On Giving God Some Doggone Credit

When those of our generation consider a profession of faith, or claim a particular faith (as opposed to any faith or none-faith), there is a seemingly insoluble predicament that confronts them.

Namely, how could anyone possibly place any confidence in a singular faith identity, knowing what we know in our pluralistic age?

What follows is not an apologetic attempt at countering religious pluralism or, gasp, the fiery brand of new atheism. Instead, I want to make a brief appeal to those of our generation who are already professing a singular faith. Specifically, a singular faith in the God of the Christian Bible, made known especially in Jesus the Messiah. And here it is.

Questions are good. Doubts are good, even – especially the kind of doubt that is a function ofwrestling, like Jacob did when he wanted the blessing. That blessing, by the way, was precisely the blessing of particularity, of uniqueness, of a singular purpose and calling among all nations and forms of belief and ways of life; and when we doubt with that good kind of doubt, we are wrestling for the same blessing. We are clinging and clawing against the knowledge that says uniqueness doesn’t exist, and though the world may make this seem like the truest truth, we are yet willing to put God himself in a leg triangle to get a different story out of him. (God, of course, will always leave us limping.)

Which leads, for us who are professing singular faith even as we wrestle, to this conclusion. We need not make an idol out of certainty, fighting all others who may doubt us. But we also need not go to the other extreme and panic (wrestle, sure, but not panic) at the sight of anything in our Bible that creates tension (or contradiction, paradox, or whatever) or that seems culturally outmoded or that just plain strikes against our modern sensibilities, right or wrong. Because that would be to worship certainty on the other side. 

Instead, we may, as people of faith, be known overwhelmingly as those who give God some doggone credit. And I mean, our singular scripture’s God. I mean our Bible’s God, made known especially in Jesus the Messiah. Give that God some credit.

And don’t bother so much with fighting everyone else.

And cling to God’s story instead.

And wrestle as needed.

And get the blessing of identity and purpose.

And walk with a limp.

That is all.