Well said.
Because of unbelief
they were broken off,
and you stand
by faith.
Do not be haughty,
but fear.
Romans 11:20
We have considered several definitions of faith and one more definition must be considered. It is that, which makes faith, a conviction of truth founded on testimony. Is it not true that we rely upon reason and we believe those things that rely upon authority? The Alexandrian School founded around 200 A.D. by Clement of Alexandria, a Church Father (c. 150-215) inserted into his theology and gave this theology to the Greek speaking Christians philosophy as a means to bring them to Christ. It isn't that Clement did not believe that truth could be found in the Scriptures, he did, only that if felt that the truth was sometimes hidden and could only be discovered through allegorical interpretation, sometimes that is found in the writings of Origen (c. 185-254), who also adapted, teaching that the allegorical understanding of the Scripture could find further meaning, "spiritual meaning" containing universal and eternal truths, albeit reflecting Plato. Yet this school taught that the Greek word "πίστις" for faith was founded on authority opposing the heathen idea that faith was something learned as some Christian teaching that faith is a philosophical explanation and proof of truths believed. The School-men of the reformation relied heavily on their scholasticism and even heavily denounced by Martin Luther had this opinion of faith that faith was founded upon authority.
Now, they defined faith to be a persuasion of things not seen and meant things which we receive as true on authority, not because we can have knowledge of them or prove them. Therefore, faith is human when it is relied upon the testimony of men. When faith relies upon the testimony of God it is divine. Thomas Aquinas summed up, says, that faith, or which we speak, assents to nothing except because it is revealed by God, not because we see, know, or feel a thing to be true. Notice that the church father, the reformers, Luther, make mention of the fact that faith is grounded upon testimony and that Christian faith is founded on the authority of God who testifies to the truth. Assent, is the second act or element of faith, and that assent is on the testimony of God. If we never assent to the truth or to the authority of God as testified to us, then we cannot have faith, a faith that something is true.
Here is a great and common question: "Why do I believe Jesus to be the Christ?" Is it because He said He was? Anyone could and did say that they were the messiah, in fact that was quite common in Israel just before Jesus came on the scene, for some were testifying that they were the messiah, only to fail and often killed. So why do we say that Jesus is the Messiah and believe it? Is it not on the testimony given by God, on His authority, when He testifies concerning Jesus? If we do not believe on the the divine testimony by God, then our faith comes to nothing. We believe such a thing, as God reveals it, because it is given upon the authority of God. When something is propounded to us that is not apparent to our senses not to our understanding, we cannot achieve a clear and necessary connection from which it proceeds, or even the effects the it produces, there is no argument or any other reference to the truth and yet it appears to us as true, and we are moved to assent to that truth by the testimony, it is because of the virtue that founds the testimony and makes a thing credible, and for us to assent in this case it is the proper notion faith or belief.
This definition of faith is all but universally held by theologians, and philosophers, and a great amount of Christian people. But, we must, answer this question: "Are we to receive truth on authority, or only upon rational evidence?" I am afraid that in many of today's churches that the rationale for faith is laid upon feelings and emotion, and having certain gifts, i.e., revelations, vision, healing, antics that are not becoming a Christian, and their authority is upon that rationale. Is the the evidence for our faith?
It is admitted that the essential element of faith is trust; you cannot have one without the other, only the degrees associated with each may vary determined by the event or thing. So, to believe is to trust. When we rely by our minds on anything as being true and worthy, we give it confidence. This definition is wide in its approach in some sense for it does not matter what is the object or what is the ground of our trust for this word, "faith," is used commonly in reference to truths which we receive on trust without being able to prove them. We are said to believe on our own existence, not like Rene Descartes who stated: "I think therefore I am," or the external world and all the primary truths of reason. All those things are considered, reason. Reason begins by believing, in other words, trusting of a thing that does not comport comprehension or proof. There is a legitimate use of the word in this sense; it expresses a certain degree less than knowledge and stronger than probability. In this way; when we say that we are not sure, but we believe that a certain thing happened.
Examining this word faith discriminately from knowledge or opinion, faith means the belief of things not seen, on the ground of testimony. Not just any old testimony given indiscriminately by some intelligent witness. There are other methods by which testimony may be given than affirmation. Examples: a seal is a form of testimony, as is a sign. Everything that pledges the authority of the an attester to the truth to be established. It was Elijah who declared the Jehovah was God, and he called Baal a lie. This he did when he said, "The God that answereth by fire, let him be God" (1 Kings 18:36). The testimony came in the form of fire a testimony to the truth of the words of Elijah. In the New Testament God is witnessed to, or testified of, by signs and wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit (Hebrew 2:4). God even gives His children a witness to that fact: "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16).
There is no impropriety in this use of the word for it is upon, or affirmed by the testimony founded upon the authority of God and is our affirmation. Therefore, when it is said that faith is founded on testimony, it is meant that it is not founded on sense, reason, or feeling, but on the authority of Him by whom it is authenticated.
"And now the LORD says,
Who formed Me from
the womb to be His Servant,
to bring Jacob back to Him,
so that Israel is gathered to
Him
(For I shall be glorious in the
eyes of the Lord,
and My God shall be My
strength). Isaiah 49:5).
It is true of Christ and it that promise and fact
extends to all who have been given to Christ.
Praise God
Richard L. Crumb
Now, they defined faith to be a persuasion of things not seen and meant things which we receive as true on authority, not because we can have knowledge of them or prove them. Therefore, faith is human when it is relied upon the testimony of men. When faith relies upon the testimony of God it is divine. Thomas Aquinas summed up, says, that faith, or which we speak, assents to nothing except because it is revealed by God, not because we see, know, or feel a thing to be true. Notice that the church father, the reformers, Luther, make mention of the fact that faith is grounded upon testimony and that Christian faith is founded on the authority of God who testifies to the truth. Assent, is the second act or element of faith, and that assent is on the testimony of God. If we never assent to the truth or to the authority of God as testified to us, then we cannot have faith, a faith that something is true.
Here is a great and common question: "Why do I believe Jesus to be the Christ?" Is it because He said He was? Anyone could and did say that they were the messiah, in fact that was quite common in Israel just before Jesus came on the scene, for some were testifying that they were the messiah, only to fail and often killed. So why do we say that Jesus is the Messiah and believe it? Is it not on the testimony given by God, on His authority, when He testifies concerning Jesus? If we do not believe on the the divine testimony by God, then our faith comes to nothing. We believe such a thing, as God reveals it, because it is given upon the authority of God. When something is propounded to us that is not apparent to our senses not to our understanding, we cannot achieve a clear and necessary connection from which it proceeds, or even the effects the it produces, there is no argument or any other reference to the truth and yet it appears to us as true, and we are moved to assent to that truth by the testimony, it is because of the virtue that founds the testimony and makes a thing credible, and for us to assent in this case it is the proper notion faith or belief.
This definition of faith is all but universally held by theologians, and philosophers, and a great amount of Christian people. But, we must, answer this question: "Are we to receive truth on authority, or only upon rational evidence?" I am afraid that in many of today's churches that the rationale for faith is laid upon feelings and emotion, and having certain gifts, i.e., revelations, vision, healing, antics that are not becoming a Christian, and their authority is upon that rationale. Is the the evidence for our faith?
It is admitted that the essential element of faith is trust; you cannot have one without the other, only the degrees associated with each may vary determined by the event or thing. So, to believe is to trust. When we rely by our minds on anything as being true and worthy, we give it confidence. This definition is wide in its approach in some sense for it does not matter what is the object or what is the ground of our trust for this word, "faith," is used commonly in reference to truths which we receive on trust without being able to prove them. We are said to believe on our own existence, not like Rene Descartes who stated: "I think therefore I am," or the external world and all the primary truths of reason. All those things are considered, reason. Reason begins by believing, in other words, trusting of a thing that does not comport comprehension or proof. There is a legitimate use of the word in this sense; it expresses a certain degree less than knowledge and stronger than probability. In this way; when we say that we are not sure, but we believe that a certain thing happened.
Examining this word faith discriminately from knowledge or opinion, faith means the belief of things not seen, on the ground of testimony. Not just any old testimony given indiscriminately by some intelligent witness. There are other methods by which testimony may be given than affirmation. Examples: a seal is a form of testimony, as is a sign. Everything that pledges the authority of the an attester to the truth to be established. It was Elijah who declared the Jehovah was God, and he called Baal a lie. This he did when he said, "The God that answereth by fire, let him be God" (1 Kings 18:36). The testimony came in the form of fire a testimony to the truth of the words of Elijah. In the New Testament God is witnessed to, or testified of, by signs and wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit (Hebrew 2:4). God even gives His children a witness to that fact: "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16).
There is no impropriety in this use of the word for it is upon, or affirmed by the testimony founded upon the authority of God and is our affirmation. Therefore, when it is said that faith is founded on testimony, it is meant that it is not founded on sense, reason, or feeling, but on the authority of Him by whom it is authenticated.
"And now the LORD says,
Who formed Me from
the womb to be His Servant,
to bring Jacob back to Him,
so that Israel is gathered to
Him
(For I shall be glorious in the
eyes of the Lord,
and My God shall be My
strength). Isaiah 49:5).
It is true of Christ and it that promise and fact
extends to all who have been given to Christ.
Praise God
Richard L. Crumb
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