RE: [asa] Romans 1:20 (disregard my last post)

Sorry about that last post; I accidentally sent it before I had written anything
in it.

Quoting John Walley <john_walley@yahoo.com>:
> Suppose then this person converts to deism still from a purely secular point
> of view and then starts exploring all the world's religions to see if any of
> their testable truth claims can survive the scrutiny of being compared to
> the scientific record. And suppose then that after eliminating all the
> others they conclude that Christianity is valid and real and the Bible is
> inspired, and therefore they become a Christian.
>
> In this scenario, can we so confidently say that "that natural theology does
> *not* lead a person to Christ" ?
>
> Choose your answer carefully because that person is Hugh Ross and that is
> exactly his testimony.
>
> Thanks
>
> John

Two thoughts:

1. can somebody follow an erroneous path to something legitimate? I ask
rhetorically, because I think you would all agree we can. Someone may have the
most dubious or immature reasons for seeking a particular person as their
spouse. But as their relationship grows, IF it does in healthy ways,
infatuations and lusts may be replaced with real love and God may bless the
union. Doesn't this apply to Christ whom we may approach with frail and
error-fraught logic, and yet the real relationship eventually supercedes the
faulty foundations that may have initially brought someone on board. God can
use evil -- that doesn't make it any less evil. So it follows that God could
make use of YECism or any other ism for His own purposes. That doesn't mean we
shouldn't strive to correct those things when they are discovered to be in
error. The error is ours -- not God's.

2. Your alleged person has already chosen their (non-Christian, but not
necessarily anti-Christian) metaphysic if they are in this position. To repeat
again briefly:
> ...starts exploring all the world's religions to see if any of
> their testable truth claims can survive the scrutiny of being compared to
> the scientific record.

If science is the measure of what they choose as truth, then they have already
chosen their higher truth: the scientific method. Now they are just shopping
for a compatible religion as a handmaiden to their metaphysic. Yet, if
somebody follows that path to Christ, then so much the better for them! --that
is, their *destination* is to be commended, thought not necessarily their path
there. God may well use this for Hugh Ross or Mr. Flew, and perhaps they would
even continue to cling to this foundation after (in Mr. Flew's case) moving
another step and becoming Christian. But the path should not be elevated to
some status of being immune to error. God causes ALL things to work together
for good... (not just the things that pass muster of human reason.)

--Merv

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Received on Fri Nov 16 15:34:12 2007