I was having a discussion with a friend of mine earlier today about faith. He discussed how he had recently stopped and talked to street preachers and asked them genuine questions, but was frustrated that it always seemed to come down to the fact that (according to them) he just needed to have faith. He wanted intelligent answers but all he got was 'faith'...like it was some magical belief that involved the absence of thought. It seemed to be that any questions that required any intellect were dismissed and 'faith' was what was being suggested as a replacement. Unfortunately I've heard these sorts of sentiments expressed by Christians myself...at what point did Christianity stop being an intelligent religion? At what point did we decide that to believe in God involved the absence of any intelligent thought. True, rationalism can never fully get us to God, however, as I suggested to my friend, in my own experience it is only when my heart AND my mind were captivated that I could have faith.
In Matthew 9:2 Jesus was among the crowds and "Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith..." These men didn't just blindly believe...they had heard about Jesus and what he was doing and that stirred for them the possibility that he could do this for their friend too! It wasn't the absence of thought - it was intelligent! They thought about what they heard and that stirred up faith in them.
Or try Matthew 6:30 "If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?" He criticises their faith showing them the intelligent and logical thought that should have lead to faith.
...not to mention "be transformed by the renewing of your minds" (Rom 12:2)!
So let's find out what it is we really believe and why, so that when someone asks intelligent questions we don't have to tell them to 'just have faith.' And let's realise that faith actually involves the use of our minds, not their absence. After all, it is our whole being, including our minds, that is made by God in his image!
Is Faith a No Brainer?
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4 comments:
I'm right with you on this one bro. I find my christian faith to be utterly reasonable. In fact, I find it to be more reasonable than anything else...
I agree, Something to add Colossians 1:3-8 (just a bit of context in there, focus on v 6-7) Paul talks about the Colossians understanding the teaching of the gospel. This produces faith which leads to actions of love. Interesting!!!!
To easily we adopt a worldly view that faith is just believing in something, disconnecting our brains and reaching out for what we think is out there. Reading the Bible faith is in a real, knowable, intelligent, and proved God. Faith is trusting in this God. Using the knowledge and applying our knowledge to trust.
Mate, love your site, love for you to follow my site also, as i will follow yours.
YBIC Dan
This is an important issue to me since I became a Christian while at University and found that people couldn't get that an intelligent person could "believe that rubbish". I think the use of our minds is underlined by the use of the word "know" such a lot, especially in the gospel of John and also Paul's writings. John 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. However, we won't be able to answer every question someone has or "argue" them to faith. God has to be involved in planting and growing the seeds of faith and I think you can only understand that after you believe. What do you think? Les
Thanks Les.
I agree that we can't argue someone to faith, but when an intelligent person has questions we need to be ready and prepared with an answer, or be prepared to admit we don't know rather than just trotting out the faith line. Albeit that God must work in them to bring them to a new understanding that they can't obtain by reason alone.
That verse about knowing is quite interesting as it touches on the fact that faith is about relationship as well, and to be in relationship with someone does not mean you have to understand everything about them, but you do still have to have some connection with them...sometimes I think that we focus so much on 'knowing' as the 'touchy feely' side of relationship we remove the mind from the equation...but growing in relationship involves learning and growing in understanding too. As someone I heard recently said, we don't have to bypass the mind, as often God "blows our minds and melts our hearts." I love that - growing in relationship through understanding and thinking, but acknowledging there is also more than just rational thought.
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