Rick Mattson's Blog, page 18

Why isn’t God more Obvious? Part 4

In my prior post I told of my conversation with Melanie the agnostic, and how she’d gotten a bit miffed at me for something I’d said.

Spiritual conversation is an imperfect art for me, I admit.

Melanie’s main claim was that her lack of belief in God was not her fault. Philosophers call this “inculpable nonbelief” — that is, non-belief for which a person is not responsible.

But I wonder whether there is such a thing as this “no-fault” unbelief. Well, maybe so, for persons who’ve never even heard of a Creator-God or the message of Jesus Christ.*

But in Melanie’s case I was struggling to sympathize. She has as much access to the full revelation of God as anyone. Maybe more. After all, she has the advantage of a Christian upbringing.

I said to her that the one thing the God of the Bible doesn’t provide (or rarely provides) is proof.

You can’t make God perform miracles to prove himself. He’s not a genie in a lamp.

But what God will provide and always provides are clues. Signs. The philosophical phrase is “signals of transcendence.”

Included here are traditional methods of revelation such as the beauty and order of nature (Romans 1), the obligations felt by conscience (Romans 2); the Incarnation,** Scripture and the Church.

These items are supplemented in our lives by smallish clues of God’s presence such as answered prayer, healings, acts of kindness from others, provision of food and shelter, and the hundred little happy coincidences that seem to occur when our hearts are soft and open to God.

Someone has said, “The more I pray, the more coincidences happen.”

Melanie looked at me skeptically. She shook her head. No. Not good enough. All these things can be explained away, she insisted.

“But if God proved himself to you,” I said, “you’d be forced to believe. Melanie, this isn’t merely about intellectual belief. God desires a love relationship with us. Love cannot be forced.”

“Then what am I supposed to do?” she asked desperately. She was nearly in tears. “I can’t make myself believe.”

* * *

In my next post: The conclusion of the conversation.

* “No-fault” unbelief: Keep in mind, however, that Paul says in Romans 1:20 that God’s revelation in nature is available to all, so that they are “without excuse.”

**Incarnation is the theological term for God-in-the-flesh: Jesus Christ.

Photo courtesy of radnatt at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

 

 

Why isn’t God more Obvious? Part 5

Last time I recounted how Melanie the agnostic was feeling stuck. She wanted to believe in God but simply didn’t.

How could she get her former faith ignited and moving again?

I agreed with Melanie that while you cannot make yourself believe, you can at least put yourself in position to develop faith. That is, read the Scriptures in community, stay in fellowship with Christians, hear the Word of God preached regularly, read books that make a case for faith in Christ.

Seek God with all your heart.

“But what if all that doesn’t work?” Melanie objected forcefully. Her face had turned resolute and our eyes were locked. “I’m doing the best I can. I want to believe in God but I’m just not convinced. Will he punish me for that?”

I looked away. I was aware of the other students listening intently around the table.

“Punish may not be the precise word,” I replied. “But God will respect your choice. He won’t force you into his family, whether in this life or the next. You’ll always be separated from him.”

A solemn moment passed.

Then it was time to go. An hour had flown by. There was no resolution.

* * *

Ten minutes later I bumped into Melanie in the back of the cafeteria. She greeted me with a gentle smile.

I asked if she was okay and she said yes. Then, could I pray for her, hand on the shoulder? Yes again.

I prayed that God would give grace and provide answers to her questions.

She went back to her Christian friends. I can only trust that the Lord will meet her there.

Getting unstuck

There’s a concept in Christian theology called prevenient grace. It means “preceding” grace or grace that goes before. It’s God’s way of priming the pump, of unlocking the potential for belief.

That’s what Melanie needs. A move of God in her life. That’s not to say further conversation and reading and simply hanging out with Christians aren’t valuable. They certainly are.

But it seems to me her main need is the “prevenient” intervention of God. That’s a prayer request, right there.

Photo courtesy of surasakiStock and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.