Renewing Reason: Calling All Skeptics

If there is one thing I wish I could tell the world about Jesus, it would be this: you don't have to better yourself up to come to Him. You can come just as you are, with any and all of your mess ups, failures, shortcomings, doubts, worries, fears, sins of the very worst kind. Somehow, we feel we must take care of all the knots in our lives. But Jesus simply says: leave it to me. Let me take care of it. Let me smooth out the knots. Let down your heavy, heavy burden and rest in me. Find life, hope, joy, and peace in me. Find your identity no longer in your mess ups, rather take hold victoriously of a new one: find your identity in Christ. An identity that through God's eyes sees you as holy, perfect, righteous, and blameless because of Christ's work on the cross. And that really is all there is to it.

As I end this blog series on renewing reason, I find that I must share that I definitely don't have all the answers. There are many others that are much better at explaining all we can find in this world that points to clear evidence of a great and mighty God and Christ. But I will say that if you what you really desire is to find the truth, you will find it when you seek it wholeheartedly. The truth is undeniable. God is written in the sunsets, the mountains, the lakes, and in the many chapters of stories of how He has changed the hearts of men and women that I know. He has changed my life.

I love that all can come to Him. Welcome skeptics, welcome murderers, welcome prostitutes, welcome the prideful and arrogant, welcome haters, welcome gossipers, welcome all.

Today, specifically, I want to welcome skeptics. Those that love the question why. Man, we have all been there. But I know God saves us for His glory, even the skeptic. Come to Him, with your questions and your doubts. Find someone to walk you through the questions. Fall at the feet of Jesus, and find answers in Him.

In my own walk with Christ, I have found that unbelief is a huge struggle. God is never changing. But my heart in believing God is who He says He is continues to be an up and down journey. If you look at stories in the bible, you can see that we as a people have a history of dealing with unbelief. Unbelief kept the Israelites wandering in the wilderness when the promised land was right at their fingertips. God always has our best in mind. He was not there to punish the Israelites. The wandering was a consequence of choosing to not believe God and His promises. Belief is right at our fingertips and yet we struggle.

The amazing thing about God though is that He continues to use us and change us and inspire belief in us even when we doubt. He uses the skeptic all the time. Even when we doubt who He is, He will work in our lives.

I love what Beth Moore says about belief in Praying God's Word: "You may be thinking, 'I want to believe! I just don't have enough faith!' God's Word records an encounter in Mark 9:14-24 to encourage every person who wants to believe. Christ met a man with a son who had been possessed by the enemy since childhood. No telling how many physicians, witch doctors, religious fanatics, wise men, and foolish men the father had sought to find freedom for his son. Imagine the glimmer of hope that kindled his soul when rumors circulated about the disciples of Jesus who were reputed to perform miracles. Then imagine his devastation when they too were added to the list of the failed. Jesus asked for the boy to be brought to Him. The father's desperate plea would bring an empathetic lump to the throat to any parent: 'If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.' I love Jesus' powerful retort: 'If you can...?' Everything is possible for him who believes.' The father's reply comprises one of the most honest, priceless moments in the record of Christ's human encounters. 'Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, 'I do believe.' Then, as if Christ had caught his gaze eye to eye, reading his questioning mind, the father quickly restated, 'Help me overcome my unbelief!'"

Jesus goes on to cast out the demon for the crowd to see. I love this example in scripture. And there are so many other examples of God continuing to use us even when we struggle with doubt for His glory.

J.P. Moreland has an awesome article entitled "Answering the Skeptic" that discusses questions about human knowledge and why the logic of skepticism cannot stand. It can be found here: http://www.jpmoreland.com/articles/answering-the-skeptic/

My heart is that others may see that true knowledge and truth can be found in God and in Christ. Furthermore, true life and freedom may be found in Christ. If you seek logic and evidence and reason for God, you will find it. God says knock and the door will be open, seek and you will find.

Christ welcomed the doubter and the skeptic, as seen through His response to Thomas, a disciple who would not believe in Christ and the resurrection until he saw it with his own eyes.

"Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.'" John 20:27-29

May all of us fall at the feet of Jesus, in whom all our answers can be found.

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