Category: Religion

Are You As Trustworthy As You Think?

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I was reading Christian Single magazine and found an article written by a person named J.B. which certainly causes one to think!

 

When it comes to relationships, honesty is one of the char­acter traits we most appreciate. Almost all of us think of ourselves as trustworthy, and we are quick to be offended when others are proved dishonest. While big lies might be easy to spot, how truthful are we when it comes to the small things? 

·     Keeping Promises: Have you ever promised to keep a secret, make a date, or help someone out and then failed to do exactly that? Sure, life gets in the way sometimes, and everyone’s entitled to a change of mind. But if your friends find themselves on the receiving end of a string of broken promises, it can mean only one thing: You’re unreliable. 

·     Shirking Work: While most of us still find it hard to break a promise to a friend, it’s much easier to take advantage of a big company. Have you ever called in sick when the only thing mak­ing you ill is the daily grind? Guess what: Your pants are on fire. 

·     Pilfering Post-Itst: An online survey by Reader’s Digest Canada found that 62 percent of its readers copped to stealing office supplies. Maybe you’re just pocketing small stuff like pens, paper, or envelopes to sock it to an impersonal industry. But if taking something that’s not yours isn’t dishonest, then what is? 

·     Ignoring Checkout Mistakes: How do you react if you get undercharged at the supermarket or restaurant? What do you do if the cashier gives you too much change? Your response is more of a statement about your own trustworthiness than their accuracy. 

·     Committing Victimless Crimes: Do you run stop signs way out in the country when you’re sure not to be seen? Do you edge over the speed limit on certain well-known roads? Do you ever pocket income you have no plans of reporting to the IRS? Don’t forget the classic definition of integrity: It’s who you are when no one’s looking. 

 

I am reminded of the young shepherd boy, David, in the classic story of his battle with the giant (1 Samuel 17). David approached King Saul and wanted to take on the one who was trash-talking the armies of the living God. Any king would have been concerned for such a young man to take on a huge warrior. But David’s comeback was a sign of his character. He was confident. He said he killed both the lion and the bear when they would come to steal his father’s flock, and he would do the same for this giant (vss. 34-36).

 

This tells me that David was a person of integrity; he had a responsibility to protect his father’s animals. Who would have ever known if one or two went missing? He risked his life when no one was looking! What kind of person are we when no one is looking? Or for the parents reading this; what kind of person are you when someone IS looking?

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Heisman Winner Has Priorities in Order

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I found a great article about this year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow, having his priorities in order. He’s an MK (missionary kid), a committed follower of Jesus and a faithful member of First Baptist Church Jacksonville, Florida.

In a profile aired on ESPN during the Heisman award ceremony, Tebow said his priorities are: “number one, my faith in God; number two, my family and my relationships with my family; number three, academics; and number four is football.”

His mother, Pam Tebow, in the profile, said she declined the advice of a doctor to get an abortion after she became seriously ill and dehydrated when pregnant with Tim, her fifth child while living overseas. Bob Tebow said his son is a “miracle baby and so we have reminded him that hundreds of times.” He was homeschooled but allowed to play high school football thanks to a Florida law.

There are several quotes from his pastor, Mac Brunson, about the entire family’s commitment to Christ. 

“I think who he is is a great tribute to his mom and his dad, in fact the whole family,” Brunson said. “It’s a family that’s incredibly dedicated to the Lord, dedicated to missions. They walk the walk. They just don’t talk about it; they really walk the walk. It’s a close family, and you have to admire the family, not just Tim, but the entire family as well for their commitment to the Lord and the Lord’s work.

“They are really an example of what a family can be under Christ because all of them are so gifted in so many different ways,” Brunson continued. “He’s got a brother who is an incredible athlete. He has a sister who is an incredible teacher. His mother speaks, his dad preaches and has this mission effort in the Philippines. They’re all just talented, gifted. They’re close. They’re a great example of what a family can be when Christ is Lord of everyone’s life.”

Mac Brunson was a Tidewater area pastor several years ago, serving at South Norfolk Baptist Church.

I liked this article because Tebow sets an example for students today, standing up for what he believes in, as well as excelling in academics and athletics; a real role model. Not just a guy who crosses himself after a great play, but a young man who can be at the top of his game and still be faithful in his relationship with Christ. The world has plenty of people who talk a good game. Living it out can communicate to others that what we believe really is something significant.

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Why Does Atheism Reject God?

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Dinesh D’Souza takes on leading critics of the church from E.O. Wilson to Richard Dawkins, from Sam Harris to Christopher Hitchens, extolling how Christianity is at home in the arena of science and philosophy and can offer a recipe for lasting happiness in a disillusioned world. While considering the book, I found this review very insightful, An Argument Against the Atheists:

 

“Today’s Christians know that they do not, as their ancestors did, live in a society where God’s presence was unavoidable. No longer does Christianity form the moral basis of society. Many of us now reside in secular communities, where arguments drawn from the Bible or Christian revelation carry no weight, and where we hear a different language from that spoken in church.”  That is the opening salvo from author Dinesh D’Souza in his new book, What’s So Great About Christianity. 

 

Why does atheism reject God? This is the part I found fascinating, especially since it has been my conclusion for years!

 

Al Mohler writes: D’Souza’s strongest analysis comes when he considers the true character of the new atheism. It is, he suggests, a “pelvic revolt against God.”  In other words, it is a revolt against Christian morality — especially sexual morality. This is not a new observation or argument, but D’Souza makes it exceptionally well: 

 

My conclusion is that contrary to popular belief, atheism is not primarily an intellectual revolt, it is a moral revolt. Atheists don’t find God invisible so much as objectionable. They aren’t adjusting their desires to the truth, but rather the truth to fit their desires. This is something we can all identify with. It is a temptation even for believers. We want to be saved as long as we are not saved from our sins. We are quite willing to be saved from a whole host of social evils, from poverty to disease to war. But we want to leave untouched the personal evils, such as selfishness and lechery and pride. We need spiritual healing, but we do not want it. Like a supervisory parent, God gets in our way. This is the perennial appeal of atheism: it gets rid of the stern fellow with the long beard and liberates us for the pleasures of sin and depravity. The atheist seeks to get rid of moral judgment by getting rid of the judge. 

 

I have thought this for years, not so much the sexual immorality part, but the fact that modern atheism wants to be accountable to no one. That statement sounds as if atheists are evil people, desiring to eliminate all moral codes. Not true. As a recent media report puts it, atheists want to spread the message that “we’re good people, just not God people.”  

 

In the new book, unChristian, the author states that modern apologetics do not work in our postmodern relativistic society. Christianity just does not “click” using logical rational arguments for God’s existence. I believe we all evaluate the facts as we see them and choose to believe what we do based upon our interpretation of those facts. For atheism, I can’t help but think D’Souza’s point is valid.

Ministering to the Buster Generation

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Broadly defined, Busters were born between 1965 and 1983 and represent about 66 million Americans (roughly ages 25 to 42). They have seen many changes and advances in their lifetime: Roe v. Wade, high technology, video games, television quality and choices, the Challenger disaster, the Berlin Wall came down, peer groups became essential, music had become more cynical, AIDS, the Persian Gulf war, the youthful Clinton administration (his relatively young age and who can forget Monica)…

 

Their characteristics may be described as desiring freedom, non-work-a-holic, into 60’s nostalgia, survival (from AIDS to pollution to over population), feeling neglected (divorced parents, single-parent homes, virtual communities), rejecting the values of the Boomers and even postponing marriage.

 

So, where do they fit in the church? Busters value a true family atmosphere (often coming out of a generation of broken families); get involved in local causes in order to see the results of their efforts, have shorter attention spans (the sound bite generation); want a church to meet their own needs (a pragmatic faith that works for them) and a faith that works for others (becoming involved in social, political and environmental issues)…

 

Let me get to my subject. Gary McIntosh (One Church Four Generations) suggests many ways the church can seek to understand this generation.

  • Define Vision – we must have a clearly defined vision and a commitment to accomplish the task. He says that “to know Christ and make Him known” is too theoretical to be relevant to Busters. Pragmatic busters want to know how the mission will be carried out; how are we going to get to know Christ and to whom is the church trying to make Christ known?
  • Keep Worship Authentic – honest, straightforward, tell-it-like-it-is services are attractive to Busters. They can be short or long, but they cannot be considered a waste of time. They are not so much bored with worship but with services that move slowly. Music is important, so we need to use up-to-date music in a variety of styles, even having busters help plan the services.
  • Focus on local issues – rather than far away places. They will feed the homeless in their own area but seldom will they minister across the country. They want to know that their money is making a difference and do not give because they are asked to give to the regular Boomer channels of missions support. So, experiencing missions is important, even if that experience takes them internationally.
  • Challenge to Short-term Service – the general rule is to recruit for short-term and to renew for long-term. Long-term commitments are not the norm, so experiencing a ministry first helps develop a commitment to it in the long term.
  • Small Groups – Busters love feedback and discussion with people they trust. Step-by-step instructions and accountability are usually needed to move from concepts into action.
  • Answer Questions – since Busters need to sort out various hurts in their lives, the church needs to provide practical messages, classes and groups. They need help with problems they face every day: AIDS, divorce, pornography, immorality, child abuse, drugs and alcohol abuse, STDs. They need honest answers and biblical solutions.
  • Develop Need-Based Ministry – we might call some of these support groups: divorce care, overcoming addictions, surviving abuse.

We have to understand the driving forces behind the group we are trying to reach. This group is the future of the church. What will the church look like after the Builders and Boomers begin to die off? So, what do you think? 

Too Much Emphasis on Conversion

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One of the themes in the book I am reading (unChristian) is that Christians put too much emphasis on converting people to their way of thinking. This is a barrier to many people on the outside of the Christian faith.

 

Think about it, how do we react when the Mormons or the JW’s come to our door? We usually say exactly the same thing! “They’re looking to convert people to their religion” or “I just don’t want to talk with them, I don’t want what they’re selling.” Just as I would never take their invitation to consider their religion seriously, why would I think anyone would do the same when I knock on their door “peddling the truth?” (That is in quotes because do not all religious groups claim to have the truth?). The barrier is that there is no relationship established.

 

One story in the book was about a guy that moved across the country to NYC. He met another guy in town and they had a good conversation. The New Yorker was friendly, something the guy from out west did not expect. Eventually the Christian guy from NYC invited the newcomer to a Bible study. When he said, “no thanks” he never heard from the Christian guy again.

 

Wow, that sure emphasizes a negative side of Christians! Are they looking for the next convert; a notch on their conversion belt? Or are they genuinely interested in people?

 

I was on a business trip to China when I found a fellow believer who was teaching in a school in Shanghai. She told me a fascinating story about her work, the children, the city and the new friends she had met since arriving in town. Since it is not illegal to be a Christian, she would tell her friends (in the normal conversations of life) that she was a follower of Jesus. One new friend said, “You only want me to believe like you do.” The teacher corrected her and said, “I want to be friends whether you believe like me or not.” Great answer!

 

I’m convinced that Christianity is more caught than taught; living a life that honors God and hope that people see our sincere love for God shining through. Hopefully in the normal conversations of life, we will find opportunities to put in a good word for Jesus, not because we want to convert people, but because it is hard to keep silent about the greatest thing that has ever happened to us!

Christianity Has An Image Problem

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There is a fascinating book called, unChristian (Kinnaman and Lyons) that declares Christianity has an image problem. I’ve known it for years but did not really have any research to support it. I often heard stories like:

  1. The church is only after my money
  2. Look at the lifestyles of TV evangelists
  3. Church is boring or irrelevant
  4. Remember Ted Haggard and Jim Bakker?
  5. The church is full of hypocrites
  6. I don’t need to go to church to worship God
  7. Too many priest sex scandals and cover-ups
  8. Christians are too narrow-minded

Once teenagers get their driver’s licenses, it seems participation in church activity is usually the first item scratched off the list. Remember that Christianity is a relationship more than it is a religion. Jesus said that a tree is known by its fruit, so believers not living out what they say they believe is one of the greatest barriers to outsiders giving Jesus a try. Believers in Christ are the church; it’s not the building or an activity we do on Sundays. It seems I read that Gandhi would have become a Christian, but he could not find any of His followers.

So how has the Christian faith portrayed itself to a skeptical generation? What does Christian mean to you? For many, it means very conservative, indoctrinated, anti-gay, anti-choice, angry, violent, judgmental, illogical, hypocritical, too political, building their own empires, trying to convert everyone to their way of thinking, who cannot live at peace with anyone who believes differently than themselves. So, what did I leave out? A lot of this originates from the hurtful past of former believers.

How are Christians to overcome this negative stereotype? Today’s Christians are known more for what they are against than what they really stand for. Its one thing to know about Jesus, it is another to really know Him. Assent to a set of propositions is not what Jesus desires, but that we become His disciples, followers who live out what we believe. We are not alone, there are other authentic pilgrims on this journey.

I heard Greg Stier of Dare2Share Ministries tell a story of when he was a pastor, about being in a coffee shop, studying at a table with all his Jesus books in front of him. As he was leaving to pay, there was a Goth looking kid wearing a Marilyn Manson T-shirt behind him who noticed all his books. “Are you religious?” he asked, “Because I don’t like religious people.” Greg looked at the guy and said, “Me neither, I can’t stand religious people! You know who else didn’t like religious people? Jesus! Eventually those religious people had him killed.”

So, there he was with this kid with the Manson gear, both agreeing that religious people made them sick. But Jesus showed them by rising from the dead! Greg then went on to tell him about Jesus being into relationship rather than religion. In some ways people may be into spirituality or even into Jesus, but they don’t like the church. Sad reality, since believers ARE the church.

Things Jesus Would Not Say

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Inspired by our friends down at the Wittenburg Door I wanted to see what type of insight and creativity might come from our WordPress community. Think of things that Jesus would not say…

  1. Oops.
  2. That never occurred to Me.
  3. Do you know the way to San Jose?
  4. Finders keepers, losers weepers.
  5. If you have sinned only a little, cast the first stone.
  6. Best two out of three?
  7. Don’t stop to help, we’re late for church.
  8. Well, I suppose it’d be OK. But just this once.
  9. What’s the matter with you guys? Can’t you take a joke?
  10. How long must I put up with you? (no, wait, He did say that).
  11. You’re not the boss of me.
  12. Do they want red or white wine?
  13. Do you want fries with that broiled fish?
  14. Maybe I should write this down.
  15. I’m pretty good at division, but I’m great at multiplication.
  16. Broadcast into all the world and make giving units.
  17. Peter, sometimes you’re such a poopy head.
  18. How the heck should I know why fools fall in love?
  19. Would you consider giving me half the kingdoms of the world if I fall down and worship you for, say, ten minutes?
  20. Just between you and me, I walked because I don’t know how to swim.
  21. Blessed are the … are the … um …
  22. If anyone desires to come after Me, let him attend church, pass an offering plate and follow the pastor.
  23. What in My name is going on in here?
  24. Has anyone seen my keys to the kingdom?
  25. The choir is so much better now that Tammy Faye is here.
  26. I’m not riding into town on that donkey.
  27. I have to buy a new suit for Easter.
  28. How many more of these seals do I have to break?
  29. Judas, am I not worth more than only 30 pieces of silver?
  30. Do I look fat in this robe?
  31. What Would I Do?
  32. How many angels really can dance on the head of a pin?
  33. Happy holidays.

What about things Jesus WOULD say today, like…

  1. A-Rod wants how much for 10 years?
  2. No, Benedict, you can’t exchange a beer stein for the wine chalice.
  3. See, this is what happens when you make Me illegal in America.
  4. I don’t believe in atheists, therefore atheists don’t exist.
  5. “What we have here, is, failure to communicate” (Cool Hand Luke).

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Questions I'd Ask Before Following Jesus

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I recently read an article by Gordon MacDonald called “Questions I’d Ask Before Following Jesus” that reminded me of this important issue for someone who is interested in becoming a Christian. Having been a fan of discipleship and Christian growth for three decades, I have seen plenty of people get started in their relationship with Jesus only to give up at some point along the journey. Jesus even told a story that seems to fit well, the parable of the sower and the soils, where the same seed (the Word of God or perhaps the gospel of salvation) is sown freely to four different types of soil. As I talk to people about a relationship with God, I can ask questions that may even turn people away. I sense in the long run, people need to know what they are getting into.

As Jesus chose His disciples, or first followers, I wonder what questions where in their minds when they heard the “follow me” challenge? What issues concerned them? Practical questions? Personal questions? Priority questions? Questions about inadequacy? Anxiety? Compensation? What do we need to know before we leave our beach and join Your movement? 

1. Why do You want me with all my baggage? Jesus knew these guys better than they knew themselves, but Peter was on target when he said, “Go away from me Lord, I am a sinful man.” Since salvation is more than just saying, “yes” to Jesus, our baggage must be dealt with. Our call to discipleship is a call to renunciation. There must be an openness to new disciplines, new thinking, new ways to look at relationships. It’s not overnight, but there must be progress. 

2. What made you invite me? Jesus appears to have started with a bias of the heart rather than with an evaluation of outward performance. These guys were not the respected pillars of society. Jesus was not a talent scout, but a student of the inner person. I believe He sees potential as to what people may become, and He extended the invitation to join Him. 

3. What is the most important attribute of a disciple? When Jesus said, “I will make you fishers of men,” He was making a commitment to the follower, “I will make you…” He would guide the follower who makes the commitment to learning, or to the reshaping of his life. There is an issue of submission and obedience, two concepts that are not easily swallowed in our post-modern western society. I think Jesus is looking for F-A-T followers (Faithful, Available and Teachable). 

4. Where is discipleship likely to take me? Jesus always focuses on the future, seeing the potential in people. Some people think that following Jesus is adhering to old-fashioned teachings in outdated, irrelevant, relic documents. I see a relationship with Christ as the way to become what the Creator intended in the first place. Jesus sent His followers out to accomplish various tasks, like spreading the message to the ends of the earth. Possessing a new mission or sense of purpose cannot be overlooked. 

5. Will I be alone if I follow? No way! Christianity is nothing if it is not a community, which has a way of life, ethics, morality, disciplines and goals. Individualism (figuring this out all on your own) is not encouraged, but interdependence is the key. The disciple must ask, “Am I willing to get along with people who are considerably different from me?” The New Testament uses images of a body, and family and building… all made of various parts to become a whole. 

6. What happens when I fall flat on my face? Will You reject me? The first followers fell quite a bit, so we have the assurance that Jesus will hold on to us as well. People can grow stronger through hard times, discouragement and even failure. The disciple experienced al of these these, but never rejection. 

7. Where will I find the power to be and do what You ask of me? The disciples felt secure and empowered as long as Jesus was with them. He gave the Great Commission and they knew Jesus was not going to be beside them any more. He was sending the Holy Spirit to empower, teach, guide, comfort and remind them of their mission. It was the Spirit that transformed these fearful men of the crucifixion into the courageous leaders of the early church. 

8. What are the risks of following You? I like the story in John 21 where Peter is concerned about the fate of another disciple. Jesus basically tells him, “What is that to you? You follow Me.” The way for Peter would be hard and end in a violent death. But we must ask ourselves, “Do I follow God because it is easy or for what I get out of it (everlasting life) or because it is the right thing to do and He deserves it?”

The Origin of Time and Could God Really Exist?

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I read a lecture by Stephen Hawking about Space and Time Warps. It’s not that I had extra time on my hands (no pun intended) but because of a comment on my post regarding Blind Faith or Logical Reasons to Believe God Exists. His comment was that the laws of physics break down prior to the Big Bang, so the state of things prior to the singularity is irrelevant because there is no standard for measuring them. It’s a great observation and shows he is a well-read person.

In another lecture on the origin of the universe, Hawking says,

“The General Theory of Relativity and the discovery of the expansion of the universe shattered the old picture of an ever existing and ever lasting universe. Instead, general relativity predicted that the universe, and time itself, would begin in the big bang.”

In the Space and Time lecture, Hawking addresses time travel, technology, wormholes, warped space, and even what I call “Back to the Future” issues. Hawking says:

We thus have experimental evidence from the bending of light, that space-time is curved, and confirmation from the Casimir effect, that we can warp it in the negative direction. So it might seem possible, that as we advance in science and technology, we might be able to construct a wormhole, or warp space and time in some other way, so as to be able to travel into our past. If this were the case, it would raise a whole host of questions and problems. One of these is, if sometime in the future, we learn to travel in time, why hasn’t someone come back from the future, to tell us how to do it.

As a fan of the Sci-Fi Channel, the lecture was definitely interesting for me, but the quote above caught my attention… Hawking, who is perhaps the greatest scientific mind in our generation, admits we have only “experimental evidence” in what he addresses.

Rather than comment on my previous post, I thought a new post regarding this new topic was in order.

If laws of physics break down prior to “creation” of the universe as we know it, does not the Bible also claim to reveal the same information? Genesis 1:2 says that prior to the creation singularity the earth was formless and void, which many biblical commentators would translate “chaos.” OK, let’s leave the Bible out of this since many people do not see it as an authoritative document.

I find myself looking more at the philosophical side of arguments to “prove” God’s existence. The argument from creation (the cosmological argument) states that since science and philosophy would indicate the universe had a beginning (therefore not eternal), and for the universe to have a beginning it would have to be caused by something outside of the known universe. Since infinite regress is not possible, the universe must have been caused by an uncaused, always existing, eternal Being (which many people call God).

As far as the Big Bang and life on this planet, the logical first question would be, “Where did the elements that caused the Big Bang come from?” Hawking’s lecture on Life in the Universe does not seem to address this concern, rather stating, “The early appearance of life on Earth suggests that there’s a good chance of the spontaneous generation of life, in suitable conditions. Maybe there was some simpler form of organisation, which built up DNA.” To me it takes more faith to believe that something spontaneously comes from nothing, unless God (the first uncaused cause) is part of the equation.

But as I read Hawking’s lecture, I was amazed at the wonder of the universe and how much we cannot even fathom. Then came my next logical question, “Since this universe is so vast and complex, and great thinkers like Hawking can communicate such complex ideas, does this not logically indicate that there must be a Designer of all of this?” For example, a walk along the beach might reveal interesting sand designs caused by the waves. On the other hand, if I notice “Billy loves Suzie” written in the sand, I must assume this information came from a literate person who is capable of loving someone else. There is complexity in the message that assumes there is an intelligent sender of the message.

So, when we see the complexity of this universe, or even of the human body (made up of nerve cells, brain cells, skin cells, bone cells, all different from each other, yet similar) we must assume there was an intelligent Designer (which we may call God). Evolution does not explain how life moves from a simple cell organism to what we see in the complexity of, let’s say, an eye. Can the eye and an optic nerve be the product of time + chance?

The second law of thermodynamics tells us that the amount of usable energy in a closed system (like the universe) is decreasing, which means that everything tends to move from order to disorder, complex to simple, life to death. This is why we have to paint the house every few years, things run down rather than get better over time.

To me, this teleological argument also points to a beginning for the universe. And since the universe has a wonderful and complex order, there must be a Designer that set it in motion at some point in the past. Laws of physics do not need to break down before the Big Bang if we recognize a Creator that not only created matter, but also time and space as well.

Blind Faith? It’s a leap of faith, and without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), but when one chooses to believe in God after proper research, it is anything but blind.

Blind Faith or Logical Reasons to Believe God Exists?

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The drought in Atlanta brought out people of faith to the capital steps to pray for rain. Across the street, the Freethought Society protested. I remembered from school, America stood for freedom of religion, but today it is being reinterpreted to mean freedom from religion, like religious expression should never be in the public arena. It appears that you can have “free thought,” but if your free thought leads you to believe in God, you’re parallel to a mindless devotee bowing down before a wooden idol.

 

With the rise of atheism in the media, many conclude that Christians believe in God as a crutch or an escape from reality. For some needy reason they choose to believe in an imaginary concept of God based on blind faith. But there really are solid logical arguments that would indicate it takes more faith to be an atheist. Take this one for example:

The cosmological argument simply states that the universe is limited in that it had a beginning and that its beginning was caused by something beyond the universe:

  1. The universe had a beginning.
  2. Anything that has a beginning must have been caused by something else.
  3. Therefore, the universe was caused by something else, and this cause was God.

Scientific evidence strongly supports the idea that the universe had a beginning. The view usually held by those who claim that the universe is eternal, called the steady state theory, leads some to believe that the universe is constantly producing hydrogen atoms from nothing. It would be simpler to believe that God created the universe from nothing. Also, the consensus of scientists studying the origin of the universe is that it came into being in a sudden and cataclysmic way (the Big Bang). The main evidence for the universe having a beginning is the second law of thermodynamics, which says the universe is running out of usable energy. But if it is running down, then it could not be eternal. What is winding down must have been wound up.

 

But beyond the scientific evidence that shows the universe began, there is a philosophical reason to believe that the world had a starting point. This argument shows that time cannot go back into the past forever. It is impossible to pass through an infinite series of moments. It is like moving your finger across an endless number of books in a library. You would never get to the last book. Even if you thought you had found the last book, there could always be one more added, then another. You can never finish an infinite series of real things.

 

The same goes toward “the beginning of time.” Infinite regress is impossible because there is always one more book on the shelf. So, time must have begun at a particular point in the past, and today has come at a definite time since then. Therefore, the world is a finite event after all and it needs a cause for its beginning. **

 

Norman Geisler puts it this way:

  1. Finite, changing things exist. For example, me. I would have to exist to deny that I exist; so either way, I must really exist.
  2. Every finite, changing thing must be caused by something else. If it is limited and it changes, then it cannot be something that exists independently. If it existed independently, or necessarily, then it would have always existed without any kind of change.
  3. There cannot be an infinite regress of these causes. In other words, you can’t go on explaining how this finite thing causes this finite thing, which causes this other finite thing, and on and on, because that really just puts off the explanation indefinitely.
  4. Therefore, there must be a first uncaused cause of every finite, changing thing that exists. 

Since the universe very plainly had a beginning, it must have been caused or started by something uncaused, which is God. But why do people reject God so strongly? I believe that if we recognize the existence of God, it means that we are accountable to something higher than ourselves. This is not acceptable to anyone who bows to no One.

 

** From Norman Geisler’s When Skeptics Ask.

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