Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Humanism

Humanism believes that there is no after life, and that the universe is a natural phenomenon; life is lived on the basis of reason by trusting scientific evidence; it places human happiness and interest as the centre of life.  Humanists deny any power or moral value superior to that of humanity, considering faith as inferior to critical thinking and evidence.  It is a system of values and belief that humans are basically good and problems can be solved using reason. There is the philosophical humanism which is the world view that life is centred on human needs and interest; there is the modern humanism, also called the naturalistic, scientific, ethical or democratic humanism; then there are the variations like secular humanism and religious humanism. Modern humanism believes that science is the best discovered method to construct knowledge and test its reliability. Secular humanism subscribes to individualism and freedom from control of family, church and state empowering the individual to live life on his or her own terms.  Religious humanism is expressing humanism within an existing religious tradition, culture and political situations - quite a paradox since self realization and not God is the ultimate!

Most of the world and its systems are based on humanistic thinking and it is a powerful worldly force today. For humanism, believing in Jesus Christ automatically excludes such people because Jesus Christ is the centre of life for believers who have faith in the Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ.  For some humanists, Jesus was a good man who lived many years ago and he died a terrible death which has no bearing on humans today.  Humanists do not see the need for a Savior and believe that their own good works are what balances out their standing of right and wrong.  For those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we know that before a moral and holy God, we have no right standing and we need a Savior.

We believe that God must judge evil and that this evil was judged on our personal behalf on Jesus Christ, the Sinless One Who took away the sins of the world.  He is God and Man - God Who became a Man, born of a virgin birth and He was crucified, died and was buried.  On the third day He rose again and He is alive forever more.  It is by faith we believe in what the Lord Jesus Christ did on the Cross for us believers, personally - the finished work of the Cross.  The exchange that He made was:

1) He was judged and punished so that we might be forgiven - only God forgives sin and through Jesus He has done it for us;
2)  Jesus was wounded that we are healed even today, whether it is through miracles or medically, healing is from God, not sickness;
3) Jesus was made sin with our sinfulness so that we might become righteous with His righteousness, the only time the Sinless One became sin was on the Cross when He bore the sins of all humanity, past present and future - only those who believe become righteous with His righteousness and not our own idea of right and wrong!
4) Jesus tasted death that we might share His life, that is how we have faith in the everlasting life only available for those who believe in Jesus Christ;
5) Jesus was made a curse that we might receive the blessing - the blessed life is ours through faith in Jesus Christ;
6) Jesus endured our poverty that we might share His abundance and He has given us Himself to share with others;
7) Jesus bore our shame that we might share His glory - in this world there is much shame but Jesus has promised His glory;
8) Jesus endured our rejection that we might have His acceptance with the Father, now no rejection works in us who are already accepted by our Father;
9) He was cut off that we might be joined to the Lord - He never leaves us or abandons us, He is forever with us and we can continuously relate to Him all the time!
10) Our old man was put to death on the Cross that our new man would live in Christ, we are new creatures in Christ - what a joyous thought!

Our education, our work life in this world is so coloured by humanism that only through meditating on the Scripture and doing what it says, can we renew our mind and let faith arise in our hearts to believe in what Jesus accomplished on the Cross.

Our God is a moral and a personal God and we cannot philosophize or rationalize Him.