August 2012

Cornelius Val Til, Logic, & the Trinity

Val Til, Logic, & the Trinity

Logic

Tertullian: Is the gospel absurd?

Some Christians have cited Tertullian (145-220 A.D.) to support their contention that early Christians believed in the gospel all-the-more because of its very absurdity. They claim that Tertullian believed the gospel of Christ against reason, because he is quoted as saying that the gospel "was absurd and impossible of being true." Of course, if the gospel were believed because it was absurd and impossible of being true, then, indeed, the gospel would be contrary reason.

Whence Evil?

Summary: The Christian view of creation ex nihilo allows for the presence of evil in the universe. It is provides a rationale for believing that an all-good and all-powerful God is not the cause of evil. In fact, evil is not a created thing, so it lacks being in the truest sense. Evil is a privation of being, a wrong relationship, or a choice of a rational will that does not accord with reason, morality, or Holy Scripture.

Romans 9:22 — Does God causes evil to glorify and magnify Himself?

Summary: Some believe that God must cause evil to magnify His glory and majesty. Jonathan Edwards, Daniel Fuller, John Piper, and James White accept this view in light of Romans 9: 22. However, it is doubtful that this verse teaches this concept.

Manichaeism & the Problem of Evil

The cause of sin or evil in the world has challenged the human mind through the centuries. The ancient Manichæns believed there were two powerful opposing deities. A powerful Principle caused all of the good in the universe while an opposing Principle caused all the evil. The battle of good and evil began when the Prince of Darkness decided to invade the Kingdom of light.

Overview of Solutions to the Problem of Evil

The Sovereignty Of God And The Responsibility of Man: Pharaoh's Case

William Kelly ¹

The accompanying table was drawn up in order to resolve the difficulties of a person who insisted that if by the decree or sovereignty of God a certain number of men only were to be saved, by a natural conclusion, the rest by a similar decree were lost, it mattered not what their opinions or ways were.

Is the Ability to Sin Essential to the Definition of Free Will?

Sin and Involuntary Acts

Should God have limited Free Will?

Arminians claim that the reason why all are not saved is that God wills to preserve the free will of man more than he wills to save everyone. But is this not making a distinction in two aspects of the will of God? On the one hand God wills that all be saved (1 Tim. 2:5-6; 2 Peter 3:9). But on the other had he wills to preserve man’s absolutely free choice. In fact, he wills the second thing more than the first.¹ — Dr. Wayne Grudem

Is Free Will Defined as a State of Mental Indifference to Options?

Some scholars believe that a will would be free if, and only if, it were in a state of complete indifference to its possible choices. In other words, if there were any influences upon a will, the will would no longer be free. They argue that any influence upon a will would determine it to a particular choice among its possible options. It is granted by all that many things influence the human will. So, if free will were dependent upon having no influences upon it, these scholars would have made their case that human do not have a free will.

John Gerstner (?-1996)

Christian Treasury