The most radical words in the Apostles Creed are the first four- “I believe in God.” But you might respond, “Wait a minute, brother Bill. I thought that all cultures, past and present, have believed in some kind of god. So, what’s so radical about that?” Well, that’s true. But in those first four words of the Creed, we are saying much more than just that we believe God exists. We are declaring that he is the central truth around which our lives revolve. He is our Sovereign, our supreme commander.

Notice that we say, “I believe in God” rather than “I know that there is a God.” What we believe is based on faith, but what we know is based on knowledge. Let me illustrate the difference between the two.

Just suppose that I reach into my pocket and then withdraw my hand. I then tell you that I…