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"In Search of Certainty" will challenge skeptics and strengthen believers
by Robert Driskell Truth is important to each of us. We base our decisions on it, and we do not like being lied to. We would all like to know that the things on which we base our existence are true. Can truth be known? If so, where do we find it? How can we separate truth from falsehood? In their book, In Search of Certainty, Josh McDowell and Thomas Williams tell us that truth can be known, it is possible to discern truth, and we can find this truth by means of reason and biblical revelation. The book was written in a tone that reveals the authors' love for God and their fellow humans. It is a book that everyone should read and ponder. The chaos that permeates much of today's society is caused by the idea that each of us can construct our own truth, "With no allegiance to God, people will increasingly chip away at the restriction of law to gain more and more freedom to follow their wants and urges" (p. 54). Many cling to the idea that we can manipulate reality simply by believing or disbelieving certain things. McDowell and Williams open this book by explaining the foundational importance of truth. There is a real and concrete truth that does not change simply because of one's denial of it. It is important that we know on what grounds we base our beliefs. McDowell and Williams believe that there is no conflict between reason and faith or science and the Bible. The faith exhibited by Christians should not be a 'blind faith' that excludes thinking about the difficult concepts that a belief in the truth of the Bible presents. The whole counsel of the Bible indicates that it is very important that our minds be fully involved in a life lived for God. In Search of Certainty presents powerful encouragement for the Christian faith and devastating arguments against atheism, naturalism, and evolution. It would be interesting to have an honest discussion about this book involving believers and unbelievers. Most, if not all, of the arguments presented in the books pages seem logically airtight. The concepts can still be rejected, but they are surely sound. The book addresses the topics of morality, evil, creation/evolution, man's purpose, and the universal idea of beauty. The book takes one along and introduces him or her to a well-reasoned biblical worldview. It then asks the reader to evaluate the information and make a choiceeither to accept the reality of God or to reject this worldview in favor of a self-serving lifestyle. Writing of the initial choice that Adam and Eve faced in the Garden of Eden, we read this, "Although God made humans for the very purpose of loving him and bearing his essence; he did not force himself on them. The relationship was purely voluntary. The man and woman were free to choose God and all the joy, love, fulfillment, and ecstasy he brought to them. Or they could choose self and go their own way without him on a path infested with all the pain, alienation, sorrow, and death that would result from alienation from God" (p. 137). Each and every one of us face this same choice today: Will we choose to follow God and all that comes with that choice, or will we reject Him and receive the consequences from that decision? This book is a marvelous tool to help with that life-altering decision. All excerpts taken from: (In Search of Certainty. Josh McDowell and Thomas Williams. Tyndale House Publishers, 2003.) Seeking to introduce people to Jesus Christ and to help them become "transformed by the renewing of their mind." Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |