Blind faith?
Blind faith?
No, never blind faith...
True faith is never blind. True faith is based on evidence.
We exercise faith every day.
I don't know how my car works, exactly, but I have faith that when I put the key in the ignition and turn it my car is going to start. When it doesn't, I am surprised. Why do I think it's going to start? Because I have experienced it starting day after day.
When I drive my car onto the freeway...or down the street...I have faith that the cars zooming toward me are going to stay on the other side of the line. If one of them doesn't, I am surprised (and maybe injured or dead). Why am I so certain that they are going to stay on the other side that I take my life into my own hands and head down the street? Because I have experienced them staying on the other side day after day.
When I go to work I have faith that I will receive a paycheck for the work that I have done. I am surprised if the check bounces. Week after week it doesn't bounce so I deposit it and write my own checks to people who have faith that I am going to pay my bills with checks that don't bounce.
I could go on and on and on ad nauseum about the faith we each exercise daily...sitting down on a chair and trusting it will hold my weight, opening a candy bar and biting into it trusting that it isn't poisoned, going to sleep at night trusting that I will awaken in the morning...but the point is, true faith is NOT blind. True faith is based on evidence.
Hebrews 11:1 (NAS) "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
The Greek word translated "conviction" in this verse is elegchos. It's a legal term that has to do with the truthfulness of the evidence on which one is charged and convicted.
What are the most important things I have faith in? That God exists...that He manifests Himself in three ways, God the Father; God, the Son; God, the Holy Spirit...that the Bible is His Word to mankind, including me...that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh come to this earth to pay the penalty for the sin of mankind, including mine...that God, the Father was satisfied with the payment of the shed blood of God, the Son, Jesus Christ...that when the Son returned to the Father He sent the Holy Spirit to live in every believer...that God, the Holy Spirit leads mankind, including me, into all truth...that He enables mankind, including me, to walk in the statutes of God, that He strengthens me in my inner being, that He is the guarantee of my future inheritance with God...that the Son will return for His bride, the church...that there is a day of judgment coming....
More later on the evidence for my faith in these things....
No, never blind faith...
True faith is never blind. True faith is based on evidence.
We exercise faith every day.
I don't know how my car works, exactly, but I have faith that when I put the key in the ignition and turn it my car is going to start. When it doesn't, I am surprised. Why do I think it's going to start? Because I have experienced it starting day after day.
When I drive my car onto the freeway...or down the street...I have faith that the cars zooming toward me are going to stay on the other side of the line. If one of them doesn't, I am surprised (and maybe injured or dead). Why am I so certain that they are going to stay on the other side that I take my life into my own hands and head down the street? Because I have experienced them staying on the other side day after day.
When I go to work I have faith that I will receive a paycheck for the work that I have done. I am surprised if the check bounces. Week after week it doesn't bounce so I deposit it and write my own checks to people who have faith that I am going to pay my bills with checks that don't bounce.
I could go on and on and on ad nauseum about the faith we each exercise daily...sitting down on a chair and trusting it will hold my weight, opening a candy bar and biting into it trusting that it isn't poisoned, going to sleep at night trusting that I will awaken in the morning...but the point is, true faith is NOT blind. True faith is based on evidence.
Hebrews 11:1 (NAS) "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
The Greek word translated "conviction" in this verse is elegchos. It's a legal term that has to do with the truthfulness of the evidence on which one is charged and convicted.
What are the most important things I have faith in? That God exists...that He manifests Himself in three ways, God the Father; God, the Son; God, the Holy Spirit...that the Bible is His Word to mankind, including me...that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh come to this earth to pay the penalty for the sin of mankind, including mine...that God, the Father was satisfied with the payment of the shed blood of God, the Son, Jesus Christ...that when the Son returned to the Father He sent the Holy Spirit to live in every believer...that God, the Holy Spirit leads mankind, including me, into all truth...that He enables mankind, including me, to walk in the statutes of God, that He strengthens me in my inner being, that He is the guarantee of my future inheritance with God...that the Son will return for His bride, the church...that there is a day of judgment coming....
More later on the evidence for my faith in these things....
posted by wiser_now | 10/01/2006 03:48:00 PM
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