Reason's End

I like to think of myself as a skeptic. A theology nerd. A rebellious critic who was nonetheless won over by Jesus.

Formerly, when my friends argued that Christianity is unconvincing, I countered them with my own conversion experience from doubt to belief. “There are apologetic articles for every question you have, and Romans 1:20 says God revealed Himself in creation… so why don’t you believe yet like I do?” This was the essence of my response, an easy chastisement to make with my own faith crisis in hindsight.

But was my answer truly wise (for the situation)? Was it also Biblical (not just for quoting a verse, but by example)?

I can’t help but contrast it with Paul’s speech in Athens, described in the latter half of Acts 17. The apostle to the Gentiles reasoned with them using their own culture-- affirming that God revealed Himself in it, and the Gospel answers those issues they couldn’t solve. It’s the difference between “I know something you don’t, even though you totally should already!” and “You’ve had an idea of this all along, now here’s what I was shown to complete the missing pieces of the puzzle.”

I’ve concluded that both my friends and myself were lacking an essential ingredient, and I realized reason does have an intended end.

From the careful investigation of Luke’s gospel, to Paul’s challenge in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 that we “test everything; hold fast what is good,” we see a place in the faith for rational thinking and inquiry.

However, even the Greek philosopher Socrates realized that “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing,” which I see as the same principle (though in a pagan context) behind “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” (Proverbs 9:10 ESV). A quest for knowledge shows us how much we don’t know after all; learning of creation leads us to humility before an awesome God.

Humility is the missing ingredient.

It’s what my friends neglected as they took a cursory tour of Christianity while clinging to unbelief.

It’s what I forsook as I rebuked those friends, as if facts alone would win them over without a fundamental shift in their worldview.

It’s what my enlightened generation sets aside, as we dissect the natural world into neat boxes for everything but wonder, and view the cosmos which testify to a Creator as our own stage for human glory.

Of making many books there is no end . . . The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 

-Ecclesiastes 12:12-13

Humility, because while I encourage critical thinking for believers and skeptics alike, we’ll find knowledge and logic to be stunted and futile… should they accomplish anything less than pointing to the divine Logos, their source, Jesus.

Humiliation, because I gave myself too much credit, as if I approached Christ and solved every issue by my own intellect. The real story is something far less dignifying-- a prodigal son dragged into the kingdom spitting and screaming, finally subdued through the patient love of other Christians and the relentless transformation of the Holy Spirit.

Exaltation, because this limited view of knowledge and wisdom is nonetheless greater than I ever believed. If we insist on using these precise tools as destructive bludgeons for argument, we will give the world good reason to think us fools… yet if we shape the raw materials of culture to properly reflect that Person all was made through, and endeavor to etch His renewed order into human hearts, humility will prove infectious by our example and reason will have reached its appointed end.

Radiant Vessels!

((This was originally posted on my church's Cambodia missions blog, just before my team arrived home at the end of July. As a reflection upon my adventure as well as my first project Rachel and I wrote together, it is special to me... but I want to share it with the darkness surrounding our Christmas-time celebration in mind especially.))

[Taylor:] When I first began this missions journey, I felt sorry for Cambodian Christians in a way that was unfair. It's not that I lacked respect for them; I certainly viewed the Fleenors with admiration in light of all they gave up to follow God's call. Still, without saying (or thinking) it in blunt words, my perception of Cambodia's believers before the trip was one based mostly on pity for their circumstances. I noticed at the outset of our trip a great overwhelming opposition for the country's Christ followers, but as I've interacted with this faithful remnant personally, I've learned to appreciate one thing most of all: in the midst of adversity and obscurity is where God's love shines brightest.

[Rachel:] My feelings before coming to Cambodia were similar, with the expectation that we were going to encourage our brothers and sisters and God was going to use us to shine His light- a startling contrast to the bleak surroundings. What I did not expect to see was God's flame of redemption burning relentlessly in so many of the individuals we would interact with- reflecting back strength, Love, and joy.

[Taylor:] Rachel and I want to share with you who these individuals are, and how they illuminated the way God's kingdom unexpectedly flourishes. Two men come to my mind in particular: Paul Fleenor and Soem.

Lucifer's Favorite Bible Terms

As a disclaimer, I admit that I am no longer acquainted with Satan, and cannot confirm these words as his personal picks. Nonetheless, because he is known by his title, “the father of lies” (John 8:44), the five terms and their respective verses below come to mind as favored deceptions in the devil’s arsenal.

These fallacies are especially effective against today’s Christians, who are separated from the Bible’s original audiences by language, time, and culture. Of course, I am not denying that the Bible is reliably translated, relevantly timeless, and revolutionarily transcendent to every culture… but I am saying there are nuances within its pages that our enemy enjoys exploiting. He’s practiced his talent in twisting God’s Word over multiple millennia (Genesis 3:1-6), and continues this assault in the modern age through skepticism outside the Church and perverse teaching within.

Fortunately, the clarity of these terms is easily restored-- by casting aside our hasty assumptions and considering their meaning in the larger Biblical context.

Eclipsing the Apocalypse

We as Christians have interpreted a passage of Scripture in error, but that is not the reason I’m writing this now. I wish to use my words with prudence-- speaking out when a matter of Truth is truly at stake, instead of making mere factual corrections at every chance to display my knowledge.

The topic at hand regards our understanding of the end times (eschatology in theologian-speak), which seems to threaten my aforementioned goal. Various Christian scholars before me, after all, use Scriptural logic to defend a similar diversity of interpretations regarding the world’s end; how am I supposed to distinguish Truth amidst such subjectivity… and why do I need to, if we’re in agreement on the most crucial point: “Jesus is coming back”?

However, my concern here goes deeper than surface issues of astronomy and hermeneutics, reaching at a subtle entity of falsehood that lurks in the shadow of innocent oversight. The mistake alone does not worry me, so much as the reason we made it (or were taught it) in the first place. What if our Biblical blunder reveals a larger deception-- our generation’s desires for dramatic doomsaying, eclipsing in opaque fear the originally radiant message of hope and restoration?

It is for this reason - a suspicion, but one serious enough to address - I am writing this now. The recent “blood moon” tetrad is not so much fulfilled oracle of the final judgment, but a merciful witness to us who missed the greater signs and apocalypse that already occurred.

Life is an MMO. Here is a different guide

This isn’t the game guide where I tell you the quickest way to level up in your job. It certainly isn’t a list of cheat codes for finding your dream spouse. If you’re searching for a bonus level with heaps of cash and an impractically large sword, I expect to disappoint you.

Strategies are helpful and specific choices important... but what’s most crucial now is your understanding of what sort of game you are in. Real life is an MMO (massive, multiplayer, online video game), and it’s currently a beta.

Holy Spirit and Gifts

Imagine our world, if Jesus had not left after His resurrection. How would our surroundings be different?

Imagine our triumphant Savior - His body physically tangible, visibly marred with scars, and perfectly renewed all at once - marching into the Jerusalem Temple with eleven elated disciples following His heels. The dumbfounded religious leaders depart in shame, as the Gospel of the One who holds true authority is proclaimed. Would “Christianity” still exist as a common label, or would the movement simply be known as Judaism in its fulfillment?

Imagine our modern landscape, in this scenario where the immortal King faithfully guards Israel over two millennia and teaches other nations the way of His peace (the United States, of course, would be His favorite student…). Skeptical atheists, commanding no more attention than proponents of a flat earth, expose their blindness as they deny the Son of God broadcasted from television. Could a “relationship with Christ” be reduced to spiritualized jargon, if one has personally visited the risen Lord during a Christmas vacation, or had their online posts retweeted by their Redeemer?

Such an alternate history would be awesome, in the truest sense of the word, and it’s this sort of earthly kingdom (minus my modern flavor) that Jesus’ disciples once envisioned. Along with so many other Israelites, the twelve desired a warrior king to drive out foreign oppressors and return the nation to its golden years. However, Jesus shared to his followers an even greater plan-- for them and for us today.