Eugraphia

Happy Father's Day!

Proverbs 17:6 -- "The glory of sons is their fathers."

-Jonathan

Only a couple more days...

...Until John Calvin's birthday!

Get the John Calvin birthday clock at Calvin 500

And in even less time my family will be attending the Reformation 500 event being held in Boston.  It will be a great time to commemorate one of the most influential men in Christendom.

-Jonathan

Lunchtime Pickin'

Recently I had a chance to play some tunes with a co-worker.  Enterprising minds decided to record some excerpts and put them on YouTube.  Here they are:

One of my favorite tunes, The Red-Haired Boy.

A new one for me, The Red Apple Rag.

This one started off as another traditional fiddle tune, Salt Creek, but inadvertantly reverted back to The Red-Haired Boy!  We earned a penny during our short concert. ;)

-Jonathan

Happy Mother's Day

Charles Spurgeon and Masculine Preaching

Phil Johnson, at Pyromaniacs, has written an excellent article on the lack of masculine preaching in the modern age and compares it to the preaching in Charles Spurgeon's day.

Spurgeon hated the effeminate tendencies of the Victorian pulpit, and he did everything he could to model a different trend. He said it's OK to be meek, and we ought to work hard at being gentle. But, he said, don't be "indifferent to truth and righteousness. God [does not choose] milksops destitute of backbone, to wear his glory upon their faces. We have plenty of men made of sugar, nowadays, that melt into the stream of popular opinion; but [men like that will] never ascend into the hill of the Lord."....The Bible says the church ought to be led by men, and every man in the church ought to aspire to be like the perfect man, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

The church, in a (failing) effort to combat hemorrhaging church attendance, has turned from the Word of God to chase after entertainment.  So much of what goes on in the modern church is entertainment-driven and not based on Scripture.  It has become a sanctuary of touchy-feely fluff and not the hard, rock-solid truth of God's Word.  The best antidote to the decline of evangelical Christianity is the simple preaching of the gospel and the sufficiency of Scripture in reforming our everyday life.

I am thankful that I am part of a church that faithfully preaches the truth of God in a loving, gracious way.

Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart.  So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:3-4)

-Jonathan

Calvinism 101 Part 3: Man's "Free" Will

Heretofore, my series on Calvinism has not been too controversial.  A large portion of professing Christians, save those with major liberal theological tendencies, would agree on the doctrines of original sin and the sin nature of all mankind.  Both Calvinists and Arminians would agree on that point.  Where biblical Calvinistic theology diverges is on this next point: the depravity of the human will.  When following closely on the heels of my post on The Death of Man, the depravity of the human will is a logical and scriptural conclusion.

I concluded The Death of Man with a verse from Romans 3.  The brevity and finality of it is worth repeating: [N]o one seeks for God.  This is a startling statement for it tells us that man, when bereft of the grace of God does not seek God nor want to seek God.  Sinful men flee the light of God's Word because they do not want their sin to be exposed (John 3:20).

Moreover Romans 8:7 tells us:

"For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot."

So not only does an unbeliever not want to seek God, he is fundamentally incapable of doing so.  The corruption of man runs so deep that it is impossible for man to even understand God, the gospel, and any other spiritual thing.

I Corinthians 2:14

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

This goes against what is commonly taught: that humans have a completely free will that can choose equally between good and evil.  Actually that was true at one point in human history, before the fall.  Since then however, humans have been slaves to sin and have been completely under the power of sin (Romans 6:16-21).  Why then do many Christians say that unbelievers still have free will, if the Bible clearly teaches that man's will is under the control of sin?  Men cannot choose God's salvation because their wills are inhibited so much by sin.

Of course, a clarification needs to be made here.  When I say that humans do not have free will, I am not saying that humans cannot make choices or lack the ability of volition.  That is clearly not biblical.  What I am saying is that human volition is like the rest of human nature: dead in sin.  Man's will cannot (truly) freely make completely independent decisions; it is always influenced by something, in this case, sin.

So if man cannot choose God through his own will, than how can man be saved?

That question will be answered in the next installment.

~Jonathan

First Flight

Today, I took to the skies for the first time ever in my life.  It seems a little odd that I've never flown in an aircraft after working on aircraft for two and half years.  But today, the plane I have been tasked to had to make a test flight, and I went along for the ride.  It was a thrilling experience, and it was neat to see the topography and landmarks that I normally see from the ground.  We flew over my dad's workplace, then over to the Alleghany Mountains, then landed at a nearby airport to test how the autopilot guided us in the landing approach.  We took off again, circled Dynamic Aviation, then landed.

It was great to see all the avionics actually in action during a flight, and it was a satisfaction to know that all the hard work in the past months paid off.

Below is a picture of the actual plane I flew in.  This picture is a little out of date; we've made some modifications to it.

 

-Jonathan

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Instead of a post on the corrupted will, I have a more light-hearted post celebrating St. Patrick's Day!  My family has lots of Irish blood in our veins; some of our ancestors were Murrays, O'Connors, and McSherrys.

And of course, I like Irish music, so I did a little recording with flute and guitar.  Here are three reels:

The Primrose Lass/Lexie McAskill's Reel/Sail in and out the Harbour

Well technically, the second reel is Scottish, but since Scottish and Irish music are so closely related, it doesn't hurt to include it. ;)

Enjoy the day!

-Jonathan

Calvinism 101 Part 2: The Death of Man

Our study of Calvinism begins where the Bible begins: in the book of Genesis.  It is there that we find the start of one of the basic doctrines of Calvinism, that of the total and complete spiritual death of mankind.  Our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned against God by disobeying His express command not to eat the fruit of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Genesis 2:16-17 

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

First, Eve was deceived and sinned.  Even though she was tricked, Satanically, into eating the fruit, Scripture still labels her as a transgressor.

I Timothy 2:14

 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.

Second, Adam as head of the first household and head of the human race, sinned deliberately without any deception at all.  He showed the ultimate motive behind sin, that of putting ourselves in place of God.  It is this act that plunged humanity into spiritual death.  For not only did Adam and Eve die spiritually, as God promised, but all of their children are born with the same spiritual death.

The totality of this death is expounded upon in Romans 5.  Verse 12 informs us that death has spread to all men because of their sinful nature inherited from Adam and by their actual sins.  Verse 18 says that condemnation was brought to all men through this death.  Thus as a direct result of our father Adam's sin and personal sin, all men are condemned to go to hell for eternity.  

This is important to note in our study of Calvinism.  Calvinism assumes a predisposition toward sin in the human nature.  There is no tabula rasa as John Locke posited; the human nature is not a blank slate upon which good or evil can be written.  Rather, the human nature is already bent on sin when a person is conceived.

King David, when confessing his sin of immorality, clearly admits actual transgression:

Psalm 51:2-3

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

However, he also admits that his nature is fundamentally corrupted by sin and that he was born into sin:

Psalm 51:5

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Now, when God said that Adam would die the day that he ate the forbidden fruit, did God mean that Adam would physically cease to live the moment he disobeyed?  As the Bible relates, no.  This leads us to wonder what "death" God is speaking of. 

Beyond the loss of physical immortality and the introduction of a physically corrupted and decaying body, "death" meant spiritual death--separation from God and the severance of a relationship with Him.  We can examine aspects of physical life and apply them to spiritual death to gain a clearer picture of what spiritual death entails.

1) Response to stimuli

Living organisms respond to sensory inputs that are affected by their environment.  As humans dead to Christ, we cannot respond on our own to His word.

2) Homeostasis

Living organisms have to maintain stable internal conditions.  As humans dead to Christ, we cannot maintain any temporary good works; we always fall back into sin.  Our own efforts cannot sustain a relationship with God. 

3) Growth

Living organisms always grow.  As humans dead to Christ, we cannot grow in Christ, namely because we cannot even enter into a relationship with Him in the first place!

Spiritually dead people cannot respond to Christ, they cannot maintain obedience to Christ, and they cannot grow in Christ.  Conversely, they respond naturally to sin, they remain in sin, and grow in sin!

In Scripture, this corruption of our nature is perhaps best shown in Roman 3.

1) Our minds (vs. 11)

Romans 3:11a

 ...[N]o one understands...

Our minds are corrupted by sin so we cannot even understand the Lord and His word.  We cannot spiritually discern what He is trying to say.

1 Corinthians 2:14

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

2) Our speech (vss. 13-14)

Romans 3:13-14

Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips.  Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.

A spiritually dead man's speech exhibits that death ("an open grave"), produces lies, tears downs and harms others, and invokes curses upon others.

3) Our behavior (vss. 15-17)

Romans 3:15-17

Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.

Not only speech, but actions are corrupted.  Murder, immorality, robbery, and strife are all examples of this.  Not only are our actions sinfully dead, but we hasten to do those actions.  We want and desire to do those actions.

4) Our will (vss. 11b-12a, 18)

Romans 3:11b-12a, 18

[N]o one seeks for God. All have turned aside...There is no fear of God before their eyes.

This is the biggest corruption of all.  The deeds and speech are merely an externalization of what is in the heart.  Spiritually dead men's wills are corrupted to the point where they will not seek after God and have purposefully rejected Him.  Let me emphasize this point: Men reject God because their wills are corrupted. 

It is this horrible truth that is the next crux of Calvinism and the subject of my next installment.

-Jonathan

Pragmatism at its Best

"The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works."

 

-Barack Obama

 

What Mr. Obama does not realize is the strange paradox of pragmatism--it never works.  Abandoning principle, in this case constitutional government, for pragmatism will fail in the long run.

Calvinism 101 - Part 1: A Personal Testimony

My last post introduced my Calvinism 101 series; in this post I wish to relate my own journey, as it were, to the Biblical doctrines that are labeled Calvinism.  To me, this is not merely a dry theological discussion that is best relegated to the halls of a seminary, but rather it is a discussion of scriptural doctrines that actually affect people and how they think, speak, and act.

I have not always called myself "Reformed." 

In fact, I really hadn't even heard of Reformation theology or Calvinism, let alone understood what these were, until a few years ago.  Then, my family started our blog and began reading other families' blogs.  We started to see people who labeled themselves as "Reformed Christians" or "Calvinists."  I really didn't know what that meant--Reformed believers were "them," not me.

It wasn't too long after this time that I started finding out what basic Calvinism was.  Oddly enough, it meshed with my own convictions.  It was, well, biblical!

I remember as a young lad believing in Calvinistic predestination after reading the magnificent passage in Ephesians 1.  When I read that God chose, I believed that God chose.  I also believed that man couldn't do anything to be saved and that once someone was genuinely converted, he could not fall away totally from salvation.

All these are tenets of basic Calvinism.  Essentially, I had been a "Calvinist" without realizing it.  What I did lack though, was a comprehensive view of the different Reformed doctrines and how they interrelated.  I also lacked a full understanding of the implications of the doctrines I believed in.

Studying the five points of Calvinism has given me two things: 1) a greater realization of the sinfulness of humans, ergo, myself, and 2) a greater realization of the sovereignty and love of God.  And that is why I believe that Calvinism is the heart of the gospel; the gospel cannot exist without a sinful man (else why the need for salvation?) or a totally sovereign God (else how can salvation take place?).  It is these two primary points that I want to expound on in this series.  All other points, I believe, are derivative of these.

I don't believe Calvinism because of John Calvin.  I haven't even read Calvin's Institutes!  I don't believe Calvinism because of the grand label of Reformed Theology.  I believe Biblical doctrines--if they are called Calvinism, then that's what I believe.  But I want to make clear that my convictions stem not just from a sense of belonging to a label, as it were, but rather that these doctrines are Biblical!

-Jonathan

Calvinism 101 - Introduction

One of the ideas that has been percolating in my head for several months now is to write a series of blog posts concerning Calvinism and the so-called Five Points of Calvinism.  Now that I have graduated, I have time to devote to this endeavor. 

One point before I begin: I do not claim this to be an exhaustive treatise on Calvinistic doctrine nor do I expect it to be an end-all polemic that silences all those who disagree.  Firstly, such a thought would be arrogant considering more spiritual men than I have debated these points for centuries and will continue to debate these points for centuries.  Secondly, it is arrogant to think that my words will persuade anyone, when it is clear that the Holy Spirit is the one who changes hearts, whether an unbeliever to turn to Christ, or a believer to be sanctified more to Christ.

That said, I do wish to make a Biblical, intelligent, informed argument for Calvinism.  Not only that, but I wish to make this argument in such a way that is easy for people to understand.  I think many people are confused about Calvinism because there are so many preconceived (wrong) notions about what Calvinism is, and they are even more turned off by the grandiose theological labels that are attached to the various doctines.  Does the average Christian know the difference between the Council of Dort and supralapsarianism?  Is Irresistable Grace the same as Preveniant Grace?  And what is semi-Pelagianism anyway?

If Christians are turned away from studying Calvinistic doctrines, then that is a travesty, because I view Calvinism as the heart and soul of the Gospel.  Like Charles Spurgeon said, "Calvinism is the Gospel."  I named this series "Calvinism 101" because I wish to make a basic, step-by-step case, starting at the beginning and working out the logical, Biblical conclusions. 

-Jonathan

New Year, New Look

Now that I have graduated, I decided that some retooling was in order for Eugraphia.  In keeping with the newness of the year, Eugraphia now has a fresher look, complete with a new header and tagline.  I also have more time on my hands with my schoolwork complete, thus leading (hopefully) to more posting.

~Jonathan

Why my mom and sisters will be more influential than Sarah Palin

Much has been said in recent days regarding the Republican vice-presidential nomination of Sarah Palin.  Many women, including Palin herself, herald the nomination as a great step for women and for women's rights.  The proverbial glass ceiling is beginning to shatter, they proclaim, and this will lead to newer and greater opportunities for women to wield authority and influence the world.

I will not, in this post, address the unbiblical nature of Sarah Palin's bid for the vice presidency.  This post is not a polemic for the Biblical qualifications of authority in family, church, and state.  Rather, this is a testimony of three women who will, I believe, have much greater influence for the kingdom of God than Sarah Palin will.

1) The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm,  all the days of her life. (Proverbs 31:11-12)

My mother has been a faithful wife to my father for the past 28 years.  In 1980, she vowed to stand by my dad in sickness and in health, in wealth or in poverty.  She vowed to remain faithful to him until death.  In an age of marital breakdown, my parents have displayed the opposite. 

Likewise, my two sisters have rejected cultural norms and shown remarkable faithfulness to my father and his vision for our family.  They have heeded his wisdom, and shown hearts of service to him and to the rest of the family.

Sarah Palin, on the other hand, seeks to please John McCain and do him good.

2) She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. (Proverbs 31:13-24)

Never was there a more finer picture of godly feminine industry than this.  This is what I am looking for in my future wife.  This is what my mom and sister exhibit abundantly.  Cultural norms dictate that women are not fulfilled at home; they are not expressing their full potential when working on "house stuff."  Cultural norms says that women need to get out into the workplace and establish an independent career divorced from family. 

This is in direct contradiction to Scripture.

Proverbs 31 lays out this panoramic view of what a godly woman should do with her time.  A woman's work is centered first and foremost in the home.  Look at what the Proverbs 31 woman does: seeks cloth, works with willing hands, brings in food, rises in the night to provide food, looks at property and buys it, plants vineyards, exercises, knows her business accounts, weaves, gives to the poor, makes clothing and other household fabricware, and sells garments.

This is absolutely amazing.  I work a full-time job and do near full-time schoolwork; it pales in comparison to the industry pictured by this woman.  My mom and sisters easily match this picture.

All three of them can cook a full-course, nutritious meal.  Hannah planted a garden and not only provides food for the table in the form of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, squash, green beans and corn, but also brightens the home with flowers grown from the garden.  Sarah knits and sews and quilts, and knits, and sews, and quilts, and crochets.  Her room is chock full of stuff that she has made for her future home.  She also throws in a meal or two every week and decorates wedding cakes.

Mom rises while it is still night and provides posts for her blog. :)

A women who has influence for the kingdom of God is a woman who works.  And not only that, but her work is centered in the home.  Her work strengthens the home and nurtures the home.  The goal of her work, the fruit of her work, is a satisfied home.

In contrast to this, Sarah Palin's work is not for the furtherance of her home, but rather for the campaign of John McCain.  Her work is dedicated to him, and if she does indeed become vice-president, her work will be dedicated to making his administration successful.  What a travesty!

Another point I want to bring out is that the industry of the Proverbs 31 woman elevates her husband, and makes her husband to be respected in the land.  Of course, one could argue that Sarah Palin would make her husband famous and make Todd Palin be "First Dude" in the gates of the land, but that isn't what the passage is saying.  When I look at my mom and sisters, I see not only their wisdom, I also see the wisdom of my father.  I see his dedicated teaching coming out in their lives.  People see the maturity and character of the women in our family and compliment my parents.  My parents gain more respect because of the example of my sisters.  Ultimately, the Lord is honored.

3)Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” (Proverbs 31:25-29)

Not only is an influential woman faithful to her family and centers her work around her family, she shows godly wisdom to her family.  This wisdom can be example of character ("strength and dignity") or explicit instruction ("Opens her mouth with wisdom", "kindness is on her tongue").  This woman teaches and teaches well.  Indeed, her children and husband take note of her wisdom and publicly proclaim it.

This is certainly representative of my mom.  She was an avid homeschooling mom who taught four kids for a total of 16 years.  She has poured her heart and life into us and has taught us much.  Mom, Hannah, and Sarah all display strength and dignity.  They are respectable women of God who derive their strength of character from the word of God.

From listening to the speeches of Sarah Palin, she does not convey strength, dignity, or wisdom to me.  She is steeped in the ideals of feminism, displays a rather snide attitude when speaking, and is clearly ready to largely abandon her family for the rigors of political office.  

God more often than not chooses everyday people to further His plan and bring about the salvation of others.  Paul says he does not choose many mighty, noble or world wise people.  It is women like my mom and sisters who quietly and consistently follow the Lord's will and adhere to His principles that truly influence the world.  Women of character raise sons and daughters of character, who in turn raise up further generations for the glory of God.  Politicians like Sarah Palin have a limited, temporal influence on the world.  Godly women like my mother and sisters have a lasting, spiritual blessing on many and allow God to use them to bring a multitude of people to Christ.

The Church of Huck?

From Small Government Times on presidential candidate and darling of evangelicals, Mike Huckabee:

To that enormous secular conservative voting block out there, I will say, be not afraid. It’s not that Huck would impose religion through government. No, his actions would truly offend you.

He would impose statism in the name of religion through government.

Read all of the article.

-Jonathan

Winter Virginia Sunset

 

Interview with Voddie Baucham

I was able to accost Voddie Baucham right when he was heading out to catch a flight home.   With trepidation I approached him and asked if I could interview him.  He graciously agreed! 

Interview with Voddie Baucham (1.4 MB)

Interview with Paul Renfro

Paul Renfro, a co-elder with Voddie Baucham, graciously assented to being interviewed.  He was a tall man (you can note the disparity in our respective heights), and I enjoyed listening to his topics on calling fathers to lead.  One of his favorite topics was Voddie Baucham's message on family evangelism, to which I alluded in my introductory post.

Interview with Paul Renfro (1.2MB)

Interview with Jason Dohm

I chatted with Mr. Jason Dohm (and his daughter :)).  I was unable to attend any of Mr. Dohm's topics, but I was able to listen to him when Dad, Hannah, and I went to the church planter's symposium in Wake Forest this past summer.  He has a pleasant personality and is well-rooted in Scripture.  With me is my friend, Ben Wagner, part of my church family.  Both of us enjoyed talking with the speakers.

Interview with Jason Dohm (1.4 MB)

Interview with Dr. Andrew Davis

I spoke with Dr. Andrew Davis as well.  He is pastor of a church in Durham, North Carolina.  He had some remarkable messages on what the Bible says about fathers and sons, both in Old and New Testament.  He particularly focused on the Father/Son relationship in the trinity, including the time before creation, during creation, and when Jesus was here on earth.

Interview with Andrew Davis (1.6MB)