The Days Roll By.

Oh bebother and confusticate all this stuff I'm doing. I almost forgot to post!

The sunrise was beautiful this morning, as was the weather. I guess it's cool to be running in, but just walking to class or driving in, or heading to the showers? It's great. It was just perfect.

This morning a cell phone went off in Statics, it's a large class and everyone packs close to the front to hear the teacher. He glared into the audience and growled "I have been authorized by the university to destroy any cell phones that go off during my lectures. Turn them OFF!" There was a stunned silence and then a quiet rustle all around me as everyone made sure their phone was off ;)

I got more homework, turned more in. Worked on problems, read a bit, walked around, went through my Physics lab. I've got solid class time from 7:30 until 2:30, except for an hour break at 9:30. Then I went home for a couple of hours (and found eleven e-mails in my inbox since that morning. Yikes!) and came back to campus for a help session in Physics, the same guy (Chuck) is doing it as last year. I really enjoy him, I'm not sure if he makes the problems easier to solve but he helps get them organized and is very entertaining to listen to. After spending two hours there, I came home, finished up a few things I needed to do, and now I plan on getting a little reading done before I turn in for the night. I'll just save those Circuits problems for tomorrow when I have a large chunk of time (from about 7:30 to 12:30) when I'm not doing anything really. I'll attempt to lug my books to campus.

While I listening to Jeff's lectures on church history today, he mentioned a guy in relation to Alexander Henderson, the Earl of something, I wouldn't know how to spell it but I think it began with a P. Anyway, he showed a picture and made the comment that he looked like Gilligan. I'd really like to see that picture but all I could find was one of Alexander Henderson.

There was also a baby murmuring in the background. I know there were people back in 2001 that I wouldn't know now, but this one sounded remarkably like Calvin. I don't know if he was born yet though. All he said was "Muh-muh-muh" "eh" and "mmmuh".

Let me see, one quote before I shut this thing down.

Spurgeon didn't use methods in the ordinary worship service, but knew that some of his "underlings" used things like the inquiry room in their prayer meetings (they were something like the modern day altar call, only people would go to these special rooms to talk to someone about it after they were "called up.") He says:

'In our revival services, it might be as well to vary our procedure. Sometimes shut up that inquiry-room. I have my fears about that institution if it be used in permanence, and as an inevitable part of the services.
It is a fact that thousands of persons live close to our notable sanctuaries and never dream of entering them. Even curiousity seems to be dulled.
Why is this? Whence this distaste for the ordinary services of the sanctuary? I believe that the answer, in some measure, lies in a direction little suspected. There has been a growing pandering to sensationalism; and, as this wretched appetite increases in fury the more it is gratified, it is at last found to be impossible to meet its demands. Those who have introduced all sorts of attractions into their services have themselves to blame if people forsake their more sober teachings, and demand more and more of the noisy and the singular. Like dram-drinking, the thirst for excitement grows. At first, the fiery spirit may be watered down; but the next draught of it must be stronger, and soon it is required to be overproof. The customary gin-drinker wants something stronger than the pure spirit, deadly though that draught may be. One said, as she tossed off her glass, "Do you call /that/ gin? Why, I know of a place where, for threepence, I can get a drink that will burn your very soul out!" Yes, gin leads on to vitriol; and the sensational leads to the outrageous, if not to the blasphemous. I would condemn no one, but I confess that I feel deeply grieved at some of the inventions of modern mission work.'

I felt those were very good fears to have, especially as I see the fruits of a hundred years of this type of work! Music, for example, is so relied upon that some people say the instrumental piece before the service was more stirring than the sermon, or that "we are waiting to sing those because our pianist doesn't know the piece yet." Truly, people want more and more, especially in our society where the common desire seems to be "feed my eyes, my ears, my senses." Once all of these "exciting new things" become old though, they go on to search for the next biggest thing, the next "purpose-driven church" or something like that. I'm grieved too, to see the results of this mentality that tries to serve people what they want, rather than what they need. To be anxious for "immediate results" when the long-lasting results are absent. It was sad to read of sixty conversions in one night, yet six months from then, not a single one would confess Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Your theology does shape how you act, and that is certain. The fruits of these labours was to sow much seed (and it wasn't even pure seed, it was moldy, rotten seed) on the rocky soil. People spring up quickly and then just as quickly fall away.

Well, now I'm planning on finishing an article online and a pamphlet that was sent to me a long time ago on Bible Versions. It's been interesting so far.

From Spurgeon and more

Before I forget....
I was listening to episode 43 of the lectures on Church History from the website (no I haven't listened to that many yet, I only started at number 38 because the others are not .mp3 files) and near the end of it, someone asks a question and I am positive it is Clay Finley! It's from October 28th 2001 and he may have been around at that point.

The evening was spent with Jon and Jon at Arby's, we talked about various things happening with the small group, lamenting the fact that people don't cherish the doctrines of Grace, and then wandered off into various topics. It ended with Jonathan describing some really weird dreams he had. I thought my dream last night was weird. I dreamed that I found a mint-condition, 1850 Wheat-head penny. Everybody knows they didn't start making those until 1909! And Lincoln wasn't even president yet in 1850! How bizarre of a dream is that?! Well, Jonathan's "normal" dreams trump that apparently.

On with the quotes.

From Murray:

"The superficiality which is attendant upon Arminianism may be traced to the very centre of its system. 'If you believe that everything turns upon the free-will of man' says Spurgeon 'you will naturally have man as its principal figure in your landscape.' This being the case there is inevitably the tendency to regard Divine truth only as a means to gain men, and whatever truth does not appear to us to be effective towards that end, or whatever truth seems an obstacle to the widest possible evangelism, it is consequently liable to be laid aside. The end must be greater than the means. But what is here forgotten is that the ultimate end of the gospel is not the conversion of men but the glory of God.
It is not man's need of salvation which is the supreme thing, and once this is realized, the attitude which thinks 'we must get men converted' and fails to ask whether the means are according to Scripture, is seen in its true light. 'In the church of the present age there is a desire to be doing something for God, but few enquire what He wills them to do. Many things are done for the evangelizing of the people which were never commanded by the great Head of the Church, and cannot be approved of by him.' We know His will only by His Word and, unless truth comes before results, conversions will soon be regarded as more important than the Divine glory. Spurgeon denounced the kind of evangelism in which there is 'a wretched lowering of the truth upon many points in order to afford encouragement to men'; he saw that it would end 'in utter failure' and bring neither glory to God nor lasting blessing to the Church. He deplored the fact that men were being allowed to 'jump into their religion as men do into their morning bath, and then jump out again just as quickly, converted by the dozen, and uncoverted one by one till the dozen has melted away.' In contrast to this sort of thing, he declared solemnly on one occasion, 'I do not wish for success in the ministry, if God does not give it me; and I pray that you who are workers for God, may not wish to have any success except that which comes from God himself in God's own way; for if you could heap up, like the sand of the sea, converts that you have made by odd, unchristian ways, they would be gone like the sand of the sea as soon as another tide comes up.'"

I liked those last few lines a lot. It's often discouraging to me to labour and not "see" any fruits, yet I try to press on knowing that there may be something which I do not see. And what I do is not because I am to gain anything out of it, it's to glorify God. The answer to the first catechism question "Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God and fully to enjoy him forever" really is something I need constant reminder of. The conversion of men is not my chief end. Glorifying God through submissive service to him is what I need to focus on, regardless of the tide the flows against or the disappointments along the way.

Murray:
"It is true that Arminianism has been productive of many 'holiness' meetings and conventions, but this fact, instead of rebutting the charge made above [the charge had to do with "carnal christian" sort of thinking], rather confirms it, because there was no need of special teaching on sanctification until Arminianism began to prevail in evangelism. Calvinism held that the same message which saves men makes them holy, and that a faith which is not bound up with holiness is not saving faith at all. It was because he knew this that Spurgeon took no part in holiness conventions, but had he been called upon to address worldly 'believers' who needed to be sanctified there is no question what he would have to say: 'Those people who have a faith which allows them to think lightly of past sin, have the faith of devils, and not the faith of God's elect.....Such who think sin a trifle and have never sorrowed on account of it, may know that their faith is not genuin. Such men as have a faith which allows them to live carelessly in the present, who say, "Well, I am saved by a simple faith", .... and enjoy the carnal pleasures and the lusts of the flesh, such men are liars; they have not the faith which will save the soul... Oh! if any of you have such faith as this, I pray God to turn it out bag and baggage.'"

And I see that so often today, well, with the conversations that Jonathan has been having with Ross. People who believe that a person can be truly saved, and yet not acknowledge Christ as Lord, regret their sin, or even turn away from it! Have the "best" of both worlds is their message and this sort of garbage is being preached instead of the gospel.

Spurgeon (referring to the Word as the only way):
"'God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth' he says 'that one truth, if it were to come with power from heaven into men's minds, would shiver St Peter's and St Paul's from their topmost cross to their lowest crypt.'"

Spurgeon:
"Long ago I ceased to count heads. Truth is usually in the minority in this evil world. I have faith in the Lord Jesus for myself, a faith burned into me as with a hot iron. I thank God, what I believe I shall believe, even if I believe it alone."

I appreciated the conviction of that, often we do find ourselves in the minority where everyone seems to be opposed to the truth! May God give me that strong conviction to remain firm in the truths of the Bible and to stubbornly resist all manner of error to the very end.

The Baptist Union, which was leaving it's initial Calvinistic stance (which Spurgeon lamented) was becoming merely a gathering place for churches who had the common doctrine of "believer's baptism" and there were those who denied the deity of Christ! Those who opposed Spurgeon said that they were united under common belief's, that Spurgeon held to his Calvinistic ways and wouldn't consider others as Christians. Spurgeon says:
"Every Union, unless it is a mere fiction, must be based upon certain principles. How can we unite except upon some great common truths? And the doctrine of baptism by immersion is not sufficient for a ground-work. Surely, to be a Baptist is not everything. If I disagree with a man on ninety-nine points, but happen to be one with him in baptism, this can never furnish such ground of unity as I have with another with whom I believe in ninety-nine points, and only happen to differ upon one ordinance..."

I appreciate this statement because that's how I feel sometimes. People become united on a distinctive doctrine but forget the essentials, or treat them as non-essentials.

Spurgeon (preaching):
"We believe in God's covenant. That is a strange, uncouth word to some people's ears. We have friends about who have never heard it; and if their pastors were asked why they never preached about the covenant, they would reply, "Covenant! that is a Scotch thing, is it not? Something to do with the Puritans, and men of that ilk? They are all dead no; at least, nearly all; there are just a few of them left, like fossils of the olden time; they cling to this obsolete form of religion, but there are so few of them that they will soon be quite extinct!"
So they say brethren; but we shall see; and meanwhile, we poor fossils do believe in the covenant; we are almost as absurd as David, who said, "He hath made me with an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure." He who understands the covenant has reached the very core and marrow of the Gospel; but how few do care about it nowadays!"

And that has been my experience too. I hear about F.B.'s classes and how the Puritans and Calvinists are supposed to be dead, extinct, old fossils. Nobody thinks like that anymore! Nobody really believes the doctrine of election and all those old things about the covenant and the doctrins of grace! We preach Christ! So they say brethren, but we shall see. There is such a general ignorance in every field of Christianity, from history to theology to ecclesiology and more! I confess much ignorance on my own part, but I try to learn. Sadly, many don't even want that and instead are insistant that this "new way" (which is really just the old heresies reborn) is the true way. If we see further than our predecessors, it is because we stand on the shoulders of giants, not because we are wiser than they.

Spurgeon:
We admire a man who was firm in the faith, say four hundred years ago... but such a man today is a nuisance, and must be put down. Call him a narrow-minded bigot, or give him a worse name if you can think of one. Yet imagine that in those ages past, Luther, Zwingle, Calvin, and their compeers had said, 'The world is out of order; but if we try to set it right we shall only make a great row, and get ourselves into disgrace. Let us go to our chambers, put on our night-caps, and sleep over the bad times, and perhaps when we wake up things will have grown better.' Such conduct on their part would have entailed upon us a heritage of error. Age after age would have gone down into the infernal deeps, and the petiferous bogs of error would have swallowed all. These men loved the faith and the name of Jesus too well to see them trampled on...
It is today as it was in the Reformers' days. Decision is needed. Here is the day for the man, where is the man for the day? We who have had the gospel passed to us by martyr hands dare not trifle with it, nor sit by and hear it denied by traitors, who pretend to love it, but inwardly abhor every line of it ... Look you, sirs, there are ages yet to come. If the Lord does not speedily appear, there will come another generation, and another, and all these generations will be tainted and injured if we are not faithful to God and to His truth today. We have come to a turning-point in the road. If we turn to the right, mayhap our children and our children's children will go that way; but if we turn to the left, generations yet unborn will curse our names for having been unfaithful to God and to His Word."

Again, something that strikes hard with me. This is another reason why I want to fight so hard, not merely against unbelievers, but against those who call themselves believers and yet are undermining the Christian world! Christ's kingdom will stand but I am saddened by those who are destroying it and yet claim to be helping it. This age, as all others, calls for men and women who are firm in their beliefs and will speak up and go against the tide, not afraid of the opposition but always looking to their Lord and King to lead them onward to the victory.

This next one's a good one so 'listen up smart.'

Murray:
It is a common argument that the PUritan stress upon total submission to the Word of God, along with its sense of accountability to 'obey even in the jots and titles, at all hazards', has a disruptive and dividing tendency. To Spurgeon the truth of the matter was far otherwise. Disunity, he argued, is not caused by a too thorough attachment to Scripture, but by the intrusion and toleration of beliefs and practices which are the products of human wisdom alone: the Lord's 'will is in the Scriptures: and if we searched them more and more, and were determined, irrespective of anything that may have been done by the church, or the world, or by government, or by anybody else, that we would all follow our Lord's will, we should come to closer union. We are divided because we do not study the Lord's will as we should.' This is not to deny that men even in their best state are subject to prejudice and fallibility in their interpretation of the Word. But though human weakness makes our obedience to Scripture imperfect, it in no ways excuses the necessity of such total committal, nor does the record of human infirmity as it appears in the Church history invalidate the great truth that spiritual unity and prosperity cannot be attained along any path except that of submission to the Word of God. 'The statues of the Lord are right ... in keeping of them there is great reward.' (Psalm 19. 8-11)"

I have heard many people shout that doctrine divides! That is why they water down everything until no one really knows what they believe, all they know is that they believe it and you had better not challenge whatever that belief is! Don't set yourself up as a judge over me! Don't judge others lest you be judged! I believe in God, you believe in God, we just interpret the Bible differently. No, you believe what you do regardless of what the Bible says. Oh! if only we were united in holding the Bible as our authority of life, how every other doctrine would fall into place! What a blessed fellowship that would bring! That is why we must be so adamant about the Bible being the only rule of faith and obedience.

This, as Murray said, is a fitting quote to conclude a record of Spurgeon's labours:
"'We love our brethren for Jesu' sake, but He is the chief among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely. We could not live without Him. To enjoy His company is bliss to us: for Him to hide His face from us is our midnight of sorrow ... Oh, for the power to live, to die, to labour, to suffer as unto Him, and unto Him alone! ... If a deed done for Christ should bring you into disesteem, and threaten to deprive you of usefulness, do it none the less. I count my own character, popularity, and usefulness to be as the small dust of the balance compared with fidelity to the Lord Jesus. It is the devil's logic which says "You see I cannot come out and avow the truth because I have a sphere of usefulness which I hold by temporizing with what I fear may be false." O sirs, what have we to do with consequences? Let the heavens fall, but let the good man be obedient to his Master, and loyal to his truth. O man of God, be just and fear not! The consequences are with God, and not with thee. IF thous hast done a good work unto Christ, though it should seem to thy poor bleared eyes as if great evil has come of it, yet hast thou done it, Christ has accepted it, and He will note it down, and in thy conscience He will smile thee His approval."

That means a lot to me as I try to carry on with my labours. May I try harder for I don't try nearly enough. Amen.

I apologize if I've mis-typed anything here. I was going rather quickly and haven't had time to go back and check it all. I hope it was as edifying and encouraging to you as it was to me.

Updates everywhere!

All right, after a "brief" *cough cough* sojourn, I return to take mastery of my blog. Maybe.

Friday night, as described on F.B.'s blog, I went to Shakespeare in the Park. I had been anticipating it for several weeks and then a day or two before it was to be, was offered a ride by the N's, for which I was thankful. I wasn't sure how I was going to get down there, the W's had said that others from Stillwater might be going but I had no idea who.

Rachel (Evelyn's friend) and Alan's mother were there as well. Once we got there, the W's and P's showed up, Jon and Jon were already waiting for us. The play itself was enjoyable, except for some interpretations, physical innuendos and the like. It was "The Taming of the Shrew" yet they had a different twist on it. It was set in a western town, cowboys and all. I'm really not very good at describing it, but it was enjoyable. My favourite actor was an older gentleman who played the father and came in near the end. He seemed to be a Shakespearean actor and you could just see his experience. My second favourite was Tranio (I think) who played a fussy, prissy little butler-type man. He walked briskly around, always seeming to be nervous about something.

Saturday I worked on some homework and in the afternoon I went over to the P's house for some filming on the upcoming blockbuster: Catgirl. As I was approaching the house, I saw what appeared to be a backhoe that had hit a water line. Then they had turned on a hydrant further on down the street to bleed off the pressure so water was gushing onto the road. A guy pulled past (twice) to wash both sides of his truck.

We started the filming and JD got some good scenes in I think. I just sent him some music for the movie today.

I could have done a blog post that day but I chose to watch an episode of the old black and white Superman instead :D

Sunday was very good. Pastor preached on 2 Cor 4, about the treasure in clay jars. It was a good reminder to me not to think to highly of myself on the one hand because I am just a clay jar and any value I have is because of what Christ has put inside, not me. On the other hand it was a good reminder (in the passage) that we may be beaten, but never defeated! It was an encouraging message and I was thankful for it. That, in conjunction with the communion service and the fellowship we had, made it a very uplifting and strengthening day.

In the evening we finished up Hebrews 12. There was one quote from Brown that I really liked and it was something to the effect of the priestly system being like a scaffolding surrounding a bridge or a building. When the building is being erected, that scaffold serves a very good purpose. When the building is finished, it is no longer needed (like the Levitical system). I appreciated that analogy.

Monday was decent day, though very long, I was on campus from 7:30 in the morning until 3:30 in the afternoon. And I FAILED my freshman composition exam. Well, it's not as bad as that, I may be able to get a re-grade (I spoke to the lady again today). I did fine on the multiple choice part, but when it comes to essay writing, apparently the computer doesn't agree with what I write. Whether that's technical problems of mine or the computer's I don't know. It seems odd to me that they would rely on a computer program to grade essays. They can't follow logic or humour or sarcasm or poetic expression at all.

Tuesday was another simple day. I went to campus at 7:00 and spent my time on the computer doing various things (buying books by Charles Hodge and A.A. Hodge mainly) and then went to my 8:30 discussion. It was over before 9:00 and then I had until 12:30 to work on Statics and Calculus homework (I lugged both of my books around just for that purpose). I finished up everything, even the extra practice homework though.

The lecture was somewhat confusing. I'm not sure if we are supposed to memorize these complicated equations or not. The teacher derived several equations from integrals and substituted other ones and then came up with a "simple" equation for finding the charge at any point in a magnetic field. I'm going to have to look into this further because I was honestly scratching my head when looking at the lecture notes.

Afterwards I ran up to the fifth floor in Math Science to speak to my Calculus instructor, briefly asking him about two of the practice problems (which were very simple, all he had to do was point me in the right direction). I stopped off at Alan's office on the way up and told him about the books I'd bought and then discussed briefly what happens to an infant when he or she dies, I had mentioned it to Liz and him a while back. Then I headed home, where I was contacted by Jonathan who asked if I wanted to meet him at Arby's this evening. So I accepted and I need to be going shortly (about 6 minutes actually). So I won't have time for quotes in this post. There are some excellent ones that I want to share, perhaps I'll get to them later this evening. So much time and so little to do!

Wait. Strike that. Reverse it. Thank you.

Brief Blog

Sorry I haven't updated for a couple of days, it seems that every evening has been busy. Tonight, unexpectedly, Jonathan popped in and said that his small group was meeting in twenty minutes and wanted to know if I would like to come. I jumped up and grabbed my Bible and we left.

The evening went well. There were 9 people there total, which was smaller than however many had signed up. Yet not everyone was notified of this too (because of communication problems) so that's understandable. Everyone introduced themselves, gave their major and hometown, stated whether they liked Cream Soda (Jon and Jonathan's new fad) and whether or not they liked HomeStarRunner.com and then shared a "fun fact" or "embarrassing story." All the essentials in other words.

Jonathan then introduced what his hope was for the small group and told everyone that if they disagreed with what was said, that he was begging them to come to him and discuss it instead of simply leaving and going somewhere else. Because people could always just do that. Then we read through First and Second Peter and prayed around the room for various things. It was interesting getting to know everyone. Julianna (Jonathan's partner) reminded me a lot of F.B. in the way she looked and even her voice, though she talked a lot more. She definitely has a knack for keeping conversations going with a group of people there, always asking little questions and trying to make people feel comfortable. I could see what I thought were a few worried looks on her face from time to time though!

The girls stayed around talking about how hard it is for their girlfriends at seminary to find a guy to date, and how so and so is dating so and so. Rot and rubbish. I went outside to play basketball with Jon, though I'm not a basketball player by any means! The video of GameBoy is actually somewhat accurate. No acting required for the part.

Then Jonathan and Jon and myself went to play ping-pong. I played Jon for two games. The first I didn't win, he lost (there is an important distinction) and the second one was a lot closer. Then Josh (the third, silent roommate) came down and played for a little while. It was funny, he was in his room the entire time the Bible study went on and I had no idea he was even in the house!

Jonathan played Josh and barely beat him. Then I played one game with Jonathan and got away with 21 to 14 I think. He wanted a rematch but I said I had to get home. It was late (9:20) and I just got home at about 9:30. So I'm going to have to cash in for the night and write about Friday, Saturday, and Sunday some other time :(

I've got some quotes stored up to share as well and I'm looking forward to posting those.

Not much to (or at) State.

Today was fairly uneventful. I spent the morning working on some of my Circuits homework, then went to my Physics class. I had a two hour span in between that and my Physics discussion period so I dropped by and talked to one of my old professors. I also went down into the basement to do some more homework (as much as I had with me) and then laid down on the couch. I was the only one in the entire basement of ES, the computer lab hasn't been opened yet this semester. I was feeling very drowsy so I laid down while listening to a sermon but was getting to the point where I was just about to doze off, so I stopped listening, turned out the lights to the student lounge, and took a short (20 minute) nap.

Then I spent a bit of time reading and checking up on things at the computer lab, printing out new material and homework assignments (there seems to be a bunch of them!) and things like that. My Physics discussion ended early (because there wasn't a whole lot to discuss this week I imagine) and I came home.

The most exciting thing that happened today was I bought some new RAM for my laptop. I was pushing the upper limit all the time. Most people don't know how I've got by this long with only 256. I bought a stick of 512 (I had to do a bit of research to find out which one I needed first) and installed it. Unfortunately because the way my motherboard is set up (the same with older laptops) I can't have both my old 256 board and the new 512 in there at the same time or else my computer won't start up. So I just have to waste the old one I guess. I was hoping for 768MB of memory too!

Then I worked on my Calculus homework, as much as the class has gone through and then I started writing this. The day hasn't been filled with that much reading so I don't have any snippets to share tonight unfortunately. And this is an incredibly short post too! Oh well, I guess we're allowed that every once in a while eh? Good night :)

School and quotes: go well together.

Today was my busiest day of the week, but it all went well I thought. It was interesting though, in my Statics class, the instructor put on the projector that our problems we were to turn in for homework were:
2-16,44

So when I got home, I started working on them, starting with number two and kept right on through. They weren't especially hard, they were just lengthy! I noticed myself getting faster but at the same time (three hours later) I was thinking that this was going to be a very time-consuming class, especially since we are going to be turning in homework every class session (M,W,F). I was following all the homework guidelines carefully and when I was folding all sixteen pages in half and writing on the outside, I noticed in the example that it said "2-1,8,12"

And I smacked myself. It wasn't "2 through 16" it was CHAPTER 2, numbers 16 and 44. So I did a bunch more homework than required. I had a good laugh over it and realized that I only got more practice because of it. Though I still have other homework to finish up for other classes!

Lights on Stillwater went well this evening. Lots of people from the church were there, Sarah, Anna, Ruth, Jesse, Bill, Jeanne, Missy, Katie, Sam, JD, Stephen, Laura, Alan, Liz, Jonathan, Jon, JP, Kacey, Will, sorry if I missed anyone. The crew set out to hand out flyers (which disappeared very quickly) and then finished up with the pens. We handed out everything we had (that was for that purpose) and finished it by 9:00! I stayed until 9:45 talking with JP and then headed on home. I like to stay away from crowds as much as possible. We did have about 9 people sign their names to the sheet we had, interested in a study, so that was encouraging. Hopefully something comes of that. Hopefully the seeds we spread don't fall in vain! God gives the increase. Keep remembering that Shadow.

Now let me see, time for some great Spurgeon quotes! Here's one I really appreciated today and for everyday, it puts into words what I have often thought, and F.B. it reminded me of some of those discussions:

"I would cheerfully give up many doctrines if I believed they were only party watchwords, and were merely employed for the maintenance of a sect; but those doctrines of grace, those precious doctrines of grace, against which so many contend, I could not renounce or bate a jot of them, because they are the joy and rejoicing of my heart. When one is full of health and vigour, and everything going well, you might, perhaps, live on the elementary truths of Christianity very comfortably; but in times of stern pressure of spirit, when the soul is cast down, you want the marrow and the fatness. In times of inward conflict, salvation must be all of grace from first to last."

And again, reminding me of the discussion recently with GW:

"I have known some that, at first conversion, have not been very clear in the gospel, who have been made evangelical by their discoveries of their own need of mercy. They could not spell the word 'grace.' They began with a G, but they very soon went on with an F, till it spelt very like 'freewill' before they had done with it. But after they have learned their weakness, after they have fallen into serious fault, and God has restored them, or after they have passed through deep depression of mind, they have sung a new song. In the school of repentance they have learned to spell. They began to write the word 'free', but they went on from free, not to 'will' but to 'grace', and there it stood in capitals, 'FREE GRACE'... They became clearer in their divinity, and truer in their faith than ever they were before."

And lastly, reminding of me of my last post:

"If there were only one prayer which I might pray before I died, it should be this: 'Lord, send thy Church men filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire.' Give to any denomination such men, and its progress must be mighty: keep back such men, send them college gentlemen, of great refinement and profound learning, but of little fire and grace, dumb dogs which cannot bark, and straightway that denomination must decline."

The more I read of Spurgeon, the more I realize that he wasn't just a good preacher or a good "baptist," his heart truly was for the gospel. His wife recalled a sermon where she thought he would die, so passionate was he and finally croaked out "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Believe on Him!" before sitting down exhausted. He always had time for a person before the sermon, to kneel in prayer with them one-on-one, and yet he preached to ten thousand at a time (common gathering at the Metropolitan Tabernacle). And at the last, so I hear, he died more of a broken heart than anything. The man was bold in the things of Christ, yet mild and humble and I've come to realize a greater appreciation for his passion, and want that to be who I am too. Not someone who is shy about telling others in whom my trust is placed but one who will gladly proclaim, and indeed feel it an honour to do so! May my life be lived for Christ and may that be my consuming passion. Theology is good, very good. Doctrine enhances one's love. But that's just it. Without love for Christ, without Christ being the center of one's doctrine, that doctrine is rather dead.

Back to school, back to books, back to burritos. Yum!

I read a paper this morning that was recommended by Philip. It was about Justification and there were a few quotes in there that I really enjoyed and wanted to share.

Dr. Rod Rosenbladt

'If the reformers were correct in interpreting what Paul was getting at in the epistle to the Romans, one hundred percent of our salvation is due to his graciousness, and zero percent is due to anything in us. The Reformation answer to the question, "Don't I contribute anything to my salvation?" is, "Yes...Your sin!" The value then of saving faith is only a value in virtue of the object grasped. Faith has no virtue; it connects us to the one who is virtuous.'

As opposed to the Arminian view which does indeed treat faith as a work, whether they claim that or not.


'The old sermon illustration is worth remembering: If a person happens to be drowning and someone throws out a life-ring and pulls the person, it is bizarre for the rescued party to say, "Did you see how I grasped that ring? Why just look a these hands!"'

I've heard that illustration used before! Even though every analogy breaks down (id est we are dead in sins and not just drowning) it was funny because I have heard people say "all you have to do is grab the lifeline" making that faith, the work of grabbing it.



"And so the Reformation affirmation is that we are saved on account of Christ through faith, and it is not that we are saved on account of faith through Christ."

A very good distincion to make.



'A friend of mine was walking down the streets of Minneapolis one day and was confronted by an evangelical brother who was very anxious to know whether he was saved and asked just that. "Brother, are you saved?" Hal rolled his eyes back and said, "Yes." That didn't satisfy this brother so he said, "Well when were you saved?" Hal said, "About two thousand years ago, about a twenty minutes' walk from downtown Jerusalem."'

Yes, Jesus Christ accomplished His work on the cross, it doesn't need to be finished by you or me. In discussing the issue of salvation with a young lady recently, who was a staunch Arminian (even as watered down as they are today) and I told her that in her view, they had to redefine what certain words meant, such as redemption for example. To redeem someone is to have purchased them, not put a bunch of money into a trust fund that anyone can draw out of, the only thing required of you is to use the ATM card that is given to everyone, yet not everyone uses it sadly...... NO! Christ purchased for Himself His own peculiar people, His work is finished, it is done. In that sense, everyone who now believes was indeed saved two thousand years ago, in fact, their believing is proof that Christ had purchased them or else they should not have believed at all!


Other quotes......

I was reading some of Spurgeon last night and the entire sermon was very, very good, about the Christian's witness in the world. I want to quote the entire sermon but that would take too long for me to type and too long for you to read, though I'd encourage anyone who can to read it. It's called "Speak For Yourself. A Challenge!" "He is of age; ask him : he shall speak for himself" - John ix.21

"I have known even some who profess to be disciples of Christ hold back very suspiciously, and leave others to champion the Master's cause when it has come to a hard push. In a conversation you expected to hear that old gentleman speak up bravely for the truth of the gospel, but he did not. You knew he was a member of a Christian church, yet he very cautiously held his tongue for a long time, and then quietly said something about not casting pearls before sine. Probably he had not got any pearls, or possibly he was a swine himself. How else could you account for such awful cowardice? But one has known in youthful adrou what it is to be compelled to come out so defiantly as to risk the charge of presumption, because everybody else seemed to be deserting the doctrine it was his duty to defend. It is lamentable how many seem afraid of being compromised themselves.......


"Whenever a man is placed in such a condition that he finds himself deserted in the battle for Christ by those who ought to be at his back, then let him disdain retreat and say right gallantly "I am of age: I will speak for myself. In the name of God I will bear my witness."


On the outset it is well to cultivate a general habit of openheartedness and boldness. We have no need to intrude and push ourselves into people's way and so become a nuisance and a bore to them. Far from it; but let us walk through the world as those who have nothing to conceal, conscious of the integrity of our own motives and the righteousness of our heart before God; not needing to wear armour and sleep in it like the knights of old, knowing rather that truth unarmed is the best apparel. Let us show that we have nothing to cloak or cover, nothing to disguise or keep dark - that the gospel has wrought in us such an honesty and frankness of spirit that no blab can make us blush, no foe can cause us fear. Let us tell what we believe as true, because we can vouch for its verity. Let us choke those who cavil at these things, no so much by our combats as by our character. Let us prove to them that we have a solid reason for our simple protest; that we have actually received the grace in which we earnestly believe. Out words will have weight when they see that the fruit of our piety accords with the flower of our profession. There is great power in this manner of answering the adversary."


These were convicting for me because so often, I am the "old man" who remains silent. I am the one who sits before class secluded and reading (studying), when admittedly I could be getting to know the students around me, and inviting them to church or to discuss Jesus Christ. I need more boldness to do so! I feel like the description given to Paul by those who didn't like him.

"His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account." - 2Co 10:10

I can be bold in writing, yet face to face I'm not as bold. I do desire to be a better witness, to reach out to people more. FB, I was thinking today that you don't have to worry about your not being able to take the class you wanted. Perhaps God has placed you in the Augustine class because someone there needs to hear the Gospel. I am encouraged by your desire to be a greater witness to be a better one myself.

Today, I only had one class, which went well. It was the Physics course and I'd heard bad things about the teacher (but most students seem to hate every teacher) and I was thankful, he seemed rather good to me. He was older, slight, balding, and seemed to be breathless all the time. I got rather breathless myself, my heart pounding just by hearing him talk. I don't know why but I felt dreadfully nervous in the classroom. I spent most of the day running errands around town, fixing up various things, preparing other things, reading a little, getting ahead on assignments, checking the webpages (which reminds me, I need to print out some class notes tonight) etc. It wasn't a terribly busy day and I felt like I got a lot of loose ends tied up. I keep seeing old classmates on campus, the same group of us keeps going up, many others have disappeared but the ones whom I especially noticed before, have continued, which is encouraging, though they all seem much smarter than I am :D

I also stopped in on Steve, an old classmate of last semester, we helped each other out in the Java class last semester, giving tips on how to code and helping each other to debug problems. He was doing well. I also set up a time with the office to take a CLEP test for Freshman Composition this next Monday. I hope that they have the test on a computer (so I can type it out) but I'm fairly confident I can write as well as a freshman, so I'm not worried!

School days!

First off, the parents are home again safely! We all gave thanks that they had a safe return and a beneficial, enjoyable trip.

I'm not going to finish Hodge by Sunday. I was more ambitious than I took the time for apparently.
As I read, I like to share certain passages and sections or ideas which strike me as interesting or really good. So here is some more from Hodge as I read through the section on the seventh commandment:

"Marriage is not a sacrament in the sense in which in baptism and the Lord's Supper are sacraments, nor in the sense of the Romish Chruch; but it is none the less a sacred institution. Its solemnization is an office of religion. It should, therefore, be entered upon with due solemnity and in the fear of God; and should be celebrated, i.e., the ceremony should be ferformed by a minister of Christ. He alone is authorized to see to it that the law of God is adhered to; and he alone can receive and register the marriage vows as made to God. The civil magistrate can only witness it as a civil contract, and it is consequently to ignore its religious character and sanction to have it celebrated by a civil officer. As the essence of the marriage contract is the mutual compact of the parties in the sight of God and in the presence of witnesses, it is not absolutely necessary that it should be celebrated by a minister of religion or even by a civil magistrate. It may be lawfully solemnized, as among the Quakers, without the intervention of either. Nevertheless as it is of the greates importance that the religious nature of the institution should be kept in view, it is incumbent on Christians, so far as they themselves are concerned, to insist that it should be solemnized as a religious service."

Which I thought was a good point, one which I "knew" per se, but hadn't really thought about. It is primarily a religious institution, sanctioned by God. The world (as is evident with what is happened recently), when left to itself, could care less if a person is "legally" married or not. But the whole idea isn't just to have an official slip of paper, but to recognize that you are making vows in the sight of God to be faithful to one another as Christ is faithful to the church. It was refreshing to see it in that light as opposed to the controversies that go on in political circles.

Another thing which I thought was kind of interesting, is Hodge was speaking about polygamy and said that if it was supposed to be a common practice, then one would think that there would be far more women in the world than men, when in fact the reverse is the case and that there are far more men, to which he concluded that this was because of the nature of danger into which men are often called to face and has been provided for by God. I think I remember reading a while back that statistically, now there were more women than men, 51% to 49% or something like that. I'm assuming they used the American census for their data. I think it could be that there are more women than men because men generally tend to die younger, something I've speculated will probably happen to me. But that's neither here nor there. Just something that I thought was interesting.


Under the eigth commandment, Hodge speaks of Communism and says that "if Communism is the product of materialistic Atheism, its cure is to be found in Theism; in bringing the people to know and believe that there is a God on whom they are dependent and to whom they are responsible; in teaching them that this is not the only life, that the soul is immortal, and that men will be rewarded or punished in the world to come according to their character and conduct in this present life; that consequently well-being here is not the highest end of existence; that the poor here may hereafter be far more blessed than their rich neighbours; and that it is better to be Lazarus than Dives."

Aside from being a dreadfully long sentence, I thought it was very true, though is not the Love and Fear of God a great cure to all societal problems?

There are also some great sections on the ten commandments. He speaks about dueling under murder, and relics and saints under the ninth commandment. Did you know that Mary's house was transported in the 14th century from Nazareth to Italy? And then moved twice after that even! He says (dripping sarcasm):

"It is obvious that such a frail building could not, without a miracle, have been preserved thirteen hundred years; another miracle would be required to identify it after so long a period; another stupendous miracle to account for its transportation to Dalmatia; and two more nearly as great to explain its reaching its present location. The only conceivable design of all these miracles, must be to sustain the doctrines and authority of the Romish Church, and to pour money into its treasury. Both these objects they have accomplished to a wonderful degree."

And you know how it is said that there is enough fragments of the "true cross" to create a large building from? Well, St. Paulinas is quoted as a witness in defence of this as saying "that a portion of the cross kept at Jerusalem gave off fragments of itself without diminishing." It's astounding that these men who claim to be "holy men of God" could tell such bald-faced lies!

Since today I'm finishing up this post I started a while back, a couple of days have progressed until it was my first day of school here!

I got up early because I have a 7:30 Calculus class. I enjoyed the instructor, he's new, from India, but I think he's going to do pretty well. He may have higher expectations of our previous knowledge than we actually have though.

My next class was Statics. The instructor was an older gentleman who had been teaching it for t=30 years (that was an accident, but since it's mathematically correct I left it). He didn't use the microphone in the large auditorium, I think because he wanted to encourage those students who hang out at the back, to move up to the front. I was in the third or fourth row back and I could hardly hear him when he turned away. He said that it's been his experience that the people in the very back rows end up back in his class the next year. I did like him, I hope his teaching is good though, we just went over the syllabus today.

As class was ending I could hear the thunder clapping loudly outside and students came pouring into the building (along with a lot of water). They were drenched, as in, completely wet. I ran outside because my next class was across campus and I didn't want to miss it. I ran all the way over yet was still soaked when I arrived, shoes, pants (front and back), the water was very nearly running off of my clothes! And... it turns out that I was so eager to get to that next class, that I was an hour early. I sat down in the classroom, getting my notebook out and the instructor (a very young man with a sad, sleepy face) started getting his things ready once he came in. Then he said "okay, so, all of you are in the right classroom right? You're in here for Psych?" I laughed at the joke. Ha! A math class being called a psychology course! Then he got a chair and sat down among the students and I realized he wasn't joking. I scooped up my notebook and backpack in one fluid motion and exited the room without saying a word. On further thought though, I wondered if it wouldn't have been fun to hang behind and *cough* "join" the discussion. My grade obviously wouldn't depend on what I said and that in itself could be fun!

So I waited around for an hour reading my book, wandering the halls (while listening to lectures on Worship) and also noticed that the rain had subsided at different points. If only I had remembered my schedule better, I could have come over in between bursts of rain and not become wet at all! As the air-conditioning was going in the building, my legs and feet began to grow cold, as my wet clothes slowly began to dry.

The final class was my Electrical Science course, with Dr Bunting whom I have heard great things about and have spoken to before. I've also heard the Fishers mention him before. He was asking about how electronics impact us and asked for a show of hands as to who had brought a cell-phone that day. Then he asked for a show of hands for those who had not brought a cell phone, I was one of only a couple of people in the auditorium, and somewhat.... proud of it?

It was interesting though, my first class was in HES, the second in ES, the third back in HES, and the fourth in EN! Which meant I was going back from one side of campus to the other. Not really that far, and I'm glad for the time to listen to the sermons, though I feel really funny with an iPod on campus. I do NOT like looking like everyone else!

Well, that was pretty much the day, there isn't much to do as far as assignments go yet, that will come Wednesday as people get settled in. I'm definitely going to have to work a lot of math problems because I have a terrible memory for that sort of thing and was struggling to review last semester's material.

Biblical Readings

It was interesting. For those of you who don't know, I was writing a paper a while back on the subject of Infant Baptism for the pastor here at the Reformed Baptist Church. It was an area of struggle for me nearly a year ago and after a time of study I had changed my position to accept it, then after nearly a year of thought, I was ready to put it into words when the pastor asked me my position. Then for some reason I was going through some old e-mails and found one that I had sent to JP back when I had first met him and knew he was having some struggle with the same issue (which by then I had settled in my mind). One part of the e-mail said this:

"Mr. Fisher (and I don't think it is intentional in the slightest)
seems to think that everyone who has a view opposed to Infant Baptism,
is not seeing Scripture as a whole but is chopping it up. Now I would
disagree at least with my background although I do know many who do
indeed fit that description."

How things have changed! In my paper I had written almost the same thing that I had gathered from Mr Fisher. I basically said that I was approaching the Scripture from a whole rather than dissecting the parts. Looking at the spirit of the gospel rather than holding to the letter, or the words and sentence structures themselves, dissecting them as an interesting specimen. I did not remember that I had written this to JP at all but it was very interesting to me to see it. I realize now that I WAS part of that group who was "chopping" it up. I'm very thankful to have been growing in that area.

And among other things....

Okay, this is NOT something I am very comfortable with but I did want to make a few comments on the book of the Bible I've just finished in my "Read Through the Bible in a Year" program, since a lot of things stuck out. The book that I have often said should be rated PG-13 or even R: Song of Solomon. I know it's not bad especially for married folks and that it signifies Christ's love for His church and there are many interesting parallels in there (I'm learning that there are many great examples of Christ's love for the church as I looked more in depth), but golly! He sure can be graphic! Much of this book I would feel extremely uncomfortable if I were called to read it aloud.

First of all, here are some things that really struck me as odd:
Son 2:8-9
"The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills. My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag."

While admittedly that does remind me of myself (I loved rock-hopping when we would go backpacking and would skip and jump and scale boulders, landing fifteen feet below, running), it still seems very strange as a description. Perhaps it describes Christ's coming speedily for His bride? Barnes points out that she recognizes the voice of her beloved, like the sheep know Christ's voice.

Another note, Solomon's description of the Shulamite's neck being like the Tower of David just plain baffles me. I think that could easily be taken the wrong way.
As could telling her that her belly is like a heap of wheat in 7:2. That strikes me as Okie. "Ya know Emaline? Yur belly's lahk a sack 'o wheat. All nahce an' purty like." Of course it is a reference to richness, or colour, or something like that. Something I don't need to ponder on.

When the Shulamite describes Solomon, she said that his body is polished ivory. Yup, that fits me too, at least everything but my arms and face. My legs haven't seen the sun in years.....


Now for things that I really liked:

Over an over again, the phrase "do not stir up or awaken love until it pleases." occurs. I'm assuming until it is an appropriate time or so they do not waste away with passion.

Son 5:16
"This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem."

That feeling of being not only an interested suitor, but a friend as well, I appreciated that.

Son 8:1
"Oh that you were like a brother to me.."

This conveys a very close and endearing relationship, I liked what Barnes said upon the matter:
"Would he were indeed as a "brother," her mother’s own child whom she might meet, embrace, and welcome everywhere without restraint or shame. Her love for him is simple, sacred, pure, free from the unrest and the stains of mere earthly passion."


Overall, every time I am coming upon this book I somewhat have been dreading it because of so many VERY descriptive and graphic instances, but I realize for that time it was all done in purity and I can learn from the examples of especially what I pointed out just above and what Barnes said. I guess the Hebrews were a lot more open about such things than we are but I don't know if I'll ever be completely comfortable reading this book. I can't imagine if a preacher was to preach through it, would it have to be an adult only class? But anyway, I'm anxious to start on Isaiah now :)

Wild world at Wally World

A couple of interesting things.

Today I was doing a little shopping by myself, for groceries mainly (though I also picked up a copy of "Phantom of the Opera") and when I got to the checkout, the lady there was elderly, lisped, had thick glasses and appeared to be hard of hearing. I smiled at her and she asked how I was doing, whether I had found everything all right etc. I answered pleasantly while loading my groceries into the cart. I noticed however that when she scanned the two packags of Oreos, that she got one, but I didn't hear the other one give the "beep." Simultaneously as she scanned it another register had given the sound and I wondered if perhaps she had mistaken that for hers. When I had finished and paid and received my "receit" (inside joke), I checked and sure enough, there was only one "cookies" on the receipt. I waited while the elderly lady checked out another person and then went up to her and showed her while I said "I think you only scanned one of the packages of Oreos I had." The lady who had just been checked out said "Oh, you'd better watch out, he's being honest!" and then smiled and went off. The elderly lady peered through her glasses at the receipt, putting her finger upon the bag of oranges and saying "yeah, I'm not sure if that's the correct price or not." I told her she misunderstood and pointed down the the cookies saying that I was talking about the Oreos, the cookies. I repeated this several times and she finally asked me "oh, so you only want one?"
I said no! I wanted both packages, but she had only charged me for one. She didn't seem to understand and gave me a strange look and said "well, if you want to return it, you'll have to take it to customer service." I told her I DIDN'T want to return it, I wanted to pay for it! She had missed it when she had been scanning the items. She said "well that doesn't matter, you'll have to take it to customer service."

I was feeling rather exasperated, having tried to explain myself several times. I wanted to shout out "I'm trying to be honest here!" She finally obliged me by scanning it and then letting me pay for it. "Thank you!" I said. As I left, one of the people at customer service said "was she trying to take your oreos?" I told her no, she had missed one of the packages when she was scanning them and I was just trying to make sure I paid for it. She didn't understand either and I had to repeat myself a couple of times before she understood what I was saying. Am I just not able to communicate properly or do people just not comprehend honesty these days? The first lady (being checked out) understood immediately!

Another interesting thing that happened as we were driving home from church Sunday afternoon, is that as we went past a gas station, my brother suddenly jumped straight up in his seat and said "That guy just drove away with the pump!" And it was true. A jeep with three guys in it had apparently forgotten to take the nozzle out of their vehicle and ended up driving a short ways with the nozzle and hose, breaking it off at the pump! They stopped and I'm sure were a bit sheepish about the whole thing :)

Life goes on

The parents called yesterday, they have been having fun up in Alaska, they went on a canoe ride on a lake and rode some horses apparently, and they have really been enjoying the teaching and fellowshiping with believers. As for me and our house, we Thursday I took the girls to an all-girl swim party (I read and talked with one of the family's sons in another house down the street), Friday I took the younger kids to a Spanish lesson, and Saturday took my younger brother, Tanner, to Soccer practice, though I didn't have to stay, another family took him back home. And I finished a second bench Friday afternoon. I may do one more.

I've had some time to do a little more reading, though I've not been taking advantage of it as I should. There was one passage in Hodge which I had been looking forward to reaching and this was the section on Sanctification. I suspected (and was correct) that he would address the issue of Perfectionism and he did. BB Warfield also had two volumes in the set of his works that were devoted to this topic, I'm assuming it was a much debated topic in his day with the rise of Arminianism. I was looking forward to reading these volumes as well because the topic had come up before, first about a year and a half ago with a person I met down in Texas who went to LeTourneu college (I stayed in his apartment when I visited the campus to see if I wanted to go there). He mentioned it to me and I debated him a little bit on it, offering a few verses from memory which seemed to make him rethink the issue but he still thought that no one could really say for sure.

Then the topic came up on FB's blog, when she was mentioning some students who had been talking about it. Lastly, it came up with a pastor down here at the Velma Fellowship who said that yes, with the Holy Spirit's power you could go without sinning. After a few months of having it in the back of my mind as I read my Bible and other books, I was convinced that this was, as FB said, a lowering of God's standard. I'm not nearly prepared to write anything comprehensive on it, but here's a few thoughts and ultimately, I wanted to share a quote from Hodge which made me want to underline it in pencil (but I choked back the urge ;) I probably should get into the habit but I just don't like doing that to my books for some reason. I keep notes in the front on a piece of paper if I must.

Anyway,
First, the passages in 1 John 1:8 and 10 which cover both past and present situations, that whoever says he has no sin, and whoever says he has not sinned, is a liar.
Second, the Lord's prayer, which is given to us as an example, calls us to pray daily for forgiveness of our trespasses. Either we would have to say some people would be praying this without really meaning it, or this prayer is not applicable to them.
Thirdly, none of the Apostles, of whom we have the highest example of godly living, ever claimed perfection in this life. Paul, even at a late stage said that he still struggled with the flesh and the things he did not want to do, he did.
Fourth, I agree that it is a lowering of God's standard, for he requires us to love Him with all our hearts, soul, mind, and strength. Anything short of this is disobedience and I fail in this every day.

It is argued that the Lord Jesus Christ commands us to be perfect even as our heavenly father is perfect and that God would not require anything of us that he would not give. To this we agree that perfection will be given to us but as of now, it is still a promise and has not been realized. We have not yet been delivered from the body of death, the flesh still struggles. And it is not such an uncommon thing for God to set the standard which we cannot keep. God told the Israelites to circumcise their hearts, then later he tells them that he will do it. Joshua tells the people to keep God's commands and then blatantly tells them they cannot. God tells us to renew our hearts, then later he says that he will be the one who will take out our heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh.

I love this quote from Hodge and was just leading up to share it:

'Wesley says, By sin is meant (1.) Voluntary transgression of known law. In this sense all who are born of God are free from sin. (2.) It means all unholy tempers, self-will, pride, anger, sinful thoughts. From these the perfect are free. (3.) But mistakes and infirmities are not sins. "These are," indeed, "deviations from the perfect law, and consequently need atonement. Yet they are not properly sins." "A person filled with the love of God is still iable to these involuntary transgressions. Such transgressions you may call sins if you please, I do not." The question, however, is not what Wesley or any other man chooses to call sin; but what does the law of God condemn. Nothing which the law does not condemn can need expiation. If these transgressions, therefore, need atonement, they are sins in the sight of God. Our refusing to recognize them as such does not alter their nature, or remove their guilt.'


He has some excellent points all through the section but this was one of the main points. To say that we can reach a state of perfection in this life is to lower the standard to suit ourselves, to create a new bar that we can attain and which is not Scriptural. This is not to depress anyone. In fact, the very giving of the Lord's prayer and of his continual intercession for us is an encouragement because he does realize our infirmities and has made provision for us. This doesn't excuse us but we can be confident that he is working in us and we can be confident, as Paul was, that he will complete this work in us.

I've also been listening to a lot of sermons from the website. Mainly the ones I've missed over the summer and the series on parenting. I'm halfway through the series on Domestic Piety and have downloaded the ones on Family Worship and the series on Holiness, ready to go on my iPod ;)
I am feeling like I should have started these a long time ago, I am really enjoying them especially while driving (only one ear bud in) and while working outside. Speaking of which (and here's a diversion of thought), while digging those holes for the benches, the ground was really hard and I was really throwing myself into them with the shovel and ended up with six blisters. I guess my hands weren't as tough as I thought :(

The lessons are really good and I've enjoyed the material up there. I don't know if it is because of working with the children during VBS or just working with my own siblings or what, but I've been especially interested in the series on Family Worship, Domestic Piety, and Parenting. I have realized how far I fall short but as Alan was saying, we all do, yet that is no excuse not to do it. He was encouraging the young men ("if you ever grow up" he said, though I don't think he really meant it that way.....) to take note and prepare themselves for their own families, and for the young ladies, when they got to the point where they would be thinking about that sort of thing, to be desiring a man who would lead in that way. I appreciated that personal address, though I wasn't there at the time.

It's really interesting listening to the group discussions, most of the time I can't hear what is going on, especially if one of the ladies is speaking, but I can usually hear Bruce W. or Dave. This is hard because often someone will say something that apparently is hilarious, I can hear everyone laughing in the background (and of course Bruce chuckling) but I have no idea what just happened. It's also interesting hearing what is going on. I heard JD and Sam, who both sounded very young (Sam sounded much like Will does now) and hearing things that were going on back then. I feel like I missed a lot!

For example, Mary was referred to as a baby who cries a lot for attention. Sam was described as having just turned thirteen and JD was afraid that overnight he would turn into a monstrous, horrible teenager. The baptism of the Neufield's child was spoken of in the afternoon service, as having taken place that morning. I hear people that I don't know, I heard a young Anna and Ruth and Elizabeth, a young Laura and Steven and Abigail. When asked to read around in a circle, different verses, it went in order through:
Bruce
Wesley
Christopher
Stephanie
Dan

This was 2003 so I'm guessing they were married at the time. I'm not sure on dates. Another interesting thing which I've thought about a couple of times but kept forgetting to mention is this: Alan has a voice that by all rights should be boring, slightly whispery, not a whole lot of inflection, long quotes etc. But whenever I hear him I feel very attentive and really, really enjoy it. It's just something that I've found to be interesting. I also enjoy the afternoon sessions because it is more informal, like a big family. I appreciate how Bruce involves the children and brings home their responsibility and doesn't merely "preach" to the parents. I also noticed that Mr Covington seemed to speak a lot more back then, has that changed a bit or am I just not noticing? Perhaps he was more vocal with his children there, helping to instruct them. Anyway, I'm looking forward to delving into the Scottish Church History, the Puritan Paperbacks and the Westminster Confession soon! And admittedly, I'm also dying to get into Owen some more when I finish a couple of these other books I'm working on. I have to get busy!

Photos? No way!

Okay, this blog is in need of an update.

Since my folks have been gone (on a cruise to Alaska!) this is what has been going on:

The first day, we lounged around, I did some CD burning for David, worked on my paper a little bit (revising) did a lot of spreadsheet work and pretty much just got a lot of little things done. In the afternoon I watched a movie with my youngest sister, the first time in a long time I've done that! It was Monster's Inc. I absolutely love that movie! I think I laugh harder than anyone else I've ever seen. Anna and I may have to have a contest on that sometime.... In the afternoon I played Mario Golf with my two youngest sisters, which was quite a bit of fun too. The days kind of run together though. Tanner and I moved some fence panels and I went and stripped off the forms from the concrete we had been working on the day before. And, I'm hoping to finish all of Hodge's Systematic Theology by next week when I leave for Stillwater.

I've also had a couple of chances to talk to Jonathan and my good friend Silas back in California. He just started a blog and I'd like to say "hi Silas!" (he says "hi everybody!")
http://silas-blog.blogspot.com/

The next day was Wednesday and we went to the Bible study in the evening. The youth pastor there is very, very good at working with the youth. I have been sitting in on the sessions because they are showing some movies on the Calvinism vs. Arminianism debate (kind of an introduction) and I want to make sure my siblings understand it. There was a girl there who was fifteen and she asked my sisters how they got there. Dakota pointed to me and she said "he can drive?!" She said yes, that I was twenty-one. "Twenty-one! Wow, I thought he was like, fifteen or something!" Which made me laugh. Another girl said she thought I was about that age but that my brother was about twenty-four (he's eighteen). Kind of odd I thought :D

Speaking of odd, do you recall how I was saying that there are some "typical" poorly misspelled e-mails that I get from time to time? Well, I just received one the other day and I have to say that it nearly beats every other one I have ever seen.

"yea its cul havin some1 2 talk 2 thx i luv teh mall. i no wut u mean lolz.
ur liek sweet 2 ur sis wiht teh mall an al taht lolz i wish my sis wud tak
i 2 teh mall. i liek luuuv 2 shop. i liek too go wiht my sis but shes liek
"nooo" and im liek "yesss" she has teh car lolz so i nevr go wit her big
siss r soo mean there liek sooo mean. i wud liek 2 stop liek a carz breaks
but i dont have enuf time lolz u rite alot.

l8rs"

Isn't that just horrible? I can't believe that people would send something like this. I had a hard time making head or tail of it. ;)

Now.... Today was Thursday and decided to do something constructive so I decided to work on the fire pit outside the house and build some benches. I had Tanner bring up some gravel and the three girls brought over the rest of the river rock that we had and got a few bricks. You can kind of see what we did with the pit: we made it look a lot better! Earlier, I had gone out with the chainsaw and Bobcat and got a large log and a smaller, skinnier one. I used the skinny one for "posts" and the large one I sawed in half for benches. I plan on getting a couple more logs for more posts and two more benches. In the picture you can see the completed bench, plus another post and a hole that needs a post.






Speaking of pictures, here is two of the three pictures (yay!) that I took on the mission trip up to Stillwater. Yeah, I only took three pictures the entire time, don't laugh. There were plenty of other photographers there! My mom likes my pictures that I do take, but admittedly she hates scenery. She likes photos of people and I rarely do that unless I think I can get the "perfect shot."




And here is also a picture I took the other morning. For some reason I am fascinated by clouds and sun bursting through them especially.



And lastly, when I was watching the film of my "stand up comedian act" (which I cringed at as I saw it, I needed a much better script) I saw myself turn to the side and thought "is that what I look like? For real? Does my nose really stick out that much?" I guess I just never see my profile because either I'm look head-on in the mirror as I shave, or I see my own picture as I look at myself. So I took a profile shot of myself ;)



I am very picky as to pictures but I couldn't get that little shadow out without some major editing. And... after all, having a SHADOW there is rather ironic!

Two for the price of one!

I had a very interesting dream last night. A bunch of the CY were together (and I was with them) and then Tlepolemus started doing some beatboxing with her mouth, though she could make these really amazing piano, violin, and entire orchestra sounds! I was very impressed. I'm sure Jonathan (if he was there) was envious.

We also did some concrete work today around our property, building a small pad for a well-house/pigeon-house and pouring concrete inside some large tractor tires to make troughs for the cattle. My father was with the truck pouring concrete for troughs so I took care of the pad, going over it every once in a while until it had a smooth finish. In some respects it's like playing in the mud....

Let me see, I'm gonna try my hand at usin' adjectives like ol' F.B. does. It seriously took me about five minutes and I was laughing pretty hard while doing it :D
And no offense F.B., I really do enjoy the way you write!
*Ahem* So here goes:

The land was parched and dry, peeling like a snake's skin and shedding the dust as a cat sheds its fur. Then great dark clouds began to gather in the south, as a flock of black sheep waiting to be collected by a wooly sheepdog and led into their pens. The clouds moved swiftly on the wind as though they were wild horses, with long wispy manes waving madly through the air. Suddenly, they reached our house and seemingly paused while first a small sprinkling, then a great spattering began. Noise, tinkling on the window like a sandblaster working on a piece of rusted metal; I stood at the window and watched as it beat against the house, glad that the walls were firm and solid. The water began to run like little streams from the roof, hitting the ground and splashing like so many stones from a small boy's hand, dancing, hopping, pounding on the ground like little silver hammers. The parched ground greedily soaked up the first fruits of this downpour, then, as its thirst was quenched, began to leave it to dribble on the ground, like a baby with his mouth already full. It formed little rivulets and ran like blood down a wounded man's face, down, down, down and into the tall grass, as into his beard. A bolt of lightning seared the sky, thunder crashing much like Stupendous smashing an empty bag of cups at church. As I opened the door, the wind caught my eyelashes and hair, playing with it like so many little pixies. The storm began to abate and merely drizzle, the ground starting to soak it up once again instead of allowing it to slip away as a heavy box of concrete tools through weak fingers. Soon, all that was left was the traces, the mist in the air and the refreshing feel of outside. Much of the heat of noon had been rinsed away, beaten into the ground and blown away by the wind. The wind began to subside and to only sigh through the trees like a contented dog having his belly rubbed. Blue sky peered through, glancing with glee at the land which had been cleansed and given life yet again. The sun sunk into the sky, seeming to relent from its former fervor, almost apologetic and thankful to see the land replenished, yet a small ray of mischief gleams in its last view. It will be back to tease the land tomorrow.

Meh, I guess it's not my thing. I'll go back to my old method:

"it rained this afternoon."

Quick Quote from Hodge

Hodgde:

'At the same time, Scripture and experience teach that assurance is not only attainable, but a privilege and a duty. There may indeed be assurance, where there is no true faith at all; but where there is true faith, the want of assurance is to be referred either to the weakness of faith, or to erroneous views of the plan of salvation. Many sincere believers are too intropsective. They look too exclusively within, to that their hope is graduated by the degree of evidence of regeneration which they find in their own experience. This, except in rare cases, can never lead to the assurance of hope. We may examine our hearts with all the microscopic care prescribed by President Edwards in his work on "The Religious Affections," and never be satisfied that we have eliminated every ground of misgiving and doubt. The grounds of assurance are not so much within, as without us. They are, according to Scripture, (1.) The universal and unconditional promise of God that those who come to Him in Christ, He will in no wise cast out; that whosoever will, may take of the water of life without money and without price. We are bound to be assured that God is faithful and will certainly save those who believe. (2.) The infinite, immutable, and gratuitous love of God. In the first ten verses of the fifth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, and in the eighth chapter of that epistle from the thirty-first verse to the end, the Apostle dwells on these characteristics of the love of God, as affording an immovable foundation of the believer's hope. (3.) The infinite merit of the satisfaction of Christ, and the prevalence of his continued intercession. Paul, in Romans viii. 34, especially emphsizes these points. (4.) The covenant of redemption in which it is promised that all given by the Father to the Son, shall come to Him, and that none of them shall be lost. (5>) From the witness of the Spirit, Paul says "we . . . . rejoice in hope of the glory of God," because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost given unto us. That is, the Holy Ghost assures us that we are the objects of that love which he goes on to describe as infinite, immutable, and gratuitous. (Rom. v. 3-5) And again, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God." If, therefore, any true believer lacks the assurance of faith, the fault is in himself and not in the plan of salvation, or in the promises of God.'

I hope to be like the second group who looks without for assurance; for it is most definitely not found in oneself! I found that point 4 to be the most comforting to myself. This doesn't excuse me from attempting to live a godly life in subjection and love to God, yet it is wonderful to know that all God's elect will come to him, and nothing can change that. Hodge is speaking more of belief in the efficacy of faith or salvation, but it applies to me in more ways than that. Often we doubt because we see the sinfulness in our own lives, the lack of love toward God, or the complacency which marks so much of what we do. We are looking to ourselves and while it is good to examine each one his own heart, we must look to God in faith as the object of our salvation. He has promised and will not be slack. He is faithful even though we are unfaithful, and he will bring your sanctification to completion, the very evidence of that work is shown in realizing how far we fall short. Lord save us, for we cannot save ourselves! How much more that is realized each and every day! How much more becomes the thankfulness the more we realize and are shown the great mercy and love he had for us when while we were yet sinners (and still are very much so) God sent his only Son to die for us and has promised to complete the work in us. Keep your eyes on Christ, when we start looking at the great waves of turmoil, tossed about by the winds of our own doubting, we will assuredly begin to sink, yet even so, Christ pulls us out of that by his hand, out of the deep waters.

And in the nooze, my parents are leaving tomorrow for an eight day cruise to Alaska (for their 25th anniversary). It should be great fun and a great time with other believers, since it is with John MacArthur. They're excited about it!

Nothing new under the sun

Well, here are some rambling thoughts for today:

I was just thinking on Luther's life today after listening to a survey of James by Alan and how Luther was very bold, sometimes he was very right, other times he was most definitely wrong. And this led me to think about all the godly men of all the ages, many who were used as mighty tools, yet none of them (as far as I know) were entirely correct. Calvin strongly believed that John's Baptism was the same as the baptism of Christ, which I do not believe to be correct. Luther believed in some kind of baptismal regeneration, none of these men were perfect. Why? Well, part of the reason could be because these "great" men, or ones whom we are more familiar with because they were so prominent, engaged on a multitude of issues and the odds are not in their favour that they would be absolutely correct on all of these different issues. But another reason that I think is more important, is that if any one of these men did come to perfection when preaching doctrine, they would gather a large following. Even without that, there are many who today would call themselves "Lutherans" and follow what Luther taught for the most part (though I realize it was changed after his death even). There was only on Man who was perfect in all of his teaching and that was the Lord Jesus Christ. Even the apostles, Peter for example, stumbled at times. This leads me to conjecture that one reason each of these men had such faults is that we might not look to them and follow their teachings rather than the teachings of Scripture. I believe Calvin to have been very sound in almost everything he taught, yet he wasn't perfect and in a way I'm glad of it lest someone should accuse me of following Calvin, or "being of Calvin." Pink was a very godly man yet he certainly had a couple of erroneous views and I'm thankful for that too because otherwise I might be tempted to say "I am of Pink."

It was just something I was musing about today and I thought I would share. I scarcely would hope that I myself would have errors, though I am certain I do and in a way I suppose it is both humbling for myself and good for others, lest they should seek my advice rather than the Scripture's teaching. That doesn't mean I won't strive to be diligent that I might help if at all possible though! As much as is given to me.

I worked on my paper I was writing, then got into an argument with my brother who claimed that some guy's webpage was "unaccessible" to which I retorted that it was "inaccessable" and he disputed the matter. Ah, such are the good times back at home!