Graffiti KL (XVII)

Graffiti KL (XVI)

Christian

Some think of a Christian as one who necessarily believes certain things. That Jesus was the son of God, say. Or that Mary was a virgin. Or that the Pope is infallible. Or that all other religions are all wrong.

Some think of a Christian as one who necessarily does certain things. Such as going to church. Getting baptised. Giving up liquor and tobacco. Reading the Bible. Doing a good deed a day..

Some think of a Christian as just a Nice Guy.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me"(John 14:6). He didn't say that it was by believing or doing anything in particular that you could "come to the Father." He said that it was only by him-by living, participating in, being caught up by the way of life that he embodied, that was his way.

Thus it is possible to be in Christ's way and with his mark upon you without ever having heard of Christ, and for that reason to be on your way to God though maybe you don't even believe in God.

A Christian is one who is on the way, though not necessarily very far along it, and who has at least some dim and half-baked idea of whom to thank.

A Christian isn't necessarily any nicer than anybody else. Just Better informed.

(Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking-A Seeker's ABC)

Why This Guy Is A Bit Different From Other Dudes

The moment which the high priest said to him, 'Who are you?''I am the anointed, the Son of the Uncreated God, and you should see me appearing at the end of all history as the judge of the universe!'

When you look into his conversion you will find this sort of claim running throughout the whole thing. Well, that is the other side. On the one side clear, definite moral teaching. On the other, claims which, if not true, are those of a megalomaniac, compared with whom Hitler was the most sane and humble of man. here is no halfway house and these is no parallel in other religions.

If you had gone to Buddha and ask him:'Are you the Son of Brahma?' he would have said,'My son, you are still in the vale of illusion.' If you had gone to Socrates and asked 'Are you Zeus?' He would have laughed at you. If you had gone to Mohammed and ask, 'Are you Allah?' He would have first have rent his clothes and then cut your head off. If you had asked Confucius, 'Are you haven?', I think he would have probably replied, 'Remarks which are not in accordance with the nature are in bad taste.'

The idea of a great moral teacher saying what Christ said is out of the question. In my opinion, the only person who can say that sort of thing is either God or a complete lunatic suffering from that form of delusion which undermines the whole mind of man. If you think you are a poached egg, when you are looking for a piece of toast to suit you, you may be sane, but if you think you are God, there is no chance for you.

[C.S. Lewis, Essays Collection]

Graffiti KL (XV)

Is God The Author of Sin? (Jonathan Edwards)

God may hate a thing as it is in itself, and considered simply as evil, and yet,...it may be his will it should come to pass, considering all consequences. God doesn't view sin as sin or for the sake of anything evil; though it be his pleasure so to order things, that he permitting, sin will come to pass,; for the great good that by his disposal shall be the consequences.His willing to order things so that evil should come to pass; for the great good that by his disposal shall be the consequence. His willing to order things so that evil should come to pass, for the sake of the contrary good, is no argument that he doesn't hate evil, as evil; and if so, then it is no reason why he may not reasonably forbid evil as evil, and punish it as such.

God's will of decree(or sovereign will) is not his will in the same sense as his will of command(or moral will) is. Therefore it is not difficult at all to suppose that one may be otherwise than other: his will in both senses is his inclination. But when we say his wills virtue, or love virtue or the happiness of his creature: thereby is intended that virtue or the happiness of his creature; thereby is intended that virtue or the creature's happiness, absolutely and simply considered, is agreeable to the inclination of his nature. his will of decree is his inclination to a thing not as to that thing absolutely and simply, but with reference to the universality of things. So God, though he hates a thing as it is simply, may incline to it with reference to the universality of things.

It is a proper and excellent thing for infinite glory to shine forth; and for the same reason, it is proper that the shinning forth of God's glory should be complete; that is, that all part of his glory should shine forth, that every beauty should be proportionably effulgent, that he beholder may have a proper notion of God. It is not proper that one glory should be exceedingly manifested , and another not at all...Thus it is necessary, that God's aweful majesty, his authority and dreadful greatness, justice, and holiness should be manifested. But this could not be, unless sin and punishment had been decreed; so that the shining forth of God's glory would be very imperfect, both because these parts of divine glory would not shine forth as the others do, and also the glory of his goodness, love and holiness would be faint without them, nay, they could scarcely shine forth at all.

If it were not right that God should decree and permit and punish sin, there could be no manifestation of God's holiness in hatred of sin, or in showing any preference , in his providence, of godliness before it. There would be no manifestation of God's grace or true goodness, if there was no sin to be pardoned, no misery to be saved from. How much happiness soever he bestowed, his goodness would not be so much prized and admired. So evil is necessary, in order to the highest happiness of the creature and the completeness of that communication of God, for which he made the world; because the creature's happiness consists in the knowledge of God, and the sense of his love. And if the knowledge of him be imperfect, the happiness of the creature must be proportionably imperfect.

On Sacrifice

For my own part, I have never ceased to rejoice that God has appointed me to such an office. people talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply paid back as a small part of a great debt owing to our God, which we can never repay?
Is that a sacrifice which bring its own blest reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away witht he word in such a view, and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a priviledge. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger now and then, with a foregoign of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothign when compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice. (David Livingstone,1857 - quoted in Piper,Desiring God)