What Agnostics Can Know

Recently I read an opinion piece that prompted consideration.  From the premise to the conclusion I disagreed with every point made.  A strong agnostic tone was maintained throughout concerning Jesus and the testimony of scripture, and thus there was nothing satisfactory for the soul.  In arrogance the pendulum swung between ignorance and irrelevance, and I don't know that a Christian or atheist who would be satisfied with the straw man arguments presented.  For me the article was of value because it showed the complete bankruptcy of an agnostic position concerning the person of Jesus Christ.

Reading the article, it seemed the fellow was pleased to through out the Baby Jesus but treasured His bathwater:  the value in Jesus being a Saviour for oppressed souls was not in His divinity but His humanity.  In the writer's mind some compelling things have been attributed to Jesus, but whether Jesus existed or not is of little consequence.  What really matters, I read, was the concept of Jesus doing miracles and providing for the needy kindles faith in humanity.  From a biblical worldview, this misses the point entirely.

Jesus only said and did compelling things because of Who He is, the Son of God born of a virgin in Bethlehem, the Christ--exactly as God promised beforehand.  The whole of Christ's life is placed under a microscope because of His claim to be the Messiah, that He came from heaven.  Jesus cannot be a good man and lie to deceive people:  either He is the Christ, or He is not.  Either the whole body of work of His life is consistent with this claim, or Jesus is a deceiver and disqualified as divinity--including being a decent bloke.  His sayings, actions and miracles were not to inspire people with faith in humanity, but for the lost sinner to receive salvation through faith in Jesus.

1 John 5:11-13 says with complete authority from God Himself concerning Jesus:  "And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. ¹³ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."  For the one who is not sure Jesus was born or is the Son of God, you can know with certainty you are not saved.  Being agnostic towards Jesus Christ and His claims of divinity means you are guaranteed to fall short of the forgiveness and justification He provides by grace through faith in Him.  Saying "maybe" concerning the existence of Jesus Christ or His resurrection means you have no part in Him, remain in sin and are truly lost.

No matter what arguments doubters and deceivers have concerning Jesus, Christians can rest confidently in Jesus Christ our LORD who ascended to the Father in the presence of many witnesses.  We do not need to know everything to know for certain we are forgiven and have eternal life through faith in Jesus.  We who believe in Jesus are called to keep believing, for our faith is according to knowledge revealed in God's word that is true.  Praise the LORD for opening our eyes to see and giving us hearts to understand and know Jesus.  How blessed we are to be known by Him Who has sought us out!