Theology for Doxology

This probably contains spoilers, but I don’t know how much that matters with a movie of this nature.

‘Expelled’ does what it sets out to do, that is, it raises awareness of the ‘blackballing’ of ID from the scientific community.  While Ben Stein’s own worldview does come through in his treatment of Darwinism, it is not the center of the movie.  The theme of the movie is that of Darwin’s detractors being ‘expelled’ from any forum in which some very important questions could be posed to Darwinian theory.

Ben Stein argues that the proponents of ID deserve a place at the table of Science based not upon the validity of their arguments, although he does not discount their arguments, but on the grounds of ‘Freedom of Inquiry’, which is one of the traits that has made our nation great.

He also points out the fact that while Evolutionists cite crystals, or aliens as the source of life on earth, they regard the theory of a ‘designer’ to be ridiculous.  But it is not simply the issue of a ‘designer’, as the alien theory suggests, since the alien would have been a ‘designer’ of life, but ‘who’ the designer would turn out to be.

The film is also disturbing as it shows the implications of a world based on Darwinian theory as found in history.

So, without giving away a whole lot of the movie, let me simply say that the movie is worth seeing, even if only from a ‘Freedom of Inquiry’ veiwpoint.

I’m going with a friend to see the movie ‘Expelled’, tomorrow night.

You can express your displeasure at the movie, Ben Stein, Creationism, ID, my going to see the movie, or my having a friend in the comments.

There are three classified types of memory in the Human brain; Sensory, Short-term, and Long-term.

Sensory memory operates as the ability to identify something that has affected one of our five senses. For example, I look out the window and see a tree. I can close my eyes and remember what the tree looks like. However, after seeing several trees, the details of the first tree are easily forgotten.

Short-term memory operates as the ability to recall information that may be important for the moment but not needed for daily use. For instance, a phone number that will only be used once can be recalled for a few minutes.

Long-term memory operates as the ability to continually recall facts whenever we need them. In keeping with the theme of a phone, a phone number that is repeatedly dialed throughout our lives, such as the number of a friend or relative, will be stored in our Long-term memory. The act of daily pushing the buttons on the phone keeps this number fresh in our mind.

Many times when we are listening to God’s Word, whether in the pew listening to the preacher, or at home in daily reading, we find ourselves using only our Sensory memory.  We hear the sound of the words and recognize them, or we read see the words on the page of the Bible and can connect the letters in such a way to make words, but we quickly forget what we have heard or read.

Other times we find ourselves using our Short-term memory, hearing and thinking about what is being said while seated in the pew, but then when the last ‘Amen’ is spoken, we stop thinking about what has been said as we go on with our daily lives.

Although both our Sensory and Short-term memories are necessary for initially comprehending what we have heard or read in God’s Word, God’s Word should not be confined to these two types of memory.  We seek to commit God’s Word to our Long-term memory.  We are to be ‘dialing up’ the Gospel daily.

How do we daily ‘dial up’ the Gospel? First, by meditating upon what we have heard or read in the Bible.  Think through all the Gospel implications of the sermon or passage we have heard.  Second, by applying what we have heard.  Identify different ordinary instances in your life where the Gospel demands a change.  Third, by using what we have heard.  Offer up God’s Word back to Him in worship, in song, or in prayer.  Fourth, by sharing what we have heard.  Discuss the Gospel with other believers and testify of it with unbelievers.  Finally, by memorization.  Committing Scripture to memory is very useful in keeping the Gospel ‘dialed up’ constantly before you, provided you have not merely memorized words, but have followed the first step of meditating on the meaning of the verse you have memorized.

The purpose of all this is to live a life that is consistent with the Gospel.  And the only way to live a life consistent with the Gospel is to let the Holy Spirit penetrate your life through the Gospel and transform you by the Gospel.  But it all begins with how we hear the Gospel at the first.

Having just returned from the T4G conference, which is a great pastor’s conference, I’m wondering if there is something similar for women?  And if so, how far away from our home is it and would it be safe for a group of women to go alone?

Also, if anyone from T4G happens by to read this, would it be possible to have a Women’s Conference led by some women like Noel Piper, Carolyn Mahaney, Martha Peace, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Joni Eareckson Tada, etc. alongside of the Pastor’s conference for our wives in 2010?  I think I would be more comfortable doing something like this than sending my wife off alone to a conference.

Well while Jeremy is attending T4G (and yes there is a tinge of jealousy in that statement) I took a week off from work to attend to medical procedures. There is nothing quite like multiple blood draws and CT scans to make the week go by.

Anyway today I went to see Ben Stein’s Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

All in all it was a well made movie there are humorous moments as well as very serious issues. Also there are some very disturbing scenes of Dachau and another Nazi hospital, whose name escapes me now, where they put to death anyone deemed physically or mentally unfit. So if you are bringing young children, and I saw a few in the audience, please keep this in mind.

Over all the movie isn’t about the superiority of ID over Neo-Darwinian science but rather about how certain members of the science community have appointed themselves guardians of what exactly is science and that if you don’t fit those guidelines then you are not a scientist and steps must be taken to eliminate any of your dissenting views. Stein points out that isn’t what the founding fathers of this country stood for and that is why he is taking up arms.

Take a minute this weekend and see Ben Stein’s Expelled you’ll enjoy it.

I’m headed off to T4G where I’m pretty sure everything that I hear will be way over my head. Pray for understanding on my part. I might give short updates if I can figure out what’s going on. If you really want to know what is going on see Challies or Timmy Brister.

“The older I get, the more I want to sing my faith and get others singing it with me. Theology, as I constantly tell my students, is for doxology: the first thing to do with it is to turn it into praise and thus honor the God who is its subject, the God in whose presence and by whose help it was worked out. Paul’s summons to sing and make music in one’s heart to the Lord is a word for theologians no less than for other people (Ephesians 5:19). Theologies that cannot be sung (or prayed for that matter) are certainly wrong at a deep level, and such theologies leave me, in both senses, cold: cold-hearted and uninterested.” -J. I. Packer in God Has Spoken

This quote by Packer has inspired me over the years.  It was the motivating theme for this blog, back when I used to blog anyway.  And just now as I had some time to think about writing new post, this quote came back to mind.  I find it very motivational in my preaching, praying, singing, and in my writing.  And why shouldn’t I? 

Why shouldn’t this quote motivate me as I begin to think through Scripture, through Theology, and through great hymns of the faith, and cause me to sing out with Charles Wesley ‘O for a thousand tongues to sing the glories of my God and King”?  It should motivate me to be reminded again that the purpose of humanity, the purpose for which God created me, is the worship of the God who created me.

This quote isn’t motivational because Packer is motivational, or because he can turn a cool phrase, but rather, because it reflects a great truth that we must bear constantly in mind, that Theology is for Doxology.  There is no end to the reading or writing of books, of learning or teaching of truth, or of hearing or preaching of Scripture…BUT…all is vain unless we have turned our knowledge of God’s truth back towards God as worship.

Our knowledge of God is demonstrated by our worship of God.  Then, in turn, our worship of God is demonstrated in how we serve God.  And in keeping with the purpose for which God created humanity, our greatest service to God is the recruiting of more ‘tongues to sing the glories of my God and King!’  That is the ultimate goal of history, isn’t it?  That at the end of time all the redeemed from every tribe, language, people, and nation would lift up their voices and sing Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty.

But listen closely to this now…You don’t have to wait till the end of time to lift your voice in worship of God.  We have God’s Word given to us, in which God has revealed Himself and His redeeming works through Christ.  Read it, meditate on it, tell God about it, then go tell someone else about it.

Then, this weekend, go find the place in your community where believers gather together and join them as they hear God’s Word, pray God’s Word, and sing God’s Word.  Because when you think about it, God is worthy of the worship of myriads of hosts of His creatures, isn’t He?

Fellow Lenoir Citizen (newly minted) Jeremy Roberts points out the removal of Jesus in society.

The Removal of Jesus « Jeremy Roberts

What I’m reading:

Holiness by J. C. Ryle

Believer’s Baptism edited by Thomas R. Schreiner and Shawn D. Wright

Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture by Graeme Goldsworthy

Where I’ll be:

This week my Mom and Dad are coming up to visit from Florida. So I’ll be basically the same place but the company will be different. Then, next week my Dad, myself, and some others from our area will be heading up to Louisville, KY for the Together for the Gospel Conference. I will also attend the Band’o'bloggers shindig where I will hopefully meet several of the people known previously to me only through the internet. I’ll let you know how weird these people really are. I mean, only so much can actually be conveyed through their blogs.

If you read this blog and are going to be at the conference I would like to meet you, if for no other reason than to find out what kind of person comes back here to read the same post day after day during my month(s) long hibernations.

I’ll be the handsome fellow with a red carnation just to your right.  I’ll know it’s you ’cause you’ll be constantly turning to your right looking for me.

Here is an audio file of my most recent message from Exodus 3.

The Burning Bush

The end of the message was cut off. I simply read Hebrews 12:28-29 as a conclusion.

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.” (NKJV)