Everybody asks God, “WHY ?”
WHY God does . . .
WHY God did . . .
WHY God doesn’t . . .
Many conclude why God cannot exist.
We want explanations.
We want God to explain.
And when God doesn’t explain—
—We use our intellect and reason to explain what doesn’t fit our feelings.
Some with very high intelligence use it to prove there is no God, and some to prove there is a god, and some to prove there is God.
Some with very high intelligence use logic and philosophy to show God’s existence, or not.
Some use that—good use of gifts.
Some use that and Bible verses—good use of the Sword of the Spirit.
– Win souls—that counts—lives changed.
– ‘Win’ debates—that feels good—? ? ? changed.
One conclusion—one universal, perennial fact of history—there always have been, always will be, deniers of God, haters of God, objectors of how God does things, rejecters of what God says.
Man can think anything he wants to think about God, and someday, certainly, find the end point of his thinking—
BUT, it will be forever true,
“My ways are higher than your ways; and My thoughts than your thoughts (declares the Lord).”
And that is true for everyone, including those who believe in God.
Even when we are ‘defending’ God, we must humbly set aside our intellect and everything else—another Bible verse coming . . .
“Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence.”
It’s always another Bible verse that keeps us straight, and brings us back from wandering on our own . . .
If the Bible is not the heart and center of, the foundation of, and saturating all we say and do and reason, then we have nothing more to offer than anyone else, in the world of ideas.
“All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.”
Paul engaged them, starting with their interest in new ideas and their ‘unknown god’ (which he was delighted to introduce to them) . . . to get their attention, on their turf, but then not on their terms.
The power of intellect engages, may even win debates.
BUT, always the Power of the Word of God wins hearts for His Kingdom, for heaven.
The verse for direction here,
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”
– – –
A word of caution to the super-intellectuals on ‘God’s Side’:
+ Don’t let your focus, zeal for apologetics, become an end in itself.
Look closely how you advertise and talk about your conferences and your books and your people.
+ Slow down, stop occasionally, take a deep breath of fresh humility—and let it be known to all, first to yourself, and then to others, that power comes from God alone—
—power to win a debate, perhaps
—power to win a soul, yes
—all power from God, all glory to God, not us.
+ While you reach out to the intellectuals, remember the rest of your ‘audience’ that may struggle to keep up with your speed, and wonder where you got these principles you build on so rapidly.
+ These folks may be left wondering if they must have your level of understanding before a Bible verse can apply to their life.
+ AND, every Christian presentation should include the simple Gospel message, because there may be some listener ready to receive Jesus.
Speak Your Mind