The End of Creation

“What is the chief end of man? The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.“ (WSC 1)

What is the chief end of creation? Jonathan Edwards wrote:

The end of the creation is that the creation might glorify God. Now what is glorifying God, but a rejoicing at that glory he has displayed? (quoted from John Piper’s “The Dangerous Duty of Delight” p. 13

It is a beautiful sunny day after a fresh snow - let us rejoice at the display of God’s glory.

Part of an ongoing series of posts on Chapter 4 of the Westminster Confession of Faith - On Creation

February 14, 2006  |  Permalink   |  Comments (0)   |  TrackBack (0)

Westminster around the Web - Da Vinci Code

Should Christians Read The Da Vinci Code? This is the question that Richard Mouw - former President of Fuller Theological Seminary asks and answers at the Davinci Code: The Challange.

We are about to enter a new battleground - our Christian faith, everything we believe about Jesus Christ - divine Son of God, our very Biblical foundation - will be challenged. Vulnerable post-modern society with no foundational beliefs will be susceptible. The Doctrine of the Authority of Scripture in Chapter 1 of the Westminster Confession of Faith will be turned on its head. Dr. Mouw writes:

As a Christian, questions about who Jesus is are not for me matters of mere curiosity. They have to do with the most basic issues of life. I believe that he is exactly who the Gospel writers say he is: the heaven-sent Savior, the eternal Son of God who appeared in the flesh to do for us what we could never do for ourselves; it is only because of Jesus that sinners can get right with God and receive the gift of eternal life. If Dan Brown’s story is accurate—even only a few key details of his plot are true—my faith is fundamentally misguided.

How do we get ready for this challenge - read Richard Mouw.

February 12, 2006  |  Permalink   |  Comments (4)   |  TrackBack (0)

Evolution, Creation and Heliocentrism

Creation and the Theory of Evolution certainly does spark passionate debate. Let me list two examples from today:

A $1000.00 check is being offered to the first person who can prove that the earth revolves around the sun. Catholic Apologetics International is holding the contest. In doing this they are reopening the science vs. the Bible debate regarding the Bible’s many references to the sun revolving around the earth. Here is a short clip:

If Scripture can be dismissed by claiming that it is mostly a collection of myths and fables from ignorant and primitive people; and if the Church can be faulted for siding with an aberrant view of cosmology; then modern man thinks he has found the ultimate excuse for relieving himself of being bound by either Scripture or the Church.
That is not all. If one examines the so-called "scientific proofs" for either Evolution or Heliocentrism, the proofs simply do not exist. Yet modern man, so desperate to find his excuses, has turned mere theories into "facts," and has thereby convinced the world that IT, not the Church or Scripture, is the king of truth.

I ask this question - can one challenge the theory of evolution using Genesis 1 - 2, and still accept science’s judgement that the earth revolves around the sun? This is the kind of emotional debate that brings us back to Chapter 1 of the Westminster Confession of Faith - The Authority, Inerrancy, Infallibility, and Sufficiency of Scripture. What we learned from Chapter 1, is that the answer to the above question is Yes and No.

The second example today is the celebration of Evolution Sunday by a number of churches - including one in my hometown (United Methodist Church of Sudbury). They are celebrating the 197th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin.

On 12 February 2006 hundreds of Christian churches from all portions of the country and a host of denominations will come together to discuss the compatibility of religion and science. For far too long, strident voices, in the name of Christianity, have been claiming that people must choose between religion and modern science. More than 10,000 Christian clergy have already signed The Clergy Letter demonstrating that this is a false dichotomy.

Praise God that we can gather on this same Sunday and offer worship and praise to the one and only Triune God who created the universe.

What is the work of creation?
The work of creation is, God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good. - Westminster Shorter Catechism

February 10, 2006  |  Permalink   |  Comments (1)   |  TrackBack (0)

Consistent with thy Eternal Counsels

How do we pray as believers who trust in God’s eternal decrees? According the the Westminster Shorter Catechism, “The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass”. Do we always just pray “if it is your will?” Sometimes that becomes a trite phrase due to constant repetition - is there not a richer way to pray?

In Valley of Vision there is a portion of a prayer titled “The All Good” that expands on praying for God’s will.

If it be consistent with thy eternal counsels,
the purpose of thy grace,
and the great ends of thy glory,
then bestow upon me the blessings of thy comforts;
If not, let me resign myself to
thy wiser determinations.

February 8, 2006  |  Permalink   |  Comments (0)   |  TrackBack (0)

Creation

Last night I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Michael Behe, the author of Darwin’s Black Box speak. Dr. Behe presents a scientific argument for the existence of God. He spoke to a large and diverse group about the many convincing proofs of Intelligent Design.

We are about to begin our study in the Westminster Confession in Chapter 4 - Creation. This is an emotional as well as complex area of study. Last night, emotions ran high as several very smart university students, scientists, and professors challenged intelligent design. Science is often factual and unemotional. Last night, you saw the intersection of religion and science, as voices cracked and tempers flared, when Darwin’s theory of evolution was challenged. You cannot discuss creation or the “orgin of species“ without entering the realm of the metaphysical. This is the realm of God.

Today as I was reflecting on last night‘s lecture I came across this wonderful discovery. Here in the jungles of New Guinea: (HT Powerline)

An expedition to one of Asia's most isolated jungles, in the mist-shrouded Foya Mountains of western New Guinea (Irian Jaya), has discovered a host of new species, giant flowers, and rare wildlife.
The December 2005 expedition by a team of US, Indonesian, and Australian scientists led by Conservation International (CI) found dozens of new species including frogs, butterflies, plants, and what is thought to be the first new bird from the island of New Guinea in more than 60 years. "It's as close to the Garden of Eden as you're going to find on Earth," marvelled CI's Bruce Beehler, co-leader of the expedition.

The new species of honeyeater, yet to be described, has a bright orange face-patch with a pendant wattle under each eye.

Here is a picture of the Honeyeater, for more pictures go here.

New species, new flowers, frogs, butterflies, plants - all new to us - but created and known by God. One can only cry out as we learn more about God’s creation:

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name above all the earth,
You set your glory above the heavens” Psalm 8:1

February 8, 2006  |  Permalink   |  Comments (0)   |  TrackBack (0)

Election & Calvinism

Here is part of an intriguing post of one Pastor’s journey from Arminianism to Calvinism:

I was also exposed to the results of “decisional” conversions. I can remember preaching one evening of a revival service (no comments please) and when it came to the invitation (again, no comments), I was able to get seventeen people to come forward. As they came, I asked them why they were coming. Few could communicate a clear answer. To my knowledge, none profess Christ to this day. I was shaken. My approach to ministry was shaken. I returned to my study the next week with different questions in my mind. Thank God for the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit through His word.

Read the whole thing at Coming to Calvinism - A Personal Journey (2 parts).

Reformation Theology has a wealth of information on Election and Predestination. Here is a great quote they posted today:

After giving a brief survey of these doctrines of sovereign grace, I asked for questions from the class. One lady, in particular, was quite troubled. She said, 'This is the most awful thing I've ever heard! You make it sound as if God is intentionally turning away men and women who would be saved, receiving only the elect.' I answered her in this vein: 'You misunderstand the situation. You're visualizing that God is standing at the door of heaven, and men are thronging to get in the door, and God is saying to various ones, 'Yes, you may come, but not you, and you, but not you, etc.' The situation is hardly this. Rather, God stands at the door of heaven with His arms outstretched, inviting all to come. Yet all men without exception are running in the opposite direction towards hell as hard as they can go. So God, in election, graciously reaches out and stops this one, and that one, and this one over here, and that one over there, and effectually draws them to Himself by changing their hearts, making them willing to come. Election keeps no one out of heaven who would otherwise have been there, but it keeps a whole multitude of sinners out of hell who otherwise would have been there. Were it not for election, heaven would be an empty place, and hell would be bursting at the seams. That kind of response, grounded as I believe that it is in Scriptural truth, does put a different complexion on things, doesn't it? If you perish in hell, blame yourself, as it is entirely your fault. But if you should make it to heaven, credit God, for that is entirely His work! To Him alone belong all praise and glory, for salvation is all of grace, from start to finish. - Mark Webb

Born and raised on the Scofield Reference Bible, having walked down the aisle many times, railing at God for not letting everyone in - by God’s grace and the work of the Holy Spirit I’m finally beginning to see the “joy of my salvation”. The doctrines of Election and Predestination, the books of Romans and Ephesians, the work of the Spirit have pointed the way. Glory be to God!

February 3, 2006  |  Permalink   |  Comments (0)   |  TrackBack (0)

Westminster around the Web

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted. We’ve been studying God’s Eternal Decree. A difficult area that has taken me full-time to the books. Even in 4 weeks - we left so much to uncover. Maybe next time....

Meanwhile - for deeper study on the Infralapsarianism and Supralapsarianism issue this link will get you started. Here Jason Robertson has posted some helpful charts and lists. Make sure you click on the B. B. Warfield chart at the bottom. Don’t spend to long on this - your brain may cramp up!

Over at this same blog Fide-o - I found this interesting quote:

There, I am persuaded, I shall see dear Mr. Wesley convinced of election and everlasting love. And it often fills me with pleasure to think how I shall behold you casting your crown down at the feet of the Lamb, and as it were filled with a holy blushing for opposing the divine sovereignty in the manner you have done.
-- excerpt of the famous letter from Whitfield to Wesley

At one of my favorite blogs, Reformation Theology, Rev. John Samson posts on Ordo Salutis in the Reformed and Arminian camps. He effectively shows the difference between the placement of regeneration and faith.

Lastly, I can’t recommend enough some of Sovereign Grace Ministries music. Today we listened to The Look - which reminds of Christ’s pure atoning grace. I really like 2 CD’s, Songs for the Cross Centered Life and Upward: The Bob Kauflin Hymns Project. You can listen to clips of all the songs at their website. They are also available in ITunes.

That’s it for God’s Eternal Decree - so much to say, but almost impossible to blog about. As we move on to Creation and Providence expect more!

February 2, 2006  |  Permalink   |  Comments (0)