You have probably experienced that there are many different mechanics out there, and some are way better than others. However, almost any one of them or even all of them are better car mechanics than you.
Your passion in life is probably not car mechanics and likely you don’t know a thing about it. Thankfully, there are people who do have a passion for car mechanics. They are fascinated by it. They devote a lot of time and energy to studying all about it. They devote many hours to working with the tools of the trade and getting hands on experience. After a certain amount of that, we call them an expert. There are even processes developed to obtain an official “certification” at car maintenance.
Without going through all the training to become an expert, imagine that you proclaimed yourself an “expert” in car mechanics. What would be people’s reaction? How much credibility would you have?
When it comes to knowing the truth about God’s existence, are there parallels to this story? Is your average person an expert based solely on having a personal belief or opinion? What kind of credentials are needed for a person to be an expert on the subject of God? Is every person’s point of view supposed to be considered equally?
Another idea is to take a vote of all the people. If the majority decides whether there is a God or not, does that make it the truth?
I don’t think so.
The existence of God is not in the realm of opinion. It is in the realm of facts. You don’t get to decide.
It is either true or it isn’t. He either exists or He doesn’t and no amount of debate, argument, wishing, believing, or demanding is going to change the fact.
When you want to know facts about your car, you would probably trust the word of the experienced car mechanic over a non-mechanic or a novice mechanic. Using the same analogy, we might want to trust the word of those who over their lifetimes had a profound passion to study religious truths. People like Jesus, Peter and Paul and other figures from the Bible, St. Augustine, St. Francis, Mother Teresa, and on and on were devoted day in and day out to discovering God and bringing knowledge about God to the rest of us.
Do you personally know anyone like those people mentioned? Do you know someone that you might consider a saint? Do you know someone who is an “expert” on God from their own lifestyle. The expertise that they have is what you want to gain first before deciding whether God exists or not.
Don’t be too hasty to think you are an expert on the existence of God unless you have gotten your “certification”.
There are many world famous people, past and present, who have revealed their experience of the nature of God from personal experience. Although many of them may have a different experience of the nature of God, all of them would absolutely agree that He exists.
If you are in grade school, it doesn’t make much sense to challenge someone with a PhD.
There is a God.
It is either true or it isn’t. He either exists or He doesn’t and no amount of debate, argument, wishing, believing, or demanding is going to change the fact.
When you want to know facts about your car, you would probably trust the word of the experienced car mechanic over a non-mechanic or a novice mechanic. Using the same analogy, we might want to trust the word of those who over their lifetimes had a profound passion to study religious truths. People like Jesus, Peter and Paul and other figures from the Bible, St. Augustine, St. Francis, Mother Teresa, and on and on were devoted day in and day out to discovering God and bringing knowledge about God to the rest of us.
Do you personally know anyone like those people mentioned? Do you know someone that you might consider a saint? Do you know someone who is an “expert” on God from their own lifestyle. The expertise that they have is what you want to gain first before deciding whether God exists or not.
Don’t be too hasty to think you are an expert on the existence of God unless you have gotten your “certification”.
There are many world famous people, past and present, who have revealed their experience of the nature of God from personal experience. Although many of them may have a different experience of the nature of God, all of them would absolutely agree that He exists.
If you are in grade school, it doesn’t make much sense to challenge someone with a PhD.
There is a God.
No comments:
Post a Comment