Dear Christian,
One of the things I’ve struggled with in my life (career, politics, relationships and the other sex) is seeing things in the proper perspective. Because I’ve been time and time again forced to reexamine things that I’ve done poorly and adjust them, I think that others will be encouraged and exhorted by this word of (hopefully) wisdom.
How do we view the world, Christian brothers and sisters? Do we see it with our own mere eyes? Clearly we do not. The Bible says in Romans 5:12 that sin has spread to all of us like a virus. After Adam and Eve failed in the garden, we’ve all be corrupted. As humans, we have an inability to think rationally. Everything we do is somehow corrupted by our sinful nature, so we have to strive to think in a way that is honoring to God. One of the things I think I’ve been hearing too often is people using the phrase “well I prayed and I think God is telling me to ….”.
One of the things I’ve struggled with in my life (career, politics, relationships and the other sex) is seeing things in the proper perspective. Because I’ve been time and time again forced to reexamine things that I’ve done poorly and adjust them, I think that others will be encouraged and exhorted by this word of (hopefully) wisdom.
How do we view the world, Christian brothers and sisters? Do we see it with our own mere eyes? Clearly we do not. The Bible says in Romans 5:12 that sin has spread to all of us like a virus. After Adam and Eve failed in the garden, we’ve all be corrupted. As humans, we have an inability to think rationally. Everything we do is somehow corrupted by our sinful nature, so we have to strive to think in a way that is honoring to God. One of the things I think I’ve been hearing too often is people using the phrase “well I prayed and I think God is telling me to ….”.
While I don’t dispute the power of prayer and feel it is also very important and essential in the Christian life, many times these actions which are being suggested as divinely inspired reek of illogic and seem lacking of wisdom. From a friend deciding to prematurely enter a relationship to a wife leaving her husband, people claim to “feel that God is leading them”.
What leads us?
Quite frankly, we cannot claim to feel God’s movement unless we’re devoting ourselves to prayer and Bible study. God doesn’t communicate with us by mystical messages, ESPECIALLY not if we’re not spending time in His easily accessible Word! God’s Word is the foundation for all of our actions. The Christian must realize, there are no moral/political/philosophical questions which cannot be answered by using the wisdom contained in the precious pages of Scripture. The Psalmist praises God for his ability to rely on Scripture too;
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
What clearer of a statement do we need? God’s Word is what we use to guide us in our movements in life! In Paul's letter to Timothy, Paul emphasizes the centrality of Scripture to the Christian's life.
Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
What are these areas that Paul is talking about in his letter to Timothy? Below are a few brief explanations.
1) Doctrine
The Scriptures should be so dear to us and followed that just as the motto of Wisconsin is “Forward”, the motto of our lives should be “God’s Word”. Having the Bible as our doctrine means that we so closely follow it (out of love for God, not legalism) that it could be seen as the definition of us! More clearly, the Bible defines how we ought to live. If we claim to be Christians, by definition, we follow Scripture. If we claim to be Christians, and do not follow Scripture, we’re liars. (for more, see 1 John 1)
2) Reproof
When we have a Christian brother or sister who sins or believes something contrary to Scripture, (be it sin against us or someone else) we have no better tool to rebuke them than Scripture itself! We don’t need to use philosophical works or logical equations. While there is no explicit evil in philosophy and logic, if we depend on them over Scripture, we’re making the wisdom of man out to be greater than the wisdom of God. If we take the Bible seriously as Christians, we’ll understand that Paul has rejected the notion that man’s reason alone is sufficient to be truly wise. Without the Holy Spirit, the individual’s discernment is solely weighted on things material and earthly, and therefore incomplete.
Proverbs 3:5-6 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 make your paths straight.
3) Correction
After we have rightly rebuked someone, God’s Word is used to restore them to correctness in their relationship with Him! Much like tuning a piano, we should be tuned to match what Scripture says. That said, we ought not simply rebuke our Christian and leave them with their tail between their legs, but after having informed them of the error of their ways, direct them with Scripture on a path to improvement.
4) Instruction in Righteousness
Scripture benefits us in providing the training we need to live righteously in order to avoid the need for reproof and correction! If we continue to live by Scripture, we’ll avoid God’s chastening and live in harmony with God. Scripture is the lens with which we should "see" the world, the trials we experience, and moral questions we're given by friends and educators. While this doesn’t mean we won’t occasionally give into our flesh and worldly desires, it does provide us with a much clearer focus than our corruptible eyes!
To secularists and those who would not claim to be Christians, the message I pose is this; Paul’s statements in 1 Corinthians 1-3 and Romans 1 make it clear that the non-Christians’ sole dependence on reason and natural wisdom will not correctly answer the metaphysical questions posed by the philosophers, or lead to a life which is considered "good" on God's scales. Essentially, any man who lacks the wisdom which can only be gained by having a right relationship with God is going to be functionally lacking when it comes to trying to understand the spiritual and supernatural world. God did not create reason with the intention of allowing it to stand on its own legs.
In Christ,
E. J. Wood
E.J. Wood is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay. He has a BA in Political Science, as well as BS in Public Administration. He currently is authoring a book called "Closing the Book on Christianity: The Post-Modern Christian’s War Against the Bible".
Contact him at proantiundecided@hotmail.com
What leads us?
Quite frankly, we cannot claim to feel God’s movement unless we’re devoting ourselves to prayer and Bible study. God doesn’t communicate with us by mystical messages, ESPECIALLY not if we’re not spending time in His easily accessible Word! God’s Word is the foundation for all of our actions. The Christian must realize, there are no moral/political/philosophical questions which cannot be answered by using the wisdom contained in the precious pages of Scripture. The Psalmist praises God for his ability to rely on Scripture too;
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
What clearer of a statement do we need? God’s Word is what we use to guide us in our movements in life! In Paul's letter to Timothy, Paul emphasizes the centrality of Scripture to the Christian's life.
Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
What are these areas that Paul is talking about in his letter to Timothy? Below are a few brief explanations.
1) Doctrine
The Scriptures should be so dear to us and followed that just as the motto of Wisconsin is “Forward”, the motto of our lives should be “God’s Word”. Having the Bible as our doctrine means that we so closely follow it (out of love for God, not legalism) that it could be seen as the definition of us! More clearly, the Bible defines how we ought to live. If we claim to be Christians, by definition, we follow Scripture. If we claim to be Christians, and do not follow Scripture, we’re liars. (for more, see 1 John 1)
2) Reproof
When we have a Christian brother or sister who sins or believes something contrary to Scripture, (be it sin against us or someone else) we have no better tool to rebuke them than Scripture itself! We don’t need to use philosophical works or logical equations. While there is no explicit evil in philosophy and logic, if we depend on them over Scripture, we’re making the wisdom of man out to be greater than the wisdom of God. If we take the Bible seriously as Christians, we’ll understand that Paul has rejected the notion that man’s reason alone is sufficient to be truly wise. Without the Holy Spirit, the individual’s discernment is solely weighted on things material and earthly, and therefore incomplete.
Proverbs 3:5-6 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 make your paths straight.
3) Correction
After we have rightly rebuked someone, God’s Word is used to restore them to correctness in their relationship with Him! Much like tuning a piano, we should be tuned to match what Scripture says. That said, we ought not simply rebuke our Christian and leave them with their tail between their legs, but after having informed them of the error of their ways, direct them with Scripture on a path to improvement.
4) Instruction in Righteousness
Scripture benefits us in providing the training we need to live righteously in order to avoid the need for reproof and correction! If we continue to live by Scripture, we’ll avoid God’s chastening and live in harmony with God. Scripture is the lens with which we should "see" the world, the trials we experience, and moral questions we're given by friends and educators. While this doesn’t mean we won’t occasionally give into our flesh and worldly desires, it does provide us with a much clearer focus than our corruptible eyes!
To secularists and those who would not claim to be Christians, the message I pose is this; Paul’s statements in 1 Corinthians 1-3 and Romans 1 make it clear that the non-Christians’ sole dependence on reason and natural wisdom will not correctly answer the metaphysical questions posed by the philosophers, or lead to a life which is considered "good" on God's scales. Essentially, any man who lacks the wisdom which can only be gained by having a right relationship with God is going to be functionally lacking when it comes to trying to understand the spiritual and supernatural world. God did not create reason with the intention of allowing it to stand on its own legs.
In Christ,
E. J. Wood
E.J. Wood is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay. He has a BA in Political Science, as well as BS in Public Administration. He currently is authoring a book called "Closing the Book on Christianity: The Post-Modern Christian’s War Against the Bible".Contact him at proantiundecided@hotmail.com
3 Comments:
I shall address only the part of this post that was addressed to my ilk, and not the rest:
"To secularists and those who would not claim to be Christians, the message I pose is this; Paul’s statements in 1 Corinthians 1-3 and Romans 1 make it clear that the non-Christians’ sole dependence on reason and natural wisdom will not correctly answer the metaphysical questions posed by the philosophers, or lead to a life which is considered "good" on God's scales. Essentially, any man who lacks the wisdom which can only be gained by having a right relationship with God is going to be functionally lacking when it comes to trying to understand the spiritual and supernatural world. God did not create reason with the intention of allowing it to stand on its own legs."
Thats quite the hollow statement. First and foremost, when addressing people who are admittedly non-believers, it is probably best to avoid resorting to quoting the bible at all, certainly don't start the argument with it. Being a non-believer whatever words happened to have been scribbled 1800 years ago, and then translated and retranslated, and then edited, and translated one more time for good measure, don't mean a whole lot to me.
As far as answering the metaphysical questions, I can't say if the answers are in line with "God's Scales" as yet again, I don't believe there is a god, so such argument is reduced to silliness. However, I find that the true metaphysical questions are quite unanswerable through religion, and it generally avoids all answers. As far as living morally, and well, christians get this from the bible and from 'god'. Which I then direct you to an argument posed by Socrates. If something is good because god says so, then either God has a reason for saying so or he does not. If there is reasoning behind god's morality, then why not use the reasoning for the morality. If there is no reasoning behind the morality, then it is arbitrary and why value it?
I have never found a majority of religious people are entirely shallow in their understanding of metaphysical questions. They simply are incapable of reasoning outside of their very small box more often than not. Of course, thats understandable when the guidebook they are given is self contradictory in parts, and in others just flat out outlandish.
I do not derive my meaning or morality from any religious hokem pokem, yet I find myself considerably more moral than most who call themselves christians. My purpose is all the more meaningful when it isn't dependent on random assertions, and is instead based on logic. Are all the answers easy? No certainly not. There are a great many realities that I'd like to be otherwise, but... thankfully I can accept reality and don't need to hide behind irrationality because I dislike the answers I find. Don't get me wrong, a large part of me wishes this fairy tale of christianity was true. But alas, I know beyond a doubt that it is not. If there is a god (which there is almost certainly not), he is not all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good.
Irrational thought and accepting things as fact without reason is most likely the most dangerous aspect of human existence. It drives people to wipe out entire civilizations. Kill people for petty differences, and fly planes into buildings. Faith is quite literally accepting something knowing that you do not have rational reason to do so, if you have rational reason, then it's not faith.
Just to give you some idea of how it sounds to use religion in a paragraph addressed to those who don't accept that religion, you're statement is no more valid than the following:
To Christians and those who would not claim to be Shatnermosists, the message I pose is this; Stamos's comments in the divine book section 3 paragraph 2 and Shatner Book 3 make it clear that the non-Shatnermosists’ sole dependence on 'god' and scripture will not correctly answer the metaphysical questions posed by the philosophers, or lead to a life which is considered "good" on Shatner's scales. Essentially, any man who lacks the wisdom which can only be gained by having a right relationship with Shatner is going to be functionally lacking when it comes to trying to understand the spiritual and supernatural world. Shatner did not create reason with the intention of allowing it to stand on its own legs.
See how silly that sounds now? All I did was replace some of your religious vocabulary with my own, and instantly you should see that it's not really an argument at all.
Of course I also want to point out the irony, that most, or at least a fair majority of philosophers who POSE these questions you talk about, do not rely on god, and often discount religion as even being able to provide an answer to these questions.
Perhaps even more comical is those that DO rely on a god to answer these questions, generally are reasonable people, and as such do not sugar coat their assessments, and the version of the religion they rely on, is often NOTHING like what the standard believer would like to believe.
Good read Eric.
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