Remember thsoe who rule over you,
who have spoken the word of God
to you, whose faith follow,
considering the outcome
of their conduct.
Hebrews 13:7
The previous blogs have spoken about knowledge that once having knowledge faith is no longer required. Example would be that same illustration of the bridge. Involve as intricate elements of faith are trust, and belief. Those elements compose faith in various degrees of each other. When we first cross the bridge faith would of necessity be high on a scale and trust on the lower end of the scale, with belief on the higher side of the scale. This would be true if we had no other information about the bridge, we would cross on faith. As we peruse the traffic, the cars, many of them crossing the bridge and without any problems, our knowledge increases, faith begins it downward glide and trust begins to rise. If we have the information as to the bridge's construction, maintenance, etc, we have a high level of trust and a lower level of faith that is needed, we believe on that information and cross the bridge. All this may be true of external objects of faith, but what about propositional faith, saving faith where there is no object bolster our faith. There are no visible objects, in fact, God is invisible, salvation is propositional, the Trinity Doctrine is so propositional in as much as there be One God, yet in that One God there are three persons, same essence, each different in substance and dispensation. The question is: "Is knowledge essential to faith? Must a truth be known in order to believe? As a side note: Protestants would affirm and Roman Catholics would deny. So who is correct?
As a Protestant I admit that there are mysteries, truths that I am unable to comprehend, they may be, or are, correct objects of faith. The rationalistic doctrine that we can only believe and understand those things which we can prove, or elucidate so that it appears as truth or right. The above Scripture speaks on this problem, or possible problem, in that those who are speaking in behalf of God must be speaking the Word of God, and when the Scripture speaks to watch their conduct, it does not necessarily mean things that are obvious contradictions of Scripture. It is Paul who warns us: "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into houselholds and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sons, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:1-7). It isn't knowledge that is the problem, it is false knowledge causing that knowledge to be misused and lead away captive those who are immature, in the least, or those who love having their ears tickled and get from that false knowledge a notion of faith.
Protestants maintain that knowledge, that which we believe to be important and believed, that proposition we have deemed to be true, is essential to faith and is limited by knowledge. We can only believe what we know those things which we apprehend. If a person, a pastor, a leader, etc., declares in an unknown "tongue," how can we believe or disbelieve whether or not it is true? Even if the person is competent and knowledgeable and we have confidence in him and believe what is declared to be right but the proposition that which was declared has no part of our faith then we cannot affirm its truth. Far too often men and women put their faith, trust, and belief in a person right or wrong as they may be. In the Church there is a chasm, a division and the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthian Church in regards to those problems. Paul is direct and condemns much of their practices as such as Spiritual gifts were being misused. I wonder, when did the word in Acts 2 for language "γλώσσαις" and repeated in the same form in Corinthians become "gibberish" unintelligible sounds. In his scolding them of this misuse he says: "So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air" (1 Corinthians 14:9). If we put our faith in such unscriptural practices how can we say "amen" that means to be in agreement, and how can we assent to its truth. We must have intelligent understanding and apprehension of what is being declared and even as some propose that an interpreter will give us the meaning; well how can we belief or assent to an interpreter unless we understand the language. Further, unless we understand words, i.e., God, or Spirit, if we understand the words then we can affirm or disaffirm that which is be spoken.
When interpretation as to who is Jesus the Son of God it will be found that some say that the Son is an official title,that He is a ruler. Some say that it is a term of affection, if so, then that proposition carries the meaning that Jesus was the special object of God's love. Some say that Jesus is of the same nature as God for He is a divine Person. Now if this is the meaning of Spirit in declaring Jesus to be the Son of God, there can be a problem, if one does not attach that sense to the words, they do not believe the intended truth that is being taught. For instance if we do no understand the word "propitiation" for our sins and that Jesus is that propitiation, then that proposition means nothing and cannot be an object of our faith.
I will continue this line of reasoning in as much our faith, the ground of our faith is strengthened and undergirded by truth. That truth of salvation is grounded upon our faith and the understanding of the object of our faith. We must determine the whether faith is truly essential by means of knowledge.
Sing praise to the LORD, you
saints of His,
And give thanks at the
Remembrance of His Holy
Name.
Psalm 30:4
God Bless You
Richard L. Crumb
Protestants maintain that knowledge, that which we believe to be important and believed, that proposition we have deemed to be true, is essential to faith and is limited by knowledge. We can only believe what we know those things which we apprehend. If a person, a pastor, a leader, etc., declares in an unknown "tongue," how can we believe or disbelieve whether or not it is true? Even if the person is competent and knowledgeable and we have confidence in him and believe what is declared to be right but the proposition that which was declared has no part of our faith then we cannot affirm its truth. Far too often men and women put their faith, trust, and belief in a person right or wrong as they may be. In the Church there is a chasm, a division and the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthian Church in regards to those problems. Paul is direct and condemns much of their practices as such as Spiritual gifts were being misused. I wonder, when did the word in Acts 2 for language "γλώσσαις" and repeated in the same form in Corinthians become "gibberish" unintelligible sounds. In his scolding them of this misuse he says: "So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air" (1 Corinthians 14:9). If we put our faith in such unscriptural practices how can we say "amen" that means to be in agreement, and how can we assent to its truth. We must have intelligent understanding and apprehension of what is being declared and even as some propose that an interpreter will give us the meaning; well how can we belief or assent to an interpreter unless we understand the language. Further, unless we understand words, i.e., God, or Spirit, if we understand the words then we can affirm or disaffirm that which is be spoken.
When interpretation as to who is Jesus the Son of God it will be found that some say that the Son is an official title,that He is a ruler. Some say that it is a term of affection, if so, then that proposition carries the meaning that Jesus was the special object of God's love. Some say that Jesus is of the same nature as God for He is a divine Person. Now if this is the meaning of Spirit in declaring Jesus to be the Son of God, there can be a problem, if one does not attach that sense to the words, they do not believe the intended truth that is being taught. For instance if we do no understand the word "propitiation" for our sins and that Jesus is that propitiation, then that proposition means nothing and cannot be an object of our faith.
I will continue this line of reasoning in as much our faith, the ground of our faith is strengthened and undergirded by truth. That truth of salvation is grounded upon our faith and the understanding of the object of our faith. We must determine the whether faith is truly essential by means of knowledge.
Sing praise to the LORD, you
saints of His,
And give thanks at the
Remembrance of His Holy
Name.
Psalm 30:4
God Bless You
Richard L. Crumb
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