"The mighty Casey has struck out" - I know many of us are still recovering from the Seahawks near miss on Sunday. I suppose we could accept comments from MICC Bloggers about the ups and downs of the game but, instead, what about this idea?
How is your definition of faith evolving from the readings and class discussions over the last few weeks? I know I am tweeking mine from week to week. I've taken a stab at writing one, and if you don't want to write your own, feel free to offer suggestions about mine.
Faith in God is not simply a one time decision; it is a way, a pilgrimage. That first decision we all make to accept Christ into our hearts is followed by the rest of our life (eternity) where all the next decisions lead us closer to Christ or to some idol in our life. All the same, it is crucial to maintain focus on Christ, the Word in our life, and not on the next decision.
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tk
Day 1 - Building
6 years ago
1 comment:
The dictionary definitions of "faith" are all tied to the concept of "believing." Paul says faith is being sure of what we hope for, and being certain of what we cannot see (Heb. 11:1). What Paul means must go beyond the dictionary definition, because if faith was simply believing then there would be no reason for hope. Hope is the desire for something with the expectation (or belief) that it will be obtained. So if hope encompasses the concept of belief, then faith must be something different.
Earl Palmer says faith is our response to the evidence of Christ. I think I agree with that, but it's important to distinguish between the response and the results of that response. Faith is our shield, not our sword (Eph. 6:16) - the Word of God is the sword. In other words, we are called to respond to the evidence, but God is responsible for the results of that response.
I think this helps us understand the concept of justification by faith and not by works. Faith certainly should lead to action, as we see in Hebrews 11, but the action itself is not "faith." It seems to me that faith is the spiritual/mental response, and not the physical response. It is our action in the "decision" sense, and not the results of our action, so that no one can boast of their deeds (Eph. 2:8). So maybe Paul's definition of faith as "being sure of what we hope for" means that we decide on a course of action based on where we think it will lead us - and if our faith is in Christ then it will lead us closer to Him.
But we are also told that God is faithful (1 John 1:9). Does this mean that God takes certain actions because He is sure of what He hopes for in us? Does God "hope" that we will turn to Him? An interesting thought.
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