Scott,
I have to admit that the exploration on origins has been one of those times in my life that could have potentially left me open to doubt. What I believe now about origins is very different from a few years ago. But I made it through it OK because my relationship with God is personal. He is very real to me. If my faith had been based in human institutions and teachings it might well have crumbled during this transformation.
Regarding the use and distribution of the scriptures amongst the early churches, I would have to agree that by the turn of the first century every church did not have a complete collection of all of what we call the New Testament. Documents were hand copied which limited the number of them.
They also took time to move around and distribute throughout the Roman world. That was a process that took several hundred years. But even if you have only one gospel and a small collection of other writings you would know a great deal about Jesus, his purpose for coming and the opportunity to have a personal relationship with God because of what Jesus had done.
I do see the Bible as being very distinct from any other writing or collection of writings. While I agree that there are other non Biblical writings that are useful to us in the faith and that God can use to ‘speak’ to us, I do not believe that any of them are on an equal level with the Bible. The Bibles endurance and popularity through the years says a lot.
What other 2000 year old book is a best seller? I have heard too many stories of peoples whose lives have been transformed just by reading the Bible. And in my own experience it is unique in the way it speaks to me. I have never had a burning bush experience, as much as I might like one. I have never physically seen Jesus, nor have I had any visions of him or of heaven. Only one time in my life have I felt like he spoke to me in what seemed like an audible voice, and that was just a single word. No! It was at a time in my life when I was getting ready to do something that would have ruined my life. He got my attention and stopped me. But he does frequently speak to me through the words of His Word, the Bible. Those words have brought conviction and direction too many times for me to believe it was anything other than God’s voice. God does speak to me in other ways, but seldom so clearly as through the Bible, and in particular the New Testament.
Faith is a tricky term to define. Hebrews 11:1 is the common definition given for faith. I read it this morning as a part of my daily devotional reading and verses 2-3 & 13-16 also stood out.
1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.
3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.
People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Faith is definitely not based on what I can see or can be proven to me.
What I can see or experience is not faith. Faith is an assurance, a certainty, in the object of faith, in this case God. The verses that follow explicitly say the Old Testament folks (at least some of them) were commended for their faith more than anything else. Faith can take a backward look as demonstrated in verse 2 as well as a forward look in 13-16.
Read the remainder of this chapter to see a list of people who were commended for their faith. These people trusted in God in spite of difficult and confusing circumstances and times. And they died without any apparent reward for their faith.
There is another element to faith. While my faith is not based on any physical evidence, I do have to admit that there is much I see and experience in the world around me that confirms that faith. I know that God is faithful in the little day to day things and that helps me to trust that he will be faithful in that biggest thing of all, my eternity. I would have to say that my faith is not blind. While I can not see the future, I know the one to whom I have entrusted my future and he has convinced me that he is trustworthy. In a more human example, I trust my wife. And as long as I have known her she has proven trustworthy. I do not have any reason to doubt that she will always look out for my best interests. That to me is what faith is. It is based on a personal relationship, not on a set of beliefs or ideals.
So if I am living by faith, how do I know God’s will for my life? How can I know for sure what he wants me to do? There are a couple of distinct answers I can give to you here. The first is God’s word. What does it say?
It is oftentimes very explicit in what we should or should not be doing as children of God. If the instruction is in the Bible, and it is very clear, then there is no reason to look further, other than maybe to clarify or ensure you understand correctly. The harder part concerns those morally neutral topics like which job should you take or who should you marry. In those areas I pray, sometimes seek counsel, evaluate as best I can and then make a choice. Sometimes I clearly feel God leading in a certain direction and sometimes I do not. If I do not, I make the call myself and try to be ready to change if he leads elsewhere at some time. The expression ‘hearing God’s voice’ might be better stated as ‘sensing his direction.’ At least that’s the way it is for me. And that can be difficult because of all of the other voices speaking in my head, most commonly my own will. His voice will be the one that is leading me into a way that will glorify him.
Do I believe in miracles? Yes I do. I see no reason to believe that God could not or would not intervene is this world. And that is really what a miracle is. Have I ever experienced a miracle? Not that I know of. Sure, I have found convenient parking places in crowded parking lots; my daughter did not die during childbirth in spite of the complications; and any number of other big or little things in my life. But I do not call them miracles.
They are simply the way things worked out. Jesus, though, performed many miracles, the greatest of which was his resurrection. His early disciples performed miracles. What was the purpose of the miracles? John, at the conclusion of his gospel, John 20:30-31, shares a reason. “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” The purpose of the miracles was to prove who he was. That has been done and the evidence is there for those who are willing to see it.
God’s invitation to a relationship with him is open to everyone who lives on the face of the earth. And he accepts any who come to him, accepting the sacrifice that Jesus made for them. There is no requirement for education or social standing. There is no requirement on being a deep or simple thinker. All that is required is a willingness to entrust your life to him.
And if you do that he will transform you from the inside out into a new person. But that is probably the hardest thing he could ask of me. I want to be in control of my own life. But it is good. He is a good boss. :)
Till next time,
Oldman