While I was scheduled to do some long distance mentoring with a couple of my Ohio interns this evening, it occurred to me that they might be available for our weekly I.M./Phone conversation tomorrow night. Both Tyler and Nicole informed me that they would be. For you see, I’d been wanting to ‘take in’ a particular movie, and when my wife mentioned the possibility, well, it seemed like a good idea. And thus, to quote a notable figure of our time, (Forrest Gump) … “we went.”
“Gifted” is the fictional story of a
single man, “Frank Adler,” raising a child prodigy; his spirited seven year old
niece, Mary. However, Frank’s plans for a normal childhood for his charge are
foiled when Mary’s mathematical abilities come to the attention of Evelyn, his
mother, who hopes to place her in the gifted program of a prestigious private
school. Roberta, Frank’s landlady, is also heavily invested in the little girl,
and seems torn between what’s best for Mary.
In one poignant scene, in which Frank
and Mary are show-cased by the setting sun, the latter asks the former,
“Uncle Frank, is there a God?”
To which Frank responds,
“I don’t know. I honestly don’t know.”
With this, Mary exclaims,
“Well, Roberta has faith.”
And lifting the girl up on his
shoulders, and twirling her around, her uncle muses,
“Mary, Roberta has faith in what she
feels and believes, not what she knows.”
What she feels and believes. Not what
she knows.
As a former professor, counselor and
mentor this small element in the movie struck me like a sledge hammer, and I committed
their brief conversation to memory. And while their interaction added little or
nothing to the movie, the duo’s dialogue added a great deal to my
“philosophical spirituality;” (for lack of a better term).
Pt. 2
I mean, I am ‘into’ Apologetics, (the
defense of the Gospel of Jesus Christ) and I not only teach this stuff, but I
have developed a biblical curriculum upon which I base my teaching.
I can tell you that the movie to which
I have alluded provided me a bit of insight which I had previously embraced,
but which I hadn’t surrounded with the exact words.
For you see, there are literally
billions of people in our world today who invest faith in what they feel and
believe to be true, rather than what they know to be true.
Faith has become the crucible in which
feelings and beliefs are forged; rather than allowing knowledge to serve as the
basis of faith. I think too many people in our world today are in danger of
investing their faith in feelings and beliefs which very well …may be false.
Whereas, if one’s faith is based on knowledge, and the absolute certainty that
Christ is the very Son of God, faith just naturally follows.
Scripture assures us that,
“You
will
know the Truth, and the Truth will make you free.” (John
8:32)
Among the series of teachings I offer
my interns is one I refer to as, “The Five Pillars of the Church,” or “Five
Proofs that God Exists and that Jesus is His Son.” (The Five Proofs being The
Word of God, Prophecy, the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, Circumstances
& Miracles, and the Testimony of the Believer).
Pt. 3
And while it is not my object here to
speak exhaustively about the foregoing
variables, for the purpose of understanding I will summarize my conclusions
about what I regard as certain proof that Jesus is the very Son of God, and
Savior of the world.
The Word of God - The 66 books of the Old & New
Testaments were written over a period of several thousand years by a total of
40 authors. In spite of the vast span of years and number of writers, perfect
unanimity exists between them. Each and every biblical book in some way alludes
to the Lord Jesus Christ, whereas 39 of them were written prior to His birth; a
certain indication of the inspired nature of scripture, and the realization of
its divine origins.
Prophecy - Among all of the writings promulgated by
the major religions of the world none contain more prophecies and subsequent
fulfillments than that of The Holy Bible. While not, by any means, an
all-inclusive list, I have in my possession a chart depicting 365 Old Testament
prophecies with resulting New Testament scriptures which represent the
fulfillment of each.
The Person and
Work of the Holy Spirit - Christ
promised that He would return to His Father, and send the Holy Spirit to reside
here in His place. On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit made His advent on the
earth. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are still manifest and operative in His
Church today.
Circumstances
& Miracles - Millions of
believers can attest to the reality of providential circumstances and miracles
in their lives. I, for one, have experienced several very ‘close calls’ in
which I have been miraculously saved from almost certain death, my son once
received a miraculous and immediate healing of an eye condition, and as I was
cycling recently I witnessed what I am certain was an angelic being.
The Testimony of
the Believer - Every believer
possesses a testimony which begins at the moment he or she confesses his or her
sins to the Creator, and asks Christ to live within. As I have implied above,
the presence of circumstances and miracles enhance the testimony of the
believer. The Holy Spirit “bears witness” that “old things are passing away and
all things are becoming new.” The believer’s testimony allows him or her to witness
to unbelievers, and influence them to join the community of faith.
Pt. 4
As you might have realized, I am an
outspoken advocate of “the case for Christ,” I readily admit what I refer to as
“knowledge-based faith,” and I refuse to be politically correct, or embrace an
ecumenical mindset.
Old Testament scripture assures us
that,
“If
with all your heart you will seek the Lord, your God, you will find Him.”
(Deut. 4:29)
(and)
“If
with all your heart you will seek Me, you will find Me.” (Jere. 29:13)
Whereas an initial extension of faith often
predisposes people to embrace whatever religion inspires their feelings and
resulting belief structure, and whereas culturally or traditionally based
religion is replicated in succeeding generations, truth-based faith requires
the existence of factual and irrefutable information which substantiates
the object of faith.
There was nothing politically correct
about the claims of Christ. He was as definitive about His supernatural
identity and deity, as anyone who ever made a claim about themselves,
when He said,
“I
am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father …except by Me.”
(John 14:6)
Sadly, in my 2/3 of a century on this
planet, and fifty years as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, I have NEVER
heard a sermon which purports the possibility that Christ’ claims can be
proven.
And yet, in the last book of the Old
Testament, the Creator says,
“Prove
me and see…” (Malachi
3:10)
Knowledge-based Faith
Not faith for faith sake, or the sort
of faith which invests trust in feelings, or culturally-based beliefs, but faith
which depends on proof. The eternal future of every man, woman, boy and girl
who ever lived, now lives, or will ever live depends on getting this one right.
We simply can’t afford to get it wrong.
About His Son He says,
In the beginning, Lord, you laid the
foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end. (Hebrews 1:8,10-12)
By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 53. Copyright pending
If you wish to share, copy or save, please include this credit line.
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end. (Hebrews 1:8,10-12)
By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 53. Copyright pending
If you wish to share, copy or save, please include this credit line.
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