A classic atheist argument is:
“What if God came down from the heavens and told you you’re wrong about religion? What then?”
The question is a decent trap.
If you would change your mind because God told you to, then your faith isn’t absolute. There are conditions where you would abandon it.
If you would cling to your faith despite God telling you otherwise, then you’re a stubborn fool and your faith isn’t even about God.
As I say, it’s decent. Not great, but I appreciate the effort.
I wonder how Jews and Muslims answer this question. The best answer I have to this comes from St Paul’s letters, so I don’t know what they’d do.
What Paul says is simple, really.
Handing over to the apostle for a moment:
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:8 (RSV)
If a man preaches a different gospel – even if that man is me – then he’s an accursed fool.
Even if an angel descends from heaven to give me a different gospel, then that’s no angel.
“Yeah but what if God Himself told you you’re wrong about Jesus?”
Then I’d book in for a brain scan because I probably have a problem in there.
Seriously. Paul spoke/wrote with the authority of the Holy Spirit. That means God Himself said there’s only one gospel and you already have it. He’s not going to then turn around and say to anyone, “Oh, by the way, Jesus had a twin sister you should be worshipping too, sorry I didn’t mention that”.
If God gave me a different gospel, then I couldn’t share it with anyone.
If no one can share it, then it’s not a gospel. It’s “the Good news”, not “an intriguing secret”.
Therefore, there’s no different gospel. No one can believe the Bible while wondering about its upcoming DLC and retcons.
But let’s focus on that Galatians quote again:
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.
The apostles were ordinary men. All they did was answer the call when Jesus told them to follow Him.
Even so, the words they wrote reign supreme over even the angels.
The writings of Peter take it further:
… the good news to you through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
1 Peter 1:12 (RSV)
The angels want the gospel but don’t have it or can’t understand it.
This only makes sense if the gospels are the work of the Holy Spirit, which rules over the angels. No human work would be a mystery to them.
It also means you have something that not even angels do.
So treasure it.
Now, it would be crass to put a sales pitch at the end of a small sermon.
That’s fine. I’m no angel.
Your Story Isn’t About You helps you understand your fellow children of God. You came to earth to serve God and each other – this, more than most, will help you do that.
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