F4S: Is solid truth personally knowable? Can Christianity provide a reasonable philosophy..or not so much? How does biblical Christianity answer the fundamental questions of life?

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Is solid truth personally knowable? Can Christianity provide a reasonable philosophy..or not so much? How does biblical Christianity answer the fundamental questions of life?

Ever wondered about the existence of a loving God?  Does He exist and have a good plan? Ever wondered ‘bout how His sovereignty and your free will can co-exist?  Come on, do people really have a free will.. can we have a good life of hope with Him..in-spite of some suffering?  For real?  

Can we each choose to live in harmonious fellowship with this God?  Is He knowable?  Personally?  Can our lives have real meaning amidst all the crazy-chaos here?  Can we enjoy fulfillment, pure passion and purpose as we walk in this sin-cursed-world?  Can we walk in the will of God, fully pleasing Him? Yes! Repent and believe. 

Gobs of people are asking and really want to know.  Check it out prayerfully in the Bible. Jesus is your Solution -- He wants you to have real life, yes life more abundantly. Eternally! 

Why let anyone defraud you?

Why let anyone cheat you with lame worldly philosophy? The thief of your life can be man-made philosophy and traditions, pleasing to those of this world system but rejected by the Lord. If you have all fullness in Christ, why substitute to man’s empty philosophies? Jesus is everything to me -- all that you and I need.

What I believe in my heart must really make sense in my mind.” But remember..

“It is easier to hide behind philosophical arguments, heavily footnoted for effect, than it is to admit our hurts, our confusions, our loves, and our passions in the marketplace of life's heartfelt transactions.” ― Ravi Zacharias

Next to knowin' what's so.. is knowin' where to find out what's so... or whom to find that knows what's really so. Hearin' and learnin' what's so sure beats hearin' what makes ya feel better than so so. Many want to hear what makes them feel good more so than hear what's so (what's biblical), you know.. what makes their ears tingle.
--The Christian church is sort of a puzzling-enigma, it’s hard for those in the world to understand on their own..for we’re the only people on the planet who get together regularly to acknowledge that we’re a bunch of sinners needing a Savior—all the while feeling wonderful about seein' this. And because we recognize we’re sinners saved by such a wonderful Savior, we leave our meetings abounding with joy and thanksgiving. Every other group (religious etc) tries to convince itself of how wonderful its members are, but they often leave feelin' miserable as they strive for increased sophistication and depth.--Paul strongly warned that, “Walking-believers don’t need any quicksand of pseudo-sophistication.”  Just advance and grow to maturity. And to underscore all this, Paul goes on to enumerate four things of which to beware.

"Beware lest anyone cheat you through PHILOSOPHY and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to (or after worldly rudiments) the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." Col 2:8 #emph.mine

--Oswald Chambers said: “The greatest philosophy ever produced does not come within a thousand leagues of the fathomless profundity of our Lord’s statements, e.g., ‘Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.’”
--Paul in 1st Corinthians 1:17 says, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.”
--1 Corinthians 1:2 says.. For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
--1 Corinthians 2:13, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
--1 Corinthians 1:19 For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE."
--1 Corinthians 2:1-5, And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,
--1 Timothy 6:2 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called "knowledge"
--Titus 3:9-10 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him.. esv
--“Beware of mere intellectualism minis saving faith—you know, with all the world values,” “They’re vain. They’re empty. They don’t work.”
Man, these days, it seems like more believers are wasting time and gobs of money on unbelieving psychologists and psychiatrists.. (there are some great professionals for sure, but) I mean when their problems are specifically dealt with in the Bible. Folks, if your car breaks down, I wouldn’t tell you to read your Bible for that. I would tell you to read an automotive manual. If your arm breaks, I wouldn’t tell you to read your Bible for that. I would help you go find a doctor who has read the right medical manual. And for matters of the heart and soul, I would implore you to read your Bible, for it alone contains the answers you need to apply. It points you to the chief Physician.
Ask yourself.. "'What is the really good life?’ This is a question as old as philosophy itself. In fact, it is the question that birthed philosophy as we know it.* Posed by ancient Greek thinkers and incorporated into the thought of Socrates through Plato, and then Aristotle, this question gets at the heart of human meaning and purpose. Why are we here, and since we are here, what are we to be doing? What is our meaning and purpose?
Out of the early Greek quest for the answer emerged two schools of thought. From Plato emerged rationalism: the good life consists of ascertaining unchanging ideals—justice, truth, goodness, beauty—those "forms" found in the ideal world. From Aristotle emerged empiricism: the good life consists of ascertaining knowledge through experience—what we can perceive of this world through our senses.**
For both Aristotle and Plato, rational thought used in contemplation of ideas is the substance of the good life. Despite the obvious emphasis by both on goodness emerging from the contemplative life of the mind (even though they disagreed on the source of rationality) both philosophers saw the good life as impacting and benefiting society. For Plato, society must emulate justice, truth, goodness, and beauty; so he constructs an ideal society. For Aristotle, virtue lived out in society is the substance of the good life, and well-being arises from well-doing.Not long ago, I conducted an internet search on the tag ‘What is the good life?’ and I was amazed at what came up as the top results of my search. 
Most of the entries involved shopping or consumption of one variety or another. Some entries were on locations to live, and still others involved books or other media aimed at helping one construct a good life. Others were the names of stores selling goods to promote "the good life." There were no immediate entries on Plato, Aristotle, or the philosophical question they raised. There were no results on wisdom or the quest for knowledge lived out in a virtuous life. Instead, most of the entries involved material pursuits and gains. Sadly, this reflects our modern definition of what is good.


Perhaps during tumultuous economic times, it is difficult not to equate material items with the good life, more money, more security, or more opportunity. 
While it has always been said of every generation that these are times of great crisis and upheaval, we feel this search for meaning anew and afresh today, and perhaps wonder at the practicality or wisdom of looking to the past for insight or understanding into the good life.
And yet, the ancients remind us that "not even when one has an abundance does one's life consist of possessions" (Luke 12:15). 
Abundant or meager as they may be, possessions must not make up the substance of one's life, according to Jesus. Instead, their proper use necessarily involves right living in community. Perhaps the ancient Hebraic wisdom is particularly instructive in a time in which we might equate goodness with what we possess. "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8). 

This vision of the good life, cast not when times were good, but during a time when calamity and exile awaited the nation of Israel offers an alternative understanding. Do justice, love kindness, and live out both of those virtues in light of humility before God; this is what is good and is the ground of the good life. And this is an offer extended to those with and without material goods.
The wisdom of the ancients, from the Greeks and the Hebrews, suggests that the good life can be attained regardless of circumstance or possession. It shimmers in the wisdom of justice and kindness. It is found in the application of knowledge rightly applied in relationship to the world around us.
You in a relationship with God through Jesus can reflect His light!
"The good life is not bought or sold; it is not a prime real estate location, or a formula for success. The good life is lives offered freely to God and to others in justice, kindness, and humility.” ~ Margaret Manning Shull
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