The Paradox of War and Pacifism

Throughout my Christian journey, I have noticed a strange aversion to the conspicuous pacifism of Jesus' life and teachings. Only a minority of denominations seem to take this issue seriously, while others blatantly contradict it, and the majority ignore it altogether. Since pacifism is not listed as a foundational principle of Christ in Hebrews 6:1-2 it should not separate believers. Nevertheless, what the church erects on that foundation is paramount. “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings of Christ and go on to maturity.” (Heb 6:1) Maturity is not selective obedience, it embraces all of Jesus' teachings. “There is a judge for the one who rejects . . my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.” Let me be clear, this is not some innocuous theological exercise. Our grasp of Jesus' non-resistance message has eternal consequences.

Biblical pacifism has been distorted and marginalized because it seems unpractical and idealistic, but ironically it is about to rudely demand our attention. Christians in America will soon be forced into dire situations compelling us to take a stand regarding war, persecution, political oppression and civil disobedience, and we must resolve these issues before it is too late.

THE GOSPEL OF PEACE

The New Testament actually defines itself as “The Gospel of Peace.” (Rom 10:15, Eph 6:15) and loudly proclaims: “Follow after peace with all men.” “Love you enemies.” “Do not use force against an evil man.” “Do not return evil for evil.” “To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also.” “Avenge not yourselves.” “Overcome evil with good.” “Why not take wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?” “I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, therefore be harmless.” “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” “He that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” "If your enemy is hungry, feed him . . .etc . .etc... How can you possibly discount such self-evident nonviolence?

The gospel of peace isn't some pleasant sentiment that ceases when your life is threatened. While Jesus was being unjustly crucified, he forgave his murderers. Yes, that was required for our salvation, but it was also an example of non-retaliation. “Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. . .When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” (1 Pet 2:21-23)

The “Prince of Peace” described himself as “meek and lowly.” He was introduced to the world as the “Lamb of God,” and contrary to human logic the King of the Universe vanquished evil by meekness. Meekness is power and it's the meek, not the violent, who shall inherit the earth.

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THE OLD TESTAMENT?

But how do we reconcile the apparent contradiction between the old and new testaments? Under the old covenant, war, blood shed and retribution were sanctioned by God, but in the new covenant we are exhorted to love our enemies, resist not evil men, turn the other cheek and avenge not. How do we explain this if God is unchangeable? It cannot be explained by subverting the new testament's glaring pacifism. Physical nonviolence is a clear imperative that must be integrated into our lives.

Since the Fall there's been an increasing spiritual refinement which will consummate in the fullness of Christ in the church, and the incarnation of evil in unbelievers.(Mat 13:30) The end time church will manifest Christ “without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish,” (Eph 5:27) and the palpable love and peace of God will be the hallmark of this “holy and blameless” bride.

God has progressively revealed himself to mankind, holding each generation accountable for the light that's available. “Those times when men had no knowledge were overlooked by God; but now he gives orders to all men in every place to undergo a change of heart.” (Acts 17:30 BBE) Because of this evolving revelation of God, the old testament was lenient on man's hardness and depravity. But when the Light of the World appeared, the standard was elevated to perfect love. “You have heard it said of old, 'Do not murder,' but I say unto you do not even be angry...” (Mt 5:21-22)

The old testament is a brighter light than mans' innate conscience, but the brilliance of the new is unsurpassed. We must, therefore, interpret the old in the light of the new, not vice versa. The contrast between the old and new covenants is described as a “shadow” compared to an “exact image” (Heb 10:1) That's a profound difference.

In Jesus, not only do we see the exact image of the Father, but now every believer has access to His supernatural LOVE. This is revolutionary! The love, power and holiness of the kingdom of heaven literally inhabits the believer, something the old testament saints could scarcely imagine. The new covenant is so superior that Jesus made this astounding comparison: “He who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than,” the greatest old testament saint! (Mt 11:11)

How could that possibly be? How could the least esteemed weakest christian be greater than the anointed and exalted John the Baptist? What exactly is this staggering distinction? It's the new creation. A miraculous re-birth is everything, religion avails nothing. (Gal 6:15) Old testament believers could be anointed but none were born-again. We now have the very nature of Christ in us, and “As He is, so are we in this world.” (1 Jn 4:17) This is the key to pacifism.

If you are “in Christ” your human spirit literally dwells in God's presence because “He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.”(1 Cor 6:17) Being “seated in heavenly places in Christ.”(Eph 2:6) is not poetic license, it's a transcendent reality. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (1 Cor 5:17) This newness forever separates us from the old covenant, (Heb 8:13) and from this world system. “Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.” (2 Cor 6:17) Our citizenship is actually in heaven, and we are mere strangers and pilgrims in this secular world.(Phil 3:20; Heb 11:13)

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Christians have been translated into another dimension called the Kingdom of God, (Col 1:13) alienating them from this world.(Jn 17:14) This kingdom was the core of Jesus' ministry, the heart of his prayers, his most mentioned topic, and he will not return until it's preached to the entire planet. It's the answer to all problems, seeking it is our ultimate agenda, love is its source, and its only definition is “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 14:17) Therefore, participation in killing, violence, and oppression categorically excludes you from God's kingdom.

We must understand that “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.” (1 Cor 15:50) It's naive idealism to think the church can transform inherently corrupt nations and institutions by flesh and blood. Jesus said, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If it belonged to this world, my servants would fight.” Fighting with the world's principles and weapons is anti-Christ.

Our citizenship in the Kingdom of Peace trumps any earthly allegiance.(Acts 5:29) Peace is the atmosphere of heaven, God's original intention for humanity, and he longs to manifest it on earth through the church.(Eph 1:10) But it comes only as believers refuse to submit to the strife of this world, (Rom 2:12) being “harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.” (Phil 2:15)

The kingdoms of this world maintain peace by “rule of law,” but in the kingdom of God it's the “law of Love.” (Jas 2:8) Any action not motivated by love is alien to the Holy Spirit and therefore sin.(Gal 5:6; Rom 14:23) Our participation in this world's system is limited to love.

A HOUSE OF PRAYER

Our primal calling as believers is a “royal priesthood” or “kingdom of priests” and the only Biblical definition of the church is a “house of prayer for all nations.” (Isa 56:7; Mt 21:13; Mk 11:17; Lk 19:46) That's it. It's that simple! Our bodies are now the temple of God and prayer is the main event. Old testament priests were intercessors, not warriors,(Num 1:49; Mal 2) and we've inherited their legacy. The church's essential mission is not to legislate morality or impose a fascist agenda, but to pray! (Mt 21:13; Mk 11:17; Lk 19:46)

God's longing and ultimate intention is to eternally inhabit our hearts.(Eph 2:22) and peace resonates from that holy communion. Peace is so essential to God's true tabernacle (The Church) that David was told, “You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.” (1 Chron 28:3)

All wars are a conspiracy of spiritual entities deceiving and decimating humans. This is why prayer is man's ultimate weapon, and why Jesus gave us “power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.” We are commanded to pray instantly, always, passionately, without ceasing, and in unity, for all men. The earth is man's domain and God awaits our intercession. (Ps 115:16; Ez 22:30)

“Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”(Amos 3:7) God always reveals his warnings and strategies to those who are listening, so they will PRAY!

Through prayer, the church has a daunting responsibility to intervene in war and national affairs. I believe we will be astonished and horrified when we finally realize how the church's passivity, apathy and distraction has released a flood of evil upon the earth. Failure to intercede for the nations is a mockery of the cross of Christ.

Incidentally, the governmental leaders who wage wars and enforce capital punishment, are of this world and do not represent God's kingdom. (Rom 13) God appoints them based on the prayers and condition of the church. (1 Tim 2:2)

Jesus' war strategy is this: “Shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him?. . .I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (Lk 18:12-13) Day and night passionate intercession for the nations is the churches' only military role. God, not man, does the avenging. Yet, in the coming flood of darkness many believers will revert to the faithless world of violence, and Jesus will lament, “Why did you not trust me?”

GOD'S JUSTICE and VIOLENCE

God hates war because he is preeminently love, and the cry of his heart is for love to permeate and govern the earth. “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” All creation was designed to operate by a love so perfect that evil must be vanquished for the sake of love. Love and evil are mutually exclusive, therefore, God's justice must be satisfied for love to reign on earth. “In righteousness He judges and makes war.” (Rev 19:11)

Jesus came to earth as a Lamb but he's returning as a Lion to forcibly take over, “When he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power “ (1 Cor 15:24; Rev 19:15)

With great anguish God mourns, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.”(Eze 33:11) Wicked men are the cause of wars, and their rejection of God's love is a cosmic cancer which must be healed or excised. The mystery of iniquity is embedded in the mystery of free will, and logic cannot comprehend it, but in God's presence all questions are satisfied. “What shall we say? Is God unrighteous who takes vengeance? (I speak as a man)” (Rom3:5)

God's old testament involvement in brutal warfare, and new testament prophetic cataclysms can only be understood from an eternal perspective, because “from the beginning it was not so.” (Mk 10:5-6) This earthly crucible of time is merely a veiled collision of heaven and hell, a transient aberration where God foreknows our ultimate choice and interacts with us accordingly. (1 Pet 1:2) Multitudes are “living” on earth, yet they are actually dead (1 Tim 5:6; Rom 6:13) and God endures their sin for a season, but “My spirit shall not always strive with man.” (Gen 6:3)

We must concede that God's authority and wisdom far surpass man's jurisdiction; only God “is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Mt 10:28) Man does not hold the keys to life and death. Only Jesus does. (Rev 1:18) The Lord holds exclusive rights to ultimate judgment and vengeance. (Rom 12:19) One only is the lawgiver and judge, even He who is able to save and to destroy (Jas. 4:12)

When James and John sought to consume offenders with fire from heaven, Jesus sharply pierced their old testament mentality as “He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.” (Lk 9:55) We can cry out for justice, but taking a life is not the prerogative of a Christian. (Rev 6:10; Lk 6:27)

THE REAL WAR

“The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.” (1 Cor 15:46) Natural warfare has been preempted by spiritual warfare. In God's kingdom armaments have been replaced by the sword of the Spirit. As long as God's kingdom is under siege he will be a warrior and wage war through his people, the army of God. “Onward Christian soldiers” is more than a nostalgic anthem; it's a mandate to be understood and embraced. Let me be very clear. We are at war and we must fight. Biblical pacifism is not passivity. It's love refusing to be intimidated by evil! We are commanded to “resist” Satan while loving our enemies. (Jas 4;7; 1 Pet 5:9)

The kingdom is preached and “every man enters violently into it. (Lk 16:16) Such violence is certainly not physical. “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.” (2 Cor 10:3-4) That epitomizes the Christian position.

“We are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.” Wars are energized by a malignant hatred far beyond mans' invention. Such ingenious madness could only have a supernatural source. The satanic forces that enrage and enslave humans are the real enemy.(Eph 6:12) Humans are merely pawns in a spiritual war, because we have no real autonomy. We are designed only to be servants of a higher power, yet, we are accountable for that choice. (Rom 6:16)

Every human has been born into a spiritual war zone, and our primary directive is to recognize it and learn to fight. The vast majority of Christians tragically underestimate the gravity of this inexorable war, and such ignorance will assure your destruction. Jesus warned that few will battle their way to victory. (Mt 7:14) But you don't need to be an eternal casualty. Embrace humility and a radical love for truth, and God will amaze you.

PRAGMATIC NON-VIOLENCE

The Biblical case for non-violence is irrefutable and exceptionally apparent. Yet the question persists, how do we practically apply it?

First, let me emphatically repeat: “We are not fighting against people.” “We do not war after the flesh.” and our “weapons are not carnal.” All new testament warfare is limited to the sword of the spirit, the Word of God - the only offensive weapon at our disposal. (Eph 6:13-18) Jesus never assaulted any one, nor addressed the brutal oppressive government of his day. He simply spoke the Word while demonstrating God's kingdom.

God loves all people and his love supersedes all mans' boundaries. Joshua asked the angel of the Lord, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" He answered, "Neither one! I am here as the commander of the Lord's army." (Jos 5:13-14) The Lord is not “for us or our enemies.” God's interest in human strife is radically different than ours. He's “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet 3:9) His heart is to restore mankind, bringing heaven to earth. Our role is to discern his specific will and pray until it manifests.

During WWII a dedicated band of Welsh believers experienced amazing breakthroughs in prayer that undoubtedly defeated the Nazis. Read about it in Rees Howells Intercessor. Under the burden and foresight of the Holy Spirit, these warriors prayed through every strategic battle of the war, resulting in a remarkable series of fatal mistakes by the Nazis.

The intense dedication and self sacrifice of these intercessors resembled that of the ground troops. Rees Howells remarked, “Why should we be freer in our part of the conflict than those who were engaged in the fighting on land, sea and in the air?” This is the call of the church in this last hour of the age. “Be ready to do without the comforts of life, as one of the army of Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim 2:3)

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” Ps 20:7 We have a choice. We can dedicate ourselves to prayer or we can embrace armaments. We can fight with the sword of the Spirit or with guns. We can trust in God or we can trust in man, but we can't trust in both. “No man is able to be a servant to two masters: for he will have hate for the one and love for the other, or he will keep to one and have no respect for the other.” (Mat 6:24) A zealous soldier and a bona fide pacifist will respect each others convictions, but like the servant of two masters, inner conflict will arise if you attempt to merge the two.

I have great respect for the U.S. Military. As a draftee during Vietnam, I trained at the infamous jungle infantry school, Tiger Land. Yet, I was terribly disturbed by the prospect of killing, so I requested conscientious objector status. After a meticulous background check my request was granted and I was assigned combat medic training. Once the army concluded that I was a genuine pacifist, they gave me unexpected respect, for which I commend them.

I cannot speak about anyone else. “Who am I to judge someone else's servant?”(Rom 14:4) If you are a Christian in the military or law enforcement I am truly grateful for your service. But I personally cannot incorporate the two roles. Eventually a conflict of conscience will arise. I am no purer than anyone else, but like everyone, I am accountable to God for what he reveals to me, and “To whoever much is given, of him will much be required ” (Lk 12:48)

SELF DEFENSE

Jesus made a bizarre comment contradicting his clear non violent stance. “If you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.” (Lk 26:35-38) But, when the eleven disciples disclosed that they had only two swords among them, Jesus' oddly responded, "That is enough." Then, he offered this intriguing explanation: He reminded them of a prophecy that the Messiah would be “numbered with the transgressors.” Possibly he was warning his disciples that they would be unprotected while he was numbered with sinners. God “made Him who knew no sin to be sin.” (2 Cor 5:21)

Whatever this puzzling passage means, we cannot base a doctrine of self-defense on one aberrant verse. Less than two hours later, consistent with his non-violence, Jesus rebuked a disciple for cutting off a man's ear: "Stop! No more of this! Then he touched the servant's ear and healed him.” l(Lk 22:51 NAS) Carrying a sword is not the issue; Jesus is not into control or censorship, but rather self-control and love.

Nevertheless, is there a point where killing in self defense is justified? We tend to visualize alarming “what if” scenarios that justify taking a life, and wonder, Where do we draw the line? The question reveals our carnal craving for rules and regulations. “Just give me a guideline!” There's a legalistic pharisee in all of us looking for security in doctrines, because our flesh is at variance with God and unable to trust Him. (Rom 7:18; Gal 5:17) But thankfully God is not a bureaucrat and the Bible is not a procedure manual. To the contrary, God's interaction with us is intimately personalized and unique. If we walk in the Spirit we have the ability to trust unconditionally. “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Cor 3:6)

I am not prepared to take an absolutely indomitable stand on deadly self-defense. There are horrific moral predicaments that confound all attempts to categorize or preempt them. Out of love for my family I would resort to violence if there were no other options to protect them. Yet, that statement implies a certain distrust of God.

Pacifism seems untenable because we don't want to pay the price of total trust in God. We underestimate the cost of true spiritual power over the enemy: “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Rev 12:11) Those three things are the key to overcoming all our enemies.

• The enemy abhors and fears the blood of the Lamb, a spiritual reality that we barely comprehend, yet it's power is absolute! But, the blood of the Lamb only protects those who are walking the light of the Holy Spirit (1 Jn 1:7)

• The discord between heaven and earth is so vast that, if I seek to save my life I lose it, but ironically if I lose my life for God, I save it.(Lk 17:33) Losing my life is the price of total trust, yet remember,“Though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” (1 Cor 13:3) Many believers are dead to self, but they act like religious zombies, because they're also dead to God and are loveless. We must not only be “Dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ.” (Rom 6:11)

• True moral authority comes only from direct personal experience with God, which births “The word of your testimony.” If it's not your own testimony then your sword is merely impotent indoctrination and tradition.

CONCLUSION

“Believe” and “trust” are the same root word. It's a concept so fundamental to Christians that we are actually defined as “believers” (ones who trust.) This pervasive Biblical theme of trust is not just symbolic or spiritual, it's a basic premise of mans' earthly existence. Pacifism is not listed among the six foundational principles of Christ, but “trust” is, (Heb 6:1-2) and trust inevitably leads to pacifism. “Let all those that put their trust in God rejoice: because He defends them. (Ps 5:11)

In the midst of war, Rees Howell saw the simple down-to-earth domain of trust: “If you can believe that you have been delivered from hell, why can't you believe you have been delivered from air raids?” Our flesh wants to trust in guns, but our heart was designed to trust in its creator. “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord” (Ps 112:7)

“He who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” (Rev 13:10) If we sow violence we will reap violence, if we sow love we will reap peace. Trusting in guns will disqualify you from the race, and abort your destiny because it's a choice of fear over faith. Jesus “entrusted himself to him who judges justly,” (1 Pet 2:21-23) and, we his servants, are not exempt. (Mt 10:24)

And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.” (Rom 16:20) This irony captures the paradox of war and pacifism. The God of peace, not violence, will manifest victory under “your “ feet, as you embrace a life of prayer and trust.

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 5:4) Refusal to love our enemies jeopardizes our very son-ship. “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.” Jesus offers no escape clause for loving our enemies.

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (Gal 5:6)

Copyright 2010 by Hayden Humphrey

Can You Really Know for Sure?

Over the centuries millions from every nation and culture have experienced a spiritual awakening resulting in life transforming certainty that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven, and all other philosophies and religions are darkness. What makes these people so annoyingly sure? Is Christianity the opiate of evolutionary retards, or is it liberation from the devolving depravity of mankind? This global phenomenon defies analysis by tradition, religious heritage, intelligence, social status, psychology or age.

How could this ancient Jewish carpenter have such a volatile and persistent impact on the world? He claimed, not merely to represent, but to literally be “The Way the Truth and the Life” and he clinched it with “No man comes to the Father but by me.” If that wasn't outrageous enough, his disciples proclaimed that the universe was created through Jesus Christ, that he is the force holding together all matter, and if you don't believe in him you are actually dead. (Jn 14:6; Col 1:16-17; Eph 3:9; 1 Jn 5:12)

Jesus professed to come from another dimension, warning that our response to him would determine our ultimate destiny, either eternal torment or eternal blessedness. He categorically ruled out religion and reincarnation as options. (Gal 6:15; Jn 5:39; Lk 16:22; Heb 9:27)

Jesus said, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.” Could anyone be more provocative and uncompromising? Either he was a diabolical genius or the only Savior of humanity. It's foolishness to simply dismiss him because the story “seems” absurdly illogical and implausible. The risk is too great to ignore. If the witness of Jesus is true, the implications for us personally are staggering. Therefore, I could never blindly trust another person's testimony regarding the truth of Jesus, heaven and hell. I must know for myself beyond a shadow of doubt.

I will not waste your time trying to convince you of the validity of authentic Christianity, because it cannot be done. My intention is to help you discover it for yourself. But the question is: How desperate are you? I can verify, that if you seek God with brutal honesty, you will encounter Him with unequivocal certainty

For now, set aside such burning questions as “Why is it so difficult to find Him? or “How can a loving God allow evil?” If you want to know the truth you must divest yourself of pride and self-sufficiency and embrace the heart of a little child. Pride and self-sufficiency are illusions that have hijacked and corrupted our software, originally designed for love and dependence on God. Note, we need a child-like heart, not a childish mind. This is not about intellectual suicide, it's about true enlightenment and satisfaction.

THE ROLE OF LOGIC

In our pursuit of God, we must understand the role of common logic. There are inherent flaws in the way most of us process information. Logic that makes sense in a limited framework is foolishness from an eternal perspective. “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God shown the world's wisdom to be utter foolishness? (1 Cor 1:20)

God is not illogical, but our logic is limited to the scope of our vision. Common logic leads to God's existence, but it's incapable of knowing God. Intimate knowledge of God occurs in our human spirit, not the brain, and such knowing supersedes mathematical deduction. Our need for absolute security cannot be satisfied by reason. We are complex integrated beings and our mental faculties were not designed to operate disconnected from our spirit.

Humans receive information from three “voices.” Physical sensation is the voice of the body. Reasoning is the voice of the mind. Conscience is the voice of the human spirit. If your logic processes data only from the five physical senses and disregards the conscience, you will remain imprisoned in spiritual darkness.

Love, evil, goodness, beauty, perfection, consciousness, impressions of immortality and our ability to have this discussion, confound “objectivity” because these abstractions reveal a reality beyond physiology and our five senses. Where does our sublime longing for God and the sublimated need to worship originate? If our philosophy of life is based on what seems reasonable to our five senses we are deceived. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

True understanding is a state of the heart, not an achievement of the mind. But sadly, our culture idolizes "dispassionate" analytical thinking, unaware that human reason cannot be divorced from emotion and intuition.

Even empirical science cannot escape intuition. Physicians, selected from the best and most balanced minds are in a continual state of disagreement over medicine. Why? Because pure unbiased objectivity is a myth. Einstein understood this. It wasn't detached logic that led him to deep scientific discoveries, they were birthed from subjective experience. “A new idea comes suddenly and in a rather intuitive way. That means it is not reached by conscious logical conclusions.” (Albert Einstein) If that's true of science, how much truer is it of God!

Einstein interpreted his intuitive experience by logic, but he could never impart it to anyone. He could only offer dead equations. Christians have a similar dilemma. We speak a language that can only be understood through shared spiritual experience. “No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. . . This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit . . .The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor 2)

CAN ABSOLUTE TRUTH BE KNOWN?

When Jesus said he came to bare witness of the truth, the Roman governor sneered “What is Truth?” Jesus told him “Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice.” You can only perceive truth if you treasure truth in your heart. Convoluted philosophical theory declares absolute truth to be unknowable. They are right. To the darkened natural mind it is unknowable. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. ” (Jn 1:5) You can, however, experience Absolute Truth with unassailable assurance, not because you have analyzed it, but because you have become mystically one with it. “He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” (1 Cor 6:17) If you haven't met the Author, the Bible will frustrate you, but when He dwells in you, scripture is illuminated and affirmed with unmitigated certainty.

When Peter's eyes were opened to Truth incarnate, Jesus said, “Flesh and blood has not revealed this unto, but my Father who is in heaven.” Only personal spiritual revelation can reveal ultimate reality. That's why the Bible says, “No man can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” You may blindly parrot the words, but only God's Spirit can give you the vision to actually see the truth. "I can guarantee this: No one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." (Jesus Jn 3:30)

Wisdom is defined as “insight into the true nature of reality,” and Jesus said, “Wisdom is justified of her children.” In other words, all the concepts birthed from Wisdom are self verifying. Absolute Truth needs no human verification or defense. It simply stands on its own. When we encounter God there is no question. Job, did not receive a single answer to his desperate questions, but after one encounter with God his questions became irrelevant, as he humbly admitted, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too incomprehensible for me to know. I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.”

Every person on the planet intuitively recognizes Christ because our spirits originated in heaven,(Gen 2:7) yet our egotistical, wounded, angry, indoctrinated hearts contradict and displace the voice of God. But, when we become vulnerable enough to receive the Holy Spirit, “The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” Such invincible knowing eclipses mind and emotions.

When we've been offended by the counterfeit, we instinctively fear the truth, but perverting the truth does not invalidate it. Don't allow the dysfunction and hypocrisy of some Christians to dishearten you. You can know the Truth and still be emotionally and morally broken. In fact the prerequisite for receiving the truth is a “broken heart and a contrite spirit.” (Ps 34:18, 51:17) Until you are aware of your desperate need for God's mercy, the truth will not penetrate your heart.

WHAT IS FAITH?

The universe is a manifestation of the spoken thoughts of God. His thoughts are the essence of creation, and we His created image, are defined by our thoughts. As a man “thinks in his heart so is he.” (prov 23:7) We were designed to live by receiving and processing God's thoughts. (Rom 8 :14) That's what believing is! And that's why believing is a life and death matter. Repentance is to change one's thoughts, and when our thoughts harmonize with Jesus Christ, who is life, then and only then, do we possess life.

There is a great gulf between beholding the Truth and our feeble attempts to explain it. We must concede that any explanation of God, regardless of its accuracy, falls pathetically short of the whole truth, because words are merely inert symbols of the incomprehensible. Believing them is what gives words power, and you cannot believe Jesus words without supernatural faith.

Faith is not an intellectual leap in the dark, it is a supernatural endowment. Even though all humans have a capacity for faith, the Bible says that not everyone actually has faith. (2 Thes 3:2) This is a vital distinction that many fail to grasp. Trusting and believing are fundamental to human nature, but neither trusting nor believing is faith, they are actions. Biblical faith is a noun defined as “substance” and “evidence.”(Heb 11:1) Faith has actual existence that transcends our three dimensional world, and it's incomparable. It's described as a fruit of the Holy Spirit and a gift found only in Jesus Christ. (1 Tim 1:14; Gal 5:22; Eph 2:8) Believing is our mental response to faith. Trusting is our emotional response to faith. Without this divine gift your believing and trusting will default to some futile false security.

REALITY IS NOT WHAT IT SEEMS

Quantum physics has envisioned a shocking possibility. The universe may be nothing more than a hologram or a symbolic manifestation of energy. Physicists are convinced that reality differs dramatically from its appearance. This resonates with Jesus' message. He came to earth to proclaim another reality called “The Kingdom of God,” and was adamant that our current world is an evil illusion. According to scripture, there is a kingdom of light and a kingdom of darkness. All else is incomplete and transitory, but heaven and hell are eternal. I can deny it, distort it or misconceive it, but I cannot create an alternative reality. I can only choose life or death.

Have you considered the possibility that humanity has been captivated by a colossal deception? Jesus, “The Light of the World,” was sent to a planet defined as the “region and shadow of death.” That which is advertised on earth as reality, is in fact darkness and death. We have all been born into psychological, intellectual and spiritual darkness, and intuitively sense something is tragically wrong. We struggle to avoid the decadence and emptiness of life, but it constantly haunts us. Thoreau said it well, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” Yet, how frantically we conceal it. Shakespeare too was acutely aware of the vanity of agnosticism. “Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” (Macbeth)

Thankfully, God is not some principle or force explained by quantum physics. The universe is not God, it's only an expression of Him. Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” God is a person with fathomless and extravagant love for you. An authentic heart to heart relationship with Him is the true physics of reality, and the only enduring satisfaction.

If, however, Jesus is so loving and the only way to heaven, why is there such pandemic opposition to Him? Wouldn't you expect more people to embrace him? Why are evil repressive regimes so terrified of Jesus and the Bible?

Jesus came to set us free from something profoundly evil, and the irrational resistance to Him is evidence of a cosmic war against the truth. Spiritual darkness is not simply absence of light, it's the depraved state of entities who have rejected God and are virulently anti-Christ. They are ingeniously wicked and devoid of truth, and therefore can only manifest illusion. Humanity had been seduced and enslaved by their counterfeit reality that breeds intractable selfishness, fear, pride and lust. “Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; and madness is in their hearts while they live.” “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked : who can fathom it?” (Ecc 9:3; Jer 17:9) This is the state of humanity. It is not subject to man's opinions or noble acts, and failure to comprehend it will forever seal your destiny as a legal slave of Satan.

Those who heard Jesus, “were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority,” not bravado or the self-confidence of a motivational speaker, but a palpable certainty that comes only from God. I share that authority in spite of my imperfections, because I have experienced the literal presence of Jesus Christ. Once I was blind but now I see. Once I was dreaming, but now I'm wide awake. The impact of knowing Him is that sensational, yet I am incapable of convincing you.

Jesus often punctuating his sayings with: “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” There are only two kinds of people, those who can hear Jesus Christ and those who cannot. If you cannot “hear” the gospel you are not hopeless! Your ears can be opened. But, again, I ask the question, “How desperate are you to know the truth?” You will only believe what you are willing to accept. Accept nothing less than absolute assurance. When you “see” Him there will be no question.

“If you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deut 4:29) "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Jesus)

Copyright 2010 by Hayden Humphrey