ryan.the.calvinist

“ My toaster doesn’t have a love button! ” “No! And neither does a robot!” [1] This exchange, neither written nor uttered by C.S. Lewis, certainly represents his theology concerning the notions of God’s sovereign decree in election and of man’s autonomous will to freely choose God. Discussions concerning the freedom of the will, and by contrast divine election, are visible throughout Lewis’ writings - from his fictional works to his BBC broadcast-inspired theological Mere Christianity. In his unpublished paper To Choose or Be Chosen: C.S. Lewis’ Contribution to Free Will and Predestination , Georgian pastor John Alexander attempted “to reconcile predestination and free will through Lewis’ works and examine Lewis’ impact on modern Christianity through this reconciliation.” [2] Such “reconciliation,” however, is not necessary to understand the impacts of both Reformed Theology and C.S. Lewis’ theology on Christendom as a whole. Lewis’ relevant writings clearly point to a synerg...

This is a chart I created for my paper on C.S. Lewis, Free Will, and Predestination, comparing the 5 Points of Calvinism to the 5 Points of Arminianism.   - Arminian Position - - Calvinist Position- Human Ability The Fall has damaged human nature, but not rendered it totally disabled. Human nature is not enslaved to sin, and is more or less sick. As a result, the unrepentant sinner’s ability to either freely choose or reject Christ is unaffected by the Fall. Total Depravity The Fall has not only damaged human nature, but has rendered it completely corrupted. Human nature is enslaved to sin, and even spiritually dead – unresponsive. This deadness makes him utterly unable and unwilling to ever choose God. Conditional Election God’s choice to save the sinner is based upon his knowledge of that sinner deciding to come to him, freely at a point in the future. The sinner’s choosing God does not depend on God’s first choosing him or her. Unconditional Election Go...

I can remember my first real exposure to podcasting.  It was back in 2005 if I am remembering correctly -- for some reason I was with my brother in his van (at the time), driving.... somewhere in Florissant.  And I remembered my brother was playing his iPod over the stereo system via tape-deck adapter.  I was listening to someone talking about Dan Brown's book The DaVinci Code, which was being released as a major motion picture right around that time.  I inquired what we were listening to (I don't remember if I made it seem like I was bored in doing so - I would have rather been listening to music at the time, but I became interested the more I listened) and my brother described what I would later realize as being a podcast. Ah... podcasting.  No, your iPod (or Zune) is not JUST for listening to music on.  Personally, I have grown in the faith and in maturity QUITE A BIT due to teachings I've heard from podcasts.  Theological shows and sermons alike ha...

John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son [Jesus Christ] has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him . 2 Timothy 4:1-5 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. I recall last summer, I prayed with Nolan about my roommates for this current school year I am in. We prayed that God's will be done and that it may mean being paired with nonChristians, so be it that I may share th...

Romans 8:28-30 (ESV) And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. This is an issue that seems to come up fairly frequently in my discussions of the Doctrines of Grace (Calvinism): What exactly does "foreknowledge" mean? The Arminian and the Calvinist have very different understandings on what this word proginosko ("to foreknow") means. The Arminian tradition sees this word as simply meaning foresight... their version of this "golden chain" is that God first looks down the tunnel of history to see what you are going to do... and if you of your own will choose HIM, then guess what-- He'l...

I thought I may try something out that I've seen on some other blog sites with regard to films... they will watch a film and make comments on that film while watching on a blog and post that. So I thought I'd try the same thing with Titus , the book I read tonight for my time with God. This may be disastrous... but it may be FUN TOO! lol. If you would like to follow along, I will list the verse I am commenting on... but it is best to have a Bible in front of you or opened in a new tab in Firefox (and I know ALL my readers use Firefox... you had better!)... I'll be using the English Standard Version (ESV) ... the favorite of Mark Driscoll and John Piper, as well as my favorite English translation. This is my third and concluding entry on Titus. I would encourage you to check out the postings on Titus 1 and Titus 2 . I hope this little series has been a blessing to you. Now... on to Titus 3 ! 3:1 -- Yes, that means you should obey traffic laws and NOT mouth off to ...

You say you are a Christian... And you are really going to vote for Clinton? Or Obama? Really? Wow. I didn't know you cared so LITTLE for those defenseless children slaughtered by the hundreds daily in abortion clinics. I thought the godly thing to do is take care of those who are defensless-- including the unborn babies. I also didn't know you supported the government steeling money from hard-working Americans and giving it to those who do not really work as hard and are addicted to crack as opposed to actually working-- what man was placed on Earth to do by God. I also didn't know you cared so little about national security-- I hope the terrorists don't blow us up if your Obama or Clinton gets in office. 'Cause both would be too weak and pull out, allowing the bad guys to blow us up. Have fun with that. Don't put your trust in Big Government. That is idolitary! Our hope SHOULD be built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. Dare not tru...

**taken from ReformationTheology.com ** Unconditional Election God is Sovereign Exo 15:18; 1Chr 29:11-12; 2Chr 20:6; Psa 22:28 He exercises that sovereignty in actively ordaining everything Deu 32:39; 1Sam 2:6-8; Job 9:12; Job 12:6-10; Psa 33:11; Psa 115:3; Psa 135:6; Isa 14:24; Isa 45:7; Act 15:18; Eph 1:11 Including matters of “chance” Pro 16:33; 1Ki 22:20, 34, 37 The wicked actions of men Gen 45:5; Gen 50:20; Exo 4:21; Jdg 14:1-4; Psa 76:10; Pro 16:4; Isa 44:28; Amos 3:6; Act 2:22-23; Act 4:27-28 The actions of evil spirits 1Sam 16:14-16; 1Ki 22:19-23; 1Chr 21:1/2Sam 24:1 The good actions of men John 15:16; Eph 2:10; Phi 2:12-13 The actions of good angels Psa 103:20; Psa 104:4 The actions of animals Num 22:28; 1Ki 17:4; Psa 29:9; Jer 8:7; Eze 32:4; Dan 6:22 The operations of all creation Gen 8:22; Psa 104:5-10; Psa 104:13-14; Psa 104:19-20; Mark 4:39 Man is not permitted to question his sovereign acts Job 33:12-13; Isa 29:16; Isa 45:9-10; Mat 20:1-16; Rom 9:19-...

The following is a paper I wrote last night for my Historical Jesus course. Who Jesus Is For many, a course about the “Historical Jesus” may shake one's faith that existed prior to taking such a course. After all, there seem to be many apparent contradictions that are, at first glance, impossible to harmonize with one another. Such examples of inconsistencies are Judas' death, Jesus' last words, and even the style of picture that is painted of Jesus by the writers of the gospels. However this course has done nothing to cause me to lose my faith in the New Testament or in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. As I look back on the last few months, I can see that my view of Jesus of Nazareth has changed very little, if at all, as a result of this course. Having to describe Jesus using ten words or fewer, my answer would still be, “Jesus' death and resurrection provided the only way to God.” That wasn't my exact answer as it was in September, however it is ext...

Yesterday I sat in STRONG (Hall) #204 in my REL 320: Jesus of Nazareth course a bit more than slightly frustrated with the clips our class had just watched from The Last Temptation of Christ . We were comparing this fictional re-telling of Christ's life to the gnostic Gospel of Judas . I'm not sure which notion was more difficult to stomach-- the gnostic view that YHWH is the evil creator that we need to defeat (essentially), or the notion that Jesus and Judas... cuddled... (and more?) Yuck. ANYWAY. A student in the class brought up a point that he had always struggled with growing up: If it was foreordained that Judas would have to betray Jesus, and it had to happen for Jesus to save the world, why should Judas suffer and be held to blame for his actions? I just sat there in my silence fully confidant of the answer. And yes, I too had wondered this before -- he was supposed to do this, and yet he is held to blame? But after years of maturing in the faith, I was able t...

I find it odd that I am not the normal college student. I do not speak of my decision to not smoke, get drunk, or have premarital sex. I am glad I have resisted temptation for these (though most have never really even been an issue for me), though I am not speaking specifically of m relm of belief. I may be one of a few handful of students whose beliefs, values or convictions have not crumbled 'neath the weight of the ivory walls of the University. One such example is my stance on politics. I was raised in a very conservative home where I learned of the importance of defending the lives of unborn babies from a slaughter at the hands of some who consider themselves "doctors" (more like death dealers). So conservative yes, but I was, by my own admission, truly a 2-issue voter by the time I was 18. The issues I was concerned about were biblically social issues -- abortion and the defense of the institution of marriage between man and wife (as God created it). Sure I c...

Wow.... just WOW! Voddie Baucham would say, "If you can't say 'Amen,' you gotta say 'Ouch'!" There is so much conviction as a Christian in America viewing this... wow. PLEASE watch it.

[[I'm writing basically a sermon I have spent some time thinking up. I've never actually given or even written a sermon before... maybe this would just be considered a LONG devotional. But since it's not a rant, I'll call it a sermon. It will take me a few posts to get all of this out. And I have no desire on causing people eye-strain from staring at a screen forever while trying to read this. So expect it to be divided into a few parts.]] "One Way Only" [pt 1] by Ryan Gill John 14:5-6 (ESV) Thomas said to [Jesus], "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, " I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me ." I know we cannot say any verse in scripture is more important than another one, nor should we. After all, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, th...

i had this convo today w/ this guy on Facebook that randomly found me and added me as a friend on facebook. his religious views on his profile were labeled as "opti-mystic"... turns out he was the starter of a "Christian group" on myspace that allowed a Mormon to join and saw no problem w/ this... this is our conversation... Between Mike Morrell and Ryan Gill Ryan Gill Today at 5:52pm what is an opti-mystic? is that like opti-free contact lens solution? Mike Morrell Today at 5:56pm Report Message Ha! Its like someone living by means of Jesus who then gets, to quote Brennan Manning, a "serious and incurable case of the happies." So, if by opti-free you mean someone who can see clearer, and in freedom...sure! (See John 17) Ryan Gill Today at 5:57pm ewwww... brennan manning... catholic mystic... yuck. i get who jesus is... the only way. john 14:6. any other "way" leads to destruction. Mike Morrell Today at 6:02pm Report Mes...

This was a post I found in a Christian Myspace group tonight. I was tired when I saw it, but I could not let this guy (who i discovered after-the-fact was a Mormon) blaspheme against the Holy Trinity unopposed. No one had yet responded to his comment. This is what I was able to come up with... I pray it does some good. Posted: Jul 11, 2007 10:35 PM Peter wrote: The true trinity is 3 as 1, not 1 as 3. Jesus is not God, he is the son of God, which means they are two totally different individuals. Until you come to grips with this then you do not really know who God or Jesus Christ really is in your life or who you are in the greater scope of life. John 1:1-4, 14 (ESV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ... And ...

Current mood: peaceful I have noticed a lot within the secular Gay-Pride movement, the "Gay Christian" Movement, and within liberalism in general, the trend of believing that Old Testament Levitical laws are no longer useful to us Christians in the 20th century and should be ignored all together. I am going to "pick on" two verses in Leviticus that explicitly spell out that homosexuality is indeed sinful behavior before a Holy God. Lev 18:22 (ESV): You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. Lev 20:13 (ESV): If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them. I just read a friend's blog concerning Levitical Laws... she seemed to be snidely implying that laws against homosexuality in Leviticus are along the same lines of off...