Category Archives: Apologetics

Does God Cause Sin or Just Allow It?

This question was brought up recently over at the Desiring God blog. Here are the resources that Abraham shared in the post

If God is sovereign over evil, can it be said that he causes it? Or does he just allow it? Is there really a difference? These are some of the questions we’ve received in response to John Piper’s article about the bridge collapsing and the post on his upcoming sermon series.

I expect the sermons he’ll preach over the next few weeks on God’s power over sin and his purposes in it may answer some of these questions. Until then, you may find the following resources helpful:

I also want to reference a post I made a while back on the what type of explanation is Biblically and logically acceptable when talking about God’s relationship to sin and His “permissive will”. Here is that post.

Enjoy the reading and please let me know your thoughts below!

In Christ and In Defense of the Faith,

Why Did the Bridge Collapse?

Most of you have seen the new reports and seen the raw video footage of the bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapsing into the river and killing many people who were driving across it. Though the details of why the structure collapsed in a material sense are not known, we do know why the structure collapsed and why it is that so many people were killed and injured.

For those of you who do not know what I’m referring to, please listen to John Piper’s message overlaid on the video footage from their video team that went out last night after the bridge collapsed. His ministry and church are within only a couple of minutes of where the bridge collapsed and several of the people who work for Desiring God drove across that bridge ever day.

Pray for their ministry and that they will have great opportunities to share this message and the reality of God’s love for this sinful place in the coming days and months of recovery and reconstruction that will take place right in their home town.

Is it God’s “permissive” will? I don’t think so…

David Field has provided an excellent post on the issue of God’s “permissive” will. Ever since my views began to change on the issues of God’s sovereignty and how it works out in His creation, I have not been happy with the idea that some Reformed Evangelicals (including plenty of my dearest friends) have put forward as “God’s permissive will.” It just doesn’t sound right or Biblical.

In my continued search for a better way to explain God’s sovereign will to myself and others, David Field has done an amazing job in this post which I re-post here below. Enjoy and let’s discuss!

Continue reading Is it God’s “permissive” will? I don’t think so…

N.T. Wright responds to false accusations

For those interested… Today I saw a post from the moderator on the Wrightsaid Yahoo! Group. It contained a letter from NT Wright that was written to someone that had found some egregiously bad accusations against Wright on the Internet. Here is the context that the moderator gave for the letter:

“Someone involved in translating Bishop Wright’s book on Judas and the Gospel of Jesus had ran across some incorrect information on the internet about Bishop Wright’s views. Bishop Wright wrote the following letter in response, though I have removed all the personal references. Feel free to disregard the list rule about forwarding messages and pass this along via email or the web. ”

Here is the letter from Bishop N.T. Wright defending himself from bad information that is always available from uninformed and ignorant people on the web as well as other places. Please feel free to pass this along via E-mail or on your own blog so that more people will understand what Bishop Wright believes and that he is not a heretic.

Continue reading N.T. Wright responds to false accusations

The Great Debate

David L. Bahnsen is the son of the late Dr. Greg Bahnsen. He has a good web site full of articles that I highly recommend reading whenever you have the chance.

A couple of days ago I was looking through some of his articles regarding his father, Dr. Greg Bahnsen. I stumbled upon one article entitled “My Favorite Part of the Great Debate.” The Great Debate was between Dr. Bahnsen (a Christian) and Dr. Stein (an Atheist) and has been well known as one of the best debated to listen to for representing how to effectively do Presuppositional Apologetics with an atheist.

Anyone interested in this debate should check out this web site to find the MP3s of the debate for free download.

Here is David Bahnsen’s favorite part!

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Dr. Bahnsen: Are all factual questions answered in the same way?

Dr. Stein: No, they are not. They’re answered by the use of certain methods, though, that are the same – reason, logic, presenting evidence, and facts.

Dr. Bahnsen: All right. I heard you mention logical binds and logical self-contradictions in your speech. You did say that?

Dr. Stein: I said. I used that phrase, yes.

Dr. Bahnsen: Do you believe there are laws of logic, then?

Dr. Stein: Absolutely

Dr. Bahnsen: Are they universal?

Dr. Stein: They’re agreed upon by human beings. They aren’t laws that exist out in nature. They’re consensual.

Dr. Bahnsen: Are they simply conventions, then?

Dr. Stein: They are conventions, but they are conventions that are self-verifying

Dr. Bahnsen: Are they sociological laws or laws of thought?

Dr. Stein: They are laws of thought which are interpreted by men and promulgated by men

Dr. Bahnsen: Are they material in nature?

Dr. Stein: How an a law be material in nature?

Dr. Bahnsen: That’s a question I am going to ask you

Dr. Stein: I would say no

[MODERATOR: Dr. Stein, you now have an opportunity to cross-examine Dr. Bahnsen]

Dr. Stein: Dr. Bahnsen, would you call God material or immaterial?

Dr. Bahnsen: Immaterial

Dr. Stein: What is something that is immaterial?

Dr. Bahnsen: Something not extended in space

Dr. Stein: Can you give me an example of anything other than God that is immaterial?

Dr. Bahnsen: The laws of logic

[MODERATOR: I am going to have to ask the audience to hold it down please. Please. Refrain from laughter and applause. Can you hold that down please?]