Non-Believer, Part 3

In a world where some live by their 5 senses, it may seem unusual at first to accept experiences and reality that go beyond what we are used to.  However, many of us are completely OK with the idea of “augmented reality” (where a digital screen superimposes electronic information on top of what a camera is seeing) or “virtual reality” (where we’re viewing something that is completely computer-generated).

As a culture, we have become comfortable with the idea of information existing digitally.  The concept of paying for something with a credit card, and maybe covering the bill through an online payment, after our paycheck was directly-deposited into an Internet bank; that all makes sense.  Some people can live quite happily without carrying cash – having no tangible representation of their earned wealth (beyond what they have purchased with it).

Even crazy-sounding science (and sci-fi plot lines, building off of those scientific theories) like super-string theory, multiverses, quantum entanglement, and time travel become palatable over time.  We may not all be able to solve the math (or overcome measurement limitations), but we start to understand enough of the principles that we can accept the possibility of something beyond what we can see, hear, taste, smell, and touch.

In fact, a practical look at science over the centuries has proven that those who have gone before us had ideas which were later disproven; or, in many cases, superseded by even more fantastic findings and complex scientific models:

• Newtonian mechanics gave way to Einsteinian relativity, as data and models were refined.  In fact, even Einstein’s models may be giving way to newer ideas to explain what we can observe around us.
• Abiogenesis gave way to findings of life coming from life, as we studied the microscopic world.
• The Aether gave way to radiation traveling through empty space, and possibly even quantum particles popping out of nothingness.

If we’re honest – and a bit humble – we should acknowledge that even some of our most trusted concepts from today are likely to give way to something new in the future.

If there is a transcendent God (a Creator and Sovereign authority who exists beyond the physical world, even if He intersects it directly from time to time) we would expect there to be evidence in the universe, but it would also be reasonable to expect that this God would have attributes that are outside of our normal senses.  If a God like this exists, and if He chose to make Himself known, He would have the ability to – again, at His discretion – allow us to know more of His nature (including His character traits) beyond our physical world.

This is the claim of Jesus Christ, and His followers: God does exist.  He exists beyond our finite world, having created it.  Furthermore, not only did He chose to intersect with this 4-dimensional universe (including Jesus – God the Son – becoming a human being, while still remaining God), He actively wants to walk and talk with us and provide us the joy and purpose for which He created us, and eventually to spend eternity with us in a perfect home where the problems of our broken world (which we broke, by the way) are no longer present.  Finally, this isn’t some generalized offer, but He seeks to have a loving family relationship with each of us personally.  He even has a specific purpose for your path in this world.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:28 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.8.28.NLT

So, while it would be great if my own testimony (or that of others who have found the significance of following Jesus) was enough, but if it is not, try it out for yourself.  Search for God honestly, and I’m confident that you can find Him – not because of your skills, but because He allows Himself to be found.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.