Only the Gospel is new every morning. Gonna sing a new song tmmr.

For me, the new semester has begun with a slight bang. On Thursday, I had my first class, even though I had a Winter Session Final on Tuesday. Classes-wise, I feel as if I am getting more closer to the core of the things I can learn at WTS. Last semester was all introduction courses; This semester we zoom into the heart of the matter, or at least, the breach the outer shell of Theological academics.

But I stand, as a guy humbled by the toughness of the rigorous studies and countless readings. This has opened my eyes, once again, to the difficulties of becoming a shepherd of a flock. There are known cases of people becoming a pastor just because, “there is nothing else for me to do or be.” To those who think that, to be a pastor is not a walk in the park; there are only so much you can learn in a 4-year course (some people do it in 3 years, I respect that also), and you must devote the rest of your short life yearning to understand more and more about God’s plans for me, you, us, and them.

Last year was tough, but as many know, it only gets tougher from here on out. I am not talking about my studies, this relates to everyone’s life, whether it be school, work, relationships, etc. We have (for the lack of better analogies) touched only the tip of the iceberg. In faith, we trust God, not that He will solve all our problems, but that He will walk along-side us as we tackle each problems one-by-one. And He will never abandon us, as long as we put our hope in the One who gave us life. That much, I am convinced of, and I trust and believe that God will use me to further spread the Gospel and to reach out to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who may be strugglin’, scratchin’, and just plain ol’ survivin’. Whatever the case, God loves us. We must love one another because that is the command He has given us(John 13:34). New semester, new year (even though it’s already February!). Same old changing world. Same old unchanging God. To everyone, I pray that God blesses you and reveals His mighty works through you all : )

We will collect special offering this Sunday and the next (17, 24) separate from regular offering for Haiti Earthquake victims. Then, we will send the money through OPC Foreign Missions Committee which has missionary working in Haiti. I ask you to pray for the people of Haiti and at the same time, though many of you are students, to prepare for the special love offering.

Contact pastor sam for more info.

Listen to the summary statement of Presuppositional (Reformed, or Covenantal) Apologetics from my teachers.

is a lecture Sunday. Lecture format/with Outline/Q&A. Invite your friends who are skeptical about Christian claims.

I wonder how many of you are following google’s own blog, but I do, to better inform myself about the google products that I use daily. And week ago, I stumbled upon this important article written by one of their own explaining the logic of “why” of Google, namely, their “openness” ideology. In our lives, “why” has to do with the purpose, with out which there won’t be strategy, motivation, goal. So I suggest you read this article and critically respond (learn, adopt/adapt, discard according to the standard of God’s word) as a Christian. Click Here.

I am ministering to a google generation who grew up with google search engine (and ever flowing products of theirs) and their influence is pervasive not just as our primary search engine (we don’t say we ‘yahooed’ something) but all over our process of thinking (shaping our worldview), the philosophy of Openness of Google, however attractive it may sound, must be answered Biblically. So if you think Google is cool, I hope you find God of the Bible cooler.

First, our God, Christians’ God is the only God who is truly “open.” When the second person of the trinity became one of us, a human being, God has opened up what was hidden from creatures, namely, the inner-most part of “Himself.” No open source/process will ever reveal the innermost part of the people who are using such platforms. As one famous theologian has said, “in incarnation, our God gave up his privacy.” No one at Google is going to go that far. However, if you perceive churches as “closed” system, I understand. I once worked for a church like that: don’t participate in other churches’ activities, don’t let our church members go to other great preachers who are in town etc. But the truth is they all did behind Sr pastor’s back. Why? As Rosenberg says, closed system is all about maintaining status quo of the leaders. There cannot be transparency if it’s a closed system. It may have worked. But it’s not going to.

Secondly, our God, Christian’s God is the only God who truly empowers me and others as a unit, i.e., community. All other gods of monotheisms exist uni-personally. That’s why they are mono-theism as opposed to pantheism. However, our God exists eternally and necessarily as Triune; One God in Three Persons. Then, Jewish god and Islamic god would not have known the concept of love until they created universe. Christian God, however, existed loving, caring, adoring one another (three Persons; Father, Son and the Holy Spirit) from all eternity, it’s called theologically “perichoresis” of Persons; inter-penetration, roughly translated. God is Love. And the mode in which God loves/cares for others is through self-sacrificing love, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Openness of Google promotes good of others. True. I don’t doubt what they are saying. However, no one in Google will go so far as our God would go. To the point of death, even death on the cross.

Thirdly, our God, Christan’s God is the only God who truly cares for the lowly sinners. All other gods tell us what to do and how to live. Christian God is the only God who opened himself up and came down to us and lived a life that we are supposed to live but can’t on our own. People accuse Christian God as arrogant. How can there be only/one way? Let me ask you. Is believing in yourself that you can live a morally upright life more humble than saying “I can’t but God can and God did it for me”? I don’t think so. Christian claim (Jesus is the only way to heaven) sounds arrogant but it is not if you listen to the message. I think it’s more humble than humanists or atheists’ claim that they can because I can’t. But God can. As one pastor said before, “what did your God do for you to love you?” My God gave up his only Son for me.

I can go on and on, but let me end up with this. It’s true that openness is good. However, as a Christian, your definition of Openness must be defined/reshaped by the Word of God. It is true that our God is the only God who can truly say I am open because of incarnation, death and resurrection. However, the same Bible that teaches us such God also teaches us that there are God-given authority in the hierarchy of the church. Yes, I said it, “Hierarchy!” In church (which is the body of Christ) (and in the world) Jesus is King. He reigns supremely and transcendentally. Isn’t that a hierarchy? In Church and Christian life, the Bible is the only “supreme” and infallible truth that guides us. Also, God has appointed “apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers” (Eph.4:11). “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” (1 Tim. 5:17). God created and honors authority. What about other issues that Bible seems not so open, such as gay marriage? When Google Philosophy dominates and will dominate all levels of society, when it is penetrating your own thinking, you need to draw the line, once again, by the Bible. Historically, when Christians didn’t draw the line by the Word of God, they either became Liberal or Antinomian. Both groups are NOT Christians. There is no such thing as “Liberal” “Christians.” Rosenberg is right. “Open” will win. Because of the false dichotomy “open” sets from the beginning of the argument, the other side is portrayed as insensitive and inhumane. The other reason that Open will win is because Open suits better for fallen humanity. The fallen morality operates and flourishes in the Open.

The opposite of Open is not Closed (system or mindset). On many issues, you don’t have to choose one or the other. There is a Third Option (tertium quid). You can still be as Open as our God is Open eternally, essentially, transcendentally, yet closed (if this is what you want to call it) on certain issues. On many issues, it’s about Right vs Wrong, not Open or Closed. No Open System can tell you what is right and what is wrong. And there is no standard by which one can judge what’s right from wrong unless one presupposes God (and His Law) who alone can set what is right and wrong.

Rosenberg says interestingly, “There are forces aligned against the open Internet — governments who control access, companies who fight in their own self-interests to preserve the status quo. They are powerful, and if they succeed we will find ourselves inhabiting an Internet of fragmentation, stagnation, higher prices, and less competition.”

Just as Christians have enemies, Google has its own! But look. When God gave us hierarchy in the church, it is for your protection (God didn’t leave us alone but with the shepherds). When God’s Word seems closed on certain moral issues, it’s because the designer of the universe/mankind knows better than us. When other businesses or politicians say that we doubt it. And we have right to doubt those claims, “I am doing this for the public”. And guess what? Google is only Open and will be only Open in so far as their openness does not hurt their salaries (read the article, he says so himself). Do you see the hypocrisy? Yea, we must be open for the total ecosystem of Internet, but only so far as Google leads the industry and my pocket does not run dry. Because Google people are sinful themselves. It is a shame that Christians who have one true Open God are perceived as Closed.

Google nor Rosenberg won’t die for you and yet still claims that they care for you and the goodness of others (part of which is true). Only our God was willing to die for me. Because of that, He alone can say, “cast(ing) all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

is on as scheduled: 2pm. It is now 10:30AM Sunday morning. All major roads are cleared and should be fine. One should be able to make it to 2pm. I will be at PS94 by noon, and if anything, I will start txting with updates.

This is what New York’s weekend (and eventually, Christmas) might look like; Dress warmly, and take care of yourselves, brothers and sisters.

was encouraging for several reasons.

First, the word of God

Rev. Gerber preached on 1 Peter 5:1-11. Point? Connect v.7 with v.1-2. “Casting all your anxieties” happens in and through the visible church; first through elders’ care (there are teaching elders, known as pastor-preachers, and ruling elders, elders as we know them), and through mutual encouragement for one another. How comforting to hear the affirmation of our living God: because he cares for you (v.7). Who am I, who are you to receive such attention and care from the Creator God?

Second, Susie

Carrying a box of donuts, she stops and shakes my hand. Why is this encouraging? Because she is changing.

Third, Jenny

Baked and brought brownies. She says, “I wanted to contribute something.” I’m sure Jesus would have smiled from above. She’s new and wants to serve others with what she can.

Fourth, Gerber

Did you see the humility of the man? Mixing with young people after service, participating in our GG? We were soaked in heavy rain as we walked to SF. And had delightful conversation with him.

Fifth, bunch of people

Simple. Can’t have a church without you. We are all broken pieces individually. But when God’s light shines through, we become a mosaic as a community, a new humanity of God called church.

Press on,

My good brothers and sisters

After the Manhattan Declaration (MD) was announced, John MacArthur quickly but gently produced an article why he didn’t sign it. MacArthur (by producing one of the first “why not” articles) had put other signers (leading conservative Reformed voices) in odd spot. They now had to defend why they signed the document with Catholics and the Greek Orthodox. One of whom was Ligon Duncan. Right after MacArthur’s “No Article,” Duncan twittered “I soon will come up with why I signed the MD.” And he did. Here. And I find Duncan’s article somewhat defensive. In a nutshell, he says, “I signed the MD because it accentuates the difference between us (evangelicals, here including Reformed) and others.” Really?! That’s odd. You sign a document not because of the positive affirmations in the document but to clarify the differences that are not there? And Duncan gave final assurance, “We continue to love and respect one another, and we all want to continue to serve and work with one another. The bonds of our fellowship are unbroken.”

Now, someone obviously does not think so. The Man, R.C. He goes one step further than MacArthur and rebukes the signers. uh oh. Here. Now there is no turning back. R.C. said it. “I have dear friends in the ministry who have signed this document, and my soul plummeted when I saw their names. I think my friends were misled and that they made a mistake, and I want to carefully assert that I have spoken with some of them personally about their error and have expressed my hope that they will remove their signatures from this document.”

I happen to agree with MacArthur and R.C. But here’s the thing. It seems like MD didn’t stir up a thing in the real world (chances are you never heard about it), and now it’s us who are suffering the division. So looks like MD was a Lose-Lose for both ends.