Friday, May 26, 2017

May 27, 2017

I don't know if you have seen the Will Smith movie I, Robot. The actor plays a cynical cop in the future who seems to be the only person on earth open to the slight possibility that a robot could develop beyond the scope of its creator's design. Teamed with a theory-driven, numbers-based scientist, Smith becomes exasperated by the woman's refusal to accept anything outside her system of belief. After hitting an impasse one too many times, he yells at her, "You are the dumbest smart person I know!"

That is an apt comparison to those who claim to be atheists or agnostics. Their high degree of intelligence seems to elude them in their refusal to accept ideas outside of their belief system.

The Psalmist put it this way, "The fool has said in His heart, 'There is no God.'"

Agnostics are a bit more open-minded than atheists in that they allow for the existence of God but they don't believe we can know that you can know for sure. They would discount the notion of a personal relationship with God. In fact, the would not conceded to the point of a personal God.

Charles Spurgeon recalled an experience he had with an agnostic, "One walking with me observed with some emphasis, 'I do not believe as you do, I am an agnostic.' 'Oh,' I said to him, 'That is a Greek word isn't it? The Latin word is "ignoramus."' He did not like that at all. Yet I only translated his language from Greek to Latin."

So, where does the agnostic get it wrong?

In stating that you can't really know anything with certainty about God, they are doing that very thing! By making the statement that you can't know anything about God for sure, you are stating something that can be known about God - "He can't be known."

It is a contradiction to say, "One thing I know about God is that you can't know anything about Him." That is essentially their position. Not a strong one, is it?

Mark Twain once quipped, "It's not what I don't know about the Bible that bothers me, it's what I do know about it."

Good point! If we who DO believe in God and who know Him and His Word, would live up to what we know - it would be harder for agnostics to not believe.

God is knowable. He invites us to know Him and reveals Himself through His Word. If you are not earnestly seeking to know Him, how are you better than an agnostic?