I. The possibility of the knowledge of God

Transcription

1 Biblical Worldview 1 of 5 Intro: In Lesson 4.1, we discussed God the Creator as the God who is love, seen in eternity among the persons of the Trinity, comprehended in retrospect as the motivator of creation. In Lesson 4.2, we considered the end towards which God s love is set in the universe as we consider the Creator as The Spring of All Being. It is to Him that we exist, to be brought into subjection unto Him by faith or fiat as creation fulfils its purpose. In this lesson, we will consider the Creator God as transcendent (beyond us), yet near us (Immanuel) as we outline God s relationship with the Universe (both true and false views). [Shaded portions are review] I. The possibility of the knowledge of God A. Getting to know an orange only by observation B. Getting to know God 1. The humanistic way: by human observation The humanist idea of the knowledge of God is relative no one religion can grasp all there is to god, so we must accept that all paths lead to God 2. God s way: God speaks, we listen For you to get to know people, they have to be willing. They have to decide what they want to reveal to you and when. (Ward, 55) But God has spoken and revealed himself to man the only way the true God could be known II. Various theories for the knowledge of God outlined The major religions of the world couldn t possibly be blind men all offering their partial view of the same God. That s because world religions have mutually exclusive views of God. They disagree so fundamentally about who God is that if one of them is right, the others must be wrong. (Ward, 56)

2 Biblical Worldview 2 of 5 A. Materialism 1. Materialists argue that there is no God, there is no such thing as creation (thus this view is considered non-religious ) 2. Summary: the Universe is all that is there is nothing spiritual, including in human makeup B. Pantheism 1. There is no God, we are all part of god, as are all other things: 2. Summary: all that is, is god there is a mystical sense of oneness with all things in pantheism C. Dualism 1. Many kinds of dualism (we discussed one kind in the two-story view lessons) a. Even if there is a God, there is no reliable way to sort out what is true and what is false b. All the unknowable supernatural stuff is put in the upper story, and must stay there while we live our lives on the lower story 2. Another kind of dualism sees God and the universe as having always existed a. On parallel tracks, may never meet b. God and matter (the universe) are the two major forces of existence 3. Those who hold this view see God and matter as opposed to each other 4. Goal of life is to escape the shackles of the evil material world and join the spiritual world where God exists 5. Many religions hold some form of this view, but ancient Gnosticism is one that posed a major challenge to the early church 6. Biblical counter revelation: a. God existed before creation b. Creation is (or was) very good

3 Biblical Worldview 3 of 5 7. Summary: God and the Universe are distinct eternal and opposing realities D. Deism 1. Deism accepts that there is a God, but denies that God has spoken to us 2. Man is left on his own to discern truth from nature 3. Deism has no organized religious body nor any defined practices 4. One sociologist, Christian Smith, says that the best way to describe most American teenagers views is what he calls moralistic therapeutic deism. Five points of belief: a. Benign God: A God exists who created and orders the world and watches over human life on earth b. Moral Impulse: God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions. Note: I say impulse rather than imperative because God is nice and isn t demanding. c. Don t Worry, Be Happy: The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself. d. God the Magic Genie: God does not need to be particularly involved in one s life except when God is needed to resolve a problem. e. It s all good if you re good: Good people go to heaven when they die. Point 2 is the moralistic part. Point 3 is the therapeutic part. Point 4 is the deism. But Points 1 and 5 are (sort of) taken from Christianity. Deism is parasitic; it takes a faith like Christianity and strips out the stuff that s offensive to human reason. (Ward, 58-59) 5. This viewpoint is very similar to American civil religion something widely held in North America. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

4 Biblical Worldview 4 of 5 God bless America. (or Canada ) Swear solemn oaths on Bibles Suggest that Muslims and Christians worship the same god 6. Summary: God is out there, somewhere over the universe, but the connection is hard to see. E. Biblical Theism Our world is full of ideas about God. He s either nonexistent (materialism), or he s everything (pantheism). He s either at war with the universe (dualism) or he doesn t really care about it much and just expects us not to mess up the furniture while He does His own thing (deism). (Ward, 59) 1. False views of God are undercut by the Bible s opening statements a. God is personal b. God stands above creation c. God is deeply involved in creation 2. Eph 4.6: one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. a. God is in all and through all (no room for materialism or deism) b. God is over all (no room for pantheism) 3. God is distinct from creation: transcendent 4. God has no rivals (Isa 46.9) 5. God is not at war with the universe, and could win the conflict with Satan at any moment he chooses 6. God is deeply involved in creation: immanent a. Guides its affairs (Job 12.10) b. Knows every detail (Mat ) 7. God rules the kings of the earth, and made the greatest of them acknowledge it (Dan 4.35) 8. Summary: God is over creation and involved in creation (Isa )

5 Biblical Worldview 5 of 5 III. The reality of personal knowledge of the Great God who is over all The executive producer of the re-release of Cosmos was scheduled to fly in one of the jets that crashed into the World Trade Center on Sept 11, He missed the plane because his travel agent gave him the wrong time. He was asked in an interview, Do you ever think of the rest of your life as being this kind of gift? It could have all ended for you that day. He replied: One of my favorite quotes by Carl Sagan is that we are as a species and as a culture we are significance junkies. We love attaching significance to everything, even when there is really no significance and something is just coincidence. I m living the same way as I was in A. The Bible tells us what we already know in our hearts: God created the universe with a purpose in mind B. God s goal was not selfish, not for his own indulgence, but to lavish his care on others C. S. Lewis: God who needs nothing, loves into existence wholly superfluous creatures in order that He may love them and perfect them.