True Epistemology Presentation

The Reality of Truth & Freedom of Conscience

Epistemological Crisis

This presentation will help to educate about the general Epistemological Crisis that prompted the writing of True Spirituality by Dr. Francis Schaeffer.



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Need The Book? True Spirituality - Francis Schaeffer

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True Spirituality - Freedom From Conscience

True Spirituality - Freedom from Conscience
Comments on Francis Schaeffer's Book True Spirituality
A Book Study By Dan Guinn

Chapter 8- With Chapter 8 we begin the second section of True Spirituality called "Freedom Now from the Results of Sin". Until now we have discussed the freedom from sin itself. Now we move forward to focus on the results. It is possible to live the Christian life and deal with overcoming sins but never fully address the results of sin in our lives. You might wonder how this is possible, especially if we are doing what has already been prescribed in the previous chapters. Yet the truth is... sin is pervasive. It is not enough to just stop sinning, and allow the enemy to retain victory over us in our conscience and thought life. Nor is it desirous to have inner change but not let that touch the relationships in our lives. There is a need to understand the depth of the internal war that rages in hidden corners of our being.

As the subsection title states "Man's Separation from Himself, " Dr Schaeffer identifies the core of the problem. We are separated from ourselves! Separated, from the creatures we were created to be. We struggle with areas of depth in our lives, that seem out of our reach. Hidden emotions, isolated idols, and unwarranted misguided fears. It is here that Schaeffer wishes us to place a spiritual microscope, to explore the dark regions of our hearts and minds. 

In order to make the appropriate discovery Dr. Schaeffer impresses upon us the need to take everything that we have learned so far as foundational moving forward. We have learned the tools to our freedom from sin and in this liberty there is a need to set our goal toward lifelong examination. An examination into the effects of sin moment-by-moment, relying wholly on the aid of the power of the Holy Spirit for guidance and sanctification.

1. From Sin Comes Bondage & the Results
2. The Psychological Trick
3. Classic Reformed Perspective

4. Freedom from Conscience
• Errors of Perfectionism
• Second Blessing
• Moments of Perfection
  
• The Deeper Person
• Man Separated from Himself
• Unconscious/subconscious
  
• False Attitudes
• Looking lightly on sin (viewing sin in the abstract)
• Believing we must follow through on temptation
5. Restoration & Realism (Removing the false tyranny of conscience.)
• Christ Blood
• Confession
• Chastening
• Discipline
• Fatherly Reverence
• Christ our advocate
• Rightly Judging Ourselves

From Sin Comes Bondage & the Results
We must first begin by making sure we understand the order of the problem. As Schaeffer says very plainly, "Sin causes the bondage and the results." (Francis Schaeffer, True         Spirituality pg 91) According to Schaeffer, we must both understand that we are truly Christians and secondly be acting on the Biblical teaching of how to be free from the bonds of sin. Then finally we can begin to identify the results of sin in our life and begin to prayerfully deal with them.

The Psychological Trick
The modern outlook on meaning is "a cruel illusion" unless we hold to objective or propositional truths. These words, objective and propositional, are used in philosophy and theology to denote absolute or final truth. Dr. Schaeffer hopes to establish here the impact that the loss of meaning has upon the conscience.

Classic Reformed Perspective

The answers to the problem of conscience rest in three points that Dr. Schaeffer puts at the center of the discussion. Here they are:

1. "Objective Reality of a Supernatural view of the universe."                              (Elsewhere called "The Universe and it's Forms")
   
2. "The existence of a personal infinite God in whose image man is made [and fallen] (Elsewhere Schaeffer calls this the "manishness of man").
3. "The truth about the human dilemma [and the Biblical answer]."                       (Elsewhere called "presuppositional")  
   

In these three points Schaeffer hints at the formulation of a general system of knowledge (Epistemology). While this is nothing new really, as the concept is native to Reformed Theology for some time in the triad of "creation, fall, redemption" These three points of theology are the backbone of Redemptive History. This system is similar to portions of what more recent students of Van Til, John Frame and Vern Poythress called Multiperspectivalism or Triperspectivalism. However one breaks it down the core concept, at least as it relates directly to Epistemology is at the core of what Dr. Schaeffer had formulated. Here are the three views shown tog

Creation                       -> Fall                          -> Redemption

Supernatural Universe     -> Manishness of Man      -> Presuppositional

Situational                    -> Existential                 -> Normative

Here are the questions that each column ask:

1. What is the global/universal situation? What is reality?
   
2. How do you account for man and his problems? What is sin?
3. What is the norm/presupposition that will best deliver, free, or help mankind?           
   

Just for comparison, I would like us to consider also how Dr. Ravi Zacharias' four
most important questions of life fit into this model. Meaning and Morality fall into the middle column.

Origin                          -> Meaning, Morality        -> Destiny 

When non-Christian world views are asked these same questions is becomes quite interesting. Take a look at Existentialism/Post Modernism for example. We can easily see the bankruptcy of these systems.

Naturalism                    -> Biological Machine    -> Supremacy of Science
                                         (Behaviorism)
  
Mysticism                     -> Noble Savage          -> Mother Earth
 
Also, consider this quote from Niche in light of these comparisons. What Niche states is takes the bankrupcy to an all time low. Although he does not understand the significance of the Bible, there is still something to be learned here. Not only is the non-Christian view of reality mere illusion, if they were honest with themselves they would realize that without revelation they have no hope of proper perspective. They could know nothing of real meaning or truth.

"no
particular point of view is privileged in the sense that it
affords those who occupy it a better picture of the world as it
realy is than all the others"  Fredrick Niche, Nehamas 49 (http://www.eoneill.com/library/ericlevin/i.htm)

Freedom from Conscience


Here Schaeffer begins to help us put these proofs into practice.

Errors of Perfectionism - Dr Schaeffer identifies the following two culprits that the Bible and Church history warn us of.

Second Blessing - Somewhat fallen out of favor in our day. However, it is still alive in some Wesleyan, Nazarene, Pentecostal and Holiness type churches.

   

Moments of Perfection - Less spoken of, but some churches teach doctrinal          perfection relying on the "work" of staying in the "Spirit."

"Hence if there is any real victory in my life, it must not be thought
of as mi victory or my perfection...It is not my victory, it is always
Christ's victory" Francis Schaeffer, True     Spirituality pg 96

The Deeper Person - It is extremely important to pursue the deeper aspects of one's being. "The more the Holy Spirit puts his finger on my life and goes down deep into my life, the more I understand that there are deep wells to my nature." Francis Schaeffer, True     Spirituality pg 95

         Man Separated from Himself - Dr. Schaeffer uses these words to describe the            consequences of the Fall.

Unconscious/subconscious - He describes man as the proverbial iceberg  one-tenth above and nine-tenths below the surface.

False Attitudes - it is so important that we be on guard against all sorts of mental pitfalls in the Christian walk. Here are two we need to be mindful of concerning sin.

Looking lightly on sin (viewing sin in the abstract) - "As we teach our children that we sin daily in thought, word, and deed, we must be very careful to warn them of the danger of thinking that we can look lightly or abstractly at sin in their lives. If I count on Christ's victory for my entrance into heaven, will I deny him the glory He would gain in victories won, in me and through me, in my present life?" Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 96

Believing we must follow through on temptation - Likewise, we can decide that since we so regularly fall to temptation that we can just cannot resist it. This is surrender.

"No
temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is
faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but
with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you
may be able to endure it." 1 Cor 10:13

Restoration & Realism



"And then sin reenters. For some reason my moment-by-moment belief in
God faulters; a fondness for some specific sin has caused me at that
point not to draw in faith uping the fact of a restored relationship
with the Trinity. The reality of the practice of true spirituality
suddenly slips from me. I look up some morning, some afternoon, some
night-- and something is gone, something I have known: my quietness and
my peace is gone. It is not that I am lost again, because justification
is once for all. But as far as man can see, or even I myself, at this
point there is no exhibition of the victory of Christ upon the cross.
Looking at me at this point, men would see no demonstration that God's
creation of moral rational creatures is not a complete failure, or even
that God exist. [However,] Because God still holds me fast I do not have the
separation of lostness..."

"5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But
if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with
one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:5-9

    Christ Blood - It begins with remembering His sacrafice, His Blood (v.7).

    Confession - We must acknowledge our sin (v.9).

   

"5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,

nor be weary when reproved by him.

6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

and chastises every son whom he receives.”

7 It
is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons.
For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides
this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected
them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and
live? 10 For they
disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he
disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For
the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later
it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been
trained by it." Heb 12:5-11

    Chastening - Recieve correction (v.5).

   
    Discipline - Remember that Discipleship is Discipline. Our correction is for guiding us to            greater growth (v.7).

    
     Fatherly Reverence - Our Soverign Caring Heavenly Father (v.9).

   

    

"My little
children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But
if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the righteous." 1 John 2:1

     Christ our Advocate - What other assurance could be so great as knowing that the
    Son of God stands as our Advocate? When we do sin we should rush to the throne of grace,     for He is faithful and just!

Rightly Judging Ourselves - Dr. Schaeffer clarifies for us that our punishment was dealt with on the cross. Our chastening "is correction to bring us back to fellowship with himself. and we do not need to wait to be chastened before our fellowship can be restored." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 105 So through the aid of the Holy Spirit who convicts us, and our Advocate who represents us, we can seek right fellowship immediately.

   

"31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world."
1 Cor 11:31-32

"God means us to have, as one of the gifts in this life, freedom from a false tyranny of conscience." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 106

"Man is first of all separated from God, then from himself, and finally from his fellow men and from nature. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ will give an absolute and perfect restoration of all these things when Jesus comes. But in the present life there is to be a substantial healing, including the results of the separation between a man and himself. This is the first step towards freedom in the present life from the results of the bonds of sin." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 105

True Spirituality - The Fruitful Bride

True Spirituality - The Fruitful Bride
Comments on Francis Schaeffer's Book True Spirituality
A Book Study By Dan Guinn

Chapter 7 - The concept of the "Fruitful Bride" combines two significant themes in scripture; The concept of "bearing fruit" and the "bride". Both of which are rich in symbolism and meaning in the relationship of the life of the believer and their Savior. Dr. Schaeffer directs our attention to a passage where these two concepts are unified.

"Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God." Rom 7:4

As the Bride of Christ (Matt. 22:1-14,25:1-13, Rev. 19:6-10) we are to bear fruit in that relationship. Bearing fruit embodies imagery utilized in scripture such as the "vine" and the "fig tree." In essence these symbols are indicative of the product or end result of the Christian life.

The Bride's Calling
Dr. Schaeffer points out that this is our high calling in life.

        "..our high calling, to put ourselves by choice in the arms of our rightful lover, our                     bridegroom, in order to bring forth fruit in the external world." Francis Schaeffer, True             Spirituality pg 81

Faithfulness
This commitment involves faithfulness on our part. Dr. Schaeffer uses the illustration of the illegitimate foreign child born through (the fruit of) adultery. Are we unfaithful toward God?

"13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death." Rom 6:13-21

        We Are to Honor the Divine Guest       

"The Holy Spirit is the agent of the whole Trinity. He is the agent of the crucified, the raised, the glorified, Christ. If I am bringing forth something other than the fruit of the Spirit, the only reason is that I have grieved the Holy Spirit who is our Divine Guest. Dr. Charles Hodge expresses it like this:'The great distinction of a true Christian is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. How careful should he be, lest anything in his thoughts  of feelins would be offensive to this divine Guest!' The Holy Spirit is a Person, but knowing that he is a Person should remind us that he can be greived...'" Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 82

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Eph 4:30

"Do not quench the Spirit." 1 Thess 5:19

The Empty Hand of Faith

"...For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." Rom 14:23b

       

"The sin here is not raising the empty hands of faith. Anything that is not brought forth from faith is sin. When I am not allowing this fruit, which has been purchased at such a price, to flow forth through me I am unfaithful, in the deep sense of not believing in God." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 83

Reasons Why We May Not Be Bringing Forth the Fruit We Should

The following outline is intended to convey as a quick reference the problems and pitfalls Christians can easily fall into which prevent them from bearing fruit. Notice that each of these are areas where an unbalanced emphasis is placed on one portion of the gospel message. Without applying the whole gospel, to the whole of life we may very well be misdirected and not produce fruit or find the healing in this life that it provides.

How Fail to "possess our possessions" as Christians.

1. Ignorance or Confusion
   

• Taught We Are Justified - But never taught the present meaning of Christ work in our lives right now.
• Taught Faith - But are left trying to live life in own strength.
• Taught Faith - Antinomianism (literally "against law") : We believe but either believe there is no spiritual law or that God's law is not applicable. People in this area may not necessarily believe they are anarchist, but in many ways can be living in lawlessness.
  
• Taught Second Blessing - Lives on basis of personal holiness practice. There are several groups that have taught this. This can further lapse into legalism.
  
• Taught Faith & Justification - Never taught that faith needed to be acted upon. Much like the first covered in this area, I believe that Schaeffer is identifying those who understand faith and justification clearly and even understand the present meaning of Christ in our lives but are yet ignorant of the conscious action needed to grow after coming to faith.

Avoiding Mere Intellectual Ascent - Later Schaeffer goes on to mention "mere intellectual ascent. This may in some ways be a summary of the areas just covered. However, these may be areas of the process of sanctification in our lives as well. We all can probably identify when we were in one state or another in our understanding. We must be careful to merely rest on our knowledge of our current state of spirituality as we all have much further to go before we are comformed to the likeness of Christ. We need to be constantly moving and learning so that we may mature. The moment we stop this action is the moment we falter. "Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." 1 Cor. 10:12 Here are some points which Schaeffer suggest.

Doctrine Appropriated
"In the last analysis it is never doctrine alone that is important. It is always doctrine appropriated that counts." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 84

Justification/Sanctification Parallel

"In justification we must see, acknowledge and act upon the fact that we cannon save ourselves. In sanctification we must see, acknowledge, and act upon the fact that we cannot live the Christian life in our own strength, or in our own goodness." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 85

One Difference

• Justification - Deals with the guilt (legality) of my sin.

• Sanctification - Deals with the power of sin in my life.

Let us be sure to grasp the above bullet points. Unless we are to understand how to apply the gospel to the whole of life, we must grasp the difference between justification and sanctification and begin to live them out.

        

Moment-by-Moment Relationship
Finally, as the bride or Christ, we are to live a life in moment-by-moment relationship. Unlike human relationships where separation or failure of devotion can transpire. The Spirit of God is there in moment-by-moment relationship with us. His love is steadfast and unmoved. While it is possible to offend Him, He is gentle and long-suffering with us, ever teaching, ever guiding.

This is the conclusion of the first section of the "Freedom Now From the Bonds of Sin." Schaeffer ends with this section with many remarks that help to summarize this relationship.

"When we say 'moment-by-moment' we are dealing in practice with a succession of single historical moments. No one lives his whole life at a time."
Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 86

"This morning's faith will never do for this noon. The faith of this noon will never do for the supper time. The faith of supper time will never do for the time of going to bed. The faith of midnight will never do for the next morning. Thank God for the reality for which we were created, a moment-by-moment communication with God himself."
Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 87

"... the Christian life, true spirituality, can never have a mechanical solution. The real solution is being cast up into the moment-by-moment communion, personal communion, with God himself, and letting Christ's truth flow through me through the agency of the Holy Spirit." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 88

"We live in a personal universe, and not in an impersonal one. God exist, God is personal; we are personal, as we have been made in the image of God, and out relationship to God is to be personal, not mechanical... When we were created, we were created for a purpose. And the purpose of our creation, in which all our subsidiary purposes fit, is to be in a personal relationship to God, in communion with hime, in love, by choice, the creature before the Creator." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 88

"Modern man is struggling properly when his is struggling with the basic question, as to the problem of personaliotly and communication... The Bible's answer to the problem is the central communication, which makes all the other communications meaningful, is the communication of the Creator and the creature." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 88

               personality (identity) ----> Christ
communication (meaning/truth) ----> Word
                               creature ----> Creator

"... mankind in revolt doubts God. To believe him, not just when I accept Christ as Savior, but every moment, one moment at a time: this is the Christian life, and this is true spirituality." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 89

TS Study - Salvation: Paste-Future-Present

True Spirituality - True Spirituality Salvation: Paste-Future-Present
Comments on Francis Schaeffer's Book True Spirituality
A Book Study By Dan Guinn

Chapter 6 - Salvation: Paste-Future-Present seeks to unify the concepts of redemptive history with the life of the Christian. Dr. Schaeffer adds to what he has previously clarified in the last chapter, that we live in a supernatural universe, and that the central event in that universe is the cross of Christ. Thus it is the calling of the Christian to understand the implications of the cross for us.

The Fall - Man fell in history

• God's answer in history (The cross of victory).

The Christian Calling

• Evidence of The Victory of The Cross
• Right doctrine

1. Live a supernatural life now.
2. Demonstrate the character of God.
3. The unity of what salvation is.

• Adoption
• Mystical union
• Relationship with the Holy Spirit
• The empty hand of faith
  

The Fall - Man Fell In History
Dr. Schaeffer is very intentional to emphasize that the fall of man is an historical event. Yet more than that, the event is one that also involved the specific redemptive reaction of God (anthropomorphic) to this event in time and space.

God's Answer
"... when Christ came, died, and rose - also in history"..." the necessary victory was won." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 71

The Christian Calling
The core of ascertaining True Spirituality is understanding our position and understanding our duty. In the last chapter we learned our position is rooted in a spiritual universe that is relational with time and space. Understanding our duty and calling comes through grasping our relationship with the core truth of that spirituality, the truth of the cross.

Evidence of The Victory
Dr. Schaeffer hopes to point out that the intention of the sacrifice of Christ was to produce evidence of His victory in history through the work of the cross. This evidence is us, His people.

"9 But you are a chosen
race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own
possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called
you out of darkness into his marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9,10

"God has always intended that Christians should be the evidence, the demonstration, of Christ's victory on the cross."c

Right Doctrine
Ever an activist for the cause of truth, Dr. Schaeffer is emphatic that the truth of our faith is not separated from our experience or our practice. We are called to believe right doctrine.

There are some even today who would speak of doctrine as a non-essential aspect of the Christian faith. Yet Schaeffer wishes us to understand doctrine as, "true doctrine, the doctrine of scripture." The word doctrine means "teaching" or "law". The Christian without teaching is impotent and unprepared. The Christian without law is lawless and ungoverned by the truth of Christ teachings. Some also teach that the Christian is no longer under the law without proper clarification. We are no longer under the law, in that we are no longer under it's curse, yet we are not lawless. We are under the law of the new convenant, the Law of Christ.

Here are some verses I have added to assist in this important discussion. (Note: These are not in True Spirituality.)

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments." John 14:15

"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” John 14;21

"If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love." John 15:10

So we can see that believing that we are without doctrine and law is a serious mistake.

For Schaeffer, right doctrine is living the calling of the Christian life as evidence of Christ victory. He clarifies this idea by breaking it out into the following points.

Live a supernatural life now.
"Christians are called upon to be the demonstration at our point in history that the supernatural, the normally unseen world, does exist; and beyond that, that God exist." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 72

Demonstrate the character of God
"Christians are to demonstrate God's character, which is a moral demonstration, but it is not only to be a demonstration of moral principles; it is a demonstration of his being, his existence. What a calling, and how overwhelming!" Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 72

The unity of what salvation is.
Schaeffer here wants us to grasp that we need to see the whole gospel message. Salvation is not merely the conversion alone but the whole of our redemption.

"The word 'salvation' encompasses the whole: justification, sanctification, glorification" Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 72

So this plays out in the following ways.

Adoption
"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12

Mystical Union With Christ
"Second, when I accept Christ as my Savior. I immediately come int a new relationship with God the Son." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 76

Verses: Rom 7:4, John 15

Relationship With The Holy Spirit
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper (advocate, counselor), to be with you forever, 17 even
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither
sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will
be in you." John 14:16-18

The Empty Hand Of Faith
"Let me stress it again: salvation is all one piece. All salvation, past, present, and future, has one base. That base is not our faith. If we are confused here, we are confused completely. A man can never be justified on the basis of his own faith. Through all of salvation the only base is the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross in history. Faith is the empty hand, the instrument by which we accept God's free gift. Faith is simply believing in God." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 78

"On the basis of the finished work of Christ, a moment-by-moment life of faith is 'the victory.' Not our victory, but Christ victory, purchased for us on Calvary's cross, laid hold of moment by moment in faith." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 79

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so
that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15 :13

"This is our calling, through the agancy of the Holy Spirit. we are not called to serve God just any way but to know joy and peace in believing." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality pg 80

So finally we can see the implications of the cross. The life of faith living in the moment-by-moment victory of Christ our savior.

True Spirituality - The Supernatural ...

True Spirituality - The Supernatural Universe
Comments on Francis Schaeffer's Book True Spirituality
A Book Study By Dan Guinn

Chapter 5 -  Chapter 5 begins a subsection which Dr. Schaeffer calls Biblical Unity and True Spirituality. Here he wishes to further clarify the unity of the Bible and it's practical connection with the spirituality of the Christian in time and space. He begins by further elaborating on the "reality" of the spiritual universe and challenges the notions of Naturalism.

Against Naturalism
His first words are, "Our Generation is overwhelmingly naturalistic". It is important to realize what Dr. Schaeffer means to teach us in this chapter that is different from the previous chapters. It is simply this... if the spiritual world and the natural world are linked as he has already established, then when one removes the spiritual perspective, spiritual words no longer have meaning. Logic as a whole breaks down and this has happened on a global scale. Yet there is truth found through living by the agency of the Holy Spirit.

"For example, we have said that we are to love God enough to say, 'Thank You' even for the difficult things. We must immediately understand, as we say this, that this has no meaning whatsoever unless we live in a personal universe in which there is a personal God who objectively exist." Francis Schaeffer, pg. 60 (1971), pg. 54 (2001) True Spirituality

"We also have considered Christ's redemptive death, which has no meaning whatsoever outside the relationship of a supernatural world. The only reason the words 'redemptive death' have any meaning is that there is a personal God who exist and, more than that has a character. He is not morally neutral. When man sins against that character, which is the law of the universe, he is guilty, and God will judge that man on the basis of true moral guilt. In such a setting the words 'redemptive death of Christ' have meaning, otherwise they cannot." Francis Schaeffer, pg. 61 (1971), pg. 55 (2001) True Spirituality

Face to Face Relationship
Likewise, Dr. Schaeffer wishes the reader to grasp a "face to face" relationship with the supernatural world. This is not unlike the view of the Reformers, "Coram Deo : Before the face of God". Schaeffer elaborates that this prescription requires a complete view of the supernatural  concept. He puts special emphasis on our role as the bride of Christ .

"The Bible insist that we live in reality in a supernatural universe.  But if we remove the objective reality of the supernatural universe in any area, this great reality of Christ the bridegroom bringing forth fruit through us immediately falls to the floor, and all that Christianity is at such a point is a psychological and sociological aid, a mere tool." Francis Schaeffer, pg. 62 (1971), pg. 56 (2001) True Spirituality

Dr. Schaeffer here takes a moment to contrast this view with that of Aldrous Huxley. For the uninitiated, Aldrous Huxley was a writer that heavily influences the 60s drug culture and advocated the use of  LSD and other drugs to aid in spiritual experience. Huxley viewed religion as a mere psychological mechanism. Schaeffer makes a rather significant reply at the end of this chapter addressing this Huxleyian notion.


The Supernatural is Not Remote
It also need to be clarified that scripture affirms that the spiritual world is not remote or abstract  as some like Huxley have proposed, but rather very close.

"And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight." Luke 24:31

 "Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God's camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim [meaning "two camps]. Genesis 32:1

"15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. "
2 Kings 15-17

The Two Chairs
Dr. Schaeffer here uses an illustration called "the chair" ( Schaeffer also further elaborated on this concept in his book "Death in the City"). The imagery of the chair was common in the philosophy of Plato, where he contemplates ultimate ideals and realities. In a different sense, Schaeffer here in a rather poetic manner uses the imagery of "the chair" to ask us to examine what ultimate reality we embrace by sitting in one of two chairs of thought. Like the Socrates quote, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” we not only need to examine our life but our perceptions of ultimate realities as foundational truth for life in time and space.

"I suggest that this may be illustrated by two chairs. The men who sit in these chairs look at the universe in two different ways. We are all sitting in one or other of these chairs at every single moment of our loves. The first man sits in his chair and faces this total reality of the univers, the seen part and the normally unseen part, and consistently sees truth against this background [the Christian] ."..."The unbeliever however, is the man who sits in the other chair, intellectually. He sees only the natural part of the universe, and interprets truth against that background. Let us see that these two positions cannot both be true. One is true: one is false." Francis Schaeffer, pg. 63 (1971), pg. 57 (2001) True Spirituality

Furthermore, the question is made even more personal.

"If a man sits in one chair, and denies the existence of the supernatural portion of the world, we say he is an unbeliever. What shall we call ourselves when we sit in the other chair but live as though the supernatural is not there? Should not an attitude be given the name 'unfaith?'" Francis Schaeffer, pg. 63 (1971), pg. 57 (2001) True Spirituality

Schaeffer goes on to say that those who are living in this way are only 'playing at it'. It's really that simple isn't it? It's not real, it's unfaith!

Not A Mere Dialectic Or Good Philosopy
There have been so many who have wished to borrow from the Christian faith with kind words and yet not give it full credence.  These are those who set in the second chair of unfaith.

"Christianity is a good philisophy. I think it is the best philosophy that ever has existed. More than this, it is the only philosophy that is consistent with itself and answers the questions. It is a good philosophy precisely because it deals with problems and gives us answers to them. Nevertheless, it is not only a good philosophy. The Bible does not speak in abstractions; it does not tell about a religious idea far away. It tells about man as man. It tells about each individual, as each man is an individual. And it tells us how to live in the real universe as it is now. Remove this factor, and it becomes only a dialectic."  Francis Schaeffer, pg. 64 (1971), pg. 58 (2001), True Spirituality

Our Experience Is Not A Bare Supernaturalism
While our faith is not merely intellectual, it is also not merely experiential.

"We do not need a dark room; we do not need to be under the influence of a hallucinatory drug; we do not need to be listening to a certain kind of music; we can know the reality of the supernatural here and now.

    The experiential result, however is not just an experience of 'bare' supernaturalism, without content, without our being able to describe or communicate with it. It is much more. It is a momemnt-by-moment, increasing, experiential relationship with the whole Trinity. The doors are open now: the intellectual doors, and also the doors to reality."
 Francis Schaeffer, pg 70 (1970), pg. 62 (2001) True Spirituality

Dr. Schaeffer's mention of the concept of the "intellectual doors" is by no mistake here. It is a vivid reply to the ideas of secular mysticism and Aldrous Huxley. One of  Huxley's books in fact was entitled "The Doors of Perception & Heaven and Hell" based off of a quote from William Blake.
 

"If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things through narrow chinks of his cavern." William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

Interestingly enough this concept would later be the influence of the naming of the psychedelic rock band, The Doors. Schaeffer was mindful of these sort of connections and the perils of the 60s drug culture. He even visited Berkeley during this time and not only observed but was well versed in much of the music of the day. Biographer Colin Duriez documents that he even went to a Jefferson Airplane concert. Here are Edith's remarks.

"In Berkeley... we not only sat and talked about the problems of the '60s, but after the discussion one night, went to Fillmore West. There we mulled around with the hippies and druggies... We watched the light show, breathed the heavy air, and sorrowed over... the glassy-eyed young people... Our brains whirled not only with the music, which threatened in volume to break the ear drums, and the dizzying effect of the light show, but with the lostness of humanity in search of 'peace' where there is no peace.... A time of listening is needed--listening to what the next generation is saying, listening to the words of the music they are listening to, listening to the meaning behind the words. If true communication is to continue, there is a language to be learned" Edith Schaeffer, Duriez, Francis Schaeffer An Authentic Life, pg 99 - Original Quote from Edith Schaeffer, The Tapestry, 527-528

Dr. Schaeffer closes the chapter with the statement that this is the "how" to live and exhibit true reality and true spirituality. The "how" is being consistent with our faith in the crucified and risen Christ, living by the aid if the holy spirit by faith.


A few interesting historical notes in regard to Huxley:

It is rumored that Aldrous Huxley was introduced to peyote by occultist Aleister Crowly in October of 1930.  Aleister Crowly also influenced such occultist as Anton Lavey, the founder of the so-called "Church of Satan" and author of the satanic bible.

Apparently Aldrous Huxley and C.S. Lewis both passed away on the same day that J. F. Kennedy was shot and died.