More detail from Lewis here: (1:24) "...Authority, reason, experience; on these three, mixed in varying proportions all our knowledge depends. The authority of many wise men in many different times and places forbids me to regard the spiritual world as an illusion. My reason, showing me the apparently insoluble difficulties of materialism and proving that the hypothesis of a spiritual world covers far more of the facts with far fewer assumptions, forbids me again. My experience even of such feeble attempts as I have made to live the spiritual life does not lead to the results which the pursuit of an illusion ordinarily leads to, and therefore forbids me yet again. I am not now saying that no one's reason and no one's experience produce different results. I am only trying to put the whole problem the right way round, to make it clear that the value given to the testimony of any feeling must depend on our whole philosophy, not our whole philosophy on a feeling. If those who deny the spiritual world prove their case on general grounds, then, indeed, it will follow that our apparently spiritual experiences must be an illusion; but equally, if we are right, it will follow that they are the prime reality and that our natural experiences are a second best. And let us note that whichever view we embrace, mere feeling will continue to assault our conviction. (6:21) “Just as the Christian has his moments when the clamour of this visible and audible world is so persistent and the whisper of the spiritual world so faint that faith and reason can hardly stick to their guns, so, as I well remember, the atheist too has his moments of shuddering misgiving, of an all but irresistible suspicion that old tales may after all be true, that something or someone from outside may at any moment break into his neat, explicable, mechanical universe. Believe in God and you will have to face hours when it seems OBVIOUS that this material world is the only reality: disbelieve in Him and you must face hours when this material world seems to shout at you that it is NOT all. No conviction, religious or irreligious, will, of itself, end once and for all this fifth-columnist [the secret sympathizer of an enemy that engage in espionage or sabotage within one’s own defense lines] in the soul. Only the practice of Faith resulting in the habit of Faith will gradually do that”. (1:04) "Have we now got to a position from which we can talk about Faith without being misunderstood? For in general we are shy of speaking plain about Faith as a virtue. It looks so like praising an intention to believe what you want to believe in the face of evidence to the contrary: the American [school boy] in the old story defined Faith as 'the power of believing what we know to be untrue'. Now I define Faith as the power of continuing to believe what we once honestly thought to be true until cogent reasons for honestly changing our minds are brought before us. The difficulty of such continuing to believe is constantly ignored or misunderstood in discussions of this subject. It is always assumed that the difficulties of faith are intellectual difficulties that a man who has once accepted a certain proposition will automatically go on believing it till real grounds for disbelief occur. Nothing could be more superficial. How many of the freshmen who come up to Oxford [University] from religious homes and lose their Christianity in the first year have been honestly ARGUED out of it? How many of our own sudden temporary losses of faith have a rational basis which would stand examination for a moment? I don't know how it is with others, but I find that mere change of scene always has a tendency to decrease my faith at first - God is LESS credible when I pray in a hotel bedroom than when I am [at home] in College. The society of unbelievers makes Faith harder even when they are people whose opinions, on any other subject, are known to be worthless. These irrational fluctuations in belief are not peculiar to religious belief. They are happening about all our beliefs all day long. Haven't you noticed it with our thoughts about the [Second World] War? Some days, of course, there is really good or really bad news, which gives us rational grounds for increased optimism or pessimism. But everyone must have experienced days in which we are caught up in a great wave of confidence or down into a trough of anxiety though there are no new grounds either for the one or the other. Of course, once the mood is on us, WE FIND reasons soon enough. We say that we've been 'thinking it over': but it is pretty plain that the mood has created the reasons and not vice versa. But there are examples closer to the Christian problem even than these. There are things, say in learning to swim or to climb, which look dangerous and aren't. Your instructor tells you it's safe. You have good reason from past experience to trust him. Perhaps you can even see for yourself, by your own reason, that it is safe. But the crucial question is, will you be able to go on believing this when you actually see the cliff edge below you or actually feel yourself unsupported in the water? You will have NO RATIONAL grounds for disbelieving. It is your senses and your imagination that are going to attack belief. Here, as in the New Testament, the conflict is not between faith and reason but between faith and sight. We can face things which we know to be dangerous if they don't look or sound too dangerous; our real trouble is often with things WE KNOW to be safe but which look dreadful. Our faith in Christ wavers not so much when real arguments come against it as when it looks improbable - when the whole world takes on that desolate look which really tells us much more about the state of our passions and even our digestion than about reality. When we exhort people to Faith as a virtue, to the settled intention of continuing to believe certain things, we are not exhorting them to fight against reason. The intention of continuing to believe is required because, though Reason is divine, human reasoners are not. When once passion takes part in the game, the human reason, unassisted by Grace, has about as much chance of retaining its hold on truths already gained as a snowflake has of retaining its consistency in the mouth of a blast furnace. The sort of arguments against Christianity which our reason can be persuaded to accept at the moment of yielding to temptation are often preposterous. Reason may win truths; without Faith she will retain them just so long as Satan pleases. There is nothing we cannot be made to believe or disbelieve. If we wish to be rational, not now and then, but constantly, we must pray for the gift of Faith, for the power to go on believing not in the teeth of reason but in the teeth of lust and terror and jealousy and boredom and indifference that which reason, authority, or experience, or all three, have once delivered to us for truth…” (Religion: Reality Or Substitute?).
Three years ago, I was on of those that drifted away from Christianity. I had drifted very far until one night, I came upon this little amazing channel. It made me make the first turn back in the direction of God, it introduced me to the brilliant mind of C.S Lewis who, in turned, reintroduced me to the amazing glory and abundant mercy of God. And I’ve patiently waited for new videos ever since, they are amazingly crafted. They are those thing that nourish my faith. Thank you so much, and please continue to more videos!!
I started drifting from God about a month ago and yesterday I repented. I’m glad I came across this video. Also interesting because I bought Screwtape Letters a couple weeks ago and I don’t even like to read, but I’m thinking I should read that book now
This is the most life-changing book I have ever read. And it's awesome to see some of its core ideas illustrated this way. Thank you so much to the person/s who made this video. I plan to rewatch it many times until it's wired in my unconscious mind.
Thank you for doing the hard work in producing these videos. We watch them as a family over and over, the spiritual depth CS Lewis brings out is WOW! Cant wait for the next one!
Your channel is amazing!! As long as you keep making them, I’ll keep watching them. I often watch them on my lunch breaks or before I go to bed. Your work and content are such blessings to me.
I don’t know why but watching this video really helped me. I’ve been in a low mental state recently and hearing this just pushed it back up. This video really gave me a lot of things to think about with my relationship with the Lord, I really am slowly drifting away from him and it is realization that I must work on. Thank you very much!
Just as the writing of C.S. Lewis always Exceeds my expectations, Your ability to capture the topics with The Doodles You Do, Exceeds my expectations. Great As Always. "Speak Truth With Thy Neighbor", it is a worthy message that you provide, of The Greatest Truth, we must die daily. Dead To The World, Alive In Christ Jesus. Thanks!
I love the way your drawings explain the concepts. You dont post much but when you do i am here. I want my kids to experience these when they get old enough to understand the verbiage. Thank you and by extension C.S. Lewis.
I've been really going though a season of the second discovery. Its like things that ive always been doing somehow its more clear to me how bad they are. Pride in what you do, what you own etc. And then realizing that despite all of this you cant do a single thing right in the eyes of God. Its really crushing, but I'm learning to trust him.
This may be of comfort to you: Charles Spurgeon, 'Morning and Evening' (Modernised Version). May 13 "You are my portion, O Lord, Psalm 119:57 This evening, believer, look at your possessions, and compare your portion with the lot of your fellow humans. Some of them have their portion in the field - they are rich, and their harvests yield them a golden increase; but what are harvests compared with your God, who is the God of harvests? What are bursting barns compared with him, who is the Husbandman, and feeds you with the bread of heaven? Some have their portion in the city- their wealth is abundant, and flows to them in constant streams, until they become a very reservoir of gold - but what is gold compared with thy God? You couldn't live on gold; your spiritual life could not be sustained by it. Put gold on a troubled conscience - would it help? Apply it to a desponding heart, and see if it could stop a single groan, or lift one grief? But you have God, and in him you have more than gold or riches ever could buy. Some have their portion in that which most men love--applause and fame; but ask yourself, if God isn't more to you than that? What if a thousand trumpets blew your praise, would this prepare you to cross the Jordan in your death, or cheer thee in prospect of judgment? No, there are griefs in life which wealth cannot alleviate; and there is the deep need of the dying hour, for which no riches can provide. But when thou hast God for thy portion, you have more than all else put together. Every want is met in Him, whether in life or in death. With God for your portion thou are rich indeed, for he will supply your need, comfort thy heart, alleviate your grief, guide your steps, be with you in the dark valley, and then take you home, to enjoy him as your portion forever. "I have enough," said Esau; this is the best thing a worldly person can say, but Jacob replies, "I have all things," which is a note too high for worldly minds. (RUclips removes my cut and pastes sometimes, so I will send another copy typed out).
This may be of comfort to you: Charles Spurgeon, 'Morning and Evening' (Modernised Version). May 13 - Evening Thou art my portion, O Lord. - Psalm 119:57 Look at your possessions, believer, and compare your portion with the lot of your fellowmen. Some make their living in the field. They are rich, and their harvests yield them a golden increase. But what are harvests compared with your God, who is the God of harvests? What are bursting granaries compared with Him, who is the Husbandman who feeds you with the bread of heaven? Some do their work in the city. Their wealth is abundant and flows to them in constant streams, until they become a very reservoir of gold. But what is gold compared with your God? You could not live on it; your spiritual life could not be sustained by it. Apply it to a troubled conscience, and could it reduce its pain? Apply it to a desponding heart, and see if it could stop a single groan or lessen one's grief. But you have God, and in Him you have more than gold or riches could ever buy. Some obtain their livelihood through that which most men love - applause and fame; but ask yourself, is God not more important to you than that? What if thousands of trumpets loudly blared your praise? Would this prepare you to cross the Jordan or cheer you in the face of judgement? No, there are griefs in life that wealth cannot alleviate; and there is the deep need at your dying hour for which no riches can provide. But when you have God for your portion, you have more than all else put together. In Him every need is met, whether in life or in death. With God for your portion, you are rich indeed; for He will supply your needs, comfort your heart, assuage your grief, guide your steps, be with you in the dark valley, and then take you home to enjoy Him forever. "I have enough" (Gen. 33:9), Esau said; that statement is the best a worldly man can say. However, Jacob replied, "God hath dealt graciously with me, and...I have [all things, more than] enough" (v. 11), which is a note too high for carnal minds to understand.
Thank you for this! These videos have really brought Mere Christianity to life for me and have helped me digest more of Lewis’s ideas. Looking forward to seeing the next part about faith!
Another amazing Illustration, and I am proud to say I now own the classic collection of C.S. Lewis since i started watching your channel a year and a half ago. Keep it up, and great work!
These videos help me so much keep up with what is being said. And it's so natural feeling... almost like the drawings were made before hand and the narrator is describing the drawings not the other way around! The sound effects and clever animations also help zap my brain and stay energized to keep up! Thanks for doing these!
Been watching a lot of your vids lately, and was thrilled that this came up today. Really great work. I can't imagine the time that goes into these. Thanks, this one really hit well.
Faith in God above my own daily attempts to control every aspect of my life is an ongoing battle. I’m wise enough to know Jesus has given me all the answers, yet dumb enough to keep trying to live by my own earthly reasoning.
Can only agree. When I came to the dead sea for the first time I perfectly knew that I would float in it, but i still first tried it in shallow waters were I could still stick my head above the water if I don't float.
Whoa. The “Titanic” thing is blowing my mind. They claimed God couldn’t sink the ship, which was named after Titans (gods). Then the ship goes down in their proudness. It’s akin to babel. Whoa
Might this "faith" in the first sense also be related to the idea of "faithfulness" in the sense of "loyalty?" Or am I stepping on this "faith" in the second sense at this point?
I've been struggling with my beliefs, I have been having some difficulty with certain passages in the Bible that seems to contradict each other and it has been casting serious doubts on the doctrins of the inerrancy of scripture. I've been revolving between Christianity and mere theism. Some part of me feels like I'm a Christian on the days it suits me and a non Christian on the days some other religion seems interesting. But if I can't trust my own reasoning what rational basis can I have for any of this? Lewis debunked this whole Freudian "all reasoning is just us rationalizing our desires" bit in pilgrims regress. My reasoning process is this, there is no perfect Bible, some Bible versions lack one self contradiction but have another, but from my research they all have at least one. If there is not perfect Bible the doctrine of biblical inerrancy is false. It would be strange if I said I believe in the inerrancy of the Bible but not in the inerrancy of any particular Bible on earth, I suppose i could say I believe in the inerrancy of "the bible" and "the bible" is spread out over different manuscripts and is not all in one place, but that would be weird. Third if the doctrine of inerrancy is false Christianity is false, this is a bit of a tough one for me because I have great respect for Christians like George Macdonald (major influence on Lewis) who didn't believe in the doctrine of inerrancy. However I admit that I'd be going against every church in existence and against scripture (scripture says it is all profitable, how could it all be profitable if any part erred) and since I can't be a catholic or orthodox the only thing I could do would be to start my own protestant denomination and how could I form doctrines from the Bible if the Bible was suspect? Lewis said that well meaning non Christians who seek the truth and fallow what they know can be saved, the catholic church also says this, for my sake I hope they're right.
Here's a reading I was given yesterday on the subject by A.B. Simpson which might help: "It is not necessary for us to believe that the Holy Ghost inspired the wicked words which the Bible records, the ungodly speeches and the foolish utterances contained in the Book of Job, and many such things. All that is necessary was that it should give a correct record of what Job's wife and Job's friends really said, and even of the devil's wicked speeches. The speeches were inspired by the devil, but the record of them was inspired by the Holy Ghost". In terms of Bible contradictions, could you give me one of the biggest ones you struggle personally with, but one you found yourself, in your own reading of the Bible, (not one borrowed from the internet) and perhaps we can nut it out together? Prophecy CAN be hard to understand and most baffling before the events, even in one's own life. As Simpson said: "The ancient prophet declared in one place that Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, should be carried to Babylon, and in another place, he declared that Zedekiah should never see Babylon. It looked like a discrepancy at first, but history literally fulfilled it. Zedekiah, blinded by Nebuchadnezzar before he reached the city, entered it as a captive, but never saw it with his sightless eyes. Thus has God been confirming His Word as the ages have come and gone."
@@CSLewisDoodlejeremiah 4 10 and hebrews 6 18 and genesis 22 1 and james 1 13 The septuagint and the masoretic text have the first one but not always the second but the only one that doesn't have the first is the Latin vulgate which has the second.
@@CSLewisDoodleUpon recent consideration of these verses for my previous comment no less I have stumbled upon an old favorite bible version of mine, Young's literal, and it doesn't have either contradiction. Your comment very well may have saved my Christian faith thank you.
(1 of 1) I really love the kinds of difficulties you mentioned. The solutions, when God sends them to you, are quite amazing and (WARNING) they can spawn whole careers! I use a literal Bible for my personal reading as well (the KJ3 Bible) which solves most of the translation problems at first glance. (The other one in this category is the one indicating God does not repent, yet surprisingly He "repents" that He made man like He did). But I have had so many problems like this solved by God in prayer, a new one hardly ruffles the feathers anymore. (Usually, you can tell a lie, but how it makes you feel - sweats etc. Your body reacts to the lie even before your mind figures out what the underlying lie actually was). Don't doubt God's goodness, have faith and get excited! What gold is lying at the bottom of this seeming contradiction? Your faith grows with every answer to prayer and the answers can be remarkably swift sometimes and drop into your lap from a clear blue sky within hours. Some simmer for a bit longer. There will certainly be more of these types of seeming contradictions coming, especially in one's own life - your life can become a living Bible story. But hold steady like the patriarchs and prophets before you, and you will have a story to tell. Regarding Jeremiah 4.10, what is so interesting about this book, is that it not only records Jeremiah’s prophecies, but also Jeremiah’s responses and shock reactions to God’s words coming out of his own mouth. The context provides some help (chapters 1-7). Chapter 1. Jeremiah recounts God’s call to him many years earlier. Jeremiah has been called from the womb. Jeremiah reacts, and God tells him his young age is no obstacle. He, though a boy, will prophesy the destruction or planting of whole nations! Chapter 2. God gives Jeremiah his first recorded prophecy to Jerusalem under King Jehoiakim, a loving reminder to the Judean nation of their old faithfulness during the early years, though it says some very tough stuff about Judah’s sin, and subtly predicts Judah’s exile in the last sentence. Chapter 3. The message seems to work, as Judah appears to heed the message and returns to worshipping God. But in verse 1 God rejects that repentance! He warns Judah He will not hold back his anger forever. God then asks Jeremiah if he understands why He rejected their repentance (3.6). Judah’s repentance was half-hearted (3.10), and was done with falsehood and deception. The people of Judah are only faking it, while continuing to sin as before. God asks Jeremiah to prophecy to the northern tribes, the Kingdom of Israel, that had already been taken into exile by Assyria (116 years before). Apostate Israel had worshipped God through golden calves and not as commanded before God’s footstool, the Ark of the Covenant, in Jerusalem, but God says that they were more honorable than Judah! They at least didn’t fake their lack of repentance. God promises that if they turn to Him, even now in exile, they will return to Judah and be reconciled to them. God then reveals their response prophetically in exile, a full repentance! (3.25) A total acknowledgement that their own sin had caused their complete devastation. Chapter 4. Jeremiah prophesies to Judah and Jerusalem a second time (4.1-4.4) to really repent, to circumcise the foreskins of their hearts, or else He will release his anger against Judah and Jerusalem. Jeremiah is probably expecting, and hoping - wishing and praying - for Judah to repent fully at this stage and then THIS comes out of his own mouth! Prophecy #3. The great army is on its way! The ruin will be so great that every leader, priest and prophet shall be amazed and astounded. Jeremiah reacts! He naturally believed Judah would repent as it happened before in his youth - King Josiah had led the nation from the depths of idol worship, and even male prostitution operating out of the very Temple of God (!), to a nationwide repentance with the re-discovery of the Scriptures (2 Chron. 34.33). At that time, after their repentance, utter ruin was postponed (2 King 22.20). Jeremiah himself had delivered some promises by God of peace on repentance (3.15,18) and God promised the eventual reconciliation with a repentant Israel, but also some predictions of Judah’s ruin (2.37). Jeremiah moans, and accuses God of deceptively promising peace, when in reality, the knife is an inch from Jerusalem’s very throat! The city is going to be ruined which he didn’t expect. In fact, it is not deceptive and no contradiction. Both are true, but the peace and reconciliation of Israel and Judah will occur AFTER Judah’s total ruin. Jeremiah is quite like Jonah in some ways. Jonah loved his own people, and didn’t want the blessing of his country’s main enemy, Jeremiah loved his own people, and didn’t want his own nation’s destruction. God then shows Jeremiah that the hot wind from the desert is coming (used in harvest process), but this is not a wind to winnow and not to cleanse grain, but to ruin and destroy. It’s a metaphorical hurricane coming, an army of war horses. God prophecies through Jeremiah (4.14-18), calling them to repent, the besiegers are on their way and your own deeds have caused this. Jeremiah reacts once again in devastation. “My bowels! My bowels! I convulse in pain...” (4.19-21). He is shocked pronouncing these judgements of ruin, but he can not keep silent - God’s Word is pouring forth. He was called from the womb and appointed to “root out, to tear down and to destroy, to build and to plant”, but he quite obviously didn’t think he would be heralding the ruin of his own country, and the success of her mighty enemy. God replies to Jeremiah again (Jeremiah 4.23-31). God is not going to repent of the destruction this time. It is too late - no more postponements as before. Because God is seeing their true motives and hearts. Chapter 5: Jeremiah needs some emotional help and his eyes opened. God tells Jeremiah to go around Jerusalem’s streets. If Jeremiah can find ONE good person, he will pardon the whole city. God thinks they are all faking repentance. Jeremiah can’t find one, single, righteous person in Jerusalem, and he reacts, saying ‘These are only the uneducated, let me try amongst the leaders and wise folk’. But he can’t find one there either! (Jeremiah 5.5). Both great and small are corrupted! Jeremiah acknowledges that Judah’s own behaviour has cause this ‘wolf of the desert’ (Babylon) to destroy them. There apostasies are numerous and He outlines them (Jeremiah 5.5b-6). God’s response is to ask Jeremiah, “Shall I not call them to account for this (wickedness)?” (Jeremiah 5.9). Jeremiah now agrees with God and gets emotionally back on message. We now see a new and interesting aspect. The battlelines have been drawn. Jerusalem has gone from honouring Jeremiah (2 Chronicles 25.25) to disbelieving Jeremiah (they do not want to really repent in reality), and now have taken the words of their own prophets instead which confirm what they want: “It is NOT God speaking through Jeremiah, and, not any evil thing shall come on us; We shall not see sword or famine”. God states the Jerusalem prophet shall become wind; their words are all temporary, and will all be disproven as false comfort. In the next chapter, God goes on, and says that the nation has a serious wound, and their false prophets have healed it sightly. They are saying “We shall have peace”, when there is no peace. I.e. the false prophets have put a covering over the untreated wound, but it is not disinfected or stitched up to heal in reality. God says the Benjamites, the guards of the walls, if they really saw what was happening in Babylon, ought to blow the trumpet of the city announcing enemies on the horizon ahead of time. Jeremiah is also a spiritual watchman and he is doing what they will not. Chapter 7.1-15. Then comes one of Jeremiah’s most famous prophecies. Jeremiah was initially accepted, now he is solidly rejected by all the rulers, priests, and prophets of Jerusalem. God sends him to the gate of the Temple. He undermines their false belief that the existence of God’s Temple in their city alone will save them. It has turned into a Den of Thieves, rather than as it was meant to be, a House of Prayer. Then comes the dreaded Chapter 26! So if we go back to Jer. 4.10, if you take the “deceptive” interpretation as correct, how had God been “deceptive” before the 3rd prophecy of ruin? Jeremiah has given 2 prophecies declaring God’s word: Judah's sin, and the coming exile of the people of Jerusalem (Jer. 2.37). Also God’s anger against Jerusalem was pretty clear (Jer. 3.5, 12,4.4). So hardly deceptive. Yes, God had predicted a future peace and regathering of Israel and Judah, but that is on the other side of Judah’s devastating destruction and ruin. Jeremiah was obviously expecting and desperately hoping for a real repentance and another postponement of the destruction, as he had experienced in his youth.
(2 of 2) A.B. Simpson pointed out, that 'foolish utterances' in Scripture are not inspired, although you need them too in Scripture to understand the prophet’s heart and soul, and to give you some context to the events. Jeremiah WAS perfectly inspired in his prophecies, but a number of times between prophecies like v10, he does 'mouth off' (which is not inspired by God), and bitterly complains, sometimes against God, sometimes he even rebukes God and God has to correct his error. (Who among us has not had God "adjust" or break our set plans for Him? - Isa. 55.9) Jeremiah humbly lets his scribe record his own sinful words, and its divine correction many times. "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?" (Jeremiah 12:5) Ouch! "If you repent, I will restore you, if you speak good words rather than *worthless* ones you will be my spokesman. You must influence them; do not let them influence you!" (Jeremiah 15:19). OUCH! So we have here: Jeremiah speaking of himself - usually prefaced by an "Alas", or "Ah" or "My bowels" or a "Why?" (uninspired by the Holy Spirit but an accurate and honest account); Jeremiah prophesies and proclaims truth about God in the Third Person (God is...) or gives a message directly to Judah in the Second Person; Jeremiah prophesies as God in the First Person (I, Me); Jeremiah prophesies as a figurative person or persons. I.e. Sometimes as the prophet, or Judah personified, sometimes as the voice of Collective Israel (which are all in exile), as when he voiced their future repentance in Christ (3.25). (Some Bibles use separate paragraphs in Jeremiah which make the distinctions more obvious - the TNIV Bible) If it helps any, I found that I gained a better understanding of Abraham's greatest test, when I connected Abraham's greatest weakness up to that point to it - he feared death more than his fear of God and sacrificed Sarah to save himself (twice even! Gen 12.10, 20.2). Obviously, God is a killer, but that act is not murder. 3 slides - facebook.com/photo/?fbid=418333916022&set=a.417132251022.217648.533841022
Didn't Jesus say he would seperate the goats from the sheep in apocalypse. And ask did you feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked. Yes faith is what saves you but, works are also needed. Faith without works is dead according to St. James comparing it to giving words of comfort then not giving clothes to them.
More detail from Lewis here: (1:24) "...Authority, reason, experience; on these three, mixed in varying proportions all our knowledge depends.
The authority of many wise men in many different times and places forbids me to regard the spiritual world as an illusion.
My reason, showing me the apparently insoluble difficulties of materialism and proving that the hypothesis of a spiritual world covers far more of the facts with far fewer assumptions, forbids me again.
My experience even of such feeble attempts as I have made to live the spiritual life does not lead to the results which the pursuit of an illusion ordinarily leads to, and therefore forbids me yet again.
I am not now saying that no one's reason and no one's experience produce different results. I am only trying to put the whole problem the right way round, to make it clear that the value given to the testimony of any feeling must depend on our whole philosophy, not our whole philosophy on a feeling. If those who deny the spiritual world prove their case on general grounds, then, indeed, it will follow that our apparently spiritual experiences must be an illusion; but equally, if we are right, it will follow that they are the prime reality and that our natural experiences are a second best. And let us note that whichever view we embrace, mere feeling will continue to assault our conviction.
(6:21) “Just as the Christian has his moments when the clamour of this visible and audible world is so persistent and the whisper of the spiritual world so faint that faith and reason can hardly stick to their guns, so, as I well remember, the atheist too has his moments of shuddering misgiving, of an all but irresistible suspicion that old tales may after all be true, that something or someone from outside may at any moment break into his neat, explicable, mechanical universe.
Believe in God and you will have to face hours when it seems OBVIOUS that this material world is the only reality: disbelieve in Him and you must face hours when this material world seems to shout at you that it is NOT all. No conviction, religious or irreligious, will, of itself, end once and for all this fifth-columnist [the secret sympathizer of an enemy that engage in espionage or sabotage within one’s own defense lines] in the soul. Only the practice of Faith resulting in the habit of Faith will gradually do that”.
(1:04) "Have we now got to a position from which we can talk about Faith without being misunderstood? For in general we are shy of speaking plain about Faith as a virtue. It looks so like praising an intention to believe what you want to believe in the face of evidence to the contrary: the American [school boy] in the old story defined Faith as 'the power of believing what we know to be untrue'.
Now I define Faith as the power of continuing to believe what we once honestly thought to be true until cogent reasons for honestly changing our minds are brought before us. The difficulty of such continuing to believe is constantly ignored or misunderstood in discussions of this subject. It is always assumed that the difficulties of faith are intellectual difficulties that a man who has once accepted a certain proposition will automatically go on believing it till real grounds for disbelief occur. Nothing could be more superficial. How many of the freshmen who come up to Oxford [University] from religious homes and lose their Christianity in the first year have been honestly ARGUED out of it? How many of our own sudden temporary losses of faith have a rational basis which would stand examination for a moment?
I don't know how it is with others, but I find that mere change of scene always has a tendency to decrease my faith at first - God is LESS credible when I pray in a hotel bedroom than when I am [at home] in College. The society of unbelievers makes Faith harder even when they are people whose opinions, on any other subject, are known to be worthless.
These irrational fluctuations in belief are not peculiar to religious belief. They are happening about all our beliefs all day long. Haven't you noticed it with our thoughts about the [Second World] War? Some days, of course, there is really good or really bad news, which gives us rational grounds for increased optimism or pessimism. But everyone must have experienced days in which we are caught up in a great wave of confidence or down into a trough of anxiety though there are no new grounds either for the one or the other. Of course, once the mood is on us, WE FIND reasons soon enough. We say that we've been 'thinking it over': but it is pretty plain that the mood has created the reasons and not vice versa.
But there are examples closer to the Christian problem even than these. There are things, say in learning to swim or to climb, which look dangerous and aren't. Your instructor tells you it's safe. You have good reason from past experience to trust him. Perhaps you can even see for yourself, by your own reason, that it is safe. But the crucial question is, will you be able to go on believing this when you actually see the cliff edge below you or actually feel yourself unsupported in the water? You will have NO RATIONAL grounds for disbelieving. It is your senses and your imagination that are going to attack belief.
Here, as in the New Testament, the conflict is not between faith and reason but between faith and sight. We can face things which we know to be dangerous if they don't look or sound too dangerous; our real trouble is often with things WE KNOW to be safe but which look dreadful. Our faith in Christ wavers not so much when real arguments come against it as when it looks improbable - when the whole world takes on that desolate look which really tells us much more about the state of our passions and even our digestion than about reality.
When we exhort people to Faith as a virtue, to the settled intention of continuing to believe certain things, we are not exhorting them to fight against reason. The intention of continuing to believe is required because, though Reason is divine, human reasoners are not. When once passion takes part in the game, the human reason, unassisted by Grace, has about as much chance of retaining its hold on truths already gained as a snowflake has of retaining its consistency in the mouth of a blast furnace. The sort of arguments against Christianity which our reason can be persuaded to accept at the moment of yielding to temptation are often preposterous.
Reason may win truths; without Faith she will retain them just so long as Satan pleases. There is nothing we cannot be made to believe or disbelieve. If we wish to be rational, not now and then, but constantly, we must pray for the gift of Faith, for the power to go on believing not in the teeth of reason but in the teeth of lust and terror and jealousy and boredom and indifference that which reason, authority, or experience, or all three, have once delivered to us for truth…” (Religion: Reality Or Substitute?).
Three years ago, I was on of those that drifted away from Christianity. I had drifted very far until one night, I came upon this little amazing channel. It made me make the first turn back in the direction of God, it introduced me to the brilliant mind of C.S Lewis who, in turned, reintroduced me to the amazing glory and abundant mercy of God. And I’ve patiently waited for new videos ever since, they are amazingly crafted. They are those thing that nourish my faith. Thank you so much, and please continue to more videos!!
I started drifting from God about a month ago and yesterday I repented. I’m glad I came across this video. Also interesting because I bought Screwtape Letters a couple weeks ago and I don’t even like to read, but I’m thinking I should read that book now
"One doesn't know how bad he is, until he tries to be good." Brilliant!
the day i realized that God wasn't giving an exam or bargaining with me was the most beautiful of my life
I swear, this is some of the best content on the internet.
This is the most life-changing book I have ever read. And it's awesome to see some of its core ideas illustrated this way. Thank you so much to the person/s who made this video. I plan to rewatch it many times until it's wired in my unconscious mind.
I can’t wait to watch more of these videos. I watch and rewatch them many nights. Thanks so much for posting!
Thank you for doing the hard work in producing these videos. We watch them as a family over and over, the spiritual depth CS Lewis brings out is WOW! Cant wait for the next one!
Thanks for sending this comment, it made me smile. As as a boy I would have loved this sort of thing and it surely would have helped at high school!
What a nice treat to wake up to C. S. Lewis's doodle! Thank you. God bless!
What a philosophical and spiritual treasure and pleasure this channel is.
Thanks so much for making these. People don't realize how relevant C. S Lewis is to our time. You have helped make his work more accessible.
Your channel is amazing!! As long as you keep making them, I’ll keep watching them. I often watch them on my lunch breaks or before I go to bed. Your work and content are such blessings to me.
I don’t know why but watching this video really helped me. I’ve been in a low mental state recently and hearing this just pushed it back up. This video really gave me a lot of things to think about with my relationship with the Lord, I really am slowly drifting away from him and it is realization that I must work on. Thank you very much!
Just as the writing of C.S. Lewis always Exceeds my expectations, Your ability to capture the topics with The Doodles You Do, Exceeds my expectations. Great As Always.
"Speak Truth With Thy Neighbor", it is a worthy message that you provide, of The Greatest Truth, we must die daily. Dead To The World, Alive In Christ Jesus. Thanks!
Always a smile on my face when I see you've uploaded again! This was a good 'reminder' in it's own right too so thank you for that!
Can never get enough of Lewis and your brilliant visual accompaniment. Grateful for your creativity and passion to share.
These illustrations are aesthetically pleasing.
I love the way your drawings explain the concepts. You dont post much but when you do i am here. I want my kids to experience these when they get old enough to understand the verbiage. Thank you and by extension C.S. Lewis.
Thank you thank you thank you for these incredible works ! All the videos !
This was always one of my favorite chapters in Mere Christianity. You did a great job illustrating it!
I've been really going though a season of the second discovery. Its like things that ive always been doing somehow its more clear to me how bad they are. Pride in what you do, what you own etc. And then realizing that despite all of this you cant do a single thing right in the eyes of God. Its really crushing, but I'm learning to trust him.
This may be of comfort to you: Charles Spurgeon, 'Morning and Evening' (Modernised Version).
May 13 "You are my portion, O Lord, Psalm 119:57
This evening, believer, look at your possessions, and compare your portion with the lot of your fellow humans. Some of them have their portion in the field - they are rich, and their harvests yield them a golden increase; but what are harvests compared with your God, who is the God of harvests? What are bursting barns compared with him, who is the Husbandman, and feeds you with the bread of heaven?
Some have their portion in the city- their wealth is abundant, and flows to them in constant streams, until they become a very reservoir of gold - but what is gold compared with thy God? You couldn't live on gold; your spiritual life could not be sustained by it. Put gold on a troubled conscience - would it help? Apply it to a desponding heart, and see if it could stop a single groan, or lift one grief? But you have God, and in him you have more than gold or riches ever could buy.
Some have their portion in that which most men love--applause and fame; but ask yourself, if God isn't more to you than that? What if a thousand trumpets blew your praise, would this prepare you to cross the Jordan in your death, or cheer thee in prospect of judgment? No, there are griefs in life which wealth cannot alleviate; and there is the deep need of the dying hour, for which no riches can provide.
But when thou hast God for thy portion, you have more than all else put together. Every want is met in Him, whether in life or in death. With God for your portion thou are rich indeed, for he will supply your need, comfort thy heart, alleviate your grief, guide your steps, be with you in the dark valley, and then take you home, to enjoy him as your portion forever.
"I have enough," said Esau; this is the best thing a worldly person can say, but Jacob replies, "I have all things," which is a note too high for worldly minds.
(RUclips removes my cut and pastes sometimes, so I will send another copy typed out).
This may be of comfort to you: Charles Spurgeon, 'Morning and Evening' (Modernised Version).
May 13 - Evening
Thou art my portion, O Lord. - Psalm 119:57
Look at your possessions, believer, and compare your portion with the lot of your fellowmen. Some make their living in the field. They are rich, and their harvests yield them a golden increase. But what are harvests compared with your God, who is the God of harvests? What are bursting granaries compared with Him, who is the Husbandman who feeds you with the bread of heaven? Some do their work in the city. Their wealth is abundant and flows to them in constant streams, until they become a very reservoir of gold. But what is gold compared with your God? You could not live on it; your spiritual life could not be sustained by it. Apply it to a troubled conscience, and could it reduce its pain? Apply it to a desponding heart, and see if it could stop a single groan or lessen one's grief. But you have God, and in Him you have more than gold or riches could ever buy. Some obtain their livelihood through that which most men love - applause and fame; but ask yourself, is God not more important to you than that? What if thousands of trumpets loudly blared your praise? Would this prepare you to cross the Jordan or cheer you in the face of judgement? No, there are griefs in life that wealth cannot alleviate; and there is the deep need at your dying hour for which no riches can provide. But when you have God for your portion, you have more than all else put together. In Him every need is met, whether in life or in death. With God for your portion, you are rich indeed; for He will supply your needs, comfort your heart, assuage your grief, guide your steps, be with you in the dark valley, and then take you home to enjoy Him forever. "I have enough" (Gen. 33:9), Esau said; that statement is the best a worldly man can say. However, Jacob replied, "God hath dealt graciously with me, and...I have [all things, more than] enough" (v. 11), which is a note too high for carnal minds to understand.
Gotta say guys I'm super glad you do this. Very few people speak truth anymore. Thankyou for keeping CS Lewis work alive. These are very well done
Beautiful! Always a pleasure watching your work elucidating the mind of Lewis.
I needed this. Thank you.
Super as always, I enjoy recommending this gem of a channel!
yaaaaay! finally found this channel. i am loving CS Lewis works more and more. Thank you for your hardwork!
As usual, fine work. Thank you very much.
The birthday present analogy is so good!
I love these! Thank you so much for the time, effort, thought, and creativity that go into them. It is making a difference.
Thank you! Even if you know the lecture it's so much easier to show others by the illustrations!
Goodness, what a fine chanel... Thank you for your work!
Thank you for this! These videos have really brought Mere Christianity to life for me and have helped me digest more of Lewis’s ideas. Looking forward to seeing the next part about faith!
Please keep up this Wonderful Ministry. God Bless you always...🙏
This is my devotional channel. There is a lot of food for thought.
Another amazing Illustration, and I am proud to say I now own the classic collection of C.S. Lewis since i started watching your channel a year and a half ago.
Keep it up, and great work!
Absolutely brilliant, as always! Thank you so much for these videos!
These videos help me so much keep up with what is being said. And it's so natural feeling... almost like the drawings were made before hand and the narrator is describing the drawings not the other way around! The sound effects and clever animations also help zap my brain and stay energized to keep up! Thanks for doing these!
So good!!!
🎉🎉Saw the upload and jumped right to play!!!😎👍👍 Thank you very much, always a needed injection of the Holy Spirit 🙏🙏🎉🎉
I have been waiting for this update! Amazing Doodle, as always. Thankyou.
Been watching a lot of your vids lately, and was thrilled that this came up today. Really great work. I can't imagine the time that goes into these. Thanks, this one really hit well.
Faith in God above my own daily attempts to control every aspect of my life is an ongoing battle. I’m wise enough to know Jesus has given me all the answers, yet dumb enough to keep trying to live by my own earthly reasoning.
Great works as always. Thanks the continue series.
Please do The Weight of Glory!
The quick version of it: ruclips.net/video/BTQj__dZ_Ng/видео.html
Excellent! Thank you.
This was the very lecture I needed to hear this morning. Thank you.
These are truly grand videos
Amazing work! Thank you!
I love this channel
I liked the darkest hour music at the end.😊
So good! Thank you for the hard work!
Can only agree. When I came to the dead sea for the first time I perfectly knew that I would float in it, but i still first tried it in shallow waters were I could still stick my head above the water if I don't float.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO!!!!!!!!!
Excellent!
Very wise man
Whoa. The “Titanic” thing is blowing my mind.
They claimed God couldn’t sink the ship, which was named after Titans (gods).
Then the ship goes down in their proudness.
It’s akin to babel. Whoa
Thanks a lot!
Wow and perfect.
Christ - the only complete realist. Quite right.
6:25 for the next half minute or so....
I love how he points out that a true Atheist needs Faith to be a proper atheist.
lol; six pence...
Phew.............and I thought I had it all wrapped up !
Sorry for asking this, but somebody can explain to me why and how digestion can affect our mood?
I think it's the old word for glands or hormones which, if in a disordered state, can affect one's mood.
Might this "faith" in the first sense also be related to the idea of "faithfulness" in the sense of "loyalty?" Or am I stepping on this "faith" in the second sense at this point?
Check out the video description notes to this video. That is indeed one of Lewis' important meanings.
@@CSLewisDoodle Ah. I see it now. Thank you, good sir.
👏👏
I've been struggling with my beliefs, I have been having some difficulty with certain passages in the Bible that seems to contradict each other and it has been casting serious doubts on the doctrins of the inerrancy of scripture. I've been revolving between Christianity and mere theism. Some part of me feels like I'm a Christian on the days it suits me and a non Christian on the days some other religion seems interesting. But if I can't trust my own reasoning what rational basis can I have for any of this? Lewis debunked this whole Freudian "all reasoning is just us rationalizing our desires" bit in pilgrims regress.
My reasoning process is this, there is no perfect Bible, some Bible versions lack one self contradiction but have another, but from my research they all have at least one. If there is not perfect Bible the doctrine of biblical inerrancy is false. It would be strange if I said I believe in the inerrancy of the Bible but not in the inerrancy of any particular Bible on earth, I suppose i could say I believe in the inerrancy of "the bible" and "the bible" is spread out over different manuscripts and is not all in one place, but that would be weird. Third if the doctrine of inerrancy is false Christianity is false, this is a bit of a tough one for me because I have great respect for Christians like George Macdonald (major influence on Lewis) who didn't believe in the doctrine of inerrancy. However I admit that I'd be going against every church in existence and against scripture (scripture says it is all profitable, how could it all be profitable if any part erred) and since I can't be a catholic or orthodox the only thing I could do would be to start my own protestant denomination and how could I form doctrines from the Bible if the Bible was suspect? Lewis said that well meaning non Christians who seek the truth and fallow what they know can be saved, the catholic church also says this, for my sake I hope they're right.
Here's a reading I was given yesterday on the subject by A.B. Simpson which might help: "It is not necessary for us to believe that the Holy Ghost inspired the wicked words which the Bible records, the ungodly speeches and the foolish utterances contained in the Book of Job, and many such things. All that is necessary was that it should give a correct record of what Job's wife and Job's friends really said, and even of the devil's wicked speeches. The speeches were inspired by the devil, but the record of them was inspired by the Holy Ghost".
In terms of Bible contradictions, could you give me one of the biggest ones you struggle personally with, but one you found yourself, in your own reading of the Bible, (not one borrowed from the internet) and perhaps we can nut it out together?
Prophecy CAN be hard to understand and most baffling before the events, even in one's own life. As Simpson said: "The ancient prophet declared in one place that Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, should be carried to Babylon, and in another place, he declared that Zedekiah should never see Babylon. It looked like a discrepancy at first, but history literally fulfilled it. Zedekiah, blinded by Nebuchadnezzar before he reached the city, entered it as a captive, but never saw it with his sightless eyes. Thus has God been confirming His Word as the ages have come and gone."
@@CSLewisDoodlejeremiah 4 10 and hebrews 6 18 and genesis 22 1 and james 1 13
The septuagint and the masoretic text have the first one but not always the second but the only one that doesn't have the first is the Latin vulgate which has the second.
@@CSLewisDoodleUpon recent consideration of these verses for my previous comment no less I have stumbled upon an old favorite bible version of mine, Young's literal, and it doesn't have either contradiction. Your comment very well may have saved my Christian faith thank you.
(1 of 1) I really love the kinds of difficulties you mentioned. The solutions, when God sends them to you, are quite amazing and (WARNING) they can spawn whole careers! I use a literal Bible for my personal reading as well (the KJ3 Bible) which solves most of the translation problems at first glance. (The other one in this category is the one indicating God does not repent, yet surprisingly He "repents" that He made man like He did).
But I have had so many problems like this solved by God in prayer, a new one hardly ruffles the feathers anymore. (Usually, you can tell a lie, but how it makes you feel - sweats etc. Your body reacts to the lie even before your mind figures out what the underlying lie actually was). Don't doubt God's goodness, have faith and get excited! What gold is lying at the bottom of this seeming contradiction? Your faith grows with every answer to prayer and the answers can be remarkably swift sometimes and drop into your lap from a clear blue sky within hours. Some simmer for a bit longer. There will certainly be more of these types of seeming contradictions coming, especially in one's own life - your life can become a living Bible story. But hold steady like the patriarchs and prophets before you, and you will have a story to tell.
Regarding Jeremiah 4.10, what is so interesting about this book, is that it not only records Jeremiah’s prophecies, but also Jeremiah’s responses and shock reactions to God’s words coming out of his own mouth.
The context provides some help (chapters 1-7).
Chapter 1. Jeremiah recounts God’s call to him many years earlier. Jeremiah has been called from the womb. Jeremiah reacts, and God tells him his young age is no obstacle. He, though a boy, will prophesy the destruction or planting of whole nations!
Chapter 2. God gives Jeremiah his first recorded prophecy to Jerusalem under King Jehoiakim, a loving reminder to the Judean nation of their old faithfulness during the early years, though it says some very tough stuff about Judah’s sin, and subtly predicts Judah’s exile in the last sentence.
Chapter 3. The message seems to work, as Judah appears to heed the message and returns to worshipping God. But in verse 1 God rejects that repentance! He warns Judah He will not hold back his anger forever. God then asks Jeremiah if he understands why He rejected their repentance (3.6). Judah’s repentance was half-hearted (3.10), and was done with falsehood and deception. The people of Judah are only faking it, while continuing to sin as before.
God asks Jeremiah to prophecy to the northern tribes, the Kingdom of Israel, that had already been taken into exile by Assyria (116 years before). Apostate Israel had worshipped God through golden calves and not as commanded before God’s footstool, the Ark of the Covenant, in Jerusalem, but God says that they were more honorable than Judah! They at least didn’t fake their lack of repentance. God promises that if they turn to Him, even now in exile, they will return to Judah and be reconciled to them. God then reveals their response prophetically in exile, a full repentance! (3.25) A total acknowledgement that their own sin had caused their complete devastation.
Chapter 4. Jeremiah prophesies to Judah and Jerusalem a second time (4.1-4.4) to really repent, to circumcise the foreskins of their hearts, or else He will release his anger against Judah and Jerusalem.
Jeremiah is probably expecting, and hoping - wishing and praying - for Judah to repent fully at this stage and then THIS comes out of his own mouth!
Prophecy #3. The great army is on its way! The ruin will be so great that every leader, priest and prophet shall be amazed and astounded.
Jeremiah reacts! He naturally believed Judah would repent as it happened before in his youth - King Josiah had led the nation from the depths of idol worship, and even male prostitution operating out of the very Temple of God (!), to a nationwide repentance with the re-discovery of the Scriptures (2 Chron. 34.33). At that time, after their repentance, utter ruin was postponed (2 King 22.20).
Jeremiah himself had delivered some promises by God of peace on repentance (3.15,18) and God promised the eventual reconciliation with a repentant Israel, but also some predictions of Judah’s ruin (2.37). Jeremiah moans, and accuses God of deceptively promising peace, when in reality, the knife is an inch from Jerusalem’s very throat! The city is going to be ruined which he didn’t expect. In fact, it is not deceptive and no contradiction. Both are true, but the peace and reconciliation of Israel and Judah will occur AFTER Judah’s total ruin. Jeremiah is quite like Jonah in some ways. Jonah loved his own people, and didn’t want the blessing of his country’s main enemy, Jeremiah loved his own people, and didn’t want his own nation’s destruction.
God then shows Jeremiah that the hot wind from the desert is coming (used in harvest process), but this is not a wind to winnow and not to cleanse grain, but to ruin and destroy. It’s a metaphorical hurricane coming, an army of war horses. God prophecies through Jeremiah (4.14-18), calling them to repent, the besiegers are on their way and your own deeds have caused this. Jeremiah reacts once again in devastation. “My bowels! My bowels! I convulse in pain...” (4.19-21). He is shocked pronouncing these judgements of ruin, but he can not keep silent - God’s Word is pouring forth. He was called from the womb and appointed to “root out, to tear down and to destroy, to build and to plant”, but he quite obviously didn’t think he would be heralding the ruin of his own country, and the success of her mighty enemy.
God replies to Jeremiah again (Jeremiah 4.23-31). God is not going to repent of the destruction this time. It is too late - no more postponements as before. Because God is seeing their true motives and hearts.
Chapter 5: Jeremiah needs some emotional help and his eyes opened. God tells Jeremiah to go around Jerusalem’s streets. If Jeremiah can find ONE good person, he will pardon the whole city. God thinks they are all faking repentance.
Jeremiah can’t find one, single, righteous person in Jerusalem, and he reacts, saying ‘These are only the uneducated, let me try amongst the leaders and wise folk’. But he can’t find one there either! (Jeremiah 5.5). Both great and small are corrupted! Jeremiah acknowledges that Judah’s own behaviour has cause this ‘wolf of the desert’ (Babylon) to destroy them. There apostasies are numerous and He outlines them (Jeremiah 5.5b-6). God’s response is to ask Jeremiah, “Shall I not call them to account for this (wickedness)?” (Jeremiah 5.9). Jeremiah now agrees with God and gets emotionally back on message.
We now see a new and interesting aspect. The battlelines have been drawn. Jerusalem has gone from honouring Jeremiah (2 Chronicles 25.25) to disbelieving Jeremiah (they do not want to really repent in reality), and now have taken the words of their own prophets instead which confirm what they want: “It is NOT God speaking through Jeremiah, and, not any evil thing shall come on us; We shall not see sword or famine”. God states the Jerusalem prophet shall become wind; their words are all temporary, and will all be disproven as false comfort.
In the next chapter, God goes on, and says that the nation has a serious wound, and their false prophets have healed it sightly. They are saying “We shall have peace”, when there is no peace. I.e. the false prophets have put a covering over the untreated wound, but it is not disinfected or stitched up to heal in reality. God says the Benjamites, the guards of the walls, if they really saw what was happening in Babylon, ought to blow the trumpet of the city announcing enemies on the horizon ahead of time. Jeremiah is also a spiritual watchman and he is doing what they will not.
Chapter 7.1-15. Then comes one of Jeremiah’s most famous prophecies. Jeremiah was initially accepted, now he is solidly rejected by all the rulers, priests, and prophets of Jerusalem. God sends him to the gate of the Temple. He undermines their false belief that the existence of God’s Temple in their city alone will save them. It has turned into a Den of Thieves, rather than as it was meant to be, a House of Prayer. Then comes the dreaded Chapter 26!
So if we go back to Jer. 4.10, if you take the “deceptive” interpretation as correct, how had God been “deceptive” before the 3rd prophecy of ruin? Jeremiah has given 2 prophecies declaring God’s word: Judah's sin, and the coming exile of the people of Jerusalem (Jer. 2.37). Also God’s anger against Jerusalem was pretty clear (Jer. 3.5, 12,4.4). So hardly deceptive. Yes, God had predicted a future peace and regathering of Israel and Judah, but that is on the other side of Judah’s devastating destruction and ruin. Jeremiah was obviously expecting and desperately hoping for a real repentance and another postponement of the destruction, as he had experienced in his youth.
(2 of 2) A.B. Simpson pointed out, that 'foolish utterances' in Scripture are not inspired, although you need them too in Scripture to understand the prophet’s heart and soul, and to give you some context to the events. Jeremiah WAS perfectly inspired in his prophecies, but a number of times between prophecies like v10, he does 'mouth off' (which is not inspired by God), and bitterly complains, sometimes against God, sometimes he even rebukes God and God has to correct his error. (Who among us has not had God "adjust" or break our set plans for Him? - Isa. 55.9) Jeremiah humbly lets his scribe record his own sinful words, and its divine correction many times. "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?" (Jeremiah 12:5) Ouch! "If you repent, I will restore you, if you speak good words rather than *worthless* ones you will be my spokesman. You must influence them; do not let them influence you!" (Jeremiah 15:19). OUCH!
So we have here:
Jeremiah speaking of himself - usually prefaced by an "Alas", or "Ah" or "My bowels" or a "Why?" (uninspired by the Holy Spirit but an accurate and honest account);
Jeremiah prophesies and proclaims truth about God in the Third Person (God is...) or gives a message directly to Judah in the Second Person;
Jeremiah prophesies as God in the First Person (I, Me);
Jeremiah prophesies as a figurative person or persons. I.e. Sometimes as the prophet, or Judah personified, sometimes as the voice of Collective Israel (which are all in exile), as when he voiced their future repentance in Christ (3.25).
(Some Bibles use separate paragraphs in Jeremiah which make the distinctions more obvious - the TNIV Bible)
If it helps any, I found that I gained a better understanding of Abraham's greatest test, when I connected Abraham's greatest weakness up to that point to it - he feared death more than his fear of God and sacrificed Sarah to save himself (twice even! Gen 12.10, 20.2). Obviously, God is a killer, but that act is not murder. 3 slides - facebook.com/photo/?fbid=418333916022&set=a.417132251022.217648.533841022
The bad man leads a sheltered life by always giving in.
Didn't Jesus say he would seperate the goats from the sheep in apocalypse. And ask did you feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked. Yes faith is what saves you but, works are also needed. Faith without works is dead according to St. James comparing it to giving words of comfort then not giving clothes to them.
Hi. C.S. Lewis talks about this here: ruclips.net/video/56HO390emvc/видео.html