GodBlog.net

Which Story

It's been advanced by philosophers and psychologists, cosmologists and theoretical physicists that we are all part of and/or “telling ourselves a story." With literally tens of thousands of thoughts to sort through every day, this should hardly be surprising. We need a way of organizing and dealing with our thoughts and feelings, attitudes and actions as well as those of others. We also need to make sense of the precarious and fleeting nature of our mortal existence. Billions seek solace in religion. The wisest of these turn to the God of the Bible thus raising two important questions: 1) With so many competing narratives vying for our attention is there evidence the Bible’s authoritative? 2) How similar is modern Christianity’s story to that of Scripture?

We’re born knowing bupkis. In time, via our senses and situation, once clean slates begin to fill with information demanding interpretation. As more stimuli is stored, by necessity its assimilation and consideration produces an individual’s sense of self or “plot.” Over time, interaction with the cares of life and the “storylines” of others augment and amend our own.

This has never been more true than today. Life within developed nations is not only overflowing with input, but trillions of dollars are spent to directly and indirectly manipulate mankind as a marketable audience. Sadly, many of modern media’s most lucrative works are heavily laced with immorality and worse. Synergized by the 1960’s sexual revolution, such a strategy has revised the internal and external dramas of billions, in a single generation all but dissolving traditional bonds of family and friends in favor of the original sin of entitlement and Me-ism.

Many wisely wonder if faith is still reasonable and whether Scripture is truly God’s story. Thankfully for those interested in answering life’s ultimate questions, there are at lest Ten Great Reasons to Believe in the Bible's Authenticity. In addition to these are mountains of evidence supporting the Divine inspiration of Scripture. There are amazing scientific discoveries described millennia ago in Biblical passages. These include a testable model of creation that encompasses modern discoveries in the areas of astronomy and physics, chemistry and biology, human origins and understanding the universe.

Such overwhelming evidence is augmented by the simple fact that for anything to exist, it must have either been created, created itself, or possess self existence (one of the five attributes of Divinity). Such rationale holds true for everything from the tiniest particle of matter to an infinite number of universes to Omnity itself. Self evident, this undeniable proof of God’s existence is easily demonstrated by the simplest math equation possible: 0 + 0 = 0.

Interestingly, while the Bible is by far the all time best seller, an ever growing percentage of the population have lost interest. Even among the rank and file of modern Christianity, most are unable to quote ten verses in a row, much less accurately interpret their meaning. Such Biblical illiteracy, combined with a plague of prayerlessness, creates a vacuum both being filled and enlarged with the concerns and diversions, temptations and deceptions of modern Life.

While this trend is understandable, the net effect has been a secularization of Christianity into Churchianity. This, in turn, has created a many headed hydra of religious belief with various forms of the gospel and many Christs all claiming to be the true story. In the fading light, opportunistic darkness has left humanity groping and guessing. Synergistic, shadowy sins multiply, staining the plots of our personal and collective chronicles. Even as a little leaven leavens the loaf, so billions have developed a sweet tooth for hi carb drama, all but loosing the taste for the solid meat of truth.

The situation is further complicated given that God’s narrative is at odds with worldly wisdom:

• “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NIV

• “But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 AMP

• “You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God. Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love? But He gives us more and more grace ([a]power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it).” James 4:4-6 AMP

• “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:1-12 NIV

• “Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?” Matthew 16:24-26 MSG

• “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in).” Matthew 6:24 AMP

• “The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church’s prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament.”

• “It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no 'ordinary' people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations -- these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit -- immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously -- no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be a real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner -- no mere tolerance or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment.”

• “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” Genesis 3:1-7 NIV
• “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[d] is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17 NIV

Scripture explains that the counterfeit of glory is lust. Lust of the flesh, eyes and ego (sinful pride of life). These might correspond to the elements of glory in the following fashion:

On a graph one can easily see the basis for why these two narratives are diametrically opposed. Unfortunately, engrossed in the hustle and bustle of modern life, the differences often appear far more subtle. Again, they each come with their own brand of wisdom. As previously noted, this poses quite the problem for those desiring to follow Christ but find themselves at one level or another of spiritual impasse.

The apostle Paul details the dilemma this way:

• “What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary. But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.  I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?” Romans 7:15-24 MSG

• “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 1:12-17 NIV

Setting aside for the moment the rigors of radical discipleship of which the metamorphosized Paul so often wrote, his conversion clearly exemplifies the collision of competing narratives. Even as a devout and “blameless” member of the Pharisees, Saul/Paul’s plot was so twisted as to leave him persecuting the very God he struggled to serve:

• “You know my pedigree: a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day; an Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin; a strict and devout adherent to God’s law; a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting the church; a meticulous observer of everything set down in God’s law Book.” Philippians 3:5-6 MSG

• “All this time Saul was breathing down the necks of the Master’s disciples, out for the kill. He went to the Chief Priest and got arrest warrants to take to the meeting places in Damascus so that if he found anyone there belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he could arrest them and bring them to Jerusalem. He set off. When he got to the outskirts of Damascus, he was suddenly dazed by a blinding flash of light. As he fell to the ground, he heard a voice: “Saul, Saul, why are you out to get me?” He said, “Who are you, Master? “I am Jesus, the One you’re hunting down. I want you to get up and enter the city. In the city you’ll be told what to do next.”” Acts 9:1-6 MSG

• “For if we searchingly examined ourselves [detecting our shortcomings and recognizing our own condition], we should not be judged and penalty decreed [by the divine judgment]. But when we [fall short and] are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined and chastened, so that we may not [finally] be condemned [to eternal punishment along] with the world.” 1 Corinthians 11:31-32 AMP