Evidence of Faith

Recently I was reading a book entitled “Scientific Facts in the Bible” by author Ray Comfort. In it he offered up some very insightful correlations between scripture and scientific discovery, where in one supports the other fairly substantially. This somewhat calls back to a letter I posted through Mobile Ministry discussing the relationship between scientific discovery and faith. The book itself covers various topics such as where science and scripture correlate what scientist hold faith in scripture, what historical figures believed in the Bible and so forth. It also offers archeological and historical support for the Bible, such as citing the work of the historian Flavius Josephus, whose writing greatly coincides with scriptural accounts.

It was here, in the chapter “The Bible’s Historical Accuracy” that I was struck in recollection of a conversation I had with my wife where in it was brought into debate whether or not scripture actually needed any outside support. I had made an argument for it, and she against it and in reading this chapter it occurred to me she’s right.

None of the supporting evidence matters. This greatly distraught me since much of the following ten sessions were going to cover how science supports the Bible. You can see the conundrum I found myself in. How can I profess on the significance of scientific support for scripture, when in fact, scripture stands on its own?

This is the one inscrutable fact: Scripture does not need anyone or anything to vouch for it. It is the Word of God, and therefore people of faith should hold it as an undeniable truth. You cannot find a better witness, better supporting evidence, than the Word and Will of the Creator of the Universe. Sitting it side by side with a history book will not increase your faith in Jesus. Staring at the universe through a telescope will not open your heart to God, only the Holy Spirit can.

It is in that mindset, in that vein, that we are going to embark on our new series, “Getting Back to God”.

First let me preface this series with one important fact: Scientific discoveries do matter. It’s the advent of scientific discoveries that allowed words to be transplanted from thin air onto stone tablets, for the advent of ink and the use of parchment, and from there to the printing presses which put the Word of God into your hands, and allow us to communicate this very study series electronically. I will never discredit the importance of scientific discovery. But scientific discovery does not affirm faith.

So, that said, what is faith? Faith, as defined in scripture, comes from Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” The dictionary defines it as “belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof.”

That is not to say that logical proof isn’t valuable. Take the personal journey of author and born again Christian Lee Strobel, an investigative journalist who quickly became the foremost voice for spiritual rebirth and the poster-boy for in depth research into matters of faith. He had been a life long atheist until his wife found God. He stated that he saw such a dramatic change in her attitude that he felt compelled to dig deeper into this “God thing” and find out what it is all about. Being an investigative journalist for the Chicago Tribune, he needed to be convinced, so he followed the path of the Bible to the beginning and he found what seemed to him to be irrefutable proof of its origins. He had no choice but to believe, and he was looking for evidence to the contrary. His spiritual journey is an inspiration, but there is one key factor here that tends to be over looked by those seeking spiritual answers. He did not come to faith by understanding, but came to understanding by faith.

Let me put that into perspective: Lee Strobel had no discernable reason to look into scripture, it made no logical sense that he would ever want to. When he and his wife got married, they were both atheists. Then his wife was called by the Holy Spirit and she answered. Lee’s wife needed no outside prodding and when she found God, she didn’t need to understand the mysteries of faith, faith alone was enough. Now Lee had met Christians before and passed it off as some kind of naïve brainwashing, that they were just ignorant of how the world actually worked. It wasn’t until his own wife was called that he started to take a vested interest. It’s also important to note that his interests weren’t peaked immediately. It took years after his wife was converted before he actually took the time to look into faith, with him thinking it was just a phase and she’d be back to her old self soon enough. When she didn’t revert back, he started listening to her, and as his investigations took form, he found himself a believer, a process which again did not happen over night.

I don’t tell Lee’s story for inspiration, but for illustration, although you should find it inspiring if you yourself are struggling with faith. He’s a brilliant writer and I wholly recommend picking up anyone of his books, however you will find that all of his writings go back to one book; The Bible. What Mr. Strobel had done was looked through the eyes of logic and reason and found belief in something that defies both.

So what could have prompted the logical and reasonable, the discerning mind of Lee Strobel to seek answers from something which is founded on something so intangible as faith? What spurred him forward wasn’t curiosity, but love, something also as intangible and arguably illogical. He loved his wife. Many atheists would have called it quits right then and there, gotten a divorce citing spiritual rebirth as an irreconcilable difference. Mr. Strobel loved his wife so much that he put his own logic and reason on the line to understand her new out look on the world.

“Faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love”. It is because of love that God the Father created us, that God the Son laid down his life for us, and that God the Holy Spirit guides us today. Love makes no sense in the world, and that is what makes it truly great, truly of God. We live in the world, but as faithful children of God we are not of the world, and what sets us apart from a world that abuses and devours itself is love, which pushes us to help and heal those that “natural selection” deem weak and unworthy. You can’t reason with love, you can’t out think it; you can’t put it under a microscope or read it in the stars. Love simply is, and when you come to know love, you understand faith.

Now it’s important to remember this is a Bible study, and two verses do not make a Bible study. With that, let’s open our Bibles to Matthew 8:5-13.

In this account, a centurion comes to Jesus and pleads for the healing of his own servant. Jesus agrees to go and see the servant, but the centurion states the complete truth of the matter in verse 8; “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” This has to be the most beautiful expressions of faith I’ve ever read. To understand that you have to look at the broad spectrum of the era. The centurion, as he states in the text, is a man of rank. He understands how the world around him works, and that, by the standards of his government, the emperor is appointed by the gods, making him something of a demi-god, or divine presence on earth. But for him to venerate Jesus in such a manner, basically placing him above the emperor isn’t just about acknowledging the authority of Christ on earth, he is placing that authority above all else, even the religion of the empire he serves. He doesn’t command Jesus, as he could any person living in Roman territory, but rather he humbly asks for favor.

It also says a lot about how the centurion saw his own servant, not as property, but as a human being he cares about. The centurion isn’t asking a mechanic to repair a piece of broken machinery; he is asking Christ to heal his friend.

Jesus is impressed. He points out how he hasn’t met Israelites with this kind of faith and understanding about Jesus’ role on earth. If anyone was supposed to understand, it should have been the children of Abraham. They are the ones who have studied the word all their lives, but they do not understand the word. The centurion has never had a reason to study the word, but his understanding is without compare.

So now it’s time for some self-reflection; this is something to do in your quiet times, when you can speak candidly to God about your faith. Are you one who understands more than you believe, or do you believe more than you understand?

I want to thank you for your time this month, and I look forward to sharing more with you again next month. God’s blessings, and walk with light.

Michael Bauch