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Man-Making Contest…


John Ortberg tells a cute little story in his book, Faith and Doubt, which I am enjoying:

A group of scientists decided that human beings had come a long way and no longer needed God.

They picked one scientist to go and tell God they did not need him anymore. The scientist went to him and said, “God we can make it on our own. We know how life started. We know the secret. We know how to clone it. We know how to duplicate it. We can do it without you”

God listened patiently and said, “All right. What do you say we have a man-making content?”

The scientist said, “Ok, Great. We’ll do it”

God said, “Now we’re going to do it just the way I did it back in the old days with Adam.”

The Scientist said, “Sure, no problem.” He reached down and grabbed a handful of dirt and God said, “No, no, no. You get your own dirt”1

He tells it to put focus on the real issue of faith:

Talking about something that changes into something else and how long it takes for something to change into something else— that’s not what most cries out for explanation. The trick is how do you get from nothing to something, and why is there something? We all want to know.1

1. Ortberg, John (2008-09-02). Faith and Doubt (Kindle Locations 856-857). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

A Child’s Idea

“I’m disappointed…I always had the idea as a child that adults were pretty much the people they wanted to be.” — John Ortberg

The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg, 1997 Zondervan

There’s a noticeable difference in the Bible’s portrayal of God. In some passages God is seen full of anger while others show him full of tenderness.

As early as 144AD some, like Marcion of Sinope, taught the God of the Old Testament was not the same as one of the New. The Church dealt with that issue long ago but still this pops up from time to time.

Jesus, the Church, and even the Bible itself has always maintained there is only one and the same God — the difference is with with people.

For example: Vandals thinks I’m the grouchy old man who calls the police on them but non-criminals see a different side — I’m the same guy.

Another example: My young children think I’m the smart man who helps them solve their problems, hugs them all the time, and gives them stuff. My teens think I’m the stubborn guy who makes their life difficult and requires them to bring the car home by midnight. Some of my children think I’m the stupid guy who is just out of touch while others think I’m getting smarter as they get older.

I’m the same guy, the difference is the relationship my children have chosen to have with me.

The Bible says God is “Love” (1st John 4:8, 16) and a “consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:219) all at the same time. He offers a tender relationship if we will choose it.

“Jesus said If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” — John 14:23

— fritz