Thursday

The Problem Of God 10 - 1 > 10

God is an unpredictable problem to many in our world. He just can't consciously exist in their world, or He must at least be kept consciously out of the concrete operational side of human existence. To give Him a place in the conscious side of life creates a nonsensical equation... an irreconcilable problem.

This is a problem well known to the agnostic thinker. Here it is: if God is allowed to enter conscious human existence then an immeasurable factor has invaded a world of physical laws. There is no way around it. It is well known that if there is a Creator He must be all-powerful, at least within that creation, and transcend what He has created. Any involvement then in His creation after physical laws have been put into place is without a measurable cause and is unpredictable, so nothing in the creation can be considered to be permanent, stable, or absolute.

The moment a believer says God did this or that the believer has declared that there is a factor in their world, and the world of everyone else, that is without a measurable cause and is unpredictable. God is an independent all powerful intelligence who can do whatever He wants. But math and science are all about measurement, verification, and prediction. So for many, these days, God is not welcome in the realm of the measurable.

Let me illustrate the problem with a verse which the prophet Malachi says came directly from the Creator:

Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

The word tithe means a tenth. Under the law given by God to Israel there was a requirement that every citizen give a tenth of their income to God's “storehouse”. This post is not a discussion about tithing, it is about the implications of the equation of tithing. The Creator has stated in this verse that if one tenth of all income is given "into the storehouse" He will return more than that tenth back to the giver in the form of "a blessing”. Here's the equation:

10 – 1 > 10 (ten minus one is greater than 10)

That equation doesn't fit physical law. This is not an investment that bears measurable interest or brings dividends. The 1 is fully separated from the 10. It is given away. From the viewpoint of physical law it is an impossible equation. It is based solely on a statement from the Creator that He will act on behalf of the giver from outside the laws of economics. His action will be physically unpredictable and the cause will be immeasurable. This is what happens if God is in this world... and He is in this world. This is what faith is all about:

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

For this equation to be true the Creator must have access to and, therefore, control the economies of this world. He can change the math into an unpredictable equation. The implications of just this one verse-and there are many more-are earth-shaking, especially considering the current world economic turmoil. God is not the problem... we are the problem, He is the solution. And... He can do more than you think He can. Open your mind to God.

1 comment:

  1. Amen Bro! I think this is just one of God's double-down bets to mankind to seek and find Him--or as you are exploring here--to find His reality. The only place in the Word where we are challenged to 'test Me in this' (know you prefer King James, but oh well).

    Hubby was never taught tithing. Couldn't believe he could give up 25% of sales time to attend Wed night church. Told him this verse and said, "He invited the 'test' --give Him 3 months. Income went up 50%! I worked 18 months without pay to follow His call, thought maybe I heard Him wrong...then once I gave it all to Him--boom I get that much pay from an absolutely unlikely place! He am what He am!!!!

    If anyone has the nerve to accept His bet--they will lose--and win at the same time! It don't add up and it does add up to everything that means anything! (Excuse my grammar, but it makes my point) You always make me think inside out Brother Larry!

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