In C.S. Lewis' essay, "Learning in Wartime", he discusses the importance of our attitudes and actions. He begins by stating that we often get lost in the idea that life is "normal". He says, "We are mistaken when we compare war with 'normal life'. Life has never been normal." Since we live abnormal lives, we must be a part of both physical and spiritual wars against evil. Lewis describes our role in war as "a religious duty, and our obligation to perform every duty is therefore absolute." Despite this duty, Lewis states that "a man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country." We must surrender ourselves to God and live according to His will.
Lewis discusses how we have enemies against learning. The first is excitement, and occurs when we feel like a new passion has risen, when we should still be focusing on obtaining knowledge. If you want to be successful, you must be willing to strive for knowledge, even when conditions are unfavorable. The second enemy is frustration, and occurs when we feel like we will not be able to finish what we long to do. However, we are called to live each day to the fullest and not worry about tomorrow, for today has enough worries of its own. The last enemy is fear of death. However, we must not forget that in death, we become perfect and live in paradise with our creator.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Fall
The third chapter of Engaging God's World, "The Fall", discusses the affect of sin on our relationship with God. Plantinga explains human desire to "keep living our lives against what's good for us" and that our irrational decision to constantly disobey God has gone back to Adam and Eve and the first sin.
Plantinga describes sin as a deviation from the path of light and truth, which is God's path, into the darkness. As in Lewis' "The Poison of Subjectivism", Plantinga discusses that humans lack the rod with which to measure right against wrong. It is only by the grace of God and the belief of Jesus Christ as your savior can you know the difference between good and evil. However, by our original sin, "we have separated ourselves from God, who is our true life and have corrupted our entire nature."
In addition to corrupting ourselves when we sin, we corrupt others too. Plantinga gives the example of a father who beats his son, will eventually have a son who beats others and so on and so forth. Sin has a way of gaining momentum and in this momentum, sin is viewed as "normal." Viewing sin as something "normal" is such a danger to not only yourself, but something that is a threat to our society and eventually all mankind. For if a culture starts to fall prey to the corrupt, it will begin to lose hope. It is our duty, as Christians, to not allow this "normality of sin" ever occur. We must constantly fight for good and against evil in this world.
Plantinga describes sin as a deviation from the path of light and truth, which is God's path, into the darkness. As in Lewis' "The Poison of Subjectivism", Plantinga discusses that humans lack the rod with which to measure right against wrong. It is only by the grace of God and the belief of Jesus Christ as your savior can you know the difference between good and evil. However, by our original sin, "we have separated ourselves from God, who is our true life and have corrupted our entire nature."
In addition to corrupting ourselves when we sin, we corrupt others too. Plantinga gives the example of a father who beats his son, will eventually have a son who beats others and so on and so forth. Sin has a way of gaining momentum and in this momentum, sin is viewed as "normal." Viewing sin as something "normal" is such a danger to not only yourself, but something that is a threat to our society and eventually all mankind. For if a culture starts to fall prey to the corrupt, it will begin to lose hope. It is our duty, as Christians, to not allow this "normality of sin" ever occur. We must constantly fight for good and against evil in this world.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Poison of Subjectivism
In C.S. Lewis' essay, "The Poison of Subjectivism", he starts off by stating that practical reason is based solely upon a person's point of view on the difference between good and evil. If both sides have their view on "good", then who can say which is right? It's all based upon judgment. "Unless the measuring rod is independent of the things measured, we can do no measuring."
Humans cannot create this rod, which we can judge other things against, for we have no more power to create values than we have power to create a new sun. Lewis also explores the idea that humans can achieve a sense of improved morality. He disbelieves in improving our morality because, there is a set human nature that is constant in even very different cultures. "We do not hunt witches because we disbelieve in their existence. We do not kill men to avert pestilence because we do not think pestilence can thus be averted. We do 'sacrifice' men in war, and we do hunt spies and traitors."
As a result of the Fall, humans are now unable to fully understand the Law of Nature. So who then knows this Law and can create this measuring rod? God, in His divinity, created all values and morals and it is only He who has the authority to judge both the living and the dead.
Humans cannot create this rod, which we can judge other things against, for we have no more power to create values than we have power to create a new sun. Lewis also explores the idea that humans can achieve a sense of improved morality. He disbelieves in improving our morality because, there is a set human nature that is constant in even very different cultures. "We do not hunt witches because we disbelieve in their existence. We do not kill men to avert pestilence because we do not think pestilence can thus be averted. We do 'sacrifice' men in war, and we do hunt spies and traitors."
As a result of the Fall, humans are now unable to fully understand the Law of Nature. So who then knows this Law and can create this measuring rod? God, in His divinity, created all values and morals and it is only He who has the authority to judge both the living and the dead.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Mere Christianity
In the excerpt from C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, he discusses the nature of humanity. Lewis discusses that there are not good or bad impulses, but rather simply just impulses and it is how we decide to act that determines whether it is good or bad. Impulses and instincts are like keys on the piano, they sound marvelous when some are played together but when others are used together, it loses its splendor.
Another point that Lewis makes is that, as Christians, we should not promote separation of the church but concentrate on things common throughout the church. For as Jesus is one with God the Father, we too must be one with each other in community. We learn how to act and behave at a young age and we must raise the children and future of mankind based upon Christian virtues and morals.
Another point that Lewis makes is that, as Christians, we should not promote separation of the church but concentrate on things common throughout the church. For as Jesus is one with God the Father, we too must be one with each other in community. We learn how to act and behave at a young age and we must raise the children and future of mankind based upon Christian virtues and morals.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Screwtape Letters
In C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters, he examines Christian life from the devil's perspective. Screwtape, an expert demon, is giving advice to his nephew Wormwood. He discusses how to tempt people by using certain strategies. Lewis states the danger of falling into "lukewarm" feelings about faith and sin. The devil's advice is to keep humans numb and unaware of the sins that they are doing. For Screwtape says, "Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick."
Christians who fall into a feeling of half guilt, are also in danger of steadily moving out into nothing. It is in this nothing that Christians must avoid by staying firm in what's right and just. For once we are numb to our actions, we will gradually start to progress into a whole new level of sin, that at first wouldn't dare be reached.
The dangers of just believing that because we go to church we will be saved is that we cannot go through life just doing the motions of a Christian, we must truly act as a child of God would and should act.
Christians who fall into a feeling of half guilt, are also in danger of steadily moving out into nothing. It is in this nothing that Christians must avoid by staying firm in what's right and just. For once we are numb to our actions, we will gradually start to progress into a whole new level of sin, that at first wouldn't dare be reached.
The dangers of just believing that because we go to church we will be saved is that we cannot go through life just doing the motions of a Christian, we must truly act as a child of God would and should act.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Weight of Glory
In C.S. Lewis' essay, "The Weight of Glory", he discusses the importance of living a virtuous life. Today, unselfishness has become the highest held virtue in our society, however, did Jesus not say that the greatest was love? This is where our problem is rooted. Humans, today, are more concerned with self admiration and pursuing ways to achieve happiness for one's self. Although it is true that humans are more magnificent than all other creation because we were created in God's image, we need to be careful when we strive to find glory.
In ancient Greece, warriors would search for the ultimate glory as dying for their country. Even though we know that what those warriors were no doubt heroic and showed great feats of bravery, we also know that they did not achieve any eternal glory. Why is it then that athletes, movie stars, and artists in today's society strive for that same "glory"? Have we not come to understand that the only way to achieve eternal glory is through Jesus Christ, our redeemer?
This is the duty of the church: to go and be fishers of men. We have been called by Jesus to show those around us that true glory is found in God, and that through His grace, we are able to live in eternal glory with Him. We must use God as our motivation for finding glory, and we must help to bring others to glory. For if love were still the greatest virtue, we would love our fellow brothers and sisters in humanity so much as to ensure that they would be in heaven one day. That is why love goes one step further than unselfishness; we reach out and bring others to glory.
In ancient Greece, warriors would search for the ultimate glory as dying for their country. Even though we know that what those warriors were no doubt heroic and showed great feats of bravery, we also know that they did not achieve any eternal glory. Why is it then that athletes, movie stars, and artists in today's society strive for that same "glory"? Have we not come to understand that the only way to achieve eternal glory is through Jesus Christ, our redeemer?
This is the duty of the church: to go and be fishers of men. We have been called by Jesus to show those around us that true glory is found in God, and that through His grace, we are able to live in eternal glory with Him. We must use God as our motivation for finding glory, and we must help to bring others to glory. For if love were still the greatest virtue, we would love our fellow brothers and sisters in humanity so much as to ensure that they would be in heaven one day. That is why love goes one step further than unselfishness; we reach out and bring others to glory.
Creation
Plantinga's second chapter of Engaging God's World is titled "Creation". God is referred to as the giver of existence. The idea, “creation out of nothing” is true because God is fully capable of existing on His own with the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, but it is by His grace that we were created and saved through Jesus.
The creation of the universe continues to be a mystery to all, and it is this mystery that strengthens the faith of Christians, simply because faith is all we, as Christians, have when believing in God. God, in addition to Creator of all existence, gives me the power to be unique from everyone else. This strengthens the idea that God did not simply create humans to control them, as if we were puppets, but rather to create them so they willingly choose to glorify Him.
As willing followers of Christ, we must be good stewards of the earth which God had created for us. We must not take advantage of creation, but rather enjoy its beauty. Plantinga states that we must always be glorifying God, in all we do. We cannot just be Christians who praise His name in church, but give Him glory and honor by living for Him.
The creation of the universe continues to be a mystery to all, and it is this mystery that strengthens the faith of Christians, simply because faith is all we, as Christians, have when believing in God. God, in addition to Creator of all existence, gives me the power to be unique from everyone else. This strengthens the idea that God did not simply create humans to control them, as if we were puppets, but rather to create them so they willingly choose to glorify Him.
As willing followers of Christ, we must be good stewards of the earth which God had created for us. We must not take advantage of creation, but rather enjoy its beauty. Plantinga states that we must always be glorifying God, in all we do. We cannot just be Christians who praise His name in church, but give Him glory and honor by living for Him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)