It's Still True

When I was a boy I remember hearing some of the old-timers say, "The Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it."

Then, a revival preacher came to my church and put a new spin to it--"The Bible says it, and that settles it whether you 'believe it' or not!"

The man had a good point.

Some things are true whether people believe them or not. You can insist all day long that there is no such thing as gravity, but that does not make it any less true. You can claim from here to eternity that if a person jumps off the Empire State Building and crashes onto the pavement below, it will not kill them, but I will guarantee you that if you try it, you will be a greasy spot on the sidewalk no matter what you 'believe.'

In like manner, there are things in the spiritual life that are true whether you believe them to be or not. Truth is truth, and it does not require your approval.

To be sure, there are great mysteries that we will never quite grasp. The finite is incapable of grasping that which is infinite. For example, I like to read, study, and ponder quantum physics. The discipline holds rich implications for spirituality and Christianity, due to the fact that, as human beings, we are part and parcel of an infinite God who creates. And, as his offspring, created in His image, so do we create.

But, quantum physics is too vast, too complex for my mind to totally wrap itself around. This does not mean that its concepts do not hold truth. I may even deny that its concepts are true. But, that in no way makes it untrue. It is still true whether I believe it or not.

I like to draw parallels across various disciplines, to see relationships between, say, quantum physics and the Bible, or Christianity and psychology.

And being one who draws those parallels, I find myself reaffirming Biblical truth all over again.

The 'old, old story' has been around so long, and adhered to by so many, and placed under the refiner's fire of scrutiny, persecution, attempts at eradication, and the like, that it seems to me that the old, old story of Jesus and His love is as timeless as the concepts of quantum physics. The concepts inherent in the story of the Christ are timeless and all-encompassing. We may not be able to understand it all, but we can know enough to know  that something there is very moving and life-changing.

Perhaps it is the story of an innocent man put to death for the wrongdoing of others. Perhaps it is the fact that Jesus was willing to lay down his life to show his disciples and the world the ultimate value of unconditional love. Perhaps it is the fact that the Gospels tell us that we were here in antiquity long before we were born, conceived in the mind of God, and that we will be here long after we 'die' a physical death. This is one of the reasons I have no problem believing in the Resurrection of Christ. Everything I have learned in the realm of science, astronomy, and quantum physics only confirms the great truths of the Bible, in my view.

This is why 'the old, old story' never grows old. It is always relevant.

Here is a treat for you. It's one of the Florida Boys' great hits in the days leading up to their retirement in 2007. This one is great quartet singing at its best. And, to go along with the message today, it's entitled, 'It's Still True.'  I embedded the video below, but in case you can't access it, use the link. Enjoy...