Apologetics Courses

Christian Apologetics Free Course 5, Lesson 005
Can Man Discover Spiritual Truths Himself

Having said the above, several questions still remain. For example, someone might feel that though there is no inspired revelation outside the Bible, yet there might be some highly valuable or profitable religious books ! Some Christians might feel that non-Christian religions have produced some of the greatest sages and acetics the world has ever seen. 

Many of these sages or Maharshis have produced vast volumes of philosophical and theological discourses. Often the work of a single sage might be more voluminous than the entire Bible. Many of the statements in these books might be very similar or even identical to what is found in the Bible. Thus is it not possible that they were able to discover, through personal investigation, the same spiritual truths that are recorded in the Bible. Further, should we not give them the status of revelation seeing that they have discovered the same truths that are found in the Bible. As to whether the truths recorded outside the Bible are the same in essence with what is found in the Bible, we would discuss in another sections. Here we will concentrate upon the discovery of human truth by great thinkers and ascetics through insight, meditation, and reflection. 

Bible emphasizes in several places that spiritual things are foolish for the natural man. According to I Corinthians 2:14, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned". In other words, of his own wisdom natural man does not receive divine information. On the other hand, divine message looks foolish to him and therefore he would not appreciate, record, or propagate them. Whatever he propagates has to look wise to him. But anything that looks wise to a human heart is contrary to the Scripture. 

Further, in several places the scripture reminds that things having their origin in human mind is totally corrupt and contrary to God. "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually", Gen. 6:5. 

Even if a man seems like searching God, here is what the Bible has to say, "The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, [and] seek God. They are all gone aside, they are [all] together become filthy: [there is] none that doeth good, no, not one", Ps. 14:2-3. "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God", Rom. 3:11. If anyone thinks that it is possible for human mind to understand doctrines or obtain revelation which is the "mind of Christ", here is what the scripture says, "For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts", Is. 55:8-9 

All this attempt to elevate the works of even the greatest sages and ascetics to the level of the Bible is futile. No human can perceive divine information through his own efforts, insights, or meditation. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable [are] his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor ? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again", Rom. 11:33-35 

The human mind is so corrupt and the human wisdom is so marred by sin that no human howsoever great can discover or perceive spiritual truths through any human process of meditation. Thus once again it is erroneous and even heretical to suggest that spiritual truths identical with that of the Bible have been recorded in books produced by non-Christian sages and ascetics. 
Conclusion

It is very tempting to tell the non-Christian that their sages have written things that are found in the Bible also. In fact some Bengali Protestant Christians started this approach about fifty years ago, but most evangelical theologians and teachers opposed this approach. They pointed out not only the error in this approach, but also the grave deviations that would eventually result through this approach. 

Fifty years from that beginning, today we stand at a time in history when the doctrinal knowledge of people has become minimum, and the dangers pointed out by our forefathers have come out to be true. People who were in the habit of referring to religious books of others have now totally abandoned the Bible. They show more loyalty to the religious books of Hindus rather than to the Bible. They even distort biblical truths so as to bring them in conformity with Hindus. 

This is exactly the danger when we fail to distinguish between divine revelation and human speculation. 

Christian Apologetics Free Course 5, Lesson 005

Brethren Assembly | Free Bible College | Biblical Archeology

Free Courses | Free Apologetics Courses | Free Seminary Degrees