Epistle to Hamer (9)

Dear Frank and Lora,

Greeting, how are you? It has been a few months since we last contacted each other. I have finished my posting in surgical department. It is a tough posting, as the superior are strict and sometime irreasonable, and your hard work is not really appreciated. Yet it is a memorable experience as I learnt many new things, especially in the operation theatre.

Now I am having a few day leave before I enter the next posting which is obstetric and gynaecology, a posting that I do not anticipate, as it is never a subject of my interest since in medical school. But I hope this fact will change after starting this posting.

I have been undecided about the future of my carrier. I am still undecided whether to continue in clinical fields or in non-clinical fields (radiology, pathology). I am a bit tired of clinical field due to its long working hours and not having time with family and fellowship. Yet Kok Tong still encourage me to continue in clinical field as it will be more useful in missionary. I am in dilemma whether to follow the path of Martin Lloyd Jones or the path of William Wallace.

Recently I read 2 books that I picked up from the local Christian bookstore, first is "The Hole in Our Holiness" by Kevin De Young, second is "Defending Your Faith" by R. C. Sproul.

Sproul expounds the important of the task of apologetics and start with the four essential principles of knowledge in the first half of his book:

1. The law of noncontradiction. He explains that the Trinity and the incarnation of Jesus are not contradiction, but paradox.

2. The law of causality. People misunderstood this law as "everything must has a cause", but should be understood as "every effect must has a cause". God is not an effect since he is eternally existing and self sustaining. He is the uncaused cause or first cause.

3. Basic reliability of sense perception. That we can know God through our sense from the revelation of God: (1) general revelation from the nature and the written law in our heart, (2) specific revelation fro  his Word.

4. Analogical usage of language. Language can be used in different manners:

(A) univocal, in the same sense. Like "good artwork" and "good woodcraft". "Good" carries the same meaning in both phrases.

(B) equivocal. In "good sermon" and "good grief, I hit my toe",  "good" carries a different meaning.

(C) analogical. "Good person" and "good dog". "Good" in both phrases carries different definition, but the person's goodness is directly proportionate to his being human, and the dog's goodness is proportionate to its being an animal. They are not identical but analogical.

In a similar way, we, as finite being, able to use our finite language to describe our infinite God, eg. the goodness of God, in analogical way.

Sproul later talks future about natural theology, Aquinas, Kant before he future explains about the existence of God and biblical authority,  which I haven't read yet.

I tried to meet up with Joshua, Jean and Kok Tong during these few days but all of them seems to be busy at the moment.

Hope to hear more from both of you. 

Kevin.