How Christmas prophecies provide a way out of agnosticism
Agnosticism is built upon the paper-thin foundation of uncertainty, without any objective basis or solid evidence to stand upon. Christmas prophecies in Scripture, on the other hand, are rooted in history and evidence, and actually provide a satisfying way out of agnosticism.
Agnostics find themselves shooting in the dark, whereas the Christmas prophecies shine a bright light upon the powerful connection between divinely appointed historical events and spiritual truth. For example, Isaiah prophesied 700 years before Christ was born: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
The virgin-born Savior demonstrated by His life, death and resurrection that He truly is the promised Messiah sent to deliver God’s people. There are many reasons to believe that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, as I pointed out in my CP op-ed, “40 Questions to Determine the True Religion.”
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Why do you assume your personal opinion about religion is true? Is your perspective based upon history, or feelings? Is it rooted in evidence, or emotions? Does it stem from knowledge, or merely from your religious experiences? Christmas is a wonderful time to take a serious look at Christianity. Your doubts can be overcome by evidence and divine intervention.
In order for an agnostic to take a step in the direction of his Creator, he needs an open mind to understand the direct connection between salvation history and faith in Christ. You see, Christianity is an evidence-based faith with prophecies rooted in history, as I detailed in my CP op-ed, “The Mathematical Proof for Christianity Is Irrefutable.”
Try to find even one fulfilled prophecy in any other religion. Do you know why you won’t find it? It is because the author of salvation is the Creator of the world, and He is working amid world history to redeem people who will belong to Him forever. Would you like to be among those blessed saints, or would you prefer to remain among the majority of people who have no clue how the Christmas prophecies point the way to Heaven?
The greatest Christian present you could ever open was placed by God under the tree of the cross. This “indescribable gift” (2 Cor. 9:15) has your name on it but will only benefit you if you open it through faith in Jesus. The moment you turn to the Lord in repentance and trust Christ to wash away your sins, you are instantly forgiven and brought into the family of God.
A major difference between Christianity and agnosticism is that the Holy Spirit produces assurance in the hearts of those who trust Jesus for salvation. As the evangelist D.L. Moody said: “Faith is the root; assurance is the flower.” Agnostics, of course, lack any assurance related to God and religion. I address this further in my CP op-ed: “Can Faith Lead to Abiding Certainty?”
Are you determined to allow your doubts to define you? Wouldn’t you rather meet God and discover that Heaven is a real place inhabited by believers who trusted Jesus to save them? Why die in your sins after all that God has done to provide a way of escape for you and your family? If you don’t meet Jesus, and then tell your family the truth about the Savior, who will?
You could begin by embracing the Christmas prophecy that pinpointed the birthplace of the Messiah. The prophet Micah wrote: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2). Jews and Gentiles alike are free to base their faith on the prophetic evidence.
Start with two Christmas prophecies that point to a virgin giving birth to the Messiah in Bethlehem (Isaiah 7:14 and Micah 5:2). And then take a leap of faith as you entrust your soul to the One who gave us the Christmas prophecies in the first place. The prophecies overshadow agnosticism, just like God’s power overshadowed Mary prior to Christ’s birth: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35).
The power of God changes everything, and there is still time for you to transition out of agnosticism this Christmas by receiving Jesus as your Savior. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). Are you ready to transition?
Dan Delzell is the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Papillion, Nebraska.
