Food for thought, for people who don't like thinking.

 

As Christmas draws closer it has got me thinking. The Bible can seem so intimidating and complicated, but why is that? Is it just a book of rules? Is it made up by a string of liars? Is it just easier not to think about it or ask these questions, and if so, why? Is it convenient to see God like Father Christmas, is Father Christmas more of what love should look like? I want to know HOW and WHY people can conclude that God doesn't exist. 

The Bible is not simply a rule book. It is history. We all believe in history whether we believe in God or not. So either its all a lie and none of it happened, or its the truth. If it is a lie then how are the stories told from so long ago so relevant to me today? And also, who exactly is Jesus? We know he existed because that's also History so we cant say he didn't exist...which means he is either the biggest fraud of all time, or He is who He showed Himself to be. Notice that He didn't tell anyone who He was, He showed them. He proved that He had power over sickness and death, over evil spirits, over nature- that's what many people witnessed, so were they all deceived?

If God isn't real, and The Bible is a 3000+ year chain of lies, then how come it is still so relevant. How can a book written over the span of 3000+ years be so free of error and contradiction? How come I can relate to the Israelites wondering in the desert for 40 years, doubting God even when He sent food from heaven, and gave them water out of a rock. Even when He parted the Red Sea to lead them to safety and swallowed up their enemies who were chasing them, leading them to the promised land- they STILL doubted. How is that so much like my little life that seems so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. 

 Why doesn't everyone believe Him then? Why was He rejected and killed? Is it because we don't want to be told what to do? If there is no God then why are there consequences, or do we deny that too? Why do we get addicted to things that harm us and our families in the long run if there are no consequences and we are supposed to just all do and be whoever we feel we should be? Why do we think that that is the answer to our happiness? Has it proven to be? Are we the first generation to think we know better?

I believe that we are made in Gods image like The Bible says, so we have some tiny idea of how He thinks. We love the good things, the beauty of nature. All our greatest qualities are little peaks into who He is. All the goodness on earth is a tiny portion of the goodness that is God. 

Should God be good but not just, in our minds? Or is justice loving, I think so. Is it loving to give your kids all they want and never teach them right from wrong. Is it loving to not discipline them, to not help them to learn that bad choices have consequences?

We reject Him because we want to be God. We think we know better than Him. It's so much easier to only think about the moments we are in and avoid thinking about eternity. Its easier to do as we feel and not think about the consequences. We want to judge where to draw the line according to ourselves as if we know better.

Where does our moral compass come from? It comes from being made in the image of God. Doesn't that prove how amazing He is. If we think we are so amazing, how much more amazing should we think He is. 

We hate evil and suffering, we cant understand how people can do some of the things that they do- yet that's all part of being given free will, we want to make our own decisions but when we follow what we think is best we often end up in bad situations. That's part of choosing to do things the way we want to no matter the consequences. 

If we look around, it is quickly evident that the things we think will make us 'happy' don't last. People everywhere seem to be chasing the next rush- the obvious ones are drugs and alcohol, or money, sex... but there's also acknowledgement, praise, recognition, status. All these give us temporary highs, and don't last, or worse still lead to addictions with devastating consequences for us and those we love.

Many people don't want to acknowledge God because of other people (Christians) who have disappointed them. People want to see Christians mess up, and a lot of Christians are scared to be vulnerable about their struggles. We again want to be God and grade sin according to own ideas. Is pride and self righteousness less sinful than other sin? Not according to The Bible.

 To many, it just seems like there is too much to try and wrap your head around, or it seems too boring to even start and its much more appealing to enjoy ourselves as we please, being decent people who follow our moral compasses. Or we feel we could never stick to all the rules or be as perfect as we need to be, so we feel hopeless. Or we think God does exist but that surely He is more worried about the people who have done worse thing than us.

I'm not writing this because I think I know all the answers. No, but I do believe that The Bible has all the answers. I want people to think beyond today. I want people to look for the truth. If I am wrong, then you have nothing to lose. But I know for sure and for certain that The Bible is the truth because I can't see how it couldn't be. Let all who have ears, hear.

In the end, no matter who we are or what we have done- good or bad...the ONLY way to escape the eternal turmoil of hell (where nothing will satiate hunger or thirst)- and its important to understand that if the Bible is true, then that is what everyone who is indifferent, and all those who don't accept the sacrifice Jesus, will face. Eternal separation from everything good and satisfying- because everything good on earth is from God, so eternal separation from Him is eternal separation from everything good. 

We are in the year 2023 because Jesus came to earth 2023 years ago and He is who He showed He was. He is fully God and fully man, and He took the wrath of God on Himself so that we stand a chance. 

Jesus Christ is the only way that we can one day be in a place where there is no confusion, hurt or pain, where He will wipe away every tear for eternity. God knows how it feels to walk this earth and struggle with all the things that lure us into a false happiness. He knows because He came to earth to experience life through Jesus. He was tested and mocked and ultimately killed in the most torturous way possible. He was perfect and he was killed and forsaken by God in the way that we deserve to be, so that Gods anger towards us was taken out on Him, so we have the chance to avoid punishment we deserve. What better love is there? There are still consequences for us in this fallen world but ultimately if it wasn't for Jesus we wouldn't have a chance. And He offers it to all of us, but its our choice whether or not to accept the biggest gift we could ever get.

We don't need to fix ourselves before we can come to Him, He wants us to come as broken as we are so that He can heal us from deep inside. He didn't come to save the righteous, and church shouldn't be a place for people who appear perfect. It is for broken people who are so thankful to have help from the loving Father who created them and knows every hair on their head.

 There isn't such thing as degrees of saved so don't be intimidated by people who have studied The Bible for decades. You don't have to know everything, there will always be more to learn. We are not worthy, but He loves us more that we can imagine. There is nobody who is beyond hope so please, love yourself enough to consider what the truth really is, and don't just take my word for it. Seek and you will find the truth- that is His promise. Forever is a very long time to be wrong for.

I am completely open conversations with anyone who wants to talk or has more questions. If I don't know the answers we can look for them together.