God's Sovereignty Part 1

Welcome to this weeks installment. I am going to post my paper I wrote for class. I am going to do it in two installments cause it's pretty long. It is nothing new, but I was working on it so I thought I would post it. I'd love to hear your thoughts. I was not always a Calvinist it was a long and hard road for me as I struggled with the doctrine but in the end God has shown me the great hope that is found in God's Providence. Hope you enjoy...


God’s Sovereignty
10/22/05
Caleb M. Saarela

I believe God is sovereign over all things. This may be a very simple answer to a very hard question. So lets break that down and look deeper into it. Even though it appears second I find in helpful to start with the meaning of “all things”. So all things encompasses all events, thoughts, actions, reactions, universes, atoms, choices, and all of the possible events, thoughts, actions, reactions, universes, atoms, and choices past present and future. Everything from the way a flower will bloom to what I will have for lunch to the collision of meteors millions of light-years away. Everything nothing is left out of the sovereignty of God.

So what is the sovereignty of God? God knows, and works all things, or as the Bethlehem affirmation of faith says, “… by the most wise and holy counsel of His will, freely and unchangeably ordain and foreknow whatever comes to pass.” I tried to say it better myself but kept leaving out things. So it is not just that he knows all things this goes a step further than the knowledge of God. He also ordains all things. Instead of ordain you could also use the word work or choose all things


So many people would now raise the next question. If I am O.K. using the word chooses how then can I be held accountable for my choices or actions, didn’t God do it? God may have ordained it but scripture is very clear that our actions and choice do have consequences. Romans chapter nine is a great example. In chapter nine of Romans, Paul talks about how God raised up Pharaoh and hardens his heart so that God would be glorified. Paul then goes on to explain how God “18…has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.” But then why can we not cry foul God has done us wrong, but verse twenty silences any of our complaints. “20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use?” In God’s divine plan He has made it possible that He ordains everything and we are accountable for our actions. I think this is one of the hardest concepts about Calvinism to understand and accept but Romans chapter nine has been a great comfort and revelation in my life. Here I will add a personal perception of American Christian culture. Romans chapter nine has to be one of the most avoided text in the American church. I spent my childhood, adolescents, and college years at church and never heard Romans chapter nine discussed, just a thought.

At this point in a normal discussion about the subject of God’s providence most people would bring up the problem of evil. The usual complaint is, “If God is in control of everything how come he allowed evil to come into the world and continues to allow it to rule this earth?” And then some will take it a step further, “If God wills everything he wills evil and this is sin, how can God do that?” I will start with the first objection because it flows into the second. I believe not only did God allow evil and still allows evil it was his will for evil to exist. I believe that in order to bring about the most glory to His name God saw it necessary for evil. If the human race was with out sin, God’s perfection would not look as glorious; we would have no need for redemption. In the act of man’s redemption God was supremely glorious, His grace is lavishly poured out upon us, His mercies rain upon us, His love is shown to undeserving humans, and all of these are given freely. God was and is most glorified by the act of redemption and this would not be possible without the existence of evil.

Well there it is first half of my paper. Again nothing new but would love to hear what you have to say on the subject.
Godspeed,
Caleb M. Saarela

"This wooden soul of mine
it cannot ever climb
from places it has fallen
in between where light can shine
It never falls in line
it barely has a spine
like branches severed from the vine
like it was faulty by design
And now your mercy lights up my dark eyes
your brilliant hope now lifts my falling skies
and I'm the object of your affection
You loved me still in my imperfection

The sun will shine on winter snow
and shadows fade in Excelsis Deo"
R. Roper

Pictures used without courtesy of anyone my bad...

The Better Gift

Well I wanted to start this with some cool poem but they were all to depressing and this is supposed to be a hopeful and uplifting entry. So maybe next time when I'm more depressed here's hoping, or wait crap...

A couple weeks ago I went up to the North Shore with some friends. The trip was awesome. We hiked all day Saturday and despite some nasty blisters it was worth every step. Anyway on the way up we were having some of the usual traveling conversations weather, how's life, are we there yet, I need to use the bathroom, why don't doughnuts have nuts in them (maybe they do and I have never noticed), singleness, and dating (you know the usual). Although I didn't say much the conversation weighed heavily on my heart.

The day before I had discovered that yet another of my ex-girlfriends was getting married (I knew she was getting married just not so soon). Now this has happened before but this was a girl I was pretty seriously involved with so of course the common fears, doubts, discouragements, and general self-pity kicked in. Why can't I meet the right girl? Is there something wrong with me? I must not be attractive (yes guys say things like that just not to other people or while reading magazines about celebrities), or worse it's my personality (Lord knows it's not helping my cause). Do I smell? Why not me? You know the usual complaints the enemy throws at you.

So back to the trip up to the North Shore one of the young men joining us on the trip was a guy named Joe Berg. I don't see Joe a ton but last year I would see him almost every week and I have always found him to very insightful and well thought out. So the conversation continues singleness, marriage, commands of God and the other usual topics. So to try and keep this short I will get to the good part, Joe brought up the idea of "the better gift." It is the idea that marriage and singleness are both gifts and singleness is the better one.

Now before the uproar and the yelling and the lynching and all that. The idea comes from 1 Corinthians 7:25-40. Where Paul is talking about marriage. First off I understand that this is only Paul's opinion "25...I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy." So this is Paul's opinion, but again I see Paul as trustworthy. So I'm not sure if this idea is totally theologically infallible (I do see it as pretty sound but I will not go into that right now), BUT it was exactly what I needed to hear and still is a trustworthy and edifying idea. I don't think that Paul means it as a slam on those who marry as much as an encouragement to those who don't.

As I'm sure many of you long standing single's know there are times where it is just no fun being single. Every party with friends your the 3rd-5th-7th-9th-11th wheel. Friday nights with no plans while crappy sitcoms tell you that with out a "special person in your life" you are missing out. But that is exactly how Satan wants us to see it and I'm not going to do that anymore. My singleness is a gift from God and I'm going to run after that gift until he brings another gift into my life. I guess in the end that's my point. And I think it is good for us single's to hear. "Your singleness is a gift." I could go on but I'll spare you and would love to hear back from you.

Godspeed,
Caleb M. Saarela

"Feel the power of thePHANTOM MULLET,
Tremble and cower from the PHANTOM MULLET,
White metal burn of the PHANTOM MULLET,
Cut straight or permed it's the PHANTOM MULLET,
And you, cutting it short on top,
I want that for me.
Growing it long in the back,
So savage and so free."
R. Roper

Image courtesy of Faith Buck at "The Drawing Room"
http://www.thedrawingroom.biz/index.htm
Drawing intitled Dead

Two New Ones

Hey, by the end of the week there will be two new posts. Sorry about the delay, to much of the picture below. Go see "The Corpse Bride" and "Wallace and Gromit" they are great.
Caleb

Comments Now Available and a Comment about the Links

Comments now available just like a new pizza topping. Thank you to Jenny for pointing it out. This was not my original blog so I kind of restarted and forgot to do all the settings again. Thanks Jenny.

A comment about the Links: A.T.H.E.M. by John Piper is a fresh word article by John Piper that was exactly that (Fresh Words) when I read it. It is a little article about dealing with Lust in your life it has been a major source of encouragement so I felt compelled to share it.

About some of the other links: Lord of the Rings rules so there enough said. Homestar Runner is funny. Munchkin is my new favorite board game, but not for everyone. Baseball Rules. Make Trade Fair, OxFam are organizations that are concerned with human rights around the world. I think they are good organizations and support what they do although I understand that they do not meet any spirtual needs of individuals. I think what they do is good even though I am coming from a Christ centered worldview and they do not. I have not read every corner of their web sites and they may contain stuff I disagree with but they are still worth checking out.

Being Green is a link to another blog but is mostly a part of Brian McLaren’s book “A Generous Orthodoxy”. I am trying to be Greener to glorify God, not because he is part of creation but because His creation reflects His glory. It is not more important then the souls of individuals (which is were most Environmental groups go wrong) but being aware of what our actions are doing to future generations of real people is important. At the very least it is important to be informed I DO NOT AGREE WITH EVERYTHING BRIAN McLAREN SAYS or INFACT THERE IS NOT MUCH OF HIS THAT I AGREE WITH. But his view on this is not bad.

Jonathan Christman is an awesome man of God and it is probably more worth your time to read his blog. 5Fe=Five Iron Frenzy the site is old and run down, but it's Five Iron and they still rule. Foo Fighters, Weezer and Coldplay have become three of my favorite bands they are not Christians but their music is awesome and I enjoy it. And Chipotle taste good...

Godspeed,
Caleb

Life Update

Wow where to begin. I look at the list of people I have invited to check this thing out and there are some people I have not seen in a long time. Anyway my life...

First off I still love Jesus and want to do His work so no backsliding besides the usually inability to sanctify. "Sanctify stupid!!!" And yes I am still relatievly obsessed with Five Iron Frenzy despite their demise two years ago. I cried but have lived on...

Well as many of you know after college I spent two years working in China and that is all I can say about that or I will have to kill you. No that was a good time in my life I learned a ton of things about ministry and about myself. One thing I learned was that at this point in my life I am not called to over sea's mission work. There is always the possibility in the future and in many ways I long to find a way to do some short term stuff and some how stay involved in over seas missions.

So I came home really feeling like I didn't have a clue as to what I wanted to do. So I started doing the whole job search thing. Hooray for that long and annoying process of basically being told over and over again how you're not good enough for anything. It was at this point that I coined the phrase "over educated and under employed." I quickly discovered that I was over qualified for every entry-level position but not qualified enough for any positions that pay above the poverty line.

In the end I found a job working at a middle school in Edina Minnesota. I started working with a guy named Justin. He is an autistic child in the 8th grade (when I started he was in 6th). At first things were really tough I had no idea what I was doing and there was not a lot of training involved so I was just kind of thrown into it. But God has really shown His grace in finding this job. About half way through my fist year something clicked with Justin and we really started getting along great. Ever since then working with him has been an absolute blast we spend most of our time goofing around, walking around school and talking with people.

This summer ('05) we went to camp together for 7 days. It was a pretty intense week but we made it through and it pushed the level of trust in the relationship to a new level. So anyway we have entered our third year together and so far so good.

During my last year in China I read the book Desiring God. The book had a profound effect on me. So upon returning to Minneapolis Bethlehem was on the top of my list for Churches to check out. I went once and that was it I was in love. I had thoughts of checking out other churches but God has really given me a spiritual home at Bethlehem. Early on I got involved in a Bible Study and last summer I actually started leading it with a couple other guys. I also work in the nursery every week which has been a good way to get to know some of the families at Bethlehem which other wise can be kind of tough for a single guy.

Every since my return to Minneapolis what the future holds has been ever on my mind. I have pursued a number of different options but nothing really stuck out, nothing jumped off the page. So I continued on trusting that the Lord was preparing something for me. In the last month God has lead me further in the pursuit of a career then any of the others that have floated across my mind. So in January I am going back to school and going to start working on my prerequisites for some of the different nursing programs in the Twin Cities. Yes that's right I am heavily considering becoming a male nurse -Insert Joke Here-.

I am still not completely sure yet but I think that the (personal) skill set (especially when it comes to working with children) I possess and an ever growing desire to help people with physical needs as well as spiritual ones has lead me here. The science classes will be tough no doubt but I think we will realize if this is the right thing for me about half way through Anatomy and Physiology. I am not sure if I would work her in the states or head over seas but we will see.

Anyway that as true of a life update as need be. Sorry it is so long, I will try keep this updated about me as I go. Thanks for reading...
Godspeed,
Caleb M. Saarela

My First Blog...

Well I am new at this and I hope it works out better than the space ship I was working on. I could never get the rear diferential thruster thing. Yes, it would help if you got out and pushed. So anyway I hope to use this as a way of sharing things like thoughts, reviews of things I like or don't like, poetry, or life just simple life lesons. Also I hope to use it as a way to update people on my life and keep up with people. Hope it works...
Godspeed,
Caleb M. Saarela

Image from "StuffonmyCat.com"