Fact Finding vs. Faith Finding, Lent Part 2

Spirituality Column #227
March 15, 2011
Current in Carmel - Current in Westfield - Current in Noblesville – Current in Fishers
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)

Lenten Series 2011: Just Not that into God, Part 2
Fact Finding vs. Faith Finding
By Bob Walters

Some people just aren’t that into God because they are so busy fact finding that they ignore, shun, or ridicule faith finding.

Look at our educational system. Look at our legal system. Shoot, look at several aspects of our church system. Our modern culture is wired, networked, satellite-linked and surfing for a universe explained by facts.

Educationally, we shun faith, and I don’t mean prohibiting public school prayer. Schooling at every level, K-through-college, institutionally asserts that faith has no part of functioning intellect. Rubbish. Faith is, precisely, a function of intellect.

Legally, we expend enormous energies assessing the facts of various cultural conveniences, bringing our judicial system to the opinion that while it is not necessary to protect live, unborn fetuses or the “this-man-take-this-woman” institution of marriage, it is indeed necessary to protect itself from faith. Ten Commandments? Adios. Faith, you see, is “non-factual opinion.” It’s also the ultimate “inconvenient truth.”

Churches that are faith-based, faith-directed and faithful to the Gospel truth of Jesus Christ are awesome. Churches that survey the expediencies of current society and rewrite the truth of Jesus Christ into fashionably inoffensive – or incredibly fear-inducing – facts to better “market” or “sell” religion to “a non-believing world,” are awful, not awesome. Why go to church to find the “truth” if church is just as treacherous and self-serving with the facts as the rest of the world?

Truth is, the world’s game of facts is stacked against “the truth.” And by truth, I mean Jesus Christ. He’s the lightening rod of all lightening rods, and He’s the source of all truth, all light, and all joy that is truly worth having. That His “truth” doesn’t rise to the adequate level of “fact” in our public institutions is what day-by-day gives Satan hope.

Yet no matter what facts we find, the truth stays the truth 24/7/365: For His glory God loves us, Jesus Christ has saved us, the Holy Spirit is here with us, and the Bible tells us so. Amen.

Faith in just that much truth changes the complexion of every fact we can ever discover. Thinking we can reflect our own glory with facts is Satan’s most powerful weapon against us. Knowing in faith that all Glory is God’s, we discover the vast and true love, grace and beauty of God’s Kingdom; and it’s all around.

That’s the power of faith, and that’s a fact. Find it today.

Walters (www.believerbob.blogspot.com, email rlwcom@aol.com) notes that cell phone texting and surfing has us all bowing our heads. How hard would it be to throw in a prayer of thanks to God once in a while?

Creation, Facts, and Purpose

Spirituality Column #202
September 21, 2010
Current in Carmel - Current in Westfield - Current in Noblesville
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)

Creation, Facts, and Purpose
By Bob Walters

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth …
(Genesis 1:1)

Considering that Creation is among the hottest of contemporary, fightin’-words, flash-point topics in church, theological, political, scientific, cosmological, educational, philosophical and biblical circles, this could be a dangerous discussion.

However the intention here is to simply present a few non-combative thoughts on the how and why of Creation, not challenge anyone’s Christianity or second-guess God.

Neither is this an attempt to prove the “six day” teaching nor to bash evolution, but we will put the Bible in its rightful and true spot as God’s voice.

The truths we’re working with are that God exists, God is eternal and uncreated, God is the creator of all things, God had a reason for creating all things, God is omniscient (knows all) and omnipotent (can do all), and the Bible is what it says it is.

Let’s also clearly state that the world is real, we are real, we are alive, we are aware, and what we do matters. Plus, it is reliably entrenched in our human brains to ask how and why Creation happened, and how and why we are here.

Science and Philosophy (God created them, too) ask how and why all the time.

Science asks: How do things happen? What are the predictable and repeatable results? What are the facts?

Philosophy asks: Why am I here? Why are we here? What is truth? What is our purpose?

The scientific “How” leads to facts: we find out how God made things, leading to knowledge. And then, philosophically asking “Why” God made things leads to discovery of God’s purpose, leading to relationship and faith.

The Bible reveals little of “how” God created us, but is overwhelmingly packed with “why.” From Adam and Eve to Abraham to Moses to the Prophets to Jesus Christ to Paul, God describes His relationship with mankind, and the relationship He wants us to have with each other.

God’s purpose for Creation becomes clear as our faith grows, and that purpose boils down to one word: Love. God is love (1 John 4:8, 16), and his Son Jesus Christ entered this world to defeat death, remove our sin, and save us for eternal communion amid God’s love.

I appreciate science exploring how God does things, but am thankful beyond expression that faith is all we need to know why.

Walters (www.believerbob.blogspot.com, email rlwcom@aol.com) thinks science is God’s way of having us look for Him in Creation. Too often we think we see ourselves instead.