Can we know about God with some degree of certainty? It
seems that there is a growing chorus who say “no.” In the Myth of Certainty, Daniel Taylor had made the absurd claim that,
“Faith in God, then, is not a belief system to defend but a life to live out.”
Well, the Christian faith is certainly to be lived out, but
how can we live it out if we can have no degree of certainty about whether or
not we can trust the teachings enough to live them out!
Taylor’s claim goes against everything that the Bible
teaches about certainty and confidence. Doubting Thomas had learned that
certainty wasn’t a myth, but instead it is a reasonable expectation. Thomas had
refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. However, Jesus was
easily able to reverse Thomas’ thinking, when He appeared to Him after His
resurrection. Thomas’ uncertainty was placed by, “My Lord and my God,” (John
20:28).
Jesus performed many miracles to banish uncertainty: “If I
am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them,
even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know
and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” (John
10:37-38; 5:31-38)
The Bible often assumes that there this no rational basis
for uncertainty:
·
Then the LORD said to Moses: "How long will
these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the
signs which I have performed among them?” (Numbers 14:11)
Today, certainty also comes through following Jesus
according to His Word:
·
So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not
mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know
whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.”
(John 7:16-17 )
·
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If
you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the
truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)
Do we need certainty?
Scripture repeatedly tell us “yes,” especially about God:
·
Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast
in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man
boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he
understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love,
justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight,
declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
All blessings are conveyed through the knowledge of God:
·
May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge
of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all
things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him
who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us
his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in
the world because of sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:2-4)
Jesus had prayed:
·
“I made known to them your name, and I
will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me
may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26)
This knowledge of God produces confidence and boldness:
·
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence
to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that
he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we
have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart
in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil
conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22)
It is this knowledge of God that assures us that our sins
are completely forgiven and washed away, and that we are beloved.
Why then are there “Christian”
agnostics? I had confronted one Christian leader who called himself a “Christian
agnostic” with the question:
·
Since you are uncertain and agnostic about the
truth claims of the Bible, have you ever read any of the many Christian authors
who have addressed your areas of uncertainty?
He sheepishly admitted that he hadn’t. It, therefore, seemed
that he was happy to remain uncertain.
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