In a fog about God?

Yesterday I mentioned reading an article entitled, “The silliest story ever told” that ridiculed the biblical story of Jesus Christ. This morning I read a response to comment on a video about exercise. The first comment said that God lead him to that channel and wanted to bless the person who had done the video. The reply to that comment said that he needed to have his mental health examined if he thought God led him to this video.

Both items made me feel sad, a bit annoyed, and somewhat apologetic. I wanted to take the people by the shoulders who dismissed the Lord and say, “You just don't understand.” But I know that it's God who creates understanding. I cannot talk anyone into it.

I also realize that much of the story of Jesus Christ does sound silly to the rational human mind. This morning, I tried to see some of that in the events common to each of the first three gospel accounts in the New Testament.

The first one sounds okay; John the Baptist announces that the Messiah is coming. But if that event is connected with Old Testament prophecy as the Gospel writers affirm, then it becomes suspect. The rational thinker assumes that no one knows the future not even the people of God 600 years ago. So to them, that part of the story is silly.

The second is the baptism of the Savior. A rational human mind would ask what significance is there in being dunked in water? Even if they understand that this is a symbolism, it makes no sense. Some sort of false teaching might say that baptism washes away sin but that makes no sense either. Those NT writers say that Jesus didn't sin so why did He have to be baptized? To them, this is also silly.

Third, all three of the gospels describe the temptation of Jesus Christ. If He is God what is the point? It makes more sense to say He is a man and is tempted like everyone else. Jesus responded to temptation with Scripture. It may make sense to use Bible verses to give a person a way of thinking to keep them from ‘error’ but only if that is what a person wants to believe. But to a rational thinker repeating verse of Scripture does not give anyone in any special power — no more than saying abracadabra does. So that one is silly too

Teachings and the miracles of Jesus are also irrational to the average human mind. They make no sense. Raising up a man who has been in a grave for 3 days? Really? What sense can a reasonable person make of that? Most will conclude somebody made it up.

I recently read an entire book that gives reasons that belief in Christ makes no sense. However it was written by a Christian theologian whose bottom line is valid. He concludes that unless God opens our hearts and gives us the gift of faith, none of it makes sense. it is silly.

Yet because God does open hearts and minds and grants faith to people, millions of people realize that all the sayings, the stories, drama, the teachings, the miracles, everything in the Scripture is true. It happened. Jesus did say those things. Jesus did do those things. We say we know this is true by faith, but faith is actually a gift to understand and verify the revelation God gives.

I imagine looking off to the horizon but there's a fog and nothing can be seen. Then the fog is lifted and reveals a string of mountains. They are blurry. Are they real? Then I am handed binoculars and with them the mountains can be clearly seen. I have no doubt they are actually there, not a mirage or a figment of my imagination or an illusion.

It is the same with knowing God. I could not see Him until He lifted the fog and handed me the binoculars. The words and events in the story were a blur and made no sense until God granted the ability to see what He is doing and has done, and with such clarity that I realize it is totally true.

I cannot make that happen. No one else can make that happen. We can seek the mountains. We can see something through the fog. But until He hands us the binoculars, we cannot make sense of it. The only thing we can do is keep looking. God promises that if we search for Him, we will find Him.

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

And if the fog is still there, then He will grant faith. It is given and we can narrow our search enabling us to be recipients of that gift.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)

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Jesus, I read the Bible for many years without any understanding of what I was reading. I didn’t think it was silly, but it certainly was covered in fog. Why did it take so long for revelation and faith to come? Perhaps the most obvious reason is that pride in my IQ created the fog. Now, as I think on these things, I am greatly aware that my salvation, even my very life, totally depends on You.

New Life Needed!

If I did a pie chart of the time I am alone along with the time spent with people who are Christians and those who are not, that chart would be lop-sided to the alone slice and to the slice of being with believers (including my husband). Mmmm!

If the same information was put on a chart for Jesus, the slices would likely be in far different proportions. He didn’t have much time alone except to pray, but He did spend a lot of time with ‘sinners’ for which the religious leaders criticized Him. They were powerfully self-righteous and did not recognize they were part of the same slice.

But not all of them. One seemed to realize he was in a dangerous slice of that pie. He came to Jesus secretly and made an odd statement. It seems he was saying, “Who are you anyway?”

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:1–3)

Many commentaries assume that Jesus ignored his question and jumped to the heart of things, but I do not agree. If Nicodemus was asking His identity, then Jesus was telling him that he would not see the reality of who He is unless he had the experience of being reborn. This means to be given spiritual life, a transforming work of the Holy Spirit. Without it, no one could see the nature of the kingdom or perceive the identity of Jesus Christ. Nor could any person enter God’s kingdom without this rebirth.

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:5–8)

Nicodemus was a religious man. He knew the Old Testament stories and promises of God. He had a firm foundation in the Law and the Prophets. But that was not good enough. He didn’t get it. All that happened in the history of his people pointed to the Messiah, the Christ who would come and do for them what their attempts at keeping God’s laws had failed to do. Then and now, they needed to look at the Messiah for life, but he missed it:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:11–18)

Today’s devotional cites Calvinism and Arminian beliefs saying that too many Christians try to fit this into their theological system. He is right. Instead, how about using it to form a theological system?

As I read it, I thought of people I know who are religious, even serve in their particular church, but they do not know who Jesus is. Their hope for new life is some mystical future event because their Messiah is not a real person, only an ‘ideal’ that they try to imitate.

When I read and read again this passage, it becomes clearer and clearer that unless God changes a person’s very nature, they will not be able to see Him or His kingdom, or enter it, or enter into a relationship with Him — because they see Him as a teacher from God or something less than who He really is.

This understanding is not so much a choice but a blindness that is the logical result of sin. Sin separates and holds people apart from God. Nicodemus could not close the gap, and we cannot close the gap — but Jesus can.

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Oh Lord Jesus, the Gospel is amazing. I could not believe without Your transforming grace. Not only that, no one else can believe without the work of the Holy Spirit. I cannot convince others with words, admonition, instruction, stories, miracles, parables, examples, or any other forms of persuasion, but when You touch their hearts they receive eyes to see and hearts to understand. The only way I can reach others with the good news of who You are and what You have done is to partner with You, praying, listening, opening my mouth when You tell me, and sharing with others what You want me to say, all in total faith that You can and will continue to change lives by giving Your life to those who are dead in sin.