Book - Five Things Every Christian Needs to Grow - Sproul

So many books, so little time.

To be released 8/25/2008

Ligonier Blog

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Table of Contents

1. Bible Study
   
   
2. Prayer
3. Worship
   
   
4. Service
5. Stewardship

My first thoughts ...

CLiC Pictures distill the process that 'wise' people follow: (Unfortunately, however, I'm often not wise)

1. Identify what is real and valuable (Know)
   
2. Desire what is valuable (Feel)
3. Act appropriately (Do)
4. Benefit accordingly (Have)

Seeing Bible Study as a 'first thing to do' makes perfect sense.

Five Things Every Christian Needs to Grow
© 2002 and 2008 by R.C. Sproul

Published by Reformation Trust Publishing
a division of Ligonier Ministries

400 Technology Park, Lake Mary, FL 32746
www.ligonier.org www.reformationtrust.com

First edition published 2002. Second edition 2008

Five Ways of Thomas Aquinas

My 6 (okay, my 8 now,) "E" reasons for God organized according to the PUB View of Reality.

People

I - Experience - Personal, subjective impacts on persons
II - Evidence - How can the Bible and Personal changes be explained?
III - "Every effect has a sufficient cause." - (4th "Law" of Logic). For there to even be something like a Person, there must be something capable of causing a Person)

Universe

IV - Existence - "Why is there something rather than nothing?" (1,2,3 Aquinas --> Unmoved Mover, First Cause, Contingency)
V - Excellence - The universe is absolutely stunning in its nature (4 Aquinas --> Degree and Perfection)
VI - Ends - Things in the universe work toward an end. Related to intelligence (5 Aquinas --> Teleological)

Beyond

VII - Expression - The Bible is God's expression, inexplicable by human industry
VIII - Effect - Jesus Christ did things and has caused an undeniable and inexplicable ripple effect

Reference to Aquinas

Saint Thomas Aquinas, O.P. (also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino; c. 1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Catholic priest in the Dominican Order, a philosopher and theologian in the scholastic tradition, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Universalis and Doctor Communis. He is frequently referred to as Thomas because "Aquinas" refers to his residence rather than his surname. He was the foremost classical proponent of natural theology, and the father of the Thomistic school of philosophy and theology.

Aquinas is held in the Catholic Church to be the model teacher for those studying for the priesthood (Code of Canon Law, Can. 252, §3). The works for which he is best-known are the Summa Theologica and the Summa Contra Gentiles. One of the 33 Doctors of the Church, he is considered by many Catholics to be the Catholic Church's greatest theologian and philosopher. Consequently, many institutions of learning have been named after him.

Quinquae viae

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The Quinque viae, or Five Ways, are five proofs of the existence of God summarized by St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica. These proofs take the form of philosophical arguments:

1. The argument of the unmoved mover (ex motu):
   • Some things are moved.
   • Everything that is moved is moved by a mover.
   • An infinite regress of movers is impossible.
   • Therefore, there is an unmoved mover from whom all motion proceeds.
   • This mover is what we call God.
     
     
2. The argument of the first cause (ex causa):
   • Some things are caused.
   • Everything that is caused is caused by something else.
   • An infinite regress of causation is impossible.
   • Therefore, there must be an uncaused cause of all caused things.
   • This causer is what we call God.
     
     
3. The argument from contingency (ex contingentia):
   • Many things in the universe may either exist or not exist. Such things are called contingent beings.
   • It is impossible for everything in the universe to be contingent, as something can't come of nothing, and if traced back eventually there must have been one thing from which all others have occurred.
   • Therefore, there must be a necessary being whose existence is not contingent on any other being or beings.
   • This being is whom we call God.
     
     
4. The argument from degree or gradation (ex gradu):
   • Various perfections may be found in varying degrees throughout the universe.
   • These degrees of perfections assume the existence of the perfections themselves.
   • The pinnacle of perfection, from which lesser degrees of perfection derive, is what we call God.
     
     
5. The teleological argument or argument of "design" (ex fine):
   • All natural bodies in the world act towards ends.
   • These objects are in themselves unintelligent.
   • Acting towards an end is characteristic of intelligence.
   • Therefore, there exists an intelligent being that guides all natural bodies towards their ends.
   • This being is whom we call God.

Great Colors in this Artwork

Suigii Studio