Categories
creative essays faith

Faith is the Substance, Explained.

abstract black and white blur book
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

This is a verse that can be baffling upon first glance. But I am going to break it down part by part so that you will understand what faith actually is.

Let us start with the phrases.

Faith is the evidence. Even in a fallen, evil, corrupted world, that appears godless, a billion people believe in a good God. Faith is the evidence that the argument from evil is a weak one, holding no power at all. The faith of a billion, who have suffered, who have lost much, who have been persecuted unto death–is the evidence of things hoped for.

Make no mistake about it, but faith itself is an evidence of God’s goodness, especially when you consider the fallen and godless state of the world.

Faith is the substance. When we think of faith, we usually think of an airy kind of presence, or a misty cloud of metaphysical stuff, but we don’t often think of a substance. But faith really is substance, and evidence. It can be seen, felt and heard. It can be touched and handled. Hope is the airy stuff, but faith is the fulfillment or the completion of hope. Think of faith as hope made flesh.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, we are told. The substance of things. It is the substance, as in the sticky wet substance on your hands, which you have a hard time cleaning yourself of once you have it. Faith is like that, sticky and adhesive. Once you have it, it leads to more faith, because as the Bible says, we move “from faith to faith.”

We hope for heaven. Faith is the substance of heaven. Therefore it is saying that faith is the substance of heaven here on earth!

It is the evidence of heaven here on earth!

Faith is so much more than a mere confidence, or even a sense of assurance. It is the substance of that confidence.

It is actually the completion of that confidence. Faith is the thing you hoped for, in your hand. Faith is the evidence, the actual object transferred to you, visible to you. It is the reality of the thing, or the substance of it.

I suppose even prayer is a kind of faith. Prayer is the evidence of things not seen, that they exist. Prayer is the acting out of confidence that those things exist, the proof of confidence, or the proof of faith. Prayer is the evidence of faith!

And therefore faith is the evidence of things not seen.

So our confidence is the evidence to the world. This is important: our confidence in God is the evidence to the world of things unseen, of heaven and goodness and love and Christ. Our confidence is the evidence that we are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Think about it: If we are not full of faith, and we are fretful and fearful, we are not proving God to be loyal, to be a good God to us. When the bible states that faith is the evidence, it is telling us that it is the evidence to the unsaved, to the world. It is the evidence of our hope, to your community, to your friends and family. Faith is an outer display of confidence in God that others see, and then want for themselves. It is the best witness that you can have toward anyone.

Think about it again: You cannot have faith without the evidence of your hope. You cannot truly have a hope without the evidence of faith. To others, you are as hopeless as they are if you don’t have an outward demonstration of faith. If you don’t have the confidence that comes from faith, they will not see God in you, or that God is with you.

In a way, faith is the evidence of our victory over the devil, over hell, over death. We walk in faith by walking in victory, by walking victoriously.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, it says. That makes a kind of sense to me, because it is by faith in Christ that God created the universe and us, as an act of faith in our ultimate redemption. So faith really is the substance of the universe. It really is the ground of all that exists, for without it, we would not exist.

But let us talk about things not seen. I believe Paul refers to the promises of God here. He is saying that faith is the evidence of the promises, which sounds strange, at first glance. But the promises mean nothing if there is no one who believes in them, because if you believe in a promise, you are going to act accordingly. If you believe that you are going to receive something, you are going to act in an anticipatory manner. Therefore, the evidence is a way of going about your affairs, expecting good things. One again, we find that faith is not some mystery force or a supernatural law, but directly exhibited by behavior.

We don’t see the things now, but faith is evidence of their coming. Therefore faith is anticipatory behavior, or actions taken in anticipation of the promises. It means to be brave instead of fearful. It means to be confident instead of doubting. Our confidence inspires others to have confidence in God also.

This is important, that you realize that your outward display of faith is the greatest apologetic asset that you have. If you want to get family members saved, be confident in God. Act out of faith, and always with bravery and full assurance that he will deliver on his promises.

Always remember that cowardice is a sin.

And that faith is the opposite of fear.

And that the Bible says, that without faith, we cannot please God.

——————————————————————————–

Rachael Carman has a detailed breakdown of this verse, word by word right here.

Read my article titled: “How Faith Keeps the World Going”

Categories
creative essays revelation

3 Reasons why Christianity is Going to be Big in 2021

silhouette of girl during evening
Photo by luizclas on Pexels.com

1.

First of all, a lot of promises have been made. A lot of oaths have been sworn in the last 3 months or so. Desperate prayers from infected people, or people afraid of becoming infected. I promise you, even strong atheists were praying in March and April.

If most people are like me, then God has saved you from the pandemic thus far, and you are only alive right now because of His grace and mercy. But most people are going to forget their oaths and vows and promises made in dark and desperate times. They promised they would attend mass once a week, or attend church every Wednesday and Sunday.

But most people are going to forget their oaths, and put off this new schedule, as most people do. I have done it myself in the past, and I am sure you have, too.

But others are going to follow through.

Even if it is only 15%, that will be enough for a revival. When this pandemic ends (and it will end), we will see an increase in church attendance. We will see a great return to the churches, to the one true faith, and to God. It is all a matter of math and statistics, that some people will keep their oaths and promises.

2.

Probably the most important reason we are going to see Christianity go big in 2021 is the repressed longing for God that has taken place. Many Christians have felt out of sorts for the last few months. They are used to a certain lifestyle of praise, worship, church attendance, and fellowship with other believers. But of late, they have been penned up, and I feel it even within myself that faith has been growing inside of me, somehow watered and fed despite the environmental catastrophe of the pandemic all around me.

I took church for granted. I took worship in the sanctuary for granted, and did not fully appreciate its importance and value to my spiritual well being. But it has been building up inside of me and hundreds of thousands of others for months.

The Bible states that where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Once there is freedom again, you will find that the Spirit will rush out and convict the world of guilt and sin again. It will be released sometime in the next 24 months, and once it happens, revival will be here.

3.

Thirdly, we have all had a lot of time for silent meditation. Some of us have had months to silently reflect on our lives, our decisions, our faith and our character. We have received ideas, inner messages, inspirations, revelations and epiphanies. For the first time in a long time, we have been able to hear the voice of the spirit of God speaking to us, counseling us, helping us, comforting us, and guiding us. Some of us are rearing to go for God. Some of us have been issued commands to forgive relatives, to start businesses, to begin blogging, to write a book, to pray more and read the scriptures more. For the first time in years, we have been reacquainted with the person of the Holy Ghost, and able to hear His voice clearly again.

The time is almost here, when all of these newborn Christians will be released into the streets and churches again.

Why do you think the devil is up in arms right now, acting up more than usual? With riots, commotions, disturbances and civil disorder?

Because he knows what is about to be unleashed. He is trying to demoralize us.

Revival is coming.

Read a terrific article by Dr William Browning titled Racism or Sin?

Read If there is No God creative essay by John Claudio.

Categories
apologetics atheism creative essays

Internet Atheists Explain Consciousness

close up photo of cat s eye
Photo by Francesco Ungaro on Pexels.com

I’m really tired of hearing about how the internet atheists have solved the mystery of consciousness. Whenever the topic comes up, with all of its nuances and particulars, atheists try to find a way to over-simplify consciousness, and offer a bumper-sticker explanation for it that no philosopher or neuroscientist in the world accepts.

It goes like this: ‘Consciousness evolved out of the simulation capacity developed by the brain, that evolved a capacity to simulate dangerous situations in anticipation of them. Somehow, the simulation capacity evolved to include the one-who-simulates being included in the simulations.’

Viola!

Consciousness.

Now, there are problems with this explanation. Chief of these is that if you are going to propose that consciousness evolved in this way, how do you propose that natural selection acted upon a non-physical attribute?

And if consciousness is merely a part of the brain, then it has no power to do anything of itself and by itself, and we are back to the first problem mentioned above.

Furthermore, consciousness is such an incredibly complex structure, that even today, a sound and concise definition of it eludes us. It is still very much a hot topic in philosophical and scientific circles. Which begs the question: why would natural selection evolve such complex machinery, when simpler forms do just fine in this world of ours?

We all know people who are in their 40s, spending their days playing video games or accumulating real estate instead of passing on their genes. How did consciousness improve the fitness of reproductive life, exactly?

And there are many more objections.

But I want to focus on a particular trend within internet atheist circles right now, which is the offering of a could-be explanation, as if it was fact. There is no science behind it, no physical evidence, no paleontological evidence, or anything of the sort. If you really look at it, it explains nothing.

Atheists also like to offer wild conjectures as a response to other seemingly intractable problems, such as the when they are trying to debunk the kalam cosmological argument, you will always hear them bring up the multiverse theory of the origins of the universe. The multiverse suffers from the same issues, that there is a lack of evidence for it being true. It is just a theory, and may always just remain as a theory. To be honest, it borders on the fantastical.

It is something that sounds reasonable enough, but really explains nothing.

It is a word salad that is little more than pop psychology flapdoodle.

But to the atheist, when they find their back against the wall, philosophically, they have to reach for something. What they are offering is little more than a rhetorical device. They are content with responding, and any response will do, as long as they have something, anything to say as a retort.

Remember, these are the same people who will lecture you about the soundness of the scientific method, and will talk about evidence, repeatability of tests and studies and experiments, and focus on the concrete results that science offers.

As soon as they run into a gap in knowledge, they lean back on fringe theoreticals, unproven assertions, and just-so explanations.

Evidence is no longer a thing. Ego takes over.

They have responded to the theist and his argument, and that is all that matters. Suddenly, there is a serious and convenient lapse in their standards.

Read about The Argument from Consciousness here.

Move on to read about how Racism Does Not Exist.

Categories
creative essays faith revelation

How Faith keeps the World Going

monochrome photo of dark hallway
Photo by Adrien Olichon on Pexels.com

Over thousands of years of human history, we, as a race, have experienced plagues and pandemics that have wiped out hundreds of thousands of people. They have swept through countries and territories, taking livestock, children, mothers, priests and princes alike. If you had a family at the time, you may have lost two sons and your wife. You might have only had your two daughters left to you. But you were not the only one. Nobody went untouched.

These were dark times, full of suffering, pain, misery, and with much wailing filling the streets. There are stories during the black plague of priests performing last rites day and night, and comforting the afflicted, knowing that they too would need their own rites and to be comforted by others.

Think of the terrible amount of pain and suffering the head of a family might have experienced. Now think of everybody in that generation experiencing something similar. Every family being stricken, having lost from one to three members.

What survived?

The church survived. But also the faith.

If faith can survive that, over and over throughout human history, then it has already proven itself as a valid method for keeping on. It is a tool in the human psychological and emotional toolbox that is as old as mankind, proven to be trustworthy. Proven to be very human.

And it is still thriving.

Faith is just as valuable as any drug, or any psychological treatment program. Not just valuable, but something that has held its value through era after era. It has retained its worth, like a stock that has never faltered or bottomed out.

I dare say faith is the most valuable asset a man can possess. Without faith, a man is less-than what his maximum potential might be. He is unprepared for loss, for heartbreak, for sufferings, for traumas. A man without faith is a man whose mental toolbox is missing a hammer, or a screwdriver, or some other essential tool. When or of the time comes that they will need this tool, it will not be there for them.

The same could be said of war. Generation after generation have lost untold amounts of men and children to the rigors of world wars, tribal wars, and civil wars. Single battles have taken up to 25,000 lives or more, over and over again.

What has survived?

Faith has survived. The church has survived. A belief in God has survived, but even more remarkable than that, a belief in a GOOD God has survived and flourished all over the planet.

There has never been a problem of evil for faith.

Faith is going to survive war and pandemics. It is going to survive atheism and socialism. It is going to survive false religions and civil uprisings and national disturbances. It will survive riots, commotions, elections and upheavals of all manner.

And if you are human, and count yourself as one of us, you are going to need it, too. It is the most valuable and precious resource on the planet.

Don’t be afraid to be human, to have faith. You may need it some day.

In fact, I know you will. Don’t be caught sleeping on faith.

Go back to The Home Page now.

Categories
creative essays prose poem

If There is No God Poem

Atheism

If there is no God, then there is no reason for me not to do evil if it benefits me to do so. In secret, when hidden from the purview of the authorities, as long as you are sure that you cannot be caught, you might as well steal, make war, pillage, and commit whatever actions suit your fancy.

Take the money. Steal the inheritance. Commit fraud if it leads to a financial benefit. Go ahead and sleep with her. Extort if you must.

The only consequences that you need to fear are here, on earth, in this world; you only need to fear getting caught by the authorities.

If there is no God, I can follow my passions without compunction. In fact, I can experiment, sampling from any lust I wish, as long as I am sure I won’t be caught, there is no good reason not to do so. If there is no God, then nobody is watching me when other humans aren’t watching me. When I am alone, I am truly alone.

If there is no God, there is no good reason for me to be brave, to sacrifice my precious and valuable life for the health or freedom of a stranger. Those that have died before me are dead, and I cannot shame any of them.

If there is no God, then this is a godless universe. Then it is all for naught. Then I am actually just a hairy, sweaty, greasy bipedal ape, a bag of flesh, soon to disintegrate back into dust. We might as well do whatever we wish, because morals are just subjective, learned cultural things. To kill yourself today or die twenty years hence won’t matter at all, it being all the same an eternal dirt nap.

But if there is no God, then we still have miracles to contend with. We have the miraculous appearance of the universe, in all of its cosmic glory. We have the miracle of self-consciousness, and the resulting birth of a person’s soul out of nothing. We have the miracle of prayer, the fact that we can pray to a god that does not exist, is remarkable in itself. So, if there is no god, that would be awfully strange.

But if there is no God, it doesn’t matter– I will still be a Christian. I will still believe in prayer, in faith, in light, in goodness. I will stand for truth and expect persecutions to come. I will do good to my enemy, because a satisfied enemy may not be motivated to risk his life in battle in the present moment.

If there is no God, then we live in a dream. A contradiction. We are part of the great lie, the great falsehood, that something non-rational can rationally arise from the void. The contradiction becomes the central point for understanding everything, and at the same time understanding nothing.

If there is no God, then we live in a dream. Then we are just part of the great everything, the all-that-is. But if we are a small part of the great everything, the contradiction naturally arises and defeats our unbelief, because if everything exists, then God exists.

If there is no God, then there is no universe. We understand through intuition, reason and basic logical work that there cannot be a universe without a creator, that a godless universe is no universe at all.

And if there is no universe, then there is no God. Only God could see us, could hear our prayers through the illimitable number of possible worlds that could exist at any given time. And only a good God, who is perfect Love, could have allowed this universe to exist, with so many loveless creatures in it that so badly need redemption. God must be a God of redemption.

If there is no God, then Satan rules the world. Because if it is true that there is no God, it cannot at the same time be true that there is no Satan. One thing about the world that we know, is that Goodness may or may not exist, but evil certainly exists. And if evil exists, and Satan exists, then God must exist too.

If there is no God, then we are lost in our sins, then we really are despicable animals, wretched and irredeemable. All of us unsaved, not even making a mark on moral history. Unacceptable even to ourselves, and not even loved by our creator, whatever that might be. We are all doomed and hopeless orphans, lost in space.

If there is no God, then there is no spirit. If there is no spirit, then we are on our own. If we are on our own, we are just winging it. If we are just winging it, then there really is no cause to stress yourself about anything.

If there is no God, then there is no devil. Then we are the root and source of all evil in this world. We are the great Satan. We are the adversary to ourselves, to future generations, to the earth, to each other. If there is no devil, we have no excuse for our evil ways. We serve our sentence as demons, and then disintegrate into the void from which we never really left.

If there is no God, then there is no such thing as a chance happening. All of those lucky accidents, answered prayers, strokes of luck and unbelievable coincidences are stripped of their glamor. They are simply happenstance, the way of things, and due only to the interaction of matter with matter. But anyone who has been alive for any good number of years knows that, right there, is a bunch of baloney.

Faith is the Substance, Explained.
How Faith keeps the World Going