffering and evil acts that hurt innocent people. He states that, “It is because evil exists we do not believe God exists”. Claiming that the theistic explanation of evil is not adequate, McCloskey focuses on a few defects of this solution. He wonders why God could not guarantee that we abstain from evil when giving us free will, why God didn’t create us to be robots that always chose right, and why humans can’t have free will and avoid immoral acts like God does.

First, because theism adequately explains how evil exists logically with God, I do not think that a faith in a God with a purpose for evil is a reckless, irrational faith. Secondly, I will respond to each of his questions individually. 1) Could God have given us free will, but kept us from committing evil? No. Free will requires two choices, right or wrong. If God destroyed the option of choosing evil, he would be destroying free will. 2) Could God have created us to be robots that always chose to do right? No. Choosing to do right is identical with choosing God, who is actual goodness. If we always chose to do right, then we would always be choosing God. This is a forced love, sometimes called “divine rape”, and disagrees with God’s nature, and is therefore impossible. 3) If God has free will and does not commit immoral acts, why can’t we do the same? God does not have free will; he is actual freedom. Also, God is perfect and to commit immoral acts is to go against his very nature. Due to our free will, the ability to choose wrong is in our essence. God does not have that ability because he is all good. If something is all good, evil cannot be present. Therefore, assuming God’s freedom is identical with ours is illogical. Thirdly, he claims that because there is evil in the world, they [atheists] do not believe that God can exist. However, because he pointed out that evil exists, physically or morally, he acknowledges that something is wrong. In pointing out the wrongness of evil, McCloskey shows a standard of right and wrong. This standard, called the moral law, must have been set in place by some being not affected by this standard. The only one not affected by this moral law is God. Hence, by acknowledging the existence of evil, McCloskey acknowledges a law giver.

Consequently, due to the explanation of God, evil, and free will existing logically, McCloskey’s objections to evil and the theist’s “irrational, reckless” faith have been denied.

Purpose and Comfort without God

This argument states that belief in atheism is more comforting than the coldness of religion.

In McCloskey’s last argument against God‘s existence, he states that comfort is most needed when loved ones are “jotted by acts of God”. These acts consist of natural disasters, diseases, and physical deformities. Because he claims that theists describe evil as acts of God, the responsibility belongs to God, an imperfect being. By questioning if people really find comfort in one who plans such tragedies he says, “One must feel much happier in the knowledge that there is no God, that God had nothing to do with the blow one had suffered.” Since a comforting God fails to exist, the atheist can find comfort “where available” from friends and can attempt to reduce evils to avoid the need of comfort. He ends by saying that “Atheism, adopted by a thoughtful and sensitive person, leads to a spirit of self reliance, to a self respect which demands that we comfort and help those who need such support, and a to a furthering and supporting of all measures which will reduce or moderate the blows of fate.”

First of all, McCloskey has a false assumption that affects his whole theory. He believes that God plans evils and deliberately causes people to suffer. This is false because God did not create evil. “He created the possibility of evil and people actualized that probability” says Peter Kreeft#. After the fall of Adam and Eve, evil existed because of a lack of good in the world due to their sinful actions. Consequently, the blame falls on human beings, not on God.. Secondly, in my own opinion, I do not understand how anyone, atheists especially, find comfort without God. Comfort does not exist without God. There is no comfort in death, because atheists face non-existence at death. There is no morality in life because God the only is moral law giver. William Lane Craig says, “In a world without a divine lawgiver, there can be no objective right and wrong… this means that it is impossible to condemn war, oppression, or crime as evil. Nor can one praise brotherhood, equality, and love as good. For in a universe without God, good and evil do not exist…” There is no goal or value in life because the ultimate end is the grave whereas in theism, the value extends into eternity. Thus, an atheist may try to find comfort in his friends, but will not find the ultimate comfort that God provides; an atheist may try to reduce evils in the world, but what point is there in doing so? A spirit of self reliance and self respect are impossible and pointless because the self is in need of God, the creator and giver of all values.

Therefore, the atheist’s argument for finding comfort and purpose without a God is lost because only God gives purpose and value.

In conclusion, McCloskey’s arguments for atheism and objections to theism fail to function logically compared to the theist’s sensible defense of God. In addition to the cosmological and teleological argument’s solid defense of the existence of God, the evil in the world and the need for purpose in life point directly to God’s existence. Therefore, as I have displayed, compared to atheism, theism provides a consistent worldview that logically explains the disputes that McCloskey presents.

My Problem with Evil

Throughout the week, especially on Wednesday, I struggled a lot with the topic of evil. Subconsciously, I think I have always had questions regarding this issue, but I was too scared to ask them. I feared there not being sufficient answers to my questions, and did not want my faith to be shaken by not having answers. Hence, the questions have remained unasked. However, being faced with them this week, I was forced to ask them it seemed like. Although emotionally and mentally draining to think and question, having a clearer understanding of God and my faith is so worth it.

I will try now to explain the problem I faced. A few weeks ago I wondered, "If God knew that the majority of his creation would turn from him and ultimately end up in hell, why did he even bother creating us?" In one of the articles I read this week, "The Theistic Explanation of Evil", it explained that God created us because he wanted to love us and he wanted us to love and worship him in return. I think I misunderstood this view, and took it to mean something completely different. I know it sounds awful, but I thought of it like this: God created humans to love and worship him, and if they chose not to love and worship him, they would end up in hell. It seemed as though God acted selfishly. I hated thinking of him as selfish because deep down, I knew selfishness contradicted his nature. He is all good! He cannot be selfish. But I didn't know what else to think.

After discussing it with my sister, Mary Kate, I came to a different conclusion. Instead of focusing on the negative side of humans, evil, I realized the gift of goodness open to all of us. God is God. He does not need anything or anybody. Yet, out of love and kindness God chose to give us life and being. He did not have to, but graciously chose to do so. Life, in that sense, is a great and wonderful privilege. What a gift it is to breathe, to have sight, to enjoy pleasures, to speak. Everything we enjoy can be said to be a gift from God that none deserve. Not only did God grant us the gift of life, but he also presented us with the gift of free will. He knew that we would make ourselves our own gods and reject him, yet he still gave us this great gift. He did not force us to love and worship him, although, our adoration does belong to God. He let us choose. What a gift! Not only did God give us the gift of life and free will, but God gave us a second chance. He sent Christ, also the perfect God, who deserves our everything. Christ took on himself the evil we put in the place of God. Jesus did not have to do this because none of us deserve a second chance! Yet he chose to out of love, such love that I cannot comprehend. Not only did God give us the gift of life, free will, and forgiveness, but God gave us the opportunity to live with him for all eternity, like we were supposed to in the first place. Through Jesus' resurrection, all have the privilege to surrender their lives to Jesus and to gain the hope of new life in paradise. The all good, all loving, all powerful God of the universe, although he did not have to, chose to give us life, free will, forgiveness, and eternal life, in addition to all the other gifts we enjoy on earth today.

After considering all of this, God has revealed to me that he is NOT a selfish God, but the complete opposite: benevolent, loving, gracious, good, compassionate, kind, generous, noble.... His love is incredible and so hard to comprehend. This revelation has revealed to me how much I take for granted my very existence, not to mention all the blessings God pours out upon me. As I learn more and more about this awesome God that I serve, I am humbled and understand how much worship and thanksgiving I owe to him. Yet even when I fail in those areas, his mercies are abundant and his forgiveness always stands. How incredible is that?

I could go on and on about what I'm discovering, but I'll stop here and save it for other blogs. I'll end with a quote from the hymn, "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross": "Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."

The Problem of Evil

This week as I continued to study theology, I was assigned to write a paper on the problem of evil answering four popular questions that are raised against God. Here it is for your "enjoyment"!

Every day humanity is presented with the concept of evil and the sufferings that follow it, whether we realize it or not. Although days, maybe years, can go by without wondering why we feel pain or why we have to go through great trials, at some vital point in life we are pummeled with questions regarding this issue. For many, the very roots of their faith depend upon the answers to these pressing questions. Consequently, these questions must be given answers.

Although I am assigned to think through these questions regarding evil, I realize that I have always had the questions, but I was to scared to consider them, wondering if there would be a sufficient answer that would support my beliefs in God. I was scared of having my faith taken away from me due to unanswered questions. Having heard the argument, “If there is a God, why is there so much evil in the world?”, my response has always been to blame the problems on sin. Since this explanation became familiar to me from the Christians around me, I never considered finding a deeper answer to this probing and important question. My simple answer touches on the explanation for evil, but a much greater and more reasonable answer exists, as I have found recently.

Before I move on, defining evil is necessary. Evil has been defined by the philosopher, Augustine, as the lack of good in something and is characterized by suffering. Going straight to where suffering exists abundantly, within the human race, this question can be answered. In every human being is a force called the law of human nature, sometimes called the moral law. This law must have been given to us by a designer, such as God, for it could not have proceeded into existence on its own with its complexity and its existence in every human being. This law guides a being into choosing to do either good or evil. Now, many will argue that no such law exists, but it proves itself by the choices we make. For example, all humans have the urge to commit the selfish act, say, running from a burning building, but all know that the unselfish act, rescuing others from the burning building, is the better choice to make. Whether we make that choice or not is determined by this moral law. If we logically ponder the many choices made by the influence of this law, a reasonable human being cannot deny these two “instincts” of right and wrong, as C.S. Lewis calls them in his essay, On Free Will. Although we have this moral code within us, all disobey it. Regarding moral choices, very rarely do we turn from our selfish desires to do the good deed. Following from the definition, if evil is the absence of good, when we turn from the good deed and commit the selfish act, evil presents itself. Suffering then emerges, whether it be for yourself, another person, community, or society. Understanding this reasonable explanation of evil, a logical person must then arrive at the conclusion that evil exists in this world, not because of God, but because of the selfishness and pride of human nature. We cannot blame God for evil, because God is an all good God who desires good, while we ultimately desire evil over good.

Since God desires good and not evil, many people wonder if God can be the author of evil, and if he isn’t, who is? An argument that supports God as the author of evil says “God is the author of everything in the world. Evil is in the world. Therefore, God is the author of evil.” However, how can it be that an all good God could create evil? That idea seems quite impossible. It is impossible because the argument previously stated has a flaw. God is not the author of everything in the world; God is only the author of everything in the created world. Evil was not present when God created the world. On the contrary, good was present at creation due to the fact that God called his creation good again and again in Genesis one. In the midst of his good creation, God created Adam and Eve with free will. “He created the possibility of evil and people actualized that probability” says Peter Kreeft in The Case for Faith. After the fall of Adam and Eve, evil then existed because there was a lack of good in the world due to their sinful actions. According to Augustine, evil is actually defined as the lack of good in something. Evil is an idea or non being, and only becomes reality because good or being exists. In conclusion, this logical consistency explains that God could not have been the author of evil since evil is not a created thing, but came about after creation.

Since God is all good and created good, but not evil, the question “Can God and evil co-exist logically?” is asked. In my opinion, it seems as though this is possible because God is a logical, all knowing God. I do not believe that a logical God would create logical human beings with free will without a logical plan in mind. Because I have a finite mind, I cannot comprehend the meaning of God’s plan. But he must have one, and it must follow his nature of being logical or it would contradict his nature. Moving away from my opinion, facts prove that evil and God can co-exist logically. For example, when human beings are aware of the suffering they undergo, they are pointing out that there is an evil in the world, which then points to an objective standard which differentiates between good and evil. Even atheists or agnostics claim to believe in evil when they accuse God of not existing because of the suffering that exists. Knowing of this objective standard, or the moral law I presented earlier, it draws evidence for a Creator of the objective standard. In addition to this fact, in Lee Strobel’s book, The Case for Faith, it states that “our freedom includes the possibility of sin within its own meaning. It’s a self contradiction- meaningless nothing- to have a world where there’s real choice while at the same time no possibility of choosing evil.” Therefore, logically, evil proves that a Creator, such as God, exists. In conclusion, instead of the co- existence of God and evil being illogical, it’s actually illogical to believe in God, free will, and no evil.

Since God and evil can exist in the same realm, and God is a good God with a purpose for his plans, many have asked what the purpose of evil and suffering are in this life. To find the purpose of suffering, we must look at the greatest example of suffering, and that is Jesus Christ. Christ was spit upon, beaten, whipped, crowned with thorns, made to carry a cross, nailed to that cross, and left to suffocate hanging on the cross. But I imagine that the physical pain did not compare to the mental and emotional pain of the burden of our sins. Every sin ever committed, every pain ever felt, every suffering ever undergone of every person that has ever breathed was cast upon Jesus on the cross. The burden and the ugliness of that sin was so great that Jesus’ Father could not bear to look at him. Comparing this to our suffering is important, but even more important is remembering that there was a purpose existed in Christ’s death, which is the resurrection, which in turn gives everyone the choice of eternal life. Just as Christ’s suffering had a purpose, so is there purpose in the sufferings of mankind, if we surrender to God. Paul says it best in Romans 5:1-4, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also boast in our sufferings, because we know that sufferings produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” In addition to character traits, suffering enables believers to comfort others with their pain(2 Corinthians 1:3-5) and suffering causes us to trust God more(Lamentations 3:19-24). Most importantly suffering leads to repentance and salvation(Acts 9:1-6), and this is extended to all humanity. When people question the source of the pain they experience and try to make sense of their sufferings, if their hearts are laid open to him, God will reveal himself to them. They then have the opportunity to repent of their own evil and to receive the gift of salvation. C.S. Lewis said this: “God whispers to us in our pleasure, speaks in our consciences, shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

Although it is incredibly difficult to find purpose in the midst of suffering, if you examine past sufferings closely, the growth in character, the ability to comfort others, and the salvation accepted are evidences of the many purposes that suffering has.

Knowing of the all good Creator who instilled the moral law in every being, knowing of free will, and knowing that we repeatedly choose to disobey this law, an answer to the question of evil has been given: evil comes from our decisions; evil does not come from God. Knowing that God only authors created things answers the question of authorship of evil: evil was brought into existence by Adam and Eve when they chose to reject the created good. Knowing then that God, evil, and free will exist, the answer to the question of God and evil co-existing logically has been given: without evil, free will cannot exist, and without God, free will cannot exist.. Knowing that evil expounds in the world and that everything has a purpose, an answer to whether or not evil has meaning has been given: suffering that comes from evil produces strengthened characters and points us ultimately towards God’s saving grace. These answers with which I honestly suffered mentally and emotionally to figure out, also brought about in me a purpose, a trust in the all loving, infinite God and Creator of my very existence. To conclude then, the problem of evil presented in these four difficult questions, if thought about reasonably and logically, can be sufficiently answered.

The Great I AM

My mind has been blown to bits, it seems like. I have always known that God is an amazing God, but I know it for sure now. This week during theology, we studied God's attributes and the Trinity. Here are a few points that struck me powerfully.

• God is all knowing, omniscient. He knows all things. He knows the past, the present, and the future. But he doesn't know them like man does. Man thinks of them in periods, stages, sequences. Not so for God. The omniscient God sees them as a whole, all at once. They are just there for him, right there. All the time. Forever. Always. For mankind, our lives are a timeline with little dots for every happening. For God, every single person's life that ever existed is a great....big...bubble or cloud??? It's so mind blowing to think about. I can barely express these incredible thoughts.
• A man can have a few characteristics at a time. Perhaps someone is kind, joyful, merciful, and gracious at once. Those are descriptions of a finite being. And those characteristics can change from moment to moment. God on the other hand. Wow. He can be forgiving, merciful, loving, rational, just, jealous, creative, wise, personal, good, truth, long suffering, empathetic, free, righteous, beautiful, peace, blessed, patient, compassionate, gracious, glorious, honorable, faithful, awesome. All at the same time. But these are not characteristics of God. These are God's essences. His attributes are not added onto him. He does not learn to be patient or loving. His attributes are identical to him. It's so hard for me to describe, but, He just IS. He is all that he has. These essences or attributes flow out of him like rays of sunlight flow out of the burning, beautiful sun. He is The Great I AM.
• God is a simple being. When I heard this, especially after pouring over articles that described God's attributes and seeing how incredible the He truly is, I couldn't believe it. Simple? How in the world could this God be simple? As I continued to read, I realized the word means something different for an infinite being. God is simple because he is not made up of parts or a body. God is infinite and spirit.

"The mind boggles at these awesome intensifications. The contours of these truths are angular and daring. Who would imagine a God like this, so beyond us, so threatening and kind? Who would put themselves completely at his justice and mercy? Surely there must be something we can give him, some indispensable service we cold render, some godlike role for us to play? But no! As the children of Narnia are frequently reminded of Aslan, "He is not a tame lion." From The Beauty of God's Holiness by Thomas Trevethan

"Who would put themselves completely at his justice and mercy?" One of my classmates pointed out, who wouldn't? Knowing that God is all powerful, all good, all knowing, all present. Why wouldn't you put yourself into the hands of such a Being? He is and has everything. What else can we do but trust him with our lives?

I have always used words to describe God, but after this week, these words have taken on a new meaning. I think longer before I call him something. I think about what the word really means for the infinite, simple, omni-everything, God that has graciously given me life and breath and being. My worship, my adoration for God has completely changed. I am humbled at the sight of The Great I AM.

If you want to hear a beautiful, moving song, that describes The Great I AM copy and paste this link to hear it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5CWGi82N7k&ob=av2n

God's Existence

During week three of Theology we learned about good arguments and reasons for why God exists. Here are some that I listed throughout the week.

God exists because….

• Everything is in motion. There must have been something that put everything into motion. God is the act, the determining principle, that gives everything else potency, the ability to change. Everything has a potential to move, but does not actually move without a mover. The first cause must be unmovable in order to qualify for being the ultimate, first mover.
• If there are possible beings, then there is a necessary being. There are possible beings, therefore, there is a necessary being. I have the possibility of not existing, but I do exist, because I was born. Something must have given me that possibility. Everything that exists has the possibility of not existing, so at one time, nothing existed. There must have been something that made all those things exist.
• Some things are more true or good than other things that are less true or good. There must be something that is the best or the truest, a maximum that sums up everything. You can’t give what you don’t have. God can’t give us things that he does not have.
• All natural things, humans, animals, plants, act for a certain end. Everything wants to get the best that they can get, food, water, material things, etc. This cannot be caused by chance, but by design. We all lack knowledge in some way, so something directs us towards an end.
• The design and function of the universe requires a maker like God. Just like a watch, the universe has intricate parts, a pattern, a form, a design, a function, and a purpose. You would not say that the watch just appeared out of nowhere without a designer, so why say that the universe which is so much more complex than the clock, appeared with no designer.
• The universe began to exist. Whatever begins to exist has a cause. Therefore, the universe has a cause. Some say, “Who caused God?” But this makes an error in the first premise, for God did not begin to exist, so he does not have a cause.

I am really excited to be discovering all these truths that support my beliefs instead of just believing without knowing why. But, I still have a very long way to go in this journey of discovery. With God's patience and guidance, I will continue on this path.

Loving Church History

I am definitely not a scholar of Theology, which is the module I started this week, but I love learning about it. Church History was my favorite class at Summit Semester, and I am already incredibly interested in it here at Rivendell.

At the beginning of this week, our class read and discussed The Westminster Confession of Faith, The Ninety Five Theses, Excerpts from the Council of Trent, The Augsburg Confession, and the Puritan Catechism. It was so intriguing to compare the different traditions, customs, and beliefs of the church throughout the years. However, as I listened to the discussion, I began to realize something. The church is so divided. Look at the hundreds of different denominations of the Protestant church. Look at all the beliefs and traditions that the church disagrees on. I know that beliefs are very important to people, beliefs about baptism, salvation, mass, sacraments, etc. However, I kept asking myself, why can’t we be humble? Why do we have to be so stuck in our ways that we can’t come to a mutual agreement? All these confessions were written in order to form a unified church. But the church has never been unified. The church has had disagreements since it began. Are some of the beliefs we have even important? Take eschatology for example. Why argue and fight over it when we will never know what’s going to happen to us in the end times? What’s the point? And transubstantiation. Does it matter if Jesus’ body becomes alive in us? Why can’t we just do what the disciples did by taking the bread and wine to represent Jesus’ body and continue to do it in remembrance of Christ? And again baptism. Why does it matter if you are dipped, sprinkled, or dunked three times for baptism? The Bible does not say that Christ was put in the water three times, so why should we? Why can’t we just go back to Christ and the way he did things?

Then I was struck with another thought. I wondered, would I ever give up the beliefs that I think are true and biblical in order to come to a unified agreement with other churches? My beliefs are important to me. And every other Christian's beliefs are important to them. So how can I ask them to do something that I wouldn't even do? I know of course, that many things we disagree with today are not mentioned in the gospels from Jesus’ words, which is why we have disagreements. Although I may not agree with them, the beliefs I critiqued above are valuable to other people. Other Christians may look at my traditions and belief and think of mine just like I'm thinking of theirs.

Therefore, what I've come to understand this week is that we are weak, proud human beings, myself included. I doubt the church will ever solve all of the disagreements it has, but hopefully we will learn to love and work with each other to further God's kingdom by coming to a middle ground on beliefs all of us hold. In the mean time, I will continue to read, study, discuss, and learn as much as I can and formulate the beliefs I hold most dear to my heart.