What it means to lead a life as Christian

1. To maximize the honor to the Father 

2. Become Christ-like over time 

3. To be increasingly dependent on the Holy Spirit

What can we learn from Saul ?

1 Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.

If there is a pecking order of what God detests most, it is arrogance, especially in case he has given high responsibility to a servant who turns out to be disobedient, grounded in arrogance. 

On Suffering and Temptation

Paul gives us a strong if not the strongest hint on temptations that we endure. 

It utterly shows the grace of God 

1 Corinthians 10.13 

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Photos from Bongeunsa Temple in Seoul

Ontological Argument for the existence of God

Why do we sin ?

There are many passages of course. I found this one today

Exodus 20:20
 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

We sin because we do not fear God.
We do not fear him because we rebel and do not acknowledge what he is: The almighty holy, righteous and just God

Joshua Wallpaintings

Divine sovereignty and human responsibility

One of the most difficult doctrines the Bible teaches is that both divine sovereignty and human responsibility are true.

God knows his children and predestined them - for salvation into his family.
And unless God draws men, they cannot come to God. (John 6:44). That is they are incapable of coming to God in an out of themselves. Therefore, he ordains whom he saves and whom he does not (Romans 9:13: "Jacob I loved Esau I have hated").

In our postmodern culture, even evangelicals struggle with this, because how can humans be made responsible when God ordains whom he saves or not? Does he even condemn people to hell? This concept is called double predestination and his taught nowhere in the Bible, although some conclude it is the logical conclusion of God's providence.
What we do know however is that God's grace encompasses those whom he predestined according to his how will and glory. J.I. Packer says that an antinomy holds true since God created humans as moral agents - that is: they are capable of making moral decisions. 
Therefore the natural man is culpable because he chooses to sin freely, to hate God according to his own free will and degree and to freely reject the Gospel. Telling a totally depraved sinner about God is crying out a warning that this person is running in pit of fire. But it is the sinner who keeps on going. And it is him that finally ignores the warning by refusing to listen! A sinner is not foreced into the pit by some other third party. We should never forget that as fallen sinners we deserve death as God is holy, righteous and good. So even if he chooses no one, he is just.

We need to keep in mind that God is sovereign, Man is not. If Man were, and God was not, God would not be almighty but just a spectator watching humans decisions and actully submitting to them. Even if we follow the Arminian argument that he grants to those the necessary saving grace who will choose him, having foreseen this, we still have to ask the question: If God is omniscient - that is: he is not subject to time, he would know who will choose him or not. Therefore, giving birth to those who would not choose him is the same as ordaining everything. Also, by foreseeing the future back in eternity time, by seeing the future is the same as allowing it, which equals to God's providence.

Let us not discount the grace of God, who saves and redeems men who genuinely believe in the atonement of Christ (Christ alone) and the benefits of justification. And that is by faith alone, by grace alone given to us by scripture alone so that we may glorify him alone (Soli deo gloria). 

And that free gift (Ephesians 2.8) is that saved and redeemed men are choosing God freely after they have been regenerated, but cannot choose God prior to being generated. Their will is in bondage unless God draws them. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is given at the moment of regeneration - or rebirth in Christ. Our job as christians is to go out and preach the Gospel as faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17)

Schwaz in Austria

London in Black and White October 2012

London October on German Unification Day 2012 in colors

False prophets

Matthew 7:22-23
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Hendrik Leendert Heijkoop on Peter the first pope

http://www.bibelkommentare.de/index.php?page=qa&answer_id=350




Great biblical comment on the weakness of the catholic church on its argument as Peter the first pope by Hendrik Leendert Heijkoop




Matthew 16:18:
"And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."


From the greek (from bible.cc)

4074 Pétros (a masculine noun) – properly, a stone (pebble), such as a small rock found along a pathway. 4074 /Pétros ("small stone") then stands in contrast to 4073 /pétra ("cliff, boulder," Abbott-Smith).


"4074 (Pétros) is an isolated rock and 4073 (pétra) is a cliff" (TDNT, 3, 100). "4074 (Pétros) always means a stone . . . such as a man may throw, . . . versus 4073 (pétra), a projecting rock, cliff" (S. Zodhiates, Dict).


So Peter is meant to be a small stone.


4073 pétra (a feminine noun) – "a mass of connected rock," which is distinct from 4074 (Pétros) which is "a detached stone or boulder" (A-S). 4073 (pétra) is a "solid or native rock, rising up through the earth" (Souter) – a huge mass of rock (a boulder), such as a projecting cliff.

4073 (petra) is "a projecting rock, cliff (feminine noun) . . . 4074 (petros, the masculine form) however is a stone . . . such as a man might throw" (S. Zodhiates, Dict).


So Peter is a stone that is part of the rock as PETRA means ROCK.

which makes absolutely sense in light of Matthew18:18

"Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.


So this power is not only given to Peter !





Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.



The following is a view that both are meant to be Peter:
http://thirdmill.org/newfiles/kno_chamblin/NT.Chamblin.Matt.16.13-20.pdf

But the conclusion is the same. Binding (prohibiting) and loosing (allowing) is granted to the apostles, to the church

Jesus casts out demons... but why ?

By casting out demons he showed us who he is - the author of life, the Son of God, almighty, nothing has been created without him, the triune God.

Ultimately, the good news is, through him, we can already take part in the Kingdom of God. It already has begun.

Matthew 12:28
But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

do people who commit suicide go to hell

the bible teaches that suicide is a sin. God gave you life , therefore you have no right to take it away.

But what happens with a Christian who committed suicide ? Paul clearly states that NOTHING can separates us from the love of Christ.



Romans 8:38-39
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Personally i think that the blood of Christ is so precious that it even covers the most terrible sin any living creature could commit. God will forgive us, because of Christs atonement.

Paris Trips

I recently did a one day trip to Paris. Here it is:

1. it took us 5 hours to reach Paris
2. Park your car in the Rue de pyramides for 28 euros
3. Take the metro at station Pyramides to Trocadero
4. Wait 3 hours in the queue, and another 40 minutes up to reach the top :)
5. Take the Metro to Dupleix and eat at Dawa Restaurant (korean)
6. Take the Metro to Pont Neuf, take the boat trip 1hour to Ile de la Cite
7. Go back to Station Pyramides and enjoy one of the japanese restaurants

Sin and excuses

Genesis 3:12

The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”

What is Adam saying here ?

He is saying: God its your fault, because the one you gave me tempted me...

But who actually did sin ? It was Adam, sinning freely. Satan cannot force someone to sin, he can only tempt.

We are without excuse.

Does Jesus teach election ?

From Matthew 24
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23  Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

31
And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Biblical perspective on work

just some unstructured thoughts on this.

In the first chapter of Genesis it says: Be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth ....
As i understand this text it really means that we as creatures of God should:
1. create something new and be creative
2. and multiply it, grow it

need to continue on these thoughts

Ist Gott Mann oder Frau ?

Jesus selbst gebietet uns Gott in männlicher Form als Vater anzusprechen.
Matthäus 6:8-9 "Darum sollt ihr ihnen nicht gleichen! Denn euer Vater weiß, was ihr bedürft, ehe ihr ihn bittet.  So sollt ihr nun also beten: Unser Vater, der du bist in dem Himmel! Geheiligt werde dein Name"


Das Gleichnis vom verlorenen Sohn zeigt Gott eindeutig als Mann (Vater) Und dennoch ist der Charakter Gottes nicht auf das männliche Geschlecht zu reduzieren:

Gott selbst spricht zu uns über die Heilige Schrift. Im 1.Buch Mose steht hierzu: "Und Gott der HERR sprach: Es ist nicht gut, daß der Mensch allein sei; ich will ihm eine Gehilfin machen, die ihm entspricht!" (1.Mose 2:18)

Hieraus können wir entnehmen, dass die Geschlechtertrennung, wie wir sie als Menschen kennen, erst mit der Schöpfung selbst initiiert wurde. Da Gott der Ursprung aller Lebewesen ist, offenbart sich sein Wesen auch in den Geschlechtern: "Und Gott schuf den Menschen ihm zum Bilde, zum Bilde Gottes schuf er ihn; männlich und weiblich schuf er sie. (1.Mose 1:27). Hier steht eindeutig, dass das Männliche und Weibliche zum Ebenbilde Gottes gehören, also Teil Gottes Wesens selber sind.

 Wir sollen laut Jesus den allmächtigen Gott als Vater anbeten und verherrlichen. Somit wird die Gnade Gottes seinen eingeborenen Sohn geopfert zu haben deutlich und wir sind durch das Opfer des Vaters als seine Kinder wieder in die Familie aufgenommen. Dennoch vereint Gottes Wesen beide Geschlechter in sich.

why do we all perish?

We perish because we are sinners.
..... unless we repent!!

 As Jesus says: "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. " Luke 13:3

what is repentance ?
As the prodigal son  said: I have sinned against Heaven and you.
Thus repentance  first and foremost has to deal with the  wrongdoing and rebellion against God.
Otherwise we end up like Judas who felt bitterness and remorse for having betrayed Jesus.
But what does Judas do at the end of his life ? In his self-absorption, self-bitterness, self-centered repentance
without God, he hangs himself. Repentance must be based on the fundamental belief that God is good and I am not. God gives me the forgiveness I can never give to myself. Repentance out of fear of punishment is still selfish  , is still tainted by sin. With Judas it ends in suicide.

perspective on eternity

lets just assume there is a person you have not seen for a decade. and there is barely a chance you will see each other in a life time because of current circumstances. what hope do you have at all in case you are really longing to see that person and vice versa? none if you have no perspective on eternity at all. what do i mean by that ? you only can have a true belief or even knowledge of eternity if you are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. If you both believe that you will take BOTH part in an eternal life and all the unrealized longings for each other will be redeemed under the blessings of the almighty God. This all will sound strange, crazy, nonsense to the unbeliever. i call this knowing, conscious hope for eternal communion.

Some thoughts on repentance

In the journey with God, or unity with Christ ever since I have been born again, I realize that repentance is really one of the most if not the most important spiritual activity.

Not only do I have to pray but automatically meditate on the word of God, his law and the necessity of being sanctified. Once again, it seems to me that the Holy Spirit draws me to do that and evil tries to tell me:  because everything has been achieved on the cross, you don't have to.

Purity is nothing that I gained for myself but it is something that God grants which is expressed by the act of repentance. As I realize that repentance is eventually the hardest thing on earth, divine grace remains a mystery to me, and I think even in eternity we will never be able to grasp God's grace and love in its entirety.

What Jesus has done on the cross is the utmost form and perfection of forgiveness.

Future personal areas of interest

I recently brainstormed some areas which i would like to dive into maybe from next year on

Kendo - i have stopped practising 15 years ago and have been longing to restart it ever since (like crazy). Also i want to study the influence of Kendo and Management / Strategy.

Think without ink - is a method by Venkataraman in order to  use your brain power to effectively, efficientlysolve problems

SCRUM - certified scrum product owner and advanced product owner

Patents and Trademarks, des - in the knowledge economy, especially as money becomes a good that cannot  be controlled by the economy itself , we need a new currency for trading and doing business.
What is the role of patents, registered design and trademarks ?


Mental models / frames - i really want to understand how mental models are built but more, how we can overcome them to build new ideas and eventually businesses.

Convergence of content - last year i worked on a project which combined new energy with gaming  via an iphone app. I think we will see more of convergence of content in the next 10 years.

Design Thinking - which was created by a company called IDEO seems to be a good method of unleashing creative power that lies within us in a collaborative fashion.

Corporate Governance - In ten years, being in boards makes a lot of sense as what counts in those positions is definitely experience of track record. I remember a board meeting of a VC fund where i would say the value of the five board members subjectively exceeded more than 500 years

Writing a book or PhD dissertation on entrepreneurship - there are quite a few, but maybe out of the above there will be a good mix of experiences.

Influencer Marketing for games

good career questions

There are two questions that help answering this question

1. What fulfilled me in the past (professionally)? Think about occasions where you were most satisfied, any why you were satisfied?

2. what were moments in my career that really frustrated me ?

Relationship Luke and Paul and what it means for the cannon

I listened to a podcast from Wayne Grudem about the cannon of scripture.
In 1. Timothy 5:18 Paul quotes Deutoronony but also Luke! "the laborer deserves his wages" is from Luke 10:7. In Acts, it is stated that Luke traveled with Paul. Now, liberal scholars could of course express that "Luke" is quite an ordinary. I find it highly unlikely that they are disjunct. What this means is, Paul read Luke's gospel and quoted it and thus giving it the same authority like scripture.

Same with Mark and Peter. Peter says in 1. Peter 5:13: "She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark." Which Mark is he talking about? It is the same Mark that wrote the Gospel of Mark.


So the Gospel of Mark and Luke are both endorsed by the apostles Peter and Paul.
John and Matthew were both apostles.


Another interesting point: Peter in 2Peter 3:16 says "His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."

other scriptures ....

"scripture" is used 51 times describing the "old testament" (greek: graphe) so it is clear that it is a technical term.
It can only follow from that that Peter actually thought of Pauls letters as scripture too!

Theology and the chairman of the fed

As an illustration, in a certain way, what the chairman of the fed does could be compared to the complexity of being God and his providence. When the fed raises the interest rates, only a minimal change will effect the entire economy. 

For bankers, low interest rates are great because they can borrow cheaper and have higher interest income. For some macro-economists, lowering interest rates curbs the national deficit, inflation and loss of jobs in the long term. 

For each and everyone a macro decision of this order of magnitude means something different and its the job of the Fed's chairman is to kind of balance the economy according to his price stability and unemployment rate goals. 

God makes a decision on the weather, for instance. This simple difference makes a world of difference for agriculture, for the fashion retail business, for so many personal decisions of millions if not billions of people. 

The omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence of God is something which can never be understood in its entirety, but from this very simple analogy we can get a grasp of how complex it must be to "be God". 

Reformed Theologians

I have recently read an article by a reformed theologian who published an article on a critique about a viral video. I think it was something like "Jesus hates religion". Before i read the article i watched the video. there were some things i could not directly follow, and this theologian wrote a comprehensive report on it.

He was sort of half half on it but got some negative feedback.
Basically, the problem is this: Being a reformed christian myself, i think it is fair to say that the reformed theology is the more "pure" and leaning most to scripture - closer than others. However, it is really important that we do not behave like phariseans, fingerpointing others, nailing their theological weaknesses and being patronizing to the max. I think there is a right time and time to present / and even argue with others about details. But i think this is not every moment and every time. We need to be careful, caring and smart, opening gates to what we believe is the truth. Of course, not forgetting that UN-truth/lies have to be fought vigorously and uncompromisingly. Sometimes i think it is better to start with what C.S. Lewis calls Mere Christianity when we evangelize.

Christ sein ohne Bibel - ist das möglich ?

Diese Frage wurde mir einem meiner Schüler in der Gemeinde gestellt: hier meine Antwort, die ich ihm als Facebook Nachricht geschickt habe: 



"Die Frage ob man Christ sein kann ohne Bibel ist hoffentlich nicht von dir. Schliesslich hätten wir ohne das neue Testament keine glaubhafte Überlieferung und Berichterstattung über Jesus Christus. Zwei römische Geschichtsschreiber haben seine Kreuzigung erwähnt, und es gab auch andere "Evangelien", die nicht in der Bibel enthalten sind und nicht gott-inspiriert waren. D.h. nur durch das neue Testament wissen wir erst überhaupt was das Evangelium (=frohe Botschaft) für uns ist. Wir wären sonst noch immer unter dem "Fluch" des Gesetzes. Fluch nicht deswegen, weil das Gesetz Mose schlecht ist, sondern weil wir es nicht einhalten können. (Römer 8:3-4) als Sünder, die dem Willen des Fleisches unterworfen sind. Im Matthäus 4:1-11 spricht Jesus: "Der Mensch lebt nicht vom Brot allein, sondern von einem jeglichen Wort, das durch den Mund Gottes geht". Wie könnten wir das Wort Gottes denn hören, wenn nicht durch die Autorität der Schrift. Die Heilige Schrift ist eine Offenbarung Gottes, die es uns Sündern erst ermöglicht, Gott zu erkennen und über seine Heilsgeschichte etwas zu erfahren. Was das Alte Testament betriffft, so spricht Timotheus im zweiten Timotheusbrief 3:16-17: "Jede Schrift ist von Gottes Geist eingegeben und nützlich zur Belehrung, zur Überführung, zur Zurechtweisung, zur Erziehung in der Gerechtigkeit,damit der Mensch Gottes vollkommen sei, zu jedem guten Werke ausgerüstet". Hier steht eindeutig zu JEDEM guten Werke ausgerüstet.


Christ sein, ohne Bibel ist wie als würde ich sagen: Ich bin Chemiker ohne das Periodensystem. oder: Ich bin Kernphysiker, habe aber von Albert Einsteins Theorie der Relativität nie etwas gehört. 

critical success factors of a startup

1. Obsessed with the idea instead of cloning
 2. Technical genius on board
 3. Secure enough funding
 4. founder team instead of individual founder
 5. trust re investors, not too many VCs
 6. proper corporate governance
 7. location (recruiting!)
8. Business model innovation or technical edge

Are we all children of God ?

John 8:42 -44
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here.
I have not come on my own; but he sent me.
 Why is my language not clear to you?
Because you are unable to hear what I say.
 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire.
 He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.
When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
 btw: "unable" stresses the doctrine of inability and total depravity

What is faith according to Jesus?

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
 John 11:40 Thus faith, can also be seen as a condition to see the glory of God.

Matthew 7 is radical

Summary: - only few will enter the narrow gate - Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. -->

Lets not confuse this as salvation = faith + works, but rather faith produces works, as said: a good tree produces good fruit!
 - There are even prophets prophesying and casting out demons, but whom Jesus wont know! (knowing is in fact - electing , foreknowledge, calling)

Pope kisses the imam

this is too funny. Whoever endorsed this campaign at Benneton has big balls

papacy disproved by scripture

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Acts 20:28 

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Is sola scriptura biblical ?

1 Thessalonians 2:13 

"Not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God."

Matthew 4:4 

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

2 Timothy 3:16-17 John 5:39 Acts 17:11 Deut 4:2 Proverb 30:5-6 Rev 22:18-19

Salvation according to the romanist

In the catholic view salvation is partially granted by God. In addition, every sinner has to earn his salvation by good works. This is definitely different to the reformed and biblical view of salvation.
But when it comes to salvation by Christ alone (sola christus), the romanist view is 100% diametrical to the Bible

I found this interesting article
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1991/9111chap.asp

some thoughts on Sin

The natural man asks: 

why did God create evil if he is omnipotent and if he is a good God at the same time 

Is he then not omnipotent? 

why cant he just forgive ? 

There is evil - true. But just because we dont see reason in evil 

does not mean that God is evil or that he is not omnipotent 

He cannot forgive because he is a good God. And he is a just God. 

So he punishes the wicked. 

Why did he then make men in the first place knowing given the 

fact that he is omniscient. 

Because creation is eschatological and by creating us he has already 

redeemed us by his own blood and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 

This is to show us his eternal love and sovereign grace. 

How can we be culpable if he is sovereign ? 

We are sinners therefore we sin. 

However, we freely sin and we choose to be Gods on our own every day. 

Therefore we are culpable and fully responsible. And yet it is he chooses. 

For modern man this antinomy will never be grasped 

and it is only the regenerate mind which understands and accept it 

the lamb of God

The story of the destroyer that kills all firstborn 

while the Israelites were in Egypt tells us a great truth. 

The scripture says that every firstborn will be killed 

unless the blood of the lamb has not been put on the 

door of each house. 

THis would even mean death for the Israelites' firstborn 

children. It is only if they have the blood of the lamb 

at their doors that the destroyer won't kill them. 

So even their religion, their ethnicity won't pass them from 

the divine judgement. God is absolutely equal here. 

Those who have hear the message and would not have 

believed would have been condemned. 

It is the substitution of the lamb that prevents them from 

being killed. And this can only be because of their belief 

in the message brought to them by Moses. 

However, this lamb only covers them from being killed on this

earth. It is only through the substitutionary atonement 

of Jesus Christ that the debt of our sin is taken away 

and we are freed from sin in eternity

law of identity and law of causality

law of identity applied to action is the view of the atheist 

regularity in nature because of the nature of objects 

but: 

It is a tremendous mistake to assimilate both laws !

To think that objects have a determinant nature and that is why they 

behave as they do is simply incorrect. The law of identity prevents them from changing !

how is it possible to extropolate the future then ? how is past mutation 

possible ? 

Wisdom

It is God who gives wisdom

That is why wisdom itself cannot explain God

Fwd: Me

evidence evidence evidence

i recently watched a youtube video on 50 of the finest scientists commenting the existence of God. 

All of them said more or less the same. Faith is belief in absence of evidence. And since there is

no evidence for the existence of God, there simply is no God. 

Jesus understood this very well and said (Matthew 12:38-39) 

38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee.

 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet:

The same way Satan asked for evidence that Jesus is the Son of God
(Mat 4:1-11 NIV) Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. {2} After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. {3} The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." {4} Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Update Sep 23 I recently listened to Gordon Stein who was asked what kind of evidence he would accept as evidence for the existence of God. Its basically miracles that break some sort of natural law.

the absolute necessity of regeneration

In the past couple of days i have been reading and listenting 

to christian apologetics. 

Apologetics argue as evidentialists - meaning, that it is the least problematic - taking reason or logic to believe in a God 

or they argue as presuppositionalists, showing that the non-believer actually is inconsistent in his thinking and not believing in the God of the Bible is a worldview which does not carry any foundation of the intelligibility of knowledge, meaning and life. 

At the end, it more or less comes from different directions whereas the arguing of the evidentialist 

is definitely more problematic than the argument of the impossibility of the contrary - meaning there cannot be not a God therefore God is. 

In any case, it is only the regeneration of the Holy Spirit that is the prerequisite of the being saved 

The non-believer will be frustrated either way (by both apologetic approaches) but nevertheless will not be able to save him self 

as it is said in Romans, there is none who understands and there is none who is wise. 

So at the end, arguing with the unbeliever makes sense when we defend our faith, but will never regenerate him. 

Song from Horatius Bonar, 1861, alt.

Not what my hands have done
can save my guilty soul;
not what my toiling flesh has borne
can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
can give me peace with God;
not all my prayers and sighs and tears
can bear my awful load.

Thy work alone, O Christ,
can ease this weight of sin;
thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,
can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God,
not mine, O Lord to thee,
can rid me of this dark unrest
and set my spirit free.

Thy grace alone, O God,
to me can pardon speak;
thy pow'r alone, O Son of God,
can this sore bondage break.
No other work, save thine,
no other blood will do;
no strength, save that which is divine,
can bear me safely through.

I bless the Christ of God;
I rest on love divine;
and with unfalt'ring lip and heart
I call this Savior mine.
This cross dispels each doubt;
I bury in his tomb
each thought of unbelief and fear,
each ling'ring shade of gloom.

I praise the God of grace;
I trust his truth and might;
he calls me his, I call him mine,
my God, my joy, my light.
'Tis he who saveth me, 
and freely pardon gives;
I love because he loveth me,
I live because he lives.

Apologetics 2 Greg Bahnsen

from Podcast Greg Bahnsen (kind of paraphrased) 

Discussion with the unbeliever 

Unbeliever: As a christian you cannot presuppose God or the authority of the scripture

because you are arguing in circles 

Believer: What is your ultimate authority ? 

Unbeliever: Reason 

Believer: What is your final standard to determine what your ultimate authority is ?

Option 1

Unbeliever: Reason 

Believer: You are arguing in circles yourself 

Unbeliever: No i am just being consistent within the argumentation 

Believer: So am i ! that is why i am presupposing God and the ultimate authority of the scripture 

Option 2 

Unbeliever (appeals to something else) 

Believer: If you are appealing to something else: How can "reason" be the ultimate authority ? 

-------------

This is frequently cited by Bahnsen 

Proverbs 26:5 

"Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes."

--
David An

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Judging God

The natural man constantly judges God for letting things 

happen on this planet such as sufferings, natural catastrophies etc. 

On the other hand the natural man hates being influenced or determined

by God as this would certainly violate his free will. And of course, 

free will has become sort of the summon bonum of human society 

which no the sinner would ever want to sacrifice even for the eternal 

and almighty God. 

Today, while driving to work i heard an interesting podcast by Greg 

Bahnsen. Dr. Bahnsen was discussing the matter of the sinner criticizing

and judging God, not understanding and accepting that it is man who 

sits on the bench and God who is the ultimate judge. 

By blaming God, the natural man puts himself in a position the other 

way around. Bahnsen quotes the reason why he does that. The answer 

can be found in the Bible of course. Job 40:8 

"Wilt thou even annul my judgment? Wilt thou condemn me, that thou 

mayest be justified?"

The natural wants to be justified. And in judging God, he justifies 

himself ! 

Bible Reading Plan recommended by R.C. Sproul

 R.C. Sproul 목사님이 추천한 성경 1독 압축 program: 
1. 창세기 
2. 출애굽기 
3. 여호수아 
4. 사사기 
5. 사무엘상,하 
6. 열왕기상,하 
7. 에스라 
8. 느헤미야
9. 아모스 , 호세아
10. 예레미야
11. 아가, 전도서
12. 시편, 잠언

1. 누가복음
2. 사도행전
3. 에베소서
4. 고린도전서
5. 베드로전서
6. 디모데전서
7. 로마서
8. 히브리전서

Van Til on Rationalism and Irrationalism

Systematic Theology p.263
"The idea of chance is merely the recognition of the failure of man to reduce all things to logical relations. In other words, the irrationalism of modern thought is not radically opposed to the rationalism of ancient thought."


p303
"It is the mind of the creature that has absolutized itself after the Fall and has therefore made itself the final reference point of all predication. And therewith it has set itself up as the determkmer of the possible and the impossible. "