Sorry, to be clearer, that 1st line should have been:
" Perry, a child's natural predisposition towards belief in the concept of intelligent design by a God, does not prove that all adults 'know God exists'.
D of T,
Yes it still made sense. And, if you'll allow me to further clarify my thoughts:
I think that humans instinctively believe God exists, but because of learning various things, (and suppressing other things) some find themselves not believing.
I am tempted to make the following argument along these lines:
People believe God exists; however they do not cross over to KNOWING God exists until they are born again into the family of God.
My hypothetical argument would go something like this:
1. God says that a prerequisite to making friends with him is to first believe he exists.
Hebrews 11:6 - he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. In other words, they must want rewards from God.
2. Knowing God, having experiential truth of his existence, is reserved for those that are "born again". In other words, reserved for those that have made friends with him by the BLOOD of Christ, him "being made sin for us" and taking the prescribed punishment for our sin, in our place. Once the criminality of the man is dealt with, God readily reveals himself to the believer and he crosses over from BELIEF to KNOWING.
John 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
1 John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
1 John 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know
1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
1 John 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Now, as JW's we certainly never believed that we knew a for-sure salvation. We had to tow the line to have HOPE of salvation, according to the WT definition of hope. However hope and knowing in the biblical sense are not mutually exclusive. The bible says we can KNOW and also have HOPE in the same thing that is not yet fully experienced. (The WT definition of hope is like when we hope we win the lottery). Biblical hope is 100% sure, just not yet fully experienced.
I personally experienced this transfer from belief to KNOWING when I was born again by the spirit of God. It is quite dramatic when God starts working in a person' life without the barrier of sin in the way of the relationship.
A person then experiences the reality of Romans 8: 28 where Gods says that he doesn't protect the child of God from experiencing obstacles and dangers, but that he transforms the obstacles and dangers into things that work for the GOOD of the friend of God, those that are supernaturally enabled to love him.
That is the argument that I am tempted to make. And, there is doubtless much truth in that argument.
However, Romans 1: 20 kinda diminishes that argument:
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, [as children?] they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations
Is God saying here that our guilt emerges when we make the transition from a child [who believes God] into an adult who indulges their imaginations and suppression of the fact of his existence and inherent accountability?
That is what it seems like to me. Many Christians believe, and have scriptural support, that children who die before the age of accountability are transferred immediately into his loving presence. It is not that the children haven't yet sinned and are deserving of eternal life, it is the belief [faith] that saves them from judgment by God's grace.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast"
This is probably why Jesus pleaded with people to become like children if they wanted to be saved.
Jesus was once asked by a man point blank: what was the work of God so that he could do it [since he gathered that the LAW WASN'T SUFFICIENT according to Jesus)
Virtually the first word out of his mouth was... BELIEVE.