A blind faith?
November 19, 2010
A critique often leveled against Christianity is that Christians embrace a kind of “blind” faith. Famed atheist Richard Dawkins, for example, has written that “Faith, being belief that isn’t based on evidence, is the principle vice of any religion” (Is Science a Religion?). Some Christians welcome the challenge and, citing Hebrews 11:1, happily boast that the less evidence there is, the greater their faith. In other words, faith is blind, and a blind faith is a blessed faith.
Really? I don’t buy it.
On the contrary, it seems to me that the New Testament writers worked very hard to give evidence of the reality about which they wrote.
Thus, Luke did some pretty thorough research, talked to eyewitnesses, and then carefully compiled an “orderly account.” Why? So that we might have a blind faith? No, of course not. He did all this “that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught” (Luke 1:4).
Likewise John carefully records the story of Jesus’ life. He says, “these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ” (John 20:31). In his first epistle, John takes great pains to ground the Christian faith in real, physical evidence. He writes:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life– the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us– that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1-3).
Paul tells us that nature gives evidence of the reality of God. “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).
Paul also reminds us that when Jesus rose from the dead, he really did rise from the dead, as evidenced from the hundreds of people who saw him (1 Corinthians 15:4-8).
Peter cites his own eyewitness experience with Christ to refute the idea that the Christian faith is a myth. “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).
In no way do the Scriptures present the Christian faith as a “blind” faith. Our belief in Christ is appropriately grounded in evidence.
What about Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”?
To be sure, that sounds like it is promoting “blind” faith. But if we continue to read through this great “hall of faith” chapter, we quickly discover that it is full of men and women to whom God gave plenty of real, tangible evidence for his existence. Consider Noah. God spoke directly to Noah. Noah knew without question that God existed. The real question of faith for Noah was not over God’s existence, but over whether or not he should believe and trust God. Thus the author of Hebrews writes, “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark…” (Hebrews 11:7).
Thus, the”conviction of things not seen” in Hebrews 11:1 refers, not to a blind faith in God without evidence, but to a question of trust. Will you believe what God has said? Will God be true to His Word? Do God’s promises have real substance? These are the “unseen” elements of faith in Hebrews 11.
So, it’s about time we put an end to boasting in blind faith. Dawkins is right. A faith not based on evidence is a vice, and I would add, unbiblical at best.
Pilgrims in Babylon
November 16, 2010
In the very helpful book, Selling Out the Church: The Dangers of Church Marketing, authors Philip Kenneson and James Street remind us, “If the Church’s mission is to announce the erupting reign of God, and to do so by being sign, foretaste, and herald of that kingdom, then it will not be able to do that if it expunges all its oddness in the name of building bridges to unbelievers” (145). Jason Stellman makes the same point in his book, Dual Citizens: Worship and Life Between the Already and the Not Yet, “The one luxury the church does not have is to apologize for her archaic, idiosyncratic, otherworldly, and countercultural characteristics and attempt to dilute her saltiness (wherein her true worth and beauty lie)” (38).
The overwhelming biblical witness is that we are pilgrims in Babylon (John 18:36; 1 Peter 2:9-11). That is, we belong ultimately to another king, another kingdom, another city, another home. Therefore, if nothing is odd or foreign or strange or new or counter-cultural within our lives or our churches, then how can we possibly point lost souls to God’s kingdom (which is truly odd, foreign, strange, new, and counter-cultural when compared to the world’s kingdoms)? As Jesus reminds us, we are not of this world (John 17:14-16), we therefore don’t look like the world when we gather for worship and when we live our lives as pilgrims.
In the midst of all of our striving to be relevant, perhaps we need to learn anew a lesson from some of the earliest Christians. According to one account from the late second century, the early Christian’s relevance, apologetic, and cultural influence was grounded primarily in his odd, foreign, strange, new, and counter-cultural way of life. After calling Christians a “new race of men,” the ancient text of The Epistle to Diognetus highlights the “remarkable and admittedly unusual character of their own citizenship.”
For Christians are not distinguished from the rest of humanity by country, language, or custom. For nowhere do they live in cities of their own, nor do they speak some unusual dialect, nor do they practice an eccentric life-style. This teaching of theirs has not been discovered by the thought and reflection of ingenious men, nor do they promote any human doctrine, as some do. But while they live in both Greek and barbarian cities, as each one’s lot was cast, and follow the local customs in dress and food and other aspects of life, at the same time they demonstrate the remarkable and admittedly unusual character of their own citizenship. They live in their own countries, but only as aliens; they participate in everything as citizens, and endure everything as foreigners. Every foreign country is their fatherland, and every fatherland is foreign. They marry like everyone else, and have children, but they do not expose their offspring. They share their food but not their wives. They are “in the flesh,” but they do not live “according to the flesh.” They live on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven. They obey the established laws; indeed in their private lives they transcend the laws. They love everyone, and by everyone they are persecuted. They are unknown, yet they are condemned; they are put to death, yet they are brought to life. They are poor, yet they make many rich; they are in need of everything, yet they abound in everything. They are dishonored, yet they are glorified in their dishonor; they are slandered, yet they are vindicated. They are cursed, yet they bless; they are insulted, yet they offer respect. When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; when they are punished, they rejoice as though brought to life. By the Jews they are assaulted as foreigners, and by the Greeks they are persecuted, yet those who hate them are unable to give a reason for their hostility (quoted from The Apostolic Fathers, 2nd edition, p. 299).
Of the many things that stand out in this early defense of Christianity, perhaps the most significant is the apparent comfort these first Christians had at being foreigners and aliens, even in their own countries. They knew they were pilgrims in Babylon. Their lives showed it. Their witness was strengthened by it. They were not hip and relevant, they did not have a seat at the cultural table of their day, nor were they fashionable and respected. But they were faithful. They loved their God and their neighbor. And as strange as this new race of men was to the world, they continued to grow and thrive under the blessings of God.
Don’t Waste Your Prayers
November 10, 2010
The book of Revelation offers Christians a grand picture of God’s redemptive purposes for his creation. In Revelation the great themes of the Bible come together to show us that God is sovereign in his power, faithful to his promises, and sure to act for his glory and our good. Revelation is supremely about our Triune God. He alone is the central figure around which all creation will one day gather to worship.
In Revelation God is central, but God’s people play a vital role nonetheless. In Rev. 8:1-5 we are given a picture of God’s final judgment upon the earth. This judgment is ultimately prompted by the prayers of God’s people. In vivid imagery the prayers of the saints are presented as incense offered before God’s throne (vs. 3). These prayers rise to God (vs. 4). As God hears the prayers, he is apparently pleased by them. An angel takes the censor that contained the prayers, fills it with fire, and casts it upon the earth (vs. 5). The accompanying “thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake” (vs. 5) indicate that God has finally come to judge as a response to the prayers of the saints. All of this dramatic imagery shows us that God truly hears the prayers of his people and acts to answer them.
Two questions arise for us from this imagery. First, will you pray? Second, will your prayers matter?
It is this second question that grips me this morning. Will my prayers matter? When God answers the prayers of the saints in Revelation 8, the world changes, God comes in awesome glory, every evil is done away with, and all things are made new. This forces the question upon us, are we praying for the same ends? Are we praying in such a way that, when God answers, all things will be made new?
Today, when you pray, rejoice in the truth that God hears your prayers and answers them, and consider how your prayers really might change the world for the glory of God and the good of His people. Remember how God answers the prayers of the saints in Revelation 8. Is that what the answer to your prayers might look like?
Friends, don’t waste your prayers! May we instead learn to pray as Isaiah prayed, “Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down…” (Isaiah 64:1)!
Christianity and Politics Podcast
November 2, 2010
Just in time for election day, the Reformed Forum has posted a discussion with Dr. Carl Trueman, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Westminster Seminary, and Dr. Peter Lillback, President of Westminster. The discussion is about how Christianity relates to the political sphere.
You can listen online or download the podcast at reformedforum.org.
Resources for Christian Formation
September 3, 2010
This Sunday we will wrap up our Christian Formation Sunday school class. Below are some books that have greatly aided me as I’ve developed my own thoughts about Christian formation and catechesis within the life of the church.
Grounded in the Gospel: Building Believers the Old Fashioned Way, by Gary Parrett and J.I. Packer.
The Family Worship Book, by Terry Johnson.
Dual Citizens: Worship and Life Between the Already and Not Yet, by Jason Stellman.
With Reverence and Awe: Returning to the Basics of Reformed Worship, by D.G. Hart and John Muether.
Risking the Truth: Handling Error in the Church, edited by Martin Downes.
On Church Discipline…
September 3, 2010
Last Sunday I gave a biblical overview of church discipline in light of our study in 1 Cor. 5. Last year I put together a brief overview of how we think of church discipline at Calvin PCA – and it is available on our website for any interested in further study.
A Brief Overview of Biblical Teaching on Church Discipline
Ordinary Means
September 3, 2010
The latest podcast from our friends at Ordinary Means…