Determined to Believe?

"...some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation."  John Calvin

Are people predestined for heaven or hell before they are born? Some Christians believe it, other Christians reject it, and some wrestle with whether it is true or not. It is the classic "free will vs. determinism" debate: Do we have a choice in whether we believe in God, or is it out of our hands?

John Lennox wades into these deep waters in his book "Determined to Believe: The Sovereignty of God, Faith and Human Responsibility".

This topic came up at a recent wedding reception, where I overheard a preacher discussing one difficult implication of determinism - specifically, if God is responsible for everything, as determinism teaches, then isn't God also responsible for evil? The pastor explained that since God is good, he can't be responsible for evil. Later, I asked him if he was Reformed (1) and he responded "Absolutely!" (2) When I asked him why, he said emphatically "Because the Scriptures clearly teach it!", and he proceeded to quote several verses from the New Testament. I took the opportunity to question him: "Would you say that God caused Adam and Eve to sin and thus, humanity to fall from grace? "Yes", he affirmed, "ultimately it will bring more glory to God". I continued my questions: "What about some of the most heinous actions people commit against others such as murder, rape, and torture, would you say God also caused that?" He affirmed that as well, although he seemed less comfortable with that assertion. He went on to explain that God in his Sovereignty can bring good from all things.

Wrestling with Determinism
Now, I believe that God can bring good from all things. (3) But I have trouble believing God ordains heinous acts of people against others, or even that some people are doomed to eternal damnation before they were born. But if the Bible really teaches that, then who am I to question it? Yet I've always been uncomfortable with this teaching. After all, If God predetermines the eternal destiny of people before they are born, what does it say about his character? Is he really loving and good? How can he be a God of love and justice if he preordains some to damnation but yet somehow holds them responsible for failing to see what they couldn't see or do what they couldn't do?

John Lennox, author of many
excellent Christian apologetic
books, including "Determined
to Believe?"

It was my conversation above with the Reformed preacher that finally motivated me to read Lennox's book, and I'm so glad I did. Lennox challenges theistic determination and its implications in a respectful tone. With logic and intellect, he examines the key Bible verses used to support determinism (4), including within their larger context, their interpretation from the original Greek, and some potentially alternate meanings of those verses.

After reading his book I have more peace about this topic because I know there is strong Biblical support for what my intellect and heart have sensed all along. Namely, while I totally believe in the Sovereignty of God, I also believe he gives us the free will to choose or reject him; to believe, or not to believe, in Him. 

Is God a Moral Monster?
Because the doctrine of determinism appears to many to call into question the love and goodness of God (as described above), it alienates some people who are beginning to think about Christianity. Some Christians also wrestle with and think deeply about the big topics of God's sovereignty and human freedom and responsibility. These are serious issues, and are the primary reasons why Lennox wrote his book.

A Couple of Brief Examples:
I thought about trying to summarize the book in this post, but that would be difficult because it is such a weighty book. However, at the risk of ignoring many parts of his book, a couple of examples may be helpful. Here are two verses from the Bible, with comments following each of them by Lennox:

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him.  John 3:36.

Lennox:  "It is hard to imagine how this statement could have been made if men and women did not possess the capacity to believe.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16.

Lennox:  "It doesn't say "whoever has eternal life believes in him". (5)

Of course, there are other verses that indicate determinism and Lennox addresses each of them, as I mentioned above. (4)

Conclusion
Lennox is careful to avoid labels and acknowledges his respect for those Christians who espouse determinism. And to be sure, there are varying degrees of determinism, and not all "determinists" would say that God preordains some people to eternal damnation or to commit heinous acts (6). Nevertheless, when such influential Christians like John MacArthur, John Piper, R.C. Sproul, and Jonathan Edwards emphatically teach (or have taught) it, the topic of determinism must be reckoned with. Lennox also notes a number of well-known Christians who have rejected, or at least questioned, determinism or portions of it such as C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, C.H. Spurgeon, John Wesley, A.W. Tozer, Alvin Planinga, William Lane Craig, N.T. Wright. (7) 

If you are a Christian, or a person considering Christianity, who is troubled by the implications of determinism, this book could be extremely helpful to you. I highly recommend it.

Note: Lennox also discusses (and believes in) assurance of salvation, a huge and important topic. But in the interests of space and brevity, I haven't summarized it herein.


Footnotes:
(1) Reformed Theology teaches determinism.
(2)  In my experience, those who believe in determinism are very adamant in their views.
(3)  Romans 8:28.
(4) E.g., Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:5; Ephesians 1:11-12.
(5) In Chapter 10 of "Determined to Believe?", The Irreversibility of Regeneration.
(6) For example, the Lutheran Church teaches unconditional election to salvation but rejects predestination to damnation.
(7) Lennox also quotes Martin Luther quite a lot, but Luther's position, at the risk of oversimplifying, seemed to fall somewhere in the middle.

China

Like most Americans, I have heard about China since I was a child. I have read the sayings of Confucius and seen pictures of China's (then) antiquated agriculture. Like many other children, I fully intended to dig a hole deep enough to get to China, and my parents told me to clean up all the food on my plate at meals because children were starving in China (that was a common cultural saying then; don't try to figure out the logic!).

Since then I've been blessed to know several wonderful people from China, including some who are my peers now or were my peers while I was in graduate school. Also, I've served as major adviser to two Chinese graduate students (one currently) and have served on the advisory committees of a number of other Chinese graduate students. Some of my peers and graduate students (former and current) are pictured below. What a privilege it has been to work with them!

In 2013, I was fortunate to visit China to attend the 12th International Turfgrass Society Conference (this post is long overdue)! Really I only visited Beijing and surroundings, and I'm aware there is much more to China. But what I saw was impressive.

China is a beautiful gem in God's creation, including its people, culture, and landscape. I hope you enjoy a few pictures of my visit there. (1)

The Great Wall was breathtaking (in more ways than one!). Built around 221-210 BC, it traverses
thousands of miles of China. We visited a restored portion less than 40 miles from Beijing. It was
crowded near the entrance (we took a cable car to get up to the wall). But I walked far enough to
where the crowd thinned out. The haze in the sky was smog from nearby Beijing; the sky had been
crystal clear the day before, but when the winds are calm the smog rapidly accumulated again.

I visited the Temple of Heaven, considered by some to be
Beijing's most recognizable icon. Here, successive emperors would make
sacrifices and pray to heaven and their ancestors at the winter solstice,
to intercede for their people and pray for a good harvest. The emperor was
considered the "Son of Heaven".

Entrance to Forbidden City, so called because at one time only members of the imperial court were
allowed inside. It is one of the largest palace complexes ever built. We spent several hours there
on a Sunday afternoon!

Tiananmen Square, the world's largest public square, is right across the street from the Forbidden
City. Dr. Kemin Su (right) was my first graduate student, and an excellent one at that. Kemin,
who is from China, went to considerable efforts and expense to help my colleagues and I feel
welcome (more below on that). Also pictured are Dr. Paul Johnson from Utah State Univ.
(2nd from left), me (left), and a Chinese friend we met in the subway, who spent most of the day
with us. I found the Chinese to be very friendly and fun to be around.

The Summer Palace and Kunming Lake, which in ancient days was the semi-rural summer retreat
area for the imperial court. On the day we visited it was the only clear day during the 7 days I was
there (the remainder were smoggy), and it was beautiful! Beijing city is in the background.

The entrance to Ming Tombs, 30 miles NW of Beijing. It is a vast burial site of 13 of the 16
Ming-dynasty (1368-1644) emperors. The tombs are spread over 15 square miles.

Drs. Jack Fry, Kemin Su, and me (right to left) on the Great Wall. Dr. Su, my first graduate student
as mentioned above, generously arranged a ride for Dr. Fry and his wife Nathalie and me, served as
our tour guide for a day to the Great Wall, Ming Tombs, the 2008 Summer Olympics site, and
treated us to a wonderful Chinese dinner in Beijing, all at his expense. He is a very generous and
hospitable man, and made our stay so much richer!

Bringing Kansas State University (KSU) to China! Dr. Jack Fry, his wife Nathalie, and me (right
to left). This was at the Summer Palace.

Turfgrass and China
From a historical context, China is a case study on the detrimental effects of removing all turfgrass from urban centers. The following is an excerpt from a textbook of the late Dr. James Beard, considered to be the father of modern turfgrass science:

"During the Cultural Revolution of the late 1960s and early 1970s in China, the grassed lawns, trees, and shrubs were removed in major urban areas because they were viewed negatively by the government officials as symbols of a capitalistic society. As a consequence, the dust problem became so severe that at times car traffic on roads had to be closed because of a lack of visibility for safe travel. Eventually, the rate of human diseases associated with the aerial dust pollution in these Chinese cities was much greater than for comparable cities in other parts of the world. Initially, government officials attempted to solve the problem by employing large groups of workers to regularly sweep up the dust from barren ground. The program was unsuccessful. This author was then contacted by the Chinese Botanical Society about revegetation strategies. The officials decided to reintroduce trees, but the problem was not significantly lessened until after an official policy of reintroducing turfgrasses onto the bare areas was implemented. It should be noted that windborne dust from rural areas remains a problem." (2)

So it was significant that China hosted the 12th International Turfgrass Society Conference, of which I had the privilege of attending. Below are a few pics of the conference and some turfgrass around Beijing.

Opening session of the 12th International Turfgrass Society Conference, 2013. The conference
lasted 6 days, from July 14-19.

Presenting my scientific research at the conference.

Natural turfgrass at the site of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Here near the Bird's Nest Stadium.

A Chinese appeal to your conscience to keep off the turfgrass. I wonder if this sign would
work in America! This was at the 2008 Summer Olympics Grounds.

Turfgrass inside the Forbidden City. Unfortunately it was artificial, not natural turfgrass!

Other Highlights from around the City:

Panoramic view of Forbidden City from the Wancheng Pavilion at Jing Shan Park. The Pavilion sits
atop a large hill to the north of the Forbidden City; the hill was created from the earth that was
excavated while building the moat around the palace complex during the reign of the Ming Yongle
emperor.

This rickshaw driver at Qian Hai Lake in the Hou Hai neighborhood, north of the Forbidden City,
was giving Dr. Yaling Qian (turfgrass scientist from Colorado State Univ.) a hard sell for a ride
around the area. Hou Hai consists of 3 lakes surrounded by an expansive and labyrinthine sprawl of
age-old alleys; it was most interesting. Yaling generously gave Dr. Jack Fry, Nathalie his wife, and
me a tour around the Hou Hai neighborhood and the Summer Palace. Yaling and I were graduate
students at the same time back in the 1990s at Kansas State University; Jack Fry served as her
major adviser.

The sky was clear on only one of the 7 days I was in Beijing. I was surprised to see
mountains around the city! This was the view from the window of my room in the Beijing
Yulong Hotel.

An interesting shirt for sale at a street vendor near the Forbidden City. Looks suspiciously like
our (then) President Obama in a Chinese Communist Military Uniform.

China and Cuisine:

Dr. Jinman Fu (right) very graciously treated us to a great dinner in a private room in the
restaurant. Dr. Fu was a graduate student at Kansas State University, advised by Dr. Fry. I had the
privilege of serving on his committee. Also pictured (right to left) are Dr Yiewui Jiang (Purdue
Univ.), who was formerly a graduate student at Kansas State Univ., Dr. Bingru Huang (Rutgers
Univ.), my predecessor (of my current position at Kansas State Univ.), Nathalie and Jack Fry, me,
and Dr. Yaling Qian (Colorado State Univ.).

The squirrel fish was most interesting, and very tasty!

Dr. Kemin Su graciously treated Dr. Fry, Nathalie, and I to an amazing
Chinese dinner in a private room in a nice restaurant. Here the chef was
serving Peking Duck.

 

Scorpions for dinner anyone? This was at a street vendor in Beijing on a bustling Friday evening. (YouTube:  https://youtu.be/P-KXB8-yht4)

Street vendors were everywhere in Beijing! Most things looked tasty. I wasn't sure what to
think about the stinky tofu though...mostly because of the bad smell.

McDonald's is everywhere, here somewhere in Beijing!

Graduate students from China who have been or are in the turfgrass program at K-State:

Kemin Su, my first graduate student, at the
Birdsnest Stadium in Beijing. He is from
Shanxian (County), Shandong Province. He
now resides in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Mu Hong is currently my graduate
(doctoral) student; I serve as his
major adviser. He is from Shantou,
in the Guangdong province.

Mingying Xiang is from Weihai, in the Shandong
province. I served on her graduate committee.
She is now at Univ. of California, Riverside.

Qi (Chee) Zhang, Associate Professor
North Dakota State University
I served on Qi's graduate committee.

Footnotes

(1) Some information about tourist sites was obtained from: Top 10 Beijing, DK Eyewitness Travel, 2011.

(2) Beard, J.B. 2008. Integrated multiple factor considerations in low-precipitation landscape approaches. p. 33-40 In J.B. Beard and M.P. Kenna (editors) Water quality and quantity issues for turfgrasses and urban landscapes. Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, special publication 27.

The Secret of Life

"Do you know what the secret of life is?"  Curly (City Slickers)

If there was a true secret of life, would we be willing to believe it? In our post-modern world where many don't believe there are absolute truths, this is a relevant question.

Post-Modern Answer
In the movie "City Slickers" there is an intriguing scene in which Billy Crystal portrays a man going through a middle age crisis. He is beginning to see that his time in this life is limited, and is struggling to find meaning in it all. He is chatting with an old cowboy (Curly) about life when Curly asks him if he knows what the secret of life is (see YouTube video clip below or at this link: (https://youtu.be/X1cmvzRKCCg).

For me, the intriguing aspect of the scene, as characterized by Billy Crystal's character, is the display of yearning we all feel for something beyond ourselves that gives us true meaning, purpose and happiness. Curly's answer (which is basically, you have to figure it out for yourself) seems to carry some weight, but in the end is disappointing and leaves me unsatisfied. Why? Because no matter how much we try to assuage the ache of our mortality with our own anecdotes (money, sex, power, fame, even kindness or love) it doesn't change the fact that life is all too brief and in the end, in the secular worldview, none of it will really matter. Theologian Tim Keller summarizes the implications of the secular, post-modern worldview:

"What if human civilization lasted a billion years? In comparison to the oceans of dead time before life, and the oceans of dead time after the sun burns out, human civilization is just a blip. No one will be around to remember anything that’s been done. Nothing you do has any significance at all. Everything you do is insignificant whether you live a good life or a bad life." (1)

Astonishingly, in contrast to this bleak picture, there is a much better answer to the "secret of life" question, one that is filled with hope, joy, and peace. (2)

Jesus giving his famous "Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 5-7).
Painting by Carl Heinrich Bloch (Danish painter, 1834-1890).

"Whoever has ears, let them hear", said Jesus Christ to a crowd after one of his public teachings. (3) Later, when his close followers asked him about the meaning of his teaching, he said “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you....Don't you understand...? (emphasis mine) (4) Despite their slowness, he patiently and graciously went on to explain the meaning of that teaching to them. 

The same could be said of you and me. Do we want to "hear" about the secret of his kingdom? If you have an open mind and earnestly desire to know the "secret of life", I urge you to consider Jesus' message, which isn't really a secret at all. It is freely available and has brought hope, joy, meaning, and purpose to billions of people over the centuries.

Good News!
Jesus lived a remarkable life of "mighty works and wonders and signs." (5)
Here are a few of his teachings:

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (6)

"In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (7)

"...there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” “Behold, I make all things new." (8)

Of course, anyone could have said these things, although one would have to wonder about their sanity. However, Jesus backed up his claims by his mighty works and, especially, by his Resurrection from the dead after his brutal crucifixion. (9, 10)

Road to Emmaus, by Robert Zund (1826-1909).

"Seek, and you will find", taught Jesus. (11) He has the same patience and graciousness towards you and me that he had for his followers when they didn't immediately understand his teachings, as mentioned above.

I love the painting of Jesus on the Road to Emmaus, walking with his followers after his Resurrection from the dead. As they walked, Jesus explained the secrets of the kingdom to them. After the journey his two followers exclaimed “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”(12)

Do you want to know the secret of life? 
Will you follow him? It doesn't mean your journey will be easy, or that you will always understand everything that happens to you. But it will be a lifelong journey of learning his truths and being increasingly filled with the hope that one day he will make all things new, including you.

Beautiful!


Footnotes...
(1) Tim Keller, Notes from his sermon "Sickness Unto Death". https://paulvanderklay.me/2013/11/07/notes-on-tim-kellers-sermon-sickness-unto-death/
(2) Romans 15:13
(3) Matthew 11:15; Mark 4:9, 23.
(4) excerpts from Mark 4:11-13.
(5) Acts 2:22.
(6) John 11:25-26.
(7) John 16:33
(8) Revelation 21:4-5.
(9) Acts 2:23-24.
(10)  There is significant evidence of his Resurrection for those interested, but that is beyond the scope of this discussion and I have covered it in other posts:  Ressurection from the Dead; and Risen - The Movie
(11) Matthew 7:7
(12) Luke 24:32 

If You Can Keep It: The Forgotten Promise of American Liberty

"We must always consider...that we shall be as a city upon a hill--the eyes of all people are upon us." John F. Kennedy (1)

The Statue of Liberty faces outward towards the nations, carrying a torch
and holding it high, as if to say "This is not just for us, it's meant for you
too..." (excerpt from City on a Hill, John Winthrop. Photo by Dale Bremer

Freedom and liberty. Our hearts yearn for it. American's are blessed with it. But what is it, and can we keep it?

Did you know America's founders saw our form of government as radical, risky, and fragile? Benjamin Franklin said as much when he responded to a citizen who had asked him, as he exited the Constitutional Convention in 1787 (2), what type of government they had forged. "A republic...if you can keep it.", he answered.

What exactly did Franklin mean? The idea of American liberty, or self-government was unprecedented in history. There was no guarantee it was going to work.

Most of us have forgotten this and other significant aspects of America's history, said Eric Metaxas in his book, If You Can Keep It: The Forgotten Promise of American Liberty. Nevertheless, the burden of "keeping it" as Franklin said, is excruciatingly important. Ronald Reagan once said: "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction". In his book, Metaxas lamented he was "gravely afraid we are in serious danger of letting [the flame of freedom] go out in our generation."

His book serves as a warning, but he offers encouraging ideas to help us remember our history, keep our republic, and pass it on to the next generation.

The Golden Triangle of Freedom was understood to be crucial to the long-term success of America, and explains why the founders believed the populace was ready for self governance:

1. Freedom requires virtue (3, 10)
2. Virtue requires faith (4)
3. Faith requires Freedom (5)
Metaxas explains it here: https://youtu.be/Vjxo5wEjM7w  (6)

Venerating our Heroes has fallen out of favor in America, to our detriment. But we need stories of our heroes to inspire us. Consider Nathan Hale, who volunteered to go behind enemy lines for George Washington and was captured. His last words before being hanged were "My only regret is that I have but one life to give for my country". He was 21 years old. Let that sink in for a moment. His sacrifice should move us to tears. 

Loving America
If America is to survive, we must love the best of America while acknowledging her worst. We shouldn't pretend America can do no wrong, nor should we cynically view "America as the world's problem". The current ideological battle between these two camps in America is deeply destructive to our culture.

Abraham Lincoln saw the ugliness of slavery and led the nation into war to stop it. But he also loved America, believed she was God's gift to the world, and called her "the last great hope on earth".

"Washington Crossing the Delaware". An 1851 painting by Emanuel Leutze. Metaxas suggests that we study art such as this
with our children to teach them (and us) to appreciate and love America.

How do we love America? Metaxas suggests studying art from our early history (7) and using remembrance and ritual, including with our children (8), as a beginning.

The promise of America is for future generations and even the world. (9) You and I simply must pass it on!

Perhaps Ronald Reagan summarized it best: "If we lose freedom here, there is no place to escape to. This is the last stand on Earth."


Footnotes:
(1)    Excerpted from City on a Hill, by John Winthrop, who based it on Jesus's words in Matthew 5:14: "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden."
(2)    Independence Hall, Philadelphia, USA.
(3)    "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom" (Benjamin Franklin). Self government requires people to govern themselves.
(4)    "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." (President John Adams). The influence of Reverend George Whitefield, known as the spiritual founding father of America, had led to widespread faith in God throughout the American colonies.
(5)    The "wall of separation between the church and state", coined by President Thomas Jefferson, means religious liberty will be respected and encouraged, but the national government cannot favor one church over another. People are free to worship as they desire.

(6)    For a longer, entertaining, and fascinating discussion about his book, listen to this video (https://youtu.be/UmtOdNtCTxg):

 

(7)    For example, Longfellow's poem "Paul Revere's Ride", the painting Washington Crossing the Delaware, or the Iwo Jima statue in Washington D.C., and the movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", which is critical of America but in a hopeful and inspiring way.
(8) Having children cite portions of Paul Revere's Ride on April 18, the Declaration of Independence on July 4, and do something to remember Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and George Washington on February 22. We should do this in our communities, in front of town halls, libraries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, and especially in our schools.
(9)    Metaxas explains this in depth in his book. Perhaps the Declaration of Independence summarizes it best:  We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
(10) For more discussion and quotes on the emphasis on God during the founding of America, see my blog post about my visit to Washington DC:  Emphasis of America's Founding Fathers on God.