Which is exactly what you do in every other part of your life.
Well, not exactly. I agree that if I want to be the best at a job that I do or some project that I'm working on, one likes to think that their work is based on hard facts. Spiritual things are a bit of a different matter. All religions are based on a certain amount of faith. Muslims have never seen Allah. Hindus have never seen any of their gods. The Greeks and Romans and Egyptians never actually saw any of their gods. This unseen world of gods has always been based on a certain amount of sheer faith.
Our God and Creator knows that believing in Him does require a man to step out in mere faith that He is. However, as previously mentioned, for me, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has provided credible evidentiary proof that He is. That He does love me. The Scriptures tell me that God has shown His great love for us in the life and death of His Son. I believe that. I believe that over 500 people saw this dead man walking and that then requires some explanation. Daniel wrote a prophecy for which he couldn't possibly have known the circumstances surrounding the beginning of the prophecy or the length of time that would bring us to the end of it. That requires some explanation.
And we all know what faith is don't we?
Faith is what people use when they don't have evidence for something, if they had evidence they would not need faith.
That is exactly right. Faith is the assurance of things not seen. God hasn't pulled any punches in telling us what it will mean for any of us to believe in Him. We will be persecuted and mocked. We will be few in number. We must believe on faith that He is.
Yes, the Scriptures paint throughout the new covenant that this faith will never be some worldwide popular phenomenon. It speaks of those who believe in Him not following the ways of the world. There is absolutely a separateness, if you will, that is clear between the many and the few. But, anyone can have it and I believe God's word that anyone who would diligently seek for it, will find it. That in seeking for it the assurance of its validity and truth will become clear.
Jesus, this man who was seen walking talking and eating after his death, told a parable of a farmer sowing seed. He explained later to his disciples that the seed was the gospel. The truth of God and who He is. He explained further to them that as the seed was sown that some would just dismiss it out of hand. Some would accept it, but later fall away because of the troubles and persecution that such faith entails. Some would accept it, but later fall away because of the troubles and worry of their life and not continuing to seek after righteousness and their faith would become choked in their heart. But, some would receive it, apply its principles and teaching and continue living in the way of God's righteousness and those few would find God's salvation. Friend, every single person living upon the earth today falls into one of those four categories.
For me, God has given satisfactory proof through the writings of the Scriptures that He is; that He knows the beginning from the end; that He did send one to die for sin who also rose from death as a testimony to us that He can do what He has promised to do. Because I have believed in these small 'proofs', then I also have believed in the rest of it. With all my heart I know that God is. I am as sure that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob exists as I am that I exist. Yes, it is ultimately by faith that I believe all that the Scriptures tell me, but that totality of faith began, for me, in the 'proofs' of the smaller evidences.
As I have said before, I didn't always believe as I do. As a matter of fact, I didn't come to be born again until I was 40 years old. Oh, I had, at times in my life before then gone to worship services and was raised as a child among the fellowship of the believers. But I wasn't any kind of faithful servant. I too, believed in evolution and great ages of the universe. While I'd been raised on many of the children's tales of the Scriptures, I wasn't particularly really believing in all that the Scriptures said. I hadn't even read them until I got to this age of 40 years. So, I know where you're coming from and the things that you speak of. While I have never considered myself an atheist, before the age of 40 I might as well have been. Now understanding as I do, I know that my earlier life would have led me to the same fate as any atheist. There isn't any 'middle'.
Every person today has the opportunity to seek the knowledge and wisdom that the Scriptures hold, but it's a purely a choice and I allow you the right to make that choice for yourself. But, I wouldn't be faithful to my God in not at least warning you of the truth. You're free to dismiss it as many, many do. You're free to continue with a life that believes that all there is, is what we can physically prove to ourselves.
Many, since the new covenant, who call themselves followers of our Lord have done many terrible and wicked things for what they claimed to be in His name and for His purpose. It's sad, but the Scriptures tell us that because of such things God's truth is blasphemed. Some 6,000 years ago God created all that is. He then set in motion a great plan to make Himself known. In accomplishing that, He called a man by thn name of Abram and through him raised up a nation of people to be His people and to do His bidding upon the earth. Even those people are shown throughout the Scriptures to have been a wicked and faithless lot for the most part. But God's great plan did prevail and through His people He did cause the Scriptures to be written and the Messiah to come and pay the price for their sin and ours. He now waits patiently for the full number of those who will believe to come in. But there will come a day when the pent up wrath of God - a wrath that has been burning for these many, many years since the creation - will be released. His patience against the godlessness of mankind will not be held back forever.
You see, friend, the purpose of God's creating can be found in the first few verses of the Scriptures and the last few verses. In the beginning God created. In the end God will take those who have believed and He will be their God and they will be His people. All that has happened between those two points in time is merely the working out of that plan.
God bless you,
In Christ, ted
