Discipleship Journal named C. S. Lewis one of the most important Christian authors of the 1900s. Some credit him as being the single most popular Christian author of that century.
Mere Christianity, by C. S. Lewis
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Tag Archives: theology
Does Foreknowledge Negate Free Will?
The Bible is full of calls to choose our destiny or loyalty. These verses tell us we have a choice, and thus support the doctrine of free will. For example:
- Joshua 24:15: “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” This verse is a plain example of a call to make a choice.
- Proverbs 1:28, 29: “Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD.” In this verse, God describes His response (not answering, not being found) as the result of the people’s past choices (they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of God). God’s response was conditional; human choice was the condition.
- Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” This is a conditional promise: Anyone who hears and opens the door to Christ will sup with Him. Again, the human choice is the condition.
Sanctuary Geometry and the Garden of Eden
[This is an expansion on an article I wrote in 1998. I shared it with some friends at that time, but since then I've added a little more to it.]
I grew up in the church, and over the years I saw many pictures of the tabernacle of Moses, Solomon’s temple, and Herod’s temple. However, the first time I saw a scale diagram of the tabernacle and its courtyard, I was amazed. Here is a scale model:
Why I Believe in Eternal Fire
[Note: This article has been updated since it was first published, based on additional research.]
The verses about “eternal fire” in the Bible (also called “everlasting fire,” etc.) have troubled annhilationists, such as myself, endlessly. The verses about eternal fire are viewed as a constant threat to our belief in soul sleep, conditional immortality, and the annihilation of sinners. After all, if there really is eternal fire, wouldn’t that also mean we must accept eternal torment?
Evolving Opposition to Adventist Darwinism
It’s a struggle for the survival of the fittest — the fittest science for Seventh-day Adventist education, that is. Most SDA educational institutions (K–university) have taught, and presumably still teach, a literal six-day creation of life as taught in Genesis 1. However, over the last couple decades or so, some teachers at SDA universities have allegedly endorsed the historical interpretations of mainstream science, but while retaining some measure of divine oversight. This view is sometimes called theistic evolution.
Over the years I’ve heard reports of problems in our school science departments, but had always assumed it was a single rogue teacher here and there. From all that I’ve personally seen, the church leadership and its official publications have remained firm on the traditional Adventist view of origins.