At one time I was bothered by the fact that we don't really have ALL the answers.
There was always a loose end somewhere.
That was me over 50 years ago....I was that “why?” kid who always asked the “why?” for everything my parents taught me about God, but they themselves were without answers provided by their church......and because they never had all the answers, I was eternally frustrated.
In my late teens I threw in the towel and left the church system altogether. Never sure about whether to throw the baby out with the bath water, because all I saw in nature screamed at me of the existence of a super intelligent and loving Creator.....I just never found him in mainstream religion. I tried non-mainstream faiths and found them just as illogical and wanting as the rest. I tried science, thinking that it might have the answers I was looking for, but they too wanted me to “believe” their theories with no real evidence.
I knew there was a God who could answer all my questions (within reason) but I couldn’t find him anywhere....just as I was about to give up, there was a knock at my door......and God found me.
He sent his people to show me from my own Bible, the answers to all my questions. No one said “I think” this scripture means “this or that”...they simply allowed the Bible to speak for itself, without all the dross that has clouded a relatively simple truth as to why we are here on this beautifully prepared planet in the first place.
I chased the apologetics in every direction, but always came up short somewhere.
And frankly, I don't remember the specifics, only the moment of my release from the tyranny I had inflicted myself with.
Interesting that you use the word tyranny.....were you taught about a tyrannical God? Any wonder you rejected him! I couldn’t deal with a hell of eternal torment either.
Was Jesus tyrannical? No! But he was a stickler for the truth...the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
I finally realized that I needed to leave some room for faith.
To live with some mystery. To admit that I didn't have ALL the answers.
Is God looking for those with blind faith? With lots of unanswered questions?
Is that the kind of faith required for what Peter speaks about?
1 Pet 3:14-16.....
“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are happy. However, do not fear what they fear, nor be disturbed. 15 But sanctify the Christ as Lord in your hearts, always ready to make a defense before everyone who demands of you a reason for the hope you have, but doing so with a mild temper and deep respect.
16 Maintain a good conscience, so that in whatever way you are spoken against, those who speak against you may be put to shame because of your good conduct as followers of Christ.”
If we love God and his Christ, then we will be students of his word. We do not need to bash people with the Bible, but we can show them what it says if they want to look, because it has the answers.
If we cannot defend our faith, then it’s not worth having. If someone demands a reason for what we believe, can we refer them to God’s word to answer their questions? If someone is searching for God and has questions like you and I had....isn’t it a good idea to at least listen and evaluate what is said and see if it is backed up by Scripture? Sometimes the truth lies in the most unexpected places.
We all have the same access to Scripture today via the Internet...even in poorer nations the WWW is available to all....but like the first Christians we must be guided by those whom God has provided to “feed” us. (Matt 24:45; Heb 13:17) God has always provided shepherds and teachers for his precious sheep.
In the first century the Jews stumbled over the fact that Jesus and his apostles were not “educated” at their recognised rabbinical schools. And today people expect a minister of God to hold a degree in theology. But, is that what is necessary to preach “the good news about God’s Kingdom”? (Matt 24:14)
Most who graduate from those schools have no idea what God’s kingdom is....what it is for ....and what it will accomplish. They see the earth as a training ground for heaven, but haven’t got a clue why they need to go there.
It always goes back to the fundamentals....get them right, and the rest just falls into place like pieces in a jig saw puzzle.
