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What can we know for certain?

“The concept of divine revelation was central to Augustine’s epistemology, or theory of knowledge. He saw that revelation is the necessary condition for all knowledge. As Plato argued that to escape the shadows on the cave wall the prisoner must see things in the light of day, so Augustine argued that the light of the divine revelation is necessary for knowledge.

[…] When Augustine speaks of revelation, he is not speaking of biblical revelation alone. He is also concerned with “general” or “natural” revelation. Not only are the truths found in Scripture dependent on God’s revelation, but all truth, including scientific truth is dependent on divine revelation.”

R.C. Sproul – The Consequence of Ideas. p58-59 + sxc pic

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Confessions by Augustine

“I seek thee, O Lord, in the faith that you gave me. The time has come to call to mind my past sins. My mother followed Christ, yet I was not baptised. I shunned the path of friendship and pursued the passion of fornication. I, with other young scoundrels, committed the sin of theft in stealing some pears. I was captivated by the vanity of the theatre.

But I chanced upon Cicero’s ‘Hortensius’, and discovered philosophy. I studied, too, thy Holy Scripture, and saw something sublime. I fell among the followers of Mani who spoke of Jesus Christ, yet hung on foolish questions. I lusted after empty fame, and took to the false religion of “liberal arts”. I had a mistress, without lawful marriage. I happily consulted with astrologers.

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Christians are Weird and Unimpressive

In Mark 4 there are 4 parables about the kingdom of God: “[Jesus] has sharply contrasted his ministry now (with all its oddness, rejection and insignificance) and its fulfilment in the kingdom of God (with all its glory, majesty and greatness). What you now see – and accept or reject – bears little resemblance to what you will one day see.” (PTC)

I can see a parallel between these parables and followers of Jesus today. I’ve met lots of really weird people who are Christian. Seriously. People that don’t look impressive. People that don’t say impressive things. People who are very unimpressive. I think that it’s a testimony to the power of the gospel and the love that Christians have for all people that these unimpressive people can be genuinely accepted and included. For all their (our?) weirdness one day, they (we?) will be more glorious than you can imagine!

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