It is amazing to see people try to sum up Christianity.
It seems like there is some kind of block preventing them from
comprehending spiritual
truth.
The best they can do is portray some kind of lunatic fringe in their assessment of
Christians and Christianity.
In other matters they are what we would term rational and reasonable persons but in
spiritual matters they are challenged.
Why is that?
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness
unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2)
This says because they don't have the spirit of God. They are in
other words, Spiritually
Challenged.
This is not spiritual arrogance, this is simply explaining why there is a gap between
the Christ One and the Skeptic.
Granted debate and reasoning has it's place and in fact Paul did it and the bible
supports it. (Acts 17; Isaiah 1:18)
However, this is not the whole picture.
We need to also pray for them.
The mysteries in the bible always speak of some kind of dichotomy, whether it be God
becoming Man or the union of Christ and the Church. These are paradoxes and mysteries not contradictions.
'Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world,
nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom,
which God ordained before the world unto our glory.' (1 Corinthians 2)
The skeptic has challenges in explaining his punyverse.
In John chapter One it says, 'in the beginning was the word (logos) and the word was
with God, and the Word was God....to as many as received Him to them gave He the authority to become Sons of God...and the
word became flesh and dwelt among us... (John 1)
The Greek Word for 'word' here is logos and we get the english word logic from it.
Does this completely explain Him?
No, but it shows that he is the starting point for any true reason
and logic.
One can be utterly brilliant in their logic, but if it is based on a faulty first
assumption, their brilliant logic will only lead to faulty conclusions.
This same bible chapter says that the 'darkness comprehended it not' which is the
KJV. Other translations say 'overcame it not' So which is it?
It is both. The Darkness overcame Him not and understood Him not.
Though he was crucified He also rose from the dead. So they did not overcome Him forever.
"Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not
have crucified the Lord of glory." (1 Corinthians 2)
The preaching of the cross is foolishness to them that perish.
In the skeptics punyverse God is not allowed because the God of the Bible cannot be
boxed.
They want only logic to explain someone who transcends logic.
God is not illogical, He is infinitely and eternally logical.
It is this infiniteness and this eternality that the skeptic cannot
get his or
her hands on so therefore must reject. To accept this
would be to admit that there is something beyond what he can see
or formulate.
They are like doubting Thomas who won't believe until He sees the Lord resurrected.
When Christ commends those that don't see yet believe. (John 20:27-31)
With spiritual truths, one believes then He sees, the Skeptic will
not believe
until He sees and oftentimes finds a way to explain away what he has seen.
They sometimes will point to crimes being comitted in the name of Christianity but
ignore the crimes comitted by those that believe in 'survival of the fittest'.
In their real world they will expect everyone to transcend the
survival of the
fittest mentality and practice equal and courteous
treatment when going into the world to work and play.
The skeptic cannot even adequately explain his own punyverse.
The interaction between determinism and ones free will.
There is not even agreement among the skeptics.
They often want others to believe that all we are dust is the wind
but at the same
time think that their thoughts on these matters are utterly brilliant.
Often folks simply try to create confusion to make others think that they might have
something better to offer, when in fact they are just arguing about words.
Often accepting the Word of God with childlike faith (not
understanding) and the
plain sense of scripture is all one needs.
Even Christians sometimes have a hard time doing this.
'The Word of God is not hard to understand, it is hard to believe,
once one believes
it they can understand it.'
Others think that if they can prove an immediate fulfillment of OT scripture that
this automatically dismisses a future more exact fulfillment.
This is also missing the distant forest for the tree in ones own backyard.
"The Word Sick-Man over estimates altogether the importance of
terms. He babbles
continually about expressions which many of his brethren scarcely understand. He is given to misplaced emphasis, making far
more of fine doctrinal distinctions than of practical Godly living. As a result, his influence is generally baneful instead
of helpful, leading to strife and disputation instead of binding the hearts of the people of God together in the unity of
the Spirit." (Ironside, Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth)
"And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom,
declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing
words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of
men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this
world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden
wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known
it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto
us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of
a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we
have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely
given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost
teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:
for they
are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is
spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may
instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2)
BJ Maxwell
Revised 03/19/2006
