"If all the world were Christian, it might not matter if all the world were uneducated. But, as it is, a culture life will exist outside the church whether it exists inside or not. To be ignorant and simple now -- not to be able to meet the enemies on their own ground -- would be to throw down our weapons, and to betray our uneducated brethren who have, under God, no defense but us against the intellectual attacks of the heathen. God philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered. The cool intellect must work not only against cool intellect on the other side, but against the muddy heathen mysticisms which deny intellect altogether." This, if for no other reason, should be a good reason for one to seek higher education. In a world were the atheistic regimes are mounting their battle horses and drawing their weapons to attack the christian faith, one can not afford to just be an anti-intellectual Christian anymore.

It seems over the past couple of years, more and more atheist are coming out gun blazing against the Christian faith (and all other religion) to attack and destroy anyone who would so dear to mention the name of Christ. People like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens are using their intellectual abilities to try to destroy hope a religious people may hold in a creator. As Lewis elegantly stated, it is the jobs of those who have be called to a life of intellectual pursuit. When looking at the Christian body, we are made up of many parts each with his functions. While I believe every believer should be intellectually engaged in their culture, it would be difficult for some to pursuit such life because of the work they are already doing for the glory of Christ. As Lewis saw it, this is when those who are intellectual fill in the gap and give strength to those who may not possess the answers. By so doing, every member within the body of Christ will be doing its part to strengthen other members within the body.

If the Lord gives a person a desire for an intellectual life, then such a person should pursuit that life to the Glory of God. In turn, they should bless their brothers and sisters in christ (in any way possible) by imparting to them what ever wisdom or knowledge they is needed. If, as iron sharpen iron so one man another, then we as brother and sisters can and should sharpen one another any chance we get.

It is not awkward, nowadays, to see people going on and on about how spiritual they are. In fact it seems anyone who gets high and walks around would tell you how spiritual of an experience they had as they watch the trees change colors. But, as Lewis warns "Let us clear it forever from our minds. The work of a beethoven, and the work of a charwoman, becomes spiritual on precisely the same condition, that of being offered to God, of being done humbly as to the Lord." By this, a person could not just claim that any act they do is "spiritual" because such acts which are not done for the glory of God could not be so called. This is not to say that good music isn't good anymore or loving someone isn't an admirable act, but if the logic goes, that a truly spiritual act must be done to God in other to be spiritual, then we can not classify any act which is an imitation of true worship as "spiritual."

Blessed are the Redeemed: notes on Plantinga 4

The fall of humanity, through an act of disobedience, brought into action the full measure of God's grace towards in creation. His love and mercy was first shown immediately after the fall as The Lord "made garments of skin," and clothed his fallen creation. Throughout the history of the Israelis, God continually showed his love by forgiving them of their offenses, which they didn't seem to be able to not commit. All the while, God was giving foreshadows of the ultimate redemption that was to come in the person of Jesus Christ.

On the cross, Christ inaugurated the new world order and put the sting of death to death in glorious fashion. Christ death on the cross makes me think of the absolute power, knowledge, and wisdom of God. If one really thought about the way in which Christ conquered death, you may quickly realize what I realized, Christ put to death by way of death, and he did away with the power of sin by way of sin (with John Piper calls 'Spectacular SIn'). What I mean is this, the way in which Christ died was a sin, not just a sin but the worst atrocity ever committed, WE KILLED GOD. But, by the same death, which was a result of sin, God made death commit suicide. Now, this to me shows just how awesome of a God me serve.

By his act of using death to take away the sting of death and sin to make sin powerless, our God showed the infinite level of his sovereignty. In the same way, God shows just how sovereign he is over his creating. In his saving act, Christ (the second person in the trinity), brought the sovereign reign of God to light by showing God dominion over the power of hell and recusing his people from the clutches of the devil. God will further show is omnipotences when he breaks in the official of his everlasting Kingdom and does away with sin altogether.

"OUR GOD REIGNS, FOREVER HIS KINGDOM REIGNS"

Your words are Poison: note on subjectivism

"out of this apparently innocent idea comes the disease that will certainly end our species (and, in my view, damn our souls) if it is not crushed; the fatal superstition that men can create values, that a community can choose its ideology as men choose their cloths. Everyone in indignant when he hears the Germans define justice as that which is to the interest of the Third Reich. But it is not always remembered that this indignation is perfectly groundless if we ourselves regard morality as a subjective sentiment to be altered at will." This fine quote, for me, sums up my thought on subjectivism. If any men or group of people were to ever come and say that all moral laws and codes were merely subjective, it would be clear at that point that I could (be their own words) pick up a gun and shoot them, because, if moral laws (or any other law) was just subjective, then, the only ground I have to kill you is simply my desire 'to or not to.'

When looking at the Nazis, Pol pot in Cambodia, sterlin in Russia, and other evil men in history, I think it to be idiotic for any person that 'Thou shall not kill' is merely subjective. Contrary to what any scientist or post-modern thinkers may say, the human race as always survived by following the the "moral rule" which we believe to be even if we don't all think it came from God. It is because of our desire to protect all people, against men who would seek to disobey the moral laws, that we were able to put an end to Hitler and his band of murderers. As Lewis mentioned, if subjectivity in moral laws were the case, then Hitler would be right in killing the jews.

It would seem, though, that some, in their eagerness to remove God from the picture of humanity, would prefer if we just did away with moral law and create new ones. This idea, however, has many problem with it. With the notion of over-hauling all moral laws in other to make way for "better ones," they would be having us that the law they make is could be better than the once that already exist. They would, further, be hope that we would not assume that their laws are not based on selfish needs or the desire to be in power. But, of cause, this would also run into another issue. If their laws where made on the ground that a certain people should make laws for everyone else, then, it would be logical if someone else where to say 'I don't like you laws, lets make new ones. So it is claim that one would run into the issue of who should make any laws for all people within their group.

Anytime a group of people decide to make rules for any other people, trouble is sure to ensue.

"Fallen we are"

In chapter three of engaging God's world, Plantinga talks about the fall of man and its implications. After disobeying God, we became creature who desire their own glory rather than the glory of their God. In seeking to elevate ourselves, we have place other things in front of God and establish idols in place of his praise. "What are the ingredients in corruption? first, a corrupted person turns God's gifts away from their intended purpose. She perverts these gifts. For example, she might use her excellent mind and first-class education not to extend the reach of God's kingdom but just to get rich." I believe this quote to be a perfect illustration of the effects of the fall in a life. In this particular case, rather than this person seeing the joys of using her gift of education to in-turn glorify God, she uses it, rather, on seeking personal gain.

In another example of a person who uses their education to get above others so they could in turn condescend them, we see the desire to show other people how much higher in sociality they are. Christ, however, made it clear that our desires should be for him. as he says "those who deny me, I will also deny before my father. It is also made clear in scripture that all the things that we chase after will not satisfy us. IF one were to think clearly about it, it would make sense. How could you over look a God who was so loving to come down to earth to die, that we might be redeemed back to him. To refuse such love for earthly possessing does not make very much sense. this, of cause, speak to the effects of the fall, in that people can not recognize what's good for them even when its right in front of them. The only hope we have is that the spirit of God awaken us to the truth of the Gospel.

Lewis: The man behind the legend

After hearing all the things Lewis's friends had to say about a man that I do not know to much about. A few people mention this in class, but I feel like saying again that what I find most striking about the audio is the realization of how human Lewis was. In the midst of all the fantastic writing and the great books, one can easily forget that behind all of that is a really man, who really loved God, and who really suffered for the same of Christ. I was shocked as well as delighted to hear that he had time of loneliness, that he had time of grief, and that he had time of loses as well of triumphs. When thing about the people who have influenced us, it is easy to get disillusioned about what they may really be like in person. If a person were to ask me to draw a mental picture of Lewis, I would have a picture of a man sitting on his desk happily writing something. It is, however, in-lighting to know that he was not always like that.

I was glad to have heard for the months of those closest to him on just how much he loved his wife. His marriage is not something that I have heard a lot about (other then what I know from a grief observed). The depth of his love for her was beyond encouraging. It shows that he was a person who truly understood what it means to love your wife like Christ loved the church. I was relieved to understand that his seeming dislike of woman was simply due to his dislike of how he didn't have much intellectual woman around him. This is proven, further, by how he feel in love with the only woman (other than his mother) who did match and challenged him intellectually. It give me hope that God will send me a wife who matches and challenges me intellectually.

Mere Christianity

In one of his best known works, Lewis takes a closer look into Christianity and some of its claims. In his preface, lewis inquires into what people mean by the word Christian. He believe that when non-believe call a person a Christian, they mean to say "they think him a good man" (though not all non-believer think a believer to be good, as a matter of fact, over the past couple of decades the word Christians has had negative connotation). As I previously stated in class, the nation of a Christian being good is simply incorrect because the very idea of a Christians means a person who understands how un-good he is. I am a believer in Christ Jesus not because I believe myself to posses any good beyond other people. Upon coming to faith, I did not approach God and de-clear myself a good man who needed saving, but rather a sinner in need of His grace.

In his first chapter, Lewis tackles the law of human nature. As he stated, there is a law by which all people expect other to live. This law, is a law that we know exist, we know they are good laws and we feel its importance when some one breaks them in an act against us. This Laws, as Lewis mentioned, are clearly expressed by people when they are wronged. With phrases such as 'How'd you like it if anyone did the same to you?' or 'thats my seat, i was there first,' people express their knowledge of how others should act toward one their fellow men. As it follows, If there were no such laws (written down or in our hearts) there would be no basis in saying Hitler and the Nazis were wrong for killing all the jews. It would also follow, that, for a law to be wrong, there must be an opposite, which is right.

Some have objected to natural law by saying that all laws were man made. they follow up their statement by claiming there not being such things as right or wrong. It would not be surprising, however, to find the same man shouting at you when you do something he deems unfair. Now, If one was to follow such a persons logic (that there is no right or wrong) it would follow that it is not logical for the person to cry foul when any 'wrong' is done to him/her because he has no basis to do so under his believes. This is just the point Lewis makes, no one can live consistently thinking there is no right or wrong. At the moment wrong is done to them, they recognize the law of nature they so want to reject. No person at the time of the nazis regime, who looks in the face of dying Jews, would claim there not being such a thing as right or wrong. If this were ever the case, I would suggest the person be put in the same position as the jews and then see if he could continue to hold his position.

Regarding natural law, the reason for the law could not be found within the law itself. To find that out, one would have to look for the answer from the source of the law. Suppose I am able to make a law about my house and I make a law declaring all people forbidding to come within 300 feet of my house at any point, unless they notified me an hour before their coming. The reason for making this law is not within the law itself because the law says nothing about why I made the law, all the law says is that it exist. For all a person knows, I could have made the law because I have snakes that like to hide within my grass and attack any person that come within 300 feet and it so happens that I have to press a bottom which opens a trap door, leaving my grass free of snakes. Of cause, this would be the reason for the law but a person wouldn't know this unless they inquired of me (the source of the law) as to why I have such a law. It follows then, that any moral law made could not give a reason for it existence, to find that, one would have to ask the law maker.

Chapter four of Mere Christianity deals with an issue that I have being exploring for a while. That is, the authority science has in claiming the existence or non-existence of a creator. My conclusion (as well as Lewis's) is that science has no basis for ever making such a claim. Further, science can never make a claim against any biblical passages. The reason for this is simple, science can only make claims based on empirical evidences. science can tell us that there are things but it cannot tell us how those things got there. It is not logical to say that the universe came about through the big bang and then conclude that there is no God or that the bible is false. The claim of the big bang just says that something happened but it doesn't answer how it happened, and of cause it doesn't because it can't.

In his composition of letters called the Screwtape letter, Screwtape (a senior demon) is training his nephew demon (worn-wood) in the ways of deceiving a young man he calls the patient. In his attempt to led the man into hell, Screwtape coaches his nephew to use all means possible in other to accomplish the mission.

"The road to hell is a gradual road, a slippery-slop." This were the words of Screwtape to wormwood, which some how, seems very true. In the mind of Lewis, it seems as if the devil as devised a plan that is proven to work on unsuspecting souls. As it follow, the devil does not have to make a person commit murder in other to get them to hell, as a matter of fact, committing murder may actually led the person to a full realization of their sins and accept the saving grace of God. The better plan, as Screwtape saw it, is to led the patient into hell while making him think he is headed to heaven.

In this insightful exploration of the inner working of the enemy, Lewis brought to light some of the things we do in life which, he says, is a reaction to the workings of Screwtape and his other demon friends. Every time I do not feel like worshipping, praying or doing anything that would enrich my relationship with Christ, the enemy is smiling at a job well done. I have to confess, I know there are lots of moments that I do not feel like doing all this things. I believe the genius of this book is Lewis' knowledge of peoples weakness and his ability to draw out that weakness and bring the enemy's plan against those weakness out in the open. It is a bit nerve racking when I realize that every time I get into a place I don't feel like giving God my attention, that is the enemy's plans coming to fruition.

I have to say, though, as a believer who has been giving knowledge of the workings of the enemy, It kills me when his plans against believers works itself out in the lives of my friends and family. I know friends who are believers but just don't care to do anything that has to do with Christ and I have family member who seem to care more about money than they do about the gospel and in-fact seem to think of God more as a ginny in a bottle they can call on when they need something. Even in my own faiths, there are moments that I fall into the same trap of trying to give myself glory instead of God. It is disheartening when I think of times like this in my own faith and even more so the faith of those I love.

I believe though, time of realizing that we have an enemy who is after us at all cost, we have to remember that we have a God who promises to never let us go. I do believe there is a reason God puts ideas of this book into Lewis's head; but, I do not believe the reason is to bring us down or make us doubt our faith, on the contrary, this book I believe is meant as a tool to help us in the fight against the enemy. In war time, the best way to defeat your enemy is to know your enemy. With this book, Lewis has giving us a front row sit into seeing the plans of our enemy and even reviled to us their biggest weakness; They don't know God's plan. As believers, we know that all of Gods plans, are plans for us to be spiritual victors.

For all those who are made nervous by Screwtape, there is one point I believe you must keep in mind, Screwtape's ultimate plan did not succeed. This I believe is Lewis letting us know that God will always win the battle for our souls, as a matter of fact, Christ on the cross declared the war for our salvation "Finished."

ALL THAT REMAINS IS A FEW BATTLES!!!!!!!!!!!