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Why does the Christian faith often provide unshakable certainty?
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Why does the Christian faith often provide unshakable certainty?

Unsplash/Emily Morter
Unsplash/Emily Morter

A new movie meeting, It revolves around the secret process of electing a new pope. In the film’s trailer, Ralph Fiennes (Cardinal Lawrence) says: “There is one sin that I have come to fear more than all the others… certainty. If there were only certainty and no doubt, there would be no mystery. So there is no need for faith.”

Unfortunately, this idea actually sums up how some people view the Christian faith. They happily embrace doubt while assuming certainty is unattainable. For some reason they prioritize mystery above evidence. And instead of viewing certainty as an achievable goal based on real historical evidence, they falsely equate Christian certainty with spiritual arrogance.

We are told that science can be known, whereas Christianity can only be believed but not known. As atheist Richard Dawkins puts it: “Faith is the great escape, the great excuse to avoid the need to think and evaluate the evidence. Faith is belief despite the lack of evidence, or perhaps even because of the lack of evidence.”

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Imagine saying something ridiculous to Jesus’ disciples. These men experienced the sinless life of Christ and embraced His powerful message. They spoke to their Lord and Savior after He had risen from the dead, and they knew that the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament had been fulfilled in the One with whom they had walked for three years. Christ’s disciples believed in Jesus based on events they witnessed firsthand. The Christian faith in the hearts of believers today is actually based on historical events, eyewitness accounts, and Biblical promises presented in the Bible, rather than being opposed to evidence as Dawkins suggests.

Imagine sharing Dawkins’ flawed definition of “faith” with believers in Heaven who now experience the absence of disease and death, perfection, purity of heart, and unending joy in a place of perpetual peace. While still on Earth, the Apostle Paul “was taken up to Heaven. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not allowed to say” (2 Corinthians 12:4). This was the strongest evidence of Heaven that could have been given to Paul.

But many people today view the Christian faith as a vague concept that lacks real evidence to support its premises and promises. The truth is, nothing could be further from the truth. If you remain ignorant of the evidence for Christianity, you should read this really popular book: Evidence Requiring Conviction.

Millions of believers have discovered the truth and stand confidently behind God’s promises. But those with a closed mind miss the discovery that followers of Christ come to learn about God’s free gift of eternal life in Heaven.

Alister McGrath is a Northern Irish theologian and former atheist who knew Jesus. HE in question“I began to realize that atheism rested on an unsatisfactory evidentiary basis. Arguments that had once seemed bold, determined, and definitive turned out to be increasingly circular, provisional, and uncertain.”

William Ramsey (1851-1939) was a Scottish archaeologist and New Testament scholar. “By his death in 1939, he had become the foremost authority of his time on the history of Asia Minor and a leading scholar in New Testament studies.” HE in question“Christianity did not originate in a lie; we can and must prove this as well as believe it.”

When a person puts his or her faith in Christ, the belief that Jesus is the Savior often provides unshakable certainty. The apostle John assured sincere Christians: “These things I write to you: to believe In the name of the Son of God so that To know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). First faith, then certainty. I call this knowledge “holy reason.” It is an assurance given to you by the Holy Spirit when you have full confidence in the truth. God’s Word trust and have full confidence in God’s promises in the Gospel.

Jesus said: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

In 2017, CP’s “Can Faith Lead to Commitment to Certainty?” In his article titled. I wrote: “Human reason produces the certainty that two plus two equals four. And sanctified reason produces the certainty that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and will take me to Heaven when I die.” Evangelist DL Moody (1837-1899) expressed it well when he said, “Faith is the root. Assurance is the flower.” Assurance is another word that means certainty.

The only person who can give you sanctified wisdom is the Holy Spirit as you humble yourself at the foot of the cross. You, like all of us, are a sinner who needs the Savior to wash away all your sins. You can examine the evidence and then come to Christ, or you can be lost in your sin forever.

Although some people wrongly assume that it is arrogance that makes the believer fully confident that he will go to heaven, the opposite is the case. You see, the person who strives to be good enough to earn eternal life in heaven actually has pride in him. Humility, on the other hand, exists in the heart that trusts in Christ alone for salvation, rather than relying on good works to get into Heaven. I hope you understand the difference between salvation by grace through faith (see Ephesians 2:8-9) and “salvation by works,” which results in no salvation at all (see Galatians 3:10-11).

One more thought about certainty, my friend: You will definitely live eternity in either Heaven or Hell. (see Matthew 7:13-14; John 3:36; Luke 16:19-3; John 5:25-29; Matthew 13:47-50) If this were not true, Jesus would never have said that! And thank God, “God our Savior wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth!” (1 Timothy 2:4).

Dan Delzell is the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Papillion, Nebraska.