Intellectualism versus God? Do you have to be stupid to believe in God? Why does intellectualism often lead to atheism?
"...the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned," 1 Corinthians 2:14.
The whiz kids insist that Christians are in denial of reality by believing in God. But the man of God knows that "the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse," Romans 1:20.
Anybody who demands that there is no God is in the most foolish denial of the inexplicable miracle of all things. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear," Hebrews 11:3.
I have no problem whatsoever believing that an invisible God created all this. I find it impossible to believe that it could ever have happened without Him. If everything in the physical, material realm contradicted the Word of God, I would still believe it because I know that the invisible things of God are disguised and indistinguishable to the unbeliever - they are hidden.
"It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter," Proverbs 25:2.
The hidden things are made plain to those who believe.
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork," Psalms 19:1.
"...Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory," 1 Peter 1:7-8.
"For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them," Luke 10:24.
"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed," John 20:29.
I don't know how Moses opened the Red Sea, or called water out of the rock. I don't know how Jericho's walls fell, how Balaam's donkey talked, how Elijah raised the widow's son, filled the borrowed vessels with oil, or called fire down on Mt. Carmel. I don't know how Naman's leprosy was cured, or the Syrian Army was all blinded. I don't know how Jonah survived the whale, Daniel survived the lions' den, or the three Hebrews survived the fiery furnace.
I don't know how Jesus turned water into wine, calmed a storm, walked on the water, fed 5,000 men, raised Lazarus from his tomb, or how He rose from the grave after three days.
But I believe. Every time I look at a cherry tree in blossom, I believe in God. When I see a brightly-colored finch, I believe in God. When I look into the eyes of a friend, I believe in God.
But of all the testimonies of God, the Bible says that "the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy," Revelation 19:10. As a life-long student of Bible prophecies, I am as impressed by the fulfilling of countless ancient prophecies of the Bible IN MY TIME as any other miracle I can think of. When I see how many prophecies of the Bible have been AMAZINGLY fulfilled in my lifetime, I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that EVERY WORD OF GOD IS SURE.
And among all those infallible words are these, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also," John 14:1-3. I believe that Jesus is coming back to earth.
I really don't care what anybody thinks of me. Let them call me a fool. Let them think of me as a poor, deluded simpleton if that makes them happy. I am satisfied that Jesus Christ is EVERYTHING the Bible says He is, and more. I believe that God is bigger than we have ever preached Him to be. I BELIEVE!
So you can have all the intellectualism in the world. Do with it as you please. I choose to believe in God, His Word, and His Christ. We will soon see who was the wise man.
If I was a fool, the worst I can do is die.
If the intellectual is a fool, the worst he can do is spend eternity regretting his doubts.
"...the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned," 1 Corinthians 2:14.
The whiz kids insist that Christians are in denial of reality by believing in God. But the man of God knows that "the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse," Romans 1:20.
Anybody who demands that there is no God is in the most foolish denial of the inexplicable miracle of all things. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear," Hebrews 11:3.
I have no problem whatsoever believing that an invisible God created all this. I find it impossible to believe that it could ever have happened without Him. If everything in the physical, material realm contradicted the Word of God, I would still believe it because I know that the invisible things of God are disguised and indistinguishable to the unbeliever - they are hidden.
"It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter," Proverbs 25:2.
The hidden things are made plain to those who believe.
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork," Psalms 19:1.
"...Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory," 1 Peter 1:7-8.
"For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them," Luke 10:24.
"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed," John 20:29.
I don't know how Moses opened the Red Sea, or called water out of the rock. I don't know how Jericho's walls fell, how Balaam's donkey talked, how Elijah raised the widow's son, filled the borrowed vessels with oil, or called fire down on Mt. Carmel. I don't know how Naman's leprosy was cured, or the Syrian Army was all blinded. I don't know how Jonah survived the whale, Daniel survived the lions' den, or the three Hebrews survived the fiery furnace.
I don't know how Jesus turned water into wine, calmed a storm, walked on the water, fed 5,000 men, raised Lazarus from his tomb, or how He rose from the grave after three days.
But I believe. Every time I look at a cherry tree in blossom, I believe in God. When I see a brightly-colored finch, I believe in God. When I look into the eyes of a friend, I believe in God.
But of all the testimonies of God, the Bible says that "the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy," Revelation 19:10. As a life-long student of Bible prophecies, I am as impressed by the fulfilling of countless ancient prophecies of the Bible IN MY TIME as any other miracle I can think of. When I see how many prophecies of the Bible have been AMAZINGLY fulfilled in my lifetime, I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that EVERY WORD OF GOD IS SURE.
And among all those infallible words are these, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also," John 14:1-3. I believe that Jesus is coming back to earth.
I really don't care what anybody thinks of me. Let them call me a fool. Let them think of me as a poor, deluded simpleton if that makes them happy. I am satisfied that Jesus Christ is EVERYTHING the Bible says He is, and more. I believe that God is bigger than we have ever preached Him to be. I BELIEVE!
So you can have all the intellectualism in the world. Do with it as you please. I choose to believe in God, His Word, and His Christ. We will soon see who was the wise man.
If I was a fool, the worst I can do is die.
If the intellectual is a fool, the worst he can do is spend eternity regretting his doubts.