9.22.23
Hey, Calvary Fremont –
The Nazi soldiers brutally loaded the Jews of Cracow onto the trains that would take them to the death camps. Amid the terror and the mounting screams of women and the weeping of children, a young man turned to the old rabbi and spitefully asked, “How can you believe in God anymore?” The wizened rabbi sorrowfully responded, “How can you believe in man anymore?”
If someone says that they don’t believe in God, I get it. They are not satisfied with the evidence they have been presented with. (It’s also possible that they are denying the evidence they have been presented with.) But what I don’t get is how the one who claims that they don’t believe in God can turn around and say that they believe in man.
One of the main arguments against the existence of God is the prevalence of evil and suffering in the world. Many say, “I can’t believe in a God who would allow one group of people to brutally lead another group of people to the death camps.” Yet if there is no God to blame for this, who is left? Who is causing all the evil and suffering in the world?
Many have rejected the doctrine of original sin – that people are born alienated from God and are by nature inherently selfish. If there is no God and people are inherently good, where does all the evil and suffering originate? Some point to culture and society. We are told that man is basically good, but society corrupts us. But who creates culture and society? People who are intrinsically good? How can evil and suffering emerge from those who are inherently good?
The Enlightenment was a philosophical movement that developed in the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe. It was a movement that highlighted reason and science. It rejected divine revelation and exalted human reason. Enlightenment thinkers sought to improve society through knowledge and reason. Out of the Enlightenment came the doctrine of the perfectibility of man. Man is basically good and with a few tweaks, enlightened people can create a perfect society.
This was the philosophical basis of the French Revolution which ended in a bloodbath. This was the philosophical basis of Communism which has resulted in an ongoing bloodbath. This was the philosophical basis for Fascism which ended in a bloodbath.
19th century liberal theology coined the phrase, “Everyday in every way, man is becoming better and better.” And then early in the 20th century WW1 broke out. And then WW2. The blood of the slain and the cries of the oppressed buried the phrase, “Everyday in every way, man is becoming better and better.” The horror of what one group of people can do to another group of people resurrected the doctrine of original sin – people are born alienated from God and are inherently sinful. If one doesn’t understand this to be so from reading the Bible, they can come to the same understanding by reading history. Our need for God became acute.
The 20th century was the bloodiest century in history. And the 21st century got started with the bloodbath of 9/11. And again the armies are marching, the guns are firing, the bombs are dropping, and the terror continues. “How can you believe in man anymore?”
“How can you believe in God anymore? If He exists, why doesn’t He do something about all this?” He has done the greatest thing He could do. He sent His Son to die for those alienated from God and who are inherently selfish. God has left man to his own devices and sinful choices, yet invites all to repent of their sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ. The greatest evidence for God is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Church is to go into all the world and preach the gospel. We are not social justice warriors; we are not politicos trying to perfect society by means of politics. We are the Church and our message is the gospel of Christ.
Be blessed and stay healthy and follow Jesus – Pastor Tim
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