P3 - Be a Blessing with your spiritual gifts - Concentrate on worship

1 Corinthians 14:26  "What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification."

Introduction
Over the last two days we have considered the importance of being a blessing with the spiritual gifts. God the Holy Spirit has gifted the body of Christ with gifts to answer the call He gives to be a blessing. We have noted that in order to be a blessing with the spiritual gifts, one must...

1. Avoid self-centered Christianity when it comes to the gifts. 1 Corinthians 14:1-19

2. Build-up others through the gifts. 1 Corinthians 14:12-25

As we have been unfolding the above thoughts, we have also attempted to expound on Paul's discussion of the gift of tongues. Such a discussion provides a major backdrop for these themes, and thus must be explored. We have attempted to handle all the pertinent Biblical passages on tongues (Acts 2,8,10,14 and 1 Corinthians 12-14) in such a way as to show their unity in the scripture. We have noted that tongues is referring to the Spirit-given ability to deliver the Gospel in a previously unlearned language. We've also commented that as the church of the living God is established, the gift of tongues will virtually cease, if not cease all-together. As a general pattern, this writer believes based upon our prior studies of 1 Corinthians 12-14 that one ought not to expect to see a genuine gift of tongues with its partner gift "interpretation of tongues" in areas firmly established with the preaching of the Word. In addition, we also noted that what is often claimed to be tongues today is in fact a different phenomena all-together, and thus is not the same as Biblical tongues. 

Today we conclude out blog series on how the gifts are to be used to bless others by noting how we ought to use them to concentrate on worship to God.

The gifts of the Spirit are to be used to concentrate on worship to God
As we focus once more on Paul's instructions in 1 Corinthians 14, we find him switching gears in 1 Corinthians 14:26 from describing what the Corinthians have been doing to prescribing what they ought to be doing. 1 Corinthians 14:26 reads -  "What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification." As we labored to show yesterday, using our gifts to be a blessing to others entails edifying or building each other up in the faith. 

Dr. John MacArthur has wisely noted that whenever God prescribes behaviors in the Bible, He always prefaces His prescriptions with sound doctrine. Now whenever we think of Paul's foregoing discussion in 1 Corinthians 14:1-25, he has been describing the misapplication of tongues by the Corinthians, and how such as led to low-levels of edification in the church and high-levels of self-centered Christianity. Paul wants to lay out the importance of concentrating on worship by way of appropriate use of the gifts in these verses. Below we can note the following points as to how we can do this today...

1. Humility - 1 Corinthians 14:26-33
Notice what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 14:31-33  "For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." Paul of course uses tongues and prophecy as examples, but the wider principle is clear: that whenever we exercise our gifts in the church or for that matter, outside the church and in the world, we ought to do so with Christian humility. Such humility before God positions us to be empowered by His grace to be more effective in His service (1 Peter 5:6-8). Moreover, humility brings us closest to the heart of Jesus, whom we are to imitate and follow (see Philippians 2:4-11; 1 Peter 2:21-22; 1 John 3:6).

2. Atmosphere. 1 Corinthians 14:34-40
This last section of 1 Corinthians 14 is perhaps the most widely discussed and at times, controversial section in Paul's letter. The concern of Paul in this final section has to do with orderliness or atmosphere in the church body. What is the meaning behind Paul's prohibition on women "speaking" in the church? The immediate context suggests that there might had been instances where women were practicing tongues freely or somehow contradicting their husbands who had exercised a gift of prophecy or exhortation. Certainly such practices by the particular women at Corinth would had led Paul to censure their actions. But then Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:34 that per the Law of God (Genesis 3:16) and the pattern of worship in all the churches, such an injunction by Paul is laid forth pertaining to women. 

Perhaps the most balanced commentary that I have read that gives multiple scriptural support is the Bible Knowledge Commentary: 

"Whether the admonition for silence was directed to all women (cf. 11:2–16) or only to those who were married may be debated. The word translated women (gynaikes) was used to refer to women generally (as in all 11 occurrences in 11:3–15), or to unmarried women (e.g., 7:34), or to married women (e.g., 5:1; 9:5; and all 14 occurrences in chap. 7 except once in 7:34). The context alone aided the readers in distinguishing between the alternative meanings." 

The commentary continues on:

"Two indications strongly suggest that married women were in view in this passage. The first is the word submission (hypotassesthōsan, v. 34). When it occurs elsewhere in the New Testament with specific reference to a woman, it always refers to a married woman who was to be subject to her husband (Eph. 5:22; Col. 3:18; Titus 2:5; 1 Peter 3:1, 5)."

If we consider what Paul says elsewhere in his letters on the boundaries drawn on how men and women are to function in the church, he is drawing such lines along marital lines in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. With respect to the distinctions we find in passages like 1 Timothy 2:8 or 1 Timothy 3:1, the boundary lines there would be drawn more so along ecclessiastical lines, allowing women much liberty in the ministries they can do with one exception: the pastorate. It is vital when discussing issues of gender in the church, that we don't draw the lines too tightly nor cast them asunder. 

To perhaps dig further in seeing the positive direction Paul is trying to aim these comments, we must consider what is brought into the church from godly marriages. Paul's remarks on women and their husbands in 1 Corinthians 14 is for the sake of keeping a proper atmosphere of worship. If the husband loves his wife like Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:22-33), then the wife will want to follow his lead and be the fragrance of grace that causes others to admire the marriage. To bring such a loving atmosphere from the home into the church is the ultimate intent of Paul in these instructions. 

Thus as Paul closes out this major chapter of 1 Corinthians 14, he notes in verse 40 the reinforcement of maintaining decency and order in the church, which is the responsibility of all concerned. Hence, concern for worship will ensure that the those who are exercising their spiritual gifts are a blessing indeed to both God and people. 

P2 - Be a blessing with your spiritual gifts - building up others and understanding the gift of tongues

1 Corinthians 14:12 "So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church."

Introduction
Yesterday we began considering the importance of being a blessing to others by way of the spiritual gifts. God has so gifted believers and His church with gifts so that they can be a blessing to others. We discussed briefly the subject of tongues and the warnings Paul gave to avoid the self-centered tendencies that the Corinthian believers we practicing. We closed out noting how whether one is a Pentecostal/Charismatic Christian or whether one is a non-Pentecostal/Charismatic Christian, self-centered tendencies can still occur. The former group of Christians can tend to over emphasize certain gifts at the expense of others (what we see occurring in 1 Corinthians 14), whereas the latter group of believers can risk under-valuing the gifts all-together, and thus being uninformed (which Paul aimed to correct from the onset in 1 Corinthians 14. 

The overall goal of these posts is to hopefully shed some light on what can be the difficult chapter of 1 Corinthians 14. Overall, the hope would be to encourage all Christians to exercise their gifts in such a way as to bless others. We've already noted the need to avoid self-centered expressions of the gifts. Today, we want to consider the second way in which we can be a blessing - namely building up others.

Building up others by way of our gifts is at the heart of being a blessing with our gifts
 1 Corinthians 14:5 sets the tone of the chapter with these words: "Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying." That term "edification" has to do with "building up", or "reinforcing" someone else in their spiritual walk with Christ. To be a blessing to other people with respect to our spiritual gifts has the goal of edification and thus, praise and worship to God. As a matter of fact, this idea of "building up others" or "edification" dominates the horizon of 1 Corinthians 14 (see 1 Corinthians 14:3,5,13,17 and 26). Thus when we say to "be a blessing" in the realm of spiritual gifts, we are saying to use our gifts to "edify others", which achieves the ultimate goal of "glorifying God". 

Certain passages bear out the importance of edification in the body of Christ:

Romans 15:2 "Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification."

We then find the following statements in Paul's letter to the Ephesians....

Ephesians 4:11 "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers". 

Why did God give these offices or gifts? Notice Ephesians 4:12 - "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ."

Ephesians 4:29 "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."

So what benefit comes when the church-body is "built-up" or "edified"? Dr. John MacArthur comments on what we read in Acts 9:31:

And so then, we are committed to edifying.  We meet together to edify.  You say, “But what happens with evangelism.  Well, how do we reach out if all we do is edify the saints?”  Well, it’s very easy to see the answer to that if you look at Acts 9:31.  Even if you don’t look at it, I’ll read it to you.  Acts 9:31 says this: “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified.”  All right.  The churches were doing what they should have been doing.  They were being edified or built up to maturity."

MacArthur then continues on....


"Now watch.  “And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, were” what?  “Multiplied.”  You see, growth is a result of edification.  As the church is built up, it will reach out and evangelism will be a by-product."

What exactly were the Corinthians doing that was not edifying? What exactly is tongues in 1 Corinthians 14?
To answer these two questions, we will answer the second in order to arrive at an understanding of the first. A definition of the gift of tongues, as so understood from studying passages such as Acts 2; 8; 10; 19 and 1 Corinthians 12 & 14, refers to a supernatural ability to speak a previously unlearned language in instances of evangelization of unreached people groups. It appears that this particular gift's use ranges from extreme infrequency (for who is anyone to limit God) to total disuse as one goes further away from the apostolic era. 1 Corinthians 13:8 hints at this general pattern with respect to Biblical defined tongues.  As a general pattern, once the Gospel has sufficiently saturated a given people group, more typical methods are employed by God: such as Bible translation and missionaries that are trained to go to such areas. 

Now we know that the tongues of 1 Corinthians 14 is a previously unlearned actual language, rather than escatic speech, by what Paul notes in 1 Corinthians 14:10-11 "There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. 11 If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me." The term "barbarian" was used in the first century to refer to those who did not speak Greek. Corinth was a major cultural center of the ancient world that preserved and promoted Greek and Roman culture.1 

So with the gift of tongues so defined, what can we say was occurring at Corinth with respect to this gift? The Corinthians were attempting to use tongues in such a way as to promote themselves. If anything, they may had been trying to replicate what was the common pagan practice of ecstatic speech. Whatever the exact manner of their use of this gift of tongues, the Corinthian church's use of the gift was leading to a decline in the overall health of the church body.  

Can 1 Corinthians 14 be a proof text for "praying in tongues" or "second-blessing theology"?
This particular point cannot be avoided, since in today's contemporary church scene we find theologies promoting "praying in tongues" and "second-blessing". As I noted in yesterday's post, I was at one time in my early Christian walk involved with both Pentecostal and Charismatic expressions of the Christian faith. Many friends and pastors have and still are very dear to me. At times I suppose I tend to be more charitable towards Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians due to the many, many ways God uses them. With that said, it is important to judge our experience by God's word, rather than God's word by our experience. 

When we view the so-called "gift of tongues" practiced in both Pentecostal and Charismatic church bodies in light of the above discussion, we find a different sort of phenomena all-together. Pentecostal believers associate tongues as a form of prayer language; whilst Charismatic believers view "tongues" as an initiatory experience into the full-range of the miraculous gifts. 

These trends and interpretations of tongues is different from the tongues we see in the scripture, and thus, for this author at least, would suggest that whatever we may call the phenomenon it is not strictly speaking the Biblical gift of tongues. It would seem that these otherwise well-meaning Christians could be calling a "right-intentioned" practice by the wrong label. No one can argue that in many cases and in many-such churches, prayer and faith in God answering prayer is far more emphasized than in non-Pentecostal/Charismatic church bodies. 

With that said, we musn't confuse practical benefits with a theological stance that lacks insufficient scriptural support. 2  To suppose that Paul is talking of a different sort-of-tongues in 1 Corinthians 14 from what we see in Acts 2,8,10 and 14 is to unnecessarily divide the Bible's teaching on tongues.3 

Closing thoughts:
It is so important that we not miss the forest of 1 Corinthians 14 (namely, the need to be a blessing to others with our gifts) for the big trees in the chapter (tongues and other issues). Certainly we need to grasp what tongues is and how we need to understand its place in the Bible and our 21st century scene. With that said, Paul lays out principles for ensuring that we use the spiritual gifts to build-up others, which is why he expounds at length on correcting what were misuses of tongues. 

Endnotes

1. Noted commentator R.C.H Lenski comments:

"We also see that what Paul describes here refers to foreign languages. The speaker uses his 'voice' when he is speaking the language that is incomprehensible to Paul. The very term 'barbarian' settles the point regarding the voice that is used in speaking a foreign language and thus also in the...case when a member of the church similarly uses his voice in speaking with tongues (foreign human languages).

2. To put it clearly, it would seem far less probable to see a genuine exercise of true Biblical tongues and its attendant gift of interpretation in today's world, given that God employs either more ordinary methods of propagating the Gospel or other spiritual gifts to achieve the Great Commission. Paul's insistence upon "praying with his spirit and mind" in 1 Corinthians 14:15 and the need to use our gifts to build-up others in 1 Corinthians 14:3,5,12,17 and 26 would appear to show the Pentecostal/Charismatic treatments of 1 Corinthians 14 to be in question.

3. To show how one must make the tongues of Acts and 1 Corinthians 14 distinct phenomena for the Pentecostal and Charismatic interpretation to work, two examples will be given from the literature. The "International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements" (Zondervan, page 786), notes in its discussion on tongues as "initatory evidence" for the Pentecostal experience of a "second-blessing": "At the same time, this individual dimension was not to be confused with the expression of the gift of tongues in corporate worship (1 Corinthians 14). Secondly, the Pentecostal theologian Guy P. Duffield in his volume: "Foundations of Pentecostal Theology", page 337, notes in a comment on "kinds of tongues" in 1 Corinthians 14:10-11: "This is literally "kinds of tongues" (Greek gene glosson). The term "kinds" doubtless refers to the fact that there are "new tongues" and "tongues of men and angels" (1 Corinthians 13:1). Some tongues are human languages, as on the Day of Pentecost (to show that the gospel was for all races and nations); some tongues are of heavenly origin (of angels, used for praise and prayer where the mind is superceded: 1 Corinthians 14:2; Rom. 8:26,27)." As can be seen in these two sources, the teaching on the gift of tongues becomes distinguished between the two main bodies of texts (Acts and 1 Corinthians 14). 

P1 - Be a blessing with your spiritual gifts - 1 Corinthians 14:1-19

1 Corinthians 14:1-5 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. 4 One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying."

Introduction
Over the past several weeks I have written off and on on the subject of spiritual gifts from 1 Corinthians 12 and 13. The links below are to those posts which specifically give an outline to those chapters, as well as a summary of their main points:

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2016/08/p1-outline-1-corinthians-12-14-gods_13.html

http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2016/08/p2-outline-of-gods-supernatural-gifts-1.html

In those posts we looked at how the Apostle Paul expresses how every Christian is supernaturally gifted by God, how one can discover their gifts and the various categories of gifts found in the New Testament. These particular topics were the focus of 1 Corinthians 12. In 1 Corinthians 13 we looked at how God's love is the priority, the practice and the power in effective exercise of the spiritual gifts. No matter what the gift, if the Christian fails to rely upon and express God's love to others, then whatever else we may say about the gifts will be in vain. 

Today's post is an attempt to begin understanding the the most difficult chapter of the section on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12-14 - namely chapter 14 itself. What is prominent in Paul's material is of course his exposition on the gift of tongues, prophecy, proper conduct and principles for exercising the spiritual gifts. Many people have found this particular chapter of 1 Corinthians to be the most difficult due to two things: 

a). The complex elements that were at play at Corinth that led to Paul's corrective remarks. Clearly there was misuse and abuse of the gift of tongues. It is vital to understand what exactly Paul was communicating in order for us to apply this chapter to today.

b). The prior century of the Pentecostal, Charismatic and Third-Wave movements that have swept through nearly every denomination throughout the world. The mixture of legitimate and questionable practices and theology makes exposition of this chapter even more difficult. If for anything, the need for sound explanation of 1 Corinthians 12-14 is needed in our day. 

The main point of 1 Corinthians 14 - "Gifted to be a blessing"
In as much as the main subjects of 1 Corinthians 14 has to do with tongues, the function of men and women in the church and the way in which our church services ought to function - all of these topics serve a backdrop to Paul's overall concern: how to be a blessing with the gifts God has given.  How is it that we can use our gifts to be a blessing to others?

Avoid self-centeredness
This was the problem at Corinth. The Corinthians had taken the gift of tongues and began to both abuse it and misuse it. The abuse came in the form of using it for a different purpose than which it was intended by the Spirit of God. Often our Pentecostal and Charismatic brothers will attempt to distinguish between the tongues of the Book of Acts and those found in 1 Corinthians 12-14. Particularly, 1 Corinthians 14:1-19 is taken to be a prescriptive pattern for Christians today as to advocate some "second-blessing" or "baptism in the Holy Spirit" as evidenced in speaking in tongues. But a closer look at 1 Corinthians 14:1-19 will reveal that Paul is not "prescribing" some sort of "prayer-language" theology or "second-blessing" experience subsequent to salvation. Instead, Paul is being "descriptive" of what missteps were occurring at the Corinthian church. The abuses going on at Corinth was in taking the gift of tongues out of its evangelistic use in Acts 2,8,10 and 19 and co-opting it for some private form of self-edification. These abuses, and thus misuses, were leading the Corinthians to view the gift of tongues as the superior of the gifts. In reality, the gift of tongues is described by Paul as the lesser of the gifts in 1 Corinthians 14:5. The gift of tongues was taken to be a badge of pride and had resulted in church services that demoted God's word, God's glory and edification. 

Paul is correcting two extremes in 1 Corinthians 12-14
Perhaps readers may be thinking that non-Pentecostal or non-Charismatic Christian bodies are immune from these tendencies, or even worst, some may think I'm picking on modern-day Pentecostal and Charismatic brothers. I must hasten to add that I still to this day have many dear friends and know wonderful pastors and church leaders who are involved in the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. Moreover, some of the positive contributions made by those movements (reminding the church of the need for the Holy Spirit's ministry as well as some of the wonderful hymns and choruses sung today) are not to be forgotten. Let me say that as one who began their Christian walk in Pentecostal and then later Charismatic Christianity, the self-centered tendencies were there, which, I would say, were the results of some well-meaning people over emphasizing one gift at the expense of the others. Although I don't advocate a "second-blessing" or "prayer-language" theology, I still admire the way my dear Pentecostal/Charismatic brothers and sisters prize the value of prayer and seeking of God. 

What am I saying? As a Christian and a pastor in a non-Pentecostal and non-Charismatic denomination, the dangers of self-centered Christianity are not any less. If anything, non-Pentecostal and non-Charismatic groups can greatly under-value the gifts due to self-centered thinking. Paul's aim in these three chapters is to correct what can be two ditches in the realm of the spiritual gifts. Corinth was guilty of over-emphasis on one gift (tongues), which is the issue we find him dealing with in 1 Corinthians 14. In 1 Corinthians 12, he begins his discussion by alerting others to "not be ignorant" about the gifts. It would seem that all-too-often, most churches barely talk about the gifts or at least possess an adequate Biblical understanding of such. If anything, both ditches can be avoided when we remember to exercise and express God's love through the gifts. 

Closing thoughts: the dangers of being self-centered in our exercise of the gifts
And thus, when we consider the need to avoid self-centered Christianity in our use of the gifts, Paul's words apply to all Christians today, whether they be Pentecostal/Charismatic believers or their non-Pentecostal/Charismatic contemporaries. The principle of avoiding self-centered Christianity not only applies in the realm of the specific gift of tongues, but also to how we practice any of the gifts. I will close out today's post with three dangers that come with self-centered expressions of the gifts, and why we as Christians must avoid it in order to be a blessing to others:

1. Self-centered Christianity makes for less effective Christianity. 1 Corinthians 14:1-5

2. Self-centered Christianity lessens the value of the Word. 1 Corinthians 14:6-12

3. Self-centered Christianity limits the gifts. 1 Corinthians 14:13-19

P2 - Why meaning, value, purpose and truth are impossible without God

1 Corinthians 15:30-34 "Why are we also in danger every hour? 31 I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame."

Introduction and review
Yesterday we began considering why meaning, value, purpose and truth in life is impossible without God's existence. We ended with noting some observations from major Christian thinkers. To review, authors such as the late Francis Shaeffer and theologian and philosopher Dr. William Lane Craig have illustrated how value, meaning and purpose are likened unto an upper story in a house, with man living in the lower story:

God

Meaning, Value, Purpose

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

Human beings

We had noted how one could construct an apologetic argument concerning why value, meaning and purpose are only possible with God. It would go something like this:

Premise #1: If God does not exist, meaning, value and purpose does not exist

Premise #2: Objective Meaning, value and purpose exist as part of our world

Therefore: God exists

Today we continue on where we left off and will aim to conclude why meaning, value, purpose and truth are impossible without God

The inconsistency of worldviews that assert there is no meaning, value, purpose and truth

In the above argument, its not too difficult to prove Premise #2 (objective or universal meaning, value and purpose exist as part of our world). Whether someone believes the universe and life to have ultimate meaning (i.e significance) or not is to assign some sort of meaning. An atheist such as Richard Dawkins may claim in his book: "The God-delusion" that life is "pitiless indifference"; however, he asserts such values as tolerance and rails against injustice, thus betraying the implications of his atheistic outlook. Physicist Steven Wienberg in his classic book: "The First Three Minutes" draws out implications from his reflections on the initial moments following the Big Bang. In his estimation, since the universe is all that exists, assigning meaning is pointless. However, Weinberg obviously doesn't consistently hold to such a notion, since he spent countless hours co-developing the scientific theory that explained the unification of the weak and electromagnetic forces that netted him the Nobel Prize in physics in 1979. 

Meaning in this world requires God's existence
To say that the universe is without meaning is to assign a meaning to it!

The atheistic worldview is inconsistent and breaks down in the realm of livability and practical application.

When we speak of "value" in premise #2, we are referring to moral values and duties. Morality deals with right and wrong and duties deal with good or bad. Morality is the behavior of individuals that stems from ethical norms that transcend cultures. There is an objective right and wrong. Duties have to do with the obligation I have to perform what is right and wrong. The question we must raise is: "are moral values and duties immaterial, universal and abstract or are they material, personally subjective and concrete?" The atheist would try to argue the latter.  Prominent atheist Sam Harris will assert that moral values and duties arise from physical brain states and are measured by human well-being. Yet did moral values and duties exist prior to the existence of human beings? If not, then Harris' view of "good and evil" being defined by the level of human well-being does not escape the trap of morality being a matter of personal choice or society. People who murder may find doing such makes them feel good, and thus promote their own sense of human flourishing and well-being. Thus we find meaning and values cannot be grounded in this material realm.

Purpose in this life requires God's existence

What about purpose? Does the universe, life and humanity have a purpose? Just like the previous two observations, purpose is connected to meaning and value. If meaning and value are derived from outside our material universe, then purpose is as well? Why? Purpose is a value judgment. Again, on atheism there is no purpose to the universe, life and humanity. Atheists like the late Bertand Russell will on the one hand assert that life has no purpose, while all the while producing volumes of philosophical writings declaring that in the end, we have no purpose to discover, and thus we need to bravely hold onto the despair of it all. But now even such a statement begs the question: "why even bother to be brave?" 

Closing thoughts

Therefore in reflecting on the philosophical and scientific evidence, we can see that even among foremost atheistic thinkers, the reality of objective meaning, value and purpose cannot be escaped. Even by asserting that there are no such things as value, meaning and purpose is to proclaim that there are indeed such features! Thus, premise #2 holds in the following argument:

Premise #1: If God does not exist, meaning, value and purpose does not exist

Premise #2: Objective Meaning, value and purpose exist as part of our world

When we consider how both premises together are logically airtight, the conclusion thus follows:

Therefore, God exists.

P1 - Why meaning, value, purpose and truth are impossible without God

1 Corinthians 15:30-34 "Why are we also in danger every hour? 31 I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame."

The absurdity of life without God

What happens when people adopt a view of life that excludes God? Atheistic philosopher Albert Camus advocated a philosophy built around the concept of "absurdity of life". This concept of "absurdity" is defined by Camus as follows: "His (man's) exile is without remedy since he is deprived of the memory of a lost home or the hope of a promised land. This divorce between man and his life, the actor and his setting, is properly the feeling of absurdity". Camus' philosophy can be summarized in the following quote: "There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy." 

The Apostle Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 15:32 express how absurd life would be if Christ had not raised from the dead. Christ's resurrection from the dead entails the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere-present, all-good God. Although Camus' philosophy was bleak, it was an honest attempt to trace out the ultimate implications of his atheism. Paul's point in 1 Corinthians 15:32 is to show that if God did not exist, then the only alternative would be to "eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die". Unless God exists, there is no basis for meaning, value, purpose and truth. 

An important clarifying point

Now let's make something perfectly clear: I am not saying that lack of belief in God means that one cannot discover meaning, value and purpose in this life. Many atheists and people who claim to have no belief in God can be good parents and fine citizens. The issue at hand is not whether belief in God or lack thereof determines objective moral values and duties. Rather, the point of Paul's words and, ironically, the philosophy of Camus agree: if there is no God, there is no meaning, value or purpose to discover in this life.  After all, on atheism, we should not expect to discover such values and duties. Yet, atheists themselves will still champion causes for justice, tolerance and the value of human life. Such universal moral values are exactly what people know to be the case. 

How we must have an "upper story" in order to have value, meaning, purpose and truth in this "lower story" world

Concerning Paul's comments, the Bible Knowledge Commentary notes: 

"Why face that if this life were all there is? The Epicureans (and less philosophical men before them; cf. Isa. 22:13) would be right—pursue pleasure and avoid pain (cf. Epicurus Letter to Menoeceus 128). But Paul knew there was more, and his life testified to that fact (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24–27; 2 Cor. 4:16–18)."

The people in Paul's remarks lived their lives as if there were no God. On their viewpoints (which would correspond to Atheism today), since there is no God nor God to regard, then there is no purpose, no value and no meaning to life. Worldviews that deny God and the resurrection of Jesus from the dead have no basis for which to assert the value, meaning and purpose of human life. 

Authors such as the late Francis Shaeffer and theologian and philosopher Dr. William Lane Craig have illustrated how value, meaning and purpose are likened unto an upper story in a house, with man living in the lower story:

God

Meaning, Value, Purpose

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Human beings

Since meaning, value and purpose are immaterial objective features of reality, this material realm (i.e our universe) could not possibly explain their role and function in our world. If we were to construct an argument as to why value, meaning and purpose are only possible with God, it would go something like this:

Premise #1: If God does not exist, meaning, value and purpose does not exist

Premise #2: Objective Meaning, value and purpose exist as part of our world

Therefore: God exists

Tomorrow we will continue on by considering further this argument. For now, let's keep in mind that value, meaning, purpose and truth are impossible without God's existence and more specifically, withough the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

Defining Christian apologetics and four reasons for doing it

1 Peter 3:15 "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence."

Introduction:

In today's post I want to offer a short treatment on the definition of Christian apologetics and its role in the Christian life. As Peter opens up this verse, he urges his readers to "sanctify" or "set-aside as special" Christ in one's heart. However and whatever we define the Christian apologetic task to be, it must be centered around the desire to cultivate a closer walk with Jesus Christ. Moreover, such a task as Christian apologetics aims to ultimately convince people to give their hearts to the Lord Jesus in saving faith. 

When we speak of "apologetics", were not talking about making apologies for being a Christian. Instead, the Greek word behind the term translated "defense" is the word "apologia", from whence we get our English term "apologetics". In its most basic meaning, "apologetics" describes the task of defending and communicating the Christian Faith. By understanding what Christian apologetics is all about and what function it has in Christian development (i.e discipleship), the reader will hopefully become intrigued to study further on this subject. 

Further refining our understanding of Christian Apologetics
Dr. William Lane Craig in his book: "Reasonable Faith", page 15, defines Christian apologetics as follows:


"Christian apologetics may be defined as that branch of Christian theology which seeks to provide rational warrant for Christianity’s truth claims." 

Another Christian apologist, Ravi Zacharias, has offered the following definition of apologetics in an article explaining why churches need apologetics: 

"(A)pologetics is the branch of Christian theology that seeks to address the intellectual obstacles that keep people from taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ seriously."

Readers may had noticed the picture associated with today's post, featuring a chess board with opposing armies of chess pieces. When this blogger snapped the above photograph, the thought came to mind about the importance of fighting the good fight of faith. When William Lane Craig mentioned of giving "rational warrant", that is another way of saying: "giving good reasons for why you believe what you believe". When Ravi Zacharias brought up the point of "addressing intellectual obstacles", we come to grasp how apologetics functions as a form of "pre-evangelism" or "removing of grounds for dismissing the gospel". Apologetics is a crucial tool in the Christian's growth in discipleship. As the opening verse of today's post states, we must be prepared to give an answer with the attitude of Christ that exercises both gentleness and respect toward the questioner. 

The four purposes served by Christian apologetics
Dr. William Lane Craig's book: "Reasonable Faith" spells out four main purposes for Christian apologetics. I will list what they are and then offer a brief exposition of each:

a). Express our cognitive love to God (Mt 22:37).

We should not only love Jesus with all our heart, but also our minds (hence the term "cognitive". In as much as the spirit of a man is instantly converted at saving faith, the mind ought to be the subject of progressive, ongoing transformation as the Christian grows in their faith. Both heart and mind are essential in the cultivation of Christian spirituality.

b). Explain/defend Christianity to unbelievers

This second purpose reveals how apologetics functions as a form of "pre-evangelism". Apologetics ought to lead us to a deeper burden for sharing the Gospel. Often we must knock down the intellectual barriers and opposing arguments to get to the root of a person's rejection of Jesus Christ. The Bible uniformly describes mankind's rebellion against God as moral and spiritual. Apologetics aims to eventually expose this root while also addressing the intellectual branches that issue forth from the trunk of unbelief. The Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 that we aim to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 

c). Confirm our faith to Christians

I have found that Christian apologetics can strengthen the Christian's faith. There are those seasons where all Christians have doubts or struggle in the midst of great difficulties. Christian apologetics can function alongside the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit in verifying to the Christian that following Jesus is worth it all.

d). Explore connections to Christian doctrines and other truths

As one engages in Christian apologetics, growth in understanding how the Christian worldview fits together comes as an added bonus. Key doctrines that typically comprise any Christian apologetic includes: the doctrine of creation, the doctrine of sin, the doctrine of Christ, the doctrine of salvation and the doctrine of last things. When you think about it, these five classical "key points of Christian doctrine" provide a broad outline of the Bible. Throughout every age, these five key areas have been attacked and have needed to be repeated and communicated. Other doctrines are appealed to along the way as one grows in their understanding of the Christian worldview. 

Closing thoughts

Today we defined Christian apologetics and four main purposes for doing it. My hope is that the reader has been inclined to increase their knowledge of what they believe, why they believe and how to defend what they believe. Such a strategy will enable Christians to have effective testimonies in the workplace, the university campus, the local church and among their families and friends. 

Faith in the miraculous Jesus (some thoughts on Jesus, miracles and faith)

John 4:46 "Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum."

Introduction:

As one begins to study John's Gospel, the main purpose of the writing is found in John 20:31. As we approach this particular account of Jesus' healing of the nobleman's son in John 4:46-54, we note how much space is devoted to not only the miracle itself, but in the authentication and testimony of it. John's goal is to demonstrate that this Jesus is indeed the eternal Son of God in human flesh. He does so by a variety of means: personal recorded conversations, sermons preached or teachings taught by Jesus, testimonies by others and by what he calls "signs" (i.e miracles). John 20:30-31 attaches this latter method of miraculous attestation to the overall purpose of the book: "Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."

What is a miracle?

So then, what is a miracle? A miracle is an infrequently occurring, direct act of God that is performed in a religiously significant setting to confirm God's messenger and message. In John's Gospel we find seven particular signs or miracles mentioned:

1. Water to wine at Cana. 2:1-12

2. Healing of Nobleman's son. 4:46-54

3. Healing of man at Pool of Bethesda. 5:1-17

4. Feeding of 5,000 6:1-14

5. Walking on Water 6:15-21

6. Healing of man born blind. 9:1-34

7. Raising of Lazarus. 11:1-46

Each of these miracles communicate something particular about Jesus, whether it be His ministry, His majestic Deity, His marvelous identity or His manhood of humanity. Concerning the first miracle at Cana and this second one, we find Jesus' identity as the Mediator is the focus of the first (water into wine). The second miracle or "sign" demonstrates to us His majestic Deity. In this particular account we come to understand the relationship between miracles and faith. 

Contrary to popular opinion, miracles are not  "violations of the law of nature". 18th century Scottish skeptic David Hume had popularized this definition about miracles being violations of the laws of nature. Hume's project included denial of not only God's direct intervention in the world, but also the impossibility of being able to identify one. In effect, Hume's work influenced many agnostic and atheistic conceptions as to how our world works exclusively by natural laws and forces. Even though the last half-century of philosophical thought and mathematical inquiry has shown Hume's theories about miracles to be inadequate and inaccurate, a good number of people still find them convincing. 

The problem with Hume's ideas and objections against miracles is several-fold. For one thing, C.S Lewis notes that with respect to nature and the place of miracles: "In calling them miracles we do not mean that they are contradictions or outrages; we mean that, left to her own resources, she could never produce them." Lewis shows that the laws of nature are not opposed to the possibility of miracles. The problem with Hume's definition is that it makes the laws of nature "prescriptive" rather than "descriptive". In other words, on Hume's definition, the laws of nature necessarily prescribe how things ought to behave in nature, as if they were in a closed system. 

Again, Lewis illustrates this problem by having us imagine a dresser drawer with six pennies placed in it on a Monday. Then on Tuesday, we would place six additional pennies in the same drawers. When we would open the drawer on Wednesday, we ought to expect to find twelve pennies, since the laws of mathematics describes 6 plus 6 equals twelve. Lewis then describes a person coming into the room and taking some pennies between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. If we open the drawer on Wednesday, expecting to find twelve cents, and instead find a different amount, what are we to conclude? Have the laws of mathematics been "violated". No. Instead, an agent has intervened, changing the expected resulted. 

So we come back once more to our definition of a miracle: A miracle is an infrequently occurring, direct act of God that is performed in a religiously significant setting to confirm God's messenger and message. 

How does Jesus' "signs" compare to our suggested definition of a miracle?

Jesus' nearly four-year ministry saw a total of 35 miracles recorded in our four gospels, 7 of which are listed in John's Gospel. Miracles in scripture did occur relatively infrequently, clustering in three major time-frames: Moses, Elijah/Elisha and Jesus/the apostles. Although Jesus did perform quite a few miracles, His ministry emphasized mainly His teaching and preaching. 

Concerning God's direct activity, we can say this fits Jesus' ministry. John's point is to show that Jesus is the incarnation of the Divine Son, hence His performing of miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit means that strictly speaking - God is directly doing the miracles (whether we credit the Son or the Spirit, both Persons share in the one, undivided, Divine nature).  

So what about religiously significant contexts? Certainly the setting of Jesus' miracle was in and around the place He had performed His first miracle, which was to prove that He was the Mediator of the New Covenant. The point of Jesus' healing of the royal official's son was to attest His message and Himself. So we can say that what we see happening is a miracle. But what about the testimony of it?

How John demonstrates the reality of Jesus' miracle

When we find the royal official inquiring about the day and hour when his son was healed, we may wonder why John would include such a detail? Dr. Timothy McGrew, Chairman of the Philosophy Department at Western Michigan University and a prominent Christian apologist, has noted that when a testimony of a miracle is used as a way of screening whether or not a miracle has occurred, the probability for us to identify a miracle increases. It seems here at least, John is purposefully using this nobleman's series of questions to show the reader that Jesus' miracle was undoubtedly real, and thus Jesus' power as God in human flesh was truly attested. 

How we see the Nobleman exercising true faith in the miraculous Jesus

We read in John 4:53-54 "So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household. 54 This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee." The man's faith in Jesus was due to Jesus, with the miracle functioning as a way of attesting Jesus' identity. When we first meet this man, we find him only focusing on the need and Jesus' miracle working power. 

Indeed, this man's need was great and he recognized Jesus' as a miracle worker, but so did Nicodemas in John 3. Although miracles can attest to the message and the messenger, they cannot confer faith in the observer. The Holy Spirit working in the heart by the Word of God is the only way in which anyone will believe in Jesus. Jesus had spoken the word for the man to "go". That word had the Spirit's signature power attached to it, opening the man's eyes to behold Jesus not as merely some "miracle worker", but as God-incarnate, Savior, Lord.