Biblical faith--what is it?
Are you saying you would not commit to "good works" without your faith or your god, or would you do so regardless?
Really Emile?
You are exhibiting an abject ignorance of christian history.
I'll give ya just one "really insignificant...wink wink" example of christian brotherly love: "The Dark
Ages.
Jim Jones did murder a few!
Hitler had a dedication to your "god thing" inscribed on all his troops belt buckles.
Oh, I could go on and on, but why? Your religious bigotry is much to deeply imbedded to be able to overcome it with "worthless" examples of "reality."
Emile, seriously, have you read your King James version of the bible? I don't get the impression that you have.
Maybe I'm wrong. You could be a discriminating reader who just reads the parts that fill your preconceived needs?
I seem to remember, from my readings (studies) that before killing just about everything that "it" alledgedly "created," this biblical, fairytale "god thing" was busy murdering tens of thousands of his "alledged" creations: men, women, children, the unborn, their flocks and pets...or did that somehow manage to just, kinda, be passed over in your readings?
Emile, when ya gain a little more sophistication, by time, study and experience, and that gained sophistication becomes apparent to the "enlightened," you MAY become a credible female.
Until that happens, from my point of view, you can't be taken seriously.
My fingers are crossed in the hope that one day, you will experience an "enlightening" epiphany that will introduce you to the marvels of a world you have yet to know and enjoy!
"May the 'Force' be with you!":
Qwark
PS Maybe I should have posted this to both you and Bibowen...Hmmm?I am not ignorant to history qwark. I was questioning a current events comment. Try to keep up. I realize it is difficult to teach old dogs new tricks but, I don't believe any of us are that old yet.
Emile:
Ah, but you mentioned in your comment the word "atheist."
When, if you compare the atrocities perpetrated by the (non-existant) atheist to those of the christian ilk, the christians are the absolute winners by millions!
Now Emile, enlightenment is available for the taking!
Innundate yourself in an understanding of "reality" and "contemporary truths," and by golly, "hope springs eternal!
If ya try, it will surely happen!:
Qwark
That seems very selfish. Does the concept that good deeds simply might help others not mean anything to you, Dave?
Slarty, you silly man....Dave attends a Catholic Church.
Oh for the days of the inquisition.
Yes. I suppose that is the myth as it stands in Christianity these days. Yet it is also said by the Catholic Church that if you have not heard the word, you are judged only on your deeds. That seems to be a slight contradiction and may I add a reason not to spread the word.
I would suspect that anyone who did good deeds simply to gain favor would end up in the latter, Dave.
Those who do good deeds only to help others most likely wouldn't.
Because, that is what Jesus really teaches, Dave, if you actually took the time to understand that.
Hi Jcnasia!
I agree with you.
In the general sense of the word, to have faith is to believe in something or someone, to fully trust, to be so confident that you base your actions on what you believe. To have faith is to be fully convinced of the truthfulness and reliability of that in which you believe.
Faith in God then, is having the kind of trust and confidence in God and in Christ that leads you to commit your whole soul to Him as Saviour (Justifier, Cleanser, Healer, Deliverer) and Lord (Master, King).
"Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see."
Faith is never in the bible described as blind faith. If we read the bible we would know what we are believing for, What God promises, and we than chose to believe and accept it as truth putting our complete trust/faith in God to do what His word says.
We may not see God when he is fixing it, or while we are waiting- but we know for sure He is faithful to do as His word says.
Now when people are referring to faith before signs it is referring to>>
Matt 16:4--A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
Matt 16:12--Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
This is talking about was how the Pharisees and Sadducees who didn't believe and were asking for a sign first. This is how those that don't believe today are. They say they would have to see some sorta sign first that they will in God, Jesus, healings, & etc. Also note he those that were wicked, adulterous, seek after a sign first.
A little about Jonas/Jonah >>God first told Jonah “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it.” It should be obvious that what Jonah spoke was a conditional proclamation to give them a chance to repent. (Jonah 1:2)
God didn’t tell Jonah everyone would be saved, and he doesn’t tell this to people today--even with their prophesying/warnings not everyone in all cities and nations will come to Christ.
His message was simple– “yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” Jonah 3:5 states, “And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.” God honored their repentance, (Matthew 12:41, Jesus tells us they repented).
This is the message those that don't believe and ask for a sign will get- repent turn from your sins and accept Jesus as your Lord.
Now when it comes to those that have accepted Jesus we have already stepped out in faith without seeing Jesus, or witnessing the hole in his hands & feet.
Seeing and Believing:
John 20:24- Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas,[d] because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Signs follow those who believe and those that do witness God's power, Jesus healing, and other miraculous events than our faith is increased even more.
No there are those that Jesus refers to when it comes to ' followers see him perform miracles, and then they believe him. And He encourages us to believe because of the miracles too- This also in John 14.
John 10:37-38- If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don't believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father."(NLT)
Heb 11:6--And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Biblical references to faith in the New Testament.
A. Greek word pisteuo, which means "to believe"
John 3:16 - "whoever believes in Him should not perish"
John 11:26 - "everyone who believes in Me shall never die"
Acts 16:31 - "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved"
Rom. 1:16 - "power of God for salvation to every one who believes"
Eph. 1:13 - "having believed you were sealed with Holy Spirit"
James 2:19 - "the demons believe and shudder"
I John 5:1 - "whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God"
B. Greek word pistis, which is translated "belief" and "faith"
Rom. 1:5 - "the obedience of faith"
Rom. 5:1 - "having been justified by faith"
I Cor. 15:14 - "if Christ not raised, your faith is in vain"
II Cor. 5:7 - "we walk by faith, not by sight"
Gal. 2:20 - "I live by faith in the Son of God"
Eph. 2:8 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith"
Phil. 3:9 - "righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith"
Heb. 11:1 - "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen"
James 2:26 - "faith without works is dead"
I Peter 1:5 - "protected by the power of God through faith"
God Bless youYet still if you are certain something is a fact then there is no faith involved. And to be certain without evidence except perhaps personal intuition because of some religious epiphany is faith.
So you believe in the promises of god. That's fine. That's faith because you don't know with certainty that a god exists. Were you to know with certainty a god exists then no faith in that idea would be required. However you still might need it to believe it keeps it's promises.
You also need faith to believe that what someone wrote a little less than 2000 years ago is not just a voice from the ancient past blowing smoke up our collective rear.
In religion there is a lot you need have faith for and it pretty much has to be blind, because religion assumes so very much that it can't prove.
Now if your god were to show up things would be different. But then there would be no faith required at all, would there? Even I would know it exists.
You have a good day too.
Biblical faith is the mind's response to the fear of death.
Because the centre of fear in the brain is primitive it behaves much like an Ostrich burying it's head in the sand.No, hysterical laughter is the result when un-indoctrinated people read the scriptures for the first time.... that and incredulity.
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