God’s Word Is Reality

God does not need paint and canvas to create a beautiful sunset.  His canvas is the sky, His paints are the colors of the rainbow, and His brush is the wind.  Likewise, God does not need to make up stories.  His word is life, His characters are actual people, and His stories are reality.

When God speaks, if His words are not already true to reality, they make reality true to themselves.  For what God says is always true:  God said, “‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”  (Genesis 1:3).

Recently, I heard a Roman Catholic priest say in a sermon that the stories in the Bible before Moses were not historical because they contain a lot of myth.  He compared the story of Jacob wrestling with God to Greek mythology.  According to him the value of these stories is merely symbolic because they can help us to learn helpful tips for living, like the fact that Jacob was close to God.

However, the Old and New Testaments are not “cleverly invented stories” (2 Peter 1:16).  We know this because “no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation.  For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”  (2 Peter 1:20-21).  Because God’s word is always true, His Spirit does not inspire stories that purport to be true history, if they are not historical.  (John 17:17).

And now “we have the word of the prophets made more certain,” He is the word of truth made flesh, and His name is Jesus Christ.  (2 Peter 1:19, John 1:14).  According to Jesus, in the beginning of our history, God created two people (Adam and Eve) and they were one flesh.  (Matthew 19:4-6).  This shows that Jesus accepted Genesis as historical.  And following the lead of her Lord, the Church has also accepted the books of Moses as historical.  Calling Genesis a myth is a recent innovation.

One of the principles of sola Scriptura is that the Scriptures are clear and able to be understood.  That does not mean that the Scriptures do not contain unfathomable mysteries, but it does mean that in the Bible God has competently communicated His deep salvific truth.  (Luke 16:31).  (The more one knows about a true mystery (like the Trinity), the more fascinating and deep it becomes).

Because the Scriptures are able to be understood, and because Jesus promised to be with His Church to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20), that means that every generation of Christians since the time of Christ has been able to understand the Scriptures.  If those generations testify unanimously that they understood Genesis to be historical, then who are we to say it is myth?

Genesis was not written merely to share clever stories and spiritual truths.  It is real.  It is as real as the Lord’s Supper is the real Body and Blood of Christ.  These stories and sacraments not just symbols, but actual physical supernatural realities.  They are Christ given to us, and Christ is the truth.  (John 14:6-7).

Our God is almighty.  And an almighty God does not paint with canvas and brush and make-believe symbols, He paints with reality.

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Why don’t we see God in His glory?

The above picture is of the sun shining through clouds.  The dark silhouettes at the bottom are tree tops.

One of the purposes of Light from Light is to share past writings with another audience.  Atheism and different types of evidence have been recent topics here:

• Is there Evidence for Christianity?
• “Heavens… where?”

Continuing in a related vein, here is a letter of mine that was published in the Appleton Post-Crescent on January 9, 2008:

• God the world needs not one perceived by visible power:

Recently, many letters in the paper have said that God does not exist.  Most demand a physical sign.

What if almighty God did appear in majesty and glory?  What if God did demonstrate his terrible power?  All the people in the world would become “believers,” but our hearts would not be changed.

We would all serve this visible God, but not out of love.  We would serve Him out of fear of his power or greed for his wealth.  One way or another, eventually his mere presence would force us all into obedience.

In the end, we would all be thralls, toadies, and slaves.  Is this the God the atheists want?  Consider the forms of government the atheists have established:  From the Reign of Terror to communism, they have been murderously totalitarian.

If this is not the God or the government we want, then we should not demand that the Christian God behave that way in order for us to believe in Him.

God is not our puppet.  And the fact that we do not fully understand His behavior is a poor argument that He does not exist.  Any “God” that men could fully understand, would be no god at all.

Instead of mighty miracles that create only toadies, God gives us words: words of truth.  (Exodus 8:19, 1 Kings 19:11-13, & John 6:26).  Even a whisper of truth is mighty with invisible power.

We may not believe the eyewitness testimony of the apostles; but if testimony is valid evidence for judges, juries, journalists, and historians; then it should be valid evidence for us all.  We can demand to see the God of Sinai, but we need the God of the manger in Bethlehem.  We need Jesus who is the Word of truth made flesh.  (John 1:1).

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“Heavens… where?”

Recently, an atheist commentator issued a challenge on one of my posts.  Specifically, in response to the post “Is there Evidence for Christianity?” the commentator quipped, “Heavens… where?”  The phrase “the heavens” in the original post referred to creation, and I suppose a legitimate answer could have been, “Go outside, and look up.”  However, I think the commentator’s real question was, “How can you believe in an afterlife, if you do not know where that afterlife physically is?”  Maybe a better question might have been, “Where did Jesus physically go when he ascended into heaven?  And if you don’t know, then how can you believe the witnesses who saw him ascend?”

Recently, I visited the commentator’s blog, and enjoyed the experience like a splash of cold water in the face.  None of what he had to say was particularly convincing (in part because it was mostly just ridicule), but it is good to experience bracing challenges to one’s own beliefs, if only to see whether they can stand the exercise.

In the end, the real question here is not mathematical or scientific, but rather it is whether we believe the eyewitnesses who say they saw Jesus die, rise, and ascend into heaven.  Was Jesus truly God, relating to us on our own level, as he so boldly claimed?  Test tubes and telescopes cannot answer that question.  Only the testimony can.

The Apostle Peter said, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”  (2 Peter 1:16).

Photo credits: via PicApp.

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Is there Evidence for Christianity?

Through the millennia, Christianity has faced numerous challenges.  Today, many say that there is no evidence for our faith in a Creator.  However, that is nonsense:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.  No sound is heard from them, but their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.  [Psalm 19:1-4].

Nonetheless, even though the heavens themselves are compelling proof of intelligent design, our saving faith is not based on science.  This is because our belief in Jesus is based on a different kind of valid evidence as contained in the Scriptures.

The Scriptures are not cleverly invented stories, but rather they are eyewitness accounts of the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (2 Peter 1:15-16 & Luke 1:1-4).  And as judges, juries, journalists, and historians know, eyewitness testimony is valid evidence.

In fact, testimony is the foundation of all evidence, including scientific evidence.

What would happen if a prosecutor provided scientific DNA to a jury, but did not call a witness to explain what that evidence meant?  Pure science without any explanation means nothing.  A witness needs to testify that the sample was taken from the scene, that it was kept secure and not tampered with, and that it does match the defendant’s DNA.  All evidence must be authenticated with testimony, and ultimately, any trier of fact must first decide whether they believe the witnesses.

What about the gospel writers?  Are they credible witnesses?  Consider their accounts of Jesus’ death:  They all speak in a matter of fact tone.  They do not go into exaggerated detail about the pain that Jesus suffered or the exact methods of his torture, as some modern storytellers do.  But rather, they give us the facts as needed.  And that is just what we would expect from men who were actually there, from people who saw their friend crucified.

Even more compelling than their words, were their actions: their sudden change from cowards into willing martyrs.  Very rare is the circle that gives their lives for their own lies.

Truthful witnesses do more than simply tell coherent stories, they also show by their demeanor and actions that what they are saying is true.  For example, Christians would be poor witnesses of God’s love for us, if our actions did not show that we love him.

We cannot prove that Jesus loves us with mathematical equations or test tubes, any more than we could prove that our parents love us by using a calculator.  But we can demonstrate that God loves us by sharing the testimony of the credible witnesses as recorded in the Scriptures.  Science has its place, but it can not show love.  The heavens do declare the glory of God, but only the Word can testify to the love of God.  Faith “comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”  (Romans 10:17).

God uses his word and testimony to convict sinners and convince us of his love.  As God says, “‘I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me.  To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here I am, here am I.’” (Isaiah 65:1).

Do we have evidence for our faith?  Yes.  It is called the word of God, the testimony of the saints, and “the word of the prophets made more certain.”  (2 Peter 1:19).  Jesus is that word, he lived a life of faith and truth, and his words and deeds are credible and convincing.  (John 1:14 & Isaiah 55:11).

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.  He is convincing evidence of God’s love for us.

copyright © 2001, 2010 vdma.wordpress.com

Notes:  A previous version of this article appeared in the St. Peter Church March 2001 newsletter.

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Words of Truth

As Christians we must be careful how we use words.  Children of God must always testify truthfully, and in order to speak truthfully we must use words correctly.

We have been blessed by God because many English words were developed in the light of his Word.  We have words like sin, good, evil, and God; and most everyone still understands the meanings behind these words and the truth they represent.

However, imagine traveling to a land where they do not have a word for the idea of sin.  Or to them the word “sinful” is associated with ideas like delicious.  Then when someone like John the Baptist proclaims, “Repent of your sinfulness,” they hear but do not understand.

When Satan speaks, he lies because that is his native language.  And one of the first tactics of a liar is to use words incorrectly.  This causes confusion.

When we consistently misuse words we cause them to lose their incisive meaning in our lives. We lose the ability to cut through a fog of confusion.  For example, when we hear the phrase, “Buy one, get one free,” do we stop to think that “free” means we do not have to pay?  Are we able to get the “free” burger without paying?  No.  No matter what he says, the Burger King does not give out free burgers.  On the other hand, the King of the Universe has prepared an eternal banquet, and it is free.

However, some Christians still preach a message similar to “Buy one, get one free.”  They say, “Do good works, and then get salvation for ‘free.’”  But we are destitute.  We have nothing.  In fact, we have less than nothing:  We are sinners who owe an eternal debt that we can never repay.  Must we pay for what is “free”?  No!  Such a “gospel” is absurd.  We might as well tell penniless people to go to Burger King for “free” burgers.

If we must work for something, then “free” is no longer free.  If salvation is by “grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”  (Romans 11:6).

True faith is not useless.

Only after God makes us realize through faith that salvation is free, do we then begin to do good works.  This is because we no longer work out of fear of punishment or greed for reward, but rather our works are motivated by His love.  True good works are done for their own sake, and therefore can only come from a heart that is already free in Christ.  Salvation is what sets us free.

God’s free promise creates faith, and this faith loves and will work because this faith wants to work.  True love is free, and true love loves willingly.  Only God can make our unwilling hearts willing.  Then without fear or greed or self-conscious thought, we do good works motivated by Him.  Having received freely, Christians give freely.  Having received what is free, we have been made free.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  [Galatians 5:1].

This true faith is living and active in our lives because Christ works in us to produce his fruits through our faith.

On the other hand, dead faith is mere historical knowledge that Jesus died and paid for the sins of the world.  Dead faith is not a relationship of trust in Jesus.  Dead faith is useless.  Dead faith knows that God exists, but does not actually trust God.  Dead faith believes about the promise of salvation, but does not actually trust the promise.  Dead faith knows of Jesus, but does not know Jesus.

Anyone who calls himself “Christian” but makes a practice of sinning and does not daily repent and struggle against sin, and does not strive to do what is right, is no Christian at all.  Anyone who calls himself “Christian” and says, “I have faith” should ask themselves what they mean by “faith” and, “Faith in what?”  Is our faith merely knowledge that Jesus is our savior?  Or is our faith actual trust in Jesus?  Do we trust our “faith in Jesus,” or do we trust Jesus?

The person who trusts Jesus, believes Jesus’ words, and Jesus says: “Repent.” (Matthew 4:17).  Do we know what it means to “repent”?  Do we really trust Christ?  Then we should care what he says, and we should believe what he says.

Correctly using words keeps our minds clear.

If we want to communicate Jesus’ message of the Law and the Gospel we must always use words truly and correctly.  Only then will people’s minds be clear so that they can hear and understand and believe.

We should never say “bad” when we mean good, or “free” when we mean not free.  Misusing words is similar to misusing God’s name, which is a violation of the Ten Commandments.  Just as misusing God’s name causes confusion about who God is, so also misusing words causes confusion about reality.

Another word that people abuse is “truth.”  Some gibber, “That’s your truth, not mine.”  They might as well say, “Lies are true” or “Everything is true.”   To them the idea of Truth does not exist and the word “truth” has no meaning.

God’s word is truth.  It is a like sword that flashes like lightning.  It is sharper than “any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  (Hebrews 4:12, Ezekiel 21:28, & Revelation 19:15).  However, when we misuse words, we dull the impact of that sword in the minds of the hearers.  When we misuse words we make ears that cannot hear and eyes that cannot see.  (Isaiah 42:20 & Jeremiah 6:10).

So we must be careful how we use the tools that God has given us for communicating his word of truth.  Through misuse they can become dull and lose their incisive power.

If a prophet says, “Repent of your sin!” and the people who hear him identify the word “sinful” with ideas like delicious, tasty, and indulgent, then they won’t understand what he is saying.  We should be grateful to God because our language was shaped in part by an understanding of his truth.  The English language contains words like God, sin, grace, justice, love, and truth.  But if we allow or participate with the world in changing the meaning of those words, then we will have lost some very powerful weapons for communicating the truth.

Satan is smarter than we.  He is a prowling lion seeking whom he may devour and he is on the attack on fronts we do not even imagine.  But God is all powerful.  We are his servants who are at war with the spiritual powers of this dark world, and we must keep our swords sharp.  (Ephesians 6:12-17).

Free.  Grace.  Faith.  Love.  Works.  Truth.  Prepare your words/swords for the battle!

copyright © 2008 Rick T. @ vdma.wordpress.com

Notes:  This article was first published in the St. Peter Church newsletter May 2008 A.D.

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