Journey of Cross and Quill

How to Answer the Fool: A Presuppositional Defense of the Faith Review and Giveaway

Cheryl L. Stansberry — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:00:06 +0000

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7

In How to Answer the Fool: A Presuppositional Defense of the Faith, Sye Ten Bruggencate of Proof that God Exists, exerts that, “All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ. You cannot know anything at all unless you start with God.” This is the basic premise of presuppositional apologetics. In this video, presented by American Vision, Sye forgoes all evidential apologetics and cuts to the chase. His goal? Show his opponent that any worldview apart from God and His revealed Word is a complete absurdity.

Sye Ten Bruggencate engages students on campus throughout this video in addition to debating with self proclaimed atheists. To those not familiar with presuppositional apologetics his methodology at times may seem brash or awkward. Bruggencate continually repeats the same questions in an attempt to bring his opponent to realization of the absurdity of his worldview without God. After watching these exchanges it became apparent to me that those with conflicting worldviews do indeed see their inconsistencies but rather than admit the truth, non-Christians will continue to suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

What is apologetics? This video give a precise definition:

a•pol•o•get•ics
[noun](used with a singular verb) The branch of theology that is concerned with defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines.

Ten Bruggencate takes issue with evidential apologetics and highlights the clips of known Christian apologists such as Lee Strobel, Dr. John Lennox, and Dr. Frank Turek. The problem, he views, is the basic premise of those who practice this type of apologetics. Is God on trial here? By acquiescing to the arguments and objections of the non-Christian we are permitting them to stand in judgment of God. This should not be so! The Bible calls those who deny His existence fools! The Scriptures are clear that the problem is not a lack of knowledge or evidence but sin.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Romans 1:18

The truth is that the non-Christian KNOWS the truth but because of his love of sin will suppress it. There is sufficient evidence declaring the glory of God and the unregenerate is without excuse.

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

Psalm 19:1-6

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 1:19-21

Pascal’s Wager, known and used by many Christians in attempts to defend the faith has a severe flaw. Ten Bruggencate proclaims, “God is not a good bet, God is not even the best bet, God is the certain God that has revealed Himself to us, such that we are certain of His existence (Romans 1: 18-21).” Christians do not worship a “probable God,” and should not in the course of apologetics defend a “probable God.” Such a god does not exist. By defending a “probable God,” we are lying about who He is, and that my friends, is sin.

Ten Bruggencate also takes issue with the statement that professing Christians will use saying, “I became a Christian because of the evidence.” To those he declares, “You are not a Christian.” Is he being too hard or judgmental here? The Scriptures are clear on this matter. Salvation is completely under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of God:

God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

2 Timothy 2:25a-26

God alone grants repentance and repentance comes before knowledge. Evidential apologetics may at times be used of God to lead one to repentance, but it is God alone who saves. Bruggencate asserts that the issue is not evidence. It is sin. The foundation of reasoning is God and without it everything is meaningless.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

The next definition the video address is the word presuppose.

pre•sup•pose
[verb] A “presupposition” is an elementary assumption in one’s reasoning or in the process by which opinions are formed…[It] is not just any assumption in an argument, but a personal commitment that is held at the most basic level of one’s network of beliefs.

We all have the same evidence but we interpret it according to what we already believe. This is the point Bruggencate tries to drive home. No amount of “evidence” or well construed arguments will change the mind and heart of the unregenerate. Only God can do that. Ten Bruggencate, instead, attempts to bring his opponent into a realization that his presuppositions are faulty because they are based on a faulty worldview. Consistency is the issue here. Non-Christians need to see that knowledge and logic are derived from God, not their own standards.

What is knowledge?

knowl•edge
A clear and certain perception of that which exists or of truth and fact; the perception of the connection and agreement or disagreement and repugnancy of our ideas, learning illumination of mind.

Infinite knowledge is in Christ and we cannot know anything apart from Him. He is our authority. The Scriptures do not tell us merely to go and make disciples. It starts with the assertion that ALL authority in heaven and earth is given to Jesus Christ. Therefore we are to go and make disciples. We cannot argue for Christianity by giving up Christianity! What an absurdity! We cannot dispose of the ultimate Authority in defending our faith. We chuck out the Scriptures and bring ourselves down to the level of the fool when doing this.

Ten Bruggencate, in applying presuppositional apologetics, works to destroy any worldview not aligned with the God of the Bible. Christians are to “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5) but in all this, Ten Bruggencate quips, “Don’t be a jerk about it!”

Opponents engaged against presuppositional apologetics are reducing themselves to absurdity. Where do they get truth without God? Most of the people Ten Bruggencate engages are unable to come up with a clear answer other than themselves. There is no such thing as an atheist or a theist, but only Christians and idolaters. There is only “God and not God.” If your standard of truth is not the Scriptures, Ten Bruggencate asserts, you are not a Christian!

How to Answer the Fool: A Presuppositional Defense of the Faith in an excellent example of presuppositional apologetics in action. Some may be put off by Ten Bruggencate’s style, namely his repetition of certain questions. However, I found it refreshing and necessary as I believed it led his opponents, if not those who witnessed the exchange, to realize that it is not about the evidence but about their preconceived beliefs regarding the Christian faith. They live inconsistently in their worldview and Sye Ten Bruggencate does a remarkable job presenting them with their folly, even if they don’t want to see it. Non-Christians claim his arguments make no sense, but it does succinctly! It is nonsensical to deny the truth and as we engage in apologetics it is imperative to remember that repentance is a gift of God. We are merely His instruments.

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Praise You in This Storm: Part Two

Cheryl L. Stansberry — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:23:28 +0000

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

When I wrote Praise You in This Storm not even a week ago I had no idea that God would yet again test me. My youngest son, Josiah, will be 15-months-old later this week. For several months now I have become concerned with the protrusion on the right side of his head. A few months ago I took him to be examined by the neurosurgeon at Denver Children’s Hospital. I was told that yes, his head was on the large side but not to worry because he’ll probably just have a big head all his life. Quite normal. I was asked to come back to have his head remeasured in 6 to 8 weeks just to make sure. Yesterday I returned and gave the doctor an update on my son’s irritability the past month. Josiah will have episodes of screaming for long periods of time. The doctor still reassured me he probably just has a big head but to be on the safe side they’ll order a short MRI (The latest head measurement deviated off the path of the curve and that is why the neurosurgeons decided on the scan). After a quick lunch there at the hospital we headed over to have his MRI and then back to the doctor’s office. At this time I was bracing myself for the best—that I was just a typically concerned mother and there was nothing to be worried about.

But I was wrong. The doctor gave me a long, sympathetic look as he sat down and proceeded to tell me that it was a good thing we had the MRI done. Three out of the four ventricles in his brain were enlarged and swollen. This will most likely require surgery in the near future. In two months the neurosurgeons want to have a full MRI done to determine a course of action. In the meantime I am to take Josiah to see an ophthalmologist to check his eyes in order to make sure there is nothing serious going on which will require immediate surgery. And of course if his condition worsens I am to return to the neurosurgeon’s office right away. Not the news I was expecting. Even the neurosurgeon wasn’t expecting this.

It hasn’t been confirmed officially but it looks to be that Josiah, like his big brother, has hydrocephalus. The news pierced my heart as only a mother feels when her child is hurting. However, as I have learned over my lifetime, our God is Sovereign. I have learned to praise Him in the storm. With every struggle and trial, I am learning to fully lean on Him. Not merely by saying I will trust in Him, but trusting Him with every fiber of my being. All things, not merely some things, work together for the good of those who love Him. Everything that happens happens because He wills it. Because it serves His purposes. I cannot even begin to understand His purpose in all of this–why my children have had to go through so much. A new friend has told me that if I knew the purpose behind all of this, I would not trust Him so. The unknown moves me to faith, to a deeper trust. It is one thing to say God is sovereign but another thing to truly believe it. This means acknowledging that God is Sovereign over suffering, death, sin, and evil.

“Whatsoever happens in time is but the outworking of His eternal decrees—‘for Whom are all things’ (Heb. 2:10). God is behind the scenes, ordering everything for His own glory; …God not only directs the rise and fall of empires, but also rules the fall of a sparrow. …What a haven of rest is this—to know that ‘of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things; to whom be the glory forever’ (Rom. 11:36)”
– A.W. Pink “Gleanings in Exodus” p. 18 (Moody Press)

Like Job I am learning to say:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Job 1:21

I will praise Him because He is worthy. He has blessed me immeasurably. He has bestowed upon me grace and mercy. Every breath is a gift. Every circumstance is a chance to trust on His promises and to know Him more fully. As He breaks me, I rejoice because I know He is remaking me into His image.

When I asked for patience, He gave me children with strong wills. When I asked for compassion, He gave me children with special needs. When I asked to know Him, He broke me down into nothingness. To God be the glory.

I ask for your prayers for strength for our family and for wisdom for the neurosurgeons as they assess Josiah’s situation.

Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

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The Education of Our Children

Cheryl L. Stansberry — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:25:56 +0000

There is a phrase in Francis Schaeffer’s book, The Great Evangelical Disaster, that I believe succinctly addresses the heart of the matter of which I am about to write: “Truth carries with it confrontation. Truth demands confrontation: loving confrontation, but confrontation nonetheless. If our reflex action is always accommodation regardless of the centrality of truth involved, there is something wrong.”[1]

I am often hesitant in my everyday conversations to delve into the real reasons my husband and I have chosen to forgo public schooling and educate our children at home. The conversation generally goes like this:

“How are your children doing in school?”

“Good. We home school.”

“How’s that going?”

“Good.”

I then nod politely as the other person tells me that their children attend public school and are doing this or that and soon we move on to another topic. By my nondescript response it would not appear that my convictions on the matter of education were of any consequence. However my lukewarm engagements stand contrary to the beliefs saturated within every fiber of my being and inwardly I struggle to reconcile the disconnect between my faith and actions.

That being said I have come to the point where I know for certain that neutrality is a myth and I can no longer stand on the wayside feigning indifference. The words of Proverbs 24:11-12 apply as much to this situation as to any other regarding obedience to God’s Word:

Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

If you say, “But we knew nothing of this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?

With this in mind I would like to specifically address those of the Christian faith who have placed the responsibility of the education of their children with the State. I am not here to personally insult or degrade any of you and by no means do I purport to be any more righteous merely because I home educate my children. I come to you, instead, pleading for you to remove your children from the public school system.

Voddie Baucham, in his message, The Children of Caesar: He Who Controls the Schools Controls the World, lays out a strong case for Christian education. An astonishing ninety percent of professing born-again Christians sends their children to public schools. What, then, is especially alarming is the number of those who have shed their religious beliefs by the end of their freshman year of college. That number lies between seventy and eighty-eight percent. Dr. Bachaum reiterates, “If we continue to send our children to Caesar for their education we need to stop being surprised when they come home as Romans.” The truth is harsh.

Luke 6:40 tells us that “a student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” A teacher is a discipler. There is no separating education and discipling. Dr. Baucham makes this clear in his talk. From kindergarten through twelfth grade a student will be discipled by the State for 14,000 seat hours. [2] 14,000!

Bradley Heath, in his book, Millstones and Stumbling Blocks writes, “Education is both taught and caught; it is both content and context.” [3] What, then, is the context purported by America’s public schools? God is irrelevant.

Is the Bible true? My science, health, and literature teachers said no. Is God providential in the affairs of men and nations? My history, social studies, and economics teachers said no. Is there design and purpose evident in creation? My biology, chemistry, and math teachers said no. Are there absolutes? My sex-education teacher said no and my friends said “cool.” Is God relevant to any subject taught in the public school? All of my teachers and all of my books said no. Consequently, every day for twelve years the content and context of my public schooling said there is no God, and even if there is, He does not matter. [4]

No, your school is not different. Talking things through with your child is not the equivalent of a complete Christian education and worldview. 14,000 seat hours! Yes, there may be a few outstanding Christian teachers in the public school system but due to the fact that the government and teachers unions are in control of the curriculum, a Christian teacher here and there does nothing to absolve the fact that public schools are inherently humanistic in nature. There is no such thing as neutrality. Education is not administered in a vacuum. Your children are not yet equipped to be sent into the camp of the enemy to be “salt and light.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 commands us as parents:

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

What is this passage telling us? We are responsible for the education of our children ALL THE TIME. We must do what the Bible commands. The Scriptures are replete with passages warning against conforming ourselves to the world. That our children are a gift and blessing from God should be enough for us to take care to nurture them and grow them in the ways of the Lord. How can we possibly do this if we send them to be trained by the enemy for 14,000 hours of their lives? Do we really think that a few hours a day is enough to wash them of the filth and mediocrity that is public education? I grieve to accept that this is what we have been conditioned to believe. Everything we have been taught about public education is wrong. For more information on this topic I wholeheartedly recommend the book The Underground History of American Public Education by John Taylor Gatto.

There are many reasons to be skeptical about public education and I could write article upon article on them and perhaps in the future I will. What I want to drive home right now is that God has entrusted us to disciple our children and we must not abdicate our responsibilities. Consider these quotes:

Non-Christian education puts the child in a vacuum. The result is that child dies. Christian education alone really nurtures personality, because it alone gives the child air and food. Modern educational philosophy gruesomely insults our God and our Christ. How, then, do you expect to build anything positively Christian or theistic upon a foundation which is the negation of Christianity and Theism? No teaching of any sort is possible except in Christian schools. (Cornelius Van Til)

This whole process of education is to be religious, and not only religious, but Christian. And as Christianity is the only true religion, and God in Christ, the only true God, the only possible means of profitable education is the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Charles Hodge)

No academic skepticism, no secularist authors, no blatant materialism can so undermine the spiritual life of the country like the completely secularized training of a child under the authority of the State. Bible-based education is mandatory for Christian parents. If we think we can keep our children in a secular school system and escape the dumb down, amoral, and immoral results of secular humanism in schools, we are sorely mistaken. (David Alan Black)

I ask you to heartfully reconsider your decision to send your child to public school. Taking on the monumental responsibility of educating your child is no easy thing especially for parents who are on limited income or are going it alone. I understand the difficulty some of you have in which there are circumstances beyond your control which have drastic implications. However, you are not alone in this. There are many parents in similar circumstances who have made the choice to find an alternate choice to public schools. If you are convicted to make a change I guarantee you God will make a way. In this I call upon other families and churches to step up and provide support for those leaving the government system, as it should be. I, too, am available for support if you have questions or are looking for a way to make Christian education work. I realize many will be angry with my words and it is to those I would like to reassure you that I come not in judgment but rather with loving concern for our children, our heritage. God bless you all in your endeavors and may we all strive to unite under the banner of God.

This is the sanctification of your studies: when they are devoted to God and when He is the end, the object, and the life of them all. (Richard Baxter)

Endnotes

[1] Francis Schaeffer, The Great Evangelical Disaster (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1984), 64.
[2] Children of Caesar: He Who Controls the Schools Controls the World, perf. Voddie Baucham, DVD, The American Vision, 2007.
[3] Bradley Heath, Millstones and Stumbling Blocks (Tucson, AZ: Fenestra Books, 2006), 16.
[4] Bradley Heath, Millstones and Stumbling Blocks (Tucson, AZ: Fenestra Books, 2006), 17.

Originally posted September 13, 2009.
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Praise You in This Storm

Cheryl L. Stansberry — Fri, 10 May 2013 03:08:50 +0000

On my way home from my oldest son’s yearly visit with his neurosurgeon, I was listening to K-Love and the song, Jesus Bring the Rain by Mercy Me, came on.

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I’ve gone through

The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You

Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It’s never really ever crossed my mind

To turn my back on you oh Lord
My only shelter from the storms
But instead I draw closer through these times

Cue the bawling. I don’t know if my children noticed my crying as we’re driving along but there is one thing I need them to understand: God is Sovereign. It doesn’t indicate a nice sounding platitude but rather a deeper understanding of the Providence of God especially in those dark times when trials and tribulations are all we see and it feels as if we are suffocating in a chasm of despair. His hand is in everything and if this were not so, He would not be God.

A W. Pink in his book, The Sovereignty of God, writes:

The Sovereignty of God. What do we mean by this expression? We mean the supremacy of God, the kingship of God, the god-hood of God. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that God is God. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the Most High, doing according to His will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, so that none can stay His hand or say unto Him what doest Thou? (Dan. 4:35). To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the Almighty, the Possessor of all power in Heaven and earth, so that none can defeat His counsels, thwart His purpose, or resist His will (Ps. 115:3). To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is “The Governor among the nations” (Ps. 22:28), setting up kingdoms, overthrowing empires, and determining the course of dynasties as pleaseth Him best. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the “Only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15). Such is the God of the Bible.

God is Sovereign even over suffering as clearly seen in the accounts of Job, Joseph, and Jesus Christ. Nothing escapes His notice. Nothing surprises Him. He uses the ugliest sins to bring about His Purpose. That is not to say that He is the author of sin, but while man is completely accountable, God is orchestrating all of history to his own ends. The past is not a series of unconnected events, but rather His-Story. Everything that has ever happened, is happening now, or ever will happen does so to the dictates of God. The hand of God is over all of history.

These things I have come to treasure in my heart. No matter the circumstance I have come to acknowledge His Sovereign hand in my life and in the course of events as they are now unfolding. There is so much truth to His word, “My grace is sufficient for you,” for indeed it is. I am so thankful for the trials He has brought me through. Every fire He has bid me go through burns the chaff and refines me. Romans 5:3-5 says:

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

The past ten years has seen our family through a series of trials. My oldest has had his share with brain surgery as an infant and two reconstructive ear surgeries in the past year and a half. My second oldest struggled with failure to thrive the first year of his life and doctors didn’t have much hope for him. Just last year he was diagnosed with an intellectual disability and functions currently on approximately a three-year-old level. Three days after my daughter was born I was rushed to the emergency room because I was hemorrhaging and had to have emergency surgery to save my life. My 14-month-old son was hospitalized for four days last year as a 4-week-old with bronciolotis. A month later my husband was in a car accident as a result of a hit and run. He walked away but from the pictures it was clearly seen that he was protected by the hand of God. We lost my husband’s parents. My dad was in a car accident several years ago and since then has had two surgeries to correct heart problems as a result. He is still taking medication and under a doctor’s care for his condition. On the homestead, two years in a row our goats were killed by our dogs which we also had to put down. In addition, our family dog, Mia, was accidentally backed over and she died as a result. In all this, I say, “Amen.” The LORD gives and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.

We know that death and suffering came as a result of Adam’s sin. As painful as it is, we need to acknowledge God’s Sovereign hand in it all. Would I want a life of comfort and ease if I could have a do-over? God forbid! As hard as it has been over the past ten years I would not wish a change in my circumstances. I am broken and because of my brokenness I see more readily my need for Him. I am susceptible to a great awareness of my trespasses against a Holy God. I am open to His correction. To His direction. To His purposes. Mother Theresa quipped that she knew that God wouldn’t give her any more than she could handle. I know differently. God will not give me anything that He cannot handle. He will not give you more than He can handle. He is Sovereign.

Casting Crowns’ song, “Praise You In This Storm” is a perfect rendition of how I comprehend His Sovereignty. No matter what He brings, I will give Him praise. He has been faithful in all things. No matter the present suffering, nothing compares to the coming Glory.

How have you seen His hand in your life? What song describes your life in Him?

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The Standard

Cheryl L. Stansberry — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:29:13 +0000

Greg L. Bahnsen, in his book, By This Standard, writes “Will your life be founded upon the sure rock of God’s word or the ruinous sands of independent human opinion? Will your ethical decisions be crooked and inaccurate, following foolish and lawless standards, or will you wisely employ the yardstick of God’s revealed word?” [1] This is the antithesis governing every thought, every word, and every action of our lives. There is no neutrality, no straddling of the fence nor waiting by the sidelines. As Jesus Christ has said, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” [2]

What then are we to say to one another when the fruit is not of the vine? We are careful to step lightly, to hold back judgment lest we offend. Are we not then colluding with the darkness? To say nothing is akin to giving approval. Scripture tells us we are to expose the deeds of darkness: “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” [3]

The answer to every ill of society lies in the whole of the Bible. We cannot merely be New Testament Christians and leave the standards of God’s law to the ash heap of history. There is much wisdom in the beloved statutes of God. Bahnsen writes:

It is easy to see, then, that everything the Bible teaches from Genesis to Revelation has an ethical quality about it and carries ethical implications with it. There is no word from God which fails to tells us in some way what we are to believe about Him and what duty he requires of us. Paul put it this way: “Every scripture is inspired by God and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, in order that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). If we disregard any portion of the Bible we will–to that extent–fail to be thoroughly furnished for every good work. If we ignore certain requirements laid down by the Lord in the Bible our instruction in righteousness wil be incomplete. Paul says that every single scripture is profitable for ethical living; every verse gives us direction for our lives. [4]

What Bahnsen is saying here is that the entirety of the Bible is applicable to our lives and by dimishing or completely disregarding one portion of scripture we are shortchanging ourselves and limiting the power of our shield which is used to extinguish the arrows of the evil one. He goes on:

The entire Bible is our ethical yardstick for every part of it is the word of the eternal, unchanging God; none of the Bible offers falliable or mistaken direction to us today. Not one of God’s stipulations is unjust, being too lenient or too harsh. And God does not unjustly have a double standard of morality, one standard of justice for some and another standard of justice for others. Every single dictate of God’s word, then, is intended to provide moral instruction for us today, so that we can demonstrate justice, holiness, and truth in our lives. [5]

What a power and relevant weapon we hold against the forces of darkness! We are fully equipped as the Bible speaks to every area of life, especially in areas of law, government, economics, and ethics! The sword of the Spirit, as described in Ephesians 6:17 is the Word of God. The Bible is not intended for inward piety only. It changes not only lives but cultures!

Diffuse the knowledge of the Bible, and the hungry will be fed, and the naked clothed. Diffuse the knowledge of the Bible, and the stranger will be sheltered, the prisoners visited, and the sick ministered unto. Diffuse the knowledge of the Bible, and Temperance will rest upon a surer basis than any mere private pledge or public statute. Diffuse the knowledge of the Bible, and the peace of the world will be secured by more substantial safeguards than either the mutual fear, or the reciprocal interests, of princes or of people. Diffuse the knowledge of the Bible, and the day will be hastened, as it can be hastened in no other way, when every yoke shall be loosened, and every bond broken, and when there shall be no more leading into captivity. [6]

Man’s opinion can hold no sway over the Word of God for against truth it cannot stand. Let us not then be afraid to speak up for what we know to be just and right, to expose the unfruitful deeds of the darkness, and to stand grounded in God’s Word against the masses of the ungodly. Our holy and righteous God stands before us, the war already won. Shirk not His commandments for we are more than conquerors.

~ November 8th, 2009 ~
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Endnotes

[1] Greg L. Bahsen, By This Standard, (Powder Springs, GA: The American Vision, Inc., 2008) 13.

[2] Matthew 12:30, ESV.

[3] Ephesians 5:11, ESV.

[4] Greg L. Bahsen, By This Standard, (Powder Springs, GA: The American Vision, Inc., 2008) 16-17.

[5] ibid. p. 17.

[6] Robert Charles Winthrop, Addresses and Speeches on Various Occasions 1835-1851, (Boston, MA: Little, Brown, and Company, 1852) 16.

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Quotable: J. R. Miller (1840 – 1912)

Cheryl L. Stansberry — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:20:26 +0000

We have only successfully acquired the art of living a Christian life—when we have learned to apply the principles of true religion, and enjoy its help and comfort in our daily life. It is easy to join in devotional exercises, to quote Bible promises, to extol the beauty of the Scriptures; but there are many who do these things—whose religion utterly fails them in the very places and at the very times—when it ought to prove their staff and stay!

All of us must go out from the sweet services of the Sunday—into a week of very real and very commonplace life. We must mingle with people who are not angels. We must pass through experiences that will naturally worry and vex us. Those about us, either wittingly or unwittingly, annoy and try us. We must mingle with those who do not love Christ. We all meet many troubles and worries in ordinary week-day life. There are continual irritations and annoyances.

The problem is to live a beautiful Christian life—in the face of all these hindrances! How can we get through the tangled briers which grow along our path—without having our hands and feet torn by them? How can we live sweetly—amid the vexing and irritating things and the multitude of little worries and frets which infest our way, and which we cannot evade?

It is not enough merely to ‘get along’ in any sort of way, to drag to the close of each long, wearisome day, happy when night comes to end the strife. Life should be a joy—and not a burden. We should live victoriously, ever master of our experiences, and not tossed by them like a leaf on the dashing waves. Every earnest Christian wants to live a truly beautiful life, whatever the circumstances may be.

From How To Live A Beautiful Christian Life

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Why We Homeschool: The Heart of the Matter

Cheryl L. Stansberry — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 01:59:16 +0000

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-7

This post isn’t about why home or private education is superior to that of government schools or why Christians shouldn’t place their precious covenant children with the godless state. I’d like instead to pause and write out the thoughts that have been on my mind, about why, as Reformed Christians, my husband and I choose to home educate our children.

Ultimately, it boils down to one point and one point only: The glory of God alone. Homeschooling doesn’t make me a super Christian. Or a better mom. Truthfully, I know without a doubt that I seriously fail in both those categories. Previously I wrote about my struggle with selfishness and my special needs children. Homeschooling has in fact been one of the single most difficult things for me. When people ask me how long we’ve been homeschooling I really can’t give a clear answer. It’s been that hard.

My oldest son spent three years in a developmental preschool. After he graduated we were adamant about homeschooling him. We knew all the reasons why as Christians we should pursue Christian education for our children. But it’s one thing to have a right theology, or orthodoxy. It’s quite another to have orthopraxy, or right practice. In other words, it’s where the rubber meets the road!

Now I have always been a bookworm. I learned to read at an early age. Reading was easy for me. I devoured books. My fondest school memories were that of fourth grade. I had the most amazing teacher, Mrs. Berg, who greatly influenced my love for reading and introduced me to writing. Reading and writing. Writing and reading. These things consumed me for the rest of my education and even to this day (though I say my procrastination has overtaken my love for writing!). On days I stayed home sick from school, I would read chapter book upon chapter book. I remember one day reading a total of 22. 22! These were the young adult novels.

Enter in the complexity of educating my special needs child, my innate selfishness and high standards for learning, and add in an enormous dose of impatience and what you have here is a recipe for a lot of trouble. It has taken me several years to understand that the problem is not with my children, but me! My children are image bearers, unique in personalities and gifts, and blessings from God. I spent precious years angry and irritable with them for not learning as quickly or adapting to the curriculum I wanted them to learn. Precious time wasted. Precious children with sad faces, wondering why Mommy was mad at them. My sweet, sweet children.

Two years ago last January I was beside myself, discouraged and distraught at my inability to know how to teach my two special needs boys and spunky little girl. So I enrolled them in government school. This was my highlight of hypocrisy and indeed a very dark time in my life for years previous I railed against Christians placing their own children in such schools. It was my time to eat humble pie. Now I do feel strongly still about Christian education, but I never again will spit venom at others for their choices. It is neither compassionate or merciful to judge the heart, which is the jurisdiction of God alone.

It was a temporary relief, a band-aid on an open wound, and just two weeks into it I came to deeply regret my hasty decision. My oldest didn’t adapt well at all. His symptoms came into the forefront and daily he would break down, disrupt his class, and frankly, not much learning took place. My other son had a better time at it, but because of the limitations of the classroom setting he could not receive the one on one attention he so greatly needed. For him school became a glorified daycare. As the weeks went by we worked on an exit strategy and by the end of the school year were determined more than ever to permanently remove them from government schools. It’s been two years since and we’ve never looked back.

My commitment to Christian education was now renewed especially after viewing the disappointment of the public schools from a pragmatic view. One thing that really stuck with me was looking at my oldest’s report card. In practically every subject he fell below grade level but at the bottom of the card it was noted, “Promoted to 3rd grade.” I was aghast! This was because of the school’s insistence on keeping him with the peers of his chronological age and not according to his development. Had he been kept in government schools he would now be finishing 4th grade. His development currently? Anywhere from 1st to 3rd, and emotionally, more like a 7 to 8-year-old. I can’t even imagine how that would have worked out for him especially after the exceedingly difficult time he had just being there for those few months.

Now in the last month I have reached a clearer understanding of my purpose in home educating my children. It isn’t to raise up children to be better students or even to be better Christians. The focus has shifted from me to Him. Nothing is done in a vacuum, nothing is neutral. What I do will either serve my own selfish ambitions and desires or it will be done to the glory of the One who made me. No longer will I sit and compare the development of my children to others of similar age who are more advanced in reading or math. I refuse to place ourselves on a pedestal and say, “Hey look, we’re homeschooling and we’re better than you,” to those who haven’t taken the same path. Instead, the real focus is on Him. It is not on doing the will of man, but of the Father.

I have four amazing children. God has blessed me abundantly. By the world’s standards, they are not quick to learn the things the world thinks they should be learning for their age group. They may never be doctors or statesmen or lawyers. But they are covenant children of God. It is true that my husband and I will catechize them, but not so that they might boast in their knowledge. But in Christ alone. Like their mother, they will learn they are sinners saved by a merciful God. There is no boasting but in Him. Not that he saved us and we’re super Christians on a fast and easy ticket to Paradise. But wretched sinners rejoicing in the arms of the Almighty.

We home educate because the children we are entrusted with do not belong to us, but to Him. We are merely stewards. We seek to glorify God in all we do, to redeem the time for the days are evil. We home educate because we have been commanded to instruct them in the law of God from the moment they open their eyes until they fall asleep again. To bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the LORD, to advance His Kingdom, to fill the earth with the knowledge of the one true God. To love Him. To serve Him. To rely fully on His grace. Nothing else matters.

He has been merciful to me. I have stood cowering in the shadows adorned in filth, my righteousness as rags. There is nothing in me that would cause Him to love me apart from His pleasure and perfect will. I cannot boast in anything save Him. LORD, thank you for dealing with me, tearing away the scales of my sin, and exposing me for the pitiful creature I really am. You have been gracious, and I pray LORD, you will yet continue to make me more like You. Even if it hurts.

Amen.

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Reflection: Confessions in Parenting

Cheryl L. Stansberry — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 22:57:11 +0000

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.

Romans 8:28-30

Before I had children I had an image in my mind of what our life would be like. This could be said about basically any preconceived notions I’ve ever had. However, as we are all well aware, nothing in life really happens they way we perceive it to be, but it does happen according to the providence and sovereignty of the one true God. I remember asking God for patience and He gave me such in abundance, though not according to what I had in mind. Patience is not given in a vacuum. In the same way, character and perseverance are not given as tokens but must be brought about according to the will of God. Patience sounds so noble and easy. But it is a process and there is nothing easy about it.

Romans 5:3-5

Whether in trials or persecution, God is bringing us to perfection in Him. We are His workmanship created to do good works and regardless of the circumstances, He is there, freely bestowing wisdom and strength to endure. I no longer ask Him to remove from me the difficult circumstances but instead I have learned to lean fully on Him, trusting in His sovereignty and knowing fully that His grace is sufficient for me.

As a family we have endured quite a few trials but looking back now I can see Him moving in our lives and my faith has been strengthened. At no point has He ever deserted us and now more than ever I feel His presence.

I was definitely not prepared to have my a priori assumptions smashed and thoroughly decimated in both my views of parenting and faith. It has been a long journey in His dealings with me and I feel now He has just set me on the right path. I’ve spent too much time off the side of the road thinking I’ve been traveling all along.

My husband of eleven years, Chris, and I have four children presently; three boys and one girl. Our oldest is ten. Even as a baby I did not bond with him as much as I had my other children. I was selfish, used to being my own person, doing my own thing which usually consisted of reading and spending time online. Prior to his conception and birth I had asked God for patience and boy, did He give it to me in spades! My oldest is similar to me, headstrong and exceedingly stubborn. My parents always told me I’d have one like myself. Apparently God thought this humorous and proceeded to multiply this prophecy four times over. Prior to turning one-years-old we became concerned about the size of his head especially since he could not yet sit up on his own. Soon after he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus and a month after his first birthday he had a procedure done called an endoscopic third ventriculostomy. It was successful and after spending one night at Denver Children’s Hospital he was released. From that time until now we’ve had various trials and practical training in patience. As a toddler he received speech, occupational and physical therapy. His behavior was a little awkward at times and boy I can tell you some stories. Remind me later when he is older and can fully appreciate the embarrassment! Since then he has also had several reconstructive ear surgeries to repair extensive damage in one of his ears. That we found this problem was truly the Providence of God as it could have been life threatening (the doctor found his jugular bulb right below the damage). He is thriving now at home after several years of awkward starts in homeschooling. (I believe I reiterated before that I was selfish and this is one area God has been breaking me in). He still receives speech therapy once a week and although we suspect he is on the autism spectrum I refuse to let labels get me down. He is made in the image of God and I will treat him accordingly and tailor education and discipline according to his needs and the Word of God and not compare him to “typically” developing children. God has been working in me, breaking me, and molding me into His image just in my dealing with the son He has given me. I am sinful but God is gracious and merciful and every day, even more so in the past few weeks, I feel His presence overwhelmingly and He has been dealing with me and my relationship with my oldest.

My second oldest son will be 9 next month. As a baby he was diagnosed with failure to thrive and spent a week at Denver Children’s hospital just for tests and observation and then another week in the hospital following a stomach virus in which he could not keep anything down. Last summer he was diagnosed with an intellectual disability. At that time it was observed he was on the developmental level of a two to three-year-old and at times it seems I have on my hands a perpetual toddler. I do not know if he will progress to a developmental level of say a 10-year-old in his lifetime, but I do know that he is a child of the one true God and accordingly made in His image. God has been gracious and although my son is considerably delayed, I am proud to be his mama and I have learned to love him for who he is, a precious child of God. His health is good despite his “ability” and I praise God for His continuing providence.

My daughter will be 7 in another week. She is bright and healthy and also headstrong. She struggles with learning at times especially in the areas of math and reading. God has been working in my life helping me learn patience (though I have often failed considerably) with her and with my sons in the area of their education. I am grateful for God’s forgiveness for my failures and for my children’s as well. He is breaking me of every selfish fiber infused in my entire being. It hurts and I am often driven to my knees. I thank God for His love and patience and correction.

I have confessed before God and I continue to confess my selfishness, and at times my lack of compassion and joy in my children. All things are being made new and I rejoice. Anger, resentment, and irritation have lost its hold on me. To God be the glory.

On a side note, my nearly 14-month-old son is healthy and strong willed as ever. He did earn his Stansberry boy honor badge during March of last year when he was hospitalized for four days at Children’s for bronchiolitis. I don’t know what it is about my boys and hospital stays.

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The 2012 Presidential Election and the Sovereignty of God

Cheryl L. Stansberry — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 02:27:42 +0000

Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

~ Exodus 18:21

Three years ago this month I posted an excerpt from The Character of a Good Ruler by Samuel Willard and its message means even more today with the presidential election less than two weeks away. The Scriptures are replete with principles and commandments guiding every aspect of our lives, not merely the salvation of our souls. It is important to note that we are also given principles for selecting leaders. The number one criteria is that a leader must be God-fearing. He should shudder to conceive that every thought and deed will be held accountable to God. He is first and foremost a servant of God and must reflect His godly attributes. He is an Image-bearer.

That being said there is quite the divide among those who call on the name of Christ. To many, Barack Obama must be put out to pasture at all costs and although do not wholeheartedly fall behind Mitt Romney, insist that Christians must “vote the lesser of two evils.” Others will blindly check the box next to the elephant, regardless. For those who intend to vote third party or not at all, well that is the worst sin one can commit this election season. Don’t we know a vote for a third party or a non-vote is a vote for Obama?! Perish the thought!

Few realize that Christ is indeed on His throne. All authority and power has been given Him and He is reigning until His enemies are placed under His feet. Wait. What? God is Sovereign?

He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;

~ Daniel 2:21

Yes, it’s true. God is Sovereign and He alone decides who is placed in power according to His good will. There is nothing that surprises Him. He does not sit on His throne sweating over this election and crossing His fingers. History has been written from all eternity.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

~ Romans 13:1

Rather than voting as a matter of pragmatism, as Christians we should vote according to principle. It should not matter if the vote we cast will make a pragmatic difference in this election cesspool but what should matter is that we be obedient to the most high God. It is true there is no perfect person save that for Christ himself who came in the flesh. It is also true we are not voting for a pastor. But why is it that we are reluctant to apply biblical principles to the political arena?

Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.
~ Psalm 146:3-4

We should not fear what Barack Obama or Mitt Romney are capable of doing. That should not be our yardstick for choosing a leader over this nation. There is no power that is not under the direct Sovereignty of God. He will work everything for the good of those who love Him, as the Bible promises. Do we fear man or do we fear God?

It is also imperative that we remember that salvation is not of the state. God is Sovereign over both our salvation and our sanctification. True change in this country will come from the ground up through self, family, and local government. Judgment begins in the house of God. Do you wish to end the barbarous evil practice of abortion? Good! First, you must return to the Scriptures and examine yourself against its holy Standard. Ask God to root out any sin, and turn from it. Begin by building a godly legacy in your families, churches, and communities. Today’s children raised in the nurture and admonition of the LORD are tomorrow’s godly leaders. Do good works in the name of Christ, repudiating evil wherever you see it, and pray unceasingly. There is much work to be done. But do not place your trust in princes. Trust in God alone. He alone is Sovereign and He alone will guide us in growing His Kingdom.

This all being said, I will be voting for Virgil Goode of the Constitution Party. No, he is not perfect, nor do I agree with him 100% on every issue. But I do believe he meets the qualifications of a godly leader. Obedience over pragmatism. Faith in God over fear of man. I pray you will consider these things.

Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.

~ John Quincy Adams

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Quotable: A.W. Pink (1886-1952)

Cheryl L. Stansberry — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 16:46:18 +0000

The Lord God omnipotent reigneth. His government is exercised over inanimate matter, over the brute beasts, over the children of men, over angels good and evil, and over Satan Himself. NO revolving of a world, no shining of a star, no storm, no movement of a creature, no actions of men, no errands of angels, no deeds of the Devil—nothing in all the vast universe can come to pass otherwise than God has eternally purposed. Here is a foundation for faith. Here is a resting place for the intellect. Here is an anchor for the soul, both sure and steadfast. It is not blind fate, unbridled evil, man or Devil, but the Lord Almighty who is ruling the world, ruling it according to His own good pleasure and for His own eternal glory.

From The Sovereignty of God

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