Galileo is famously quoted for saying that "Mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe." If you had told me this several years ago, I would have concluded that God and I would never be able to communicate and that understanding His plan for creation would be like reading a blueprint written in another language.
Without saying that I have gotten much better at math, I have come to understand the genius of order, and order is fundamentally what mathematics follows. From the story of creation in Genesis to the convoluted end of time recorded in Revelation, there is a pattern, a process, and a specific order to God's plan for Salvation History. The New Covenant builds upon the Old and the Judaic law is fulfilled through Christ, who then provides the "way, truth, and life" for Christians.
The more we delve into the realm of knowledge through reading, communicating, and learning, the more moments we experience in which the mind is unlocked to a truth. These are the brilliant "ah-ha" moments when the light bulb suddenly turns on above your head and you understand a concept in a way that you had not previously.
It is a beautiful thing to know that man in his created being recognizes truth because it is written on his heart! The more a person is ordered in mind, body, and spirit; the greater his sense of clarity and peace and his ability to hear the whisper of God. The universe in which we live is not chaos, but rather an exact balance of space, time, and matter. The gasses, gravity, and temperature work together in fascinating harmony. Man as well is a fascinating creature. His body is an intricate machine animated by the breath of life and able to reason and choose through the movement of his mind. From the very early years of his life, man will exercise the movement of his will; a function that no one can either do for him or force upon him.
I am always struck by a line in the movie "The Passion of the Christ" spoken by Pontius Pilate to his wife. He asks her, "What is truth, Claudia? Do you hear it, recognize it when it is spoken?" To this his wife responds "Yes, I do. Don't you?" Pilate asks her "How? Can you tell me?" Saddened his wife answers, "If you will not hear the truth, no one can tell you."
The reality is that we all know truth innately. Some have more clarity than others and some search harder for truth. We can be taught logic, understand order, and cultivate our reason in order to better equip us to truly recognize truth, but we cannot force another person to know truth. This is painful in the same way that we can open a cage, but cannot set a person free if they refuse to walk through it.
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