Truth (II) Confirmation bias: Holding truth in tension.

Some time ago two friends, an atheist and a Christian, reported to me that a Science broadcast about the big bang theory of beginnings, had re-confirmed their differing positions. One of them, believing that Science will eventually explain everything (naturalism), saw the big bang as negating the need of God to explain the existence. The other, believing the Bible and the law of cause and effect, saw the big bang as an explanation of how God created all that is. This tendency interpret information in a way that affirms one’s belief system is widespread both inside and outside, the church. It even has a name, it’s called “confirmation bias.” That it is widespread in the church, is seen by the fact that there are over 40,000 registered Christian denominations. And it helps us to understand what often lies behind church splits.

This phenomenon is seen even by Christians who hold a very hight view of the the “Word of Truth,” the Bible. inspiration of Scripture. But the fact of the matter, is that no-one comes to the Bible without bias! And whether we acknowledge it or not, we all have a world view, a set of beliefs, through which interpret (sometimes radically) both the World and Scripture. I inadvertently got caught up yesterday in a conversation with two ladies from a well known cult going door to door. They were talking to a new tenant when I arrived on the scene. So apparently Christ is not God, He is of course the son of God, but then so are we (Matthew 17:5; 1 John 3:1). I pointed out that one of the Names of the child born, the Son given, is the Almighty God (Isaiah 9:6). Apparently there is only one Name for God in Bible, and “Almighty God” is not it! The point was dismissed.

Emphasizing one Biblical truth at the expense of another is common. The full humanity of Christ and His deity, or the Sovereignty of God and the freewill of man, as examples. But it's not one or the other, it's both and, and yes these things are hard to understand. Two points, firstly if we could fully understood God, we would be God, and in any case, logic is not the only way we know (see 17, 18 January). I am describing this way of answering “both and” to the question “Is it A, or is it B,” as holding Biblical truths in tension. And there are many Biblical truths, and even commands, that need to be held together in tension. The second point, is that the way confirmation bias tends to work in Bible believing Christians, is that side A knows Scriptures that confirm his position, and side B knows Scriptures that confirm his position. So what happens is that A dismisses B’s Scriptures because, of course, his Scriptures are the truth, not B's. And B does the same thing only in reverse.

Father, You tell us that “He who speaks first seems to be right, until his neighbour comes and examines him” (Proverbs 18:17). And so it is clear Lord that we need to learn to listen, and the weigh the arguments. No one person, or church, or denomination has all the truth, and sometimes is it difficult to put together. So I thank You for the para Church organizations I mentioned last day, and I ask you to give us ears to hear, and hearts to understand, and I ask You to help us engage with each other in love and humility in Jesus Name Amen