WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE
by Kevin Rutherford
Do you believe everything you are told? Probably not, and you shouldn’t. Do you believe everything you see on television? I hope not. Do you believe everything that professors and scientists say? Intelligence and research don’t always erase personal agendas so be careful. Do you believe everything religious people teach? Of course you don’t, because you can’t. They don’t all teach the same thing.
We are constantly bombarded with the religious, philosophical, and personal views of different groups and individuals. In order to see the truth we must sort through a vast variety of conflicting views. To come to a proper conclusion we must gather the evidence, examine the evidence, and then make a common sense, reasonable, logical decision based on the facts. A police investigator must do this. When he does, it is important that he lays aside all prejudices that might influence his conclusions. A scientist must use this approach also. But, he too must be careful not to allow his conclusions to be colored by his preconceived prejudices. Those who are seeking religious truth must take this approach as well. Like the investigator and the scientists, they too much cast aside their preconceived notions and be honest with the facts.
This is a Biblical approach. The
Lord said to
When the Lord judges the earth, we
will be held accountable on an individual basis (Romans
We use this approach in determining the existence of God. There is evidence in this universe of clear and highly intellectual design. There is evidence from observed scientific principles such as cause and effect. There is evidence in the moral conscience of man. Collect the evidence, examine the evidence, and draw the conclusion. There is a God.
We use this approach in concluding that the Bible is from God. The unity of the Bible, the scientific foreknowledge of the Bible, and the prophecy of the Bible are three types of evidence available for examination. These and other types of evidence, when examined, lead to the conclusion that the Bible is from God.
We use this approach when
determining what man must do to be saved. If I should go to Acts
This approach brings us to the truth on many matters with regard to the church also. Questions such as how many churches did God establish, how are we to worship God, how is the church to be organized, etc, are answered by collecting the evidence, examining the evidence, and drawing a conclusion.
Truth can be known (John