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 A
preacher told me of a question he had been asked — one
somewhat on the "zany" side, but asked in apparent
sincerity — and how he spent many hours trying to find a
direct and scriptural reply. When he finally went to the querist
with the answer, the material was brushed aside with little or
no notice, and another question was asked.
About par for the course, I would say. A fool
can ask more questions in an hour than a wise man can answer in
a day. One is under no obligation to devote time and attention
to a querist who will not meet the responsibilities of his
position. If he has no position — simply seeks information —
let him maintain the role of an appreciative disciple. But the
man who can not teach, and will not learn, is not worth the salt
it would take to "cure" him (PRO.23:9, 29:9).
Paul
said, "Foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that
they do gender strifes" (2TI.2:23). Of
"unlearned" Vincent's Word Studies says,
"undisciplined — questions of an untrained mind, carried
away with novelties; questions which do not proceed from any
trained habit of thinking."
Many
of the questions asked by skeptics or unbelievers are unworthy
of consideration, being asked solely to discredit or
"stump" the believer, and have no constructive
purpose. Does the querist honestly seek the answer? If asked to
reveal weakness on the part of the believer, to what end? Is the
querist genuinely interested in the ultimate well-being of the
person questioned? What has he to offer of a constructive or
positive nature? Is there reason to believe (from past
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"fruits") that the querist would accept the consequence of,
and be motivated by the answer to his question, correctly given?
It is right to consider such questions before attempting a
serious answer.
We
should realize, and freely acknowledge, that many questions
about God, and the things of God find answer only in the realm
of faith, God has revealed, by His Spirit, things which
"the wisdom of this world" can not encompass (Read
carefully 1CO.2:1-13). The very nature of God makes revelation a
necessity — to think that deity could be subject to man is to
demote God go the level of his creatures. Questions about such
matters can, therefore, be answered only with a "thus saith
the Lord".
Understandably,
the unbeliever is not willing to accept such answers — but
this only proves that the question is out of order. The
existence of God can be seen in "things made"
(ROM.1:20); The nature and identity of God are seen in His
manifestations of Himself (EXO.3:1-f, etc.); but in NT in Jesus
Christ, JOH.14:7-10; and "signs, wonders, divers miracles
and gifts of the Holy Ghost" confirm the divine source of
the words spoken by chosen messengers (HEB.2:3-4). Until these
things are accepted by the skeptic, there is no reason to deal
seriously with questions about the content of the revelation.
And
we have a right to expect some answers from the unbeliever. Let
him "puzzle" awhile about the beginning.
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