Some time ago I was talking with a man who found out that I was a pastor. I had heard him speaking prior and was amazed at how quickly his vocabulary changed toward the religious vein when he discovered what I did for a living. He told me that he had looked into many of the world religions, no doubt expecting me to be impressed. I replied, “I don’t like religion all that much!” He was shocked! I then explained that I have come to understand that the basis of my faith was built on a relationship rather than a religious system. “That makes sense,” he replied, “but I still can’t commit to something I don’t fully understand.”
Life is full of things that we don’t understand, but we make them a part of our lives anyway. For instance, I don’t understand the thermodynamics of internal combustion and the hydraulics of an automatic transmission (and be honest, unless you are an engineer, neither do you) but that doesn’t prevent me from driving my car. I must admit that I don’t understand electricity, but I don’t sit around in the dark. Salvation is the same!
No one will fully understand how God could become man, how he could die, how his death could be the basis for our forgiveness, and how Jesus could give you and me a new life… but only a fool would ignore such a great opportunity just because we don’t understand it.
"The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:9-13)
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2 comments:
Does 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 support his lack of understanding?
This man's lack of understanding can be attribuited to a number of possible factors. One of those could be I Corinthians 2:6-16.
In this text, Paul is exhorting the Corinthian believers and warning them of the danger of worldy wisdom. Twice in this text he mentions the "rulers of this age." (V6,V8) These rulers were imparting a wordly wisdom accompanied with the power of affluence. This is the stuff that rulers have. This is revelaed by looking back just a bit to I Corinthians 1:26-27. The believers in Corinth were being caught up in this wisdom, and even coming to the place of believing it to be the genuine truth, even the truth of God. Paul is stating that this truth is in fact a blinding illusion, since it keeps one from the genuine truth which can only be revealed by the Spirit of God and by reason of the fact that it is doomed to pass away. (V6)
This is also a reality in our world. So it is very possible that this man's lack of understanding stems from the influence the rulers of this age have had upon him. The media, academic world, public figures, and even the entertainment industry claim to be enlightened with the truth. This truth is accentuated by an accompanying power of affluence much like it was in Corinth.
Irregardless, of the source of his lack of understanding, we have been called to share the truth. No matter what the explanation of this man's lack of understanding, we are called to "impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit." (v13)
Paul stated it this way to the Romans: "But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" (Romans 10:14)
Only the Spirit of God can truly guide any one of us into the truth. " Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Romans 8:9)
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