“The fool has said in his heart …” (Psalm 14:1)

Albert Mohler: Albert Einstein’s God — The “Product of Human Weaknesses”

Excerpt:

Before fleeing Germany as World War II approached, Einstein explained his concept of religion:

“Try and penetrate with our limited means the secrets of nature and you will find that, behind all the discernible laws and connections, there remains something subtle, intangible, and inexplicable. Veneration for this force beyond anything that we can comprehend is my religion. To that extent I am, in fact, religious.”

By that definition, most atheists are “in fact, religious.” There is no room in this definition for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — nor for Jesus Christ. Like many other unbelievers, Einstein respected the morals of Jesus, but rejected any thought of deity. He came to be proud of his Jewish ethnic identity, but rejected any claim that the Jews are a chosen people.

The emergence of the letter from Albert Einstein to Eric Gutkind goes a long way toward setting the record straight. Evangelical Christians are prone to over-excitement when any famous person, living or dead, is claimed as a believer in God. This is not an attractive habit, and it often leads to intellectual embarrassment. The truth of the Gospel and the reality of the self-revealing God are not enhanced by vague expressions of a non-theistic spirituality or a sense of nothing more than an inexplicable sense of meaning in the cosmos.

Beyond this, the witness of an honest Christian is far more powerful than a listing of the rich, intelligent, and powerful who may or may not have believed in some kind of God. Attempts to claim Einstein for theism reveal a deep intellectual insecurity.

The Einstein/Gutkind letter is expected to bring a sale price well into the thousands of dollars. It is then likely to disappear into yet another private collection. Its unexpected emergence in these days does present an opportunity to clarify Einstein’s real beliefs.

In the end, it is better to see Einstein, not as a believer of sorts, but as an atheist of sorts. Belief in God was simply childish, he asserted. Einstein believed in awe and wonder, but not in God.

MSNBC: Einstein letter calls Bible ‘pretty childish’

Excerpt:

The letter up for sale, written to philosopher Eric Gutkind in January 1954, suggests his views on religion did not mellow with age.

In it, Einstein said that “the word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish.”

“For me,” he added, “the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions.”

Addressing the idea that the Jews are God’s chosen people, Einstein wrote that “the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity have no different quality for me than all other people. As far as my experience goes, they are also no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise I cannot see anything ‘chosen’ about them.”

Comment: Psalm 14:1, “The fool has said in his heart,“There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good”

Lindsay comments on the Dujiangyan Earthquake

Lindsay Tuttle’s blog entry: Dujiangyan Earthquake

• Earthquake Update from inside Guangya/Dujiangyan (5/13)
• More News direct from Dujiangyan (5/14)
• All things work together for good . . . (5/14)
• Sichuan Earthquake Update (5/15)
• The BEST that could come out of this tragedy . . . (5/15)

Spiritual gifts: He “gave gifts to men”

This week’s lesson will be from Ephesians 4:7-16.

Outline:

1. The fact of spiritual gifts: (vs. 7, “to each one of us”)
2. The Lord of spiritual gifts: (vs. 10, “the One who ascended far above all the heavens”)
3. Gifts to His church: (vs. 11, “He Himself gave some to be …”)
4. The purpose of gifts: (vs. 12, “for the equipping of the saints …”)

I don’t anticipate moving much past vs 11. Perhaps we will briefly touch on verse 12 and then next week look at 4:12-16 in detail.

In preparation for this week’s study:

1. Read this section in multiple translations.
2. Consider reading other texts that deal with spiritual gifts:
   • 1 Corinthians 12-13
   • Romans 12:3-8
   • 1 Peter 4:7-11
3. Compare Paul’s citation of Psalm 68:18 (Ephesians 4:8 ) with Psalm 68:18.
4. Ponder what it means that “He ascended … descended into the lower parts of the earth”. Compare John 3:13; John 6:38; Acts 2:34; and Romans 10:6 which use the same vocabulary.
5. Since our text mentions “evangelists”, you may want to consider the ministry of Philip in Acts 8.

Ephesians 4:7-12 is not an easy text, but it has rich truths for every believer and every local church.

I hope to see you this Wednesday!

Updated: Helpful articles on spiritual gifts:

• The Gift of Teaching and Local Church Ministry
• Who do you think you are? God’s gift to the church?
• God has gifted you and has a wonderful plan for your church.
• John MacArthur on Ephesians 4:11

Our faithfulness matters

Comment: This news article and Mohler’s editorial underline the importance of our faithfulness our local church!

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Churchgoing on its knees as Christianity falls out of favour

Church attendance in Britain is declining so fast that the number of regular churchgoers will be fewer than those attending mosques within a generation, research published today suggests.

The fall - from the four million people who attend church at least once a month today - means that the Church of England, Catholicism and other denominations will become financially unviable. A lack of funds from the collection plate to support the Christian infrastructure, including church upkeep and ministers’ pay and pensions, will force church closures as ageing congregations die.

In contrast, the number of actively religious Muslims will have increased from about one million today to 1.96 million in 2035.

Albert Mohler: “It Feels as if the Soul of Britain is Dying”

Britain’s loss of faith is not a new phenomenon, but it is now reaching its terminal stages. The secularization of British society will bring a radical transformation of the culture. The nation will be fundamentally redefined when Muslims outnumber practicing Christians by three to one.

As Callum Brown made clear, the death of Christian Britain does not mean that religion is dying. Indeed, various forms of free-style “spirituality” now proliferate. Britain is experiencing the explicit rejection of Christianity — a belief system fundamental to the nation’s history, culture, and laws. Those achievements cannot long survive the death of Christian Britain.

British Christianity was for centuries a spiritual force that changed the world. The modern missionary movement began with William Carey, who left England for India in order to share the Gospel of Christ. The movement to end the slave trade can be traced to William Wilberforce and his successful pleas to Britain’s Parliament. The Methodists, the Baptists, and any number of other denominational groups emerged out of British Christianity. The Church of England gave birth to a worldwide communion of Anglican churches.

Quite soon, all that may be just a series of footnotes in British history books. The secularization of Britain is not something forced upon the nation, but something the nation has done to itself.

How to “own” a book

Comment: Good read from www.challies.com: Books and Beefsteaks:

There are two ways in which one can own a book. The first is the property right you establish by paying for it, just as you pay for clothes and furniture. But this act of purchase is only the prelude to possession. Full ownership comes only when you have made it a part of yourself, and the best way to make yourself a part of it is by writing in it. An illustration may make the point clear. You buy a beefsteak and transfer it from the butcher’s icebox to your own. But you do not own the beefsteak in the most important sense until you consume it and get it into your bloodstream. I am arguing that books, too, must be absorbed in your blood stream to do you any good.

HT: Darrell Dow: “Owning a Book:

Comment: Check out the 4BYA Book’s Tab for some that I recommend. Consider visiting our Church’s bookstore after a service.

How to pray for our Pastors

Ryan Martin has a helpful and appropriate posting on How to Pray for Your Pastor.

John Gill in the Body of Practical Divinity, lists various duties that church members have toward their pastor. The third is that they must pray for him. Gill then elaborates on the things for which the members should intercede on behalf of their elder.

I trust that we might pray faithfully for our Pastoral staff (and their families!)

1. Mr. (Gary) and Mrs. (Susan) Blessman
2. Pastor (Roger) and Mrs. (Carole) Kilian
3. Pastor (Dave) and Mrs. (Glorianne) Levy
4. Pastor (Jim) and Mrs. (Terry) McLeish
5. Pastor (Matt) and Mrs. (Kim) Morrell
6. Pastor (Jason) an Mrs. (Beth) Stamper
7. Mr. (Jon) and Mrs. (Cheryl) Tuttle
8. Dr. (Kevin) and Mrs. (Debbie) Bauder

Kathee and I have not perfected praying, but we do have a routine where we mention each one daily by name.

How should we pray?

1. Read the Ryan Martin posting that quotes John Gill. I found this helpful.
2. Try to think of the various Pastor’s (or staff member’s) area of responsibility. Eg. Gary Blessman with the business, financial, and budgeting affairs of the ministry; or Jon Tuttle with the school; or Jason Stamper with the youth and camp ministries.
3. Listen for news about them around the church: One’s Mother is hospitalized, another’s Brother has had surgery, another’s Father-in-law is ill. Our Senior Pastor needs to sell his home. You get the idea.
4. The Scriptures enjoin us to pray for them:
   • “Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably” (Hebrews 13:18).
   • “you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.” (2 Corinthians 1:11)
   • “Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me” (Romans 15:30)

Kelsey Pietsch: Why Read the Bible

Kelsey Pietsch: Why Read the Bible

The Bible … should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.” (Author unknown)

Comment: Pastor Kelsey Pietsch is Judd’s Father. He and Judd’s Mother, Jane, minister in Paso Robles, California at Grace Baptist Church.

Judd conveyed to me his Father’s blog and website. I encourage you to visit these sites. kelseypeach.com has some helpful links (left navigation) on “Bible Basics” and “Cults”.

I found Pastor Pietch’s article Why Read the Bible instructive and encouraging.

Evolutionism - 5 articles

What follows are 5 linked articles on Evolutionism by John MacArthur:

1. Evolution: Science or Faith?
   

   Thanks to the theory of evolution, naturalism is now the dominant religion of modern society. Less than a century and a half ago, Charles Darwin popularized the credo for this secular religion with his book The Origin of Species. Although most of Darwin’s theories about the mechanisms of evolution were discarded long ago, the doctrine of evolution itself has managed to achieve the status of a fundamental article of faith in the popular modern mind. Naturalism has now replaced Christianity as the main religion of the Western world, and evolution has become naturalism’s principal dogma

2. Naturalism’s Missionary Zeal
   

   Modern naturalism is often promulgated with a missionary zeal that has powerful religious overtones. The popular fish symbol many Christians put on their cars now has a naturalist counterpart: a fish with feet and the word “Darwin” embossed into its side. The Internet has become naturalism’s busiest mission field, where evangelists for the cause aggressively try to deliver benighted souls who still cling to their theistic presuppositions. Judging from the tenor of some of the material I have read seeking to win converts to naturalism, naturalists are often dedicated to their faith with a devout passion that rivals or easily exceeds the fanaticism of any radical religious zealot. Naturalism is clearly as much a religion as any theistic world-view. The point is further proved by examining the beliefs of those naturalists who claim to be most unfettered by religious beliefs.

3. Evolution and Ethics
   

   Indeed, the rise of naturalism has meant moral catastrophe for modern society. The most damaging ideologies of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries were all rooted in Darwinism.

   One of Darwin’s earliest champions, Thomas Huxley, gave a lecture in 1893 in which he argued that evolution and ethics are incompatible. He wrote that “the practice of that which is ethically best—what we call goodness or virtue—involves a course of conduct which, in all respects, is opposed to that which leads to success in the cosmic struggle for existence.” [Evolution and Ethics, The Romanes Lecture, 1893.]

4. Monkeying with the Meaning
   

   At this moment in history, even though most of modern society is already fully committed to an evolutionary and naturalistic world view, our society still benefits from the collective memory of a biblical world-view. People in general still believe human life is special. They still hold remnants of biblical morality, such as the notion that love is the greatest virtue (1 Corinthians 13:13); service to one another is better than fighting for personal dominion (Matthew 20:25-27); and humility and submission are superior to arrogance and rebellion (1 Peter 5:5).

5. Is Evolution Compatible with Christianity?
   

   Evolution was introduced as an atheistic alternative to the biblical view of creation. According to evolution, man created God rather than vice versa. And as we have seen, the evolutionists’ ultimate agenda is to eliminate faith in God altogether and thereby do away with moral accountability.

   Intuition suggests a series of questions to the human mind when we contemplate our origin: Who is in control of the universe? Is there Someone who is sovereign—a Lawgiver? Is there a universal Judge? Is there a transcendent moral standard to live by? Is there Someone to whom will we be accountable? Will there be a final assessment of how we live our lives? Will there be any final judgment?

   Those are the very questions evolution was invented to avoid.

   Evolution was devised to explain away the God of the Bible—not because evolutionists really believed a Creator was unnecessary to explain how things began, but because they did not want the God of Scripture as their Judge.

Dr Jeff Straub: “My Journey Toward Biblicism”

Comment: This is an excellent read. I commend it to you!

The Garden of Life

Nobody is really surprised to hear me called a “Calvinist.” I am neither offended nor embarrassed by the term, though I try to use it cautiously. Recently I was preaching at a church and a well-meaning brother asked me if I was a Calvinist. I hesitated to answer. What did he mean by the term? I know what the term means historically, but many people use it carelessly. I know what Steve means by it, though, and he and I are still friends.

Whatever label you apply to me, my understanding of God’s sovereignty in salvation has changed over the years. Since Steve has brought up this issue in public, it may interest you to know how I came to the beliefs that I now hold. Well, this is my story.

As a teenager, I was headed in a wayward direction. In my unbelieving home, I learned two things: how to have marital conflicts and how to consume alcohol. Thankfully, God in His grace drew me to Himself before those family influences could bear significant fruit in my life. I trusted Christ as a teenager and began to hear biblical preaching in my late teenage years. By the hand of God, I was directed to a good Bible college (where Steve and I first met on virtually the first day we both stepped onto the campus, almost thirty-four years ago!).

I studied the Bible and then entered ministry surrounded by an atmosphere in which Calvinism was considered heretical. I had no real reason to question that which I was taught. We heard warnings about crusading Calvinism. A local church was even put off limits to students because it allegedly taught Calvinism. I hardly paid attention to the debate. In college and in graduate school, we were told that we were “Biblicists,” which was supposed to mean that we stuck with the Bible alone, not with man-made systems. I was contented with this position. Indeed, I knew nothing else.

Read the full article here!

The Worthy Walk (Ephesians 4:1-6)

This Wednesday’s lesson will be from Ephesians 4:1-6.

1. The call to a worthy walk - 4:1, “I … beseech you to walk worthy”.
2. The character of a worthy walk - 4:2-3, “with all lowliness and gentleness …”
3. The cause of a worthy walk - 4:4-6, “There is .. one Spirit … one Lord … one Father”

This text is very rich and I trust that our study will be a blessing. In preparation, please read this section in multiple translations. You also may wish to consider the use of the word “walk” in Ephesians:

1. Our former walk: “in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2).
2. Our ordained walk: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
3. The call to a worthy walk: “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Ephesians 4:1).
4. Our distinct walk: “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind” (Ephesians 4:17).
5. Our imitative walk: “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:1,2).
6. Our holy walk: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).
7. Our careful walk: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).