Author: Wes White

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Satan’s Doubts

In Book I of Paradise Lost, Milton envisions the self-vindication of Satan and his host. You can read a summary of it here. It is a forceful and specious defense of Satan’s rebellion. How should we answer it?

In Book IV, Milton provides a rebuttal to Satan’s self-vindication. It comes from the mouth of Satan himself. After he falls to earth, he expresses doubt about his rebellion.

Satan considers all that God had given him and how little he asked in return:

“He deserved no such return from me, whom he created what I was in that bright eminence, and with his good upbraided none: nor was his service hard. What could be less than to afford him praise, the easiest recompense, and pay him thanks, how due!” (4.42–48).

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Why Everyone Should Watch A Christmas Story

“I watched the first 15 minutes, and then I had to turn it off. I couldn’t take it.” That was my friend’s analysis of A Christmas Story.

So, I said to him, “Why don’t we watch it together, and I’ll see if I can decode it for you?” He agreed.

We watched the first 15 minutes together, and then I thought, “Why do I like this movie? How can I recommend it? Is this my award for defending this Christmas classic?” But then the plot began to unfold, and the reason it was a classic stood out to me like a lamp in a window on a dark winter’s evening. Now, A Christmas Story is not just a movie to me, it is a work of comedic art. Here’s why.

1. Nostalgia. We love Christmas stories because of the nostalgia. A Christmas Story is as nostalgic as it gets. There is the middle class house, the brick school, the toys, the snow, the downtown, the tree, the turkey, the family, the fighting, the carols, the Santa, and on and on. This movie is packed full of all sorts of things that evoke a nostalgic remembrance of Christmases past. Continue reading “Why Everyone Should Watch A Christmas Story“

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Fulfilling Our Created Purpose in Everyday Life

God is not just for Sunday mornings, church or Bible reading. Life with God is an all day, every day affair. But how do we learn to see God’s presence in every day life?

We go back to creation. We see that God created culture and work life as the way in which Adam and Eve would live for him in this world. Understanding that, we can see our own work and play as glorifying to God.

In his magnificent poem, Paradise Lost, John Milton imagines how Adam might have seen the life of working, sleeping, and eating in light of His created purpose to live for God every moment. With a little imagination, we can apply this poem to our own eating, sleeping, and working. Here is a section from Book 4 of Paradise Lost. Here Adam describes the work they have to do and all the pleasures they can experience, noting that God’s one prohibition is not hard at all and surrounded by so many good things.

Sole partner and sole part of all these joys,
Dearer thy self then all; needs must the Power
That made us, and for us this ample World
Be infinitely good, and of his good
As liberal and free as infinite, [ 415 ] Continue reading “Fulfilling Our Created Purpose in Everyday Life”

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The Father’s Plan of Redemption

In John Milton’s Paradise Lost, it is clear that Satan can do what he does only because God permits it. Why does God permit Satan to enter earth and successfully tempt Eve? In order to show God’s glory in the work of redemption. Milton’s description of God’s decree of redemption a beautiful statement of God’s love.

The Father’s Decree of Redemption
After this determination to fight “war then war,” Satan comes up with a plan to find the new planet of which they had heard rumors. The goal is to disrupt “the Enemy’s” plan. The Father in heaven sees what Satan is doing, decrees to permit the fall, and then decrees to redeem the world through His Son. I found the conversation of the Father and the Son particularly moving.

Milton attempts to describe the glory of the Son as that of the glory of the divine Father:

Thus while God spake, ambrosial fragrance filled all heaven, and in the blessed Spirits elect sense of new joy ineffable diffused. Beyond compare the Son of God was seen most glorious; in him all his Father shone substantially expressed; and in his face divine compassion visibly appeared, love without end, and without measure grace; which uttering, thus he to his Father spake (3.135–143).

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Get Involved in Politics

“I hate politics!” If I’ve heard this once, I’ve heard it a thousand times. Politics is maddening for some, intoxicating for others. It’s hard to watch the hypocrisy and self-righteousness of political parties and the ensuing conflict it produces. At the same time, we can’t help watching it like we can’t help slowing to see a wreck on the side of the road.

In spite of the messiness and even ugliness of politics, we should get involved in politics. Politics is part of life. Politics represents the challenge of people of diverse interests trying to get together to do something significant. Wherever this occurs, in home or church or state, you will find politics.

It’s easy to state your own opinion with argumentative intensity. It’s hard to state your own opinion with an inviting sweetness. It’s easy to follow the crowd or curse it. It’s hard to hold your own position with an affable inflexibility.

So, why make the effort? Because God made us for something more than to live isolated lives. He made us to live in community and do bigger things than build our own little private kingdoms.

The kingdoms of this world contain injustices. When we can fill our bellies and enjoy our vacations, it’s easy to ignore them. It’s easy but not noble. To ignore what is wrong in the world and play our fiddle while it burns is contrary to our nature as creatures made for life in a broader community.

“But it’s so hard!” Some will say. People will oppose us. Indeed, they will. Moses received little praise and much trouble for his involvement in public life, but he founded a nation.

“But we need to worry about souls, eternal life, and heaven!” This objection has some plausibility. But do you work on your own yard? Do you maintain your vehicles? Do you save for your children? If you are concerned with your own plot of ground, why not the bigger plot of ground that is your community?

“But nothing can change!” Nothing can be perfect, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be better. Was the American Revolution for nothing? Was slavery not worth opposing? Did not the civil rights movement remove the Jim Crow laws? Was not the Soviet communist empire overthrown?

If we are concerned about people, we will have to dirty ourselves in the messy world of politics. If we are concerned about justice, about our communities, our schools, our homes, our churches, there is no other option. We will have to get involved in politics.

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Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash

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