Head-Heart-Hands — The Intellectual Side of Christianity - Monday
Today’s Verse
2 Timothy 3:7
They are always learning. But they are never able to come to know the truth. (NIrV)
Yogi Berra, the comical but talented NY Yankees Hall of Fame catcher, once noticed an opposing batter making the “sign of the cross” as he stepped into the batter’s box. Berra quipped, “Can’t we just play the game and leave God out of it?”
In his effort to be funny, he expressed a popular cultural viewpoint: “You go ahead and do your church thing, but as for me, I'm perfectly happy without getting God involved.” Like the guy at a truck stop whose T-shirt said, “They say I ought to believe in something, so I believe I’ll have another beer.”
But the problem is neither comical nor straightforward. If there is a God who created us, then we’re accountable to Him, which is what we’ll be talking about this week.
In The End of Faith, neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris writes, “Religion isn’t the solution to our problems; it is the problem.” Unfortunately, a good number of folks believe that. Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins published The God Delusion, asserting that any belief in God is simply stupidity. “We’re better off being atheists,” he quipped. One of his contemporaries, the late Christopher Hitchens, said, “Everything you believe about God is a lie that you invented or someone invented for you.”
Christians disagree completely, but why? Are there logical reasons for believing in God? And If so, what are they? Let's dive into one reason today, then look at six or seven others for the remainder of the week. Fasten your seat belts and hang on!
First, I believe in God because of right vs. wrong. The once-atheist C.S. Lewis became a believer because of what he called the existence of “a universal moral oughtness.” He observed that every culture intrinsically believes that some things are right while others are wrong. People inherently know what they “ought or ought not” do to one another. Lewis concluded that inherent morality can only come from one source: God, regardless of whether people believe in Him.
Denying the existence of moral absolutes is reducing moral standards to a matter of opinion—ultimately, it is a train wreck waiting to happen. As Astro, the dog from The Jetsons, would say, “Ruh-Roh!”
REFLECTION
So, why are we here? Because God made us to be moral beings, spring-loaded with a hunger for purpose and truth that only He can satisfy. If you have questions, we’d love to talk with you. In the meantime, check out these resources.
