I can't prove Jesus rules the universe. But I will proclaim it with absolute certainty.
I was going to expound. But what's the point, when Joe Carter has done all the heavy-lifting?
Bottom line: Doubt is sin. Christians move away from sin towards certainty in Jesus.
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Two most excellent posts. Reading the last few heated discussions has been setting off sparks in my soul.
As GK wrote, we already have enough questions, it's time for answers. I have developed several insensitive theories about our culture's various worldviews, and I think that in this case we have been intentionally fostering a culture of cowardice.
I'm not saying everyone that has doubts is a coward, I think that our culture rewards a kind of intellectual cowardice.
Nothing will change in this world without some certainty. If all we have is doubt then we will be forever stuck at the cross-roads.
So long as we doubt we will never act. And while this will at times prevent some horrible deed from taking place, this will also prevent great men from accomplishing great things.
We exalt doubt because we are afraid of being wrong.
Alright, I think we need to be careful here. There are errors going both ways that can be made. To say that doubt is sin is to go further than I personally am comfortable.
To be human is to be sinful, and we are inherently so, but that does not mean our struggles to sort out our theology (trying our best to comprehend Truth) are sinful.
We must be very careful not to confuse our certainty in the Gospel with certainty in certain theological tenets. As the Jollyblogger points out, "[We must not make a statement that] confuses Scripture and theology - we inerrantists claim inerrancy for the Scriptures, not our theological statements."
Furthermore, I am not comfortable with Mr. Carter's closing paragraphs, which include the statement, "Yet while I recognize that theological certainty does not make me a special brand of saint, it also doesn't make me some perverse freak of faith. I shouldn't feel a need to hang my head in shame because I don't question the existence of God..."
He begins by saying we can be certain as to "matters of faith". That is true, but the doubts we have over whether certain learned teachers are not in error [theological concepts] are not "matters of faith". To finish by implying that he is 'theologically certain' is to finish with an exceedingly arrogant claim. What human amongst us or ever has fully understood the depths of God? Has any great theologian claimed to be "theologically certain" from Luther to Calvin to Spurgeon? Isn’t making such a claim saying that you understand God? None of us do. Not even close. We will all learn so much on that day we pass through the gates of heaven. To say that you will learn and understand nothing new at that moment is to say you are at this point in time omniscient.
Sorry, Mr. Carter, you are no such thing. You may think you're certain and right, but I'd argue that only God is. Can you claim to know the True answer to every theological conflict man has ever encountered, many of which have splintered churches? I do not mean to say it gratingly, but I am stunned I don't see a systematic theology book written by Mr. Carter as a bestseller on every Christian website if he has figured all those issues out.
To be certain there is a God and He is Jesus and has saved us via grace is much different than being absolutely theologically certain who God is.
Westy, I'm pretty surprised by your comment. You are usually pretty even-keeled, but I think you snapped on this one. Which is cool, but it seems misguided.
Joe only mentions the existence of God and his destiny for heaven as the objects of certainty, right? He never threw credobaptism in the mix.
There is a difference between being temporarily unsure while seeking certainty in Jesus, and being content to doubt. I'd argue the latter is sin.
Westy, I'm pretty surprised by your comment. You are usually pretty even-keeled, but I think you snapped on this one. Which is cool, but it seems misguided.
Ha, well, hopefully I didn't come off too crazy. I think I'm still even-keeled, but I did want to be firm in stating what I think is a careful distinction we need to make.
As Christians, we need to be very precise in our definitions. In Joe Carter's prose and yes, also in your post, the distinction between what I would say "theological certainty" should entail and what meaning is implied by the phrase are not separated well enough. As you say, "There is a difference..."
If Joe Carter's certainty is limited to the basics of the Gospel, his piece is great, but I felt the implication was more. Likewise, the quotes about doubt in your post were pulled from a conversation rooted in doubts about "credobaptism"-like issues [who our theology authors are], rather than the Gospel center of our theology.
As you said yourself, "But, you are right in that Paul himself, in Romans, after several deep theological insights, eventually reaches that point where he says "Ok, you're the clay, He's the potter..." And Paul was talking about how our will interacts with God's control. So there are mysteries left."
There are mysteries, and while we never should stop trying to understand, we won't until we come into God's eternal presence. I think this agrees with your last statement.
Make any sense?
Westy,
I believe I can accept your conclusions. However, issues like baptism are on a different level from doubting historical, orthodox, reformed Christian doctine. The issue regarding theological authors still looms...
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