How Do You Know You're Right?

[Deleted member 6112]

I assume we are not headed down the path that assumes human logic is univocally the same as God's logic and that we just do not know all the propositions that God knows.

There are truths about God that transcend reason. I suspect these truths are not reducible to propositional logic, especially since I believe many things about God beyond our ability to reason them out logically.

As I said before, the laws of logic are constitutive of ectypal knowledge. I don't know how that could be interpreted as implying a Clarkian doctrine of knowledge. Rather, it excludes it.

 

[Gforce9]

When in doubt, I check in all of my alter ego's....Randy "Macho Man" Savage, Geddy Lee, Napolean, and Socrates J ohnson .......

 

[bookslover]

Pergy is right to point out what a problem sectarianism is. It's the whole "the true church consists of you and me, and I'm starting to have doubts about you" thing. It is all too easy to get into group think in conservative Presbyterian or Baptist circles, especially if we don't have much contact with those outside our own denomination. It's one reason I joined the local ministerial association: to remind me that the OPC is not the only denomination in the visible Christian church.

During a recent fellowship time after church, someone mentioned that one of our Sunday School classes is going through one of the late R. C. Sproul's video series. He mentioned that he noticed that some people in the class become uncomfortable when Sproul mentions scholar or writers who do not fit squarely within the Reformed camp, yet are good Christian thinkers and writers.

I said that, within the OPC - and most other Reformed denominations, I'm sure - people tend to identify - and sometimes only with - writers and thinkers familiar to folks in that denomination. Too many Christians are in intellectual boxes - boxes with high walls - and they like those boxes. As you mentioned, Lane, we need more contact with Christians outside of our own immediate circles. Reformed Christians shouldn't get nervous when the names of Baptist or Lutheran (or even Roman Catholic!) writers come up. With all writers or speakers, we need to learn to eat the meat but throw away the bones. We can learn from all sorts of people.

(I happen to know that you really joined the ministerial association for the coffee and doughnuts - especially the doughnuts!)

 

[Von]

Christ is man.
Man is mortal.
Therefore Christ is mortal...
But he rose again.
Therefore he is God.
God is not man.
Therefore Christ is not man.....
This doesn't make any sense logically....
Aaaagggh! - where's my venn-diagram?!

 

[Deleted member 6112]

Christ is man.
Man is mortal.
Therefore Christ is mortal...
But he rose again.
Therefore he is God.
God is not man.
Therefore Christ is not man.....
This doesn't make any sense logically....
Aaaagggh! - where's my venn-diagram?!

As I said, brother, human reason is fallible. Your post is shot through with logical fallacies. I won't try to untangle what you have here. Are you not uncomfortable claiming that Christianity is illogical?

 

[greenbaggins]

(I happen to know that you really joined the ministerial association for the coffee and doughnuts - especially the doughnuts!)

Sorry Richard, not guilty! They haven't served any coffee or doughnuts yet. Now, pizza, on the other hand...

 

[ccravens]

So how do I measure if what I believe is in accord to the truth?

1. Does what I believe about the Scriptures accurately reflect the text? This would be most basic.
2. Does what I believe reflect the beliefs of the historical church? I know the church is not infallible. Yet, if my belief were to differ significantly such that no historical body believed it, I would have to give myself pause as to whether this innovation is truly from God.
3. Does what I believe bring glory to God and elevate Christ? Right doctrine leads to proper worship of God. Proper worship of God reinforces right doctrine.
4. Does what I believe put man and the world in its rightful place? Do I think too highly of man? Do I think too highly of the world?

I really like that list. To cast my net wider, I'd add:

5. Do my beliefs correspond to the reality of the world around me and the actual state of affairs (correspondence theory of truth)? For example, the doctrine of original sin.
6. Are my beliefs logically consistent with all other biblical doctrines (as Tyler pointed out - coherence theory of truth)?

 

[ccravens]

So how do I measure if what I believe is in accord to the truth?

1. Does what I believe about the Scriptures accurately reflect the text? This would be most basic.
2. Does what I believe reflect the beliefs of the historical church? I know the church is not infallible. Yet, if my belief were to differ significantly such that no historical body believed it, I would have to give myself pause as to whether this innovation is truly from God.
3. Does what I believe bring glory to God and elevate Christ? Right doctrine leads to proper worship of God. Proper worship of God reinforces right doctrine.
4. Does what I believe put man and the world in its rightful place? Do I think too highly of man? Do I think too highly of the world?

I really like that list. To cast my net wider, I'd add:

5. Do my beliefs correspond to the reality of the world around me and the actual state of affairs (correspondence theory of truth)? For example, the doctrine of original sin.
6. Are my beliefs logically consistent with all other biblical doctrines (as Tyler pointed out - coherence theory of truth)?