Desiring To Be Peter When the World Needs Paul -- Introduction

The other day, my husband and I were talking about why we started these blogs. There are a few reasons. Here is a sampling:
- We want to strengthen our use of written language.
- We want to be able to articulately state (and defend) what we believe.
- We want to teach, and, conversely, we want to be open to being taught.
- We occasionally comment on other blogs to offer support, insight and compliment a well-thought out point. Sometimes we comment just to hone our debating skills. (Which in my case is sorely lacking!)
But I think the #1 reason that I wanted to do this is because I have come across so many Christians that quite simply lack understanding. Sadly, they lack understanding in a myriad of areas. (For example: Doctrine, cultural relevance, History, Science, English, etc.) As we were talking it through, it kind of came to me: They desire to be Peter, when the world needs Paul. It’s been several days now, and we’re still discussing it. I had not really considered the contrast between Peter and Paul before. Over the next few posts, I will discuss how the church's maligned view of Peter and Paul affect its function, and how that in turn affects individual believers. For now, here is an overview.

Peter: an "unlearned" fisherman who walked with Jesus and was called by God to minister to (mainly) the Jews.
Paul: a well-educated Pharisee who, after a dramatic conversion, was called by God to reach the Gentiles.
The Ministry of Peter: God led a man who was strong in relationship, (i.e. personal knowledge of Christ) to a people who were long on knowledge and short on relationship.
The Ministry of Paul: God led a man who was strong in doctrine to a people who knew nothing of God.

My purpose for starting this blog

I have been re-reading my posts and I want to avoid any misunderstandings. So, I'll take a moment to give you my purpose in starting this blog, and define what it is.

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
- Proverbs 25.2 (KJ21)

There are segments of Christianity that are hostile to intellectual pursuits. Any attempt to study history, science, literature, (pretty much anything requiring a book OTHER than the Bible) is treated with disdain. You get that "Well-bless-God-I-don't-need-THAT-'cause-I-got-Jesus-and-that's-all-I-need" reply. Is Christ all-sufficient in my life? Absolutely. Does that mean I should throw away my intellect? Absolutely not! God was kind enough to give it to me, the least I could do is use it. But how do we love our God with all our mind?

A person doesn't wake up one morning and find out that they are a "spiritual giant" like Martin Luther, John Wesley or Os Guiness. To love the Lord with all your mind takes time, effort, and, yes, even a book or two. It seems to me that (certain branches of) Christianity want to become "revivalists and reformers" without putting in the blood, sweat and tears. There are seminars, sermons and surface-level teaching on the subject. But, what do they teach? Have they challenged you to learn the intricacies of biology or physics? This would demonstrate the vastness of God's creation. What about art and music? This is a way to enjoy the gifts of beauty and creativity that God gives to fellow men. Do you spend your spare time pouring over calculus and trigonometry? This shows the order God imbedded within His creation. When was the last time you were told to take a course in Koine (Biblical) Greek? This enables you to see the fullness of meaning and poetic beauty in Scripture that the English does not carry. Do you study history and Latin to read the early Church Fathers in the original language? We should know where we have come from. Christianity has very literally changed the world. What would this world be like without it? How about studying what the great men of God studied? (Often they studied each others' writings.) This gives insight into the thoughts of others. You can know that you are not alone; even the greatest theologians pondered and struggled with the same things you do. We have a God who is All in All. That means whether you study mathematics or theology, science or philosophy He is there. You just have to find Him.


In the past 100 or so years, we have made some tremendous advances technologically, and yet, in my opinion, we are less educated than previous generations. We have more information, but less education. We are like parrots. We can recite information (sometimes even accurately), and yet, we have no idea how to think things through on our own. There is no logic.

I believe in a God of order. I believe in logic. I believe the two are related. I think we should come to God with faith, but we should also seek God with our mind.


What this blog is: The name "PhileoSophia" means "love of wisdom". I would like to change the minds of some of those Christians who believe we can dispense with logic and reason simply because we have faith. I also want to reach the intellectual that believes faith is irrational. You can learn about God through reason, but you come to know Him by Faith. Faith is necessary for salvation, and we are to be childlike when we come to God. We are to trust and believe implicitly. But, there is a time to grow in the things of God. We should not be satisfied with "surface-level" Christianity. I am walking through and learning this myself. I don't pretend to have all the answers. We all work out our own salvation in fear and trembling. (Phil. 2.12) I hope we can seek God together with all our heart, soul and mind.

Imitating Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth -- Part II

I didn't expect it would take two posts to discuss Chapter 1! Ok, so I may have strayed from commenting on the text at hand. Well, the discourse on Faith and Reason is necessary, I think. It is a sad state of affairs when either Faith or Reason has to be defended, let alone both!

Returning to a Kempis...

Imitating Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth

The first thing that comes to my mind when reading the latter half of Chapter 1 is Matthew 6.19-24. Especially v. 21, "for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." It is vain to be greedy, proud, gluttonous, envious and lustful. (Is it just me, or are those 5 of the 7 Deadly Sins? Envy is coveteousness, and I separated the desires of the flesh into the more narrowly defined categores of gluttony and lust.)

I like the way Augustine explains this passage of Scripture:

If, therefore, the heart be on earth, i.e. if one perform anything with a heart bent on obtaining earthly advantage, how will that heart be clean which wallows on earth? But if it be in heaven, it will be clean, because whatever things are heavenly are clean. For anything becomes polluted when it is mixed with a nature that is inferior, although not polluted of its kind; for gold is polluted even by pure silver, if it be mixed with it: so also our mind becomes polluted by the desire after earthly things, although the earth itself be pure of its kind and order. But we would not understand heaven in this passage as anything corporeal, because everything corporeal is to be reckoned as earth. For he who lays up treasure for himself in heaven ought to despise the whole world. Hence it is in that heaven of which it is said, "The heaven of heavens is the Lord's i.e. in the spiritual firmament: for it is not in that which is to pass away that we ought to fix and place our treasure and our heart, but in that which ever abideth; but heaven and earth shall pass away.
-St. Augustine., Latter Part of the Sermon on the Mount - Book II. Ch. XIII. 44.

What more can I say on that? I am certainly less elloquent than Augustine! Neither am I as insightful as Calvin:

"Where your treasure shall be" By this statement Christ proves that they are unhappy men who have their treasures laid up on the earth: because their happiness is uncertain and of short duration. Covetous men cannot be prevented from breathing in their hearts a wish for heaven: but Christ lays down an opposite principle, that, wherever men imagine the greatest happiness to be, there they are surrounded and confined. Hence it follows, that they who desire to be happy in the world renounce heaven. We know how carefully the philosophers conducted their inquiries respecting the supreme good. It was the chief point on which they bestowed their labor, and justly: for it is the principle on which the regulation of our life entirely depends, and the object to which all our senses are directed. If honor is reckoned the supreme good, the minds of men must be wholly occupied with ambition: if money, covetousness will immediately predominate: if pleasure, it will be impossible to prevent men from sinking into brutal indulgence. We have all a natural desire to pursue happiness; and the consequence is, that false imaginations carry us away in every direction. But if we were honestly and firmly convinced that our happiness is in heaven, it would be easy for us to trample upon the world, to despise earthly blessings, (by the deceitful attractions of which the greater part of men are fascinated,) and to rise towards heaven. For this reason Paul, with the view of exciting believers to look upwards, and of exhorting them to meditate on the heavenly life, (Colossians 3:1,) presents to them Christ, in whom alone they ought to seek perfect happiness; thus declaring, that to allow their souls to grovel on the earth would be inconsistent and unworthy of those whose treasure is in heaven.
-John Calvin., Commentary on Matthew 6.19-21.

What I love about this passage by a Kempis is the way he puts everything in perspective. He explains why chasing after these things are vain. In the middle of it all, there is some hope. Desire a good life, not necessarily a long life. Look forward to the wonder that is to come once this life is over. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, where eternal joy abides. Focus on Faith; what is not seen. If you follow after flesh, it will corrupt you. There are verses in Romans that come to mind with regards to the flesh and corruption. (Actually, pretty much all of chapters 6-8).

He then ends the chapter with some great advice. "Try, moreover, to turn your heart from the love of things visible and bring yourself to things invisible." Turn your heart to God. I have an older copy of The Imitation of Christ, and my copy says that those who "follow after their own fleshly lusts, defile the conscience, and destroy the grace of God." That's a pleasant picture isn't it? But isn't it true? Haven't we all done that thing (for me it's usually chocolate-related,) and you know you shouldn't but you feel you just need to? How do you feel after that? Lemme tell ya, about half-way into that Hershey bar, I'm feeling sick with myself. Now I know my example is a little simplistic, and a Kempis isn't talking about occasional indulgences in junk food, but I think it illustrates the point. If a Hershey bar (gluttony) can make me sick with myself, what of even graver sins that I know I repeatedly commit and that I'd rather not discuss on a blog, thank you very much! But the answers are not always cut and dry. Sometimes it is abstinance, sometimes it is moderation. It depends on the sin. For me, moderation with chocolate seems reasonable. (Certainly more desireable than abstaining from chocolate!) If the sin is marital infidelity, moderation is not an option.

We have now examined the differences between treasures on earth versus laying up treasures in heaven. Therefore, let us walk worthy of the calling by which we are called, rather than groveling here on earth like an addict looking for our next "sin fix".

The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis

I wanted to start with something simple. The Imitation of Christ is profound in its simplicity. It is as basic as this: we are to imitate Christ. Thomas a Kempis has created a beautiful work that provokes one to meditation as well as action.

Here is our first selection:

Imitating Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth

At the very onset we are given the premise of the work; to truly be a follower of Christ, we must strive to conform to the mind of Christ.

"What good is it to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life that makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition than know how to define it. For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers if we live without the grace and the love of God?"

I don't think a Kempis is denouncing Reason in this passage. Reason is necessary. Tertullian said, "Reason without goodness is not reason, and goodness without reason is not goodness." I find that fascinating. I have noticed that in some streams of Christianity, Reason has (largely) gone out with the bathwater. "We have Faith," they say, "what do we need Reason for?" Are Faith and Reason incompatible? I don't think so. We have a reasonable faith. We have a God Who is infinitely intelligent and embodies Reason. As a matter of fact, He created it! Does that exclude Faith then? Of course not! We cannot comprehend the vastness of God, and therefore must use Faith in order to worship Him. We are finite beings worshipping a God Who is All in All. Faith is necessary, because without it, we would not be worshipping the true God, but one of our own making. Here, let me illustrate. Think of how perfect God is. Do you have the image? Ok, He is even more perfect than that. Your mind simply cannot conceive it.

Getting back to Tertullian, we need both Reason and Goodness. I believe that using the gifts that God has given is an act of devotion. Reason is a gift given by God. Goodness is also a gift given by God, since before we come to salvation in Christ, we cannot choose to do good. (Well, at least not for the right reasons.)

The purpose of this blog is to get people to think. But not just think. Thinking is great, but action must follow. I love that a Kempis from the get-go puts it all in perspective, "Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity, except to love God and serve Him alone." Yes, we are to "love God and enjoy Him forever", states Thomas Watson. It is our chief end.

To be continued.........

Faith and Intellect

There are so many great books that have been written by true heroes of the Faith: Calvin, Augustine, Lewis and others. It is unfortunate that many of these great works are not read by the vast majority of Christians. I think it would be useful to see what these great men of God have contemplated. Why try to re-invent the wheel, so to speak?

My aim is to study these works and discuss them. Let us look back and learn from those who have gone before. Let us study the great thinkers lives and their works. These books were written for a reason.

Secularism has caused a "Great Divide" between Faith and Intellect. They say we must choose one or the other. I say it can be both!