Whether we acknowledge it or not, we all believe in something. Most of the things we believe in can be verified by our senses. We can see the sun and feel its warmth, so we believe it exists. We can hear dogs bark and know they are nearby. We believe there is a skunk living under the shed because we can smell it. When we get out of bed in the morning, we believe the floor under our feet will support our weight.
To believe in something is to accept or regard it as true.[1] If we accept with certainty that something exists or is true[2] we say it is a belief.
Religions, science, and philosophies are organized systems of related beliefs. They are often ardently championed by their adherents.
Atheists do not believe any deity exists. The agnostic believes that ultimate reality is not known and may not be knowable. They are, consequently, not committed to the existence or nonexistence of a deity. Essentially, the agnostic believes that we can only know with certainty what we perceive with our senses. Atheism and agnosticism are belief systems.
The skeptic questions facts, attitudes, and beliefs that others say are true. The skeptic wants to test ideas to see if they are true and tries to accept nothing at face value. He or she wants proof. For the skeptic, the belief that things must be questioned is axiomatic. It is their belief system.
What if something cannot be confirmed by observation? What if it may exist, but it cannot be seen, heard, touched, smelled, or tasted? What if it is an idea that cannot be verified by scientific experiments? Freud theorized that the personality includes an Id, Ego, and Superego. We are told that the universe was formed by a huge, spontaneously occurring explosion billions of years ago. Did life begin on Earth by spontaneous generation as well? Have you observed life erupt from a mixture of ocean ooze and sunlight? Today, scientists are speculating about the existence of dark matter in space. Sounds okay to me, but where is the conclusive evidence?
A theory is an unproved speculation about reality? Have any of these widely accepted theories been upheld in a conclusive way? Light seems to bend in space, and memories long forgotten can be brought back to recall when the brain is stimulated with electrodes. These observations do not, however, prove with certainty the existence of the unconscious, or subconscious mind, or dark matter.
Some theoretical concepts defy verification. Nonetheless, to many people these ideas make a lot of sense. Many believe they are true simply because learned people say they are.
If we give credence to the unproven speculations of science, philosophy, and political systems, does not fundamental fairness require that we consider the possibility that God exists, too? If we are skeptical about the Almighty God, must we not at least apply the same degree of rigorous examination to other belief systems?
Knowledgeable Christian apologists have debated unbelievers of all kinds, making the case for our One God in Three Persons … the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They have shown that creation attests to its Creator, and that over 300 biblical prophesies were fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ. They have explained the statistical impossibility that the universe and life were spontaneously generated, and that it is virtually impossible for so many prophesies to be fulfilled in one life by accident. They have revealed the proofs that the Holy Bible is reliable and is an exact representation of the ancient scriptural manuscripts. The archeological evidence confirming biblical events, and the corroboration of the Bible by ancient secular manuscripts substantiate that the Bible is the truth. They have demonstrated the internal consistency of the Bible and explained any apparent contradictions in it. The scope of this post does not permit me to elaborate. Simply put these apologists have proved the existence of God as he has revealed Himself in the Bible. There is nothing more I can say that will add to their scholarly arguments. I can only tell my experience.
From where I sit what Jesus said of the Pharisees may be true of today’s unbelievers as well. “… You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (Matthew 23:24 NIV)[3]
God is Spirit, and He is not apprehended by our five senses. Jesus promised, however, that if we earnestly seek Him we will find Him. (Matthew 7:7-8) God is not unknown or unknowable. He has given us the Holy Bible and the Holy Spirit. Everything that we need to know about God is available to us in His Holy Word. If we believe in Him, God will cause us to feel His presence and see the result of it in our lives. If we trust God the Son (Jesus Christ) for our salvation, He will give us His Holy Spirit, dwelling within us, to guide and teach us as we read the Word.
God is real. I can testify it’s true from my own experience.
How would you like to come into the very presence of Almighty God and worship Him for giving you life everlasting? Believe in Jesus Christ today and then walk as Jesus walked.
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