Theology About Town

I have the undeserved privilege of attending college in historic St. Augustine, FL. I walk streets once trodden by Timucuan Indians and Spanish explorers. I dine and learn in facilities that were once the playgrounds of Gilded Age elites and Presidents; I mean, my college is a certified national landmark! For history buffs like myself, St. Augustine’s siren song, carried on the warm ocean breeze, beacons me to explore her centuries old alleyways and discover her secrets. However, what deeper meaning and truth can one hope to uncover in this ancient city? From the many monuments, towering churches, and aged architecture, one can reflect on the Truth that is clearly articulated in Holy Scripture.



Why not start with the city’s namesake? Augustine of Hippo, the Doctor of Grace, was the foremost theologian of the church’s first one thousand years. He laid the theological groundwork for the doctrines of human depravity and salvation by God’s Grace alone that would later be expounded upon by the likes of Luther and Calvin during the Reformation. My favorite quote by Augustine is a prayer he had regarding his own chastity. He would pray to God, “God, make me chaste…but not yet.” Here was a flesh and blood saint who struggled through the same sin and temptation we all do, yet he was used by God to do great things for the Body of Christ. His major works include De Doctrina Christiana (On Christian Doctrine), De Trinitate (On the Trinity), The Confessions, and De Civitate Dei (The City of God). So, I implore everyone to “tolle lege, tolle lege” (take up and read, take up and read)!



Next, we have the City Gate. My mind immediately goes to two passages.

“Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” –Matthew 7:13-14

"Jesus replied, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” –John 14:6

Believing on Jesus Christ and following Him is difficult, but He is the only way to God the Father. We cannot try and come into God’s Heavenly Kingdom our own way on our own terms. This is the essence of all false worldviews, belief systems, and religions. The exclusivity of Christianity is a point of contention for many believers and nonbelievers. The logic follows that all non-Christians’ good works, no matter how noble, piety, no matter how devout, and beliefs, no matter how sincere, are not enough to escape eternal damnation. Tough stuff, I know. We may think that it is unfair, nay, evil, to condemn a seemingly “good” pagan into hell. However, there is one problem: sin. So, in reality, according to God’s standard of holiness, there is not one good person, no, not one! This includes Christians who are also sinners, but they are sinners who have received unmerited mercy and grace. Seeing that man was dead in sin and incapable of meeting the standard of the Law, God provided Christ to fulfill the Law and to atone for that sin. It was by faith in Christ’s perfect righteousness that we enter into God’s Kingdom. So, rather they reviling the exclusivity of Christ, embrace it; embrace Christ as the ultimate expression of God’s love and mercy to us fallen, wretched sinners. God had no responsibility or obligation to save us from His awesome wrath. We often cry to God for "justice"; few realize that true justice would only bring condemnation. We should instead cry "mercy, mercy!" Fall prostrate atop Calvary’s hill at the base of the cross and leave your transgressions and guilt there, Beloved. Then, comfort yourself with thoughts of one day treading the streets of gold in the presence of your Savior and Lord!



St. Augustine’s emblematic structure would have to be the Anastasia Lighthouse. You see it everywhere from storefronts to car dealerships, postcards to key chains, and clothing to paintings. Its black and white stripe pattern is instantly recognizable. It also reminds me of an oft-quoted verse:

"Then Jesus spoke out again, 'I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'” –John 8:12

Jesus lights the dark corners of our hearts so that we may understand true godliness. So that we may clearly see our own sinfulness and God’s own righteousness. Jesus is the lamp of Truth in a dark world of falsehood and lies. There are other verses that come to mind:

“Arise! Shine! For your light arrives! The splendor of the Lord shines on you!”—Isaiah 60:1

“If then your whole body is full of light, with no part in the dark, it will be as full of light as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” –Luke 11:36

The lighthouse is a light source, much like God. God is the sun and we are the moon. We do not produce our own light; we are only capable of reflecting the light of God. The words Paul wrote to Timothy are also very pertinent:

“To do this you must hold firmly to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck in regard to the faith.” –1 Timothy 1:19.

Paul made long ocean voyages to evangelize the Gentiles. He knew all to well the dangerous possibility of a shipwreck. He was also aware of the Lighthouse at Alexandria, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. We must always look to Christ and His truth to avoid being run spiritually aground by false doctrine and sinful desires; He will guide us safely across the tumultuous seas of life. Though we are tossed by the waves, battered by the rain, and blown by the wind, by fixing our gaze upon His holy light, we will one day safely make port in paradise!



The other structure synonymous with St. Augustine is the Castillo de San Marcos. The fort was used as a defense against enemy attacks upon the city. Its massive coquina walls protected the soldiers within who stood on guard to fight any aggressor who would mount an attack upon St. Augustine. In a similar fashion, God is our refuge and strength who serves as protection against our three main enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil. These three are the REAL "Axis of Evil." I am immediately made to consider the 46th Pslam. However, my first thought went straight to what has been called both “the greatest hymn of the greatest man of the greatest period of German history” and the “Battle Hymn of the Reformation.” I speak of course of Luther’s famous hymn derived from the aforementioned Psalm: A Mighty Fortress is Our God. Take time to meditate upon these lyrics; they are very edifying:

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal!

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle!

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him!

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever!

Lastly, we come to the Mission of Nombre de Dios and The Great Cross. For a brief history, go here. This mighty symbol stands like the Colossal of Rhodes above our fair city. It reminds us of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for us helpless sinners. The Crucifixion along with the Resurrection lie at the heart of the Gospel. It should be at the heart of our preaching. Paul makes it clear what we Christians proclaim:

“But we preach about a crucified Christ, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.”—1 Corinthians 1:23

The Cross confounds men. It goes against our grain. It cannot be rationally explained or comprehended. It contradicts all other religion that makes man the author of his own salvation. We seem to think that we are good enough to attain salvation: My good deeds outweigh my bad; surely God will let ME into heaven. Foolish sinners are we! Our faith we place in our own merit is ill-founded. Paul was a brilliant and pious Pharisee, but he did not brag about his own work, but rather be boasted in Christ’s work:

“But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”—Galatians 6:14

We Christians have no excuse for self-righteousness, since it is not by our own righteousness that we have justified but by Christ’s! Christianity is ultimately not about happy marriages, functional families, full back accounts, good health, or "your best life now." Christianity is all about Christ and Him cruicified.

Whenever you stroll through the quaint alleys of St. Augustine, take time to consider God’s holiness, mercy, and love for sinners embodied by Christ Jesus. This city’s charm will take on a whole new meaning!

Soli Deo Gloria!

*All Scripture citations come from the NET Bible at bible.org

Bumper Stickers: Some Thoughts

I've always found some truth in the quote that claims bumper stickers represent both the highest and lowest aspects of American culture. I cannot recall who said it, and I'm too lazy to open a new tab and Google it, but it rang true while I was running today. Downtown St. Augustine does have its fair share of lefties and assorted political regressives. Most have a bumper sticker or two, or in the case today, twenty-seven. Being curious, I stopped to check'em out while running one day. The irony in liberal ideology is truly delicious. While some of the stickers decry Western religion, Christianity, and the church as repressive, backward, and superstitious, other stickers (on the same bumper mind you) exalt "mother earth" and claim "god is nature." What in the name of Gaia are people thinking? Historic, orthodox Christian theology (particularly in the magisterial reformed vein) is the most advanced and mentally engaging form of religion; "Christianity in full bloom," I've heard said. Where such beliefs take root, virtue, science, community, and liberty all flourish. Where such beliefs are cast aside, immortality, irrationality, and tyranny are soon to follow. For a historical example, take the French Revolution. Rather than acknowledging that Divine Providence is the fount of man's reason and liberty as the Americans had, the Jacobins claimed that man's reason WAS divine. The result: heads rolled and terror reigned.

Now, let’s go back to the bumper. Another was Einstein's oft-quoted phrase "Imagination is more important than knowledge." Now, I think this phrase is taken out of context and misunderstood by many. I don't think old Albert was calling imagination more real or reliable than scientific fact. In the quote, knowledge is more properly understood as information; facts that can be catalogued and looked up when needed. Examples include lists, statistics, measurements, dates, and the like. In other words, Einstein was saying that the ability to think abstractly was superior to having the ability to rattle off every president or every Super Bowl champion in chronological order. As a repository of useless knowledge myself, I gracefully accept Einstein's critique. I don't believe that if a liberal thinker can conceive of a socialist utopia whose very existence would require the very suspension of human nature that such an "imagined" idea is "more important than knowledge" or superior to objective reality.

One last point to tie everything together: let's assume that Einstein's quote is to be taken literally. Knowledge is inferior to imagination and should be subject to it. Imagination is important because it can change society for the better. Isn't that the goal of every liberal? Tear it all down, man, and rebuild a brave new world? After all, we’re just one big “human family”!* Then, if liberals hold to such a view, why do they decry religion? By liberals’ own assertions, shouldn't religion be superior to scientific reality in their eyes since religious belief is "all made up"? If imagination is more important than knowledge, and religion is all imagined, then religion is more important than knowledge.

Now, to close, I'll admit that we conservatives have our fair share of winners. One that springs to mind is the sage "I believe in the Big Bang Theory...God said it and BANG!, it Happened." It is little wonder that creationism and intelligent design aren’t gaining ground given the number of minivans brandishing this message about town. Another is the perennial favorite "If 10% is good enough for God, then it’s good enough for the government." I admire the intent, but I’ll read Milton Friedman for economic advice rather than take this tidbit to heart while waiting in line at a drive-thru.
Here’s one we can all get behind: Keep on trucking! Or, for liberals, keep on hybriding! I welcome anyone else with any pet bumper sticker slogans, political or otherwise to share them in a comment.

* Yeah, tell that to the jihadists who would slice our infants’ throats if they got the chance. Of course, liberals support such behavior, so long as it’s a woman’s choice to do it. Don’t tell Al Qaeda, but if they want to win the war on terror, they just need to tell liberals that they are blowing up their victims for the health of the mother. The only response the Democrats could muster would be “how much public funding do you need”?

The Forgotten Sola

"Whatever you do whether you eat or drink, do unto the glory of God"
1 Corinthians 10:31



Being a Reformed Christian, I hold firm to the five solas: I am saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone according to Scripture alone and to God alone be the glory. "Solus Christus" and "Sola Gratia" are even held by Roman Catholics while "Sola Scriptura" and "Sola Fide" are the hallmarks of Protestantism. However, in this particular note, I want to concern myself with the last (but by all means not the least) sola: Soli Deo Gloria...To God Alone be the Glory.

For me, this sola is the one most identifiable with the Reformed faith. Now, many would say that the distinctiveness of Reformed Christianity lie in its emphasis on the holiness and the sovereignty of God to which I would offer a hearty "Amen." However, given the traditional Reformed view of both God's sovereignty and holiness, it necessarily follows that He and He alone must receive all of the glory. Everything in nature from atoms to supernovas can trace their cause to the Creator. The beauty and order, the intricacy and immensity of the Creation is glorious and that glory belongs to God because it finds its origin in God. Consider the fact that we are not sinners because we sin, but we sin because we are sinners. It is our nature. Likewise, God is not glorious because of His glorious creation; rather, His creation is glorious because God in His being is utterly glorious. (Not the best analogy, but I’m not the best wordsmith)

This brings us back to "Soli Deo Gloria." What bearing does that have for our Christian walk? I always saw Sunday morning worship (and for you Baptists, Sunday night and Wednesday night worship), daily prayer, fellowship, and Bible study as things that brought glory to God. I still believe they do, but I saw a major disconnect between the heavenly and the terrestrial; between the sacred and the secular. Homework, chores, work, and even amusement are all at their root "bad." I always felt like I was "being a friend of the world" by participated in such fleeting endeavors. I sincerely thought in my heart of hearts that the monks and nuns must have had it right when they resigned themselves of the world and its pollutions and sought the face God amidst poverty, seclusion, and self-denial. I even thought this after I had studied a plethora of Reformed resources. Then the Spirit of God moved in my heart.

One afternoon I was out picking up yard debris to make way for my dad and the mower. I had grown accustomed to the chore but had always hated it, especially at my family's old house where we had almost exclusively pine trees. Those pines meant pine cones. The worst were the spiny green pine cones which had to be handled very gingerly one at the time. This made the job tedious and thankless. However, I grew up and moved to a new house with just towering oaks. This afternoon was remarkably temperate; the sun shone brightly and the breeze blew nicely. As I collected the various sticks and fallen limbs to cast into the fire (I smell a parable) I found myself feeling accomplished and fulfilled. My dad was readying the mower and in passing thanked me and told me how proud he was to have me as his son. I then thought that my completion of mundane chores was fulfilling the commandment of honoring my father and mother. In effect, that was pleasing to my Father in heaven. Soli Deo Gloria was finally clear to me. My school work, chores, job, the exercise of my talents, and even my recreation can be honoring to God and bring Him glory! What a way to breed true greatness in individuals! It always strikes me as ironic when those outside Christ claim that submitting oneself to a higher power (particularly the one revealed in Scripture) will rob you of your true potential and stunt your creativity and ambition. What a devilish lie! Being made anew in Christ awakens one true potential, redefines ones ambitions, redirects ones talents, and ultimately quickens ones spirit. He is the master potter and we are the lowly clay.

Some closing thoughts. This sola should not be abused by those wishing to excuse sinful behavior since sinful behavior among God's elect does not bring glory but rather shame to God's good name. Also, I'm not promoting a pseudo-"your best life now" ethos. Success, improvement, and accomplishment are defined much differently by God than they are by the world. I hope that some of those who read this note will glean some insight from it. If anyone who reads this has any bits of advice or resources which relate to the topic of "Soli Deo Gloria,” please pass them along. Biblical reproof and correction are also humbly accepted!

Grace and peace,
Sam

The Dark Knight: A Theological Review

To preface this theological review of The Dark Knight, I think Christians tend to fall into opposite errors with respect to popular, secular culture. On the one hand, it is treated with paranoid suspicion or outright hostility by its detractors as a realm entirely controlled by Satan and his minions. On the other, it is wrongly treated as a suitable source for sermons and doctrine along with, or, in the worst cases, in lieu of, the Scriptures. I tend to take the middle road. Popular culture has its place, and its fruits can be enjoyed by Christians in their liberty with thanksgiving. Music, art, and storytelling in any medium can be entertaining, thought provoking, and even God-honoring. Beauty and truth can be creatively expressed even by those who are unregenerate. If one believes that God is sovereign, this should come as no surprise. Likewise, if enjoyment of such fair replaces our Christian duties of discipleship (Bible study, prayer, church attendance, good works, et al) they should be plucked out of our lives and cast from us as Christ commands. My goal with this review is to analyze some of the overarching themes (the nature of man, law, providence, morality, faith) raised in the film by looking at some of the crucial scenes. Caution: there are some spoilers.

I was reading an article where Christopher Nolan was describing his favorite scene in The Dark Knight: the interrogation scene between Batman and The Joker, hero vs. villain, good vs. evil. He said it was the hinge on which the whole movie turned. In it, The Joker presents his own brand of chaotic nihilism. He spoke of the goodness (or lack thereof) of Gotham's citizens,

“Their morals, their ‘code,’ it’s all a bad joke; dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. When the chips are down, these, uh, ‘civilized people’: they’ll eat each other. You see, I’m not a monster, I’m just ahead of the curve.”

When one grounds all hope and all authority in mankind, one must certainly reach The Joker’s bleak conclusions. If the law was conjured up within the mind of man, it is a bad joke. It is moral pretension. It has no ultimate power or intrinsic authority. However, the Scriptures declare that the moral law, the ultimate standard of goodness and purity, finds its origin in God. It is the product of the Ultimate Judge and is binding on all men. It is the bedrock for the laws of the state, itself instituted by God to bear the sword, to protect the innocent, and to punish the guilty. Civilization is a gift of God. It certainly is a means by which He restrains the evil of men.

Sadly, The Joker’s anthropology is more Biblical than that of many professing Christians. Man is NOT basically good. We are basically corrupt. Every aspect of our being is tainted and deformed by sin to one degree or another. This is often called total depravity, though a more apt term I’ve heard applied to it is radical corruption. We are not as evil as we could be, but there is not one aspect of our beings that is left unaffected by sin. Apart from God’s grace, we would indeed “eat each other.” So, too often, we see ourselves as “better” than the serial killers, the rapists, and the deviants of society. Horizontally, we may be better than The Jokers of the world. Vertically, however, we are all sinners deserving of God’s just condemnation. In comparison to God’s holy standard, we are all lawbreakers and criminals. We are the scum of society. That is why faith in Christ alone is so important. It is through faith in Christ, itself a gift from God, that Christ’s perfect righteousness is imputed to us. This allows us to stand before God blameless. For as Christ gives us His righteousness, so too did He take upon Himself our sin. He became sin and was crushed by God’s wrath that we might be saved from the Judgment. In terms of sin, we are all “monsters.” Despite this, God in His loving mercy still chose to save us.

The Joker continues to expound his twisted worldview in the hospital scene with Harvey Dent:

“I’m not a schemer. I like to show the schemers how pathetic their attempts to control things really are…You were a schemer. You had plans, and look where that gotcha.”

A quick point, I know it wasn’t the script writer’s intention, but there is a droplet of truth here. We are all schemers. We are going to attend college here, we are going to do this, we are going to marry when we’re this age, have this many kids, live here, travel here, do this, do that, ad nauseam. God is the one who often shows “how pathetic our attempts to control things really are.” He alone is sovereign. While we should plan diligently, we must not do so assuming that we have the final say. God has measured our days. We shouldn’t delude ourselves into thinking that we can plan the time and the means by which we will come to God for our eternal destiny. The Scriptures declare that today is the day of salvation, now is the time to believe. Likewise Christ is the only way by which we may gain both acceptance by God and entrance into His heaven. Walking an aisle, signing a card, saying a prayer, getting baptized, taking communion, joining a church, singing a hymn, doing good deeds, and “living a good life” won’t save the first soul from hell. Only God-given faith in Christ can accomplish such a feat.

The Joker goes on:

“See, I’ve noticed something. Nobody panics when things go 'according to plan,’ even if the plan is horrifying. If I told the press that tomorrow like a gangbanger would get shot, or a truck load of soldiers would be blown up, nobody panics, because it’s all ‘part of the plan.’ But if I say that one little old mayor will die, then everyone loses their minds! Introduce a little anarchy; upset the established order and everything becomes chaos. I’m an agent of chaos.”

Hear we see the philosophical conclusion of an atheistic worldview, or at least a worldview with a non-Biblical god. The Bible declares that God is dread sovereign over the entire universe. He has the hairs on our heads numbered; he knows when a sparrow falls to the ground dead. We may see mayhem erupt in riots, wars, and other violence, but God remains in total control of every atom in Creation. Though God is not the author of sin and evil, He still may use these things to accomplish His purposes. We need look no further than the Cross for evidence of this. The Crucifixion of Jesus was the most evil act ever perpetrated by the hand of man. Pure innocence was executed. Jesus was murdered. By killing Jesus, his accusers and executioners committed cold-blooded murder of the first degree. However, out of this murderous act, God brought salvation. Through the greatest sin, God brought the greatest good. What men meant for evil, God meant for good.

However, while The Joker is the antagonist of the film, the films hero has a faulty worldview as well. So do the other ‘good’ characters. In her letter to Bruce, Rachel, lets him know that she has chosen to marry Harvey. She also says something worst examining:

“If you lose your faith in me, please, don’t lose your faith in people.”

Now, this seems like a kind letter that seeks to “let Bruce off easy,” but this final statement is truly foolish. We must put no ultimate faith in people, starting with ourselves. We are people of deceitful hearts and unclean lips. It is in Christ alone in whom we must place our faith if we hope to endure trials and tribulations.

The end of the film has Batman delivering an interesting last line:

“Sometimes the truth isn’t good enough. Sometimes people deserve to have their faith rewarded. Sometimes people deserve more.”

Gordon and Batman had “bet it all” on Harvey Dent. The Joker told Batman that he had brought Gotham’s white knight down to “our level.” If people were to know the crimes of Two-Face, then they would lose hope in what Gordon and Batman stood for, or so the protagonists assumed.

That is the overarching flaw of the film’s outlook on human existence. If man is the measure of all things; if God is not given his proper place, then The Joker will ultimately have the last laugh. If we put our faith in our government, our military, our wealth, our health, our family, our spouse, our children, our own moral performance, our heritage, or ourselves we will be eternally disillusioned. All these things, though good, cannot provide ultimate satisfaction or security. Only God can do that. Truth, Biblical Truth, is always good enough. People do not need to have their faith rewarded if that faith’s object is anything but the Living Triune God. Such faith should be torn down and exposed for what it is: a lie. The faith of Christians is the only faith that will bring reward. Not because of the faith itself but because of whom that faith is in: Jesus. We may not deserve Jesus, but He is the “something more” we all desperately need.

One scene from which I do draw inspiration in my Christian walk is the scene in the Bat Bunker before Bruce decides to turn himself in:

-Bruce: People are dying, Alfred. What would you have me do?
-Alfred: Endure, Master Wayne. Take it. They'll hate you for it, but that's the point of Batman. He can make the choice no one else will make, the right choice.

Many Christians like me who struggle with assurance and sin would benefit if we would take to heart the numerous Biblical passages that tell us to persevere in the faith. Knowing that our salvation is a free gift and that we are free from both the dominion and condemnation of sin, what will we now do? Turn ourselves back over to the world, the flesh, and the devil? God forbid! The world may hate us for it, but we must take it.
Let us press on to the goal keeping our eyes fixed on the Cross. Let us endure.

In conclusion, I loved The Dark Knight. It is a cinematic masterpiece. It raises the right questions that most movies shy away from even if it doesn’t offer the right answers.

Soli Deo Gloria

Words of Wisdom for Spiritual Sailors from C.H.S.

..."CHS" being Charles Haddon Spurgeon. My alma mater was Columbia High School, so I know the abbrieviation well. I always make use of Phil Johnson's Spurgeon Archive, particulary the Daily Meditation. Since my blog's theme is heavily influenced by the musicical stylings of Buffett, I thought that this excerpt from today's morning meditation was fitting to post.





"What were the mariner without his compass? And what were the Christian without the Bible? This is the unerring chart, the map in which every shoal is described, and all the channels from the quicksands of destruction to the haven of salvation mapped and marked by one who knows all the way. Blessed be Thou, O God, that we may trust Thee to guide us now, and guide us even to the end!"

Let us heed God's Word in all areas of life that, by faith, we may make our way through life's troubled waters and stormy sees to the eternal shores of Paradise.

Here's the link to the daily devotions:

http://www.spurgeon.org/daily.htm