A couple of years ago I watched an interview with a former pastor who now identifies as an agnostic atheist. During the interview, he stated, "Many people are piously convicted; they truly believe what they believe, but it's based on marginal information. It's emotional."
He elaborated that he does not engage with "emotional" belief systems. He questioned what truly causes people to believe and have faith in God, and sought the factual basis for their belief.
During the interview, he then interpreted Hebrews 11:1 by saying, "This verse is really saying that faith is made up of that which we hope is true based on no evidence that it is true. That's what faith is. It's believing in that which isn't provable."
In this blog post, I aim to delve deeper into the topic of faith by clarifying what biblical faith truly means and addressing this common misinterpretation of Hebrews 11:1.
Understanding Faith within Christianity
Faith is a cornerstone of Christianity, encompassing trust, belief, and confidence in God and His promises. But what exactly is faith in this context? It is often viewed through various lenses, including biblical, theological, practical, and evidential perspectives.
Biblical Definition
The Bible provides a foundational definition of faith:
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV): "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
This verse highlights two key components of faith:
Confidence in Hope: Faith involves a firm belief in the future fulfillment of God’s promises.
Assurance of the Unseen: Faith means being certain of spiritual realities that are not visible to the physical eye.
Theological Definition
Theologically, faith within Christianity is both a gift from God and a human response. It involves:
Intellectual Assent: Believing in the truths of the Christian faith, such as the existence of God, the divinity of Jesus Christ, and His resurrection.
Trust and Reliance: Placing one’s trust in God’s character, promises, and salvation plan, including a personal reliance on Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
Practical Definition
In practical terms, faith is lived out through:
Obedience to God: Acting in accordance with God’s will and commandments, often despite circumstances or outcomes.
Relationship with God: Cultivating a personal and ongoing relationship with God through prayer, worship, and study of the Scriptures.
Endurance and Perseverance: Maintaining trust in God through trials, challenges, and uncertainties, reflecting a steadfast commitment to Him.
Faith and Salvation
The Holy Bible and Christian doctrine teach that faith is essential for salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV): "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
This passage emphasizes that salvation is a gift from God received through faith, not earned by human effort.
Evidential Perspective of Faith
Contrary to the notion that faith is believing without evidence, Christianity presents faith as a trust built on evidence provided by God's actions and promises throughout the Bible. While God is a Spirit and cannot be seen, there is ample evidence to support the existence of the unseen God. Faith within Christianity is a reasoned trust and confidence in God, grounded in historical, empirical, and experiential evidence of His existence, character, and actions.
Evidence of God’s Faithfulness in the Bible
Creation: The evidence of God's existence, power, and creativity is seen in the created world.
Romans 1:20 (NIV): "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."
The Exodus: God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt is foundational evidence of His power and faithfulness.
Exodus 14:31 (NIV): "And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant."
Fulfilled Prophecies: The fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies in the New Testament provides evidence for belief.
Isaiah 53 and its fulfillment in the Gospels: Detailed prophecies about the suffering servant are fulfilled in the life and crucifixion of Jesus.
Jesus’ Miracles and Resurrection: These acts are evidence of Jesus’ divine nature and God’s power.
John 20:30-31 (NIV): "Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name."
Personal Testimonies: The transformed lives of individuals provide ongoing evidence of God’s work.
Acts 9:1-19: The conversion of Saul (Paul) is a powerful testament to the transformative power of encountering Christ Jesus.
Faith and Evidence in Salvation
Faith within Christianity is also often depicted as a response to the evidence of God’s grace and truth:
John 20:29 (NIV): "Then Jesus told him, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'"
This verse acknowledges that while seeing can lead to belief, blessed are those who believe based on the testimony of others, which is itself a form of evidence.
Addressing Misinterpretation of Hebrews 11:1
The misinterpretation of Hebrews 11:1 as "believing in that which isn't provable" and "based on no evidence" neglects the broader context within which it is written. Hebrews 11 is often referred to as the "Faith Hall of Fame," showcasing individuals who demonstrated remarkable faith in God throughout history. These examples, from Abel to Moses and beyond, illustrate faith as a response to God's revelation and faithfulness, rather than a blind leap into the unknown. Hebrews 11:1 in the New International Version (NIV) reads:
"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
Several points help clarify the verse:
Faith as Confidence and Assurance:
The verse describes faith as having "confidence" and "assurance." These terms imply a solid conviction and certainty, not blind belief without any basis.
Hope and Assurance:
"Hope" in a biblical context often refers to a confident expectation based on the character and promises of God. This is not wishful thinking, but a trust rooted in God's faithfulness.
"Assurance about what we do not see" suggests that faith provides certainty of spiritual realities even in the absence of visible evidence, but it does not imply a lack of any form of evidence or reason.
Context of Hebrews 11:
The chapter continues to describe the faith of various biblical figures (Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, etc.). Each example shows that their faith was not without reason or evidence. For instance, Abraham's faith was based on God's promises, and Noah's actions were based on God's warning about things not yet seen.
Faith and Evidence:
Hebrews 11:3 states, "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." This suggests that faith involves understanding and perceiving realities that go beyond immediate, physical evidence but are not devoid of reason or logic.
In a broader theological sense, faith is often seen as trust based on the testimony of scripture, personal experiences of God's work, and historical evidence of God's actions, particularly in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Misinterpretation Correction:
The interpretation of Hebrews 11:1 mentioned at the beginning of the post suggests that faith is purely irrational or without any foundation. However, biblical faith as mentioned in this verse is not a belief without reason; it is a trust in what is not yet seen but is backed by God's promises, character, and past actions.
The writer of Hebrews encourages believers to have faith because of the reliability and faithfulness of God. This is far from believing without any evidence; it is believing based on a deeper understanding of God's nature and historical acts.
In summary, Hebrews 11:1 speaks of faith as a confident and assured trust in God's promises and character, even in the absence of immediate visible evidence. It is not an exhortation to believe without reason but to trust in the unseen realities grounded in God's faithful track record.
Conclusion
Faith within Christianity is a dynamic and active trust in God, characterized by belief in His promises, reliance on His character, and a commitment to living according to His will. It is both a gift from God and a personal response that influences every aspect of a believer's life.
Secondly, faith is also built on a foundation of evidence that includes God’s actions in history, fulfilled prophecies, Jesus’ miracles, and personal testimonies. The Bible encourages believers to trust in God not blindly but because He has demonstrated His reliability and faithfulness repeatedly. This evidential perspective enriches the understanding of faith as a rational and deeply rooted trust in the proven character of God.
Faith, therefore, is not just a mystical experience or an emotional response but a reasoned confidence grounded in the historical and ongoing evidence of God’s faithfulness.
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