Last night 29:11 (our college & young adult small group at Forest Park Church) met at my house for the start of a new series in the book 'Ask Me Anything,' which I highly recommend. This book is a collection of actual conversations that J. Budziszewski, a professor at Texas University, has had with his students on topics such as Science/Reason vs Faith, Homosexuality (actually a tense argument he recorded with a homosexual), Cohabiting, Just War vs Pacifism, Abortion & Stem Cells.
The best thing about this book is that he doesn't give politically-correct or only Bible-based reasoning. He's ultra-practical and makes a lot of sense.
Last night we talked the assumption many non-Christians believe that we are "uneducated and easily misled." If that we're true, I would believe that statement right away. It was and will be, by far, the most philosophical and abstract conversation we'll have regarding this book. It was even challenging for me to stay on top of it and I WAS LEADING IT!!
Anyway, without going into all the specifics here is what the bottom line was. You can, and DEFINITELY SHOULD, use reasoning and skepticism to test everything within the Christian faith (what books you read, what advice you take, which pastors you learn under, etc). You can test the faith and yourself without testing God.
Take the story of "doubting Thomas" for example. Thomas wasn't there in the room when Jesus first appeared to all of the disciples so when they saw him next they told him that they had seen Jesus resurrected! Thomas didn't believe them. He told them that he would have to see and put his fingers in the nail holes and the spear hole in Jesus' side before he did.
Jesus appeared again, this time in front of them all, and without chiding, ridiculing or belittling his doubt, he asked Thomas to see and touch as he requested and then he said, "NOW STOP DOUBTING! And blessed are those that believe without seeing (the answer right in front of their face)!"
GK Chesterson said, "Merely having an open mind is nothing. The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid."
But, when you have been sufficiently answered or if you feel as if you have confirmation about an answer you've been seeking or praying about for a while DROP IT! Accept it by faith and move on!
Doubt is fine, even encouraged in my opinion! But once you get an answer, be appeased!
But when nothing but doubt spouts from your mouth, then that's a problem because you can become a hindrance to others who are seeking real answers.
But in the church is where doubt belongs, not where all the religious skeptics and atheists are lying in the wings! It is within the family of God where skepticisms should be discussed. But, isn't it funny that people feel as if its the last place that they should. Yeah, Jesus never said, "Come to me all who have it all together...."
Everyone had questions throughout the study, which was refreshing. Six of the 9 of us went out to eat at 3 Amigos and about 20 minutes after arriving I got a text saying that Amanda had just accepted Christ!
That's what I meant by 'we' in the title of this blog. Even though she probably was thinking through what I had said, it was Katrina that ultimately led her to Jesus!
That makes everything, all the studying, the stress, the planning most definitely worth it!
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