Briefly on gaining truth through intense prayer

Photo 1: File Scott Kelly NASA via AP 2021

Photo 2: stuart mckay photography prince street, february 3, 2022

By my Reformed theological reasoning, I have probably been a regenerated (John 3, Titus, 1 Peter 1: 3) Christian believer, since I was approximately 4 years old or so, back in the Prairie Avenue and Finley Street, Port Coquitlam days.

My Mother used to tell me that when I was very young, I blamed God for everything...

website archives: regeneration

I have as a finite and sinful human being (Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Hebrews as examples for reference), prayed since being young. I have also, with God's help, developed into a Christian intellectual, PhD, Wales.

In conjunction with my weight loss regiment, recovering from the lifelong results of sleep apnea, I am finally getting a handle on this issue. Besides the UPPP, rhinoplasty surgeries from years ago and the permanent, low carbohydrates, low sugar diet, I have continued my lifelong exercise program.

This includes my often one hour, prayer walks in my condo, usually before bed. I need to admit that I am not theologically a charismatic, but probably a couple of times in my life, I would consider that a supernatural event occurred with a message from the Lord for me. 

Never expected...

When I seek the Lord to tell me truth, I consider that is God naturally communicating to me, or at least largely so.

In Reformed theology, God is the first cause of all things. So, when I am praying I ask the Lord, not mainly for a supernatural message, but for the Lord to naturally put proper thoughts and ideas into my head concerning me serving God, including my life ministry and life problems.

What has come to my mind recently is that my clearest understandings of truth is not when I am using my PhD intellect to dwell on problems and solutions. Rather, my clearest understandings of truth are when I am using my PhD intellect, in intense prayer, as a secondary cause, being led by God as the first cause, to understand truth and reality by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This in the applied atoning and resurrection work of God the Son, Jesus Christ, through God the Father.

Surprisingly, on a key issue, my almost entirely, negative, intellectual, conclusions when I am thinking and pondering on this issue, become more positive conclusions when I am intellectually, thinking and pondering on the issue in intense prayer.  

Self-deception? 

Attempting to put a positive spin on a problem and problems?

These are always possibilities, admittedly.

But strange things have happened in 'real life' praying on this issue that are in agreement with ideas that came into my head, as I asked the Lord for the truth, well before they actually occurred.

Again, I do not claim to be a charismatic, theologically.

This intense prayer is often done by walking and specifically asking the Lord to take any Satanic or human deception, lack of clarity and falsehoods, out of my mind, and telling me the truth. It is not exhaustive truth, as the Lord always requires an aspect of faith. Not blind faith, but faith and reason connected to biblical, theological, philosophical and other sources of truth. But I have to admit, that I have been especially lately, provided some clarity in intense prayer. These ideas seem to largely agree with the ideas from others that know me well that are also praying on this issue and other issues.

BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 2: God and Creation, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.

BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 3: Sin and Salvation in Christ, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids. 

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College. 

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book IV, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College.

CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House. 

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House. 

FRANKE, JOHN R. (2005) The Character of Theology, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids. 

KAVANAGH, AIDAN (1999) ‘Initiation, Christian’, in Alan Richardson and John Bowden (eds.), A New Dictionary of Christian Theology, Kent, SCM Press Ltd. 

KIERKEGAARD, SOREN (1847-1848)(1955)(1966) On Authority and Revelation, Translated by Walter Lowrie, New York, Harper and Row, Publishers, Incorporated. 

KIERKEGAARD, SOREN (1848-1849)(1961) Christian Discourses & The Lilies of the Field and The Birds of the Air & Three Discourses at The Communion on Fridays, Translated by Walter Lowrie, New York, Oxford University Press. 

KLEIN, WILLIAM W., CRAIG, C. BLOMBERG, AND ROBERT L. HUBBARD, JR. (1993) Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, London, Word Publishing. 

MURRAY, JOHN (1937-1966)(1977) Collected Writings of John Murray, Vol. 2: Select Lectures in Systematic Theology, Edinburgh, The Banner of Truth Trust.

PACKER, J.I. (1996) ‘Regeneration’ in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books. 

THIESSEN, HENRY C. (1956) Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

SCHLEIERMACHER, FRIEDRICH (1799)(1961) On Religion, in Elie Kedourie, Nationalism, New York, Praeger University Series. 

SCHLEIERMACHER, FRIEDRICH (1821)(1928)(1976) The Christian Faith, Edited by H.R. Mackintosh and J.S. Stewart, Philadelphia, Fortress Press. 

SCHRECK, ALAN (1984) Catholic and Christian, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Servant Books. SHEDD, 

WILLIAM G.T. (1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 1, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers. 

SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T. (1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 2, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers. 

WEBER, OTTO (1955)(1981) Foundations of Dogmatics, Volumes 1 and 2, Translated and annotated by Darrell L. Guder, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

WHALE, J.S. (1958) Christian Doctrine, Glasgow, Fontana Books.

The Orthodox Study Bible: Reconciliation part 2

The Orthodox Study Bible: Reconciliation part 2

Bottom photo: Spitzer Space Telescope, NASA. Science News

Continued from part 1

The Orthodox Study Bible: Reconciliation part 1 

THE ORTHODOX STUDY BIBLE, NEW TESTAMENT AND PSALMS (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy, Nashville, Tennessee, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Glossary: Reverend John W. Morris, PhD

Quote

'Reconciliation  The removal of hostility and barriers between humans and God, and between individuals, accomplished by God (Rom. 5:11; 2 Cor 5:18-19). (805)'

From New American Standard Bible (NASB) 

2 Corinthians 5: 18-19

18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their wrongdoings against them, and [a]He has [b]committed to us the word of reconciliation. Footnotes (a) 2 Corinthians 5:19 Lit having (b) 2 Corinthians 5:19 Lit placed in us

Bible Hub: 2 Corinthians 5: 18 

Cited 

καταλλάξαντος 

having reconciled  (who reconciled from NASB)

V-APA-GMS 

Verb, Aorist, Participle, Active-Genitive, Masculine, Singular, my add.

Google search

Cited

 'What does the aorist active tense in Greek mean? 1. aorist - a verb tense in some languages (classical Greek and Sanskrit) expressing action (especially past action) without indicating its completion or continuation.'    

Aorist and active meaning. There is an action of reconciliation that took place in the past, but the results continue in the present. Those regenerated (John 3, Titus 3: 5, 1 Peter 1: 23) having been reconciled by the applied atoning work of Jesus Christ, his resurrection and the future resurrection of believers. Those persons in Christ has been reconciled through the salvific, gospel work of Jesus Christ to God (Romans, Galatians, Hebrews). The Genitive, is the reconciliation of us from God and to God.      

nygreek.net

Quote

'Participles are fundamentally verbal adjectives. They indicate action as do verbs. But they also modify nouns. Consider the word "walking" in the following sentence: The man walking down the street lost his car.' 

God having reconciled.

Bible Hub: 2 Corinthians 5: 18 

Cited

καταλλαγῆς  

of reconciliation 

N-GFS 

Bauer states here that καταλλαγῆ, more specifically καταλλαγῆς in context is 'the word of reconciliation' in 2 Corinthians 5: 18 (414). Similar to Romans 11: 15 (414). Although I noted that it is technically, καταλλαγὴν.

Bible Hub: 2 Corinthians 5: 19

καταλλάσσων 

Is reconciling, as in a verb, an action word. Is this case, present, participle, active. 

God is reconciling those he saves, based on the reconciling he did on the cross with the atonement, followed within three days by his resurrection. These things applied to regenerated believers. 

Original Word: καταλλάσσω which is Strong's 2644. 

καταλλαγῆς

Is of reconciliation, as in a noun. Genitive, feminine, singular.  God has provided the word of reconciliation.

Original Word: καταλλαγή, ῆς, ἡ which is Strong's 2643 

Reconciliation defined

Erickson notes that Jesus Christ as reconciler is the theme of his chapters on atonement. (768-769, but  also 781-841). Quote: 'Because he was sinless, he did not have to die in payment for his own sins. Inasmuch as he is an infinite being who did not have to die, his death can serve to atone for the sins of all mankind.' (804).

God-incarnate, Jesus Christ, is perfect human being, and therefore serves as the perfect, sinless, atoning sacrifice (Hebrews). He is also, as spirit, infinite, eternal God, that outlasts and defeats, finite sin.

Thiessen documents the same New Testament Greek references as I have dealt with in parts 1-2. (327). In the fall (Genesis 3) Adam and Eve turned from God. God turned from humanity. But through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, God has reconciled humanity. (327-328).

The reconciling work of the triune God, through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, and the connected resurrection, brings humanity in Jesus Christ 'at one ment' (atonement) with their creator, saviour and sustainer.

Boice on Jesus Christ: 'The one who takes the place of man in order to satisfy God's justice is actually the one who had himself become man and is therefore what we might term our representative.' (290).

Yes. Therefore, in Jesus Christ, we are saved by grace through faith, alone and not by works.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and [l]this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

(l) Ephesians 2:8 I.e., this salvation

BAUER, WALTER (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.

BRUCE, F.F. (1987) Romans, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

CLINES, DAVID, J. A. (1986), 2 Corinthians, The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House. 

ERICKSON, MILLARD (2003) What Does God Know and When Does He Know It?, Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

FEE, GORDON (1987) The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

HUGHES, PHILIP, EDGCUMBE (1990) A Commentary On The Epistle To The Hebrews, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

MARSH, PAUL W. in Bruce, F.F. (ed.), (1986) First Corinthians, The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.

STRONG, J. (1890)(1986) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Burlington, Welch Publishing Company. 

THIESSEN, HENRY C. (1956) Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

The Orthodox Study Bible: Reconciliation part 1

The Orthodox Study Bible: Reconciliation part 1

Bottom photo: Spitzer Space Telescope, NASA. Science News

THE ORTHODOX STUDY BIBLE, NEW TESTAMENT AND PSALMS (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy, Nashville, Tennessee, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Glossary: Reverend John W. Morris, PhD

Quote

'Reconciliation  The removal of hostility and barriers between humans and God, and between individuals, accomplished by God (Rom. 5:11; 2 Cor 5:18-19). (805)'

From New American Standard Bible (NASB) 

Romans 5: 11

11 And not only this, but [a]we also celebrate in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.  Footnotes (a) Romans 5:11 Lit also boasting

Bible Hub: Romans 5:11 

Cited 

καταλλαγὴν 

reconciliation 

N-AFS 

Noun, Accusative, Feminine, Singular, my add. The accusative is usually connected to the direct object, but has some other uses. The reconciliation of we to God, in Romans 5: 11.

2 Corinthians 5: 18-19

18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their wrongdoings against them, and [a]He has [b]committed to us the word of reconciliation. Footnotes (a) 2 Corinthians 5:19 Lit having (b) 2 Corinthians 5:19 Lit placed in us

Bible Hub: 2 Corinthians 5: 18 

Cited 

καταλλάξαντος 

having reconciled  (who reconciled from NASB)

V-APA-GMS 

Verb, Aorist, Participle, Active-Genitive, Masculine, Singular, my add.

Google search

Cited

 'What does the aorist active tense in Greek mean? 1. aorist - a verb tense in some languages (classical Greek and Sanskrit) expressing action (especially past action) without indicating its completion or continuation.'    

Aorist and active meaning. There is an action of reconciliation that took place in the past, but the results continue in the present. Those regenerated (John 3, Titus 3: 5, 1 Peter 1: 23) having been reconciled by the applied atoning work of Jesus Christ, his resurrection and the future resurrection of believers. Those persons in Christ has been reconciled through the salvific, gospel work of Jesus Christ to God (Romans, Galatians, Hebrews). The Genitive, is the reconciliation of us from God and to God.      

nygreek.net

Quote

'Participles are fundamentally verbal adjectives. They indicate action as do verbs. But they also modify nouns. Consider the word "walking" in the following sentence: The man walking down the street lost his car.' 

God having reconciled.

Bible Hub: 2 Corinthians 5: 18 

Cited

καταλλαγῆς  

of reconciliation 

N-GFS 

Bauer states here that καταλλαγῆ, more specifically καταλλαγῆς in context is 'the word of reconciliation' in 2 Corinthians 5: 18 (414). Similar to Romans 11: 15 (414). Although I noted that it is technically, καταλλαγὴν.

---

To be continued. A frustrating, but educational part 1, with all the Blogger deletions and errors while writing!

BAUER, WALTER (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.

BRUCE, F.F. (1987) Romans, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

CLINES, DAVID, J. A. (1986), 2 Corinthians, The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

FEE, GORDON (1987) The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

MARSH, PAUL W. in Bruce, F.F. (ed.), (1986) First Corinthians, The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.

STRONG, J. (1890)(1986) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Burlington, Welch Publishing Company. 

PhD: Twitter quote 115/This is necessary/Bonus-Catching some Red Pill problematic philosophy

PhD: Twitter quote 115: This is necessary/Bonus-Catching some Red Pill problematic philosophy

Photo: Kuala Lumpur, Civil Engineering Discoveries, LinkedIn

2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter

Saturday, September 19, 2020 PhD Full Version PDF: Theodicy and Practical Theology 2010, Wales TSD

PhD: Twitter quote 115: This is necessary

Twitter version I

God’s essence is eternal and necessary (logically must exist), and the finite universe is temporal and contingent (not necessary). 

---

From: Shedd (1874-1890)(1980: 191 Volume 1). 

Twitter version II

God as a necessary being is therefore the cause of contingent creation.

---

January 28, 2022

Note that angelic beings, human beings, and all created entities are finite and contingent. See Genesis 1-3, John 1, Colossians 1, as biblical examples.

Colossians 1: 16 New American Standard Bible (1995) NASB

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him.

In Colossians 1, God the Son, that became God incarnate, Jesus Christ, created all things. The infinite, eternal, co-creator along with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1-3).

God as necessary: archive search

BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 2: God and Creation, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids. 

BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 3: Sin and Salvation in Christ, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids 

BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

BONJOUR, LAURENCE. (1996) ‘A Priori’, in Robert Audi (ed.), The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House. 

ERICKSON, MILLARD (2003) What Does God Know and When Does He Know It? Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

FEINBERG, JOHN S. (2001) No One Like Him, John S. Feinberg (gen.ed.), Wheaton, Illinois, Crossway Books.

FRAME, JOHN M. (2002) The Doctrine of God, P and R Publishing, Phillipsburg, New Jersey. 

GEIVETT, R. DOUGLAS (1993) Evil and the Evidence for God, Philadelphia, Temple University Press. 

POJMAN, LOUIS P. (1996) Philosophy: The Quest for Truth, New York, Wadsworth Publishing Company.

SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T. (1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 2, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers. 

SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T. (1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 2, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers. 

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2014) (2017), The Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University.

WEBBER, OTTO (1955)(1981) Foundations of Dogmatics, Volumes 1 and 2, Translated and annotated by Darrell L. Guder, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

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Catching some Red Pill problematic philosophy

Preface

My #1 life priority as a biblical Christian appears to be to use my God-guided, earned, complex, yet practical, PhD in Theology and Philosophy of Religion, and related academic work, to serve the Lord, with online websites and with official employment. An academic type ministry of sorts.

My #2 life priority, in Jesus Christ and the gospel, within a biblical Christian worldview, appears to be to stay single, or find a youthful woman to marry where there is significant, mutual, spiritual, intellectual, romantic, mutual attraction. 

By my definition, Red Pill, is a largely online, men's movement which attempts to realistically look at dating and marriage with the use of reason. This is not to be confused with MGTOW, which is Men Going Their Own Way, which is related, and is more radically against romantic relationships, in general, it seems to me. 

As a biblical Christian, I am absolutely pro-marriage in a biblical sense, and follow the New Testament for standards. I do agree with much of what I have heard on You Tube in regards to Red Pill, as far as reasonable and often true evaluations of the secular dating and marriage scene, and philosophies within the western world system, in 2022. 

I do not overall, support the sexual ethics of the Red Pill movement, for example:

Example 1

On the one hand, from more the one source within the Red Pill movement, I have heard and read it suggested and taught that a man that does choose to date, should not date a woman again, if the man does not receive sexual benefits from her on the first date or soon once dating.

On the other hand, from more than one source within the Red Pill movement, I have heard it suggested and taught that a man should only date and marry a woman with as few previous sexual partners as possible, preferably zero sexual partners. 

If a person embraces both of these concepts, every dating encounter that features pre-marital sex (biblically known as fornication if both partners are unmarried, or adultery when a married person has sexual relations with someone not his/her spouse), that does not lead to a committed, life-long marriage, actually makes the western dating and relationship pool decrease in quantity and quality for other men trying to find a female partner with less, little or no sexual experience. 

Here with these two points, Red Pill philosophy is working against itself...

Example 2

Some recently listened to videos...

On the one hand, I heard a generally astute, Red Pill coach state, that a young woman with a casual boyfriend, that is not engaged or married, is quote 'fair game', to attempt to date. This could even be as a secret, not public, relationship.

On the other hand, in another video, this coach wisely states (paraphrased)

Don't be her backup plan

Don't be her backup man

---

A secondary dating partner is a backup...

Love triangles to me oppose biblical ideals of courtship and marriage. 

Further, secret relationships, outside of Church, family knowledge, and mutual, spiritual, intellectual, romantic attraction, highlight spiritual darkness, instead of the light of the gospel.

John 3:19, NASB: "And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil."

Here with these two points, Red Pill philosophy is working against itself...