Spirituality Column #780

October 26, 2021

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Settled Faith

By Bob Walters

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect …” – 1 Peter 3:15

Some years back, being “prepared to give an answer” ceased being a difficult thing for me. 

At age 47 I set my heart – and mind – on Christ as Lord, though those close to me could still see the evident chinks in my armor.  I grew in Godly faith, knowledge, hope, and resolve through reading, study, prayer, and with the mentorship and encouragement of beloved pastors, teachers, and friends. With all I was learning and thinking, it was natural to share it … in writing.  Writing is what I do.

And with a few scattered mea culpas and the tolerance and abiding grace of many Christian brothers and sisters, “gentleness and respect” in these writings have been generally more present than absent … I hope.  Jesus is my favorite subject.

This writing marks 15 years of the weekly joy that has produced 780 consecutive Common Christianity columns.  As I hear a seemingly and increasingly lost world debate and reverence various elements of “settled science” and take opinion polls suggesting doubt about the grace, presence, and efficacy of God, Christianity, and the spiritual surety of the truth of Jesus, I confidently peck away at these weekly missives.

My faith and hope in Christ are settled because in all my studies, prayer, spiritual perceptions, life experiences, quiet times, and the occasional uproar of chaotic challenges, I’ve learned two essential and unwaveringly settled things:

1. God doesn’t change, and 2. Humanity hasn’t changed. 

God is love, He is righteous, He is the Creator, Logos, Word, and Spirit, and His eternal life is unchanging yet creative, reactive, seeking, and filled with personality.  It is the mystery of all mysteries how He does it, but the truth of all truths that He does.  

People can change, sure.  I have, perhaps you have, and I’ve seen many others who have.  But we learn a lesson from all those folks in the Bible, Genesis through Revelation, on up to today’s news headlines and unchanged neighbors.  Simply put, humanity, its joy transient, thin, and limited, has never shaken its fallen, sin nature. 

It is a nature that makes us chase many worldly things seeking life and security and, as Satan promotes, denying the truth and goodness of God.  We are happy to “settle science” – as mightily helpful as science is – but deny the God science reveals.

Individuals change by discovering the divine purpose that resides not in our pride, greed, or fear, but in the joy, peace, and trust in God’s life and goodness.  We may discover a purpose and meaning within our own being, but it will die with us.  Jesus arrived amid humanity as proof – that we see in His resurrection – that a life of humility, obedience, intelligence, and sacrifice bring to us – now – God’s joy and eternal hope.

Not everybody accepts, seeks, or wants God’s unwavering truth and hope.  A stated truth of the Bible is that some folks will get it, and some won’t.  But Jesus came to settle this issue once for all humanity; God’s invitation back into the Garden stands.

Science will never settle faith or meaning; Jesus settles them every day.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com), Lord willing, and with thanks, will keep writing.