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Volume 11 Issue 10
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Go ye into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature
Mark 16:15
All Faith Is Blind
And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? Mark 4:40
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How often are Christian’s accused that their faith is blind, little more than made up garbage that makes no sense at all, that it’s no more than superstition?" Another on the top ten of challenges is, the idea that, "No reasonable intelligent person could possible believe such stuff. Among the Ivy League professors, to scoff at our faith is a mark of intellectually superiority. Skeptics charge Christianity with being full of contradictions. How many of us have been asked to explain how can a so-called ‘God of love’ commit genocide, which they rightly or wrongly back up with Scriptures in which God orders the total destruction of ancient cities and entire nations/races of people. This contrasted with verses such as 1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (see also 1 John 4:16) They point out that we are told to love God, one another, our neighbors, those who curse us our enemies. Then, we are told, that we can’t serve two masters because we’ll wind up loving one but hating the other – all of this within the confines of the Gospels. Scientific evidence is presented demonstrating the great age of the earth; evolution which stands in stark contradiction to our story of creation
These, and other like them, are tough questions and theories demanding to be answered. Lee Strobel has made something of a career "defending the faith," as it were, in five books (The Case For Christ, The Case For Faith, The Case For A Creator, The Case for The Real Jesus, and last but not least, The Case For Christmas) in which he attempts to do just that. He claims to "supply scientific evidence," "solid answers," "dismantle (objections and criticisms) with facts, logic and evidence." He even goes so far as to claim, "science and biblical teaching support each other." One enthusiastic reviewer writes, "Whatever intellectual or emotional objections one has to the Christian faith are directly refuted by Strobel's honest and thorough discoveries."
If the Gospel could be totally proven to the "inquiring mind," substantiated by scientific evidence, would we need faith to accept it? If every knit and twitter, of Jesus’ ministry, death, resurrection and ascension could be satisfied to the human intellect through intellectual and scientific investigation, do we even need to resort to faith at all? Turn thing around a bit and consider the possibility of throwing everything out of Christianity that cannot be so verified or substantiated. The new Postmodern Christian slogan could become, "If it ain’t reasonable, it ain’t Gospel" or "I gotta see it to believe it." Jesus got a little impatient with this sort of belief. In His day, there were many who believed in Him only because of the evidence provided by His miracles (see miracles) so many that at one point, in exasperation, He said, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. (Mark 8:12) Doesn’t this cause one to wonder what would have happened if there had been no miracles, no such proof?
What is faith anyway? Webster’s Dictionary defines it as, "belief and trust in and loyalty to God," and more basically as a, "firm belief in something for which there is no proof. That’s seems to be what Paul is referring to when he writes to the saints at Corinth, For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7) The author of Hebrews reinforces this position writing, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) John Gill describes this faith as, "a firm persuasion of the power, faithfulness, and love of God in Christ." In the 1700’s, Samuel Medley wrote the hymn, "I Know that My Redeemer Lives." That is "true faith," a sure and certain confidence, knowledge; in and about things we can’t see and don’t understand. Remember the occasion when Jesus was questioning the disciples about who He was, and to what Peter’s said Jesus replied, Blessed art thou , Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (Matt. 16:17) That’s faith. It comes to those who have been able to slough off the shackles of "flesh and blood," to unquestioningly submit their will to our Heavenly Father without any assurance or guarantees other than His Word.
How firm is our belief in God, how much trust and loyalty, if we are constantly seeking reassurance? Mightn’t someone rightly question the "firmness of our persuasion about the faithfulness and love of God in Christ if we are constantly looking for evidence? If scientists could verify the objective, factual nature of every single syllable in the Bible, would any faith be required? (Just as an aside, science can’t verify any of it, because it is in the realm of the supernatural and science can only deal with natural phenomena.) Our faith is weak if we are constantly seeking reassurance. We have no faith if we are constantly seeking evidence from human resources. There are no signs, miracles, wonders or token. Consider this, Jesus answered them and said , Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. (John 6:26) All faith, by its very nature, is blind.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
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The Discipleship Journey
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth
him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them.
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There are a number of facets to becoming a "mature" disciple of Jesus the Christ. One of the most fundamental is the transition from a worldly to a spirit-filled life. The verse from Matthew is just one of many such found in the New Testament. Actually it isn’t an exaggeration to say it is crammed with warning about "being in the world." In Matthew 4, we read that Jesus renounced all worldly things as fatal distractions; toys of the devil. What more do we need before we come to the same understanding? Those who say otherwise are contrary to the Truth. Those who act otherwise are endangering their eternal lives. It is plainly written, No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (
Mat. 6:24) Too many congregations, too many churches have been led astray by ignoring this warning and trying to build a lasting legacy in stone and mortar. Just like those who fell victim to the Madoff Ponzi scheme learned too late, those who follow the god of mammon will learn, there will be a day of reckoning.To an incredible degree, the journey of becoming a disciple of Jesus is one of removing ourselves from the vain interests of the world. They are "vain" because ultimately, they are futile and worthless. The discipleship journey is a refocusing of our goals and priorities away from such vain and temporal things to the eternal; from a profane, self-centered to a devout, Christ-centered life. Jesus said, And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: (
Mat. 7:26) Gill comments that this like pretending "to make their peace with God by their own works; who hope for pardon on the foot of the mercy of God;" like having our cake and eating it too. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus said, Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Mat. 7:21) Those intent upon remaining rooted in this world are missing the mark of true discipleship.However, this part of the journey cannot be accomplished merely by focusing on the spiritual with the expectation of assuring eternal life. Rather, it is brought about by the gradual realization of the ultimate purpose for all life. As contradictory as it might first appear, that ultimate purpose is not eternal life. Actually, eternal life is a derivative, a by-product of our ultimate purpose. That purpose is to lose our life. This is said clearly a number of times in the Gospels. In
Matthew 16:25, for example, Jesus tells us, For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. (see also Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24 and Luke 17:33) These passages point to a disciple’s willingly giving himself in total devotion to God, Jesus the Christ and the Gospel. He will judge the sincerity of the submergence of self; the suppressing, the merging, assimilation of our very being into adoration of our Lord and Savior and worshipping our God and Father. Those doing so for the promise of eternal life, will be found wanting.Carnal man looks at the earth, moon and the celestial realm seeking to find ways these can make his life more comfortable and more pleasurable for him; he is totally self-centered, self-absorbed. Thus, the mountains have been made flat in the wanton search for the materials to enhance human comforts, the forests destroyed, plains emaciated and the ocean a septic tank all in pursuit of our glutinous, insatiable appetites. Does one dare to imagine what would happen if we had our way with the moon, the stars, the solar system – to mine them for resources? This must end. This will end. In His time, in a way suitable to Him, the unity of all creation found in the Garden of our ancestors will be restored. The outcome is not in doubt; it is not even in question.
Through angelic ambition, that "Edenic" unity and serenity was destroyed. Until that dreadful intrusion, all creation, the heavens, the earth, the deep was mindful of and adored the creator of heaven, earth and all things; the one ubiquitous God, to whom they bear their obeisance, their homage. All heaven and earth once gave homage, honor and reverence to God the Father of all, and worshiped Him; it will again. Satan will be vanquished and that worshipful serenity will be restored. God will see that all is good once again because our eyes will be opened and we will stand in awe and reverence of Him. The only questions are what side of the equation we will be on; how far along our discipleship journey we have traveled. Questions that are answered by the depth of our gratitude for His sacrifice upon the Cross. It’s all about HIM!
Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with
all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you
