In the start of this i want to point out this is not about anti intellectualism, but about faith. Many people think that faith in God is stupid, but we all act in faith, whether we think we do or not, we do. So why the title? It's simple really, in this day and age people want to in some cases try to explain away the wonder of that faith. There always has to be a logical, factual, scientific answer to the point you put forward, this in itself is a fallacy and a big fat raspberry. We are not meant to have all the answers, if we did it would not be faith, it would be science. Faith requires us to trust, and that is something we do not like doing as a rule, because we live in the now, technology is never going to fail us, science provides all the answers, again a fallacy.
So why the title, simple really, in 1 Corinthians chapter1, Paul talks about the Cross confounding the wise, stumping people with it's brutality, making them think, why God why? so lets deal with it a point at a time, and this is by no means exhaustive.
The Ordinary: Jesus was not the first person to be crucified, in fact crucifixion was a regular occurrence, it was as regular as Saturday afternoon football. So common it had been turned into the best way to make someone die a slow painful death. So why make such a song and dance about another messianic figure getting nailed to a cross, unless there was something in it, that meant more than what was going on, that which we could see with our eyes.
The Stupid: Why would God allow his son to die in our place, why bother when if as i believe he knew the start from the end, he knew how we were going to react. It was stupid, it was moronic. It was stupid because the people wanted to see the messiah reign, they wanted liberation, what they actually got was a Carpenter, with 12 largely uneducated mates, wandering around the countryside and cities, telling everybody to love their neighbour, to care for the poor, to care for the least of society. He upset the established church, he railed against the selling of sacrificial animals, threw a fit and turned over the tables in the temple. All fairly stupid, when we look with our eyes. But look a bit further, look beyond what you can see and prove, open that part of your brain, that part of your spirit, that has faith and look a little deeper.
The Amazing: That ordinary cross bought about an amazing change in peoples lives, it bought about a change in mine, though if truth be known i fail more than i succeed regards my faith. But that amazing point in time, that perfect moment when Heaven and earth where united as one, when God said "yep you are worth it" changed everything. It was an amazing act of unselfish love, an amazing act of redemption for mankind. Jesus crucified for humanity, each and everyone of us.
Do i understand it all/ NO, do i need to understand it all? NO. Does it matter that people look at this event through closed blinkered minds? YES it matters. Does it change anything? YES it changes everything. Because Jesus was not just another body hanging on a cross, he was a somebody, dieing
for a nobody, saying in that one act, it only requires faith, i just need you to trust me. Many of us don't trust at all, maybe it's time we got back to trusting and along with that start trusting in God again.
P.S someone emailed me the other week telling me that i never use enough theological language in my blog, it shook me a bit and put me off writing it. But let me explain it in simple terms, people need to understand the story of Christ in an everyday language, which is relevant, easy, and above all accessible. The largest amount of people who read this are not church going folk (of which i'm pleased with) not because they do not go to church or have faith. but because i don't write theology, i write from my heart and experience, and they get it. If you want theology buy a book or email me, then we can have a theological chat.
Peace to you all peeps.
Andy
