Brief on divine omnipotence and holiness

Facebook Graffiti 2009  (There).

2003 The Problem of Evil: Anglican and Baptist Perspectives: MPhil thesis, Bangor University 

For my MPhil surveys, I received fifty each, completed of Anglicans and Baptists who have attended a post-secondary denominational college, University or seminary, or are members of one of those denominations who have studied religion at a post-secondary level.

Statements two and three:

2. God is omnipotent.
3. God is perfectly holy.

These statements had to do with whether or not one believed that God was omnipotent and perfectly holy. Logically (Reasonably), once one believes that God is infinite, then he or she will very likely believe that God is omnipotent and holy beyond measure.

It is not a surprise then that 92% of Anglicans stated that God was omnipotent with 8% not certain, and that 100% of Baptists agreed that God was omnipotent. As well, 100% of each denomination believed that God was perfectly holy.

MPhil 2003

2. God is omnipotent.

May 20 2013 Omnipotence

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Baptist and Reformed theologian Millard Erickson writes that God cannot do any arbitrary thing he desires, as he can only accomplish what is logical and not illogical and contradictory. Erickson (1994: 277) Erickson also reasons, interestingly, that God cannot undo the past,although he may take away the effects and memory of it. Erickson (1994: 277) God cannot logically violate his own nature or fail to live up to a promise. Erickson (1994: 277).

Otto Weber suggests God has unlimited capacity and unrestricted will. Weber (1955)(1981: 440). God is unrestricted in what he determines within self and outside of self. Weber (1955)(1981: 440).

Presbyterian theologian John M. Frame admits the term omnipotence is not in Scripture,[12] but reasons the concept is Biblical. Frame (2002: 515). He deduces that based on the Bible, it is impossible for anything to occur outside of what God has willed to happen. Frame (2002: 515).

August 1, 2019

God is infinite, eternal and spirit (John 4: 24, God is spirit) and does not have finite nature and finite attributes. God in the incarnation, as in God the Son, did take finite, human attributes. But these do not mix with God's infinite nature and attributes.

Therefore, in regard to an objection I have come across in my PhD thesis:

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

God in spirit cannot technically ride a bicycle, but could make a bicycle move as if ridden.

God the Son, as God incarnate, could ride a bicycle.

3. God is perfectly holy.

Holy November 30 2016

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Concerning the idea of God being holy, Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki and Cherith Fee Nordling (1999) write the term holy is a Biblical idea, generally meaning to be set apart. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 60). It is described of God who is set apart from his creation, pure from any of the evil within it. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 60).

I would suggest, from a Reformed perspective, what God allows as an omnipotent being, he therefore wills, but remains moral and holy in nature. This is a compatibilistic, yet Biblical model. Divine motivation remains holy and perfectly good.

As noted in recent entries...

God's part in human problems of evil and suffering were the focus of my European, British, MPhil and PhD theses. God's part in evil and suffering, although God remains infinite, eternal, perfect, holy and good. Being almighty implies infinity and without finity and/or faults related to finity. If God was infinite and contrary to my biblical theology, both good and evil; in my view evil would not be evil at all.
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Divine holiness and perfection is implied, theologically and philosophically.

As well in biblical terms, God is called holy.

Biblical examples:

1 Peter 1:14-16 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 14 As [a]obedient children, do not [b]be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but [c]like the Holy One who called you, [d]be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

See Exodus 3, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy and the Pentateuch, for examples in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament.

AUGUSTINE (388-395)(1964) On Free Choice of the Will, Translated by Anna S.Benjamin and L.H. Hackstaff, Upper Saddle River, N.J., Prentice Hall.

AUGUSTINE (398-399)(1992) Confessions, Translated by Henry Chadwick, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

AUGUSTINE (400-416)(1987)(2004) On the Trinity, Translated by Reverend Arthur West Haddan, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series One, Volume 3, Denver, The Catholic Encyclopedia. 

AUGUSTINE (421)(1998) Enchiridion, Translated by J.F. Shaw, Denver, The Catholic Encyclopedia. http://www.knight.org/advent

AUGUSTINE (426)(1958) The City of God, Translated by Gerald G. Walsh, Garden City, New York, Image Books.

AUGUSTINE (427)(1997) On Christian Doctrine, Translated by D.W. Robertson Jr., Upper Saddle River, N.J., Prentice Hall.

AUGUSTINE (427b)(1997) On Christian Teaching, Translated by R.P.H. Green, Oxford, Oxford 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.

FRAME, JOHN M. (1999) ‘The Bible on the Problem of Evil: Insights from Romans 3:1-8,21-26; 5:1-5; 8:28-39’, IIIM Magazine Online, Volume 1, Number 33, October 11 to October 17, Fern Park, Florida, Third Millennium.

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

PHILLIPS, D.Z. (1981) Encountering Evil, Stephen T. Davis (ed.), Atlanta, John Knox Press. 

PHILLIPS, D.Z. (2005) The Problem of Evil and the Problem of God, Fortress Press, Minneapolis. 

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

Brief on backsliding & apostasy

Conwy Castle 2001

Another audio sermon from Grace Baptist Church and Pastor Michael Phillips. In light of recent news of interest to my circle of influence, I reasoned this sermon on backsliding (and possible apostasy) was relevant. Again, I appreciate Pastor Phillips' reasonably academic, lecture type sermons.

November 3 1999

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Tonight, with the Lord's blessing, we'll complete our study of Richard Baxter on Backsliding. 

Phillips states Baxter was a Puritan. (12 November 1615 – 8 December 1691)

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Thus, tonight, we'll learn what to do if we're not backslidden. Or, how to avoid slipping away from God. The Puritan offers twelve directions.

I will comment on 1. Know the truth

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1. KNOW THE TRUTH

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If you want to "grow in grace", you must study the Bible, think about it, and pray for understanding.

Within a Reformed tradition (and for some within other traditions), the Scripture is the final authority on spiritual and religious matters.

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Why are we so ignorant? For three reasons: 1. We don't study the Bible, 2. we receive many doctrines on the word of men, and 3. we spend too much time on secondary issues.

By God's grace, in my own academic and personal study, I emphasize studying the scripture in context. As well the use of commentaries and sources for the study of the original biblical languages, is crucial. This is done by me on a private level, but with respect for the corporate theology of the Christian Church.

(I am not a linguist but I review biblical languages when needed. In the same way, biblical scholars and linguists need to at times seek to learn reasonable biblically based theology, and perhaps even related philosophy of religion.)

Besides issue 1, issues 2 and 3 are problematic as many individual Christians do not sufficiently, prayerfully study the scripture and related disciplines, and therefore are too prone to doctrinal spin and programming from human beings.

These teachings can place too much emphasis on secondary doctrines.

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The only way to know the truth--and be convinced of it--is to study the Bible on your own, to "prove all things" men tell you (including what I say), and to spend most of your study time on "the weightier matters of the law".

2 Timothy 2:15

New American Standard Bible (NASB) 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

Further from the audio message:

If you don't want to backslide, digest God's Word.

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"Eternal Security" or "Once Saved Always Saved" are true doctrines. And precious ones too. But beware lest they become your only doctrines. Let no teaching ever make you forget Matthew 10:21 or Hebrews 12:14, "He who endures to the end shall be saved". "Pursue peace with all men and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord".

A sign of true regeneration (John 3, Titus 3) of a believer, within the atoning and resurrection work of Christ, is perseverance in the biblical faith.

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This, I think, is the most important thing he says. Backsliding doesn't begin with big, gross, and scandalous sins. No, it begins with not reading the Bible one day or giving into an impure thought. These sins snowball and before you know it, you're dangerously backslidden. Or lost. 

The best place to prevent backsliding is at the beginning. Before it grieves the Spirit of God and builds a momentum you can't stop. 

Being lost would be synonymous with apostasy. A rejection of the formerly held worldview, in this case the rejection of Christianity.

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If you're not backslidden, give thanks to God for His grace. But remember, everyone is liable to it--even you. Take the advice Baxter gives, ask God to bless it, and "Grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ".

As I noted in a recent article, edited for this entry...

July 21 2019

As all persons are finite and sinful (Romans) we all can have doubts. But doubts about Christianity do not form a reasonable worldview alone. A worldview must deal with premises and conclusions to prove as reasonable and true. In other words, rejecting Christianity in doubt, is problematic, unless a more reasonable and true worldview can be presented by premises and conclusions, in its place.

I commented on the news of Joshua Harris and his documented online, change of views. Interesting here are comments from 2005 in regard to Harris and his former views from Christian, baptist theologian, Albert Mohler.

Dr. Mohler is a very committed teacher of biblical Christianity. On that key point at least, Dr. Mohler and I are in agreement.

How relevant to Pastor Phillips' audio sermon...

Albert Mohler July 15 2005

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Not Even A Hint is a ground-breaking book of Christian candor and biblical honesty. Once again, Joshua Harris has given young Christians a great gift--a book that combines Scriptural wisdom with a sense of deep urgency. He writes with passion and credibility, and this author does not duck the hardest issues.

Note that Dr. Mohler cites Philosopher Simon Blackburn, an often quoted useful secular reference on this website.

2 Thessalonians 2 discusses a falling away (KJV) that will occur before the second advent of Jesus Christ. I reason modern backsliding and even apostasy within the Christian Church should therefore not be a shocking development.

In basic theological agreement with the audio sermon; may the Lord keep us in the gospel truth, by grace through faith for good works.

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

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. 

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

Actually this is not the same photo I have shown for years. Found this second version in my photo album. Conwy Castle 2001.

God's infinity as essential

Conwy Castle 2001

In the previous chronological entry, on this website, I made comments to why the infinity of God is essential for a correct biblical, theological and philosophical understanding.

God's part in human problems of evil and suffering were the focus of my European, British, MPhil and PhD theses. God's part in evil and suffering, although God remains infinite, eternal, perfect, holy and good. Being almighty implies infinity and without finity and/or faults related to finity. If God was infinite and contrary to my biblical theology, both good and evil; in my view evil would not be evil at all. 

Further, it could be stated that God's infinity, eternity and other attributes are of necessity/are necessary, philosophically.

Below I compared survey findings on the question of infinity from my PhD and MPhil surveys.

God As Infinite (Survey Comparison) August 15 2013

2003 The Problem of Evil: Anglican and Baptist Perspectives: MPhil thesis, Bangor University 

For my MPhil surveys, I received fifty each, completed of Anglicans and Baptists who have attended a post-secondary denominational college, University or seminary, or are members of one of those denominations who have studied religion at a post-secondary level.

Statement one: The first statement on the survey was stated as: God is infinite/limitless. 

My position on this statement is that Scripture and reason demonstrate this to be the case in the affirmative. Scripture does not use the philosophical term infinite to describe God, however, Erickson stated that the idea is indicated.

Jeremiah quotes God as saying, "Am I a God at hand,...and not a God afar off? (Jer. 23:23). The implication seems to be that a God at hand does not preclude his being afar as well. He fills the whole heaven and earth (v.24). Thus, one cannot hide oneself in ‘secret places’ so that he cannot be seen. God speaks of heaven as his throne and the earth as his footstool; the idea that man can confine God by building him a dwelling place is then, sheer folly. The psalmist found that he could not flee from presence of God–wherever the psalmist went, God would be there (Ps. 139:7-12). Erickson, Millard, J. (1985), Christian Theology (p. 273).

One could argue that Scripture is not indicating God is infinite as an attribute, but is, instead, stating that he is all powerful and knowing within his creation. In other words, he is simply of greater finite nature than anything in his creation.

However, in Genesis 1, it is indicated that God made the Universe from nothing other than his will and power. Thus he must be beyond all things which he has created, so logically he is infinite in comparison to his creation, and nothing else existed before his creation.

Therefore it could be deduced that he is infinite as an attribute, as it appears nothing existed beyond him before or after the creation of the Universe.

For this first statement, 94% of Anglicans agreed, 4% were not certain, while 2% disagreed. For Baptists, 98% agreed, while 2% were not certain. There is with this point an agreement between myself and the great majority of my responders.

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.

God as absent?

Supposedly, the future Red Skull and Kingpin @ Conwy, Wales.

February 24 2008

The audio sermon above from Grace Baptist Church

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TEXT: Job 23 SUBJECT: Spiritual Depression #12: God's Absence

Previous sermons from Pastor Michael Phillips have dealt with spiritual depression connected to human and satanic causes. This sermon is focused on God as the cause and in my theology/philosophy, God as primary cause.

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What really tore him up was. God. Or, rather, God's Absence. This is what today's sermon is about: God's Absence as a Major Cause of Depression.

God's part in human problems of evil and suffering were the focus of my European, British, MPhil and PhD theses. God's part in evil and suffering, although God remains  infinite, eternal, perfect, holy and good. Being almighty implies infinity and without finity and/or faults related to finity. If God was infinite and contrary to my biblical theology, both good and evil; in my view evil would not be evil at all.

Job 40 from the New American Standard Bible

40 Then the Lord said to Job, 2 “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it.” 3 Then Job answered the Lord and said, 4 “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth. 5 “Once I have spoken, and I will not answer; Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”

MPhil, Bangor University, 2003: The Problem of Evil: Anglican and Baptist Perspectives 

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

From my MPhil

Simon Blackburn defines determinism as follows:

The doctrine that every event has a cause. The usual explanation of this is that for every event, there is some antecedent state, related in such a way that it would break a law of nature for this antecedent state to exist yet the event not to happen. Blackburn (1996: 102).

Calvin stated concerning free will:

If freedom is opposed to coercion, I both acknowledge and consistently maintain that choice is free and I hold anyone who thinks otherwise to be a heretic. If, I say, it were called free in this sense of not being coerced nor forcibly moved by an external impulse, but moving of its own accord, I have no objection. Calvin (1543)(1996: 68).

Human beings in Calvin’s thinking were not forced by God to sin, but God as an infinite being had and used the power to use their sin for the greater good. So to say that God willed evil for the greater good means that God could use sinful actions of others in order to accomplish his divine purpose. Calvin stated:

For we do not say that the wicked sin of necessity in such a way as to imply that they sin without wilful and deliberate evil intent. The necessity comes from the fact that God accomplishes his work, which is sure and steadfast, through them. At the same time, however, the will and purpose to do evil which dwells within them makes them liable to censure.

But, it is said, they are driven and forced to this by God. Indeed, but in such a way that in a single deed the action of God is one thing and their own action is another. For they gratify their evil and wicked desires, but God turns this wickedness so as to bring his judgements (judgments) to execution. Calvin (1543)(1996: 37).

God could set up events in such a way that someone would freely choose to sin, but this is not done in such a way that God is forcing one to do so. I believe in a human fall through sinful choice. God can still will, in a sense, that these sinful actions work for the greater good, but I do not believe in a Universe where God forces and coerces people to commit individual sin.

People are sinful in nature as they are descendants of Adam. This inherited and sinful nature means people will freely choose to sin and God does not coerce them into doing so. He may provide situations where he knows that certain individuals will sin, but his motives in this are for the greater good.

A PhD argument summarized:

God is the cause of all things.

A technical, philosophical use of the term 'cause' is used.

God can directly cause anything not contrary to his nature or contradictory.

God can indirectly cause and allow evil. via secondary causes.

God has the power to prohibit evil, and therefore what he does not prohibit he sanctions/causes.

God wills evil for the greater good.

God has perfect motives.

Persons are a secondary cause of significantly free human actions.

Therefore: Hard determinism is not used by God when persons sin.
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God as primary cause of human thoughts, acts and actions is compatible with human thoughts, acts and actions as secondary cause (and secondary agents). This is soft determinism or compatibilism.

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Why would the Lord do this to anyone? 

Here it is: We don't know. Note carefully, I did not say God doesn't know! We don't know, and if the Lord wants to explain Himself to us, He can, but He is under no obligation to do so.

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The cure for this kind of depression is not in us. It is in God, who will come back to us when He wants to. And not before or after.

In my theological and philosophical reasoning, as God is infinite and interacts with his finite creation, he is not ontologically absent; rather God in the book of Job, causes and wills events indirectly, and it is possible, at some points, directly.

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Our sadness does not dethrone our Lord and Savior.

The gospel work of the triune God through Jesus Christ, his atoning and resurrection work, is still applied to those in Jesus Christ that believe and live in faith, by grace through faith.

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

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