Monday 2 January 2012

Is your faith well founded?

It seems to be common for people to think that faith comes into play when we cannot explain something.  This is a fundamental error in understanding of the nature of faith, at least where it applies to Christianity.

There is a common confusion between 'religion' arising from what we do not understand and cannot explain, and faith which is founded on sure belief.

It is said that 'nature abhors a vacuum', and likewise our minds hate not knowing. There is a deep longing within us all to find explanations for what we do not understand, and where the information and facts are missing, we turn to all manner of means for filling the gap in order to construct some kind of understanding.

So for many people, a kind of religion fills the gap, providing fragile comfort against what is unknown and unsettling.

But this is not to be confused with Christian faith. Rather, this is a 'child's comforter', and is indeed a mental crutch and a delusion! It is akin to superstition. Where one's 'faith' is based on nothing more than filling the gaps we cannot explain, then this is not faith at all. Moreover it is very shaky ground on which to build one's life, for gradually, one piece at a time, as human understanding and knowledge grow - two steps forward and one back - so those areas of ignorance are filled in, and so such 'faith' is undermined and appears to become irrelevant.

In fact, this is largely why science is often thought of as being in opposition to Christianity. As some new scientific discovery is made, some new understanding gained, such 'faith' becomes obsolete. We can see this loss of 'faith' all around us.

But this is based on a false understanding of Christian faith. Do not confuse this with a faith based on a firm foundation!

So what is Christian faith, if not the above?

The Christian faith - rooted in real historical events - is to believe that Jesus is who he said he is: God incarnate. God is Spirit, and this belief is not a matter that can be tested, measured or scientifically proved or disproved. "We live in a world where, if you can measure it, it's real; and if you can't, then it's not real. I live in a world where the most important things are immeasurable." (1)

"God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4 v24)

The spiritual dimension is something which science will never either prove or disprove.  To apply science to Christian faith is like asking a blind man to tell us about the colour of something he or she cannot see. For this task, science is a blind guide! In fact, the image of a blind man having his eyes opened to see and understand who Jesus was, is a New Testament analogy. We will never see nor understand unless our 'eyes are opened', and this is a work of God (2 Corinthians 4 v4-6).

"No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (Luke 10 v22 & Matthew 11 v27). But the Bible also makes clear that this revelation is available not just to a select few, but to all who are prepared to put their lives into God's hands.

The Christian faith is no 'comforter' for a frightened child - it is full of hard truth; some of it difficult to understand and yet not beyond the understanding of the simplest soul; much of it flies in the face of worldly wisdom, yet it makes perfect sense.

Those who trust in science to explain everything, can continue to suck on their particular child's comforter... But the most important things in life are immeasurable and are based on faith.

There is no firmer foundation than believing in the God who came to save.


1. Quote from Lida Cardozo Kindersley

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