Is the climate-deniers position credible enough for a convincing April fool's joke?

See recent April fools joke on RealClimate.org:
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2009/04/farewell-to-our-readers/

Samuel Watterson Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation. 1 April 2009 at 5:07 PM

What I find most hilarious about this post is the number of people who were momentarily fooled by it. (I wasn’t, knowing how deeply committed these authors are - at least to their position if not always the data…)

Isn’t the idea of a good April’s fool gag that is it is convincing enough to fool some people? Makes me wonder whether daring with this wasn’t conceding that the “contrarians” might just have some credibility… Perhaps this gag was a bit too far after all.

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Of course, I believe that term "climate-deniers" is more suited to the legends at RealClimate.org. The fact is that the proxies and methodologies used for historic reconstructions have not been verified by cross-examination with modern records, and the studies resulting from these do not match the historical documentary evidence. The Little Ice Age was very cold, and it was not so cold before it. Are we now warmer than before the Little Ice Age? Do we know? What significance would it have if we were? Documentary evidence indicates that at least the Northern Hemisphere is not as warm as it was.

Is our climate stable or unstable? Is it's instability so bad that a 0.01% change in the atmospheric composition (that roughly represents the increase in CO2 possibly due to human activity) could irreverisibly disrupt it? First we ought to remember who designed it:

"For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else."
- Isaiah 45:18.

And then let us remember the unconditional promise of the Sovereign Lord:

"And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
- Genesis 8:21-22.

Of course this doesn't rule out disruption of the climate system by human activity altogether, but it does set boundaries and limits on it. We ought also to remember the terrible woes that are promised as this present evil age draws to its close. As Christians, we look for the city that has foundations, and the new creation - the new heavens and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness with the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ when He will bring fiery vengeance on those who obeyed not the gospel and loved wickedness, while we who by His grace were called, we dwell with Him. And He will be our God, and we will be His people, and He will wipe every tear from our eyes.

So what is the obsession with trying to prove global climate change caused by human activity - first, a global problem requires a global solution, second, human pride loves that sense of self-importance, that if the climate is awry, we are not only responsible, but can save ourselves too. Wonder at the glory of man! He can save himself from every distress! Not even global climate change will stop his progress! But he is godless, his glory is his shame, and his progress is towards hell.

- Sam W.

The Colours of Redemption

All waters receding at last!
The longest year had passed.
A dove brought back the olive leaf,
With the sweet smell of relief!
The covering had been enough
To brave the waves so tough;
Divine design had proved the tub
Which bore them through the rub.

After much waiting for the Word
“Go forth with all”, they heard.
Living creatures, fowl, beasts, creepers,
Emerged with believers.
Two or more of every kind
Not a colour out of mind;
That altar built for offering
Gave thanks unto the King.

Remembrance of a sacrifice
Paid for their sin the price,
Of old and yet to come by death
To cover for their breath;
Confirmation of the promise
Made at their genesis,
Of transcendent friendship restored;
Most undeserved reward.

Of colour the restoration,
And only foundation.
Of colour the full salvation,
And its preservation.
Never would the waters return
Such was divine concern;
Never again would seasons fail,
Although our sins prevail.

And as a sign of this decree
Eternally to be,
“I do set my bow in the cloud,”
The mighty words were vowed.
So today these colours we see
Inseparably free,
In the circle vast, hung in air
Incomparably fair.

The rainbow beams amidst darkness
Despite despair to bless.
When bleakest clouds stretch, spread, and shroud,
Our hearts may still sing loud.
Colours myriad 'round the throne,
Make clear what has been shown
Some purchased, through judgment, by grace
From each tribe, tongue, and race.

Though clouds be vast and numerous
To damn the blasphemous,
Yet a remnant still, of each shade,
Just as vile, given aid.
Every colour distinct in beauty,
Yet all in one with glee.
Each part of eternal glory,
Forever praising Thee.

- Sam W.

TULIP - an acronym for grace alone

Salvation by grace alone is summarised well in the acronym "TULIP". Like the flower, this truth is beautiful and glorious too. I would like to briefly explain the basic meaning of TULIP, and how it biblically describes how we are saved.

T is for TOTAL DEPRAVITY: In our natural condition, every single person has a totally corrupt heart, and therefore, all our thoughts, decisions, actions; everything that proceeds from our heart, is totally evil. We cannot please God, nor do anything morally good in His sight. Superficially, we can seem very pious, but its all for the wrong reasons, and so we can do nothing to save ourselves, and are subject to the wrath of God.

U is for UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION: Before the foundation of the world, God the Father, eternally, graciously and lovingly chose a limited number of particular individuals to be saved from this terrible wrath that we deserve. The others were appointed to perish eternally in hell in the way of their sins and total depravity as a testimony to the elect of God's glory and power and what we also truly deserve. His choice was not based upon anything in us whatsoever. There were no conditions, or criteria in us (which would then be merit) that God used to choose, because it was before we had done anything good or evil, that we should be to the praise of the glory of God's grace alone.

L is for LIMITED ATONEMENT: This is often misunderstood, it is those who teach salvation by the "free" will of man who limit the atonement. They limit its power to save. The Bible does not limit its power to save despite our sin, but it does limit its extent to the elect. God the eternal Son, Jesus Christ, came to earth as fully human and fully God, and suffered and died and rose again to fully take the wrath of God in the stead of the people God had unconditionally elected, so that their sins were fully paid for (and theirs only). God is just in justifying the elect who were by nature totally depraved because of the cross of Christ. This is central to the Gospel. God is just in condemning the impenitent because Christ did not pay for their sins - the atonement is limited to the elect.

I is for IRRESISTIBLE GRACE: God the Holy Spirit, in time, changes the hearts of these elect people, for whom Christ has died, so that they are granted faith in what Christ has done for them as a gift. The Spirit of Christ raises these dead sinners to life, and reveals the beautiful and glorious Gospel to them by the Word (which God sends by means of preachers), so that they irresistibly believe it, and are consciously justified by faith alone in what Christ has done for them, and are joined to Christ by faith so that His righteousness is imputed to us, and we are partakers of Him and all His benefits - adoption, co-heirs, and the list goes on. This unmerited favour is irresistible because the Almighty Spirit puts a new heart in God's people so that they love Him, where before they only hated Him. Apart from this, there is no grace of God, since every other gift is only a curse to those who will end up in hell.

P is for PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS: These unconditionally elected people, who by nature were totally depraved, whose deserved punishment was fully taken by Christ, and who have been brought to faith irresistibly by the Holy Spirit, are all (every single one) perserved by that same Spirit to the very end. The Spirit of holiness works in them to produce an increasing godliness of character and likeness to Christ, and to keep them faithful and repentant to the end, even though they may often have doubts and fall into sins. This is not a licentious doctrine, since the regenerate have died to sin, and can no longer live any longer in it. The elect struggle fiercely in battle with their sinful flesh all their lives until their death or Christ's return, and are then are made perfect in glory to dwell with God forever, to delight in Him and glorify Him.

These are the doctrines of grace alone, and nicknamed the five points of Calvinism. These are not the teachings of man but of Scripture however, even though Calvin faithfully taught them. Since he did, by the grace of God alone, it is appropriate to post this in 2009, the 500th birthday of that Genevan Reformer. May we see such reformation and such preachers in our day too, and may God be glorified in the church now and forevermore.

- Sam W.

P.S. There will be a public lecture on "John Calvin's Battle for the Reformation" in Limerick on Friday the 6th of March at 7:30pm held in the Limerick School Project on O'Connell Avenue. See more details here: http://www.cprf.co.uk/limerick.htm.