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What do I know?

A follow up to yesterday’s post about Seeing Gray. How do I use good judgment and discernment in knowing what I believe?

Context: I know my context. We 21st century Western, American, Evangelical, and Conservatives have been cursed with the baggage of the rationalist-spirit of the enlightenment. “I think therefore I am.” Faith in man’s ability “to know” is our battle cry. Reason, rationalism, certainty, science “will save us” it was declared. But it hasn’t. Nor will it. Faith is a process, not an end. Know thy context. Know thy self.  Faith seeks understanding.

Humility: I know this: I am certain of very little. Actually, not much is certain, except death and taxes. I learn to accept that I will never fully understand anything. Because we cannot fully understand, we cannot fully know, however that does not negate discerning and judging what is best based upon a contextual understanding, a community understanding, and understanding Christ. Faith is always humble, and never certain. These are humbling terms. One saint living hundreds of years ago said something like, “I believe that I may understand.” It takes humility to admit inability, short-sight, finiteness.

Community: In coming to believe that the God of Christianity is the “only wise” God, I seek truth in a community of faith that has passed down the belief that Jesus is the fullest revelation of God, the very god-man. Is that community trustworthy? Discernment and judgment will respond: Not always because people are people, but the yes, the faithful witness of faithful believers is a trustworthy community built on the foundation of a faithful God.

Christ: Jesus is the testimony of God, or as the scriptures say, God’s exact likeness. He is all God and all man. He is the joining of God and man in perfect union. Jesus declared the Old Testament scriptures to be a faithful witness to God’s action in the world. Jesus declared that he was the way, the life, and the truth. Jesus declared that he will return and rule and reign and judge. If you want to know truth…Get to know Jesus Christ.

I’m sure there are other ‘factors’ in equation. I would add experience, love, and reason.  I am relatively simple minded. What would you add?

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