THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD (True Science)
For me, it is not enough to know merely that God is at work in the things of nature. This is an important thing to know, and it should not for an instant be lost sight of; it is a great and magnificent truth, whose value is incalculable. But in addition I wish to know how God does these things; for as I study and learn how God works, I read, in that, the revelation of His love and goodness.
"Wherever we turn, in the physical, the mental, or the spiritual realm; in whatever we behold, apart from the blight of sin, the knowledge of God is revealed. Whatever line of investigation we pursue, with a sincere purpose to arrive at truth, we are brought in touch with the unseen, mighty Intelligence that is working in and through all. The mind of man is brought into communion with the mind of God, the finite with the Infinite. The effect of such communion on body and mind and soul is beyond estimate. In this communion is found the highest education. It is God's own method of development. 'Acquaint now yourself with Him' is His message to mankind." E.G. White, Education, p.14.
To ask how these things are done is to ask, also, for the reasons, motives, purposes, and aims of Him who works them out; and to learn of these things is to see revealed the great goodness, tender mercies, and enduring love of God. But there are many who study the how's and the why's of the material world, and yet do not see anything of God or of God's goodness.
"The only key to the mysteries that surround us is to acknowledge in them all the presence and power of God." Desire of Ages, p.606. "The divine Spirit that the world's Redeemer promised to send is the presence and power of God." Signs of the Times, Nov.23,1891.
There are three branches of study that deal with the processes, principles, and laws underlying the phenomena of the natural world. They are physics, chemistry, and dynamic geology. And yet students study from the first page of the preface to the last page of the last chapter of these books, and from the first day of college to the last day, and still may not once observe, or be taught, God's goodness, which these things reveal. Looking for other things, their minds full of other things, they think little of God; because the naked facts alone are taught and studied as if there were no Creator; or as if, at least, it were not necessary to think of Him.
And to justify their course, they say that in order to understand a finely constructed machine, it is not necessary to know anything about the man who invented and built it; and that so we may study the finely constructed things of the natural world, and pay no especial attention to Him who made the world. I am perfectly willing to grant that this may be done, in a measure. There is a frightful flaw in their argument, which I will not take time to notice; but will simply say that, granted that we may study nature, and pay no especial attention to the Creator. The question I would ask is, Can we afford to do this? The knowledge of God leads to life everlasting; to know God is eternal life; therefore we can not afford not to know God, which is to forfeit eternal life. We would move heaven and earth for the sake of this temporal life; will we not do as much, yes, more, for eternal life?
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,"--the knowledge of God. And though we may study a machine, and get a fair idea of that machine, and yet give no thought to the maker, it is different here. Nature is no machine, independent of, and separate from, its Maker. It throbs with His own life and energy. It thrills with His own impulse. In this sense He is a part of it: though He is over all, yet He is in all. "All the philosophies of human nature have led to confusion and shame when Christ has not been recognized as all in all." E.G. White. "All created beings live by the will and power of God. They are recipients of the life of the Son of God." Selected Messages, Vol.1, p.301."Not only is Christ the Originator of all but He is the life of everything that lives. It is His life that we receive in the sunshine, in the pure, sweet air and in the food which builds up our bodies and sustains our strength." Education, p.197,198.
And no mortal can get any just idea of nature while he ignores the God of nature. Therefore to study nature dissociated from God is to be illogical, unscientific, and irrational. In the things that are made we are to seek to see God and His goodness with no desire to make up anything , to imagine anything to be there that is not there, to study figments of our own conception; but we do desire to see what is really there. We know that God is there, and would see Him as He is; and so, calmly, carefully, rigidly, prayerfully, in the light of the Word, we could study the things of the world, knowing that they are the things of God, and that they reveal God in all His goodness, and that this goodness leads us to repentance.
"Those who judge of God from His handiwork, and not from the suppositions of great men, see His presence in everything." Testimonies, Vol.8, p.325.
Yes, we know that "what may be known of God is manifest in them; for God has revealed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made... so that they are without excuse." Rom.1:20.
We will make, then, no excuse. We will say there is no excuse for such study, for such a method of learning. We will study these things as Christ studied them; and thus, "As we behold the beautiful and grand in nature, our affections go out after God; and while the spirit is awed, the soul is invigorated by coming into contact with the Infinite through His works." Special Testimonies on Education, p.159.
It is left with us to say which we will have,--human science, which disconnects from God, and binds us to the devil's chariot-wheel; or true science, which is the knowledge of God and His Son, which is eternal life. "No science is equal to the science that reveals the character of God." Id, p.17.
"For men to learn science through men's interpretation, is to obtain a false education; but to learn of God and Jesus Christ is to learn the science of the Bible." Id, p.15.
"Those who have a true knowledge of God will not become so infatuated with the laws of matters or the operations of nature as to overlook or refuse to acknowlege the continual working of God in nature." Selected Messages, Vol.1, p.293.
laval
This article is from The Review and Herald, Vol.3, p.636 by L.A. Reed. I typed it word for word except that I have inserted quotations from Mrs. White that he himself could have done just as well but didn't.
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Topic: The knowledge of God (True Science) (Read 13173 times)
