HELL'S CORRIDOR: THE INTELLECTUAL CHAPTER 4

Hell’s corridor:

the intellectual

“…BECAUSE THE WISDOM OF GOD IS WISER THAN MEN, AND THE WEAKNESS OF GOD IS STRONGER THAN MEN. …” (1 Corinthians 1:25 NASB).

“...THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IS FOOLISHNESS TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING, BUT TO US WHO ARE BEING SAVED IT IS THE POWER OF GOD...” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

“...FOR SINCE IN THE WISDOM OF GOD, THE WORLD THROUGH ITS WISDOM DID NOT KNOW HIM, GOD WAS PLEASED THROUGH THE FOOLISHNESS OF WHAT WAS PREACHED TO SAVE WHO BELIEVE...” (1 Corinthians 1:21).

“...THE NATURAL MAN DOES NOT ACCEPT THE THINGS THAT COME FROM THE SPIRIT OF GOD. FOR THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS TO HIM (HER), AND HE(SHE) CANNOT UNDERSTAND THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED...” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

*

Professor Cynthia Marie Brewer was considered an intellectual, upon earth.  She was a highly decorated and renown critical thinker. She had keen understanding of life and she was an enlightened person. Her books were used in colleges all over the world in philosophy classes.

She was a 21^st century sage, brilliant, knowledgeably, and a top scholar. Her opinion was sought after. Her name was used in important research and during philosophical debates over worldly concerns.

Dr. Brewer had lofty ideals and information that educated the mind and its rationale, but she advocated, very little, on morality of any kind. Her whole philosophical premises was on science, logic, and reasoning.

She had been aware of Christianity and Christians. She studied the gospel and knew they believed in a man named Jesus, who claimed to have died for their sins, was resurrected, and they would, eventually, spent eternity in heaven with him.

They believed Jesus was the way, through their faith, in this Jesus, to be forgiven and spent everlasting life with God in heaven. She believed it was all a fallacy and foolishness that ignorant people made up to make themselves feel better about life.

Professor Brewer believed in science and philosophy and religion was simply a myth to her. Her whole life and way of thinking was built upon science and philosophy. She didn’t think science and philosophy could mix with religion. As far as she was concerned these great bodies of knowledge had NOTHING in common. She wasn’t sure that religion should even be a part of the intellectual community

She rallied for evolution and the Big-bang theory. She was always in the company of great intellectual thinkers of all races, genders, and religions who could explain all kinds of phenomena through the language of logic and science, but, NONE of them could claim their knowledge was absolute.

It was always bothersome that these GREAT minds never produced absolute knowledge and what they did know oscillated rapidly. Yet, the biblical truths, never changed, and since the 1^st century there was this Jesus and his disciples sitting with the intellectuals.

Now that Cynthia stood in HELL’S CORRIDOR where all her intellectual prowess seemed illusive and useless, she realized what she knew was NOT completely true after all.

Cynthia did not have COMPLETE knowledge of LIFE and neither had her colleagues of GREAT thinkers. She had fellowshipped with all systems of knowledge and yet, they had not developed or created an absolute truth.

For instance, one day knowledge said the ATOM did one thing, but the next day they discovered it did something else.

Though man’s knowledge had a few, momentary, true assertions, it is NEVER consistent, absolute, or always dependable. Her philosophy changed, all the time, which meant her so-called philosophical truths were inconsistent and not dependable. Her information would, one day, become obsolete,  but the biblical truths seemed to live on and on.

Her philosophies were profound for physical life, but they lacked power for the metaphysical. She didn’t believe in the metaphysical life. In her research she didn’t make room for the metaphysical. She should have added, included, and accepted those truths most of all.

Christian intellectuals had sat in the room with her, but she couldn’t accept that a world existed that she couldn’t observe. She couldn’t accept there could even be a possibility of a heaven or hell.

She had no respect for the Christian intellectual and didn’t believe they deserved to sit at the table of GREAT THINKERS. She thought they were foolish and dummied-down their group

Cynthia simply could not believe people believed in Jesus or a spiritual world they could not OBSERVE.

Cynthia did see how the application of Biblical principles DID transform behavior, but she reduced it to simply conforming to ethical rules and regulations.

The Christian intellectual OFTEN claimed that what they believed in was irrefutable and they were CERTAIN it was absolute truth. Their claims always angered her.

She was prejudice against the Christian intellectual. They were the only ones who claimed the knowledge, they believed in, was absolute truth. Most of them, lived their lives as if they had no doubt it was true too.

Cynthia stayed true to her intellectual mind, but she couldn’t fully commit to its oscillating beliefs. Her philosophical beliefs had limitations. Over her life she’d built philosophical bodies of knowledge and a short while later, they were outdated. Every year or every other year she had to update her information.

The Christian intellectuals NEVER changed their biblical beliefs. Their, personal, understanding of those belief changed, but the foundational beliefs never did. Because of them, Cynthia did begin to believe in the existence of God and often, she was envious of their adherence and claim to absolute truth.

There were times when her belief in science and philosophy seemed less appealing than the Christian intellectual’s belief in their absolute truths.

It always amazed her that the Christian intellectual could be so devoted to a metaphysical world or reality among all these scientists and philosophers.

She often debated, vigoriously, with them and looked for ways to revealed their foolish beliefs. The Christian intellectual would give her an answer or tell her they would get back with her. They told her their absolute truths and left it to her to decide whether what they said was valid or not.

Once a Christian intellectual, Dennis Phillips, told her he didn’t need science or philosophy to observe the truth, because he had the bible. He said he bought observable truths, to the table, for their benefit and not his. Cynthia remembered talking to this man for hours. In her life VIDEO, she realized it was an opportunity to accept Jesus, but she didn’t do it

Most scholars, like herself, believed Jesus Christ existed and actually walked the earth, but they parted ways on the human facts or human interpretation of the facts.

 She told Dennis Phillips she, personally, thought Jesus Christ was a myth.  He said: “…And without faith (trusting, depending, or cooperating with God) it is impossible to please God, because ANYONE WHO COMES TO HIM MUST BELIEVE THAT HE EXISTS…” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).

Dennis said no other historical figure had been questioned to the degree that Jesus Christ had been questioned. He also asked her if she didn’t reject other historical facts and figures why would did she reject those of Jesus. “…Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written…” (John 21:25 NIV).

Dennis told her about Flavius Josephus. She knew about the well-known Jewish historian and scholar,  and the Antiquities of the Jews, which was a reliable historical work done in the 1^st century. It adequately gave references and witness to the existence of Jesus. Dennis told her the bible said: “… that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me…” (John 8:16-17 KJV).

The actual Jewish Antiquities historical paragraph called the “Testimonium Flavianum” or “The Testimony of Flavius” Vol. 18, chapter 3, and paragraph 3 is as follows: “At this time there was wise man who was called Jesus. And his conduct was good, and he was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. And those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive; accordingly, he was perhaps the Messiah concerning whom the prophets have recounted won.” (Michael the Syrian, translation from Whealey, 2008).

It is said the “The Testimony of Flavius”  is a 100% historical, reliable, and authentic account for those, like her, who needed objective evidence. Cynthia was STILL skeptical.

However, Dennis said, for himself, personally, the bible was the best source for proving Jesus’ existed. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16 KJV).

He said the Synoptic Gospels were heavily supported by many scholars or Christian intellectuals as having been written by his disciples. 

The Synoptic Gospels differ on facts and perspectives, yet agreed on the many eyewitnesses and first-hand accounts of Jesus’ life and death. “…Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were EYEWITNESSES and servants of the word…” (Luke 1:1-2 NLT). “….Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were EYEWITNESSES, and ministers of the word…” (Luke 1:1-2 KJV).  “…For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were EYEWITNESSES of his majesty….” (2 Peter 1:16 NLT).

Dennis considered these disciples as reputable bible scholars and after critical analysis of the holy text, they offered a rational, but somewhat persuasive view of the historical Jesus, the human. “…the Word (Jesus) was made FLESH, and dwelt among us...” (JOHN 1:14).

Dennis truly believed that most critical analyses, made by those ancient disciples,  were based on an objective, rational worldview. He said their written works totally eliminated the mystical worldview of Jesus’ life.

Dennis respected science and philosophy, but thought they were limited to what you could observe; while the metaphysical world could only be observed by faith.

Dennis told her mystical truths could only be understood IF God reveals them to you through his HOLY SPIRIT. “….When we tell you these things, we DO NOT use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words GIVEN TO US by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual CAN’T RECEIVE these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and THEY CAN’T UNDERSTAND IT, for only those who are spiritual CAN UNDERSTAND what the Spirit means…” (1 Corinthians 2 NLT).

He said he totally understood why she thought the biblical and absolute truths were foolish. Yet, Dennis told her Jesus Christ, God’s PLAN of SALVATION, existed. “…ANYONE WHO COMES TO HIM MUST BELIEVE THAT HE EXISTS…” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).

He told her why Jesus Christ existed and how he was especially PREPARED to be God’s PLAN of SALVATION as a WAY for God to pursue mankind. “…There is … one Mediator who can reconcile  God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus (God’s PLAN of SALVATION)…” (1 Timothy 2:5 NLT). “… that he might bring us [back] to [HIMSELF]…” (1 Peter 3:18 KJV).

Cynthia heard Dennis, but she stopped listening when he started talking about being saved and God’s PLAN OF SALVATION.

Cynthia, however, did hear Dennis say, “... without God’s PLAN of SALVATION, death and eternal separation is the “only” consequence for every human being...” He said: “…the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23 KJV). “…Who will free...[you Cynthia]... from this life that is dominated by sin?…” (Romans 7:14-25 NLT). “… The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord…” (Romans 7:14-25 NLT).

In her heart, Cynthia could not let go of her philosophical thoughts. She couldn’t escape her logic or reason. She was one of the GREAT THINKERS, of her time, and she stubbornly held onto her pursuit of observable truths only.

She believed in an observable and reasonable quest for knowledge. She was a rationalist and no matter what Dennis Phillips said, rational thought was prominent and it didn’t need the metaphysical God.

She thought she had to stay free from ALL religion. Standing in HELL’S CORRIDOR she saw, clearly, how she had rationalized herself right out of of any opportunity to be SAVED.

She had inadvertently become an Atheist, and  rejected the Christian religion. She thought the Christian intellectual believed a bunch of lies, were not intellectual at all, and had created a subjective reality of make believe.

Yet, God had, indeed, created the world and she thought she could use rationale and reason to explain it. She was inflexible about intellectual thought and viewed the Christian’s absolute truth as a crutch for the weak minded.

It was the Christian intellectual, not her, that had studied the evidence for Jesus Christ. They had the bible, but Dennis Phillips had also presented scholars, reputable literary works, and archaeological discoveries from biblical places that supported observable and reasonable truths. She still didn’t believe.

In hindsight, which no longer mattered in HELL, everything she knew came from the evidence of a world created by God.  Science and philosophy steals the evidence from God’s world to hijack the minds of mankind. They begin to believe in a human finite man instead of the infinite God and his vast knowledge.

Cynthia’s thinking became limited to  REASON and LOGIC and all its intellectual claims, while BLINDING her from the GREAT truth, which only comes from God through Jesus Christ.

Cynthia negated and looked down on the Christian intellectuals and their  beliefs. The bible told of some of the GREATEST THINKERS of ALL times and they were empowered by God, the Holy Spirit.

Solomon was the wisest man that ever walked the earth and she had never heard that titled given to another human being. He wasn’t wise because he was an intellectual or exceptional human being, but because of the blessing of God’s power upon his life.

With all her science, philosophy, reason, and logic, and renown, Cynthia had not truly weighed the evidence about a metaphysical reality.

She was frivolous with her time upon earth and adhered to a truth that was ALWAYS changing without carefully examining the absolute truths that miraculously never changed.

The Christian intellectuals were the ONLY ONES who stuck to an absolute truth. The rest of them were always changing and updating the information of their so-called truths.

Her intellectualism had let her down. She was heroic upon earth, but HERE in HELL she was just another lost soul. Rationalism is limited and upon earth the metaphysical will continue to be an endless debate for the rational mind.

Cynthia NEVER considered herself an atheist. She was SMART and INTELLECTUAL and simply didn’t believe there was enough evidence to do a critical analysis of the biblical truths.

She reasoned and concluded that God was a man-made idea and there was no evidence that he existed just because there was a man named Jesus. It was intellectualism that was man-made, but the scriptures were inspired by God.

Cynthia looked around HELL’S CORRIDOR and thought about all the colleges, universities, and THINK tanks she’d been a part of, but she couldn’t intellectualize herself into eternal life with God.

She thought, if there was NO EVIDENCE, there was NOTHING to believe. She REFUSED to believe in a metaphysical world, that existed outside of her rationale mind. A person’s belief was subjective and personal, but not necessary reasonable or logical.

However, before she died, one of her great scientific mentors, who she admired above all others, told her that the evidence for God, among the rational, was growing in leaps and bounds. He said half of the world’s scientists were discovering the possibility of a God of the Universe.

Cynthia asked William P. Parson why people, in the front of the line, were weeping and gnashing their teeth so much.

He answered: “...the closer you get to the D-elevator and being thrown into outer darkness, the more you weep, gnash your teeth, and experience torment...”

Cynthia and all her intellectual comrades had the arrogant assumption that they had the answers for mankind, but all their followers were going to HELL in that proverbial “hand  basket”.

She saw many of her colleagues in others lines and she began to weep and gnash her teeth too. William P. Parson introduced himself to Clergyman Steven Buchannon.