WORST ENEMY

If God predetermines ALL things, predestines ALL things, and is the author of ALL things ...

Yet He still has to exert patience with His creation...

And He still found Himself regretting the creation of humanity (at the time of the Flood)...

And if His wrath is accumulating as His creatures break His laws as He decreed for them to do ...

Then not only is He both the divine arsonist and the the divine firefighter, but, truly, under Calvinism, God is His own worst enemy. 

THE LIMIT

I think I might have found my limit. Life has gotten a bit busier ever since I started teaching English as a Second Language classes on Monday and Wednesday nights. 

I enjoy teaching the classes and I LOVE my students, but the prep time and the three hour commitment (plus coming and going) twice a week is putting a strain on my energy.

I'm committed through Christmas and then I will need to take a second look at continuing.

My real problem is that beyond everything I am already struggling to juggle, I need some serious time devoted to my dissertation if I am going to get it off the ground.

And so far that just hasn't happened. 

We have two more weeks before our fall break trip to visit Hannah - I need to push extra hard this week and next so that I can legit relax for a few days guilt-free.

I intend to make it happen. We shall see.

KEEP READING

I thought I would share a couple of random comments from a YouTube video created by a Calvinist who was fishing for critics of John Calvin. 

Instead, the responses were overwhelmingly positive - Calvinists turning out to support their guy. 

I share them as real life proof for any who doubt that people really buy into the idea that before time begins, God chooses some people for salvation and damns all the rest.

First up is Tony who repeats the Calvinist talking point that when God chooses only a handful for salvation and reserves all the rest for damnation it is all to God's GLORY:

Lorraine, on the other hand, prefers to focus on the positive - the lucky ones whom God chooses as His "forever friends":

Is it just me or does it seem like Tony and Lorraine are regurgitating some points they heard in a recent sermon? It doesn't sound like they have fully thought out the ramifications of their belief system.

Lorraine comes awfully close, but doesn't quite grasp the fact that the characters she mentions are "chosen" to be a part of the direct lineage of the Messiah. They are not "chosen" simply for their own salvation, to the exclusion of all others. 

Keep reading, Lorraine!

IN CONCERT

Forgot to hit "publish" last night! ...

Melissa and I went to see Amy Grant in concert tonight in nearby Nashville, Indiana. Meeting my brother Russ and his wife Alecia for dinner before going to see Grant sing some of her biggest hits, a few covers, and some of her "new" songs made for a very pleasant evening.

The last time I saw Amy Grant in concert was over 30 years ago. I was a youth pastor in Le Mars, Iowa at the time and - if memory serves me - we drove to Minneapolis to see her performance.

Amy is a 63 year old grandmother now. Still, she sang and played the guitar for almost two and a half hours. I noticed that not too many fans themselves were under the age of 50.

In between songs, Grant came across as warm and transparent, admitting she hasn't had a hit song in some time and relating challenging moments from her life like the day she agreed to accompany her adult daughter to her therapy session. 

I found it curious, though, that she didn't have much to say about her faith or her God. In fact, by the time intermission rolled around, I was considering Googling "Is Amy Grant still a Christian?"

But eventually Grant sang El Shaddai and it came across with so much power and emotion that it brought tears to Melissa's eyes. She said she doesn't remember giving a concert without singing it and she noted how the song has been with her now through significant changes in the seasons of her life.

It made me wish I could sit down with her to hear her faith journey over the last 40 years plus. I bet she has some fascinating tales.

YES, PEOPLE BELIEVE THIS

Last Sunday I was preaching on what it means to be God's chosen people and I mentioned that some Christians (i.e. Calvinists) believe that God chooses some people - long before their birth - to be saved and He chooses others - again, long before their birth - to be damned for eternity. 

My impression was that many in the congregation found the idea so shocking and inconceivable, that they couldn't believe that anyone really holds this as a theological doctrine.

But it's true. 

The most obvious place to find it in writing is the (in)famous Westminster Confession of Faith of 1647.

It is not at all uncommon to hear modern American preachers of the Calvinist persuasion quote the Westminster Confession with the utmost reverence. 

The issue of predestination to salvation or hell is explored in the third chapter which begins with this surprising bit of doublethink:

"God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeable ordain whatsoever comes to pass; yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established."

So the first part of the paragraph claims God planned everything that happens, down to the smallest of details, long before the world was created: 

• Which leaves dropped off the tree in your backyard today and where each would land. 
• The path of the fly that was buzzing around your kitchen. 
• The volume of the burp which accidentally escaped your lips at the dinner table.

R.C. Sproul famously quipped that if there was "one rogue molecule anywhere in the universe" it would challenge God's sovereignty.

But that also means that God orchestrates the path of every drunk driver, plans out every episode of child abuse, and directs the actions of each genocidal dictator. Throughout all of history.

The Westminster Confession recognizes this problem but goes on to assure us that this does NOT mean that God is the "author of sin" or that he takes away our free will. 

And just like that - with a few carefully crafted phrases - the problem is waved away. 

Just because God plans absolutely everything doesn't mean that He's responsible for the downside of what He planned, all the intense evil and suffering. Why not? Because Westminster says so.

Problem solved. 

Two paragraphs later in the same chapter is where the Confession explicitly teaches that some are chosen for salvation and some for damnation. This particular sentence is downright evil:

"By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death."

So according to Westminster, it's OK that God creates numerous human beings for the express purpose of casting them into hell because ... it's all for God's GLORY.

As far as I'm concerned, this is nothing less than the most detestable slur against God's good character that I can imagine. 

Unbelievable that it's been taught and retaught for almost 400 years.

But it has been and still is.

HOW I STAY CURRENT WHILE ALSO STAYING SANE

In a discussion on politics, I recently heard someone say, "I sure miss Rush Limbaugh."

Although I would certainly be curious to hear Rush's take on the current presidential campaign, I know that if he were still with us, I wouldn't be listening to his broadcast. 

Certainly not on a regular basis and likely not at all.

I use to be heavily into hearing various pundits' opinions on current events and politics, but I weaned myself from all of them - and have been much happier ever since.

These days the only pundit I listen to on a regular basis is Andrew Klavan, whom I consider a talented and wise author and a believer who recognizes the greater importance of culture and faith over the politics of the day. Klavan produces an hour-long video every Friday afternoon. 

I guess that means I am not as "well informed" as I used to be, but at least I have my sanity.

And although I don't trust ANY mainstream media reporting these days, I do stay familiar with the headline stories by reading The Pour Over, a coffee-themed current events newsletter with a Christian flavor. It is sent out 2 or 3 times a week, so it's not overwhelming. 

In my opinion, it gives a pretty balanced synopsis of major events. Plus, the editors provide links to other outlets if you want more details.  

I never do.

If you're interested in giving The Pour Over a trial run, you can subscribe HERE. 

AUTONOMY

As a former United Methodist and now a recent convert to the American Baptist Church, I am finding much to appreciate in the ABC. (Even beyond the beautiful simplicity of the acronym.)

If you're not familiar with the ABC system, you should know that it maintains a rather loose connection between churches. Individual congregations have a high degree of autonomy. 

There are regional pastors who can provide guidance and resources, but unlike District Superintendents and Bishops in the United Methodist Church, these individuals have no authority over local issues.

After hearing many stories of authority being abused in the UMC, I find it refreshing to have district and regional leadership which is designed merely to serve the local churches.

All of this autonomy makes it very puzzling to me when an ABC congregation decides to disaffiliate with the larger denomination. 

Recently a nearby church began making noise about leaving the ABC over the denomination not taking a firm enough stand on LGBT issues. They have now formally parted ways with the ABC and their pastor sent out a letter explaining the reasoning. 

As a former UM, I understand the dangerous divisions this particular issue fosters, but I have not yet personally encountered a fellow ABC pastor who affirms homosexuality nor have I seen even the slightest hint of an unorthodox stance at any ABC event or in any ABC publications. 

According to this pastor, though, there are American Baptist churches which "have hired unrepentant gay, lesbian, or trans people to be their pastors" and the denomination as a whole has not squashed a "Welcoming and Affirming" movement active in certain congregations and regions.

Even so, I'm not sure what sort of purity test this pastor would like to see in place. Or if homosexuality would be the only subject on the test.

And are there other issues besides this one that should be screened out? Personally, I am still waiting for the day when the American church comes down hard on the sin of materialism.