Roman Philosophy and Dogs and Cats

While the popular religion of Rome served a large, complicated pantheon of gods and goddess, we can more fully look at their culture by looking at two main Roman philosophies- Stoicism and Epicureanism.

• Stoicism- Stoics believed that reality is material. There is a cosmic force or that they call the Logos, which is their version of god or fate. The Stoics main goal in life is to live in harmony with this force, by practicing justice, wisdom and courage. They thought that the most important thing was to know your duty and do it well. Stoics emphasize the importance of submitting to fate, whatever it may be.
• Epicureanism- Epicureans, on the other hand, deny that gods exist at all, or if they do, they have nothing whatsoever to do with the world. Because no gods of fate direct the world or ones lives, the actions of our free wills determine history. Epicureans believe strongly in their own free-will and that ones own actions determine fate.

An easy way of remembering these two philosophical ideas, is to look at dogs and cats. Dogs are Stoics, and cats are Epicureans. A dog is ever faithful to his masters and his commands. He knows his duty and you can depend on him to follow it, even unto death. Now picture a cat, he is friendly, but he basically looks out for number one. He has his won free will, and thinks he does not need a master to boss him around. Stoics are defined by their faithfulness to virtue and their duty. Whereas, Epicureans are completely self dependent, and rely only on their free will.

By knowing the philosophy of the Romans, we can better understand the context of the Bible. It equips to know what the apostles were up against, and to know the world that Jesus came to live in, and to die for.
Acts 17:16-21- "Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new."

By learning about the culture that the apostles lived in and preached too, we can better understand the Bible, and better apply it to our lives!

Grace and Law- are they Separate?

Many people today make the mistake of thinking that law and grace are something separate, that they don’t work together but rather against each other. From this presupposition springs such a question- Is an attempt to follow God’s moral law denying His grace? But I hope to show that such a belief is wrong and unbiblical.

The principle of salvation by grace through faith cannot be a contradiction of the law. Some dispensationalist have held that Christians live under a dispensation of grace not law, and therefore believer that keeping the moral law is not necessary for them.

But Romans 3:31 says, otherwise - “Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.” This clearly shows that keeping the law is a continually obligation for the Christian.

When we become regenerated and washed clean, we start a path of sanctification. Prov.6:23 “For the commandment is a lamp and the law a light.” The law shows us, after we have been justified by Christ and then sanctified by the Holy Spirit, how to live, so that we may continue to live a life of good works. But we can only do that with the Holy Spirit working through us.

Also it is by the law that we are sanctified. John 17:17 “Sanctify them by your truth; Your Word is truth.” Christians need the law in order to die unto sin and to live unto righteousness, because it is by the law that we know what sin is.

But back to the question. The law of God is not opposed to His love or grace, but rather shows what it is in action. Obeying God’s moral laws is not denying His grace, His laws are an action of His enduring grace.

-Kaila A.

Hospitality

Odysseus arrives at the island of the Cyclopes (a giant with one eye). While there his men are trapped in its cave with no hope of escape. To add to their misery and despair the Cyclopes decides to have them for dinner. So for three days Odysseus has to watch his men be eaten, two at a time. They eventually escape but not without great loss.

Throughout this book Odysseus prevails upon the hospitality of many people and beast, whether it was good hospitality or not. All the while men are at his home, unwelcome, eating, drinking and partying, all at his expense, and he doesn’t even know about it, only his wife and son have to watch their home be torn apart. This brings me to the subject of hospitality. Where is hospitality in our culture? Why is it so important? What does your family do to show hospitality? Or are they to busy to welcome the stranger to their door?

“It is useful to limit the meaning of “hospitality” to benevolence done to those outside one’s normal circle of friends, as is implied in the literal meaning of the Greek word meaning “love of strangers.” Tyndale Bible dictionary

Hospitality has been lost in our culture. It has been broken down in many ways. We have lost the art of feasting, the concept of it. Why? We are to busy. We fill our days with ways to benefit ourselves, ignoring the man with the cardboard sign. We run here and there putting off the invitation to have our neighbors for dinner. We fill our day timers, yet have less time. Hospitality is lost because we make no time except for ourselves.

What happens in our culture when true hospitality is given? Because “self” reigns in our culture, hospitality is viewed with skepticism. Say you’re invited over to a friend’s house, but you think they only want you over so that they could get something out of you.

Instead of thinking of what the person might wish to give you are focused on what they might want from you. We must change this view and go back to what the Bible requires of us concerning hospitality.

“So he (Abraham) lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” Gen. 18:2-5

This is a prime example of true hospitality. Abraham accepted these strangers, with no thought to who they were, he just knew that they were in need of refreshments.

“Be hospitable to one another without grumbling (1 Peter 4:9)”.

“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach.” 1 Tim.3:2

Clearly God wants us to be hospitable. We need to take the time to have people over to treat them kindly, and to do it all with a glad heart. But why is it so important? What is the reason behind hospitality? There are two reasons that we should be hospitable.

“You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Ex. 22:21. Israel was a slave a stranger in the land of Egypt, and they were unwelcome by the Egyptians as time moved on. Yet God delivered them, He delivered His people, out of His good grace. So hospitality is an important aspect of showing gratitude, because of the grace shown to us by God.

Another reason for showing gratitude is found in Heb. 13:2- “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” This is seen in Abraham’s case that we read earlier. Three angels had come to tell him that he would have a son, the chosen seed of Israel. Not knowing this Abraham still welcomed them to his tent, fed them and washed their feet. We must take care, though, to not make this our main reason for showing hospitality, this is an added bonus to our reward, not our main motivation. Our main motivation should be to glorify God through our actions, to show gratitude for what was shown to us in days of old.

Christians should we radically different from the Cyclopes whom Odysseus encountered. The Cyclopes ate those in his household; we should feed those who enter our home. People today are starved for true hospitality, but do not take the time to show it, we Christians need to bring it back.

-Kaila Anderson

Loyalty

In the book The Odyssey of Homer, Homer portrays a picture of a very faithful wife in the character Penelope. Though her husband has been gone for 20 years and all say that he is dead, she continues to believe that he is out there and will return soon. The result of this is that she continually refuses the suitors request that she marry one of them. She will not give up on her husband. This brings me to the subject of loyalty.

In many ways our culture has turned away from the true concept of loyalty-friends, marriages, pastors, politicians, and business agreements. Everyone is full of greed, ambition, and selfishness, the three things which destroy loyalty. Companies and businesses do whatever it takes to build themselves up. More than 60% of today’s marriages end up in divorce. Friends will turn around and stab you in the back for their own gain. All these display a lack and loss of loyalty.

One of the greatest examples of disloyalty is seen in Israel. God had delivered Israel from Egypt and had shown them many signs. He made a covenant with them and gave them His law’s. While in the wilderness He provided and protected them through all dangers. When they had no water, He provided it from a rock. When they had no food, He poured down quail and manna. When their enemies were great in numbers, He delivered them into their hands. Continually He kept them under His wings. Yet Ps. 78 says “In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe…Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.” Israel rejected God and His covenant! No matter what He did and showed them, they were a stiff-necked people and rebelled.

Now look to vs. 38 and 39 “Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.” God never gave up on us, though He punished us He still atoned for us. It says that He didn’t show all His wrath…just enough to where we were still allowed to live. Then He sent His Son to die for us. We have been given the New Covenant and we must strive to be faithful to it, and not be the Israel of old.

So when you say the words “as long as we both shall live” remember that you are entering into a life long covenant. Marriage is a covenant instituted by God and one must stay faithful to it. Remember Penelope, the ever faithful wife of Odysseus.

-Kaila Anderson

The Odyssey of Homer

Here is a basic outline of the book the Odyssey of Homer. This is one of my favorite books that we have gone through so far. It's amazing to see the whole different world that our ancestor's lived in, and what they thought about everything, is eye opening!

After being trapped on Kalypso’s Island for 10 years, Odysseus finally gets away. He meets the Phaiikan king and recalls all his adventures after the Trojan War-the Cyclopes, lotus eaters, the cattle of Helios, Scylla etc…

In the meantime his house is being invaded by men who wish to pay court to his faithful wife, Penelope. She continually refuses them and they continue to eat his house and home out. Telemachos, Odysseus’s son is growing up during all this and begins to wander where his father is. So he goes on a search only to come home and find his father returned. The return of Odysseus results in a killing of the suitors and a restoring of peace to all!

-Kaila Anderson

How should we respond when our nation comes under the judgment of God?

A couple of weeks ago we went through the books of Kings, and this is what I got out of it-

Israel had rejected God and wanted a king. God granted their wish and for century’s after they rejected God once a again and served idols. King after king lead them deeper into sin, occasionally one restored worship to God, but again they turned back to baal, ashtoreth etc… God then sent judgment upon them - first Israel was taken by the Assyrians then Judah by Nebuchadnezzar.

Jer.27:4-11-“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters: 5 “It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me. 6Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. 7All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave. 8 “ ‘ “But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, declares the Lord, until I have consumed it by his hand. 9 So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish. 11But any nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave on its own land, to work it and dwell there, declares the Lord.” ’ ”

Jeremiah prophecy’s Judah’s exile here. God is saying that he has sent Nebuchadnezzar and that all should obey him. God uses Neb. to spank his people. Should they resist His punishment even more judgment and worse times would come upon them. If they headed the voice of the false prophets and do no submit to Babylon, God would judge them even more. Basically, Nebuchadnezzar’s power comes from God.
Now if we look in Kings we can clearly see this displayed. Three times Babylon invaded Israel, all during a different reign of a different king.

• The first time Babylon came against Judah was during the reign of Jehoiakim (2 kings 24:1), who rebelled against him, not heeding the Word of God delivered by Jeremiah. As a result God sent many other nations against him, destroying Judah.
• When Nebuchadnezzar came against Judah a second time, Jehoiachin, the king, submitted and was taken prisoner (2 Kings 24:8-12). But later on when a new king set up in Babylon, he was released and set upon a high place in the palace of Babylon (2 Kings 25:27). Because he had submitted to those whom God had sent as a punishment he was later greatly blessed.
• One last time Nebuchadnezzar came up against Judah, this time during the reign of Zedekiah, whom he had placed on the throne. Zedekiah rebelled (2 kings 24:20) and did not heed the voice of Jeremiah. It cost him his life and his sons. Nebuchadnezzar, this time, completely destroyed Judah and the temple, and carried away all that was left.

Two of these men did not obey the voice of God through Jeremiah, but rather the false prophets, as a result of God sent greater curses upon them. But the one who did heed God and submitted to Babylon, was blessed later on.

How does this apply to us? –

When I look at our government, I see one that is quickly spiraling down hill. They promote abortion, homosexuality, high taxes and so many other unbiblical things. I have always had a rebel attitude towards it all…after all why should we obey them? But when I saw all this in our class, my attitude somewhat changed. Our situation is very much like that of Israel’s. We may have many Christians but we have an unbiblical government right now. Our enemy’s (gov.) have much power, military power. Should we rebel against our government? Should we rebel against what God may have set up as a judgment upon a wicked people, who have forsaken Him? These questions plagued my mind.

I believe now that a Christian’s duty should be to promote their city’s welfare, not rebel against it. We should accept judgment, seek the welfare of our cities, and work/wait for opportunity to rebuild what has been lost. We should continually strive to right what was been wronged. We should continue to build the kingdom of God!

-Kaila

"Till We Have Faces"

We have finished our session on the book called "Till We have Faces" by C.S. Lewis. If you haven't heard of it, that's quite normal. Most say it wasn't his best work, but from all our studying I must disagree. It's awesome!

It's a myth retold, the myth of Cupid and Psyche. I never read that myth myself, so this was very interesting. It was mainly the story of Psyche's ugly sister, Orual. She starts out as a rationalist, taught to her by a Greek servant, and denies the existence of the gods of Glome (the city in which she lives). Orual and Psyche are half sisters, both daughters of the king of Glome, but they are as different as can be. Psyche is called to the gods as a sacrifice, and willingly goes. She is not killed but rather becomes the wife of the god of the mountain. Orual, the whole time, doesn't know if she believes that or if Psyche has just gone mad.

In the end, she sees herself as a selfish heartless being, and in need of the gods redemption. The first half of the book is her "case" against the gods. She is complaining that they have taken all that was dear to her and that they just play with man.

It's really cool. We listened to a lecture by Peter Kreeft about the whole book, the hidden message behind it. He reveled how certain gods and people represent the gospel and man.
You should read it then listen to the lecture, I loved it.
All in all, it was very fascinating.

God Bless! -Kaila

The Hammurabi Code

Well today was the last of Hammurabi's Codes. Hammurabi was a king who wrote a whole bunch of laws around 200 b.c. Some say that the Bible copied his stuff, because they are very similar (we're going to study that later). Well any way we had to read them all and then we did these case trials. David and me were on a team against Karissa, Destiny and Alex. What we did was we had a case we had to judge according to Hammurabi's laws and the Mosaic law. It was awesome, even though we lost by two points.

The weeks study has been all on law, like the need for law, what's a just law, can man make good laws and so on. It's been really interesting. Below is a question, from the book, and my answer to it. Before you read the answer try to answer it yourself and tell me what you thought...thanks!

Why do we need laws?

Laws are a necessary part of life. Hammurabi (the guy we are studying) saw the need for justice and rule in his empire so he created The Code (a book we are reading called “The Codes of Hammurabi and Moses).
But a more Christian answer to the question why do we need laws would be that life’s rules are not the end or purpose for which we live, but a means which permits us to live godly lives and have a godly society, which is the purpose of life.
The law of God. From which all other laws are derived, show what good and evil are so that we may know how to conduct our lives. Freedom doesn’t come when we have no laws, but rather not having laws would lead to chaos, destruction and ultimately death. Laws are needed to live in a righteous, safe and godly world.

How do we know what a just law is?

A just law would be, or derive from, the law of God which He gave to Moses, who wrote them down for God’s people. God has set up for us all that we need to know about good and evil in His Word. Any man made law that conflicts with God’s law is by definition a bad law.
We humans are by nature children of wrath, unregenerate, and plain sinful, any law following such a nature will not be completely just. The Triune God, however, is completely just and good and all His laws follow His nature.
I’m not saying that laws made by man are all together bad, as long as they are in line with scripture they are good, but stepping out of that realm will be bad trouble.
Therefore, a just law is found and based on God’s Word.


That's a taste of what we have been up to. I can't wait till next week when we start another book!

Tulip

As a school project we all had to pick a letter out of the tulip and give a simple definition for church. Mine was the T.

T-Total Depravity
Total depravity is the first in the Calvinistic doctrine of the Tulip. It refers to the affect of sin and how reaches to all of our body. Sin affects every part of our being-body, soul, mind, will etc… We are all born in sin, not one part of us in sinless.

Many people confuse this with utter corruption, which means that every man is as wicked as he can be. Which we know is not true, even Hitler showed love towards his mother (vs. Nero).

A better term would be radical corruption, which means that sin penetrates the root (radix-radical) or core of our being.
Rom.3:10-12=
“There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”

We clearly see that man is inherently sinful, that sin penetrates every thing we are and do. We cannot do good unless we are regenerated and the Holy Spirit is working good in us. Only by that can we achieve good works.
R.C. Sproul said-“We are not sinners because we sin, but rater we sin because we are sinners.”

Thank you

-Kaila