43. Realize that a hidden God is impossible
This repeats a thought Brain had in another essay. Brain says:
Yet, for some reason, God wants none of us today to see any of those
miracles because he "needs to remain hidden" so that he will not
"taint our free wills."
God does "hide" from people who don't want Him around. God gave
the world 19th century physics and evolution by chance so they could
claim that everything happens by chance and there is no need for God
to explain life (or anything else). Its a smokescreen to keep
Himself hidden from people who don't want Him. Then these people
get to live in their 19th century fantasy world to see if they like
it. I suppose most of them will never want to have God around but
after a while some people will get sick of it and start wishing for
something better and find out that God can provide something better.
I have to wonder where Brain got this idea in the first place. It
doesn't make any sense. Perhaps he got it from some naive
theologian and so he thought he'd make a big deal about it in order
to discredit Christianity. Miracles will make us stop and think
about what happened. Some people will want to know more. Of the
people who want to know more, some people will accept Christ as Lord
and Savior. But a whole lot of people STILL WON'T. Jesus said
this in Luke 16:19-31:
19 Jesus said, "There was a certain rich man who was splendidly
clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.
20 At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with
sores. 21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich
man's table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.
22 "Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit
beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet.[e] The rich man also died
and was buried, 23 and he went to the place of the dead.[f] There,
in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his
side.
24 "The rich man shouted, 'Father Abraham, have some pity! Send
Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my
tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.'
25 "But Abraham said to him, 'Son, remember that during your
lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So
now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. 26 And
besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over
to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.'
27 "Then the rich man said, 'Please, Father Abraham, at least send
him to my father's home. 28 For I have five brothers, and I want him
to warn them so they don't end up in this place of torment.'
29 "But Abraham said, 'Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your
brothers can read what they wrote.'
30 "The rich man replied, 'No, Father Abraham! But if someone is
sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and
turn to God.'
31 "But Abraham said, 'If they won't listen to Moses and the
prophets, they won't be persuaded even if someone rises from the
dead.'" (NLT)
Note that last phrase: "even if someone rises from the dead".
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