Knowledge is something we really take for granted. We use
the phrase, “I know (fill in the blank),” but have you ever stopped to think
about how you know it? This is especially important when it comes to whether or
not you’re a Christian.
Two forms of knowledge that are frequently cited by atheists
are empiricism and rationalism. Empiricism holds that the only things that can
be known are those which can be detected by our senses – seen, tasted, touched,
felt, and heard. It has several presuppositions, some of which include that
senses can be trusted, that they accurately relay information about the
world around us, that they are the only faculties that can do so, and that the
physical (material) world is all that exists. An extension of this is the
belief that science (i.e. the scientific method) is the only source of
knowledge since it (only) tests for things that can be verified with our
senses. (Interestingly this also assumes the validity of the scientific method
which itself cannot be tested by anything.)
Rationalism, on the other hand, holds that the only way to
know anything is through logic and reason. In other words, we can only say we
know something if our propositions are true and our reasoning process is valid
– i.e. if our conclusions can be rightly drawn from the premise(s). This method
also has its own presuppositions, including the validity of logic itself and
the existence of non-physical/immaterial things like laws of logic,
propositions, and the mind (atoms don’t evaluate arguments and form
conclusions, they just move where they’re pushed. Consequently we must have an
immaterial mind if we say we rely on reason for knowledge).
If done correctly, empiricism and rationalism can give us
glimpses of knowledge. But can we always trust our senses? Do we always
properly think through something to draw the right conclusion? Obviously the
answer to both of these questions is no. There must be another way we can know
things, and that is by revelation.
Revelation simply means the revealing of something
previously unknown or unrecognized. If
you stop and think about it, there are many things that we know based on
revelation. The easiest example is love
– I know my wife loves me because she tells me so. Her revealed love is also substantiated by
empirical knowledge (a warm embrace) and rationality (her actions are
consistent with her profession). It is
only in light of her revelation that the empirical and rational evidences make
sense. The empirical and rational
evidences are important, but I can only know
she loves me because she tells me.
Knowledge is not simply a belief…it is a justifiably true
belief. To know something by revelation
requires the revealer to be an authority on the matter in question. My wife’s friends and family could tell me
she loves me, but they are not adequate authorities. Only my wife, in charge of her own heart and
feelings, has the authority I can trust to know that she loves me. Let’s call this revelation by authority.
Another example of how revelation by authority works in my
life is the existence of black holes.
While one may say they can be empirically measured and rationally
discerned from the data, I personally
could never know they exist because I don’t have access to the measurements and
don’t understand the calculations.
Stephen Hawking, however, does have such capabilities. And since he has proven to be a reliable
authority on black holes, I personally
can know they exist because I trust his revelation concerning them.
So lets apply this to Christianity. God has revealed Himself to us in
generalities through nature and in specifics through communication over the
centuries with His prophets. Jesus of
Nazareth affirmed the Hebrew collection of revelations (a.k.a Old Testament)
and solidified His authority for further revelation by performing miracles and
rising from the dead. Furthermore, the
apostles also had authority because they personally knew Jesus before and after
His resurrection, and they confirmed their authority by miracles. This collection of revelations is known today
as the New Testament.
It is because of God’s revelation that I can confidently say
that I know God exists, that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that I have a personal
connection to Him. God’s revelation also
teaches me a number of other things, including the dual nature of the universe
(material and immaterial), the existence of objective morality, and the purpose
of all creation, just to name a few.
Only after I accept knowledge through God’s revelation does everything
else make sense – my empirical and rational knowledge about myself, the
universe, morality, and reality finally fit together into a cohesive
system. Without God’s revelation, however,
our bits and pieces of knowledge may be useful but end up being inconsistent and arbitrary when combined together as a system. As in the example of my wife’s love,
empiricism and rationalism can only give glimpses of our world and (if one is
willing to admit it) its Creator. Only
the Creator Himself has the authority we can trust to fully know and understand our world, His ways, and ourselves.
The key question then becomes “what is your authority?” As a
Christian, one submits to God’s authority as He revealed it to man and is
recorded in the Bible. Non-Christians reject God’s authority and supplant it
with something else. Over the years they have tried to use their minds, senses,
or a combination of both. Honestly, though, non-Christians place themselves as
the ultimate authority – they will be the judge of what they claim as
acceptable knowledge using a combination of methods that they deme as worthy to
achieve their desired conclusion. This rejection of God’s authority for our own
was the first sin ever committed and it is the one sin shared by all of
humanity today.
There are many things you know already that are based on the
authority of someone else. If you
haven’t already done so, I urge you to open the Bible and ask your Creator to
reveal some knowledge to you today. You
might be surprised at what you learn and find yourself wanting more!
