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God relies on faith. What does that tell us about God? and his purposes?
It means that He respects our freedom and that it is genuine.
I suppose, though, it would be wise to see what definition of faith you are operating with.
Eucharist [thanksgiving] is the state of the perfect man. Eucharist is the life of paradise. Eucharist is the only full and real response of man to God's creation, redemption, and gift of heaven. - Alexander Schemann
Eucharist [thanksgiving] is the state of the perfect man. Eucharist is the life of paradise. Eucharist is the only full and real response of man to God's creation, redemption, and gift of heaven. - Alexander Schemann
Slogan/motto:
Mat 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
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April 25th, 2010, 07:50 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kmoney
God relies on faith. What does that tell us about God? and his purposes?
It means God wants a full heart to heart relationship with men and not an outward signification of it in a form of religion in which it can be pretended before men.
LA.
Many get called to be saved, then take upon themselves the demons of the fallen church before they give their life to God in return.
Eucharist [thanksgiving] is the state of the perfect man. Eucharist is the life of paradise. Eucharist is the only full and real response of man to God's creation, redemption, and gift of heaven. - Alexander Schemann
Slogan/motto:
Success is a journey, not a destination. So stop running.
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April 25th, 2010, 08:00 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lazy afternoon
It means God wants a full heart to heart relationship with men and not an outward signification of it in a form of religion in which it can be pretended before men.
LA.
Why does pretending before men matter? You can't pretend with God. Well, you can, but good luck fooling him.
Slogan/motto:
Isaiah 33:14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Slogan/motto:
Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."
Reputation:
April 25th, 2010, 08:06 PM
Faith in God and free will are so intimately related that it seems as if a world without faith would also be a world without free will. (This assumes a more robust definition of faith, one that includes active belief)
"If a sheerly linguistic version of the gospel could be concocted, it would merely so be no longer the gospel. In the Lutheran Reformation’s understanding, which we believe in this matter to be correct, the sacraments make the inalienable externality of the gospel message and therefore are necessary to the authenticity of that message." (Christian Dogmatics [1984], II:302-303 as cited in Pontifications)
Slogan/motto:
Success is a journey, not a destination. So stop running.
Reputation:
April 25th, 2010, 08:17 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by zippy2006
Faith in God and free will are so intimately related that it seems as if a world without faith would also be a world without free will. (This assumes a more robust definition of faith, one that includes active belief)
I'm thinking of faith vs. knowledge. Or faith vs. seeing.
What were you thinking of?
I don't see faith (at least not the biblical sense) as standing over and against knowledge. It's not one or the other.
The ancient Latin fathers had a three-fold understanding of faith. They broke it down into notitia, assensus, and fiducia. Notitia was having a grasp of the basic knowledge content of the belief system (think of Jude 3). Assensus is giving intellectual assent to the knowledge of notitia. In other words, you agree with the basic knowledge content of the belief system (think James 2:19). Fiducia is what we would understand of commitment or active trust. It is taking what we give mental/intellectual assent to and putting it into action, acting as if it were true.
This last step, fiducia, is what we might call saving faith. So, faith, contrary to being opposed to knowledge or the antithesis of knowledge, is deeply and intimately wedded to it. Faith isn't a blind leap, though it is a leap of sorts. The will has to move. For example, say that I know that tomorrow it will probably rain. That would be notitia. Then, I decide to investigate the claim that has been made myself to the extent that it is possible, and upon doing so, I find that it is high likely, if not certain, that it is the case that tomorrow will probably bring rain. That is assensus. Now, do I have to act on that knowledge and my assent to it? I certainly can. I can prepare by bringing my umbrella and dressing appropriately for the weather. I could also act to the contrary. Finally, I could do nothing because I don't care if I get wet.
So, by faith, I believe that God is and that He has acted in a certain way and will continue to do so. Most people never get to step 3 because they either don't understand the content of the faith or they don't agree with that content. And, once a person gets to fiducia there is no guarantee that they will act upon what they know...I know because I didn't. I understood the content of the faith for years, and I even gave assent to the truth of it, but I never moved beyond that.
Eucharist [thanksgiving] is the state of the perfect man. Eucharist is the life of paradise. Eucharist is the only full and real response of man to God's creation, redemption, and gift of heaven. - Alexander Schemann
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