You wrote:
> Make no mistake though, I agree with Bill Hamilton this morning that
> predominantly the C/E issue is not one for evangelism. It is mostly for the
> Christian in order to give the Christian an intellectual reason to believe
> his religion is true. But if that is what it is for, then the evidence and
> logic used must also be rigorously true.
While I think that this is undoubtedly true, I would like to point out
that anyone who thinks that intellectual assent is important to receiving
Christ is likely to have a bit of disappointment.
When Nicodemus came to Jesus (John 3), Jesus doesn't seem as helpful
with evidence and logic as Nicodemus apparently would have liked:
"Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'"
Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"
Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do
not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak that
which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen; and you do
not receive our witness. If I told you earthly things and you do not
believe, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
Eventually Jesus tells Nicodemus why intellectual assent is not critical.
For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but
that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is
not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he
has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and
men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were
evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to
the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the
truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having
been wrought in God.
Whether or not we come to Christ has to do whether we are willing to
submit ourselves to Christ's judgment of our deeds. It is not whether
we decide that Christianity is `true'... it is whether we decide that
Christ is `true.'
[He is] the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens
every man. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth
were realized through Jesus Christ. [John 1:9,17]
And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us
understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are
in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and
eternal life.
Little children, guard yourselves from idols. [1 John 5:20-21]
So let us come as little children. This does not mean that we cannot
ask questions (my kids do). It just means that the answers don't
fundamentally matter, because we already *know* who He *is*. But if
our intellect predicates our faith, we our lost already:
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all
men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts
is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not
that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, {being} a
double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. [James 1:5-8]
Christianity is foremost a matter of the heart, not of the head:
If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he
ought to know; but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.
[1 Cor 8:2-3]
It is not that God is anti-intellectual:
Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however,
not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;
but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden {wisdom,} which God
predestined before the ages to our glory; {the wisdom} which none of
the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; [1 Cor 2:6-8]
Rather it is that He is anti-intellectuals:
For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the
cleverness of the clever I will set aside." ... For since in the
wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not {come to} know God,
God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to
save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks
search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified ... Christ the power
of God and the wisdom of God. [1 Cor 1:18-25]
I am sure you are fully aware of all this.
Please forgive me for preaching a little.
The C/E issue is not important for evangelism (unless it serves to
undermine ones scientific idols). But it is also not important for faith.
Merry Christmas
--DaveWhen I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has been done on the earth (even though one should never sleep day or night), and I saw every work of God, {I concluded} that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, "I know," he cannot discover. [Eccl 8:16-17]