Friday, March 28, 2008

A Matter of Faith

"All science proceeds on the assumption that nature is ordered in a rational and intelligible way. You couldn’t be a scientist if you thought the universe was a meaningless jumble of odds and ends haphazardly juxtaposed... to be a scientist, you had to have faith that the universe is governed by dependable, immutable, absolute, universal, mathematical laws of an unspecified origin." ~ Paul Davies

What a profound statement from someone who is so anti-theistic. It is amazing in this age to see a naturalistic scientist admit that science, at its very foundation, must be taken on faith but he is absolutely right. Science proceeds on the assumption that the universe is governed by rational laws, yet when you follow reason back to the very foundation of science, the laws of physics, reason abandons you for within a naturalistic framework there is no rational explanation for why these laws can be rational. The laws of physics are considered a "given" that "just appeared" at the formation of the universe. Random occurrences cannot explain the rational bedrock that science uses to reason everything else. The Argument from Reason points out that naturalism cannot provide an adequate explanation of why we trust that the universe is governed by rational laws and why we trust that we have the mental capacity to discover and understand said laws.

So science and religion are not mutually exclusive spheres as some would like to believe. Religion does take faith, but I and many others believe that there is scientific, historical, archaeological, and philosophical evidence that makes this leap of faith not quite as large as atheists would have us believe. Atheists and naturalistic science also take leaps of faith but very few can admit it like Davies does. That is a start.

By His Grace,
Taylor

Monday, March 24, 2008

Incomplete

"[Logical systems] are fallible systems, human systems. They may not be equated with the mind of God. God's logic is divine; human logic is not." ~ John Frame, The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God

I think it would do all of us good to remember this very important fact. We humans are so proud of what we have accomplished and what we can do, which is not in itself wrong, but we begin to become over confident and think that "science and reason [logic] can accomplish everything" which is arrogant of us to believe. We have very incomplete knowledge of our universe, not to mention our incomplete knowledge of the spiritual realm. We do not know what we do not know. By that I mean that we cannot begin to take into consideration situations, circumstances, and environments we do not even know exist, so how can we possibly claim that science and reason/logic can accomplish everything? Science is constantly being revised because of newly discovered data and refined techniques. Einstein trumps Newton and now even Einstein is being questioned.

God's logic/reasoning systems, however, are of a different nature. God, by definition, is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He is also the only Being with complete knowledge of all things. Complete knowledge coupled with a perfect Mind leads to complete, perfect, and divine systems.

We need to search, study, and investigate, but we need to also acknowledge our limitations before a limitless God.

By His Grace,
Taylor

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Messy, Yet Hopeful

"We are messy, in need, prideful and do stupid things, but we are followers of the One who heals us." ~ Perimeter Church Bulletin Message

We are often messy, prideful, and hypocritical. But what is the Church if not a refuge for human beings that know they are in desperate of a savior? The story, however, does not end there.

Today is Easter, the day that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Today, above all other days, we are reminded that our debt has been paid and that we are united with Christ in His resurrection. The Image Absolute is recreating the image of God in us daily through sanctification. So we may fail but we are getting better because of "the One who heals" and we have the assurance that "He who began a good work in [us] will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6)

Happy Easter

By His Grace,
Taylor

Saturday, March 22, 2008

What will future generations think?

“...future generations will wonder in bemused amazement that the early 21st century’s developed world went into hysterical panic over a globally averaged temperature increase of a few tenths of a degree, and, on the basis of gross exaggerations of highly uncertain computer projections combined into implausible chains of inference, proceeded to contemplate a roll-back of the industrial age.” ~ Dr. Richard Lindzen, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

What will future generations think? Will they look back on us and think "Why did they over react when their evidence was not very conclusive?" I think we often times bite too fast without stopping and considering the agenda of our sources.

There is definitely something to be said for responsibly stewarding the earth God has blessed us with, but to err to a degree of mass hysteria is not responsible. Yes, we should take care of this planet while we subdue it. However, just because someone claims to be working for the sake of the earth does not mean they do not have other motives. Remember that the global warming lobbyists are exactly that, lobbyists, i.e. people who make their living by making a big deal about something. At times their causes are worthy and many probably do have good intentions. However, we must remember that when the lobbyists have nothing to lobby for they are out of a job. Sure oil companies are going to protect their interests, but lobbyists are too and if they can cause a panic they create job security for themselves.

Do your own research, do not just listen to what the media has to say. Read the scientists, not the media, which at times reports unconfirmed research.

By His Grace,
Taylor

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Sign Posts vs. The Road

"The writings of all holy fathers should be read only for a time, in order that through them we may be led to the Holy Scriptures. As it is, however, we read them only to be absorbed in them and never come to the Scriptures. We are like men who study the sign posts and never travel the road." ~ Martin Luther, Open Letter to The Christian Nobility

How true is this, especially of us today when we can find a Christian book on any subject? We, at least I know this to be true of myself, are constantly reading Christian writings, which is all well and good; but the only true, life-giving fountain comes from the Word of God. It would do us good to turn to it much more often than we turn to uninspired Christian works.

By His Grace,
Taylor

Friday, March 7, 2008

Blessed Self-Forgetfulness

"Humility is not thinking less of ourselves, it is thinking of ourselves less." ~ C. S. Lewis

This is a truth that I think is missed so often by almost everyone (though that is a grouse generalization, I know). I think we often think that the opposite of pride is self-abasing. This is not humility. Thinking about how lowly we are is just another way of putting ourselves at the center when it is God that should be at the center.

Paul gives us the key to humility I Corinthians 4:3-4 "I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself... It is the Lord who judges me." Paul's identity is not tied to human thought, not even his own. His identity is tied to God's judgment. If you are a Christian then God has judged you perfect because of the righteousness of Christ. So we need to stop judging ourselves completely, for good or for bad. We need to think of ourselves less. This is "blessed self-forgetfulness," as Tim Keller puts it.

By His Grace,
Taylor

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Rest in Him

"Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee." ~ Augustine, Confessions - Book I, Chapter I

This is one of my favorite lines by any author of all time. This is the beauty of redemption. God made us for Himself, we are for Him and His glory (Isaiah 43:7, 21; Isaiah 63:12; Colossians 1:16; Psalm 106:8; Ezekiel 36:22-23). What then can bring us greater peace than doing what we were created to do? How can our souls possibly be truly satisfied by anything besides their very purpose for being? They cannot, and Augustine knew this. It is only in Christ that our souls can rest and find satisfaction. The Apostle Paul began almost every one of his epistles with "grace and peace to you." Why? Grace and peace come hand in hand. When we rest in His grace peace comes naturally for He is the God of peace.

"'...in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.'" ~ John 16:33, ESV
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." ~ Romans 5:1, ESV
"For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility..." ~ Ephesians 2:14, ESV

By His Grace,
Taylor

The purpose of this blog

"How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!" ~ Proverbs 16:16

"A short saying often contains much wisdom." ~ Sophocles

Indeed, wisdom is more valuable than any earthly possession and much wisdom can be found in few words. With this blog I endeavor to pass on not my wisdom, since it would only take one post and a short one at that, but the wisdom of others as I discover it. I will often add comments to the quote that I post and I invite comments from others so that we might unpack the wisdom in these "short sayings."

I believe that wisdom and truth can be found in many places so the quotes I post will come from many resources. However, I also believe that wisdom and truth must always be evaluated with respect to the ultimate guide for wisdom and truth, God's Word, so I will endeavor to comment in such a fashion.

I do not want to start blogging wars with the things I post because those are rarely productive, but I do want people to comment if they agree or disagree so that we all benefit from different perspectives. I do not publish comments that attempt to promote or advertise for anything. I also do not publish comments that contain profanity.

By His Grace,
Taylor