By Michael Quinn Sullivan | Guest Columnist, Texas Scorecard
For far too long, we have allowed the foundation of faith to be relegated only to metaphysical “truth” rather than actual “facts.” Indeed, many shy away from talking about the facts of their faith, preferring instead the personally emotive, distinctly modern and substance-free “personal truth” as a guide for conversations.
I’ve grown weary of people talking about their “truth,” when what they mean is their disjointed and often irrational opinion.
For generations, we have been told to think of faith in much the same way. It is a purely metaphysical experience, something in which we can “believe” without the burden — or support — of facts. This is emotional hogwash, driven by an intellectual inferiority complex that is foreign to the pages of Holy Scripture.
In 1 Peter 3:15, for example, the faithful are told “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”
There is very little in the Old and New Testaments that we are asked to accept on “faith” without extensive evidence. Time and again, Scripture makes bold claims about things that happened in reality. Thanks to advances in the science of archeology, we have greater evidence than ever for the factual reliability of those biblically recorded events.
Pharaoh wasn’t asked to explore his emotions to determine the “truth” of Moses’ words but instead was given very public evidence of God’s demands. Jesus didn’t lounge around saying, “Trust me, I’m the promised Messiah.” He offered signs and performed miracles as proof.
Over the years, the intellectual elites mocked Scripture as fairy tales, claiming there was no proof for any of it. And so, the various schools of divinity and theology retreated. They sinfully treat the stories of Scripture as allegorical rather than literal.
Unfortunately, facts keep intruding on the carefully constructed disbelief of the fallen world. Here are just a couple of examples.
It was fashionable, up until a few years ago, for the anti-religion crowd to claim there was no evidence, apart from the Bible, for the existence of King David. Pretty basic, right? If King David was a mythical figure, then most of Scripture—Old Testament and New—is little more than fan fiction for a non-existent God.
Except… an ancient tablet was uncovered in the city of Dan referring specifically and unambiguously to the Davidic line of kings. One cannot have a Davidic line without a David.
Now, archeological digs taking place under modern Jerusalem are almost daily finding more evidence of life in the court of King David and his immediate successors.
Among my favorite recent discoveries are those of seals for two royal administrators from Israel 3,000 years ago. Ordinarily, such finds would have been little more than a curiosity attesting to an ancient royal court. Yet these two names appear next to each other in Jeremiah 38:1, and both are mentioned just that one time. In context, the discoveries powerfully attest to the overall reliability of Scripture in delivering verifiable facts.
It is almost as if God ordained their names to be placed in the Bible so that the discovery of their seals would serve as signposts to the skeptics three millennia later.
The examples go on and on and on.
Every time the intellectual elite claims the Bible cannot be true because there is no physical evidence of such and such, it seems another discovery is made, dashing those faithless claims. God makes evidence available for all who sincerely seek it so that their faith can be anchored to facts.
As evidence mounts for the factual reliability of Scripture, those who deny its basic truths are the ones clinging blindly to a false faith.
Yes, Scripture makes extraordinary claims – but backs them up with details that can be tested in the real world for those with the patience to do so. Facts are the foundation of Holy Scripture, which we disregard at our peril. An honest faith is found in how one chooses to apply those facts.
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.