Why God is real
Human beings are inveterate seekers, people on a quest. Centuries ago, a North African by the name of Augustine wrote that "Our hearts are restless til they find their rest in Thee," speaking of mankind's desire for God. More recently, the American novelist Frederick Buechner, has referred to that inner search as a "longing for home."Those who study such things tell us that there are basically three reasons why we come to believe in God: reason, revelation, and religious experience. At best, all three weave seamlessly together to bring us to a place of faith. By reason we mean that faculty of the human spirit that seeks to understand the world in which we find ourselves. We hear ourselves asking the big questions: Who are we? Where are we? Why are we here? Why is there something rather than nothing at all? Christianity is a reasonable faith; it asserts that there are good answers to the questions we ask, answers that make sense and hang together. People become Christians for a variety of reasons. Some because that's the way they were raised, in Christian homes in a Christian society. Others because being a Christian has utility, it makes them better people. Studies have demonstrated that havin . . .
People become Christians through reading the Bible. It is a document both human and divine, spanning a thousand years and numerous authors and a variety of languages. And our revolt, which Christianity calls sin, has resulted in alienation, from creation, from each other, and ultimately, from God. The reason to become a Christian, says Allen, is because Christianity is true, it describes the world the way it really is. The Bible is God's Word, his revelation to human beings. Humans weren't satisified with being stewards, or humans either, for that matter. Humans crave religious experience, the human spirit has never been sustained by the mundane. Then join us on a journey of discovery and faith. In simple terms: God has spoken, he has shown us, told us, who he is. You can pray this prayer right now and here: Heavenly Father: I have lived for too long in revolt against you. However, as philosopher Diogenes Allen has noted, becoming a Christian on these grounds alone is mostly a matter of personal preference, something like preferring frozen custard from the dairy state of Wisconsin over the finest New York cheesecake. All that remains is for us to repent of our revolt and accept God's forgiveness in Christ.
Common topics in this essay:
God Humans, God's Spirit, Allen Christianity, Frederick Buechner, People Christians, Revelation Christian, God Christmas, Heavenly Father, Diogenes Allen, Israel God's, religious experience, belief god, son jesus, jesus christ, christ son god, hearts restless, son god, god reason, god's word, human spirit, people christians, jesus christ son, |
Acceptance Essays
