Some skeptics say that Christians are dogmatic, that Christians claim to be right. Every philosophy and religion has a point at which it says, “I’m right and you’re wrong.” The nature of truth is that it is exclusive. Even for those who believe that there is no truth, they believe that to the exclusion of all beliefs that conflict with their belief that there is no truth. Everyone is an exclusivist. Everyone is religious about their most basic beliefs.
The reason we believe is not based on physical evidence or human argument, though the observable physical evidence supports God’s existence and His Truth without the mental gymnastics that the Atheists and Evolutionists find themselves tangled in. It is based in the power of God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word (utterance) of God. God speaks. God speaks to every person. Whoever will listen receives the faith that is of God. This is a supernatural belief that is not human-generated. It is a gift. That faith is the belief that what God has said is true. Before a person is born again, there is a history of hearing God’s voice. No one can come to Christ unless the Father draws him or her. A person is born again the moment that he or she hears God’s voice and receives faith to believe in Jesus as Savior from sin. In the same way, it is God who speaks and says that the Bible is the Word of God without error. When we hear His voice, then His faith comes, the supernatural belief that the Bible is the Word of God without error. Once God opens our eyes, we see that the Bible is the only source that is both internally and externally consistent. We cannot possibly believe unless we are having an active interaction with our Maker. Some Christians are not aware enough of their own experience to know this. That’s why we have all the previously-mentioned reasons for believing the Bible as the Word of God. (some caveats about hearing God’s Voice)
Interestingly, the explanation given in the previous paragraph does not depend on circular reasoning or poor logic. It depends on God. This is the kind of faith that is what is really operating. It is based on revelation. Now, a naturalist will attack the whole idea of revelation claiming that revelation cannot be verified.
The Scripture teaches that we are to be wise as serpents and as harmless as doves. Jesus taught us that we would be persecuted for Him Whom we believe. That has been fulfilled and is being fulfilled. Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek when this happens. He teaches us to love those who hate us and to pray for those who spitefully use us. Whenever the church has been distorted into some method by which “Christians” make gain, there seems to have been abuse. There are many distortions of the church and of Christianity. These do not represent the Person of Christ.
