My God, we know Thee.
Agnosticism
An agnostic is not one who knows nothing, for some men who are embraced by this term are men of unusual mental attainments and ability. He is one who neither denies nor affirms. The term is applied to those who hold that there are matters pertaining to religion which we not only do not know, but have no means of knowing. An agnostic does not simply assert the incompleteness of human knowledge upon things Divine, but that real knowledge concerning such things is an impossibility to man. An agnostic is not an atheist. He does not deny the existence of a God. He is not a sceptic or doubter. He is positive in affirming that we neither have nor.can get any knowledge of God, or of the unseen world. Mr. Herbert Spencer’s views have been thus summarised:
“1. The proper object of religion is a Something which can never be known, or conceived, or understood; to which we cannot apply the terms emotion, will, intelligence; of which we cannot either affirm or deny that it is either a person, or being, or mind, or matter, or, indeed, anything else.
2. All that we can say of it is that it is an inscrutable existence, or an unknowable cause; we can neither know nor conceive what it is, nor how it came about, nor how it operates. It is notwithstanding the ultimate cause, the all-being, the creative power.
3. The essential business of a religion so understood is to keep alive the consciousness of a mystery that cannot be fathomed.
4. We are not concerned with the question what effect this religion will have as a moral agent, or whether it will make good men and women. Religion has to do with mystery, not with morals.” Agnostics reverence the phenomenal and the Great Unknown above and behind it; but, holding that the senses are the only source of knowledge, they do not know, and say we never can know, that the eternal energy behind all phenomena can think, feel, will, and contrive. Agnosticism is open to three objections.
I. It is presumptive. The agnostic begins by a confession of human ignorance, and then proceeds to make a universal assertion which implies the possession of universal knowledge. To assert that the unknown cause “can never be known, or conceived, or understood” is to assume that the speaker is acquainted with the constitution and calibre of all mind in all ages. To say that the inscrutable existence will never be known by man is to say we know what will be the extent of all men’s knowledge in the future. We cannot measure all possible knowledge with our finite minds. He who says that God is “unknowable,” takes a self-contradictory attitude, and assumes such knowledge as can be attributed only to a Divine Being.
II. Agnosticism is paralysing. The great mainspring of human activity and basis of human happiness is faith. The three steps taken by every man who has achieved ought worthy of remembrance have been these--conception, conviction, and action. The conviction was the faith which stimulated to and sustained the action. United to faith, but distinct from it, is hope, that vigorous principle which enlists in its service both head and heart. Agnosticism bows these two fair angels out of human society. It tells us that we know only the phenomenal; we have no spiritual insight. If every man in society were a consistent agnostic there would be a speedy and inglorious termination to all scientific, social, political, and ecclesiastical enterprises.
III. Agnosticism is positively pernicious. It disposes of all true religion. For religion is the linking of a soul to a personal God. Agnosticism defines religion as “devotion to that which is believed to be best.” It has no personal God. Dispensing with religion--
1. Agnosticism strikes away one of the chief supports of society.
2. Begets despair.
There is nothing left for the heart of man but to settle down into a stony state of utter desolation and despair. Agnosticism encourages pessimism. But we affirm that God is known, though our knowledge is incomplete. We have sufficient knowledge to justify and demand our worship of God, our trust in, and love for, and obedience to Him. That God is known is proved by the Scriptures, by the manifestation of Christ, and by the testimony of Christian experience. (J. Hiles Hitchens, D. D.)
The knowledge of God
Israel pretended to know God, but in works denied Him. They would cry and say, We know Thee; when in truth they knew Him not, and were only speaking lies in hypocrisy.
I. Observe the time when they would make this profession. In a season of great affliction and distress, when God would contend with them, when their enemies should be let loose upon them, and everything around them look dark and distressing. When they begin to feel God’s wrath they will begin to humble themselves, and profess themselves to be His people. Troubles will often make those pray who never prayed before. But if they leave off prayer when the trouble is over, this shews that it came out of feigned lips. Conviction is often the fruit of correction, but does not always lead to conversion.
II. The manner in which this profession would be made, They would not only speak, but speak vehemently, and “cry” with earnestness and confidence. But they called God their God, though they had no interest in Him, and claimed an acquaintance with Him while they were ignorant of His true character.
III. The importance of a right knowledge of God.
1. It is a great thing truly to know the Lord. A perfect knowledge of God is unattainable by us. But a true knowledge of God is vital and efficacious, and has a transforming influence. It is the effect of Divine illumination, so that none have it until it is communicated from above.
2. A profession of this knowledge is of great importance. It is no light matter to be able to say on good ground, “My God, I know Thee.” With the mouth confession is made unto salvation, but there must first be a believing with the heart unto righteousness. True faith will produce a good confession. Let us see that our acknowledgment of God be accompanied with corresponding affections and dispositions towards Him, going to the grounds of our religion, and tracing it up to its source and origin.
IV. Some of the evidences of a true knowledge of God.
1. All saving knowledge proceeds from God only. All the knowledge we have of Him by the unassisted efforts of reason will come to nothing.
2. Saving knowledge will produce a humble confidence in God. Humility is one of the first fruits of a good understanding.
3. A spiritual acquaintance with God will be accompanied with a conformity of soul to Him. There will be a resemblance of His holy nature, and a subjection to His holy will.
(1) It is a great evil to profess to know God, and yet, in works, to deny Him.
(2) Beware the contrary extreme, of withholding an open profession of the truth after we have been brought to understand and receive it.
(3) The subject shows the reason why many apostatise from their profession. They have received the truth, but not in the love of it.
(4) The enlightening and renewing influences of the Holy Spirit are necessary to form the Christian character. (B. Beddome, M. A.)
The claim to know God
In the Hebrew the order of the words is, “To Me they shall cry, My God, we know Thee; Israel.” This order hints some observations that would hardly arise from our version. In our Bible it is only a speech of God to them. In the Hebrew they seem to remind God who they wore; as if they said, “We are Israel, who know Thee, remember we are not strangers to Thee.” Observe--
1. In affliction men see their need of God.
2. Even hypocrites and the vilest wretches in the time of their distress will claim interest in God and cry to Him.
3. Knowledge and acknowledgment of God in an outward and formal way hypocrites think will commend them much to God in time of affliction. They expect favour from God because they have made some profession of Him. “We know Thee,” as if they said, “Lord, we were not as others who forsook Thee; we continued Israel still; we did not turn to the heathens.” It is very difficult to take away men’s spirits from trusting in formality in outward worship. (Jeremiah Burroughs.)