Is science the only way to find truth? This is something that is often assumed. But can it be proven? It is one thing to say something is a legitimate source of truth and another to say it is the only source of truth. A clock is a source for truth regarding what time it is. But it does not tell you who is the president of the United States. That scientific methodology is an accurate approach to finding truth is something on which nearly everyone agrees, though they may take exception to specific theories. To claim that science is the only way of arriving at truth is unproved and unprovable. This is relevant because it should be recognized that there are areas of knowledge that cannot be dealt with scientifically. Science deals with repeatable events, which can be studied through experimentation and observation. Not everything lends itself to be studied in this way. This includes not only the things of God but even the facts of history. We cannot determine who is president of the United States scientifically. We ultimately cannot do science if science is the only source of truth, because one of the standards of the reliability of scientific findings is whether they are reproducible by others. But we cannot prove by science whether others have reproduced them.
But this is particularly true regarding the truth of God. If God exists we should not expect Him to be amenable to laboratory testing. Certainly the Christian God has rejected such a concept (Matthew 12:38-40; 16:1-4; John 4:48). God is not a performing animal that we can make jump through our hoops. Rather, we need to look for God where He claims He can be found. That does not mean there is no evidence, but we need to get past the idea that the only acceptable evidence is scientific evidence. To hold to this idea is simply to engage in circular reasoning. We cannot expect God to show Himself to us based on our preconceived notions. We must meet Him where He chooses to reveal Himself to us. When we do, we must of course weigh the evidence to decide if we should believe it. But we cannot stipulate beforehand what the evidence must be.
Thought provoking Mike. For me the only way to know the truth that really matters (i.e. things invisible) is to know Jesus.
ReplyDeleteI certainly would not argue with that.
ReplyDeleteScripture teaches that as far as God is concerned, there are only two kinds of people in the world: believers and unbelievers – sheep and goats, if you will. It teaches further that unbelievers are enemies of God, who have no desire to “meet Him”, whether it is in the place “He” chooses or any place else. When they do “weigh the evidence”, they always find against God. Col. 1: 21, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation,” and James 4: 4, “You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” Therefore, in order to change an unbeliever into a believer, God has to change the nature of the unbeliever so that He is able to believe and trust God. Martin Luther’s explanation of the Third Article of the Creed, called by some the most beautiful sentence in any language, probably puts it best, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in which Christian Church He forgives daily and richly all sins to me and all believers, and at the last day will raise up me and all the dead, and will give to me and to all believers in Christ everlasting life.”
ReplyDeleteIn other words, we don’t find truth; we are unable to find it. Thanks be to the Truth, the Way, and the Life Who has found us, even as the Good Shepherd finds the sheep that are lost.
Peace and Joy!
George A. Marquart
I 100% agree with virtually everything you have said. But for those of us who come as adults and did not grow up within the bosom of the church there is a point where we are confronted with the claims of Christianity. I am convinced that those who accept those claims do so because of God working to bring them to Himself (Acts 13:48; John 6:44) and if we reject them it is because of our own sinful nature which will not accept the truth of God(Romans 1:18). But from our subjective perspective we are confronted with an option, consider the evidence and either accept or reject it. But the results are always based on whether the Shepherd is seeking us.
ReplyDeleteAmen, dear brother. I forgot that you came into the vineyard after the workers chosen in the morning. But the devil does not leave those of us who have grown up in the bosom of the Church without temptation. Sanctification is a constant struggle for everyone, and I would be a fool to pretend that I am always, or even frequently a winner in the process. But I am encouraged by the fact that none of us are left to fend for ourselves in the Kingdom: 1 Cor. 2: 12, “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. 13 And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual. 14 Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else's scrutiny. 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.”
ReplyDeletePeace and Joy!
George A. Marquart
I do not know anything to add to that except amen.
ReplyDelete