Faith, I believe is an extremely misused word, especially when used in a religious sense. When most religious people use the word they don’t mean faith they mean BLIND faith. But that isn’t what God means when the word is used in the Bible.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (KJV)
According to the Bible, faith has evidence. The chair you are sitting in now, did you know it would hold you up when you sat in it today? No, it would not be the first chair that broke when someone sat in it. But you had faith that it would hold you up, because it held you up in the past, so you trusted it would hold you up today. Your faith was built on the evidence of it working in the past.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (KJV)
Christians should not “just believe” we should make sure the things we believe in are good and true.
John 20:27
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
Jesus provided evidence to Thomas that it was really him alive and well, and by touching the wounds of Christ he lost his faithlessness if it were really wrong to want evidence in Christianity Jesus would not have provided the evidence Thomas wanted
Romans 10 (KJV)
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Paul recognized that the Jews had a zeal for God, but that zeal wasn’t according to knowledge, the Jews really wanted to please God but they did not know the knowledge that God had provided for them and held them accountable for knowing. God doesn’t want us to “just believe” he wants us to know that what we are believing is correct. How do we know?
Romans 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to
every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Philippians 1:7
Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
Jude 1:3
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Luke 5:23-24 (HCSB)
23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But so you may KNOW that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He told the paralyzed man, “I tell you: Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”
Jesus wanted people to KNOW that he had the power to forgive sins, so he provided evidence by creating the miracle of making a paralyzed man walk.
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