“In short, no one can purge him or herself from all faith assumptions, and assume an objective, belief-free, pure openness to objective evidence. Hume
There is no “View from nowhere.”
“…all reasoning is based on prior faith commitments to which one did not reason.” Heidegger, Wittgenstein, Merleau-Ponty.
“…reason depends on the faith that our cognitive senses — our eyes and ears, our minds and memories, are not tricking us.”
“…the declaration that science is the only arbiter of truth is not itself a scientific finding, it is a belief.” Evans
All quotes taken from “Making Sense of God” by Timothy Keller
So? Though a tough truth to swallow, reasoning requires faith. Let’s explore this farther.
The Bible attributes to man a bearing-witness conscience. Romans 2:15 etc. A faculty for discerning, it accuses or excuses. All men have this faculty of passing judgment on their actions. It acts according to the light it has. A.T. Robertson
A sense of “I know I am right” results when conscience affirms my ideas. But,
The very accusing function of a man’s conscience, allows a man to know that he is not complete in himself — that is — all of my “make sense,” ideas are confronted by contradicting ideas. This opposition of a man’s own thoughts represents an obstacle to “freedom”for him.
The options are easy; yield to the “higher’ authority of the conscience, or reject and eliminate the confrontative.
- The first option does not bring a complete solution but can lead to the sense of need. A Savior awaits.
- Option two often becomes the way of heroic self-saving — becoming ones own “man” or “woman”.
God, unbeknownst to most, exists a step ahead. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13
Yes, God provides the ultimate answer for us sinful Men; His own Spirit shows the way, leads, teaches, guides — illuminates truth to our finite conscience and this supplies a redemptive answer to every dilemma of our fallen contradictory conscience.
Yes we find grace to help in time of need, mercy rejoicing against judgment, forgiveness and pardon.
All of this establishes a new scale in our conscience, a place called Grace.
What does it mean?
It means that in God’s economy, all get grace.
“For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and said unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard said unto his steward, Call the laborers , and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. ” Matthew : 1-9
In this parable we see the problem and also the solution. Problem, a judgmental sense of fairness. A sense of worthiness or unworthiness
“But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.” v. 10
An accusing or excusing of conscience from a group conscience; but now applied to everyone.
The solution: Not giving everyone the same!
But, letting God give everyone grace —
that supernatural, all encompassing favor which takes everyman to the high plains of heavenly bliss for now and forever.
Receive a gift from God. Forget what you think you deserve.
Sorry, good people, only God can be God. Your simple answers are just not big enough! Only God can supply the over-arching support needed by every man individually… we call it ‘eternal salvation” with all of it’s purging effects.
Beloved, be not distressed with the actions and conjecture of evil doers. Often they are comprised of the overtones of abject anger, hatred, hurt, ego-blowing disrepair.
“For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. ” Psalm 84:10
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