The Noble Vehicular Savage

According to this story, several cities in Europe are getting rid of all traffic signs in a Rousseauian attempt to improve traffic safety and efficiency. According to the proponents of this "new" philosophy:

"The glut of prohibitions is tantamount to treating the driver like a child and it also foments resentment," and "the many rules strip us of the most important thing: the ability to be considerate."

History and anthropology have borne out that there is no such thing as a "noble savage." It's not the constricting laws of society that cause drivers to be bad. Drivers are bad because the hearts within the drivers are evil--not good. People (myself included) are, by nature, selfish, proud, and deceitful. Our own selfishness is what strips our ability to be considerate to others.

Anyone want to place a bet on how long it will be before this latest European fad goes the way of the Edsel?

Disclaimer: I'm not a student of philosophy, and so perhaps there was another philosopher whose worldview better explains this "new" model of government. But I do see it as a manifestation of Rousseau's flawed assertion that man is essentially good.

Baptismal Reflections

This past Sunday we had my youngest son baptised. Providentially, I was the elder assisting in leading the worship service that day and so I had the opportunity to make some comments about baptism in response to the pastor's sermon. I wanted to drive home some summary ideas about baptism since I knew that both sets of grandparents would be there and their sacramental views are typical "mainstream evangelical;" so there was much potential for confusion. I was discussing this with my friend Brant, and he asked me to post my comments on the blog. So, here they are. (These comments are by no means complete, and I'm sure I left out some other good points.)

As we have heard today, our Reformed understanding of Baptism rests on a number of key concepts:

1. There is in Scripture a fundamental unity and continuity between the Old and New Testaments: There is only one plan of salvation throughout the Bible. Salvation is and has always been by grace through faith in God.

2. Baptism doesn’t save us or our children any more than circumcision saved the Israelites.

3. As the song says, “Father Abraham had many sons…I am one of them, and so are you.” The Apostle Paul tells us that all who have faith in Christ are sons of Abraham (Gal. 3:7) and heirs according to the Promise (3:29). And God tells us from the start that this Promise, or Covenant, is everlasting (Gen 17:7).

4. Baptism is not a sign of something I did (my decision to follow Christ). It serves not as my witness to others, but as God’s witness to me. Since all men are helpless to save themselves and since salvation is the work of God alone, baptism beautifully portrays this spiritual truth: The water is applied to me, not by me; I am passive in the receiving of baptism, just as I am in the receiving the saving grace of God.

5. Baptism serves as a “stamp” or “seal” of Divine authenticity which God uses to assure us of His Promise of salvation to all those who believe in Him. The Apostle Peter reminds us that the same Promise God made to Abraham is “for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself” (Act. 2:39).

6. Scripture repeatedly teaches that God works redemptively not just in individuals, but through households. Children of believers are special in God’s eyes. They receive numerous blessings and advantages that those outside the household do not enjoy. The Great Commission is fulfilled first in the home—when godly parents exercise their great privilege and responsibility to raise up their children in the Lord. Children of believers are set apart from the children of unbelievers and therefore receive the mark of God’s promise to His people in Baptism.

7. Finally, Baptism sets us apart to a holy life lived for God. God’s gracious Promise of salvation is for those who embrace the Promise through faith and repentance. But if we do not live lives of faith befitting our baptism, we will receive God’s wrath and judgment. If you have been baptized but are not living a life of faith and love for God, and serving Him out of thankfulness for His mercy, see to it that you turn now and receive God’s abundant mercy and love.

Praise be to God for His faithfulness and mercy!

“But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them” (Psa. 103:17-18).

“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations” (Deut. 7:9).

Black Tuesday

Today I'm suffering from the agony of defeat. In yesterday's election, out of the 49 persons or propositions I voted on, only 22 went the way I voted (45%). If that sounds pretty good, out of the 23 races I particularly cared about, only 8 went the way I voted (35%).

I have been saying to friends and family for several years now, the Republicans in Congress have squandered away their opportunity to enact conservative reforms that their electoral base was anticipating. So really, now that they've lost the House and probably the Senate as well, I think I can say they had it coming. And, truth be told, America has the leaders its deserves.

What grieves me the most, however, is the stupidity with which Californians seem to vote when it comes to the state propositions. Here are a few that went down the wrong way:

• 85 -- (FAILED) What parent in their right mind wants their teenage daughter to be taken from them by the public school, a college boyfriend, or a sexual predator to have a surgical procedure performed on them without their consent (much less their notification)!? (Apparently 54% do.) Nevermind that this surgical procedure takes the life of their baby grandchild and endangers the physical and emotional well-being of their own daughter. George Orwell's future is becoming our own present, by the express will of the people. (Hey stranger, please come take my children from me and do what you want with them--I really don't care.)
• 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 84 -- (PASSED) Together, these four bond measures will result in 77.9 billion dollars that has to be repaid by the government. If the government doesn't have the money now, they won't have it in the future either. Who will pay this outrageous fee? The same brain-dead people who voted for the measure!
• 90 -- (FAILED) This measure tried to protect Californians from seizure of private property brought on by the unconstitutional (and nonsensical) Kelso decsion of the U.S. Supreme Court. I guess Californians don't mind greedy "Big Business" coming and taking away their homes and churches for its own personal gain.
• M, O -- These three additional county measures will cost the taxpayers additional untold millions. (Not to mention the incessant traffic congestion brought on by additional inadequte road "improvements.")

The only real evidence of any possible remaining brain-activity in the electorate was its vote denying: 1) the $2.60/pack tobacco tax (Prop 86); 2) the $50 "for the children" property-tax surcharge (Prop 88); 3) the additional $4 billion gasoline tax (Prop 87); and 4) Taxpayer-funded political campaigns (Prop 89).

This election makes it increasingly clear that I am not a man of this world. Which shouldn't suprise me. The Bible makes it perfectly clear that Christians are "strangers and exiles on the earth" (Heb 11:13), that "our citizenship is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20), and that we look forward to "a better country, that is, a heavenly one" (Heb. 11:16), to a "city that has foundations whose designer and builder is God" (Heb. 11:10).

Furthermore, bad election results help remind us that it is our sovereign God who "removes kings and sets up kings" (Dan 2:21) and "rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will" (Dan. 4:17). This is imporant, lest we begin to think that we can save the world through our political efforts.

While we await the great and glorious day of our Lord's appearing, Christians must press on, striving to be salt and light in a decaying and dark culture. The only thing that can truly change the current course of our culture toward Gomorrah is the saving power of the Gospel. My prayer is that the results of this election will cause our nation's Christians to remember this fact, and that we will be emboldened to preach the good news and live out our vocations in society such that we may have a preserving and healing influence upon it. Even so, come Lord Jesus!