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Posts from the ‘Philosophy’ Category

Jun 7

Five Things Wrong with Utilitarianism

I read an article yesterday about how Peter Singer is beginning to change or alter his belief in absolute moral truths. For those of you who don’t know who Peter Singer is, check out his wikipedia here. If you don’t want to read his whole blog, essentially what you need to know is that Peter Singer is probably the most influential contemporary utilitarian advocate. He advocates a branch of utilitarianism called Preference Utilitarianism.

What is Utilitarianism?

Utilitarianism is the belief that man can discern the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, but looking at a series of choices one has, and choosing the choice that causes the most pleasure and the least amount of pain. Its a pretty simple philosophy but it has some major flaws. Peter Singer’s branch of Utilitarianism, Preference Utilitarianism, is the same thing, but it looks at the question of satisfaction. Right vs. Wrong is determined by what causes the most amount of satisfaction. Obviously this definition is incomplete, it should work for the remainder of this post.

Five Things Wrong with Utilitarianism:

1. Predicting Consequences:

The primary problem with Utilitarianism is that one cannot predict all possible consequences from a given choice. How do we know how a given policy or choice might workout 10, 20, or even 100 years from now? There is no way to objectively know right/wrong choices while the choice is actually being made.

2. Generational Preferences/Needs:

Another issue with Utilitarianism is generational preferences/needs. It is difficult for us to know or understand what the needs of the next generation are going to be. This problem is magnified in Singer’s branch of Utilitarianism because while it may prove difficult to predict the needs of future generations, it is impossible to predict the preferences.

3. Who’s Needs?

Utilitarianism doesn’t answer the question with finality of who’s needs/desires should be taken into account while making choices. Is it just humans? Is it humans and animals capable of suffering? Is it only the strongest and “fittest” of people? Utilitarianism fails to answer this question with any finality.

4. Conflicting Needs:

It will inevitably come about when you have two people groups with conflicting needs, desires, and preferences. When that is the case, how will one decide what the correct course of action is? The correct choice for one people group might be one thing, while the correct choice for another people group might be something different. Utilitarianism fails to solve this problem.

5. Why Act Morally?

While utilitarianism may attempt to answer the question of right and wrong, it never seeks to answer the question: “Why act rightly?”. There is no reason for man to act morally with Utilitarianism. This is probably the biggest problem with Utilitarianism. Why even attempt o answer the question of right and wrong when we have no need, desire, or mandate to act rightly.

Summing it All Up:

Peter singer seems to be realizing the final problem of Utilitarianism. Man intrinsically knows that there are right actions and wrong actions, but only Biblical Christianity can actually answer the question, “Why act morally?” In Christianity man’s sole purpose is to give Glory to God because God is the only one who warrants Glory. (1) Being created for this purpose, man can begin to discern right from wrong. We have been given scripture to guide us in this pursuit. Biblical Christianity has a firm foundation (Giving Glory to God) that answers solves the problems that Utilitarianism can’t solve, and even Peter Singer is beginning to realize it.

What are your thoughts on Utilitarianism.

(1) For more information on this topic read A Dissertation Concerning the End for Which God Created the World by Jonathan Edwards.

Jun 15

Resolved Conference Sunday Morning: Steve Lawson

Resolved Conference
Sunday Morning: June 14th, 2009
Steve Lawson
Blessed Purity (Mathew 5, 3-12)

Click here to Download the Sermon from the Resolved Website.

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Steve Lawson

Mathew 5, 3-12.

3Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

“You are the sald of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again. It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampeld under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on hill cannot be hidden.”

“Govern your heart and you govern your life.”

Focus on Verse 8
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Five Headings and Key Words
1. Priority of the Heart

  • Blessed are the Pure in Heart
    • (The Heart refers to the inner categories)
      • The Mind (The Seat of the Intelect)
      • The Emotions (The seat of the desires and affections)
      • The Will (The Seat of the valition)
    • All of the beaititudes are about the Heart.
      • Blessed are the poor
      • Blessed are those who Mourne
      • Blessed are the merciful
  • God prioritizes that the Heart must be right with God. It must be pure
    • It is a Heart Religion

2. Purity of the Heart.

  • Blessed are the Pure in Heart.
    • He will only bless those who are pure in heart.
    • Pure: To be cleaned of all dirt and impurities.
      • Purity of Mind
      • Purity of Emotions
      • Purity of Will
    • The Lord tests the Heart for purity.
      • He is testing the heart to make sure is it pure. To make sure that the heart has one singular desire, the desire for God.
        • Leviticus 11:44
          • “For I am the LORD your God Concentrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth.”
    • Clean Hands are a result of a pure heart.
      • If we are to fellowship with God we must be pure and clean.
    • Romans 12:1
      • “Therefore I urge you brethren by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and HOLY sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
    • Call on the LORD with a PURE heart.
    • Your entire life is flowing out of your heart. Make certain that your Heart is pure.

3. The Problem of the Heart

  • The Fact that God calls for a pure heart logically implies that our hearts are not born pure.
    • “The Hearts of the sons of man are full of evil and insanity.” – Soloman
    • “The head is sick.” – Issiah
    • All problems are traced back to a lack of purity in the heart.

4. The purifying of the Heart

  • How can my heart become pure?
    • It begins with Salvation (regeneration)
      • When God gives us a new heart.
        • Ezekial 36:25
          • Then I will sprinkle water on you, and make you clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
    • We must watch over our hearts.
  • Maintaining a Pure Heart (Five Ways to maintain a Pure Heart)
    • Wash in the Word. (The word has sanctifying power)
      • “How can a young man keep his heart pure? By keeping it in the word.”
      • It is the word that sanctifys and purifies the heart.
        • Ephesians 5:26
          • “So That God might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.”
      • The Word will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the word.
    • Baithe in the blood
      • There is power in the blood of Christ to cleanse us of sin.
        • A fountain that will keep us from blood.
    • Submit to the Spirit
      • The Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit.
        • It works to conform us into the image of Jesus Christ.
        • Romans 1:4
    • Pray for Purity
      • We cannot make ourselves clean. Only God can make us clean.
        • “Create in me a Clean Heart”
        • Psalm 51:7. “Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow”
    • Run with the righteous.
      • He walks with those who are pure will be pure.
      • Our closest friends must be those who are pursing holiness.
      • 1st Corrinthians

5. The Priviledge of the Pure Heart

  • “For THEY (They implies they and they alone)who are pure in heart, they shall see God”
  • Five Subjects of the Pure in Heart.

    • We see God in Creation
        • We see more than the impure of Heart. We see the finger prints of God in Creation. They see “Mother Earth”
        • Psalm. 19:1 “The Heavens declare the Glory of God”
    • We See God in Providence
      • We see the invisible hand of God in the affairs of Providence
        • We see God ordering circumstances.
        • The impure of heart see “luck” or “Karma”.
      • There is no such thing as blind faith.
      • There are no “Maverick Molocules”
      • “Not a Sparrow falls apart from the Lord.
      • “For God works all things toghether for good for those who love him”.
    • We see God in Scripture
      • When the impure heart opens the bible the impure heart sees myths, mistakes, erros. A God with a small G. It sees only a mere characature of God.
      • The one who is pure in heart sees God everywhere in scripture.
        • It sees that God created everything out of nothing in six consecutive days.
    • We see God in Christ
      • We see more than a teacher come from God, we see that God came to teach.
        • He who as seen me has seen the Father.
    • We shall see God face to face.
      • Theolgians refer to this as the most glorious and grand vision that our eyes will ever behold
      • Revolation 22:4 “They will see his face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
Favorite People in Church History:

1. George Whitfield
2. John Calvin
3. Charles Spurgeon

Jun 14

2 Comments

Resolved Conference Saturday Night: June 13th, 2009 C.J. Mahaney Who’s Really At Work

Resolved Conference
Saturday Night: June 13th, 2009
C.J. Mahaney
Who’s Really At Work

Click Here to Download the Sermon

Philippians 2, 12-13
“Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

1. Our Part: (Verse 12)
Verse 12: The Application of the Gospel to our Lives:
Therefore; My beloved, (He loved this church)
Workout your salvation with fear and trebling:
It doesn’t say work for your salvation. (Those who this is addressed to already have salvation.)
It also does not say do nothing and let god handle it.
Our part of sanctification is to workout our salvation.
Man is active in the sanctification process, not passive
1st Timothy.
John Owen: “God works in us and with us not against us and not without us.”
Charles Spurgeon: The assistance of divine grace are not given to us to put aside our own efforts but to excite us, God comes to us to work in us with will and resolution in firmness…A man will never overcome sin except by energy.”

Fear and Trembling Attitude.
Fear and Trembling motivates: Not the fear of a Lost sinner before the holy one, but the fear of a son before a holy father.

Read the book: The Joy of Fearing God by Jerry Bridges

We must not ask God to work in place of us and must not ask God to work instead of us.
Examine your prayers, asking God to do the work that God commands us to do. Work out in humble dependence.


2. God’s Part (Verse 13)
This command is not an appeal to self sufficiency. Only God’s power makes Godly effort possible.
Verse 13: “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

It is possible for God to be at work in our life but for us to not be receptive of this work in our lives. Too many Christians are unaware that God is at work in our lives.

God’s work is not always apparently spectacular. God wants us to be very aware that he is at work in our hearts and lives.

The fruit of the spirit and the gifts of the spirit. Perceiving God at work in our lives.

From the beginning of the conference God may have been at work convicting us of our sins; however, not many of us would have attributed this conviction as a work of God. If God was not at work in our lives we would have no conviction of sin. Apart from God’s Grace we would have no conviction of our sins.

We must respond in the cross and acknowledge that God is comprehensively at work in our lives.

We do not play equal parts in the sanctification of process. Apart from God’s power we can not have a part.

God is at work for his GOOD PLEASURE. (Verse 13)

All of the responses in our life are a direct result of the work of God in our hearts. NOTE: the comprehensive work in our lives.

“God does not work and has not worked in his good pleasure because man has worked. God has worked and man must and can work, For God works in him what is necessary for his (human) working.” – Herman N. Ribberbos

The Passage concludes turning out attention to God. God is at work, comprehensively at work and is reminding us of his work for us on the Cross. Amazing Grace.

Jun 14

Resolved Conference: June 13th, 2009 Session 2: Saturday Morning Blessed Bankruptcy (Mathew 5: 3) Steve Lawson

Resolved Conference: June 13th, 2009
Session 2: Saturday Morning
Blessed Bankruptcy (Mathew 5: 3)
Steve Lawson

Click here to download the sermon


John Edwards:

  • When he was 19 he wrote the Resolutions that were a weekly/daily check point to ensure that he was following and living for the Glory of God.
    • Edwards understood that the only thing that can prohibit him from living for the Glory of God was sin.

Mathew 5: 3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

  • The Kingdom of God belongs to those who have filed spiritual bankruptcy with God, and have audited their own books and realized the debt they owe.

Five Key Truths:

  • Priority (All other beatitudes and truths are derived from this first beatitude.)
  • The Promise (of the Blessed)
  • The paradox (Blessed are the poor)
  • The Picture
  • The Pronouncement (For Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven)


1. The Priority:

  • Christ begins here because the Gospel begins here. He begins here because sanctification depends and begins on this principle.
  • Nothing of spiritual importance can come into your life without this understanding.
    • Until we take ownership of this presupposition, nothing else in the gospel makes sense.

2. The Promise: (The abundant life that only comes through him.)

  • Blessed: Means to be in the right standing of God. To be in a state of spiritual well being with God.
    • Everyone is either blessed or cursed.
      • Only those who confess their spiritual poverty to God obtain the riches of his Glory.
  • Blessed: A divinely bestowed peace.
    • To be blessed means to have happiness and joy now, and Glory later.
  • Psalm 1 and 2
    • “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stands in the way of sinners or sits in the seat of mockers.” – Psalm 1: 1.
    • “For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” Psalm 1: 6
      • “Christianity is Hard”
        • Christ says, “Take my yoke for my yoke is easy”
        • Take my burden for my burden is light.
          • Being a Christian is not Hard, you just have to come to terms with the deal.

3. The Paradox: (Blessed are the Poor in Spirit)

4. The Picture (What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”)

  • Not referring to those who have financial poverty.
    • Scripture tells us to give money to the poor. If this is referring to financial poverty we would be cursing the poor by giving money
  • It is not referring to those who have no personality
  • It is not self pity
  • Being poor in spirit is to recognize one’s own spiritual state and understanding that I am being compared to God and realizing that I have fallen short of his Glory.
    • Having no self pity, and understanding that there is no good in me or my spirit,.
    • Understanding that I have absolutely nothing and understanding that in order for me to gain anything I must receive mercy, riches, and glory from God.
    • Mourn in the fact that I am poor in spirit and be comforted by the salvation of the Cross.
      • We are not doing God a favor by giving our life to God.
        • We must understand that I have nothing and can do nothing without GOD.
          • Righteousness if like Filthy Rags.
          • Everything I have is an abomination to a perfect God.
        • No one struts into the Kingdom of God.
          • No one advances in Godliness with an attitude that is not “poor in spirit”.
            • We must approach God in a poor, mournful, meek, and Hungry spirit.
  • Luke 18: 9-14 ( A Picture of being poor in spirit).
    • The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.
      • “The Pharisee stood praying to himself, “God I thank you that I am like no other men – Robbers, evildoers, adulterers- or even tax collectors. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.
      • “But The Tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God have mercy on me, a sinner.”
      • I Tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted”.
        • Both were sinners of God, but only the tax collector understood the realization of Sin.
        • The hardest to reach crowd with this message of “poor in spirit” is the self righteousness church crowd.
          • We must approach God with the spirit of the Tax Collector in Luke 18.
            • The Tax Collector came into the temple poor and left blessed.

5. The Pronouncement: (For Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven)

  • This is not a gloom and doom message. For those who can come to acknowledge that they are poor in spirit obtain the Kingdom of Heaven.
    • Only in confessing sin do I receive his salvation.
  • The more you are drawn into the light the more you see yourself as who you are in the eyes of God. And you will mourn in the fact that you are poor in spirit, and will be meek in spirit. Then you inherit the Kingdom of God, you will be comforted in God’s Salvation, and you will inherit the earth.

Jun 14

Resolved Notes Session 1: Rick Holland (The Enemy is You)

Resolved Conference: June 12, 2009
Session One: Friday Night
The Enemy is You (1st Peter 2:11-12)
Rick Holland

Click Here to Download the Sermon
1st Peter 2:11-12. I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the Pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Definition of Sin: Anything done, spoken, thought, or imagined that is not in complete conformity with God.
Sin does not come from the devil. The goal of parenting is not to keep children pure (They are already messed up) the goal of parenting is to show them their sin and there hope in Christ.

All of us seem to humanize God and elevate ourselves, and thus minimize sin.

“Israel’s sin was saying, “God is just like us”.

What are the Sins you’re wrestling with?

1st Rational: Christian citizenship demands you join the fight. (We Belong to another world)

  • Does spiritual truth trigger a response to God.
    • Romans 12: 1
  • You are a stranger to this planet because our citizen ship is in Heaven.
    • What does a man get by gaining the whole world and forfeiting his soul.
  • Martin Luther understood sin
    • Conduct yourselves as those who are no longer citizens of this world, for your possessions lie not on this earth but in heaven and although you may have lost all temporal goods but have Christ.
      • (In Heaven we are citizens; on earth we are pilgrims and guests.) – Martin Luther
  • Mathew: Sermon of the Mount: Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees, you cannot go to heaven.
2nd Rational: Fleshly lusts provoke the fight.
  • Abstain from fleshly lusts that wage war against the soul.
    • Fleshly Lusts: A strong desire to please the visceral desires of the flesh.
    • “These lusts try to make the believer useless for God.
      • Romans:
  • John Owen and J.C. Rile.
    • John Owen: There are two things that are suited to humble the souls of man. They are first, a due consideration of God, and then of themselves. Of God, in his greatness, glory, holiness, power, Majesty, and authority; of ourselves, the sin in our lives.
      • The whole purpose of Reformed theology is to get us engaged in the war against our own flesh
    • John Owen: Labor to know your own frame and temper; what spirit you are of, what associates in your heart Satan has; where corruption is Strong, where grace is weak; what stronghold lust has in your natural constitution.
    • J.C. Rile: Unless you really know the character of your own heart, you will never value the gospel as you ought, you will never love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. (Terribly black must be that guild that nothing but the blood of Jesus Christ can bring satisfaction.
  • When we question our salvation because of a sin we struggle with; we doubt the sufficiency of the cross.
    • However, you must take sin seriously, you must deal with the worst of yourself.
      • These lusts of deceit are telling you that if you fulfill this lust you will be happy.
        • The problem: its temporary.
      • Do you mortify? Do you make it your daily work? Be always at it while you live, Cease note a day from this work. Be killing sin or it will be killing you!. – John Owen
        • Let no man think to kill sin with a few, easy, or gentle strokes. He who hath once smitten a serpent, if he follow not on his blow until it be slain.
        • (Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no strategy for the lusts of the flesh.) Pursue Christ with such vigor that the sin stops.
3rd Rational: Fruitful evangelism motivates the fight.
  • Live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
    • (If you are not serious about Sin, why should they think that your God is serious about Sin!)
    • The greatest threat to Christianity is you.
      • Have you identified what associates Satan has in your heart.
        • (I’m running from the clothes I’m wearing)

Feb 27

2 Comments

Modern Culture in the Modern Church

The Sacrament of the Last Supper: by Salvador Dali

Where I’m Coming From.

I have been doing a lot of thinking and reading about today’s culture becoming more and more prevalent in today’s church. It has been very hard for me to sum up what I believe and to clearly articulate my thoughts about this subject. This blog is an attempt at clarifying my thoughts about this subject in a concise article. I believe that the Arts and culture have a place in the church. The arts have a way of clearly communicating a message or story in a way that the written or spoken word does not. That is why God gave us the arts and it is why God uses art. 1st Kings 7: 15-22 tells about two pillars that stood outside the temple and had no engineering significance. They were there for one reason, “to call to mind and illustrate the work of God.” The names of these column were Jakin, meaning “He Establishes, and Boaz, meaning “He Comes in Strength”.

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