the foolishness of the gospel.
So I've just written out the gosepl message in my essay as a 'discourse'...the predominant discourse in my childhood. And I'm sat here in tears, floods of tears because it sounds so foolish. The most precious thing I possess within my soul sounds so so foolish in an essay 'supposedly' so full of academic vigor.
And I know it's becuase we live in a topsy turvy world and God's ways are not our ways and I feel so herrectical for wishing that it all just sounded a little less crazy and a bit more intelligent.
I hate this essay and I should never have embarked on it. I'm going to an awful job of it if I have any hope of getting it in on time.
posted by becci brown @ 8:19 pm
7 comments
7 Comments:
Grim eh seeing all we hold so close, all our identity up for grabs, and all our life seeming so weak and foolish...
Check out 1 Corinthians 1-2 again... Foolishness is all we have and all we are.. But it is God's wisdom. And it is his way of working... Which to be honest is highly irritating most of the time.:-) (but we're allowed to think that... Habbakuk was good at questioning God's random ways of working...)
I don't think you've interpreted this passage correctly. The gospel isn't actually foolishness, but only seems so in the eyes of those who are perishing. That's what it says.
You are inferring that it is therefore foolish. It isn't, it makes total sense. I decided to become a Christian because it seemed like it made so much sense.
Let me quote Geisler, 'Objections to Apologetics from the Bible. The Bible does not need to be defended.
One objection often made is that the Bible does not need to be defended; it simply needs to be expounded. 'The Word of God is alive and powerful' (Heb. 4:12). It is said that the Bible is like a lion; it does not need to be defended but simply let loose. A lion can defend itself.
This begs the question as to whether the Bible is the Word of God. Of course, God's Word is ultimate and speaks for itself. But how do we know the Bible, as opposed to the Qur'an or the Book of Mormon, is the Word of God? One must appeal to evidence to determine this. No Christian would accept a Muslim's statement that, 'the Qur'an is alive and powerful and sharper than a two-edged sword.' We would demand evidence.
The analogy of the lion is misleading. A roar of a lion 'speaks for itself' with authority only because we know from previous evidence what a lion can do. Without tales of woe about a lion's ferocity its roar would not have authority. Likewise, without evidence to establish one's claim to authority, there is no good reason to accept that authority.
God can't be known by human reason.
The apostle Paul wrote, 'the world by wisdom knew not God' (1 Cor. 1:21 Lm). This cannot mean that there is no evidence for God's existence, however, since Paul declared in Romans that the evidence for God's existence is so 'plain' as to render 'without excuse' one who has never heard the gospel (Rom. 1:19-20). Further, the context in 1 Corinthians is not God's existence but his plan of salvation through the cross. This cannot be known by mere human reason, but only by divine revelation. It is 'foolish' to the depraved human mind. Finally, in this very book of 1 Corinthians Paul gives his greatest apologetic evidence for the Christian Faith - the eyewitnesses of the resurrection of Christ which his companion Luke called 'many infallible proofs' (Acts 1:3 NKJV). So his reference to the world by wisdom not knowing God is not a reference to the inability of human beings to know God through the evidence he has revealed in creation (Rom. 1: 19-20) and conscience (Rom. 2:12-15). Rather, it is a reference to human depravity and foolish rejection of the message of the cross.
Indeed, even though humankind knows clearly through human reason that God exists, nevertheless, he 'suppresses' or 'holds down' this truth in unrighteousness (Rom. 1: 18).
Natural humanity can't understand.
Paul insisted that 'the man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God' (1 Cor. 2:14). What use, then, is apologetics? In response to this argument against apologetics, it should be observed that Paul does not say that natural persons cannot perceive truth about God, but that they do not receive (in Greek 'dekomai' meaning 'welcome') it. Paul emphatically declares that the basic truths about God are 'clearly seen' (Rom. 1:20). The problem is not that unbelievers are not aware of God's existence. They do not want to accept him because of the moral consequences this would have on their sinful lives. First Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) says they do not 'know' (in Greek 'ginosko') which can mean 'to know by experience.' They know God in their mind (Rom. 1:19-20), but they have not accepted him in their heart (Rom. 1:18). 'The fool says in his heart, There is no God' (Ps. 14:1).'
http://www.bethinking.org/viewall.php?ID=228
Tom
Sorry, that that was a bit dry. I'm sorry to hear that you are having a nightmare with the essay. It's only a degree. There is life after graduation. Hope you have some fun soon!
T
Tom, I agree with you. The gospel ITSELF is not foolishness but it SOUNDS it. A very umportant difference. And it does sound it. A man, dying on a cross. Yes, the doctrine is intricate and complicated but it also in our humanness sounds strange.
I'm sorry, but it really does. The DOCTRINE makes sense to me but the method doesn't. But I know that that's not important. I believe it and I accept it becuase God is God and I love the fact that I don't understand everything.
Dear Tom,
Really great comments! Having only scanned over what you wrote, I think I agree with almost everything you said.
However, I do think you may have misinterpreted Kath's comments - ha ha!
I'm pretty sure that Kath would agree with you that the gospel isn't actually foolish but only seems foolish...
Kath?
yeah man. I maintain we are fools, the message seems foolish and God is very wise. And the Gospel makes sense. But it don't always seem like that to my mixed up human brain. (back to the fact that we are fools, but God DELIGHTS in using us fools. Phew and Hoorah)
:)
(btw SO gonna beat you at pool this week Pod)
cheers all u crazy uccf peeps...thanks for all ure comments...now off u toddle and enjoy ure team days!!
:)
Post a Comment
<< Home