The Scriptures And God
I honestly believe that the scriptures can assist one in finding God and Truth. However, they are only a means to an end. Many people know about the truth in the scriptures but they do not know the truth itself because they have not experienced it. Such people may quote from the scriptures quite readily but this means nothing unless they have experienced the truth contained in the said scriptures. Truth is the essence; the scriptures are just a from of expression - an attempt to express the essence but they are not the essence itself. One may know the form without knowing the essence. To put it another way: God is the holy scriptures but the holy scriptures are not God. Perhaps one may say that faith can bridge this gap; yet, such faith can only be a hollow one.True faith is based upon personal conviction; it is an internal process. Since one is limited in the amount of actual physical experiences one can have in one's lifetime, there are many things of which one may not have a physical experience; however, one can have an intuitional experience of these things. True faith is only possible with experience, whether physical or intuitional, as a base. This is the reason why many people fall away from religion after a while and also why so many regular church-goers still experience emptiness inside; they do not have a proper basis for their faith. They seek to believe something simply because it is written and not because they themselves have experienced the truth of that thing, whether through a physical or intuitional experience. Inevitably, a certain degree of uncertainty enters such people's lives. The sad thing about it is that most people would not admit the existence of this uncertainty or emptiness, even to themselves, because they believe this would undermine their faith. Rather, they forcibly try to will themselves to believe. This is a vicious circle since such faith is willed faith that has no experiential base and which inevitably collapses once one stops willing oneself to believe. True faith does not need an effort of the will; it transcends the will.
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"God said it.
The Bible records it.
I believe it.
And That's it."
I have often wondered why many persons join a church, especially the evangelical type, attend for a few months and then cease their attendance.
Statistics show that there is a general decline in Christian church attendance.
This blog seeks to explore a possible reason for this trend.
Jesus also said that there would be weeds (unbelievers) among the wheat (believers) in the church, and that God would separate the them on the day of judgement (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43). Therefore, the question we must ask ourselves is weather we are willing to trust in Jesus Christ alone, in regards, to our eternal destiny.
For faith, in the biblical sense, involves more than intellectual assent, but a heart commitment, in receiving Christ, as our personal Saviour (Romans 10:9-10; Revelation 3:20). For Christ alone (the sinless Son of God) is able to bridge the gap between sinful humanity and a holy God (1 Timothy 2:5). However, to appropriate this truth, we must make a free choice.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
Yet to all who received him (Christ) to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12).
Christianity is not merely a religion, but a personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ. Those who experience Him, are never the same, for they are eternally secure in His love.
God bless!