[NotReady]

[ QUOTE ]

I do hope that God would convict you that it is absolutely necessary to use logic


[/ QUOTE ]

I don't deny that logic should be applied to Scripture. But logic is to be judged by Scripture, not the reverse.

[ QUOTE ]

If you can claim that there exist contradictory (to us) things in the Bible that we can affirm at the same time, why aren't we justified by faith alone AND faith and works?


[/ QUOTE ]

Because the Bible doesn't say that. And I don't say there is any contradiction in the Bible. There is paradox, the appearance of contradiction - "now we see in a mirror darlky", "there are some things in Paul hard to understand".

About a month ago I was at a point in my thinking concerning a doctrine of the Bible that has been giving me fits for several years. I finally decided to ask John Frame about it and was pretty sure what he would say (for those of you who don't know Dr. Frame is a well known theologian in Reformed circles, professor and author of some outstanding books). At the same time I had a feeling we would be getting into the predestiantion issue on this forum and I asked him how he discussed this doctrine with non-Christians. He has given me permission to quote him, so this is what he said:

[ QUOTE ]

In presenting this to intelligent non-Christians, I would emphasize that we have to be honest and admit what we don't know. If the Bible is true,we should expect to find some questions unanswered and unanswerable. If we could understand everything about God, he would not be the
incomprehensible God of Scripture. So the existence of mystery actually verifies the truth of Christianity. In any case, some non-Christians will appreciate the intellectual humility and honesty of this approach. Others will not. But that's the way it is in apologetics.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was pretty sure this would be his response because it's pretty close to what Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin, Luther and many others would say.