Tuesday, September 2, 2014
407 - Having Seen Both Sides Now
Spirituality Column #407
September 2, 2014
Current in Carmel-Westfield-Noblesville-Fishers-Zionsville
Having Seen Both Sides Now
By Bob Walters
How do I know there is a loving God and that Jesus Christ is not only my savior, but the whole world’s?
Well … let’s make a list. In order I’d credit the Holy Spirit, the Bible, the worldwide church and the fellowship of all believers as the four signal “proofs” of the value, reality and certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and that it is quite OK – recommended, in fact – to trust Him as Lord and Savior. The enormity of God’s Kingdom and the brightness of God’s light – humanly inexpressible except for our faith in His Son Jesus Christ – far exceed the simple confines of worldly proof.
Recently I heard a Christian radio host debating an atheist who was demanding “proof” of Jesus, God … the whole Christian thing. While the host presented his “historical facts” argument, I mentally composed the above list. I also recognized that I used to sound more like the atheist than the host. Having seen faith from both the outside as a non-believer and the inside as a functioning Christian I can tell you from experience, demanding “proof” is the easiest faith dodge in the world. “If you can’t prove it to me,” I’d reason, “I don’t have to be encumbered by Jesus.”
“You lose,” I’d conclude.
It would be nice to be able to prove the existence, goodness and purpose of God and Christ by the example of my own life, but I can’t. I fall short. Blessings abound, but still sins of every stripe dot the lengthening landscape of my earthly existence.
Regardless of anyone’s particular faith in Jesus, people certainly encounter both sin and blessings – possibly without recognizing them as such. Yet by dismissing the life and light of faith in Christ humans operate in the small, dark, dismal, time-is-running-out prison of “this mortal coil’s” empirical evidence. Where is this life’s hope – hope for good, hope for clearer meaning, hope for larger purpose – if I confine “hope” to my limited human physical senses, talents and timeline?
Thankfully, I don’t have to be Jesus to know He exists. And I no longer expect to find “larger” cosmic hope and purpose within my personal fallen piece of humanity. The Spirit, scripture, church, traditions, teachers, preachers and all the really smart Christians I’ve encountered are ample evidence to the truth and perfection of Christ, and witness to the enormity of God’s Kingdom and glory.
Knowing that perfection exists is different from being perfect. I was blind, but now I see. I was lost, but now am found. That’s all the proof I need.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com), then age 47, awakened to Christ 13 years ago today, Sept. 2, 2001.
September 2, 2014
Current in Carmel-Westfield-Noblesville-Fishers-Zionsville
Having Seen Both Sides Now
By Bob Walters
How do I know there is a loving God and that Jesus Christ is not only my savior, but the whole world’s?
Well … let’s make a list. In order I’d credit the Holy Spirit, the Bible, the worldwide church and the fellowship of all believers as the four signal “proofs” of the value, reality and certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and that it is quite OK – recommended, in fact – to trust Him as Lord and Savior. The enormity of God’s Kingdom and the brightness of God’s light – humanly inexpressible except for our faith in His Son Jesus Christ – far exceed the simple confines of worldly proof.
Recently I heard a Christian radio host debating an atheist who was demanding “proof” of Jesus, God … the whole Christian thing. While the host presented his “historical facts” argument, I mentally composed the above list. I also recognized that I used to sound more like the atheist than the host. Having seen faith from both the outside as a non-believer and the inside as a functioning Christian I can tell you from experience, demanding “proof” is the easiest faith dodge in the world. “If you can’t prove it to me,” I’d reason, “I don’t have to be encumbered by Jesus.”
“You lose,” I’d conclude.
It would be nice to be able to prove the existence, goodness and purpose of God and Christ by the example of my own life, but I can’t. I fall short. Blessings abound, but still sins of every stripe dot the lengthening landscape of my earthly existence.
Regardless of anyone’s particular faith in Jesus, people certainly encounter both sin and blessings – possibly without recognizing them as such. Yet by dismissing the life and light of faith in Christ humans operate in the small, dark, dismal, time-is-running-out prison of “this mortal coil’s” empirical evidence. Where is this life’s hope – hope for good, hope for clearer meaning, hope for larger purpose – if I confine “hope” to my limited human physical senses, talents and timeline?
Thankfully, I don’t have to be Jesus to know He exists. And I no longer expect to find “larger” cosmic hope and purpose within my personal fallen piece of humanity. The Spirit, scripture, church, traditions, teachers, preachers and all the really smart Christians I’ve encountered are ample evidence to the truth and perfection of Christ, and witness to the enormity of God’s Kingdom and glory.
Knowing that perfection exists is different from being perfect. I was blind, but now I see. I was lost, but now am found. That’s all the proof I need.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com), then age 47, awakened to Christ 13 years ago today, Sept. 2, 2001.
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