Hearing IS Believing

So, if seeing is not believing, how can I believe in God? One of the wonderful things about God is that he never leaves us in the dark. He doesn’t just tell us where to go but also how to get there. And the same is true for faith. Consistently throughout the bible, God teaches us that seeing is not believing: Hearing is believing. This is what Paul says: “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17). You could not get a more unambiguous verse about how to believe in God. God tells us plainly: Faith comes from hearing!

When we struggle with our faith, we can often forget that God instructs us in how to believe in him. And He teaches us that real faith comes from hearing the words of Christ. This doesn’t mean that all who hear will believe. Many heard Jesus’ words and still rejected him. But this is how the Holy Spirit brings people to faith and maintains our faith: Not by seeing Christ, but by hearing the words of Christ.

In John 4, we see a contrast between those who hear and those who see. An entire Samaritan village come to faith in Jesus, and they explain to the Samarian woman how this happened: “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42).

Not one miracle is recorded while Jesus stayed in that village. And yet they believed in him when they heard the words of Christ for themselves. Hearing is believing. Contrast this with the Jewish village that Jesus visits next. An official begs Jesus to heal his son, and Jesus rebukes them: “Unless you people see signs and wonders … you will never believe”. (John 4:48). The Jewish town would not believe without seeing. But the Samaritans show us that faith comes through hearing. The organ of faith is not the eye, but the ears.

 

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed

 

Jesus offers an incredible promise at the end of John’s gospel: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:21)

Do we really believe that? It is so easy to think that if I could just see God, that would solve all my problems. But it won’t. It won’t actually help you to believe in him. But hearing the word of Christ will. When we struggle to believe, we need to look to the bible and not to the heavens. Immediately after Jesus’ words to Thomas, John explains that He wrote this gospel “…so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” 

The gospel is what God has given us to believe. This is so liberating because you have the gospel. You don’t need look anywhere else. You don’t need anything more. You can believe in God without seeing him. Faith comes through hearing. And those who hear and believe will be blessed.

This concludes our look at Tom Habib’s article of how to believe in God when we cannot see Him. I hope you enjoyed these 3 posts as much as I did. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

This is a Part 3 of a 3 part series taken from an article written by Tom Habib for the Bible Coalition. Tom is a lectures on the New Testament and Greek at Moore Theological College.

Seeing is NOT Believing

First, we need to dispel the myth that seeing is believing. It isn’t and it never has been. The evidence for this is found in the people who did see Jesus. Many people have said to me before, “If I could just see Jesus I would believe in him.” In my braver moments I reply, “No you wouldn’t—if you saw Jesus, you would kill him!” Because that’s what people did. Thousands of people witnessed Jesus perform miracles that were impossible for a mortal man. And yet it was those same crowds that cried out for his crucifixion. Seeing is not believing: just look at those who saw Jesus and did not believe.

Jesus demonstrates this himself in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man descends into hell and pleads with Father Abraham to let him go back and warn his brothers, so that they will not end up there,

Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
‘No, Father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
He said to them, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ (Luke 16:29-31)

In this parable, Jesus makes clear that someone could witness the resurrection and still not believe. Why? Because seeing is not believing. But this raises a question. If seeing is not believing—then what is the real reason why people don’t believe in God? And Jesus tells us: people don’t believe because they simply don’t want to believe.

In John 7, Jesus’ brothers urge him to “show himself to the world”. They thought that if people just saw Jesus—and in particular his miracles—they would believe and follow him. This is what we often think as well. But Jesus rebukes them: “the world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.” (John 7:7)

Jesus knows that the world will not accept him, and He knows that it has nothing to do with whether they see him and his miracles or not. The real reason that the world will not believe in Jesus is that it hates Jesus. If Jesus were to sing to the world’s tune, it would believe in him in a second. But because Jesus testifies that their works are evil, they hate him. And that is the real reason why they don’t believe in him. They don’t want to.

Later in the same chapter Jesus challenges the religious leaders with this truth: “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” (John 7:16-17)

The person who wants to do God’s will believes in Jesus. The person who wants to live their own way won’t. And this is exactly what we see in the rest of the chapter. The Pharisees’ rejection of Jesus is shown to be completely unfounded. Even one of their own, Nicodemus, thinks they are being unfair. Despite all the evidence, they refuse to believe simply because they don’t want to believe. Their unbelief is not based on reason but rebellion. They want to live life their own way.

And this is true for our world today. You could see Jesus every day of your life and still not believe in him. The Pharisees didn’t. Jesus’ own brothers didn’t. Isn’t the real reason people don’t believe in Jesus simply because they don’t want to?

The final part is coming with the next post. Until then, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

This is a Part 2 of a 3 part series taken from an article written by Tom Habib for the Bible Coalition. Tom is a lectures on the New Testament and Greek at Moore Theological College.

How Can I Believe in God if I Can’t See Him?

            Like Thomas in the Bible, we tend to think that seeing is believing. Thomas insists, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25). We are often the same.

We live in a skeptical and cynical age. Few people tell the truth and fewer expect the truth to be told. Facebook is Fake News. Politicians lie. Everyone has an agenda. Truth simply doesn’t matter. And so, we are skeptical. Cynical. It’s hard to believe anything unless it’s staring us straight in the face. And in a culture like this—how could I possibly believe in a God I can’t see. He just sounds made up. 

Our worldview doesn’t help, either. Most of us have grown up with materialism: the belief that nothing exists beyond the material world; that we live in a closed universe; that all reality is found within the four walls of the material realm and that anything outside of it is simply make-believe. This is the air we breathe. So how can we believe in an invisible God who is Spirit? We can’t see him—how can he be real?

We think seeing is believing—just like Thomas. But we’re also very different than Thomas. Because Thomas did get to see. He saw Jesus’ hands and feet. He touched Jesus’ side. He believed because he saw. But we can’t do that. None of us get to see Jesus today. I’m happy for Thomas that he believes when he sees—but how does that help me? How can I believe when I can’t see?

The apostle John was well aware of this dilemma when he wrote his gospel. He was writing to believers who never got to see what he saw. He was asking his first readers to do what we must do today—to believe without seeing. It sounds impossible. And so, John includes what Jesus says to Thomas after he believes: Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. (John 20:29)

What an incredible statement. Not only does Jesus make it clear that you can believe without seeing, but that you are blessed if you do! This seems so foreign from our expectations and experience and yet Jesus says that it’s true. Jesus promises us that we can believe without seeing. And He’s right. 

In the next post we’ll see why. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

This is a Part 1 of a 3 part series taken from an article written by Tom Habib for the Bible Coalition. Tom is a lectures on the New Testament and Greek at Moore Theological College.

What Does Theodicy Mean in Christianity?

Does the Bible Give a Definite Answer to Theodicy?

 

God’s only answer to Job is the same one we see throughout scripture: God’s ways are not ours. Even Jesus prayed for God to remove suffering, but only if it was God’s will. His prayer is the ultimate example of how we should respond to trials and suffering. Jesus asked for the suffering to be removed if it was his Father’s will, but he was willing to obey whatever the Father asked of him (Matthew 26:39-42).

 

What Are Some Practical Things We Can Learn from Theodicy?

 

We can learn many things from the concept of theodicy, such as the character of God and the purpose of pain and suffering. Here are a few things we can learn:

 

1. God is infinite, and we are finite, so there are some things we will never understand here on earth. Isaiah 55:8 tell us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord” (KNJV). He also works on a different schedule than we do. Second Peter 3:8-9 tell us that God’s timeline differs from ours. A thousand years is like a day to him, but He does not forget. He is long-suffering in allowing people to repent before He brings down judgment

2. Faith by nature requires us to trust God even when we don’t understand. First Corinthians 13:12 tells us that “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

3. Suffering brings us closer to God and is a source of transformation. Paul and the other apostles all suffered for Christ. On the day Paul surrendered to Christ, God sent Ananias a message, warning that Paul would suffer many things in Jesus’ name (Acts 9:16).

4. Never dismiss someone else’s suffering. As Christians, we are called to support our brothers, sisters, and non-believers, through prayer and a listening ear. Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep”(NKJV). It does not say to offer explanations or criticism.

5. We shouldn’t waste time in vain arguments. First Peter 6:5, Paul tells Timothy to stay away from proud people who like to argue over useless questions and cause strife in the church.

6. We should make the best use of the time we have. Ephesians 5:15-16 tells us that we should “walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (NKJV).

There are some things in this world we will probably never understand this side of Heaven, but our faith is built on trust in God and not on what we can see. While we should diligently study the scriptures and prayer, we shouldn’t allow debates and philosophies to distract us from God’s assignments. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate teacher; we should follow His leadership in everything.

                  This finishes our study. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/theodicy.html#google_vignette

What Does Theodicy Mean in Christianity?

What Are Some Places Where the Bible Talks about Theodicy?

While the term theodicy is not found in the Bible, examples can be found throughout the Scriptures, especially in the Psalms. David often cried out to God about injustice and suffering, such as in Psalm 94:3: “Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?”

Habakkuk also asked the question of how long. He could have been living in today’s time when he penned the following verses: “The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw. O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, ‘Violence!’ And You will not save. Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.” (Habakkuk 1:1-4 NKJV)

However, the best example is found in the book of Job. God declared Job righteous yet allowed him to suffer physically and emotionally. If that wasn’t enough, Job’s supposed friends urged him to confess his sins, and his wife told him to curse God and die. Job asked God why 14 times, but instead, God answered him with a description of who God is. Job repented in ashes and vindicated God, saying:

“You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” (Job 42:3 NKJV)

 

What Are Christianity’s Major Approaches to Theodicy?

 

There are many approaches to this topic, but according to Dr. Mitchell, some of the more common ones are as follows:

1 - The Free Will approach states that God wanted us to love Him of our own choice, allowing us to choose not to; therefore, evil is the unfortunate result of human free will.

2 - The Soul Making approach sees suffering as a means of growth and improvement, purifying our souls through trials.

3 - The Great Design approach focuses on how God uses all things to work together for a greater good, even if we can’t see it.

4 - The Eschatological Hope approach approaches the problem of evil and suffering as only present for a finite period, but justice will rein in the future.

5 - The Theology of the Cross approach looks at Christ’s suffering on the cross as not only the atonement for sin but also the victory over and judgment upon evil.

6 - The Faith and Trust approach affirms the basic truth that we must have faith that God is good and in control, so He is to be trusted even during trials.

                  Next time we will continue our look at Theodicy as it relates to Christianity. Until then, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/theodicy.html#google_vignette

What Does Theodicy Mean in Christianity?

Theodicy is a big word with an important idea: where is God when bad things happen? Rather than ignoring this question, Christianity faces it, but with answers you may not expect.

 

How long must I suffer? 

How long will You allow this evil? 

How long, God?

In a world of natural disasters, wars, and violence, we all look for someone or something to blame. Usually, this falls at God’s feet. How can a good God allow such evil to continue or even exist? It is a question for the ages and the subject of theodicy—which is a big word for a complex issue. We will all face trials and suffering in this world, but a deeper understanding of the term theodicy and its implications can help us look at the issue from a different perspective.

 

What Does the Word Theodicy Mean?

The term theodicy combines the Greek words theos (God) and dikaios (justification). It is an attempt to justify or vindicate God for the existence of evil. Theodicy was first used in 1710 by Gottfried Leibniz in his book Theodicy: Essays on the Goodness of God, the Freedom of Man and the Origin of Evil. The problem of evil and suffering has been debated for centuries. It is the subject of great literature, such as The Divine Comedy by Dante, Paradise Lost by John Milton), Candide by Voltaire), and Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. In Christian circles, one of the best-known discussions is by C.S. Lewis in The Problem of Pain. Lewis proposes that pain and suffering are not evil but the way God draws us closer to Himself:

 

“We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

 

Dr. Mitchell of Dallas Baptist University gives three key approaches to theodicy as follows: the logical problem, the evidential problem, and the existential problem.

 

The logical (deductive) argument states that God exists, and is good, all-knowing, and all-powerful, so how can a good being allow evil to exist?

 

The evidential approach argues that a good God would not allow so much unjustified evil that appears to have no good purpose, as evidence shows to exist in large amounts in the world.

 

The existential approach is the personal argument of, “Why am I suffering?”

 

Next time we will continue our look at Theodicy as it relates to Christianity. Until then, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/theodicy.html#google_vignette

What is a Theodicy?

Back to the beginning

 

Looking at these ideas, then, we can see that Epicurus’ version of the problem of evil suffers from a fatal flaw. This can be summed up in one simple statement: the “God” Epicurus criticizes is not the God of the Bible. In other words, Epicurus’ criticism only works against the deities of Greek polytheism* and in the context of a polytheistic view of reality.

 

The Christian can respond to Epicurus as follows:

 

1 - Is God willing to prevent evil, but unable to? Then he is not omnipotent. God is willing to limit evil and has acted to do just that. So, He is still omnipotent.

2 - Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. God is able, but not willing, to abolish our free will. So, He is still omnibenevolent.

3 - Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? God has acted to defeat evil. Evil comes simply when we fall short of His will.

4 - Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? God is not willing to prevent our free will. Your disapproval does not make Him any less God.

 

And, to the more pop-culture-friendly Lex Luthor, Christianity can respond as follows:

 

“If God is all powerful, he cannot be all good. And if he’s all good, then he cannot be all powerful.” God can be all-powerful and choose not to act according to your preferences. When you say, “all good,” what you really mean is “doing things my way”; and when you say, “all powerful,” what you really mean is “capable of making us simultaneously free and robotic,” which is gibberish. An all-powerful, all-good God can allow evil in order to obtain the greater, eternal good.

Human beings will always struggle with the problem of evil. Theodicy is not an attempt to make God appear as palatable as possible. In fact, the opposite is true. A truly rational theodicy has to begin with the admission that our dislike of something does not make it false. The question is not whether God is compatible with our personal preferences. The problem of evil is simply the debate over whether or not God is logically possible. Theodicy, taking all logic and evidence together, clearly says He is—whether we like Him or not.

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org

*Polytheism - the belief in or worship of more than one god.