Faith With Understanding..

Christians accept the resurrection accounts on faith, but it is a faith
sealed by the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit.
And faith is not blind, unintelligent trust.
Theology has been defined as " faith seeking understanding."
Christian worship God with their minds as well as their hearts.
The four gospels records an event hard to explain in face of the
most obvious evidence-- the existence of the Christian Church.

Something unprecedented happened in Jerusalem in the first century.
This forces the question: What kind of history do we see in scripture ?
Arthur Glasser calls the Bible " interpreted history." He said " it's great
truths [ come infleshed in historical events, human expirence,
and prophetic exposition" ( Kingdom and Mission, pages 18, 16).

Hugh Anderson sheds more light: " We expect the historian to -day
to be as scientifically accurate as possible in reporting of facts.
By contrast the historians of Israel viewed history as the sphere of
God's activity. Their purpose in telling the story of Israel was to
confront men with the sovereign authority of a high and holy God,
calling upon them to surrender their lives to Him."
( Historians of Israel, Vol 2 , pages 26,28 ).

The Gospel writters were concerned with spiritual meaning and eternal life.
They gave us history plus interpretation. Matthew , Mark, Luke and John
were preachers before they were historians.
Yet the resurrection accounts provide a compelling example of faith
meeting understanding. They make sense once the Holy Spirit enables
us to believe. For example:

* First , there is the most embarrssing honesty of the resurrection
accounts. The doubts of Thomas , Peter and other apostles are
candidly set forth..
{ Mark 16:9-14 }
The New Testament is hard on it's heroes.

Who in the early Church could have written such things about prominent
Church leaders still alive unless thoses things were really true ?
The transformed lives of the apostles are exactly what we would expect
if Christ was resurrected.
{ Acts 4:13 }

* Who among the disciples could invent such a story as that of
Jesus of Nazareth ? Could men who where often chided for their
slowness to believe and their lack of spiritual imaganation.
{ Matthew 16:5-12 }
have invented such challenging phrases as:
I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me"
{ John 14:6 }