Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Incomprehensibility and Knowability of God
I was reading through this section of my ESV study bible, and I wanted to write it down because it's something that is often discussed in bits in pieces, but rarely in fullness according to scripture. So, here is a brief overview of our ability to know God, and our inability to know God :)
The Incomprehensibility of God - it is ultimately impossible to know God FULLY:
1. God is infinite and his creatures are finite. I will die soon, but God will never die because he is eternal.
2. The perfect unity of God's attributes is far beyond the realm of human experience. "God's love, wrath, grace, justice, holiness, patience, and jealousy are continually functioning in a perfectly integrated yet infinitely complex way." In my interpretation, how in the world can one be both full of love and full of wrath? Fully just, and fully gracious? Incomprehensible.
3. The effects of sin on the minds of fallen humans also greatly inhibit the ability to know God. Romans 1:18-26
4. In his sovereign wisdom God has chosen not to reveal some things.
The Knowability of God - six key points. Our knowledge of God:
1. while God is incomprehensible, it shouldn't lead to apathy or despair. The Bible is also clear that God is fully knowable. "He can be known truly, personally, and sufficiently." Our spiritual growth depends on our knowledge of God:
3. It is the basis of attaining eternal life (John 17:3)
4. It is at the heart of life in the new covenant (Heb 8:11-12)
5. It was Paul's primary goal (Phil 3:10)
6. It leads to Godly love (1 John 4:7-8)
Implications of the Knowability of God - "God's personal and sufficent revelation of himself should foster solid conviction among believers." Most of the rising influence of religions and postmodern views nowadays likes to say that God is so incomprehensible that he is unknowable. "We should never grow apathetic in seeking to know God because we are in fact able and equipped to know him and to please him with our lives."
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now go learn what you can about God and rejoice in his incomprehensible nature!!
The Incomprehensibility of God - it is ultimately impossible to know God FULLY:
Great is our Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable (Ps. 145:3)Why God is Incomprehensible - four main reasons:
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" (Rom. 11:33-34)
1. God is infinite and his creatures are finite. I will die soon, but God will never die because he is eternal.
2. The perfect unity of God's attributes is far beyond the realm of human experience. "God's love, wrath, grace, justice, holiness, patience, and jealousy are continually functioning in a perfectly integrated yet infinitely complex way." In my interpretation, how in the world can one be both full of love and full of wrath? Fully just, and fully gracious? Incomprehensible.
3. The effects of sin on the minds of fallen humans also greatly inhibit the ability to know God. Romans 1:18-26
4. In his sovereign wisdom God has chosen not to reveal some things.
"The secret things belong to the LORD our GOd, but the things that are revealed belon to us and to our chihldren forever, that we may do all the words of this law" (Deut. 29:29)Implications of God's Incomprehensibility - since we can never fully understand God, we should be deeply humbled by the process of trying - realizing more and more the extent of our fallen nature while seeing the incomprehensible holiness of God's. The "appropriate response to God is a heart of wonder and awe in light of his incomprehensible greatness."
The Knowability of God - six key points. Our knowledge of God:
1. while God is incomprehensible, it shouldn't lead to apathy or despair. The Bible is also clear that God is fully knowable. "He can be known truly, personally, and sufficiently." Our spiritual growth depends on our knowledge of God:
2Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2 Pet. 1:2-3)2. Knowledge of God in Christ should be our greatest delight (Jer. 9:23-24; 1 Cor. 2:2; Gal. 6:14)
3. It is the basis of attaining eternal life (John 17:3)
4. It is at the heart of life in the new covenant (Heb 8:11-12)
5. It was Paul's primary goal (Phil 3:10)
6. It leads to Godly love (1 John 4:7-8)
Implications of the Knowability of God - "God's personal and sufficent revelation of himself should foster solid conviction among believers." Most of the rising influence of religions and postmodern views nowadays likes to say that God is so incomprehensible that he is unknowable. "We should never grow apathetic in seeking to know God because we are in fact able and equipped to know him and to please him with our lives."
------
now go learn what you can about God and rejoice in his incomprehensible nature!!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
balancing = sin
Just had a quick conversation with a friend about glorifying God through everything we do. I need to write this before I forget it.
It’s so easy for me to see my spiritual, academic, and social life as a balancing act, like all of life needs to be done in balance to each other. It doesn’t sound too bad. It’s a simple statement that requires little thought and it often consumes my life. I’m not talking about the practical act of balancing, like physically doing one thing vs. another, but the mindset of balancing activities in our minds as if they are completely separate in nature.
While thinking about my future and what it means to glorify God in everything I do, I cant help but find so much sin in that way of thinking for a couple reasons. To me, it suggests that I need to compartmentalize my life in a way that is even - separate, but even. Separate because we can't do everything at once, and even, because if we don't separate evenly, then we will compromise one thing over another. Sounds fine, but it's not.
My recent revelation is that the mindset of balancing promotes that I put God into a box and store him away for however long is convenient to my schedule. That attitude puts God under the bed, no matter how big of a box it is. I’ve stored some expensive, important possessions of mine in boxes. When I moved to college, I stored my most valuable possessions and packed them away until I could open them later. Some things belong in boxes. You can't put God in a box, it's as silly as putting a house into a box. You can't, but we try. God is not a convenience matter, nor is it a compartmentalized one. When I put God into a box, I sin, and I become more and more numb to it as I face the challenges of multiple priorities.
If everything I do, from the smallest activities of eating and drinking to the big decisions of choosing a career, is done to glorify God, then NOTHING is balanced, nor compartmentalized. Instead, EVERYTHING is wholly devoted to one thing, God, but through different means.
So since everything I do should be in effort to glorify God, then I can't be limited in striving to see Him glorified through direct means only, but through indirect means, as well.
The question is not: "how do I balance my life efficiently," but should be, "How do I understand more fully how to glorify You even when I can't see the direct result."
Those direct results are what we experience when we sing worship songs, read the bible, or go to church. The indirect results are what we do when we don’t sing worship songs, read the bible, or go to church.
God is the giver of life, not just part of our lives.
It’s so easy for me to see my spiritual, academic, and social life as a balancing act, like all of life needs to be done in balance to each other. It doesn’t sound too bad. It’s a simple statement that requires little thought and it often consumes my life. I’m not talking about the practical act of balancing, like physically doing one thing vs. another, but the mindset of balancing activities in our minds as if they are completely separate in nature.
While thinking about my future and what it means to glorify God in everything I do, I cant help but find so much sin in that way of thinking for a couple reasons. To me, it suggests that I need to compartmentalize my life in a way that is even - separate, but even. Separate because we can't do everything at once, and even, because if we don't separate evenly, then we will compromise one thing over another. Sounds fine, but it's not.
My recent revelation is that the mindset of balancing promotes that I put God into a box and store him away for however long is convenient to my schedule. That attitude puts God under the bed, no matter how big of a box it is. I’ve stored some expensive, important possessions of mine in boxes. When I moved to college, I stored my most valuable possessions and packed them away until I could open them later. Some things belong in boxes. You can't put God in a box, it's as silly as putting a house into a box. You can't, but we try. God is not a convenience matter, nor is it a compartmentalized one. When I put God into a box, I sin, and I become more and more numb to it as I face the challenges of multiple priorities.
If everything I do, from the smallest activities of eating and drinking to the big decisions of choosing a career, is done to glorify God, then NOTHING is balanced, nor compartmentalized. Instead, EVERYTHING is wholly devoted to one thing, God, but through different means.
So since everything I do should be in effort to glorify God, then I can't be limited in striving to see Him glorified through direct means only, but through indirect means, as well.
The question is not: "how do I balance my life efficiently," but should be, "How do I understand more fully how to glorify You even when I can't see the direct result."
Those direct results are what we experience when we sing worship songs, read the bible, or go to church. The indirect results are what we do when we don’t sing worship songs, read the bible, or go to church.
God is the giver of life, not just part of our lives.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Light
I was reminded this past weekend of the meaning of fellowship. It was so refreshing to visit San Antonio and be reunited with my UTSA friends. I did as much homework as I could before the weekend came so that I could relax this weekend, and I'm glad I did. Friday night, we ate at a restaurant called Los Robertos, and let me tell you, they had the best burritos I've ever eaten in my entire life! To end the weekend, Kevin, Ryan, Loren, and I ate there again. Two nights in a row..it was gross, yet so good at the same time. This restaurant was so good that it inspired Ryan to start his food blog, so be on the look out.
Food aside, a picture of fellowship was drawn that had slowly slipped from me - fellowship beyond clutter, distractions, borders, or restrictions of a campus. This fellowship is organic, real, and it's authentic. Fellowship is so much more significant, simple, and sufficient than any school organization. It's a body of believers united by Him whom we walk with.
Sometimes I just need to remember to step back a bit. The complications and logistics of ministry can so easily take away from the purpose which we are called to. Last night we worshiped God together and simply loved each other as we prayed out loud for God to move on our campuses in UTSA and UT. It was encouraging and refreshing. I pray that God can continue to move students to passion wherever they are and restore purpose in our lives.
Food aside, a picture of fellowship was drawn that had slowly slipped from me - fellowship beyond clutter, distractions, borders, or restrictions of a campus. This fellowship is organic, real, and it's authentic. Fellowship is so much more significant, simple, and sufficient than any school organization. It's a body of believers united by Him whom we walk with.
Sometimes I just need to remember to step back a bit. The complications and logistics of ministry can so easily take away from the purpose which we are called to. Last night we worshiped God together and simply loved each other as we prayed out loud for God to move on our campuses in UTSA and UT. It was encouraging and refreshing. I pray that God can continue to move students to passion wherever they are and restore purpose in our lives.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
How he Loves
I've had countless encounters within the past week where I'm just reminded of how blessed I am to have such amazing parents. To conclude the Asian-ness series in Epic, Carita Chen talked about the importance of honoring God and your parents at the same time. Even though I didn't feel like I related to a lot of the "typical Asian issues," I was still reminded of how I need to honor my parents by showing that I love them.
Honestly, that's something I struggle with a lot when it comes to my relationship with my parents. I love my parents, they know I do, but expressing that to them is another story. Whether it's through email, phone, or text, this semester so far has shown me how much they value communicating with me. It's pretty funny, the emails and texts that I get from them. One random morning, my mom sent me a text saying, "Put God first." I smiled, and just went back to sleep.
Understanding the ways my parents show love towards me has helped me to feel their love so much more, especially now that I'm away from home. My mom likes to send me short texts and emails asking how I'm doing with school work, while my dad likes to buy me things, heh. My dad is a lot like me in the sense that he probably doesn't like to express how he feels towards me in the father-son situation, but when it comes to buying me stuff, he doesn't hesitate. This past summer was one of the first times in my life where I had genuinely sought out advice from my parents for my spiritual life. It started with me asking what books to buy. For example, I asked my dad what the best study bible was, and he bought an ESV study bible for me the next day. I asked him what books I should read, he found his C.S. Lewis books and gave me his copy of Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity that looked like it was 30 years old. I asked him which devotional books he recommended, and he subscribed to Table Talk for me within a week. (BTW, I recommend that monthly devotional magazine to anyone who is looking for one with quality material.) My dad's concern for my spiritual life, as witnessed through his recent purchases for me, shows how he loves me.
The other day I talked to my parents about my relationship with a particular person who happens to be a good friend of the opposite gender. That was interesting. I have never talked to them about anything that deep. It was like I had just learned how to doggie paddle, and I deliberately jumped into the middle of the ocean with a foam noodle to keep me from swallowing too much salt water. But all in all, it wasn't suffocating or drowning. I felt closer with my parents as I slowly found my footing in the not-so-deep ocean floor. They gave me Godly advice on relationships that I truly value. Again, I'm thankful that I have two Godly parents who are able to pray for me and give me perspective. Hearing their perspective on my life was enlightening, and reminded me of how they love me.
Amidst all of these eye opening experiences, I was awakened even more as I listened to the devastating, yet life-giving story of a senior who has been visiting Epic the past couple weeks. His story reminded me how blessed I am to have parents who love me...to have parents who pray for me...to have parents who I can speak English with...to have parents. I don't want to say too much, and I don't want to spoil his testimony for you (he is going to be sharing at Epic this Wednesday), but what would you do if you lost both your parents unexpectedly within one year? To lose one parent would be both devastating and heart-breaking. To endure the loss of both would require persevering strength and endurance. It may even require one to reevaluate their faith in God. To see him hold back his tears was like watching a broken levee hold the vast ocean. I usually don't cry in public and I didn't of course, but I've never had to hold back tears so hard. I respect him so much for the pain and losses that he has endured.
All in all, the story of his painful losses and the subtle love from my parents as I've experienced through their limited love languages reminds me of the Creator how He loves me immeasurably in every single love language ever created. <3
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(my dad is in the picture up top! and do you like my perfect grammer??)
Honestly, that's something I struggle with a lot when it comes to my relationship with my parents. I love my parents, they know I do, but expressing that to them is another story. Whether it's through email, phone, or text, this semester so far has shown me how much they value communicating with me. It's pretty funny, the emails and texts that I get from them. One random morning, my mom sent me a text saying, "Put God first." I smiled, and just went back to sleep.
Understanding the ways my parents show love towards me has helped me to feel their love so much more, especially now that I'm away from home. My mom likes to send me short texts and emails asking how I'm doing with school work, while my dad likes to buy me things, heh. My dad is a lot like me in the sense that he probably doesn't like to express how he feels towards me in the father-son situation, but when it comes to buying me stuff, he doesn't hesitate. This past summer was one of the first times in my life where I had genuinely sought out advice from my parents for my spiritual life. It started with me asking what books to buy. For example, I asked my dad what the best study bible was, and he bought an ESV study bible for me the next day. I asked him what books I should read, he found his C.S. Lewis books and gave me his copy of Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity that looked like it was 30 years old. I asked him which devotional books he recommended, and he subscribed to Table Talk for me within a week. (BTW, I recommend that monthly devotional magazine to anyone who is looking for one with quality material.) My dad's concern for my spiritual life, as witnessed through his recent purchases for me, shows how he loves me.
The other day I talked to my parents about my relationship with a particular person who happens to be a good friend of the opposite gender. That was interesting. I have never talked to them about anything that deep. It was like I had just learned how to doggie paddle, and I deliberately jumped into the middle of the ocean with a foam noodle to keep me from swallowing too much salt water. But all in all, it wasn't suffocating or drowning. I felt closer with my parents as I slowly found my footing in the not-so-deep ocean floor. They gave me Godly advice on relationships that I truly value. Again, I'm thankful that I have two Godly parents who are able to pray for me and give me perspective. Hearing their perspective on my life was enlightening, and reminded me of how they love me.
Amidst all of these eye opening experiences, I was awakened even more as I listened to the devastating, yet life-giving story of a senior who has been visiting Epic the past couple weeks. His story reminded me how blessed I am to have parents who love me...to have parents who pray for me...to have parents who I can speak English with...to have parents. I don't want to say too much, and I don't want to spoil his testimony for you (he is going to be sharing at Epic this Wednesday), but what would you do if you lost both your parents unexpectedly within one year? To lose one parent would be both devastating and heart-breaking. To endure the loss of both would require persevering strength and endurance. It may even require one to reevaluate their faith in God. To see him hold back his tears was like watching a broken levee hold the vast ocean. I usually don't cry in public and I didn't of course, but I've never had to hold back tears so hard. I respect him so much for the pain and losses that he has endured.
All in all, the story of his painful losses and the subtle love from my parents as I've experienced through their limited love languages reminds me of the Creator how He loves me immeasurably in every single love language ever created. <3
------------
(my dad is in the picture up top! and do you like my perfect grammer??)
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
ignorance is not bliss
somewhere in between my last entry and now, i have become slightly uncomfortable with the idea of so many people reading about my life. not that my life is important, but i like to believe that what i write is personal. looking back, i realize that my posts were more personal than i realized, and i think, "wow, i wrote that on internet?" even this short entry, i believe, is showing a piece of my heart thats revealing a deeper issue. what is that issue?
am i closing myself up? is closing up an effort to appear like everything is perfect in my life? am i lacking the God-given conviction that once led me to tell the whole world what he's been teaching me?
whatever the reason is, blogging is a good way for me to process God's work in my life, and when i dont do it, i dont process God's work. and since i haven't been making an effort to do it recently, maybe i've just been ignorant to what He's been doing all around me.
so whatever the point of this entry is, i've concluded that i was once vulnerable with the inter-network, and as scary as that is, it's something i will continue to do...later :)
am i closing myself up? is closing up an effort to appear like everything is perfect in my life? am i lacking the God-given conviction that once led me to tell the whole world what he's been teaching me?
whatever the reason is, blogging is a good way for me to process God's work in my life, and when i dont do it, i dont process God's work. and since i haven't been making an effort to do it recently, maybe i've just been ignorant to what He's been doing all around me.
so whatever the point of this entry is, i've concluded that i was once vulnerable with the inter-network, and as scary as that is, it's something i will continue to do...later :)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
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