HUMAN FAITH OR HIS FAITH?

Bertrand Russell was a prolific philosopher and author in the mid-1900’s. He was enormously intelligent as a mathematician. His views on society, politics and world affairs carried prodigious weight in the world of discourse. He was also an atheist, considering all religion to be based on superstitions.

In every sense of the word Mr. Russell was a humanist, someone who puts his full faith in the capacity of the human race to solve all of the world’s problems in order to secure an orderly and peaceful world for everyone to enjoy. Early in his career, he expressed a desire to find a philosophy which would make life, in his words, ‘endurable.’

Yet, as his life drew to a close in 1970, Mr. Russell said these words: “Philosophy has proved to be a washout for me.”  

How his life ends is emblematic of all of world history. When has mankind ever been able to solve the ills of the world?  Man’s batting average in solving the ills of the world wouldn’t even put him as the ninth hitter on a T-ball team. Man’s coach would say to his parents, “Even if your boy put his helmet on frontwards, it wouldn’t help him see the ball better. Maybe he ought to take up a non-contact sport like air guitar.”    

Don’t overlook Mr. Russell’s use of the word ‘endurable.’  In using that word, he set the bar incredibly low. Is all we can hope from life is that it is ‘endurable?’  How depressing. Excuse me, I’ll find another path.

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Then in verse 30, He adds, “For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” 

Does Jesus mean if you can somehow get into His presence, you will find rest?  We can stand in front of a fire and get warm. We can lie down in a soft bed and find rest. I can sit down with a plate of chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven and be immensely satisfied. Many objects exist in which we can find temporary rest, even joy.

But if I just go to Jesus and live in His presence, I will find rest?  My burdens will be light?  

Of course. Amazingly, it’s based on His faith, not ours. Mr. Russell’s words prove how putting our faith in ourselves just never works out. However, when we turn to the Son of God, it’s His faith, rather than ours, that moves us towards the life of the easy yoke and the light burdens.

Through the Holy Spirit, the faith of God grows within us. As we lean on His perfect faith, so many more qualities of the Holy Spirit pour into our lives. That includes His vastly superior versions of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control.

  Surveying the list above, we can easily connect the dots. Wouldn’t a life energetically emitting the qualities mentioned above also be a life of lighter burdens—providing an easier yoke than the world provides?  

Do we see the difference?  Mr. Russell searched for a way of life that was only ‘endurable.’  If that’s all Mr. Russell desired, wasn’t he already defeated? 

Check out this contrast: Jesus is visiting with a Samaritan woman at a well outside the city Sychar. Jesus asks her if she would draw some water for him. She looks at him as if he has two heads. The reason is simple. Jews wouldn’t have anything to do with Samaritans. So why is Jesus, a Jew, asking a Samaritan for help?  Jesus gives this answer: “If you knew the gift of God and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.’” (John 4:7-11).

Jesus goes on to describe more about this ‘living  water’ in verse 14: “…but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

What a difference!  We can put our faith in Mr. Russell, who apparently hopes to lead us to a life that is endurable. Or we can lock onto the faith of the Son of God, who describes Himself as living water capable of springing us into eternal life. Should this be a difficult decision for anyone?