Where do dogs go when they die? Why is there suffering? Why is there a hell? Does life exist in other galaxies? How do Christians reconcile "Creation" with evolutionary science?
Even the most educated of scholars have never been able to answer these questions definitively. We can look to the Scriptures. We can look to science and philosophy, but in the end, there are some questions we will never answer satisfactorily.
This is a good thing!
Part of being human and Christian is to embrace the mysteries of life. We cannot answer every question. We should not expect that every question can be answered. Our thoughts are not God's thoughts, and God's thoughts are not our thoughts. (Isaiah 55)
Having said this, there are two principles we can embrace as people of faith who seek answers for life's deeper, penetrating questions.
The first is the sufficiency of Scripture. In the Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin notes that Scripture does not attempt to answer every one of our questions, but it tells us what we need to know for life and salvation. In other words, if Scripture does not comment on a particular subject, then it is not essential that we know the answer!
The second principle is "Faith Seeking Understanding." It is important to begin all intellectual pursuits with faith in God (trusting in God's thoughts and ways) and then pursue deeper understanding. If we try to flip this order, we will be frustrated. There is no ladder of understanding that leads us to the mind of God. It begins with the gift of faith. This gift can then lead us to new places of understanding.
If these principles and strategies worked for people like Anselm, Thomas Aquinas, and John Calvin, they can probably work for us today as we seek to grow in faith and understanding.
A prayer for today: "God, I trust in your thoughts and ways. Help me to place my heart and even my mind in service to you. May you lead me into the deep places of life and faith. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment