Hello All,
(Just a general disclaimer that I must insert here at the beginning. I am but a lay person, like most of you. And these weekly “thoughts” are but my own. Not the definitive word on this or any topic. Just my own conclusions derived from my own study and faith in God. The greatest hope I have for these weekly “thoughts” is to have them be a springboard for further study on your part. Not to be a weekly treatise to be blindly accepted. So, please read them with this intent, this motive in mind).
This week’s lesson from “The Adult Sabbath School Guide” is titled “Education in Arts and Sciences”. Science. What a true advance over superstition. The “scientific method” of reasoning. Here’s a definition from “Merriam-Webster”… “principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses”. What a great way of discovering truth! I thank God for this! Finally, mankind looks for cause and effect. Not some mystical, magical, superstitious “reasoning” (falsely called).
Yes, I maintain that the “scientific method” is a gift from God. Our SDA schools of medicine rely upon it… are founded upon it. I also believe it is something we’ve needed for many thousands of years. And a hallmark of the last days. Finally, mankind is realizing that the effects we see around us have a cause. That sickness and death are not some imposed penalty from a vengeful God. That it is sin itself that causes death, not some vindictive punishment. This scientific understanding was important for man to come to understand and know God as He is. I believe that this is also one of the reasons why the “cleansing of the Sanctuary” could not be clearly understood until 1844. It was necessary for us to have a grasp on this scientific method in order to properly decipher what it all meant. Unfortunately, much of our understanding of this “cleansing” in particular, and of God in general is still portrayed in a somewhat mystical way. Instead of in a real way, a way that makes sense.
For at the end of it all, that is what we all are trying to do… make sense of… well… everything. But especially make sense of God. We try to make sense of a God of love, who is all love, and yet make sense of the eternal destruction at the end. We strive to make sense of scientific assumptions based on facts that do insult to the Bible. And so the temptation is to discard the “scientific method” because scientists make assertions that are contrary to God’s word. And then we resort to explanations of God that do insult to rational, reasonable minds. No wonder that much of the thinking world relegates God to mankind’s antiquity trash-heap. No wonder many God-believers have no use for science. We Christians must come to an intelligent understanding of God, sin, ourselves and the destruction at the end. We must be intelligent Christians. As EGW advises us,
“What is worth doing at all is worth doing well. While religion should be the prevailing element in every school, it will not lead to a cheapening of the literary attainments. It will make all true Christians feel their need of thorough knowledge, that they may make the best use of the faculties bestowed upon them. While growing in grace and in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, they will seek constantly to put to the stretch their powers of mind, that they may become intelligent Christians.” (Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students pg. 504).
The truth is, we need each other. Scientists need religionists… and vice versa. Scientists need God to properly interpret those scientific facts and discoveries. And religionists need science in order to come to an accurate and complete understanding of God. We Christians need science (believe it or not) in order to help de-mystify and de-bunk the false concepts of God that superstitious minds propagated over the centuries. However, both sides (scientists and religionists) largely stand-back from each other, casting stones. But both sides need each other for a proper understanding of each.
So, the world is ripe for Biblical scientists. Of which, our SDA faith has so many. Our Bible-based institutions of higher learning are held in high esteem by many. Our faith in God has not led us to be adversarial with sound scientific research and discoveries. On the contrary, our faith in God has led us to embrace science. Because we Adventists maintain that our Creator-God will be revealed in true science. And so He shall. As long as His presence is part of the equation. Science has failed us when it ignores the presence and activity of our God. Science relegates to natural occurrences the activity of God. And so takes the facts and draws partial and fallacious conclusions. Because that One Dynamic Element (God) is not part of their equation… not part of their conclusion.
For example, if your car stops and stalls on the highway. There can be all sorts of reasons for this mechanical, scientific failure. But if from the beginning you discount the possibility that it is lack-of-gas, even though your gas gauge doesn’t work properly and because you just filled the tank 100 miles ago, then you will come to conclusions that may or may not be true. But if lack-of-gas is part of your options, then you have a better chance of finding and resolving the cause. Especially if the cause really is lack-of-gas because you unconsciously had punctured your gas tank 50 miles back when you ran over a piece of spring-steel on the highway that had flipped-up and made a hole in the full gas tank. So with science. If you discard God from the outset, discard the God who invisibly works all the time, the scientific facts may lead you to a very false conclusion. All because you discounted the Creator Himself and all that He contends and says… and does.
As we study this lesson this week, let us not disparage our “scientific method”. It has taken away so much superstition. And has revealed so much of the mysteries of our lives, our earth and our universe. The facts discovered lead us to stand in increased awe and reverence before our God. And yet, the facts discovered by science can still be interpreted in a skewed manner. Hence the need for us who believe and follow God to be careful with interpretation. Conclusions formed must include God if they are to be valid. So let us embrace the scientific discoveries… and look for the glory of God in those discoveries. God has allowed this development of science at the end of time in order to increase our faith and trust in Him, not to decrease it. In order to lead us to increased reverence and to increase our understanding of truth. Science seeks to discover truth, too. However the facts discovered by the “scientific method” must include our Creator-God if truth is to be known. We Christians dare not retreat into the past superstitious and past mystical explanations of God that paint our God in such false colors. Truth… revealed truth… present truth… only reveals our God more, not less. Let us look for Him in the ever-expanding revelations… with more to come, I’m sure. Science properly interpreted will only increase our understanding and faith.
With brotherly love to you all,
Jim