Where Does Our Faith Come From? (Part I)

Fil Anderson is a spiritual director, conference speaker, writer, and retreat leader. He is the founder of Journey Resources and author of Running on Empty and Breaking the Rules.

In his book Breaking the Rules he states the following:

"Religion has only enough power to change the appearance of things. Religion has never been able to get down into and change anyone's heart. It's both a humbling and freeing thing to acknowledge there's nothing we can do that reaches beyond the appearance of things. Only Jesus has the power and resources needed to change what's inside us.

For many of us, religion becomes a container that securely houses 'the rules' for successful living. The rules provide the answers to the how-to-please-and-appease-God questions that religion emphasizes. When this happens, our life is reduced to a set of principles, Bible verses, moral absolutes, and formulas.

The unmistakable conclusion is that once the rules are understood, we can relax and feel secure because God is no longer a mystery or beyond our grasp. As long as we remain focused on surface issues, life goes well.

However, when we hit a stumbling block or two, we face the emptiness of our interior life. Suddenly, 'the rules' no longer seem to apply, our life begins disintegrating, and we're forced to change."
-Breaking the Rules (InterVarsity Press, 2010), Fil Anderson

Once the English verb "to believe" commonly meant to have faith, to have trust, to entrust oneself. Today, however, it has come to denote having a belief about something. The English translation for the Greek verb for faith is always "believe in," but modern readers do not necessarily distinguish "believing in" from "having a belief."

The difference is crucial. A belief is a matter of the mind, whereas faith is an orienting of the whole person in trust. Belief is conceptual; faith is a matter of character.

Beliefs are important, of course, in so far as they turn us to God and our neighbor in faith, hope and love. Many beliefs may do that: "God is love." "There is salvation and eternal life." "Jesus points the way to the kingdom of God." "Faith is saving." "We can trust in God." "Death is not the end of life with God." "God loves us."

These beliefs, and others, may well turn and tune our minds to God and thus help us to "follow Jesus" and live "in Christ." But the beliefs do not bring us into the kingdom of God, unless we have faith-unless we trust in God and live out our faith. Faith is not believing certain things but living a certain way.

What is faith? What does it mean to believe? Some Christians think it means blind acceptance: "You've just got to believe." Some skeptics agree: "Faith is believing in something without good reasons to do so." - Steven Pinker, evolutionary psychologist who opposed mandatory religion classes at Harvard.

Both are mistaken; such ignorance of the nature of faith leads to shallowness of faith among Christians, and prejudice against faith among skeptics. It might not be a bad idea to examine the nature of faith, and the nature Christian faith in order to offer some insight on both.

Due to spatial constraints, I will split this discussion into two parts. Part I (today's message) will offer insight on "the nature of faith". Part II will revolve around "the nature of Chrisitan faith".

Let's begin with "the nature of faith"; particularly with the biblical definition of faith as defined by Easton's Bible Dictionary: "Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true." Its primary idea is trust. "...being convinced of what we do not see." - ibid.

For example: you have faith that your parents are indeed your parents. This is based upon your confidence in the reliability of their word. Such conviction or trust prompts you to respond accordingly. We have such faith (trust, conviction) in many things. In other words, we believe in George Washington as a person of history. We believe in commercial aviation as a safe way to travel. Faith is trust or conviction in something or someone!

Now let's look at the evidentiary nature of faith. Many people believe that faith is something blind ("you just gotta believe"). Yes, faith can be a conviction in "things unseen" (Hebrews 11:1). And yes, we can "walk by faith, not by sight" (2Colossians 5:7).

But there can be sound reasons (i.e., evidence) for believing in what you cannot "see." Just as you believe in George Washington, though you have never seen him; and as you believe in who your parents are, though you can't remember who was there at your birth.

Other people believe that faith is a special gift from God for a select few. In one sense faith is indeed a "gift" from God (cf. Ephesians 2:8; Romans 12:3). But while faith owes its ultimate source to God, it is available to all. For God desires all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-6). He desires that which produces saving faith to be proclaimed to all (cf. Romans 1:16; 16:25-26).

The fact is that faith comes from evidence, provided by God Himself! Evidence of His existence in the universe (Psalm 19:1-3; Romans 1:19-20). Evidence of signs and wonders so we might believe in His Son (John 5:36; 10:37-38; 14:10-11; 20:30-31). Faith in the Bible is not 'blind faith', it is trust based on evidence!

As mentioned above, in Part II, we will continue our discussion on the evidentiary nature of faith by examining "the nature of Christian faith". I invite you to join me then!

Let's pray:

Lord, make me deserving of the faith that I need to get nearer to you;
Forgive my limitations and light my way toward the right path;
Bless me with the gift of humility and courage to confront the temptations of this world;
Please Father, never leave my side; and provide me with a shield to protect against envy from others, and my own self-pity. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Brooke