Know God to know yourself

“it is evident that man never attains to a true self-knowledge until he have previously contemplated the face of God, and come down after such contemplation to look into himself."

John Calvin,  Institutes

http://ref.ly/o/cicr/296887 via the Logos Bible Android app.

“Be Strong, Polycarp”

The Martyrdom of Polycarp

9.1f
But as Polycarp entered into the stadium, there was a voice from heaven, “Be strong, Polycarp, and be a man! And no one saw who had spoken, but those of our people who were present heard the voice. And then, when he was brought forward, there was a great uproar upon hearing that Polycarp had been arrested.  Therefore when he was brought forward the proconsul asked him if he was Polycarp, and when he admitted it, the proconsul tried to persuade him to recant, saying, “Have respect for your age” and so forth as is their custom to say, “Swear by the fortune of Caesar, repent, say ‘Away with the atheists!’” But Polycarp, with a serious face, looked at the whole crowd, those lawless heathens in the stadium, and shook his hand at them, both groaned and looked up to the heaven, and said, “Away with the atheists!”  But when the proconsul persisted and said, “Take the oath and I will release you. Revile Christ.” Polycarp responded, “Eighty-six years I have served him and he has done me no wrong. How could I blaspheme my king who saved me?”

A New Eusebius: Documents Illustrating the History of the Church to AD 337

ref.ly/o/apfthtext/591635

Pray strength for me, so I don't just talk about it, but also do it. (Ignatius)

Ignatius to the Romans, 3.2-4

Only pray for strength for me, both inward and outward, so that I do not just talk about it but I also want to do it, that I am not just called a Christian but I may also be found to be a Christian. For if I may be so found and I am able to be so called, and then to be faithful when I am not visible to the world.

Brannan, R. (Trans.). (2012). The Apostolic Fathers in English. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Random Apostolic Fathers quotes

Ignatius to Polycarp
3.1 Those who appear to be trustworthy yet teach strange doctrines,  do not let them amaze you. Stand firm,  like an anvil being struck with a hammer.
Brannan, R. (Trans.). (2012). The Apostolic Fathers in English. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.


1 Clement, 7.1
We write these things, beloved, not only admonishing you but also reminding ourselves, for we are in the same arena and the same struggle  confronts us. 2 Therefore let us leave behind vain and futile  thoughts and let us come to the renowned and honorable rule of our tradition, 3 and let us see what is good and what is pleasing and what is acceptable before our maker. 4 Let us look intently at the blood of Christ, and let us know that it is precious to his Father, because, being poured out for our salvation it brought  the grace of repentance to all the world.
Brannan, R. (Trans.). (2012). The Apostolic Fathers in English. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.


1 Clement, 41.4
4 You see, brothers, as we have been considered worthy of greater knowledge, so we will be exposed to more danger.
Brannan, R. (Trans.). (2012). The Apostolic Fathers in English. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.


Justin Martyr
Hence are we called atheists. And we confess that we are atheists, so far as gods of this sort are concerned, but not with respect to the most true God, the Father of righteousness and temperance and the other virtues, who is free from all impurity. But both Him, and the Son (who came forth from Him and taught us these things, and the host of the other good angels who follow and are made like to Him), and the prophetic Spirit, we worship and adore, knowing them in reason and truth, and declaring without grudging to every one who wishes to learn, as we have been taught.
Justin Martyr. (1885). The First Apology of Justin. In A. Roberts, J. Donaldson, & A. C. Coxe (Eds.), The Ante-Nicene Fathers: The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (Vol. 1, p. 164). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies, III.IV.1
CHAP. IV.—THE TRUTH IS TO BE FOUND NOWHERE ELSE BUT IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE SOLE DEPOSITORY OF APOSTOLICAL DOCTRINE. HERESIES ARE OF RECENT FORMATION, AND CANNOT TRACE THEIR ORIGIN UP TO THE APOSTLES.
1. Since therefore we have such proofs, it is not necessary to seek the truth among others which it is easy to obtain from the Church; since the apostles, like a rich man [depositing his money] in a bank, lodged in her hands most copiously all things pertaining to the truth: so that every man, whosoever will, can draw from her the water of life.
Irenaeus of Lyons. (1885). Irenæus against Heresies. In A. Roberts, J. Donaldson, & A. C. Coxe (Eds.), The Ante-Nicene Fathers: The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (Vol. 1, pp. 416–417). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company.

In the midst of beasts is in the midst of God (Ignatius)

Jesus Christ, who is our true life, has authority over this.  For if these things were accomplished by our Lord in appearance only, I also am a prisoner in appearance only, and why also have I allowed myself to be given over to death, to fire, to the sword, to beasts? Instead nearer to the sword is nearer to God; in the midst of beasts is in the midst of God. I endure all things in the name of Jesus Christ alone so that I may suffer with him; the perfect human himself strengthening me.

Ignatius, to the Smyrnaeans. 4.2, in The Apostolic Fathers in English,  Rick Brannen editor.  2011.

Evidence for God from Probability, and Statistical Zero

The Power of Probability   

This is an interesting article I ran across the other day while looking at probabilities at work.

Statisticians believe ‘Statistical Zero” to be:  
    1 / 10^50
or to write it out long-hand:
    1 / 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
Or indecimal notation it is represented:
    0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001

The article's author lists 322 items which must be in place for earth to support life (out of many more), and assigns a probability of 1 / 10 to all of these items (which is extremely or even excessively generous).  Even with the qualifications, it still means...

... that there is less than 1 chance in 1 million trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion exists that even one planet like earth could ever exist and support life as earth supports it if the only mechanisms available are natural mechanisms. 

Evidence for God from Probability 

Do you see the problem here? Based on the statistical probability of the universal constants described here, it’s pretty clear that a planet like earth simply should not exist! If natural causes are the only factors involved here, the odds are just prohibitively small. Earth simply cannot exist if natural causes are the only forces in the universe. The ONLY way to account for the Earth’s existence is to introduce a supernatural cause that can overcome the tremendous improbability.

The Statistical Probability Argument:

1) Statisticians Agree that When the Probability of an Event Reaches 1/1050 the Odds of the Event’s Occurrence Are “Statistically ZERO”

2) The Odds of the NATURAL Existence of a Life Supporting Planet Like Earth are Less than 1/10322 (10272 Times Less Likely than “Statistical Zero”), Yet the Earth Exists and Supports Life

3) For This Reason, the Existence of a Life Supporting Planet Like Earth (Which CANNOT Be Attributed to Natural Forces or Causes), Must Be the Result of Supernatural Intervention

4) The Supernatural Intervening Cause (God) of Our Universe, Galaxy and Planet Must Exist

Source: http://pleaseconvinceme.com/2012/evidence-for-god-from-probability/

Purpose of Sunday gathering in early church?

"We are told in the book of Acts that from the very beginning, the early church had the custom of gathering on the first day of the week for the breaking of bread. The reason for gathering on the first day of the week was that this was the day of the resurrection of the Lord. Therefore, the main purpose of this service of worship was not to call the faithful to repentance, or to make them aware of the magnitude of their sins, but rather to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and the promises of which that resurrection was the seal. This is why Acts describes those gatherings as happy occasions: “they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God for having favor with all the people” (Acts 2: 46– 47). Those early communion services did not focus their attention on the events of Good Friday, but rather on those of Easter. A new reality had dawned, and Christians gathered to celebrate that dawning and to become participants in it."

The Story of Christianity,  Vol. 1, by Justo Gonzales, chapter 11

Whose children are they, anyway?

Back in January, I wrote on Statism.  If we keep our eyes and minds attuned to this perspective, other instances of growing confidence in the state, and promotion of the state, will be found.

For instance, a colleague recently brought this controversy to my attention:  one of our media elites, whether unintentionally revealing her perspective or honestly misspeaking, seems to suggest that the community (state) is responsible for children, over against parents.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/04/11/melissa-harris-perry-and-the-firestorm-over-collective-parenting.html

Amazing, and frightening.

(Written April 28 2013, published January 1 2014)