With the Meta Quest 2 Nadia bought me, I should look into this.
Unreal and Unity engines are the two most popular ones to begin with.
Decades ago, my dad posted this question to me: "What is Music", when I was auditioning for Australia's Newington College full scholarship. In case they asked, but they didn't.
Nevertheless, it is an important question. Because people would give various answers. Some good, mostly bad ones. I would say.
It's a philosophical question. Great minds have tried answering it.
For now, I'd settle with Music is the art of time. Some would agree, I'm sure.
TwoSetViolin gave some basics on What Makes a Good Classical Music Performance:
Hillsdale College's Hyperion Knight's free course on Classical Music History is another introduction into music.
9/13/2024 Only Christ's death is by the will of God (Gal 1:4), everyone else's death is not. Not getting into the R.C. Sproul's three types of will of God here (Decretive, Preceptive, Permissive) 基督的死像以毒攻毒 = 以死攻死：
9/11/2024 My company, SP, encouraged staffs to participate in the Tunnel to Towers 5k run & Walk NYC every year, this year is no exception. Company will pay for registration. Free T-shirts. On 9/29 Sunday, which is my problem. I wish these events aren't on Sundays. Preferably on weekdays, if not Saturdays. Since it's going to be on Sunday and that I would have to commute into the city, I wouldn't even think about it.
9/8/2024 We do not know what the image of God was like upon Adam before the Fall. While Martin Luther said that this image was lost since the Fall; John Calvin disagreed, saying that it was merely corrupted, not lost. ~ Stephen Tong:
Sunday Service at GCC:
A critique of the song Eleni used: How Long O Lord, How Long:
Lyrics:
VERSE 1
O Lord, our God, to You we come
Will You still hide Your face?
We cry before You and on our knees we pray
How long, O Lord, how long?
VERSE 2
Our sorrows leave us weak and worn
Surrounded by our fears
We look to heaven through feeble faith and tears
How long, O Lord, how long?
CHORUS
Till Your glory fills our eyes
And our faith is turned to sight
Till our thirsty souls are satisfied
How long, O Lord, how long?
VERSE 3
Our foes and enemies rejoice
Injustice seems to reign
Lord, we are shaken and we are losing strength
How long, O Lord, how long?
VERSE 4
But we will trust Your steadfast love
Your grace will be our song
You bring new mercies with ev’ry rising sun
How long, O Lord, how long?
------------
My comment:
Judging from the comment section of the Youtube video above, I think I am probably the only one (or few) who is criticizing this. Joy was somewhat on the same train as I ("This song is so sad, maybe only suitable in counselling session, but not in worship service"). I think Pak Tong would agree with me as well and here is my take:
This song is the worst that Eleni picked thus far. When I brought it up later to her, I don't think she cared to listen as her immediate prejudice response was "you can't satisfied everyone". Our differences in music has been: I propose quality music is a must for worshipping God; Her view of music is as long as the heart is there for the Lord, one can be blind to the quality of the music. Granted that we both would care about the lyrics, so that wasn't an issue. However, now, this song has proven that she only cares about titles, which is bordering idolatry of it (i.e. idolizing pastor, idolizing mere solo scriptura statements, etc.) In this case, because the song is taken of from Psalm 13, and that Sovereign Grace alleged claimed to be "Reformed", she immediately bought it without careful examination.
I believe I can sharply criticize it here because Psalm 13 is one of the Psalms I know by heart: Here's what's wrong with the lyrics - Psalm 13 is well known to be abused by pastors and preachers - twisting David's lament as an excuse for us to be depressed and blame God. This song is no difference as every of the 4 verses and chorus ends with "How long, O Lord, how long". In truth, the context of Psalm 13 never ends with "How long, O Lord, how long." In fact, though the inquiry for God's apparent delayed action was in the beginning, the context of the psalm actually encourages faithfulness in the Lord and praising God in the end. Quite a stark opposite to the context of the song. I can't believe Eleni finally made the mistake of choosing a very bad lyrics, theologically, this time instead of just the music composition. This only shows an ignorance to scripture, mainly, Psalm 13 and its beauty in glorifying God. This song is doing the opposite. I don't need to get into the commendations of this song in the Youtube video because those kind of commendation is as shallow as Eleni's take on this. I can easily imitate this style and write a Satanic piece using two famous lines from Scripture to fool these folks, if I were to play the devil's advocate. I just need to find some sooth sounding music from the musical library of the Meditation/Romantic category, and they would all be fooled. That is what's happening with how they take this song. In this sense, I'm disappointed at Eleni, I don't expect her to know much of music theory, but she should know better on the wording because of her knowledge of the Bible.
We all know this is Augustine's breakthrough or at least he popularized this. I think though the Genesis of Creation account is not clear, but by progressive revelation, creatio ex nihilo is obvious and we can conclude that the Hebrew tradition recognize this: 2 Maccabees 7:28 and Rom. 4:17. And they are the first, to contribute this notion to the world, of God.
A purely functional programming. A good tutorial is at https://www.tutorialspoint.com/haskell/index.htm
9/5/2024 How Satan uses Charismatic style Christian Worship to make the men disrespect God's word in the church: By making you sing praise songs for 1 hour until you're too tired to listen to the sermon.
GCC Bible Study: Proverbs 6:1-19
Don't know how the pastor saw the first few verses as seemingly word salad. Phil called the "security" in first 5 verses a kind of bail - when you post bail for someone out of prison, etc. Which is not wrong. I would just call it "recommendation", "to stake one's name on something/someone". However, pastor's generalization of this being "impulse" is a tad shallow as it doesn't deal with situations when someone's logic is twisted, i.e. in love, in pride, etc. Impulse just means in ignorance.
The pastor placed too much focus on "analysis" of situations as wisdom. Ironic that this was what Eleni accused me of in Music, that I over analyzed things. The answer should be as easy as what will eventually be revealed: The Fear of the Lord. Now who's the one too much into mathematical/scientific analysis.
@11:40 The pastor alluded to David numbering the people. 2 Samuel 24:14: That David chose out of 3 punishments from God, the one that seemed to rely on man least: 3 days of plague, instead of 3 years of famine (need outsiders' help), or 3 months of fleeing from enemies (under the mercy of men). But this proverb has nothing much to do with how not to rely on men. But more about out to get out of the short end of the straw, not about how not to play the game. So these 5 verses weren't really being touched on at all.
verses 6-11 (lazy/no initiatives) should contrast the first 5 verses (over initiatives). Not laziness & rest as the pastor puts it as the focus of v. 6-11 at @18:20. Here I would go with Turek against some folks at this church, that rest is simply, Jesus. So, there's no more Sabbath = Saturday/Sunday, etc.
@21:40 the pastor rightly called out against those who are looking forward to retirement, vacation, etc. as ultimate goal of life.
@29:00 Rob brought up the parable of the talents, rightly so, to deal with slothfulness. I don't understand why the pastor kept twisting the context of that parable, which he did before. He read that as "he's afraid of losing what he has" = "selfish fear motive". But the problem with that is that it was never the servant's to have in the first place. Was the pastor trying to avoid ventures / initiatives / maximizing one's given potential for God? Thereby taking a passive responsibility instead of an active one? After all, why should I get out of the house, if I didn't "hear" it from God? Not sure what the exact problem is, but there is a problem with his view of life in this context.
@31:20 Phil in verse 12, used the term child of Belial, thinking that it was a term used by Rabbis in ancient time for the worthless and wicked. But it is exactly the Hebrew for worthless in this verse.
@33:00 Kathy alluded such worthless person/wicked man as politicians. Shallow. @34:00 The pastor rightly pointed the finger back to ourselves.
v.17: Haughty eyes / proud look: @36:30 Elizabeth defined it as "thinking that you're better than other people". I sensed something wrong with it because there's nothing necessarily wrong with the truth, which is when you are better than some people. But I couldn't figure soundbite response. It was later in the car listening to Tim Keller on Proverbs (Proverbs 11:2,12; 13:10; 15:25,33; 16:18-19; 21:4; 28:26) topic called "Haughty Eyes" that lit up the answer, Keller's better/superior definition: "the NEED to think that you're better than others". What a big difference. Bad English.
on Lying Tongue, Nadia asked "What about white lie" @47:20, Pastor's answer: "don't volunteer a white lie". Shallow answer leads to shallow discussion (i.e. Kathy on not telling people something's wrong with their clothing, etc.), that's what all I can say about it. "Diplomatic honesty" was mentioned by the pastor. Eleni link "diplomatic honesty" to "I like the fact that your hat makes you happy". First, this is either not honest or hypocritical, secondly, this is selfish, for one's own happiness, like the episode in Friends where Joey was right against Phoebe about letting bee sting - no such thing as a selfless good deed. Thirdly, this is not answering the question, which shows a destruction of true fellowship. Fourthly, this is opening the gate to post modernism - your happiness before anything is the utmost importance. I should just respond to Eleni next time: "I think it's great that you think living in America is blessed" when she asked me again "Isn't this country blessed?"
I think when the pastor said @48:20 "now granted that I don't have a lot of friends", they were like "aw", which is showing lack of understanding. I understood him as: They probably not worth to be friends with anyway, if they couldn't stand the truth/my honesty.
9/4/2024 Taiwanese travelling to Uganda. I think the cost is too high ($800/night high class hotel). But it's rare we have this video done by Taiwanese DoDoMen:
9/3/2024 Religion is an escape from God, not seeking God. Tong brought the fact that it's possible the worst kind of such religious enemy is within the churches, among pastors, elders, deacons, etc. for they are satisfied in their works and complacencies. If one is truly of the Gospel, one would fight for the glory of God's kingdom expansively.
9/2/2024 Installed "Everything" because sometimes the search field fails in Windows File Explorer/manager, especially for external drives. Everything appears to index very fast.
God-Fearer 敬虔人 (Those who are godly) Acts 13:16,26,43 This is not your ordinary terminology referring to any godly person, but to the gentile converts into Judaism. Stephen Tong contrasts that with those who are good but have yet to accept the Gospel among us:
9/1/2024 上帝是有位格之真理的主體 - God is the subjectivity of truth (righteousness, love, eternity) in person. ~ Stephen Tong
GCC Sunday Service: Sunday School: Scripture and The Trinity, 2nd week:
On the note, the pastor quoted 1John 5:4-13. It was interesting that Tom raised question about "...the Spirit, the water, and the blood..." whether or not that's the trinity. Which of course is not. However, Calvin and other commentators have it better: Spirit = Gospel, Water = baptism, the blood = martyrs.
During service, Hymn of Praise #467 Wonderful Grace of Jesus has wonderful counterpoint. We sang it before, I just need to practice all parts of it.
Sermon: Revelation 3:1-6 "Church of the Walking Dead"
The pastor called some churches having "no challenges". Finally! I guess he agrees (perhaps unwittingly) with me on praying for challenges.
On the Church of Sardis, the pastor focused on "being distracted by works allegedly not asked by God" and he linked this to the Bible Study we did a couple of weeks ago where Nadia questioned him about what's wrong with Martha (Luke 10:41) to which the pastor responded that Martha was "trying to show off" which offended a few, Nadia and Mary, at least, as a start. And apparently, someone also spoke to the pastor in private about it or something, unless he meant that metaphorically. He basically tried to defend his point. Although "being distracted with extra works" or vain works can be applied to Sardis, I believe the full context of the text has more to do with complacency rather than supererogation.
I think in general, the pastor's sermons always seem one-sided. I was reminded this again later in the afternoon after a chat on the phone with Tom when I was following up on him with the Sight and Sound ticket.
Got this book at Ollie's (near BJ) for $5. Meant to use it as a tool to teach Nadia Church History.
Chapter 1: Servants and Leaders: 1 - 100
c.96: Bishop Clement of Rome's First Epistle accepts Paul's letters as Scripture.
extra details: Roman emperors:
27 BC - AD 14 (died): Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (AKA Augustus/Octavian/Octavius/Octavianus), first Roman emperor, thus founder of the Roman Empire. His maternal great-uncle = Julius Caesar, assassinated in 44BC.
AD 14 - AD 37: Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (AKA Tiberius), stepson of Augustus.
AD 37 - AD 41 (assassinated): Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (AKA Caligula = "little boot") son of general Germanicus and Augustus' granddaughter Agrippina the Elder.
AD 41 - AD 54: Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (AKA Claudius), nephew of Caligula.
AD 54 - AD 68 (suicide): Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (AKA Nero), son of Augustus' great-granddaughter Agrippina the Younger
AD 68 - AD 69: Galba, ruled 7 months. First emperor of 4 in the Year of the Four Emperors (first civil war of the Roman Empire) with Vespasian being the last.
AD 69: Otho, ruled 3 months.
AD 69: Aulus Vitellius (AKA Vitellius), ruled 8 months.
AD 69 - AD 79: Vespasian. He and his two sons = the Flavian Dynasty.
AD 79 - AD 81: Titus Caesar Vespasianus (AKA Titus), son of Vespasian.
AD 81 - AD 96 (assassinated): Domitian, younger brother of Titus. A ruthless but efficient autocrat.
AD 96 - AD 98: Nerva
AD 98 - AD 117: Trajan. Philanthropic ruler.
Chapter 2: Love and Courage: 100 - 200
Roman Emperors:
AD 76 - AD 138 Hadrian
AD 86 - AD 161 Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius (AKA Antoninus Pius)
AD 161 - AD 180 Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Marcus Aurelius)
AD 161 - AD 169 (death) Lucius Verus, adoptive brother of Marcus Aurelius, co-emperor
AD 177 - AD 192 Commodus, son of Marcus Aurelius
AD 193 (3 months) Publius Helvius Pertinax (AKA Pertinax)
AD 193 (2 months) Marcus Didius Julianus (AKA Didius Julianus)
AD 193 - AD 211 Septimius Severus
AD 96: Clement's First Epistle to the Corinthians addresses fierce inter-church factions.
AD 100: Didache, the teaching of the Lord through the 12 apostles to the gentiles. Oldest Christian writig outside of NT. Trinitarian formula applied to form of Baptism (Chapter 7).
AD 111: Under Trajan, Pliny the Younger, governor of Bithynia, called Christians the new obstinate religious group (refused local gods nor treat emperor as god), but good respectable citizens. Thus, these Christians = atheists. Trajan advised fair treatment of the Christians but also allowed Pliny not tolerate the religion.
AD 115: Christianity reached Edessa, outside of the empire's eastern border. Meet regularly in rich house members (textile merchants, Roman soldiers, etc.) having deacons, bishops, travelling preachers, exchanging letters and instructions. Christian doctrine wasn't solid. Clement, bishop of Rome, was a prominent leader at the time. Third "pope" after St. Linus (Rome) and St. Anacletus (Greek).
Ignatius, bishop of Antioch may have been the first to use the term "catholic/universal" church. He insisted that without bishop, marriage and the Eucharist were invalid. Counter Gnosticism with Christ being both divine and human, which was celebrated in the Eucharist, as bodies were important.
The Shepherd of Hermas, a freed slave who became a rich merchant: mystical visions + practical teaching, sins committed after baptism can be forgiven.
Gnosticism: Flourished in Alexandria & Egypt. Claimed secret knowledge/gnosis handed down from the apostles. Demonizes matter, created by evil god (the Demiurge). Only Christ's message (secret) is the only way out into the spiritual realm. Because Jews worship the Creator, thus Gnostics purged all Jewish influence. Not willing to affirm the bodily (evil) incarnation of Jesus Christ. Docetism = Jesus only appeared as human.
Marcion (85 - 160): Gnostic, of Sinope. Excommunicated from church in Rome in 144. Denied incarnation of Christ. Rejected OT. Considered the apostles too Jewish to understand Jesus. This catalyzed stronger understanding between OT & NT.
Aristides of Athens gave Emperor Hadrian his Apology, the first known Christian apologetics.
Justin Martyr, conversion from pagan in 130. Taught in Ephesus, started a school in Rome. Wrote his first Apology in 155 for Emperor Antoninus Pius. 2nd Apology for Roman Senate refuting the objections to Christian life and thought. Taught connection between philosophy and theology. His works were after his time, martyred in 165.
Ignatius martyred in Rome in 107.
Emperor Hadrian increased official persecutions. Telesphorus, bishop of Rome, executed in 137.
Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna. Allegedly appointed by original apostles. Wrote Epistle to the Philippians in 116 (insights into early Christian use of apostolic literature. In 156, Martyrdom of Polycarp (Martyrium Polycarpi) recounting his trial and death by burning and stabbing was written)
Polycarp's death sets example for other martyr accounts as Acta (acts). Emphasizing graphic details of the execution and how Christlike they went to their deaths. Thus, began with Polycarp's death, the veneration of a martyr's bones. Eventually resulted in a cult known as the Cult of Martyrs: Some embraced persecution enthusiastically, revered such as attaining the heights of spiritual perfection.
Marcus Aurelius began persecuting Christians intensely despite being a Stoic-philosopher-king, and given books by apologists such as Justin Martyr (who also wrote to Emperor Antonius Pius and prevented Christian persecution in 150, but failed in 167 with letter to Aurelius). Under Aurelius, Rome saw "atheistic" Christians as their superstitious curse for the Parthians invasion (163-166), repeated attacks from northern Germanic tribes (166-180), plague (166-167), revolts in Syria & Egypt (175). Well known is Martyrs of Lyons (177), publicly executing all (roughly) 48 Christians who did not recant. Including 90 year old Bishop (first Bishop of Lyon & Gaul) Pothinus (87-177) by starvation and stoning.
To be continued...page 21
From: 孙子兵法
Some translated as "All warfare is based on deception" If so, then yes, as Pak Tong said, Chinese tradition does consider deception as part of wisdom. However, being crafty or shrewd is a "kinder" translation. I have no issue going either way.
8/30/2024 Right after dropping Nadia off at the train station (back parking lot side, due to earlier drizzle but there was no rain drops by the time we arrived at the station), front passenger tire was punctured by a hex washer head sheet metal screw. Plugged it (for the first time) myself after using a spanner to remove the screw. Pressure dropped to about 15 p.s.i. Took me about 10 mins to plug it. 8AM, took the car to be checked by Mavis (2 mins away) after urged by Nadia. Technician said that the hole was too much to the side of the tire and thus the leak was still on going. They didn't charge me anything because we would rather go to Costco which covers our tires in some way, instead of Mavis' $120-$180 tire replacement.
After meeting Paul C. former colleague at Hackensack, because he asked me for reference and I gave him the condition that he let me treat him. I remember him and Lisa being devout Christians at work. I just had to connect back with him. Free NJTransit whole week due to Labor Day. He drive me from Anderson Street Station (Hackensack) to a Dim Sum eat in place (looks like Chinese takeout restaurant). Food was fine. But the chat was great. He treated me to bubble tea at Tiger Sugar in an H-Mart. With Paul, it was from 10am to 2pm.
5:30pm, per appointment, I drove from home to Costco on Rt. 35 for the tire check up. They gave the same comment as Mavis. They replaced the tire for about $30, which was prorated down from $182, due to a recent all tire change by them about a few months ago, I scanned all receipts for documentation. This is probably the 4th time or so that the same tire side got punctured. I told Nadia we should avoid driving to the back parking lot whenever possible.
8/29/2024 From Prayer Meeting, I learned that E is having a serious migraine relapse. K said that she had it before, we wonder how K solved hers as she never reveals. Nadia thought of acupuncture but we don't know a good one in this country much less in the area. I thought to look up Chinese medicine. Migraine 偏头痛: Chinese Medicine Herb solution: 川芎 (活血行氣，往旁），天麻 (治疗眩晕血壓，往上).
Online Chinese Herbs: https://www.tsemporium.com/zh_cn/
天舒胶囊 is a ready made pills from 天麻 & 川芎.
Prognosis: blurry vision, also things seen as if they were zigzag shapes.
Diagnosis: cold back neck (due to immediate transition from hot weather into cold AC room), vomit.
Do not wait until an hour past migraine at 三叉神經 trigeminal nerve (the nerve joint where nerves near sight, smell & taste meet.
Makes me interested in learning 把脈：
8/28/2024 孔子知道自己是罪人：
加我数年，五十以学《易》，可以无大过矣。
白话：“如果借我数年时间，五十岁就学习《易》的话，能因此而没有大的过错了。”
吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳顺，七十而从心所欲，不逾矩。
意思是说：“我十五岁立志于大学之道，三十岁能够自立于道，四十岁能无所迷惑，五十岁懂得了天道物理的根本规律，六十岁所闻皆通，七十岁能够随心所欲而不越出法度。”
孔子《论语》述而篇：述而不作，信而好古，窃比于我老彭
唐崇榮：這信非信心，乃是誠實，實在，真誠。
Docker file, Container, Image. At church, after a Bible study, someone mentioned this to me as what he does in his job. I could relate VPS or Virtual machines, but those were terms I never heard of before. Even if I did, I certainly didn't pay much attention to it. But it seems to be a must know for any programmer post 2020. I started looking this up after coming across these terms again on TLDR. It's worth a look into.
8/25/2024 Sunday Service - Sunday School on the Trinity
My reflection on this is that this church's view, including the pastor, on trinity is very poor. The pastor does have certain formidable level of understanding of it higher than the usual lay person, but from a reformed perspective, it's not enough (apparently he conflates reasonings behind Christ's duality with the trinity and terminologies and debates in history). The pastor knew that analogies of trinity are bad but he couldn't get away from the Water/H2O analogy, believing that the analogy works if all 3 forms are happening at the same time. He's not entire wrong throughout the session but I'm not here to state where he got it right. Now with the others, there are questions on theophany, Christ's dual nature and the confusion of Modalism from the Oneness Pentecostal movement. Here's my brief summary:
Why is it relevant? @1:00 Phil: "The Bible expresses it" - Funny.
@1:55 P: "This wouldn't be a discussion if people didn't have such a hard time with trinitarianism...why people are so slow...accept deity of Christ...I'm always a little confused as to why people are so hard-pressed to express the trinity...because you can't master it" - sounds like 坐享其成 statement - It was due to hard discussion, debates, many labors by faithful saints, that we've come to have trinitarianism as the proper understanding of Scripture, not the other way around.
@3:00 No salvation without the Trinity
@4:40 P to E: More important than defending against cults, this doctrine is for you. Not bad. "Technical knowledge never converts the soul" - true but shallow.
@5:45 T: Holy Spirit is least preached - Charismatics view of the Reformed. I would say yes and no, because the Holy Spirit is largely twisted, especially by the Charismatics.
@8:10 P: One of Christianity's greatest enemy is rationalism. This reminds me of an email I sent the pastor saying "we are to be rational, but not rationalist".
@8:55 P: The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is almost the tree of Rationalization. This is bad interpretation, simply because he said "it didn't quite make sense" as to why God would say do not do this. Answer is easy - First eat of the tree of life, then ask God about the other tree.
@15:00 T: Jesus' going away and sending the Helper - How to understand the Trinity here? The pastor got the duality of Christ here correctly.
@16:50 P: If you have a math brain, you'll struggle with this stuff..."Hey God, you've left your box, get back into your box" Another bad English on the pastor's account. I think he's just bad at math somehow. Hence, poor logic here.
@17:20 Phil: Father into your hands I command my spirit...who was he praying to...mystery...to Himself?! Phil's actually aligned with Oneness' Modalism here. I'm glad that the pastor actually challenged Phil further for this "How would you answer it Phil?"
@18:15 P: Some skeptics said that God is the ultimate narcissist. At which point E shook her head in disgust, shallowly in err. The pastor rightly called out that: "...and they [skeptics] mean that in disrespectful way" because "but God is the only one who has the right to be a Narcissist!" I was reminded of "God is the only true dictator." P: But you shouldn't be in love with only yourself" - this is where Tim Keller (I played this: Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Timothy Keller (2006) on our way to church) scores better when he rightly pointed out why God loves Himself - the Tri-personal dance relationship (selflessly giving glory to the each other) as the chief foundation of all true, eternally right love, as oppose to a singular personhood deity love, which is bad narcissist and results in individualism. @18:30 P: "...and while that's disgusting from a human standpoint..." - correction "...and while that's disgusting from a SINNER's standpoint. Although the pastor did end up saying @18:45:"...love, as we understand it, can only exist for the trinitarian God, who loves and has fellowship within the three persons of the Trinity...there's no real concept of love in Islam because God doesn't have fellowship" So textbook wise, the pastor did study his stuff, however, language wise, there's some inconsistencies.
Searching FB, I even realized that I've already commented on Oneness 6 years ago, saying that even the mormons know better.
Yea at this point, I would not ask the pastor to teach about apologetics. Just keep it to the regular Sunday School as "apologetics" would suffice for him. Anything more is asking for trouble. This is the reason I love the Sunday School. To learn, who should I associate myself in evangelism, in apologetics. So that I do not get myself trap with fellow brothers/sisters with bad apologetics, bad logic, bad English as it does no good to the witnessing for our Lord.
So at the risk of sounding snobby, I love listening to these folks in the Sunday School, as a sort of my "interviewing" of them, whether/who I would associate myself with in evangelism/apologetics to non-believers.
@20:13 B: "When you see me you see the Father, but at the same time...son of man...more times than the son of God" P: "incarnation...Israel's brother in a sense". I believe Nabeel's still better on this:
Nabeel: The term "Son of God" is usually not anything divine: i.e. Adam, Solomon, were called son of God, "you are gods", etc. "it's not a divine claim to call someone a son of God, but if someone refers to THAT SON Of MAN, coming with the clouds of heaven (Daniel 7:13-14), who's going to receive glory and authority and sovereign power, and people of every nation and language are going to worship Him with the worship due only to God, that son of man is more than just a human, He is DIVINE!...Son of God is divine, not, it's the other way around, THE Son of Man is a divine title...this Man...or one looks like a human anyway, is worshipped by all...Jesus affirming it in Mark 14:62..."
Here I would add to Nabeel's, aligning with his:
Mat 26:63-64, when asked "are you the Christ, the Son of God"
Mark 14:61, "are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed"
Luke 22:67, "Are you the Christ, tell us", v. 70 "Are thou then the Son of God"
To all 3 versions, Jesus answered with "Yes, you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of God's power, (While unlike the gentile Luke, Matthew and Mark added the reference to Daniel's "coming in the clouds of heaven" to remind the Jews of their Hebrew context of the phrase "Son of Man"), Jesus elevated their text book terminology of Christ as the Son of God being a vague understanding of opening to the possibility of Christ could be divine but maybe not - hence the term "Son of God" to that ONE special title "Son of Man" which all Jews knew, commands worship equivalent to God, so with this title "Son of Man", ambiguity like the "Son of God in the Jewish context", of whether or not He is the object of worship.
@22:00 M: He taught us to pray "Our Father...so not to pray to me" P: But also pray "in His Name...I and the Father are One...not wrong to pray to Jesus"
@23:45 Pt: "I went to a Oneness church for 4 years...trinity = water, steam, ice, but only Jesus is the fullness of it" P: "The problem with that, was that the Scripture talks about God in those 3 forms at the same time...so Oneness' problem was that God could only be either Water, Ice or Steam at one time, not ALL at the same time...thus they deny the Scripture" The pastor at least rejected the Oneness' explanation. But I would not take the H2O analogy in at all, not even "3 forms at the same time" i.e. I'm husband, son and father at the same time. It is still modalism vs. "The Father is not the Son is not the Holy Spirit - 3 personal identities not titles". I tried to talk to her about service before it, Ptt's view is thus far the most heretical one I've encountered in this church at membership-ish level. She seems to hold firm to this view, which was the only baptism she received - in only Jesus' Name, using their (Oneness Pentecostal = Jesus-Only movement 1914 Robert T. McAlister) proof text: Acts 2:38, Acts 10:48 for water baptism (as opposed to their baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4; Acts 10:46; Acts 19:6)). I did not have time to continue discuss this with her because the service started. I should seek time to talk more on this with her: So you have no problem with Matthew 28:19 even claiming that the trinitarian baptism is a later church tradition yourself? Any issue with singing/playing "Holy, Holy, Holy"? Do you know that the Oneness church really reject the term Trinity all together, rather than just explaining it as 3 forms/"mere titles not names"? etc. Most commentators take Acts 2:38 & 10:48 not as the form of baptism, but Peter simply declared that the whole strength of baptism is contained in Christ, although Christ cannot be laid hold on by faith without the Father by whom he was given us, and the Spirit by the which he renews and sanctifies us. ~ Calvin on Acts 2:38: "unlike the Papists, Christ did not indite his apostles magical words for enchanting.." I am not familiar with this last part Calvin was accusing Rome of - "nothing ought to be changed, as touching the substance, but...the church...liberty to change whatsoever it will in the form". Perhaps Calvin was criticizing Rome for not expounding deep enough this "baptism in Jesus' name" means, other than just "different than Johannine baptism or Jewish ritual washings.
The Catholics' answer: Contrasting Matthew 28:19 vs. Acts 2:38 & Acts 10:48 - On one hand, Jesus was instructing the formula of baptism to His eleven apostles - how to baptism; On the other hand, Peter was addressing the public on how to RECEIVE baptism, not to those who would be PERFORMING it. And other "in the name of Jesus" verses: Acts 8:16, 9:5 and these aren't even instructions at all. A reasonable interpretation is that the early Church used “in the name of Jesus” to distinguish Christian baptism from other contemporary types of baptism, such as Johannine baptism, the baptisms among the Qumran sectaries, and even Jewish ritual washings...We find something similar in the Didache, a first-century Christian catechism (circa A.D. 70-90). In chapter seven, it gives the Trinitarian formula as the words to use for baptism. And then in chapter nine, it refers back to that same baptism as baptism “in the name of the Lord” (9,5).
I would agree with Pt that it's not a big deal, since she's not sure herself and confused about the term trinity, as she didn't even seem to be aware that the Oneness movement rejected the term all together ("they explain trinity in the 3 forms..."). Otherwise, it's the worst heresy I've encountered in this church. I tried looking up how PCA would deal with members coming from Oneness Pentecostal/In Only Jesus Name movement, I came up with nothing at this point. It would be in interesting topic of discussion with the pastor in the future. But it is generally considered as invalid as cults like Mormons, JWs, etc. among common churches.
@25:50 The pastor came back in attack of Pt's Oneness view that they cannot explain the cross, because they have to say at some moment, God is actually dead, if it's just 3 different forms.
@26:05 R: Exodus 33:23 "...see God's back...in my mind that was always God, not Jesus...but you told as we can only see Jesus...so who was that..." P: I don't know 100%, but to be consistent, it's the Son. On all manifestation of God = the Son, which was the pastor's view, I can still challenge this with the Holy Spirit descending as dove or the voice of the Father.
@29:15 Phil mentioned "Sabellianism" as heretical, presumably hitting back at Pt's question.
@30:25 T said he's enjoying this conversation, but "how about this analogy of family: Father, Mother and Children". P: My favorite professor said that there's no analogy for the Trinity. But T tried to reinstate the fact that our families on Earth have connection to the Trinitarian fellowship. P: That's just about Christ and humanity and redemption (His Bride). To be more bold to go where the pastor restricted himself, I would further that to Keller's definition on Trinitarian love as the foundation of family, but not just about Christ and His people, and certainly not as analogy for the Trinity.
@32:00 Matt: Colossians 1:20 "...all things... = Satan included?" P: "the angelic realm is an alternate universe...they are not made in God's image...they don't know grace...when they messed up they're damned...no redemption" Pak Tong would disagree with "they are not made in God's image". I would answer: All does not mean all. And as for Satan and his demons - Hebrews 2:16 (interesting KJV does not have the same meaning, but NKJV does interpret it rightly) 神不救拔天使, and 2Peter 2:4. And it's good to also reference the only time the "elect angels" are mentioned: 1 Timothy 5:21. On whether angels made in God's image, Pak Tong:
Like man, angels have freedom, thinking, wisdom, power, morality, possible to sin, eternity, conscious. Therefore, if man have these because of the image of God, then angels should at least have the image of God (even though it's not specified in the Bible) and thus this gave ground for Satan to fall "upward", to want to be God.
Therefore, I believe that the angels know grace, as oppose to the pastor's statement "they don't know grace". Because there's the elect angels as well as fallen angels. One does not need to know grace only when one is fallen.
But the pastor did answer Matt: all doesn't mean the "realm of God's wrath". Although I prefer Calvin's answer: This, however, has nothing to do with Paul’s words, which include nothing else than this, that it is through Christ alone, that, all creatures, who have any connection at all with God, cleave to him.
@34:55 Phil: Exodus 24:11 - Triune Godhead? P: sure, but that most likely = the Son.
@38:00 B mentioned the popular verse Deu 6:4 in the OT as a good hint to the Trinity. P: Sure, Genesis "let us...". But the moment the pastor said "you can't put trinity in a box", just makes me think of him again very bad in the language of logic or a very lack of understanding in the progression of how the opponents of Trinity was dealt throughout church history.
@39:58 Good summary from P: When you move away from a Trinitarian God, you are moving away from the God of the Bible.
Paul Choi looked me up again as his reference for job. This time, I told him on the condition of having dinner with me this Tuesday, on me.
Several hymns use this tune. And I like this arrangement. Not going to buy the $50 book. I guess I'll just try to copy sheet off youtube:
