God I Have a Question

One summer during my college days, I worked at a city maintenance department—one of many students who were employed between semesters. Some of my co-workers were curious why I had chosen to become a pastor. After a few conversations with one of them, he told me he had begun reading the Bible, adding, “I’m confused.” I asked, “What are you confused about?” He replied, “Well, I was reading the book of Revelation last evening, and I just don’t get it.” I suggested that was not the best place to begin.

I have heard others state that starting with the Gospel of John or the Gospel of Mark would be a good idea, but I disagree. I remember that a well-known distributor of Bibles to countries worldwide had begun publishing the New Testament alone. It was more economically feasible and, after all, does contain the “heart of the Gospel.” However, I question if that is an appropriate way to introduce those who have no knowledge of Christianity or the Bible to God’s message of love for this world. I think it the story needs to be told from the beginning. I have heard too frequently that Christianity began just over 2000 years ago. Incorrect! Christianity began at the time of Creation with the promise that the head of the Serpent will be crushed. The Old Testament follows the unfolding of that promise, which finds its fulfillment in the birth of Jesus. Paul wrote to the church in Rome, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20).

A favorite passage of mine is found in the Book of Acts. Paul, in Athens, is standing before the idol to the unknown God. The fact that there is such an idol demonstrates that the Romans are saying, “God, I have a question.” Paul says to his audience, “The God who made the world and everything in it is Lord of Heaven and Earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything. Rather, He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else” (Acts 17:24–25). If we follow Paul’s example to explain God to those who are not familiar with the Bible or with Christianity, we need to begin at the very beginning. We need to state emphatically, “In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth” (Genesis 1: 1). Those who believe that to be true—as I do—ought to recognize that the first words of the Bible do not explain exactly how or when Creation occurred; that is the work of science. As human beings, we are here to take care of God’s world—to subdue it, preserve it, and even investigate what it is all about.