Why has God created a system that requires faith?

The Bible’s definition of faith is Hebrews 11:1

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

God’s intends for us to put our faith in something that we cannot see. It is clear from what has been made that God exists. God delivers his message through the life of Jesus. That truths is shared by people all around the world. God’s Spirit works within each of us to help us to see this truth. However, there is a enough of a gap between what we see and what we don’t see to give us a choice. The choice, therefore, is what God is interested in.

I have great kids, but all four of them have tried repeatedly to “play dumb.” You know, the game where I say to my son after he accidentally slams into his sister “What are you supposed to say?” and he looks confused and says “I forgot.”  Really, son? You honestly don’t know, even though you had to say it last night, before lunch, after lunch and just before nap, you mysteriously forgot, “I’m sorry.” He keeps “forgetting” I keep testing him.

In the same way, the evidence of God’s existence is in every fiber of day to day life.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

But with just a little doubt, many people  choose to deny what is right in front of them. Many choose to deny the existence of God. That doesn’t mean faith is easy, but it does put people into two groups. People who will choose to follow, by faith, and those who will not. 2 Corinthians 5:7

That choice, is what God is most interested in.

All of us, at some point, wrestle with the “big” questions.

• What is my purpose?
• Why do we exist?
• What happens after we die?
• Why is there something as opposed to nothing?
• What is truth? Why so much pain and suffering?

Just to name a few.

These questions are big, because they are both widely debated and of supreme significance. The Bible addresses these questions. The first sentence in the Bible starts with the answer to the most basic question, “In the beginning God …” Genesis 1:1. All answers stem from that premise.  From that point, the unfolding story of life’s big questions continue. As you read through the Bible, the great mysteries of the universe are revealed. Colossians 1:26 Not only does it answer these questions, there is no other place in the world we can find the answers.

Often, we settle for listening to other people expound on the Bible. We allow our view of what God’s Word says to be shaped by other people. Let me give you 5 reasons to read the Bible yourself.

1. Every person who reads the Bible is an interpreter. Have you ever heard someone telling a story about an event that you witnessed and thought, “That’s not how it happened.”? Perhaps, what they’re saying was wrong or maybe it was just from a different perspective. Whatever it is, they are offering their own interpretation. In the same way, everyone who tells you about something from the Bible is simply offering you their own personal interpretation. Some of them are getting it flat wrong and some are seeing it from a different perspective.
2. People are bias. When we read the bible we all interject our own experiences and prejudices. We see the world from our point of view and we interpret that into the Bible. The thousands of verses in the Bible can become like building blocks that we manipulate to construct our own personal worldview. We already have enough personal bias, so why build your life on someone else’s?
3. People say things are in the Bible that aren’t actually there. I can’t tell you how many times someone has asked me where a statement was in the Bible, only for me to assure them the Bible doesn’t say that …anywhere.
4. The Bible says to. If you read Psalm 119 you will find a man (David) who constantly meditated on and studied scripture. Psalm 119:11, Psalm 119:15, 119:97. He wasn’t listening to other people talk about the Word; he was personally building his own life on it.
5. It’s Alive! Hebrews 4:12: it says that the “Word of God is living and active.” When we read the Bible for ourselves the Spirit actively works to shape who we are, thus shaping what we believe. It guides, moves, and challenges us through our specific situations in our lives by offering a parallel in example. Reading the Bible for yourself can be a powerful experience  because it is the living Word of God shaping your life.

This is the most important question that needs to be answered. Even many Christians do not understand the significance of the Cross! Without a proper understanding of the Cross, Christianity is powerless.

Christianity without the Cross…

• Nothing more than a moral code
• Just some folks with conservative values
• A hypocritical, self-righteous religion

Christianity with the Cross is…

• The reconciliation between men and God
• The power of God through Christ to transform lives
• Forgiveness of all sin no matter how great
• Redemption and eternal life

Understanding the significance of Jesus’ death on the cross is everything. Here is the power of the cross from Romans 2:22-24
“There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

• Everyone has sinned. There are no good people and bad people in God’s sight. We have all sinned and therefore have separated ourselves from Him by our sin.
• No one can be made right with God by living right.(Romans 3:20)  Though your sin separates you from God, you cannot be made right with God by being good. Why? Because, quite frankly, you can’t do it. We are incapable of living without sin. Plus, even if I started living perfectly right now there is all that sin from my past that still condemns me.
• God must punish sin. (Romans 2:6) God is just, which means it would be a character flaw, a moral failure to let sin go unpunished. Just imagine a person who stole from you or hurt someone you loved, standing before a judge. The judge hears all of the evidence and simply lets this person who has hurt you off the hook. How would you view that judge? God must judge us for our sin.
• But God deeply loves us! So in His mercy and justice He decided to take the punishment we deserved out on His own Son. (John 3:16)
• The relationship restored through faith. The Redemption offered on the cross is available to everyone who believes. (Romans 3:24) All we have to do to receive His forgiveness is authentically accept and believe in Jesus.

The power of God comes through Christ’s redemption of mankind on the Cross. Once someone authentically believes in Christ they are changed. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Without this power and change that comes through the cross, Christianity is just another man made religion.

 

Before I became a Christian it seemed to me that everything fun in life was a “no-no” in the Bible. I liked to party and Jesus seemed to be  “anti-party.” What I discovered, however, is the Bible actually encourages us to enjoy life.

So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun. Ecclesiastes 8:15

I also discovered something I hadn’t before. Having a good time, without regret. The Bible doesn’t teach to stop doing everything that is fun, but simply gives a few ground rules.

• Moderation – Christians have this odd tendency to go overboard. For instance if the bible says “do not get drunk” Ephesians 5:18, we take it to another level and say its wrong to drink at all. Which doesn’t make sense given that Jesus was at a party in John 2:1-11 and turned water into wine. Most of what exists, God gave us to enjoy with moderation.
• If it is going to have negative repercussions for you or somebody else, then don’t do it. The problem we have is that we often can’t see the effect our decisions make on our life until months or years later. Every command in scripture is given to keep us from hurting ourselves or someone else. God doesn’t give us his commands to suck the joy out of life. He actually gives us his commands to give us freedom from destructive behavior.

1 Corinthians 10:23 says,  “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. The Bible is not a list of rules that enslave us. It actually is quite the opposite. The Bible contains principles that set us free to really enjoy life.