Camp Talk 2
Colin Tamplin. Again, any herecies are my fault not his.
Acts 17:16-34. "I'm not sure it Christianity is true".
Is it worth investing my life in something when there seem to be so many questions about it?
DOUBT - is a very, very normal part of the Christian life and experience. The questions trouble us. Especially when we don't have the answers! Psalms - so many of them are of lament, complaint, doubt. More than praise.
Doubt is also important. You probably won't make any significant spiritual progress until you're prepared to risk doubt. It's like learning to walk! When you take a step, there's a wobble as you're off balance, until your foot comes down on something solid. But without lifting your foot in the first place, without the wobble, you won't go anywhere.
God can take the weight of our questions. But it's important that we do it with others. The church.
Once a year, take a big question to work through. Tell your minister/a good Christian friend. And then wrestle with that question.
Doubt is not just for Christians. Everyone has the same questions, regardless of their religion. (or not). Atheists may say they're avoiding religious questions - rubbish! There's no safe place to hide from the tough questions.
Doubt can be just an excuse. We believe or disbelieve for a whole lot of reasons - of which the mind is just one. Doubt or intellectual struggles may be genuine - but is it really?
Paul was one of the world's really great thinkers. Not even he realised how spiritually, morally and intellectually corrupt Athens was.
From Paul's talk in the Areopagus we can realise 3 things that all answers to difficult questions stand on:
1. A book that can be trusted.
Paul doesn't quote the Bible but everything he says is based on it. Think about how he knows what he says about God in this passage.
2. A person who is absolutely unique.
You can't just add Jesus to a list of other gods. He is the only God. So when you're struggling, the key thing to do is get your mind back to Jesus. Whatever else I don't understand, here is a man who is real and true and genuine.
3. An event that changed everything.
Jesus cannot be the same as the gods of other religions. He died and He rose again.
Acts 17:16-34. "I'm not sure it Christianity is true".
Is it worth investing my life in something when there seem to be so many questions about it?
DOUBT - is a very, very normal part of the Christian life and experience. The questions trouble us. Especially when we don't have the answers! Psalms - so many of them are of lament, complaint, doubt. More than praise.
Doubt is also important. You probably won't make any significant spiritual progress until you're prepared to risk doubt. It's like learning to walk! When you take a step, there's a wobble as you're off balance, until your foot comes down on something solid. But without lifting your foot in the first place, without the wobble, you won't go anywhere.
God can take the weight of our questions. But it's important that we do it with others. The church.
Once a year, take a big question to work through. Tell your minister/a good Christian friend. And then wrestle with that question.
Doubt is not just for Christians. Everyone has the same questions, regardless of their religion. (or not). Atheists may say they're avoiding religious questions - rubbish! There's no safe place to hide from the tough questions.
Doubt can be just an excuse. We believe or disbelieve for a whole lot of reasons - of which the mind is just one. Doubt or intellectual struggles may be genuine - but is it really?
Paul was one of the world's really great thinkers. Not even he realised how spiritually, morally and intellectually corrupt Athens was.
From Paul's talk in the Areopagus we can realise 3 things that all answers to difficult questions stand on:
1. A book that can be trusted.
Paul doesn't quote the Bible but everything he says is based on it. Think about how he knows what he says about God in this passage.
2. A person who is absolutely unique.
You can't just add Jesus to a list of other gods. He is the only God. So when you're struggling, the key thing to do is get your mind back to Jesus. Whatever else I don't understand, here is a man who is real and true and genuine.
3. An event that changed everything.
Jesus cannot be the same as the gods of other religions. He died and He rose again.
posted by Welshie at 12:11 PM
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