God or no God?

“Our universe is self-advancing, self-igniting, self-developing, self-iterating, self-building-out & self-propelling,” from an article in the Huffington Post/Science section on “David Birnbaum Cracks the Cosmic Code.”

Question:  Dear Dr. Roane, can you prove there is a God, or is everything as David Birbaum and other scientists say?

Answer: First, I must ask why you ask? If there were no God, it would be just as sensible for you to ask, "Can you prove there is a dumpydoodlefanastic?" Such a question makes absolutely no sense. So, right off the bat, you must have entertained the possibility of God. I certainly could not imagine people on every continent, from all times down through history asking if indeed there is any such things as a dumpydoodlefanastic? So, all men, everywhere, think about God as a possibility, or in some cases deny the possibility altogether. So, Anselm's argument for the existence of God goes. Not that he proves that there is a God, mind you, but that the thought is there. Now, it makes sense that if the thought is universal, then it must be based on something intuitive within the heart of man. We can't say that about a dumpydoodlefanastic, can we?

So, with Anselm's argument we can only argue that something is there, or we could not think about it or visualize it. A monk by the name of William of Ockham (c. 1287 – 1347) countered Anselm's argument with “Well said, however, you have still not proven what kind of God He is. The same could be said about a unicorn on an idyllic island way out in the Pacific somewhere that exist only in your imagination” or words to that effect.

True, I would say, but we dare not dispute there is the possibility of a horn, a horse, a body of water, and an island. Why? Because all this argument gives us is the possibility of a unicorn. Why such possibility? Because it is conceivable. Not so with a dumpydoodlefanastic. So, it goes with the argument for the existence of God. We may conceive the thought, although, it does not tell us what kind of God he is. He might just as week be a giant one-eye octopus looking being that can morph in and out of an eternity of endless creation. Sometimes he makes life pleasant and sometimes he doesn’t.

Now, to be perfectly honest, Anselm's idea of God is much more complicated than that. He argues that nothing be thought of as any greater than God. Or to quote from Anselm of Canterbury, who first developed the ontological argument, in Prosologium :

God is that, than which nothing greater can be conceived.… And [God] assuredly exists so truly, that it cannot be conceived not to exist. For, it is possible to conceive of a being which cannot be conceived not to exist; and this is greater than one which can be conceived not to exist. Hence, if that, than which nothing greater can be conceived, can be conceived not to exist, it is not that, than which nothing greater can be conceived. But this is an irreconcilable contradiction. There is, then, so truly a being than which nothing greater can be conceived to exist, that it cannot even be conceived not to exist; and this being thou art, O Lord, our God.

    
This, in my opinion, is too weighty with words, and is often misunderstood. At best it only initiates a definition with little content other than the beginning of a long line of reasoning and descriptive terms in what constitutes a essence we call God. The safest route is to say that the idea of God is presuppositional, an idea that you cannot shake. It is innate, but can be supported with evidences of history, logic and intuitiveness. 

These "evidences" do not provide absolute proof; however. They're not enough. We must have more. We must have enlightenment. Revelation, if you please, or the grace of God to believe, to trust, to walk in the light. This we call faith. Such faith is not an empty word, or just a concept. It is full of content. That is found primarily in Jesus Christ, the Bible, and the Church which is the pillar and foundation of all truth (1 Timothy 3:15).

Sometime, or somewhere in our journey through life we must all decide which answer we will accept. To deny is to decide. There is no middle ground.

Trust this helps, 

JimR_/

Fake news is not news at all

"The newspaper consists of just the same number of words, whether there be any news in it or not."—Henry Fielding

Amazing isn't it, that we must listen to the same old drivel night after night to pick up what little news there is?

Words can be and most often are twisted to fit any political agenda. So, we are left with two, perhaps more, versions from which to pick the real truth. Something Francis Schaeffer once called true Truth. The idea being that truth is not something that you pick and chose from. It is either true, or it is not. Misunderstandings not withstanding. None-the-less, there is only one set of truth.

Naturally, there are interpretations, and misinterpretations. Look at a straight straw in a glass of water, and you would swear that it is bent; however, that is only an illusion. The hard fact is that we must all get past the illusion. Science doesn't lie, but it certainly is susceptible to opinion. News follows the same pattern. True Truth doesn't however. What was true yesterday is true today, and the same goes for tomorrow. One day this old world and all that boast in it shall pass away. Change is coming. When? I don't know. But, that I do know. It will change. Why? Because true Truth said so. Another way of putting that is to say "because Jesus said so (John 14:6)."

We Christian are not dummies, simply because we believe what Jesus said is ultimate truth. Someone said, well you can't prove that there is even a God. True, but you can't prove there isn't, either. So, that brings us back to square one, doesn't it? And, as I stand firmly on square one, I am confident through faith by experience that Jesus is real and can be trusted.

Someone has said, well that is fine. You can live out your truth, and I will live out mine. Interesting, and generous for them to concede on this point, but unfortunately it can and will lead to disaster. Deny that a brick wall is impenetrable, then run into it head-on, and then come back to me and tell me what you think (if you can think by then, of course).  

Now this brings me back through all the mishmash of opinion, prejudice, and just fake news or for that matter junk science. Such foolishness may gain an audience, but it will never stand the test of time. We must stick with the facts. The truth may hurt, but in the long run it will pay off (Romans 6:32).

 Let us, therefore, speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15),

JimR_/

Can we prove there is a God ?

Question:  Dear Dr. Roane, can you prove there is a God?

Answer: First, I must ask why you ask? If there were no God, it would be just as sensible for you to ask, "Can you prove there is a dumpydoodlefanastic?" Such a question makes absolutely no sense. So, right off the bat, you must have entertained the possibility of God. I certainly could not imagine people on every continent, from all times down through history asking if indeed there is any such things as a dumpydoodlefanastic? So, all men, everywhere, think about God as a possibility, or in some cases deny the possibility altogether. So, Anselm's argument for the existence of God goes. Not that he proves that there is a God, mind you, but that the thought is there. Now, it makes sense that if the thought is universal, then it must be based on something intuitive within the heart of man. We can't say that about a dumpydoodlefanastic, can we?

So, with Anselm's argument we can only argue that something is there, or we could not think about it or visualize it. A monk by the name of William of Ockham (c. 1287 – 1347) counters Anselm's argument with “Well said, however, you have still not proven what kind of God He is. The same could be said about a unicorn on an idyllic island way out in the Pacific somewhere that exist only in your imagination” or words to that effect.

True, I would say, but we dare not dispute there is the possibility of a horn, a horse, a body of water, and an island. Why? Because all this argument gives us is the possibility of a unicorn. Why such possibility? Because it is conceivable. Not so with a dumpydoodlefanastic. So, it goes with the argument for the existence of God. We may conceive the thought, although, it does not tell us what kind of God he is. He might just as week be a giant one-eye octopus looking being that can morph in and out of an eternity of endless creation. Sometimes he makes life pleasant and sometimes he doesn’t.

Such is the foolishness of philosophizing. That, however, does not take away from the fact that all men everywhere have thought of the possibility that there is a God—although some deny the thought, others (the majority) affirm it.

That’s not enough, however. We must have more. We must have enlightenment. Revelation, if you please, or the grace of God to believe, to trust, to walk in the light. This we call faith. Such faith is not an empty word, or just a concept. It is full of content. That is found primarily in Jesus Christ, the Bible, and the Church which is the pillar and foundation of all truth (1 Timothy 3:15).

Sometime, or somewhere in our journey through life we must all decide which answer we will accept. To deny is to decide. There is no middle ground.

Trust this helps, 

JimR_/

What is Biblical Leadership?

Question: Dear Dr. Roane, bookstore shelves and preacher's libraries are stacked with all kinds of books on leadership--Christian and otherwise.  What in fact is Christian leadership? Will you please tell me? J.D. 

Answer: That's an excellent question, J.D. So, let me begin by saying that Christian leadership is first of all biblical leadership. For that we must take a close look at what the Bible says about leadership and mentoring.

Biblical[i] Basis for Leadership

Paul recognized that Christian leadership requires more than just good common sense, we need the mind of the Lord.

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2: 14 16)

Philippians 2:1-11

1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself    by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place    and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.  14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. (NIV)

A Foundational Principle of Christian Leadership

“Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ … [6] who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” Phil. 2:5,6,7 (KJV)

Key Considerations

1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,

A Common Mindset (v-2)

2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

v  Share Common Affections

o   “Having the same love”—set your affections on God!

v  One In Spirit

o   “Being one in spirit”—having the spirit of Christ.

v  A Common Mindset

o   “Being of one mind”—do just talk the talk, but walk the walk.

Work Selflessly (V-3)

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

v  Forsake Worldly Ambition (v-3)

o   Super-Church Mentality

o   Lear Jets

o   Mercedes Benz

v  Forsake Conceit (v-3)

o   You’re not the King, you are a servant

o   Example: Requesting a limousine to and from Airport

Humility Required (v-4)

4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

v  He was a mentor

He humbled himself. Humility takes effort.

(4:5) “Let your gentleness be evident to all.”

v  Invest in Others

“In humility value others above yourselves”

v  Focus of You Ministry on Others

“Not looking to your own interest, but each of you to the interest of others.”

v  Consider All Ministry A Team Effort

“Not looking to your own interest, but each of you to the interest of others.”

In other words, serve one another.

Mind of Christ (v-5)

 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

v  Leadership Is Relational Cooperation Necessary “relationships with one another”—the is no room for a loner in God’s work. We are all in it together.

v  To Lead You Must Have the Mind Of Christ.

v  Cooperation must be Godly “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”—again, these instructions rule out carnality and selfishness.” “What’s in it for me?” should never be the question.

 6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage …

v  There was no arrogance in Christ. He had work to perform and he was willing to get his hands dirty doing it. Some pastors are too proud for their own good.

Servanthood Leadership (v-7)

7 rather, he made himself nothing     by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness ….

v  Service was leadership.

o   He became a servant willingly. (v-7)

o   Showing is the best mentoring tool. (v-7)

8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

v  Notice: He humbled himself. Perhaps, you have heard someone say, “Oh, he/or she is just naturally a humble person. That is hardly ever the case. Christ humbled himself ~ that was an act of His will.

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

v  Notice the words “Therefore God exalted him.” God waits for us to show the initiative. So, if you want success in the ministry, humble yourself. Then you will be promoted. You will be elevated in the Kingdom of God. We’re not talking about titles here. Notice every knee is not bowing to a title or a position. They bow to a name that earned the title of Lord to the glory of God the Father.

v  Notice the progression also: First he mentions that they bow in Heaven. Authority that does not affect Heaven does not affect the earth either.

 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling …

v  Leaders Work Under Authority

o   “as you have always obeyed”

v  Leaders Will Work Anonymously Without Recognition

o   “[work] in my absence”

v  Leaders Work Because They Are “Saved” Not for Their Salvation

o   “continue to work out your salvation

13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

v  Leaders Are Not Self-Assertive

o   “for it is God who works in you to will and to act.”

v  Leaders Work Under Orders

o   “in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing,

v  Leaders Don’t Complain (v.14)

o   “Do everything without grumbling”

v  Leaders Don’t Argue

o   “Do everything without arguing”

15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life.

v  Leaders Lead for A Purpose

o   “so that [they] may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”

And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. (NIV)

In Conclusion

Jesus explicitly warned His disciples against engaging in the quest for position and titles (Matthew 23:8–12). He tells us, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25–28).             

^[i] Phil. 2:1-11 KJV 

 Trust this helps. 

 JimR_/

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Free Will or God's will? Which is it?

Question: If God is good and sovereign and all powerful and knows all things, how do we reconcile this with man's free will? In other words,  if God knows all, we really don't have a choice do we, since His knowledge has already mapped out our future for us?

Answer: Let me begin with a proposition advanced by a priest named Luis de Molina, a 16th century Jesuit theologian. Molinism is a proposed reconciliation of the problems introduced in the tension between human freedom and divine sovereignty. Molinism seeks to retain both a true libertarian freedom without sacrificing divine providence or sovereignty by introducing the idea of “middle knowledge.”

In this proposal God knows not only all actual situations, but all possible situations (middle knowledge). These possible situations are known as “possible worlds.” We live in an actual world, chosen out of countless other possibilities as the best fit for how things turned out because of our libertarian choices. God chose the best possible world that allowed for libertarian freedom where people freely choose that which God with perfect predictive foreknowledge ordained to occur. Therefore, libertarian freedom and sovereignty are reconciled. Those who object to Molinism do so on the basis that middle knowledge has no metaphysical grounding and because such a philosophical solution is far too extensive. Also, many would argue that the introduction of libertarian freedom is an impossibility since libertarian freedom lacks the grounds for the choices it proposes to preserve. Alvin Plantinga and William Lane Craig are well-known Molistists today.

In other words, since God knows all possibilities, He created a world to match those possibilities to a [our] world of zillions of free choices. It other words, it might be said that “God created a one-size fits all world to match any and all of our libertarian choices.”

I prefer however to allow for God’s knowledge of all possibilities to work in tandem with His sovereign omnipotence to thwart the consequences of certain libertarian choices. This, I feel allows for a better understanding of how we perceive reality, and it also allows for God to have the final say.

Another way to wrap your mind around the concept is to say that God has perfect predictive powers. The reality, biblically speaking, is that although God does know our choices before we make them, He has allowed for us to change our mind, and even works to perfect His will in us as we grow in Him.

Is Molinism biblical?
Molinists point to various texts to establish that God has “middle knowledge.” For example, they point to Matthew 11:21-24 where Jesus denounces Chorazin and Bethsaida. Jesus tells those cities that “if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”

Molinists claim that this verse, and others like it, prove that God has knowledge of what would happen given a different set of circumstances. As such, they insist that the doctrine of middle knowledge is true.

Trust this helps.

 JimR_/

P.S. You can also check out CARM for a slightly different answer which leans more towards the Calvinistic view.

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