Question:  Dear Greg,

            How can something be necessarily certain when all our knowledge comes from experience and experience can only provide high probability at best?  Any ideas of how I can be necessarily certain of anything— especially God-type things?  I am a teen looking for God.

            Sincerely,

            Philip

Answer:  Dear Philip,

            All knowledge does not come from experience.  Some knowledge comes from experience.  Other knowledge comes from outside of our own experience.  For example, knowledge can come from the experience of others who have long since died.  Other knowledge comes from revelation.  There is much that we cannot know, however pleased humans may be in accepting the idea that we are self-sufficient.  Our experience in history shows us that if human wisdom and insight is all we’ve got, then life as we know it is without meaning.

            How can you be certain?  That depends on what you mean by certain.  Faith is faith.  Belief is belief.  We do not experience God in the way that a scientist or a rationalist may wish.  However, we all have faith in something, or Someone.  All of us.  It may be faith in ourselves.  It may be in some philosophical guru.  Or, it may be in God.  However, let us not kid ourselves that humans exist in some pure, Dr. Spock-like faithless void.  We do not, and cannot, even if there are those who say we do.

            You have a big question Philip.  I hope this will help.

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht