question on faith

[living]

Hi, everybody. God Bless!
I have a question about Faith. What is Faith? Is it blind? And How do we achieve it?

In my humble opinion. I see Faith as a firm trust in somebody (in God specifically). In our general observation, we see that to develop faith (Trust) in somebody, there are some prior facts or evidences that lead to that firm trust or faith. Before we call someone our good friend, we have already in our mind some evidences or facts of the truth of that person that eventually let us have faith in him and his friendship.

While we never go for blind faith in our worldly matters bcuz we people care alot about our wordly affairs.
Now, I would like to know, if we care in similar manner about our ultimate purpose in life (to know God and have eternal success). And does we have proofs or evidences to our Faith (or what we believe)? Or are we careless to verify that?

I will like to hear your opinion.

Thank you. God Bless!

 

[Faithful Son]

Trust isn't faith. I could trust my dog to kill the snake, but it won't happen necessarily.
On the other hand I can believe that I can kill the snake, and I know through my belief I am capable of it.

Trust and faith are two different things.

Our faith in Jesus helps us believing in Jesus, even though we don't see Him. I believe He is the Son of God and God Himself.

The way you can achieve faith is by practising it. Try to believe that the gush of wind that just blew past you was an act of God. In real faith, that is what we should believe.

We have faith in God (we believe He can do things)
We believe in Jesus (We believe He exists)

Belief takes authority over faith. Believing is more important than having faith.

 

[sunshine307]

According to the Bible this is what faith is:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11 v 1

 

[Faithful Son]

That's exactly what I thought it was, my words just can't express God's words can they? lol

 

[living]

God Bless!

According to the Bible this is what faith is:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11 v 1

Thank you Sunshine! The verse you quoted is exactly what I meant.
Faith is the substance of all things that we hope for. Faith is the substance of our actions, deeds & intentions. And we will be rewarded accordingly to our level of faith. I totally agree to that. But that wasn't my question.
My question is about, what lead us to that Faith. Which was answered in the later part of the verse that says: "The evidence of things not seen."
So we do have evidences that let us have faith about the unseen though we don't see it with our naked eyes. (for example, we all are just seeing some digital analog signals on our screens, yet we have evidences that lead us to believe that the people we see at talk jesus do actually exist.)
Therefore we cannot neglect evidences, facts altogether. We need them to establish our faith. So knowledge(of facts) help develop faith and then faith help increase knowledge. Both go hand in hand.

 

[sunshine307]

Hi, everybody. God Bless!
I have a question about Faith. What is Faith? Is it blind? And How do we achieve it?

You ask here "what is faith?" I answered the question.

 

[living]

I see science as, the study of the nature (God's creation) and the laws, rules, working behind the processes in the nature and then using it for our own benefit. Science doesn't create anything of its own. It is only God who created (and is capable of creating) everything out of nothing.

If the God of our nature (universe) and the God that we claim to worship is one God, I see no reason why knowledge and the words of God be in complete harmony with each other.

It was something that I wanted to share as my opinion. What do you say about it?

 

[living]

@ Sunshine.

Thank you once again. yes, you have answered my question. So we all agree that we cannot neglect evidences or facts that lead us to have faith.

So I will like to know as completely and altogetherly unknown person to christianity, how can I have faith or believe that whatever we believe in, as a christian is true and worth believing?? What lead us to our present believe about God in christianity??

 

[Faithful Son]

What lead us to our present believe about God in christianity??

The Word of God and teachings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Mark 9:

23And Jesus said to him, " 'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes."

24Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief."

You can ask God to help you with your unbelief. He will. Because you need to believe.

Mark 11:23-24

23"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.

24"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

Furthermore, ask God to help you believe in Jesus.
Especially if you believe in the old testament God

John 3:14-16

14"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;

15so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

16"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.


I will pray for you living

 

[sunshine307]

So I will like to know as completely and altogetherly unknown person to christianity, how can I have faith or believe that whatever we believe in, as a christian is true and worth believing??

The Bible is the Word of God. We have already said what faith is -

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11 v 1

You either believe by faith, that is without actually seeing God, that He exists and His Word is true or you don't.

Jesus said "“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14 v 6

The only way to come to God is by repenting of your sins, turning away from them, and turning to God. That is faith, trusting Him with your future.

 

[living]

@ Teraside
Thank you brother for your reply and for praying for me.

Brother! what you emphasized in your reply is only "believing" and not "what to believe". So I think your argument is not sufficient to convince, since a non-christain person may deduce a result that what ever he believes, he can get it. So he can believe what ever suits to him. We can simply believe that we will go to heaven and so shall we go. I don't think its a very good idea?!!

Secondly, if you read my early replies I was trying to describe the importance of evidences and facts and science which can serve as a common agreed upon point (and a base) where you can convince a non-christian person about the truth of Christainity. And it will also strengthen your own faith. So I am looking for those facts.

 

[Chad]

Look at the "Evidence of Jesus Christ" forum on this site. There is ample evidence listed there

Evidence of Jesus Christ: click here

Scientific Facts: click here

 

[Faithful Son]

I actually don't understand what emphasis I had to apply? My reply to your question covered the essence of it totally. I can't give you scientific facts, except most leading scientists today go to the Bible first when dealing with historical events. It's 2000 year old history, wrapped together in one Book.

Take my word for it, I know. You can not base Christianity on science and facts, it has to do with belief. So I was not incorrect with my reply, but replied as a son of God. The basis of Christianity is belief, not science or facts. But believing in the unseen, unmentionable power of our Lord.

I believe I clearly said in my reply "what to believe". Believe in Jesus.
I just showed first "how" to believe. So if you want to teach a person to believe in Christ, you don't do it through science. God's word is not science, it's spiritual. Christianity is spirituality. It is based on facts, but you have to read the Bible and get the facts.

Look to the left of the talkjesus website. You'll find a number of resources that Chad graciously added to the site, amongst them is the site called gotquestions.org. It deals with questions specifically asked by people like you and I, that need a deeper understanding of things. Check it out, the other links are fascinating aswell. Biblegateway is a place where you can search the Bible and read it online Whatever version you prefer.

Read my second reply again, read it so that it makes sense in the way I laid it out. Ask to be helped with belief, believe without doubt and believe in Jesus Christ.

 

[living]

God Bless!

@ Sunshine
Sister! As you quoted in the verse that "Faith is also the evidence of things not seen.

So I am asking about those evidences to the Faith that we have in christianity?

Please, read this quote as well.

If you read my early replies I was trying to describe the importance of evidences and facts and science which can serve as a common agreed upon point (and a base) where you can convince a non-christian person about the truth of Christainity. And it will also strengthen your own faith. So I am looking for those facts.

 

[Chad]

living..."not seen" such as GOD, His Kingdom (Heaven)?

**READ** the links I gave you.

 

[living]

Thank you Chad for those links you posted. I will read them soon.

And thank you sunshine and teraside for your replies and your efforts.

God Bless!