Relating to Our Origins
How do believers and non-believers relate to their origins? If what we said in part 1 that our origins determine to a certain extent our identity and are reflected in the way we think, speak and act then this is something we need to consider briefly.
If, for the non-believer, the origin of his life is chance and chance is characterised by a lack of order, is unstructured, disorganized, uncoordinated, irregular, without any specific overall purpose or direction, I shudder to think how these characteristics are reflected in his life. What kind of identity does a non-believer have if he sees himself and his environment as the result of a chance combination of atoms only?
The non-believer is among those who advise others to speak and to think positively and tries to think positively himself in everything, except when it comes to God. Then he thinks and believes negatively. How tragic!
For those who believe their origin is in God, that he is their Creator, provider and guide of their lives, there is a clear identity, an overall purpose, direction and destination. The human spirit of the believer interacts with the Holy Spirit of God and this transforms him, spirit, soul and body. Awareness of his origin brings transformation:
- He partakes of the very nature of God: 2 Peter 1:4.
- His divine identity is revealed: Romans 8:16.
- He is led by the Spirit of God: Romans: 8:14.
- The word of God is a lamp: Psalm 119:105.
- His life reflects the very life of God: Galatians 5:22, 23.
- Because he is united to he who is eternal he has eternal life: John 17:3.
- He has the opposite of those who reflect the characteristics of chance.
- His human spirit is nourished and this introduces a healthy balanced life of spirit, soul and body with which he relates to others building up healthy personal relationships in his small corner of the world.
The Struggle
Many have made comments on the state of our society where crime and dishonesty are rampant. This is a direct consequence of excluding God. There is something nauseating when listening to debates of all sorts on the root causes of delinquency. Parents are blamed, government is blamed, the media are blamed. The blame is placed on everything and on everyone except on the real root cause. It seems that people want to live on the surface of things. You cannot deal with the crisis outside until you deal with the crisis inside. You can never have peace outside until you have peace within. Peace inside can only come about by ending that struggle within, which is a result of that refusal to let God into your life.
By becoming reconciled to God you become reconciled with yourself; reconciliation with self brings reconciliation with others. Blindness is as rampant as crime. Human nature has not changed since Psalm 14:1: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’”. The delinquency we witness today is the result of that lack of inner peace that comes through a lack of belief. Man's inhumanity to man is part of that downward trend to self-destruction, a path which is sometimes, ironically and tragically, seen as its opposite, self-fulfilment. It is the path towards death, hatred and slavery not life, love and freedom. It is the culture of death, which is so tragically prevalent in our society.
Reasons Why Some Do Not Believe
Often when a man says that God does not exist, in reality he means he would prefer God not to exist or that he hopes that God does not exist to avoid being accountable for his actions. Other reasons given are none other than justifications in an attempt to provide a logical basis for this hope or to silence his conscience.
Another reason why many do not believe in God is that they are almost totally taken up by the activities of everyday life, everyday commitments, interests and comforts. They are often too busy to think of the meaning of life or of where they are heading. Many are trapped in a limited life of family, work and every day commitments. They lie in the prison of their own creation. They are not free men. We are for Freedom.
There are others who do not want to believe because they want to be "free" to live a life morally unacceptable. Psalm 14 also stresses that "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' Their deeds are corrupt and vile, not one of them does right." (Psalm 14, 1, 3). This is not freedom, this is the road to self-destruction
Conclusion
Not only is there external evidence to make it reasonable to believe in God and unreasonable not to believe in him but there is even stronger evidence within each person. They who do not believe in God lack real inner peace. Belief in God therefore is also an existential need.
The more a person struggles against the truth of the existence of God the more he becomes aware that he is struggling against himself and against his own God-given nature. A man can say that God does not exist, but his heart and his conscience do not confirm this belief. He is therefore not at peace with himself.
The man who accepts God knows peace because he has known the end of this struggle. His heart and his conscience have been reconciled to God in whose image and likeness he was created. He is on the road to true self-fulfilment, to fullness of life, the fullness of love and the fullness of freedom.
St Augustine once wrote in his Confessions: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
The Bible has words of encouragement for you who have accepted to embark on this journey of discovery, the journey towards life, love and freedom. God, in his Word says that you who seek God are wise and he is with you as you journey with us, he will sustain you as you journey with us.
Yahweh looks down from heaven at the children of Adam. To see if a single one is wise, a single one seeks God. (Psalm 14, 2).
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Introduction to the Christian Faith Index
Introduction to the Christian Faith. Who Is Jesus?
Back to Part 1 Introduction to the Faith: God or Chance? Part 1
