What is Agnosticism?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Agnosticism, a term coined by Thomas Henry Huxley in the 19th century, asserts that the existence of God is unknown or unknowable. The Bible, however, presents a different perspective. Throughout Scripture, we see God actively revealing Himself to humanity, first through creation (Romans 1:20), then through His interactions with Israel in the Old Testament, and ultimately, through Jesus Christ in the New Testament (Hebrews 1:1–2). While the Bible acknowledges that finite humans cannot fully comprehend an infinite God (Isaiah 55:8–9), it consistently affirms that God can be known and has made Himself knowable (Jeremiah 29:13; John 17:3). The apostle Paul, addressing the philosophers in Athens, even states that God arranged human history so that people "would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him" (Acts 17:27 [NIV]). Today, Christians can engage with agnostics by pointing to the evidence for God's existence in creation, the historical reliability of Scripture, and personal experiences of God's work in their lives, while also acknowledging the journey of faith and the reality of doubt.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Exodus 3:14: God reveals Himself to Moses as "I AM WHO I AM." This encounter at the burning bush demonstrates God's willingness to reveal Himself and His nature to humans, countering the agnostic idea that God, if He exists, is unknowable.
• Deuteronomy 4:29: "But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul." Moses encourages the Israelites that, even in exile, they can find God if they seek Him wholeheartedly. This affirms God's desire to be known and found by those who seek Him sincerely.
• Job 38–41: God's response to Job reveals His power and knowability through creation. These chapters showcase God's intimate knowledge of and power over creation, implying that while humans cannot fully comprehend God, He is knowable through His works and self-revelation.
• Psalm 19:1: "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." This psalm of David emphasizes that creation itself testifies to God's existence and glory, running up against the agnostic view that God is unknowable. It suggests that evidence for God is accessible to all through observation of the natural world.
• Proverbs 8:17: "I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me." This proverb personifies wisdom and, by extension, God, stating that He can be found by those who seek Him. This directly challenges agnostic claims about God's unknowability.
• Isaiah 45:5: "I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God." In this passage, God speaks through the prophet Isaiah, asserting His unique identity and existence. This direct claim contradicts agnostic uncertainty about God's existence or nature.
• Jeremiah 29:13: "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." God promises, through Jeremiah, that He can be found by those who earnestly seek Him. This opposes the agnostic position by revealing that God is not only knowable but desires to be known.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• John 1:18: "No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” John introduces Jesus as the ultimate revelation of God, addressing the agnostic concern about God's unknowability by pointing to Christ as the means of knowing God.
• Romans 1:19–20: "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes…have been clearly perceived…in the things that have been made." Paul argues that God's existence and some of His attributes are evident through creation, leaving people without excuse for not acknowledging Him.
• Colossians 1:15: "He is the image of the invisible God…" Paul presents Jesus as the visible representation of the invisible God, offering a solution to the agnostic dilemma of God's perceived unknowability.
• Hebrews 11:6: "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." This verse emphasizes the necessity of faith in approaching God, while also affirming that God rewards those who seek Him.
• Acts 17:27: "That they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us." Paul, addressing the philosophers in Athens, suggests that God's purpose in creation and history was for humans to seek and find Him.
• First Timothy 2:3–4: "This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." Paul states God's desire is for all people to know the truth, implying that God is not unknowable but wants to be known by all.
• Second Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." Peter explains God's patience in terms of His desire for all to come to repentance, suggesting that God is knowable and seeks relationship with humans, contrary to agnostic uncertainty.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The biblical perspective on agnosticism challenges our modern approach to faith, doubt, and the search for truth. It encourages an active pursuit of knowing God, rather than passive uncertainty. We are invited to seek God earnestly, with the promise that He will be found (Jeremiah 29:13) and that His presence is not just relevant, but essential to our contemporary lives.

The Bible's assertion that God has revealed Himself through creation (Romans 1:20) promotes a union between faith and science, with scientific discovery as a way to understand God's handiwork. And the incarnation of Jesus Christ, "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15), grounds our search for God in tangible history and human experience.

This can shape how we engage with those holding agnostic views without dismissing or condemning them. Instead, we are called to show patience and humility, recognizing that faith is often a journey. It reflects God's own patience, "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

Ultimately, if God is truly knowable and desires relationship with us, this means we must go beyond intellectual assent and trust Him to transform our entire way of life, offering purpose, meaning, and hope across all spheres of existence.

UNDERSTAND

• Agnosticism is the belief that God's existence is unknown or unknowable.
• The Bible teaches that God has revealed Himself through creation, Scripture, and Jesus Christ.
• The Bible invites us to trust that God desires to be known and can be found by those who seek Him.

REFLECT

• How do you respond to the idea that God's existence might be unknowable?
• What evidence or experiences in your life have influenced your belief in God's existence?
• How does the Bible's assurance that God can be known challenge your understanding of faith?

ENGAGE

• Agnosticism is the belief that the existence of God is unknown or unknowable, while atheism is the belief that there is no God. Agnostics are uncertain about God's existence; whereas, atheists reject the concept of God entirely.
• What are the key differences between agnosticism and the biblical belief that God is knowable?
• What are some ways we can create a safe space for discussing uncertainties and questions with people who consider themselves agnostic?
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