How is God to be known amid the babble of modern Christianity's myriad voices? Everyone's got a different opinion, and they're all on a mission to make that opinion orthodoxy. How ever does God expect us to know which one to listen to? Should we record them all and go through them systematically, run statistical tests and calculate probability? Should we deliver them all to the great philosophers, scientists, historians of our age, and trust that they will give us the right answer? Should we throw up our hands and "just have faith" in whatever we costs us the least, pleases us the best, or is easiest to explain? Would it have been easier if we could have met Jesus while he was on earth? Did Jesus really expect that the average Jew in his day would be reading the old scriptures and from them have a full understanding of the prophecies contained in the Tanakh? How did the disciples know that Jesus was their Messiah?
What does God expect?
Peter was a fisherman. Now, I don't want to presume - he might have been shipped off to university in Rome or Athens by his parents and rebelled by buying a fishing boat. He might have studied under the famous teacher Gamaliel, as Paul was supposed to have, but it's likely he was just a fisherman. Little knowledge of theology, history, or prophecy. And yet, when Jesus came along and said, "Follow me," Peter put down the nets and went. What made him do it? Was he just naive? Easily led?
Matthew tells us.
"When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?'
They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'
'But what about you?' he asked, 'Who do you say that I am?'
'Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.'
Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my father in heaven.'"
(Matthew 16:13 - 17)
Doesn't mean nobody told Peter. Doesn't mean he couldn't have learned something from the stars, as the wise men did, or from an angel, as the shepherds did, or from the Tanakh, as Paul did. But he didn't know for himself, for sure, from those things. God had to reveal himself.
2 comments:
like it, sister. eyes off us, eyes on God.
Yes, you are right about the faith part. God reveals himself to us in very individual ways. You need to read the word preferably the new testament, its much easier to understand. But, most of all remember that God loves you very much and he is calling you into a personal relationship with himself. Believing in your heart that Jesus is your savior and asking him to live inside of you, and in due time he will mature you into a right relationship with himself "God almighty"! Many people were and still are confused even in the times when he did reveal himself some people choose not to receive Jesus as their savior. It's your own personal choice. Although, I truly hope you choose life. Because life is so hard without the lord. I know I certainly need a savior. I am so thankful that he loves us so much that he keeps knocking on the door to our soul. I do think you have answered or you would not even be curious. I read alot of Joyce Meyer books she makes things easy to understand. She also has a ministry on the WORD channel and her website is: joycemeyerministry.com
Post a Comment