In this blog we have discussed one aspect of the human condition several times, namely the fact that we are finite. I have recently come across two more examples.
Umberto Eco, an Italian literary critic, social and political commentator, novelist, who had a personal library of thousands of books, many of which he had not read. He was of the belief his unread library was very beneficial because it served as a daily reminder of how much he did not know.
Socrates stated that he knew nothing except the fact of his own ignorance.
This aspect of human condition raises a question: God has structured our existence so that we can only objectively know what is true for events that occur in our space and time. The problem is that many of the decisions we must make depend upon events that have occurred in the past or will occur in the future. And that includes our belief in Jesus and his redemptive work on our behalf. If God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9), why would he require us to believe in something for which we cannot obtain certain proof?
Decision-making in life is a lot like flying an airplane. When pilots face a potentially dangerous situation in the air, they cannot pull over to a corner of the sky, stop, and contemplate what to do. They must deal with that problem as it occurs and as they are moving. When people are faced with a decision, they cannot always put that decision on hold while they or someone else determines a method of dealing with the problem. That might take centuries or it might never occur. In making decisions, people must draw on whatever they have on hand. [1] This seems like a very strange state of affairs. People are constantly making decisions based on incomplete and inaccurate information but that is the way God has structured our life.
In spite of our limitations, we still have enormous potential. God’s assessment of the human race at the Tower of Babel was that nothing would be impossible if people would work together. “And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.” (Genesis 11:6 ESV)
Only by working with others can we eliminate famine and epidemics. Only by working together can we enjoy the benefits of living in a technologically advanced society. It is only by working together that we can find out the reality of our existence. This is a rather ingenuous way to persuade us to overcome our self-centered nature.
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[1] E. F. Schumacher. A Guide for the Perplexed, p. 6.
