2 Tim 1:12
When we travel through life, we need a center that will hold and sustain.
If you listen to the talk show on AM 700 from 4 to 6pm, you'll notice that many callers call themselves the ditto heads. Meaning I totally agree with what you say. Everything you say is right on, is truth, nothing but the truth. I am with you all the way, I believe every word you say.
We all believe in something. Survey has shown that in this country, 80% of people claim that they believe in God. One person interviewed by sociologist Robert Bellah, said," I believe in God. But I can't remember when was the last time I went to church. My faith has carried me a long way." Yes, he believes in something, but what is it? If you are from China/HK, you would say, "I don't believe in anything, except in myself" "I only believe in money." From Taiwan, you would say, "Yeah, I believe in some kind of supernatural being. Not necessarily the Christian God, but could be Buddha or Kwan Yin." Or some may say, " I believe the force as in the Star Wars." We believe in something, but does it really matter what we believes, as long as we believe in something?
We are constantly subjected to all kinds of experiences in life. And we have an innate desire to make sense out of these experiences. Accordingly, we build a system of belief to help explain these experiences. Let's look at some examples.
Over 15 years ago, a JAL passenger plane crashed in northern Japan. On one early Wednesday morning in October, 1994, a ferry boat going from Finland to Sweden sank in the cold Baltic Sea. Over 800 people died. In the same year, in September, USAir #427 crashed near Pittsburgh killing all 132 on board. These tragic events left behind hundred of friends and loved ones. How would they cope with such sad circumstances?
Or look at what is happening in Yugoslavia. The killing and raping of the innocent ones. The death in the Chinese Embassy. Or in recent weeks, the shooting at Littleton, Co, leaving 14 dead. The tornadoes that hit Oklahoma city killing 40 people. In the midst of such tragic experiences, we would definitely establish a system of belief concerning those events.
I may say that I believe in a sovereign God. That He created my loved ones. I believe there is a time to be born and a time to die. I believe none of us dies before his time, that there are no accidents with God. Yes, God is sovereign, but we also live in a broken and sinful world. Others decisions and actions or mis-actions can certainly affect, ruin or even destroy my life. God has allowed different events to happen in my life. This system of belief will help me cope with my particular circumstance.
On the other hand, it's also possible for me to say, "How can you say there is an almighty God if something like this happens? If God is loving, there is no way such sad tragedies could have occurred. If there is an almighty and loving God, he would not have taken my love ones away from me." And so I will decide at that particular time to believe that a loving almighty God cannot exist. A survivor of the WW2 holocaust said, "the day I left the camp, I also left God behind." Or a young man being very frustrated over the mishaps in his life, said, "Don't I have enough of my share? When is He going to give me a break?" These are ways how one would make sense of one's experiences.
We all need and have some belief system to help us understand and explain our particular circumstances in life. But does it matter what we believe in?
Let's take a look at how what we believe will affect us.
1. Belief and Universe.
Hebrews 11:3 "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." In the 20th century, when we think of the origin of the universe, there's basically two options: Creation or evolution.
Creation implies that there is a beginning. God exists, and God created the entire universe including human beings. Since we were not there at the time of creation, and our information regarding the detail of creation is limited, so there is great faith to believe that the universe was formed at God's command.
Evolution implies that there is no God. What we have is the basic elements plus time plus chance giving rise to the universe we see today. There are some evidences and many speculations. Such speculations lead to hypothesis and very often the hypothesis becomes fact. Since we were not there during the early stages of evolution, we too have to believe in what certain scientists wrote and talked about.
Both creation and evolution require faith.
2. Belief and how we live.
Our belief also affects how we live. If I believe that God exists, He created the universe, and He also created men and women according to his own image, then it'll affect the way I look at my possessions. Everything I have is from God. I have the responsibility to be a good steward while on earth. It will also affect how I see myself and others. Since we are created by God in his image, there is intrinsic value within us. My value does not depend on my work or accomplishment. I am valuable because I carry God's image within me. No matter who you are, how wealthy or poor, how educated or uneducated, whatever your political and moral persuasion is, I treat you with respect, because you too carry God's image. If I have staff working for me, I will not manage them like they are numbers or objects, but persons with value and dignity.
If I believe in evolution, there is no God. We, that is you and I, and everything else are products of chance. I am no different from a dog or cat. I do not have an objective reference point to treat you with respect and dignity.
As we go through life, we all recognize that life is difficult. We are constantly affected and controlled by people and events that we have no power over. Whether you are single, a single parent, married, or struggling with certain terminal illness, we all need to know how to live and stand firm. We need a center that holds us together. How can we be firm and strong when circumstances seem so difficult?
2 Cor 1:24 "Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm." 2 Cor 5:7,"We live by faith, not by sight."
The bible clearly tells us that our faith, what we believe in, determines how we live and stand. If I believe in God the creator, then I'll learn to find strength in him. He will be my source of help and refuge in times of trouble.
If I believe in God, then as a parent I'll do my best to train my children according to God's design and principles. If I believe in God, then there is also the blue print for a husband and wife relationship. If I follow his design for marriage, it will bring meaning and fulfillment into the relationship.
Since God never changes, I also believe that his principle and design for family will not change. Among the winds of change, God becomes my anchoring point.
On the other hand, if I don't believe in God, I'll raise my children or relate to my spouse in two ways. I can go by 1. Common sense. And we know how far common sense can take us. 2. Tradition. When there is a clear understanding of what tradition is all about, it will certainly make parenting, marriage and dealing with other moral and ethical issues much easier. But in this day and age, tradition has lost its grip on us. Not too many of us know what trandition is anymore. We may have a faint memory of what it should be. We may also have our own version of different traditions. So we end up each doing his/her own thing, or just following the latest trend.
Many who grew up in the 60's, the boomers' generation, experimented with free sex and drugs. Now, sprinkled throughout magazines and newspaper editorials are expressions of regret over the 60's lifestyles. Many parents have been telling their children: do as I say not as I do. Sometimes, its hard to undo what was done. When we go with the flow, we also reap its consequences.
You see, what we believe affects how we live.
We have discussed the necessity for believing, the importance of belief. But what does this word mean? What does it mean when a person says, "Yes, I believe in God, but I don't go to church."
The bible uses the word "believe" in three different ways. The first is believing in what is true. If you have been living in either NY or Calif. Your understanding of USA is that if you go east from Calif. You get to NY. If you go west from NY, you get to Calif. There is nothing in between. United States is basically NY and Calif. Now you are here, or having looked at a good map, you know if you travel SW from NY, or SE from California, you'll get to Texas. Continue in that direction, one will come to Houston. This is true, its trustworthy and you believe in it.
The second usage of believe requires me to do something about what is true and trustworthy If you are from Asia, after 12 hours of flight, you arrived at the SF airport. You have to take another connecting flight to Houston. Yes, you know there is a state call Texas, there is Houston. Its on the map. You know its true and trustworthy. And now you have to do something about what is true and trustworthy. You have to get onto the plane that will take you to Houston. You are doing something about what you believe is true.
The third usage of believe is to be dependent upon something. After you get on the plane, you put on the seat belt and you relax. You trust the plane with its engines, hydraulic systems and the aerodynamics will take you to Houston. You are drawing the resources from the plane. You don't have to constantly ask the pilot if this plane is OK. You trust the pilot and the company that makes the plane. And you fall asleep.
You see, when we say we believe in God, we not only believe that God exists, this is just the beginning. And because he is God, I also believe he is true, reliable, trustworthy and loving. And because he is reliable, trustworthy and loving, I can rely on him, depend on him, and draw strength and resources from him.
No matter who we are, we all believe in something. If I can't articulate well what I believe, I will be attracted to those who can express my convictions. But does it really matter what I believe?
When the JAL plane crashed in northern Japan many years ago, it was revealed that from the time the plane lost control and started its spiral descent, until it hit the ground, there were 30 minutes. During that 30 minutes, one can imagine the chaos in the cabin. People screaming and praying. There was one businessman took the time and wrote a farewell letter to his wife and children.
When the ferry boat that carried over 1000 people sank in the cold Baltic Sea on Wednesday morning, the survivors mentioned that from the time the water started to rush in, to sinking, took only 20 minutes. One can certainly imagine the confusion and panic of those last 20 minutes.
When USAir flight 427 crashed near Pittsburgh 5 years ago, investigators reported that there was a 20 seconds death dive. That is, for 20 seconds, the passengers on that plane knew what was happening to them. This is what 20 seconds is like:..............Its short. But on that flight, it must have felt like eternity.
If you were on that boat or those two planes, during that 30, 20 minutes or 20 seconds, I think you'll agree with me that what you believe would certainly matter a lot.
If you believe in money, yourself or the God you made with your own hands, in those moments, you may find them very useless and helpless. They are rather inadequate to handle such situations. But if you believe the God that can give you peace which transcends all circumstances, that death is but a door way to his eternal presence, it will make quite a difference, isn't it?
I remembered a conversation I had with a friend several years ago. I asked how the family was. He said the younger daughter Emily just came home from the hospital. She had a seizure and now was like a vegetable. Emily breathes with the help of an oxygen mask, and has to be fed by tubes. You see, his older son has Down's syndrome. When the wife was pregnant with the daughter, they were told that she too had the same problem. Friends and relatives urged them to have an abortion. But they insisted on keeping the baby. After birth, it was discovered that her disorder was more severe than the brother. Between the two children, the parents spent long hours going in and out of Children's Hospital. Soon after that, they became Christians. During the phone conversation, I told him that I felt very helpless, and didn't know how to help him, except to pray that God will give him inner strength to deal with his difficulties. Then he said, "If its not for God's help, I would have collapsed a long time ago." He had no bitterness and resentment against God. He trusted and relied upon him, drawing strength from him.
In such difficult times, his faith in God does matter. For he has a center that holds and sustains him. And beginning next week, we will take a closer look at what are the contents of our belief.
Sunday May 16th, 1999, Rev. William Hsueh, Houston Chinese Church, Houston, Texas.