If you like action movies, and you liked the movie Iron Man, then you’ll surely like Iron Man 2. There is a quote in the movie (said to Tony Stark by Vanko) that states how one can bring down a great man, namely, Iron Man.

“If you can make God bleed, then people will cease to believe in Him” – Iron Man 2, 2010

The fact that he likened Iron Man to God makes sense given Iron Man’s apparent invincibility. My mind did however take the next step and look at this quote from the spiritual point of view.

While we live in a society where most people say they believe in God, we have seen over the years a decline in faith. More telling is the fact that the majority of people now do not attend church any more. I could write all day about the many root causes of this, but I do see a connection to today’s quote. Humanism is the religion of today, and a core principle of humanism if the denial of the power of God. Even so-called Deists deny that God has the power or the will to interact and intervene in the “affairs of mankind”. By denying the power of God, you are in a sense making Him bleed. And if you can be convinced that God is less than omnipotent, less than omniscient, less than omnipresent, then you have taken your first step to unbelief.

Those with an ungodly agenda, from the humanist to the atheist, are quick to point out all of the times God has allowed bad things to happen and claim that He was unable to do anything. A god without power beyond the human frame is no god at all, a god that bleeds is no god at all. So be careful when those around you try to tear down your faith, they are only trying to convince you that God can bleed and therefore is less than He is.

While we’re on the subject of purpose, I thought of a quote I heard in a movie. Yesterday we discussed that without God purpose is meaningless. It reminded me of a popular movie trilogy that was on TV last weekend in which the overriding theme is one of “purpose”. A main character sums it up in a very poignant statement:

Without purpose, we would not exist.

In this sci-fi movie series everything has been created for a purpose, and everyone fulfils that purpose although most are not aware of it. Do you know the movie?

So logic plays out the scenario that without purpose, we would not exist; and without God we would have no purpose; therefore, without God we would not exist. Sounds quite obvious, doesn’t it? To the believer, yes. But even to those who don’t believe in God, or haven’t accepted Jesus Christ, the logic remains that life’s meaning comes from purpose. Most people believe that purpose comes from inside yourself, you figure it out, make your best guess, and then see how it plays out. The Biblical perspective is that we have been created by God, and for God.

Do you know the movie? It includes characters like the Architect and the Oracle. OK, this will give it away: the main characters are Morpheus (the one quoted here), Neo and Trinity. Yep, it’s The Matrix. A classic “good overcomes evil” plot, very entertaining.

Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.

In life, and in our walk with God, it takes more than just good intentions for success. The above quote may be interpreted as black and white defeatism opposed to the axion of try, and try again. But it is more about attitude than anything else. If you intend on doing something, don’t give it a half-hearted “try”. Instead, commit yourself to “doing” to experience the maximal blessing and spiritual success.

Do you agree? This principal can also be found in the Bible verse about The Perfect Law of Liberty.