Reconcile Religion and Modern Philosophy

	As we saw last time, Biblical revelation is more than adequate as we approach the year 2000.  The Bible is complete, not partial.  This means there are no additional revelations.  The Bible does not allow for future modifications.  The message of the Bible is adequate for our time.  Even in the 1990s and beyond, society is better off when it follows biblical principles than when it experiments with "progressive" ideas.  Unfortunately, we have lost sight of this fact not only in our physical lives but also in our spiritual lives.  Christianity does not have to change and "modernize" to keep up with the passing trends of society.
	This brings up a distinction that should be made as we ponder religion at the door of the year 2000.  What we should be considering is the adequacy of biblical religion and not that of man-made religion.  There is a difference.  The Bible is always adequate.  Man-made religion is by its very nature always inadequate.   It is always a reaction and thus is perpetually in a state of "playing catch-up."  Society changes, so man-made religion tries to follow along.
	In Acts chapter 17 we find a confrontation between biblical Christianity and a man-made religion of the day.  In this chapter Paul discusses God with the philosophers of Athens. Listen to what Paul has to say in verses 22-31.
	"And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said," we read, "'Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, "TO AN UNKNOWN GOD." What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.  The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things; and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined {their} appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, "For we also are His offspring."  Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.  Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.'"
	Paul also discusses the difference between biblical religion and man-made philosophies in his letter to the church in Colossae.
	"If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world," he notes in Colossians 2:20-23, "why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 'Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!' (which all {refer to} things destined to perish with the using)-- in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, {but are} of no value against fleshly indulgence."
	"If then you have been raised up with Christ," he adds in the first two verses of the following chapter, "keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth."
	Jesus expresses very clearly the difference between God-given religion and man-made philosophies.
	"You hypocrites," he cries out in Matthew 15:7-9,  "rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,  'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me.  But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'" 
	Biblical religion, on the other hand, consists of following faithfully the examples and instructions found in the Scriptures.
	"So then, brethren," Paul instructs in 2 Thessalonians 2:15, "stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word {of mouth} or by letter from us."
	If you look you'll notice that the criticisms leveled against Christianity are against the man-made variety and not against the what God has given us.  So let's not confuse human religion with biblical truth.

	Biblical religion is not the same as man-made traditions. With that understanding, let's ask another question about religion at the door of the year 2000.  How do we reconcile philosophy and religion?
	We are so proud of ourselves, aren't we?  Those who chase after new ideas are known as "progressive" and "forward-looking." Those who hold to established principles are labeled "backward" and "regressive" and "old-fashioned."  If we don't follow "modern" ideas about morality, marriage, homosexuality...then we are just relics from the past who need to be swept aside as quickly as possible.
	The first thing we need to realize about reconciling philosophy and religion is that there is no such thing as a new idea. We are sorry to have to inform the self-made messiahs of modern philosophy, but they are only spouting old ideas that have already been tried and have failed.  Solomon tried many of these ideas many centuries ago.  He recorded his experiences in the book of Ecclesiastes where he refers to himself as "the preacher."
	"The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem," we read in verses 1-5 of the first chapter. "'Vanity of vanities,' says the Preacher, 'Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.' What advantage does man have in all his work which he does under the sun?  A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.  Also, the sun rises and the sun sets; and hastening to its place it rises there {again.}'"
	"That which has been is that which will be," he goes on in verses 9-18, "and that which has been done is that which will be  done. So, there is nothing new under the sun.  Is there anything of which one might say, 'See this, it is new'? Already it has existed for ages which were before us.  There is no remembrance of earlier things; and also of the later things which will occur, there will be for them no remembrance among those who will come later {still.} I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. {It} is a grievous task {which} God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind.  What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted. I said to myself, 'Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.'
	"And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind.  Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge {results in} increasing pain."
	"I said to myself, 'Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.'" Solomon continues in the second chapter. "And behold, it too was futility.  I said of laughter, 'It is madness,' and of pleasure, 'What does it accomplish?'  I explored with my mind {how} to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding {me} wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives.
	"I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;  I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.  Also, I collected for myself silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men-- many concubines. Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me.  And all that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor.  Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.  So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly, for what {will} the man {do} who will come after the king {except} what has already been done?  And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness.  The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both.  Then I said to myself, 'As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?' So I said to myself, 'This too is vanity.'  For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man {as} with the fool, inasmuch as {in} the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die!  So I hated life, for the work which had  been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.  Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me.  And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity. Therefore I completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun." 
	Solomon goes on with this theme throughout the entire book. But this is enough to make the point.
	What are some of the philosophies to which we are supposed to reconcile religion?  Without question, the greatest one of this century is communism.  No philosophy of the 20th century has nearly as much impact on as many people as has communism. Religion is the opiate of the people, remember?  We really should have rushed to reconcile religion with this one, shouldn't we?
	Another "modern" philosophy involves marriage and the family.  Marriage of a heterosexual couple is viewed in progressive circles as the thing of the past.  The problem is that their system doesn't work and ours does.  How quickly should we rush to reconcile philosophy and religion?
	What about science and medicine?  We are supposed to accept abortion and euphenesia.  And a large part of science has been paralyzed for a century because it insists on proving a false theory...evolution.
	Continue with the list.  It goes on and on.  The point is this: Just why  is it that we must reconcile philosophy and religion as we approach the door of the year 2000?
	Remember Solomon?  Do you know what his conclusion was?
	"Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth," he suggests in Ecclesiastes 12:1, "before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, 'I have no delight in them.'"  
	"{Remember Him}," he continues in verses 6-8, "before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.  'Vanity of vanities,' says the Preacher, 'all is vanity!'"
	"The conclusion," he adds in verse 13, "when all has been heard, {is:} fear God and keep His commandments, because this {applies to} every person."
	Follow the truth, and it will set us free. 

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."