WHY GOD MUST DEMAND FAITH (Part Two)

By Bob Myhan

s mentioned in part one, faith can best be understood in contrast to knowledge and opinion. Knowledge is the immediate or direct awareness of facts. Knowledge is based on experience and/or reason.

    While knowledge is based on evidence, opinion is formed in the absence, ignorance or disregard of evidence. Some, who refuse to think about the universe analytically, for example, have the opinion that there is no creator and no designer. But could one observe a house and have the honest opinion that there was no builder? "For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God" (Heb. 3:4).

    Jesus once asked his disciples, "'Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets’" (Matt. 16:13-14). It is obvious that these men were not saying who Jesus was from knowledge. Neither could it have been a statement of faith for Jesus had not claimed to be any of these persons. What men said, therefore, was simply their  own personal opinion.

So, faith, like knowledge, is objective. That is, they are both based on evidence. Faith differs from knowledge, however, in that it is not based on the direct evidence of our own senses. Rather, faith is based on the testimony of those who have had the direct evidence of their senses. Or, as far as faith in God is concerned, "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17). In order to have faith, we must depend on the experience and testimony of others. Our senses are necessary for the receiving of the testimony, but faith is nevertheless based on indirect evidence, rather than direct evidence.

After telling the Lord of the various opinions of men about who He was, the disciples were asked by Jesus, "’But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven'" (Matt. 16:15-17). Peter had neither formed an opinion nor accepted the opinions of others. Rather, he accepted the testimony of the God of heaven. This testimony took four separate forms, as pointed out by Jesus (John 5:31-39). It was based on (1) the inspired testimony of John, (2) the practical testimony of Jesus' miracles, (3) the direct, vocal testimony of God at the baptism of Jesus and (4) the written testimony of O.T. Scripture.

When it was reported to Thomas by the other apostles that they had seen the resurrected Jesus, he replied, "’Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe’" (John 20:25). Thomas wanted the direct evidence of his own senses that Jesus was alive.

One week later, Jesus appeared again, and said to Thomas, "’Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.’ And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’" (John 20:27-29).

This certainly seems to indicate that those who believe without the direct evidence of their senses exhibit a greater degree of intellectual honesty and confidence in the testimony of others. Remember, not one of the apostles was willing to accept the firsthand testimony of those who had seen Jesus after His resurrection. But they did believe the fact of the resurrection once they saw His resurrected body. Remember, too, that it was necessary for the apostles to have the strongest possible sensory evidence of the resurrection, so that others might have the strongest possible testimony on which to base their faith. This would result in the strongest possible faith (John 17:20-21; 20:30-31; 1 John 1:1-3).

Adam could not have known his own origin, without revelation from God, any more than a newborn baby can know who gave birth to him. But, while Adam could not have known the facts of his own origin, he might have had an opinion concerning the matter. However, to believe anything about it, he was entirely dependent on the testimony of God, because there was no one else to testify.

After being told by God of his origin, Adam could either believe or disbelieve the testimony of God. If he chose to disbelieve, he might then have formed an opinion. But he still would not and could not know his origin, because he did not witness the event. Once he heard the testimony of God, though—assuming he was honest with himself—he would realize that there was no logical alternative.

When Eve was created from his rib, Adam was not aware of it for he was in a deep sleep. Thus, he did not witness, and could not know anything of her origin. Of course, he must have believed the testimony of God concerning her origin because he said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man" (Gen. 2:23). It is likely, then, that he believed God concerning his own origin, as having been created in God's image.&

[To be continued]

The Leading of the Holy Spirit (Part One)

By Troy Johnson

o the Christians at Rome, Paul wrote, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14). Thus, clearly Paul is affirming that Christians are led by the Holy Spirit. But the question arises, "How does the Holy Spirit lead and influence Christians?"

Does this mean the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, leads directly by visions or dreams, by revelation, or by influencing our thinking? Or does this mean the Holy Spirit leads us indirectly by the Word which He revealed to holy men of God? These are the only two possibilities.

Either the Spirit leads directly or indirectly. If directly, then there is no need for the written revealed will of God, but if He leads indirectly through the Word of God, then there is no need for direct revelation since the Word of God claims to be all sufficient. To answer these questions, consider the context from which the statement is given. 

In Romans 8:1 Paul declares, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

There are a great number of blessings for those who are "in Christ Jesus." In fact, they have "all spiritual blessings" (Eph. 1:3). Therefore, there are no spiritual blessings found outside of Christ. Such spiritual blessings as redemption (Romans 3:24), forgiveness (Eph. 1:7), reconciliation (Eph. 2:13-16), salvation (2 Tim. 2:10), and in our text "no condemnation" (no spiritual sentence of death) are "in Christ." Because of so many rich blessings, those who are "in Christ" "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." To "walk after the Spirit" is the same as being "led by the Spirit," and these are the opposite of walking "after the flesh." &

[To be continued]