John Locke I am not (as if there were any doubt), but I am a great admirer of his thinking especially his reflections on God. Locke desired to know God and to know that God (or perhaps just a god) existed. He wanted to know God with certainty – not just blind acceptance. His works are regarded with great esteem, especially his contribution to philosophy and thoughts regarding government. In addition Locke’s own quest to know God successfully captures the maturing process of faith, or as I will call it the ladder of faith.
Locke’s spiritual search goes something like this (click on the title link for his exact wording). Locke argues first for his own existence as a unique entity separate from another (as in a dream). He then goes on to describe how we know a god exists from a very advanced cosmological argument. After accepting the existence of a god (or perhaps simply a supernatural causative force) he reasons that as man is an intellectual being so too must man’s creator have been intelligent (a twist on the cosmological argument). Locke persuasively states that intelligence must have come from the beginning or it would never have existed.
Here in these three progressions from “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding” we see the great journey of faith for all Christ-followers. I do believe in Christ as a part of a Triune God, but before I could believe that I had to first believe in God. But before I could believe in God I had to believe in a god, gods, or causative force. Yet, I couldn’t come to believe this had I not first examined my own self and come to grapple with my own capabilities and inadequacies. Each of these are steps, or rungs on the ladder of faith.
These steps are not necessarily fully completed when we rise above them. We all could wrestle indefinitely as to what is our capacity for knowledge. In this struggle a point is reached when sufficient reason is achieved to move on to the next idea – even though we may return to it. Just as in climbing a ladder our feet and hands are always at different points, supporting, lifting and joining the others.
Perhaps more succinctly stated there are five primary areas one must traverse in order to come to a relational knowledge of Christ. First we must become truth seekers, grappling with the existential questions, “Who am I?,” “What is my purpose?” and “Why am I here?” This I believe leads to a recognition of our own inadequacies causing us to seek greater truth. We become in essence God-seekers, looking for our creator to answer our questions. Thirdly we consider the testimony of nature, the essence of reason and the paths others have chosen. We come to knowledge of God and become God-followers. As we seek further truth regarding the nature and will of God we become Christ-seekers looking for a more complete picture of the divine. We fifthly become Christ-followers when we have evaluated and accepted Christ’s claims as God’s only Son and perfect revelation.
