Sunday, February 14, 2016

The Gospel Confronts the Skeptic

“The riddles of God are more comforting than the answers of man.” G.K. Chesterton

I have been reading, writing, and teaching in the field known as Apologetics (defending the faith) for close to 20 years now. My research has led me to investigate the charges and arguments made throughout history against the existence of God.

There are some good natured skeptics with honorable concerns and doubts- they don't get the following or the press of the hard core, sarcastic, bomb throwing elites who pack auditoriums and sell millions of books. The popular atheists have become bolder and colder in their attack of all religion and the Christian faith in particular.

I feel like when someone discounts God on the basis of reason, they are doing the most foolish thing of all. When the Bible speaks of the ‘unforgivable sin’ and ‘blasphemy of the spirit’- it has to be this. When someone says, “There is no God, no angels or devils, no heaven or hell” they are lifting their life experience and powers of reasoning to a god-like status. ‘I must become God to kill God’- Nietzsche understood this.

I’m thankful that I am under-educated enough to keep a healthy self-suspicion of my intellect. Is reason trustworthy enough to gamble on eternity?

What does the Bible say about our ability to reason?




“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”





“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—



So a legitimate question is: Does the gospel confront the skeptic? And my answer is that it keeps coming on every breath, in every heartbeat, indeed in every argument those who fight the knowledge of God with every fiber in their being.

My guess is that- the truly hardened skeptic will best be able to respond to the issues of faith as their own body begins to wither and as the doorway of death begins to appear. There are so many urban legends surrounding the deathbeds of famous skeptics and it is impossible to sift through the spin- but my hunch is that after years of intellectual protection and high minded arguments- the closer that mysterious realm grows, the more intense the gamble is waged.

There will be harsh punishment for men who have used intellectual arguments to lead others to jettison any belief in God.

And maybe this realization works against them- they feel like they have to keep their loyalty to the many years of fighting faith. Maybe they think that they have already sealed their destiny and willing to leap into the great unknown with a determination of mind. They have a defense in their hand- "You didn't give me enough evidence!"- but I'm afraid they will fall to their knees in regret before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Satan whispers to them: 'God has let you down' and at the same time 'It is too late to pray'.
But the gospel is still good enough to forgive the waywardness and damage done by the skeptic. As has been mentioned and will continue to be emphasized: anyone who comes to their senses and sees their sin before the Holy God, and turns to Him in repentance, and trusts in the sacrificial death of Christ to atone for that sin WILL BE SAVED- but that process is a miracle...impossible by the persuasion of man.
No one comes to Christ because they lost a debate. The skeptic will only turn after a healthy self suspicion of his intellectual limitations and his heart disposition to resist. And that act will only happen as God moves- but wemust keep praying and serving and loving even the boldest skeptic. As long as the skeptic is breathing- the door of mercy is open.
Yes- the gospel is that good!

The heart has reasons that reason cannot know.” Blaise Pascal

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