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[RLunde]

Why are Christians called believers?

[jimwalton]

The Bible, in the Old Testament, tells this story. A God is really there. He does these things, and talks to people. He makes claims. But is it true? And how can anyone know? Anybody can make any claims they want. Which religion? Which writings? Whose truth? But in the Old Testament there are people who claim to hear his “voice”, and we have their stories. But how can anyone know? Others claimed to hear “the voice” too. The stories tell of love, judgment, prophecy, scandal, stupidity, wisdom. We search for the truth, though, so who’s to know? What do I believe?

Then Jesus came. He said and did amazing things that were seen and recognized by all. As we’ve discussed, he says he would prove his claims by coming back from the dead. And the evidence that he did that is overwhelming. But he pushed us over the edge and forced us to respond with more than reason; he forced us to have to answer the question, “What do I believe?”

He claims to have sent the Holy Spirit. That particular day there are claims of wind, fire, tongues, and power. Over the next 50 years or so there are stories of more power, and more than amazing things. But then it seemed to die away, sort of but not really. There are always more stories. What do I believe?

I never get to feel this Spirit; I never get to see any wonders. My prayers don’t get answered. I can’t really tell if God is there or not. I just have the stories, and my power of reasoning.

So I read the Bible. It tells me that I won’t see anything, and I won’t feel anything. Some got to, but I don’t. I just have to believe. It tells me that almost everything God does is inside, and that the work he does is so well blended with humanity that I can’t even tell. So what do I believe?

This is why Christians are called “believers,” and non-Christians are called “unbelievers.” It’s what it all comes down to. But if I choose NOT to believe, I basically only have 2 choices:

1. There is another religion that makes more sense and that I DO believe, and I invest my life in it because I’m convinced it’s true.
2. None of them are true. There is no God or gods. We’re on our own, we are the results of biology and chemical accidents, and this life is all there is. If that is what you choose to believe, however, you must really believe it. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. If we are all accidents, then life ultimately has no meaning, but I can choose to live it as if it has the meaning I want it to have. So I can live for my own happiness, or for comfort, love, or whatever, but I have to realize that ultimately it’s all meaningless. I really can’t be angry when lousy things happen, because they’re random and meaningless. I really can’t be too happy when I put my life together in ways that make me happy, because I know behind it all is just my framework that is creating the happiness. In other words, it’s a façade. (I hope I’m being intellectually honest here, because I’m really trying to be.)

But if Jesus did rise again, then that has pretty unavoidable repercussions, just like choices 1 and 2. It means the Bible is true, and other holy books only contain the truth. It means that I am created, invested with purpose, and loved. But it also means I’m separated from God by my nature as well as my actions, and I have to receive God’s gift to change that. It means that God really does involve himself in our lives in the ways he says he does. It means that even though I can’t see or hear God, he’s there and involved and at work. It means the Spirit is in me doing what He says he does even though I can’t tell. It means my life has purpose and meaning for real, and that I’m expected to live it in a certain way.

It all comes down to what I believe. There are evidences, to be sure. The Old Testament is filled with reliable historical references and geography and culture, but then it ALSO says “God did this” and “God said that.” Did he? The New Testament is filled with wise teaching about living a good life, but then it also says, “Jesus is God” and that I need to orient my life to him to be fulfilled. Is he? So what do I believe?

The question of the hour becomes, “Is this a Christ and a Christianity that I believe in?” Because if I choose to believe it, then I need to invest in it and live it. But if Christ didn’t rise, then either another religion is true (and I better invest in it), or we are impersonal + time + chance and nothin’ means nothin’ except what I make it mean for me, but it’s only a façade on top of an empty framework.

So, do you believe it? Did Christ rise from the dead? It all hangs there. If he did, there’s no other reasonable way to turn except fully towards him. If he didn’t, it’s all either he said/she said, or it’s utterly meaningless.

These seem to me to be the real live choices.

For me, I can’t get around the reality of the resurrection. Despite all my struggles and doubts and problems, the resurrection hangs in front of my mind like an inescapable light. But since intellectually and rationally I have to acknowledge the resurrection, then logically there is a long line of things that fall in place right behind it.

1. God made me with meaning and purpose.
2. God reveals himself, but most often in very natural and also very subjective ways that make him almost impossible to detect. It takes everything I’ve got to keep figuring things out.
3. God involves himself in my life, but most often in very natural and also very subjective ways that make him almost impossible to detect. Most of the time, I just have to believe he’s there—which is a huge thought, mind you—but I really can’t tell except by faith.
4. God has omni-power, but he doesn’t use it. He respects our free will, and he holds back from almost all his power, because to involved himself any more deeply in our world he would have to ruin what life is and what it’s all about.
5. Instead, God does almost all his work under the surface, and inside people. That’s the only place he can really show his power, but even there it is subject to our will.
6. There are a few times in history where the evidence of God is overwhelming. But these are in remote history for me, so I just have to choose whether or not to believe.
7. Jesus rose from the dead, and that changes the whole game, both of history, and for me personally. If that’s true (or, “since that’s true…”), then God is really there, and he can be found, and he can be fellowshipped with, and his power can be in me, and IF THAT IS SO, then I want that. Who wouldn’t? Who wouldn’t want to tap into GOD? I mean, THINK about it. If you could tap into GOD, would you? Here’s what I’ve decided: my whole life, every thought, every word, every day, every desire is going to be oriented in that direction. If finding GOD is possible, then I’d be an idiot not to do that.