Today, I wanttotalkaboutthestoryofdoubtingThomasandtheimplicationsofhowJesusrespondedtoThomaswhenhewantedproof, hewantedevidencethatwhathewasbeingtoldabouttheresurrectionofJesuswastrue.
Before I jumpintotoday's topic, I justquicklywanttoletyouguysknowthat I'm reallyexcitedaboutmynewpartnershipwithbiblicalscholarBartEhrmantopromotehiscoursesandhisupcomingvirtualconferenceSeptember 21stthroughthe 22nd, NewInsightsintotheNewTestament.
本日のトピックに入る前に、聖書学者バート・エルマンとの新しいパートナーシップ、彼の講座と9月21日から22日にかけて開催されるバーチャル・カンファレンス「New Insights into the New Testament(新約聖書への新たな洞察)」のプロモーションにとても興奮していることを皆さんにお伝えしたい。
I willbeattendingthistwo-dayeventforthosewhowanttogobeyondwhattheyweretaughtinthechurchanddigintotherealhistorybehindthelifeandlettersofPaul.
Tome, thisjustraises a reallyimportantquestionaboutwhatJesusvaluesinhisfollowers, becauseitseemstomethatJesuswouldvalueignoranceandblindobedienceoverreasonandrationality.
Andinfact, I thinkthattheyaregreatthingstohaveandgreatthingsthatyoucanapplytoanyclaimsthatpeoplebringtoyou, especiallywhentheycometosupernaturalorspiritualclaims.
Andit's sointerestingthattheyseeourdoubts, ourskepticismasegotisticalbecause I actuallythinkittakesintellectualhumilitytorecognizethatwhatyoubelievemightnotbetrue.
Itistheoppositeofbeingegotisticaltoactuallystopbeforeyouclaimtoknowtruth, especiallyabouttheseveryunknowablethingslikereligion, tostopandsay, I don't reallyknowtheanswertothisand I don't thinkthisisright.
Maybe I shouldconfirmthisinformationthat I'm beinggiven.
この情報を確認すべきかもしれない。
Maybe I shouldseeksomemedicaladvice.
医師の診断を仰ぐべきかもしれない。
WhatThomaswasdoingwasutilizingthatprocess, thesetoolsthatweweregivenbyGod, ifGodcreatedustocometo a reasonableandrationalconclusionaboutwhatotherpeopleweretellinghim.
Youknow, yougetontosocialmediaandscrollfor a littlewhileanditprobablywon't takemorethan a coupleofminutestocomeacrosssomebadinformation, someinformationthatisn't true.
And I havenoideawhyGodwouldcreateyouwith a brainonlytoencourageyoutonotuseit, onlytodiscourageyoufromexercisingdoubt, a toolthatiscrucialfornotfallingintothetrapofbeliefsthataren't true.
Andisn't that a reallybigcomponentoffreewilltobeabletohave a mindofyourown, tothinkaboutthings, tohavedoubtsandtoapplyscrutinyandskepticismandallofthat?
Insteadofautonomoushumanbeingsthathavethefreedomtothink, thefreedomtobelieve, thefreedomtoexploretheclaimsthatthey'rebeinggivensothattheycanendat a placewheretheyareconfidentandauthenticinwhatthey'reclaimingtobelieveanddedicatingtheirentirelivesto.
And I thinkifwelookintheOldTestament, weknowexactlywhatGodthoughtofthosepeoplewhodidn't worshiphim, whodidn't lovehim, whobelievedinothergodsandworshippedothergods.