Faith and Reason: A Journey of Understanding

 

Summary

In my journey of faith, I grappled with the tension between reason and belief. Initially, I questioned how a God who created me with a rational mind could expect me to take a blind leap of faith. This skepticism was challenged during my first year at university when friends encouraged me to read the Bible. Despite my initial resistance, I was drawn to the person of Jesus and his teachings, which seemed revolutionary and profound. As I delved deeper into the New Testament, particularly the Acts of the Apostles, I was struck by the emphasis on reasoning, debating, and persuading in the early church. This was not a faith that demanded the abandonment of intellect but one that invited engagement with the mind.

The turning point came when I encountered 1 Corinthians 15, which details the appearances of the resurrected Jesus to various people. This passage, recognized even by skeptical scholars as an early creed, challenged my assumptions about legendary development. The historical evidence suggested that the resurrection was not a later invention but a foundational belief from the beginning. This realization led me to question the gap between the death of Jesus and the explosive growth of Christianity. What could account for such a transformation if not the resurrection itself?

In my quest for answers, I consulted with non-Christian scholars, hoping for alternative explanations. However, their responses lacked conviction and failed to provide a satisfactory account for the historical evidence. This journey taught me the difference between intelligence and wisdom and highlighted the emptiness of criticism without alternatives. Ultimately, I realized that the barrier to faith was not a lack of evidence but a reluctance to take a relational step forward.

Faith, like learning to ride a bike, requires moving beyond theoretical understanding to personal experience. It involves trying on the "coat" of belief to see if it fits. For me, this meant praying an agnostic's prayer, seeking a genuine encounter with God. In a moment of grace, I experienced a profound assurance of God's reality, transcending all my intellectual pursuits. This journey was further affirmed by a remarkable encounter with a woman who had prayed for the salvation of those in my dorm room years before I arrived, illustrating the mysterious and persistent ways God pursues us.

Key Takeaways:

- Faith and reason are not mutually exclusive. God invites us to love Him with all our mind, engaging with the evidence and reasoning found in Scripture. This approach allows us to see faith as a rational response to the evidence of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. [02:27]

- The resurrection of Jesus is a pivotal event that bridges the gap between the apparent end of His movement and the explosive growth of Christianity. The historical evidence for the resurrection challenges us to consider its profound implications for our faith. [04:30]

- Criticism without alternative explanations is empty. When faced with skepticism, it's important to seek out and evaluate the evidence for ourselves, recognizing that the absence of alternative explanations can point to the truth of the resurrection. [08:19]

- Faith requires a relational step forward. Like learning to ride a bike, we must move beyond theoretical understanding to personal experience, trying on the "coat" of belief to see if it fits. This involves taking risks and being open to encountering God in new ways. [10:17]

- God's pursuit of us is both intellectual and personal. He meets us in our doubts and questions, often working through the prayers and influence of others, as seen in the story of the woman who prayed for my dorm room years before I arrived. [12:59]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:19] - The Rational Mind and Faith
[00:33] - Challenged to Read the Bible
[01:00] - Drawn to Jesus' Teachings
[01:37] - Reason and Faith in the Early Church
[02:27] - Loving God with the Mind
[02:45] - The Evidence of the Resurrection
[03:47] - Early Creed and Historical Evidence
[04:30] - The Gap in History
[06:04] - The Conviction of Early Christians
[06:31] - Seeking Alternative Explanations
[07:56] - Intelligence vs. Wisdom
[08:48] - The Role of Evidence in Faith
[09:53] - Relational Knowledge and Faith
[10:17] - Trying on the Coat of Faith
[11:12] - The Agnostic's Prayer
[12:59] - God's Persistent Pursuit

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 - This passage details the appearances of the resurrected Jesus to various people, which is central to the sermon.
2. Acts 17:11 - The Bereans examined the Scriptures daily to see if what they were being told was true, highlighting the importance of reasoning and evidence in faith.

#### Observation Questions
1. What was the speaker's initial reaction to the idea of faith and reason coexisting? How did this perspective change over time? [00:19]
2. How did the speaker's friends influence their journey towards faith during their first year at university? [00:33]
3. What role did the early church's practices of reasoning, debating, and persuading play in the speaker's understanding of faith? [01:47]
4. How did the speaker's encounter with 1 Corinthians 15 challenge their assumptions about the resurrection? [02:45]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the speaker's journey illustrate the relationship between faith and reason? What does this suggest about the nature of belief? [02:27]
2. In what ways does the historical evidence for the resurrection challenge common skeptical views? How does this impact the credibility of the Christian faith? [04:30]
3. What does the speaker's experience with non-Christian scholars reveal about the nature of criticism without alternatives? [08:19]
4. How does the analogy of learning to ride a bike relate to the process of developing faith? What does this suggest about the nature of personal belief? [10:17]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt tension between reason and faith. How did you navigate this tension, and what was the outcome? [00:19]
2. Have you ever been challenged to explore your faith more deeply, as the speaker was by their friends? What was the result of that challenge? [00:33]
3. How can you incorporate reasoning and evidence into your faith journey, similar to the early church's practices? [01:47]
4. What steps can you take to examine the historical evidence for the resurrection more closely? How might this impact your faith? [02:45]
5. Consider a time when you faced criticism for your beliefs. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [08:19]
6. In what ways can you take a relational step forward in your faith, moving beyond theoretical understanding to personal experience? [10:17]
7. How can you be open to God's pursuit in both intellectual and personal ways, as illustrated by the speaker's story of the woman who prayed for their dorm room? [12:59]

Devotional

Day 1: Faith and Reason in Harmony
Faith and reason are often seen as opposing forces, but they can coexist in a harmonious relationship. The journey of faith does not require the abandonment of intellect; rather, it invites engagement with the mind. The early church, as depicted in the New Testament, was characterized by reasoning, debating, and persuading, demonstrating that faith is a rational response to the evidence of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. This approach allows believers to love God with all their mind, engaging with the evidence and reasoning found in Scripture. [02:27]

"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness." (2 Peter 1:5-6, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you actively engage your mind in your faith journey this week? Consider setting aside time to study a challenging passage of Scripture or a theological concept that intrigues you.


Day 2: The Resurrection as a Catalyst
The resurrection of Jesus is a pivotal event that bridges the gap between the apparent end of His movement and the explosive growth of Christianity. The historical evidence for the resurrection challenges us to consider its profound implications for our faith. This event is not just a later invention but a foundational belief from the beginning, as seen in the early creeds. The transformation of the early church and its rapid expansion can be attributed to the reality of the resurrection, which serves as a catalyst for faith and action. [04:30]

"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished." (1 Corinthians 15:17-18, ESV)

Reflection: How does the reality of the resurrection influence your daily life and decisions? Consider one area where you can live more boldly because of the hope the resurrection provides.


Day 3: The Value of Constructive Criticism
Criticism without alternative explanations is empty. When faced with skepticism, it's important to seek out and evaluate the evidence for ourselves, recognizing that the absence of alternative explanations can point to the truth of the resurrection. This journey teaches the difference between intelligence and wisdom, highlighting the emptiness of criticism without alternatives. It encourages believers to engage with their doubts and questions, seeking truth with an open heart and mind. [08:19]

"Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." (Proverbs 3:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent criticism or doubt you have encountered about your faith. How can you seek out evidence or alternative explanations to address this challenge constructively?


Day 4: Taking a Relational Step Forward
Faith requires a relational step forward. Like learning to ride a bike, we must move beyond theoretical understanding to personal experience, trying on the "coat" of belief to see if it fits. This involves taking risks and being open to encountering God in new ways. Faith is not just about intellectual assent but about a personal relationship with God, which requires vulnerability and trust. [10:17]

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take this week to deepen your relationship with God? Consider trying a new spiritual discipline or reaching out to someone for spiritual guidance.


Day 5: God's Persistent Pursuit
God's pursuit of us is both intellectual and personal. He meets us in our doubts and questions, often working through the prayers and influence of others. This is illustrated in the story of a woman who prayed for the salvation of those in a dorm room years before someone arrived, showing the mysterious and persistent ways God pursues us. God's love is relentless, and He uses various means to draw us closer to Him. [12:59]

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." (Zephaniah 3:17, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt pursued by God, either through circumstances or the influence of others. How can you be open to recognizing and responding to His pursuit in your life today?

Quotes

"I remember reasoning to myself I thought okay if there is a God and he made me with this brain, then why wouldn't he want me to use it, you know, like how can he ask me to take some blind leap of faith if he's the one that created me and created me with this brain this mind and surely he'd want me to think about this and something like someone rising from the dead it's just it just seemed irrational." [00:00:08]

"I'm drawn to the person of Jesus the way that he treated people the way that he carried himself love your enemies pray for those who persecute you you know a woman caught an adultery you who are without sin throw the first stone I mean who this guy you know the Golden Rule do to others as you would have them do to you like we just we take that for granted like it's some sort of Hallmark card or that everybody probably always said that like back into ancient history nobody said that until Jesus walked the Earth due to others as you would have them do to you." [00:01:06]

"I started in the New Testament I get to the Acts of the Apostles, the history the record of the early church and all of a sudden I start coming across all sorts of words that I never expected to see in the Bible reasoned debated persuaded convinced explained examined I see that the word persuaded is the word most used for when someone comes to Faith I read that the bereans are more noble than the Thessalonians why not because they just took some blind leap of faith but because it says they examined the Scriptures Daily to determine if what they were being told was true." [00:01:42]

"This doesn't seem like a god who's asking me to just park my brain at the door this seems like a god who's asking me to love him yes with all my heart and soul and strength but also with all of my mind I didn't expect that at all and I kept reading eventually I got to First Corinthians 15. and in the first few verses of that chapter I read Paul's account of all of the people that Jesus had appeared to after he clearly had been killed in bodily form after he had risen from the dead." [00:02:18]

"I then started to do some research and I was confronted with the fact that that passage in First Corinthians 15 is a very early Creed that predates the letter of First Corinthians and even the most skeptical Scholars dated to either within months or within a couple of years of Jesus's actual crucifixion, which is incredibly incredibly early and a hundred years ago if you asked Scholars you know what's going on here people might have told you legendary development over time now no one will tell you that in part because of this passage and everyone even the most skeptical Scholars agreeing that no this is what people really believed from the beginning." [00:03:37]

"There were many people who were walking around utterly convinced that they had spent time with Jesus after he clearly had been killed and now I'm thinking to myself how am I supposed to explain that there's this huge hole in history I thought about it like this I thought the history of Christianity part one, Jesus has this sizable following they believe he's the Messiah they believe that he's going to rise to to power become an Earthly King who's going to Reign forever and then he dies that should have been the end of the movement." [00:04:19]

"People utterly convinced that they're spending time with Jesus after he had been killed Jewish people who were so firm about the Oneness of God are now worshiping this man Jesus as God they were so firm about worshiping only on the Saturday Sabbath now they also have the Lord's Day on a Sunday what a cat what account something happened for what accounts for that change I mean we have letters from the time like plenty of the younger uh Roman Governor at the time in what's now in Northwest turkey and he says I get these Christians before me when they were being persecuted and I asked them if they believed they say yes I warn them of the punishment that awaits their execution and then I asked them a second and a third time and when they were when they refuse to deny him then I'm forced to kill them." [00:05:01]

"Criticism without alternative is empty people were very happy to criticize my emerging belief in the resurrection but when I asked them okay if that is not what's filling this gaping historical hole between what should have been the movement ending death of Jesus and the eruption of the greatest movement of all time then what explains it what accounts for it and there was no alternative to put in its place and eventually I had to come to the point where I realized that it was not a lack of evidence that was keeping me from Faith." [00:08:14]

"There are certain types of knowledge that you can only understand to a certain extent before you take a relational step forward you can only understand to a certain extent from a distance at the moment I'm teaching a three-year-old to ride a bike and like first there's that part where it's like okay this is how the pedals work and I'm going to explain this to you but there comes a point where you can't know how to ride a bike without actually moving toward it and taking a risk and getting on that bike and giving it a try." [00:09:51]

"I love what GK Chesterton said he said there are two ways to choose a coat to see if a coat fits said you can look at the measurements and check the shoulders and the inseam and all the measurements or you can try it on and I think both are important because for me in my story I don't think I would have ever tried on the coat of of faith in Christ unless the measurements of history and philosophy and Science and sociology and all these other disciplines added up unless I could like look at it on the rack and say you know what that's in the vicinity of my size but there is nothing that substitutes for actually trying that coat on and knowing that it fits." [00:10:26]

"I started to pray a prayer I called an agnostics prayer where I used to say God I don't know if I'm talking to anyone but if I am I would really like to know about it and the first time that I really felt that God met me in that prayer was in my dorm room, my freshman year 122 Joe Wayne Hall drop to my knees surrendered my life to Christ I just knew by a gift just a Grace from God in response to that prayer I just knew that he was real in a way that went so far beyond any of my research or analysis or or calculations." [00:11:19]

"More recently I met a woman who heard me share that part of my story and I don't usually mention that specific Room 122 Jolene Hall but I happen to she came down to the front at the end and she had tears coming down her face and and she said did you say 122 Jolene Hall I said yes she was about 15 years older than me she said well more than a decade before you I lived in 121 Jolene Hall she said and I spent my four years on campus praying for the Salvation of the guys in 122 Jolene Hall did she say all these years of thought that God didn't answer my prayer he literally answered my prayer word for word for the Salvation of the guys in 122 Joel Wayne Hall so 15 years before I'm even in that room praying that agnostics prayer and drop into my knees before Christ God has a woman next door praying for that very floor that my knees hid that is the way that he pursues us not only with our minds but then ultimately in our hearts." [00:12:02]

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Transcript
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